| Tuesday, April 9, 2024 |
| Broadus named chief marketing officer within MSU Division of Strategic Communications | |
 | Mississippi State University's new chief marketing officer within the Division of Strategic Communications is a longtime marketing strategist with significant expertise in digital media. Thomas Broadus, a native of Pascagoula and an alumnus of the University of Southern Mississippi, began his MSU role on April 1 and is based in the Office of Public Affairs. Broadus is returning to his home state after honing his skills in Greenville, South Carolina, with Infinity Marketing. Most recently Broadus served as president of King & Columbus, a marketing and advertising agency based in Charleston, South Carolina. After earning his 2003 USM degree in management information systems, Broadus launched his career as a software developer and quickly expanded his skills into web development and digital outreach at MPB in Jackson. In 2011, Broadus earned his master's degree in mass communication, also from USM, and he began work as director of digital strategy for The Focus Group, a fully integrated marketing agency located in Gulfport. After joining Infinity Marketing in 2018, Broadus advanced from digital media director to senior director of digital content, supporting teams across business development, social media, search engine optimization, website development and video production. |
| MSU Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach to host Startup Summit grand finale, E-Center expansion grand opening | |
 | Mississippi State's Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach is hosting the grand opening of its E-Center expansion on April 12 with keynote speakers from top U.S. brand Barefoot Wine. Free and open to the public, the event coincides with the conclusion of the annual MSU Startup Summit and will be held 1-5 p.m. in McCool Hall's Leo Seal Jr. Family Business Atrium. Consisting of eight categories for MSU students and one category for all Mississippi residents, the CEO's Startup Summit gives these individuals the opportunity to pitch their newly formed business and win cash prizes to jumpstart their company's growth. Judged by industry-respected leaders from companies across the region, the event awards $40,000 over the span of five days. Visit https://ecenter.msstate.edu/summit/#top to learn more about the summit. The Friday event's schedule is as follows: 1-1:30 p.m.: Ribbon cutting and dedication of E-Center expansion. This ceremony officially opens the 4,000-square-foot E-Center, designed to assist students, faculty and community members in launching or expanding their business ventures. |
| Lone Star College and Mississippi State University partnership offers seamless transfer path | |
 | The Lone Star College-University Center works with four-year universities to help students earn an undergraduate degree close to home. LSC recently signed an articulation agreement with Mississippi State University (MSU) to assist students with earning a Bachelor of Applied Science degree from that institution. "The Lone Star College and Mississippi State University partnership will provide the framework to develop degree plans designed to enhance students' educational experience at both institutions," said Dwight L. Smith, Ed.D., LSC vice chancellor, Academic and Workforce Success. "The degree plans will keep Lone Star College students focused toward completing their four-year degree close to home, saving them time and money." The LSC and MSU articulation agreement will create advanced opportunities for LSC students to further their interest and education in their chosen fields. They will work with their LSC advisors to develop a transfer degree plan, allowing them to use their associate degree coursework to earn a bachelor's degree at MSU. Additionally, students are eligible for reverse transfer credit in which they can use academic hours earned at MSU to apply and receive an associate degree from LSC. "The BAS degree is the best of worlds because graduates have both a technical skill and a four-year degree, the knowledge and understanding to move up the ladder, become leaders or start their own businesses," said Mark Keenum, Ph.D., MSU president. "This partnership is a win for our students, our colleges and it's definitely a win for the economy because it's building a better and stronger workforce and raising post-secondary education attainment levels." |
| MSU students make best of cloud-covered solar eclipse viewing | |
 | MSU students got the opportunity to watch the once-in-a-generation event occur on campus. Mississippi State University had a solar eclipse watch party inside of the theater in the Bost Building. The eclipse was scheduled to occur at 1:56 p.m. Everyone who attended was able to get free eclipse glasses to watch the eclipse safely. The event was originally scheduled outside on the Drill Field but changed due to weather and atmospheric conditions. Bob Swanson, the physics professor at MSU, said how special this eclipse is even with the changing of plans. "Solar eclipses occur when the moon is in the new moon phase," Swanson said. "New moons occur all the time, every month we have a new moon, but eclipses only occur on rare occasions. They're pretty big events and that's why we have this big party." "Even with the rain, it's still an opportunity to understand why eclipses occur if you have to have the moon passing between the earth and the sun and it's kind of fun to think about and also to appreciate the fact that we can predict these things we know not only that this was coming we know the next coming, August 12, 2045, and that's a really interesting mathematical and orbital mechanical study that students can become very interested in." |
| Industry experts buckle up for future of electric vehicles | |
| When Russell Street looks over the parking lot of Columbus Nissan and hops into an electric vehicle, he sees a world of possibilities for the future. "It is still developing. It is almost like the cell phone. We are still in the early stages with a lot more progress and developments to be made," said Street. He knows it's a matter of time before EVs take up more room on the lot. Right now, the state is working on how to make EV ownership a smoother ride. Timothy Wunrow is the MSU EcoCAR Team Project Manager, who sees opportunities and tests ahead. "As for the future of electric vehicles, we do not have a good charging infrastructure yet. And so, there are a lot of challenges to adopting electric vehicles. It does seem like that is the future of where the automotive industry is going. And so, it will be an interesting discussion to talk about what are the challenges here, how Mississippi is facing those challenges, and how Mississippi is unique in facing these challenges as opposed to a lot of other states," said Wunrow. Wunrow also knows the future of the automotive world is more than your typical gas engine. "My opinion on this has changed recently. I think electric vehicles are a step into the future, but I do not think that it is the final stage of vehicles. I think something with better energy will be the move long term, but I do think that it is the next step towards that," said Wunrow. |
| Annual Magnolia Beef & Poultry Expo to be held in Raleigh | |
 | The annual Magnolia Beef & Poultry Expo will take place Thursday, April 11, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Charles Waldrup Ag Complex in Raleigh. Beef and poultry producers from across the state will have the opportunity to attend educational seminars and browse the trade show. The trade show, featuring a variety of agribusinesses and organizations, opens at 8:00 a.m. The Charles Waldrup Memorial Scholarship will be presented at 9:30 a.m., followed by remarks by Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson (R-Miss.). Jonathan Moon, Extension Instructor with Mississippi State University's (MSU) Department of Poultry Science, will lead a Proper Poultry Composting presentation at 10:00 a.m. Following lunch, Dr. Mike Brown, State Climatologist and Professor of Meteorology & Climatology with MSU Extension, will provide an update on the impacts from recent droughts. All producers in attendance will be eligible to win the grand door prize, a Polaris Sportsman 450 H.O. four-wheeler, with an estimated value of $6,699. Additional door prizes will be awarded throughout the day. |
| MSU Block and Bridle Club had their annual Cow Crawl race | |
| The Mississippi State Block and Bridle Club hosted their annual Cow Crawl 5k race. Participants had the opportunity to run the 5K with their dogs. It was a race for those with two legs and their four-legged friends. Mallory Nance is the treasurer for the group. She said the race is to raise money for the club and for kids interested in agriculture to learn first-hand about livestock. Experienced runner Jay McCurdy said he loves the opportunity to run for a good cause. "I mean it's supporting a good cause so Block and Bridle is a student-led group and I am glad to support them with my race entry and come out and show up," McCurdy said. Prizes, given to first, second, and third-place winners were gift cards from local restaurants. The race was held at the MSU's South Farm. |
| 'It's so Mississippi': Jennifer Jeffries rocks 'American Idol' stage from Hawaii | |
| American Idol is down to its top 24, and with a powerful performance from Hawaii, Mississippi teenager Jennifer Jeffries only helped her chances of advancing in the competition. Jeffries, a 17-year-old from Starkville, took the stage Monday night at Disney's Aulani Resort with her rendition of Lewis Capaldi's "Bruises." By the time she hit the first chorus, judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie were all smiling with guest mentor Jelly Roll screaming and cheering for the Idol hopeful. "When you open your mouth, I hear a lifetime of pain and conviction and it moves me in a way that I'm seldom moved," Jelly Roll told Jeffries after the performance. "I expect the state of Mississippi to be losing its mind." Perry agreed that Jeffries' home state should be losing its mind and flooding the fan vote to ensure the young singer-songwriter makes it to the top 20. The popular judge, in her last season on the hit TV show, said Jeffries is quickly growing as a performer. "I think you are in that process of changing into the diamond that we know you are," Perry said. "You truly are one of the more unique voices in this competition. It's so authentic. It's so Mississippi. It's so Jennifer Jeffries." Jeffries will find out her fate when the top 20 is revealed on Sunday, April 14, at 7 p.m. CT on ABC. |
| Itawamba Community College hosts Joe A. MacGown exhibit | |
| A collection of 17 works by Starkville artist Joe A. MacGown is currently on display in the W.O. Benjamin Fine Arts Center gallery on Itawamba Community College's Fulton campus. MacGown's attention to detail and endless imagination are on full display in a show he titles "Stuff Seen Out of the Corners of My Eyes." "My art ranges widely from paintings of flowers and insects to chaotic and highly detailed surreal drawings and mixed media pieces," MacGown said. "My background in entomology and natural history, coupled with my love of science fiction and cynicism, provide endless inspiration for my surreal visions, which range from dark and foreboding to light and whimsical." Recent pieces focus on archetypal gods and goddesses, hypothetical beings from other dimensions and other magical beings. Using imaginative imagery and random patterns, MacGown creates his detailed drawings and mixed-media paintings by allowing ideas to "flow out of his head" using a method he describes as "subconscious meandering." In addition to creating art, MacGown has established the MacGown Art Retreat and Studio just outside of Starkville to share space and creativity with others. The project includes an artist-in-residence program that allows up to four artists per year to stay in the "Art House" and create art for two-to-four-week periods. Artists receive a stipend funded by a local arts organization, the Del Rendon Foundation, the Mississippi Arts Commission, and other sources. |
| Severe weather possible through Wednesday | |
 | Lauderdale County residents will want to keep an eye on the skies as the possibility of severe weather is forecast through Wednesday. According to the National Weather Service in Jackson, rain is likely through Wednesday night creating the potential for flash flooding in low lying areas and places with poor drainage. Damaging winds, severe storms, hail and the possibility of tornadoes will move east across the state beginning Tuesday afternoon. In its forecast discussion the weather service said rain may let up heading into Tuesday night, but precipitation will return Wednesday. Wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour, golf ball sized hail and potential tornadoes will be possible throughout the day Wednesday. "The current timing looks like it will be from late Wednesday morning into late Wednesday evening before the front shifts east into Alabama," the NWS said in its forecast discussion. "Heavy rainfall will continue to be a big risk on Wednesday also, with total rainfall accumulation ranging from around seven inches across the Delta to around 2.5 inches in the Pine Belt region through Wednesday evening." Meridian and Lauderdale County could see as much as three or four inches of rain from the storms, with other parts of the state seeing as much as seven inches. |
| 'A lot of nasty': Tornadoes, severe storms possible in Mississippi Tuesday, Wednesday | |
 | Parts of Mississippi are expected to see significant rainfall on Tuesday according to the National Weather Service and strong storms, including tornadoes and large hail are likely for parts of the state on Wednesday along with additional heavy rain. "This will not only be flash flooding, it will be moderate river flooding as well," said Mike Edmonston, senior meteorologist with the NWS in Jackson. "A lot of nasty is going down tomorrow." The NWS is calling for 1 inch to 2 inches of rain during the day on Tuesday in Jackson with an additional 1/2 inch possible Tuesday night. Vicksburg could see up to 2 inches of rain during the day on Tuesday with an additional 2 inches at night. To the north, expected rainfall amounts taper off with over 1 inch possible Tuesday in the Hernando area and possibly 1 inch around Booneville. To the south, Hattiesburg may have afternoon showers and Biloxi is expected to be cloudy on Tuesday with breezy conditions moving in at night. Areas along and west of I-55 from the North Delta to south of Brookhaven are at marginal risk for severe weather on Tuesday. That could include possible hail up to the size of a quarter, damaging wind and isolated severe storms with tornadoes not being ruled out. "We've got lots of rain moving into the area, but I can't discount isolated severe weather," Edmonston said. On Wednesday, additional rain will factor in as a threat, but the risk of severe storms escalates. |
| Meet the Robots Slicing Your Barbecue Ribs | |
 | In Denison, Iowa, a robot spends eight hours a day slicing apart hog carcasses at a plant owned by Smithfield Foods. It serves a dual purpose: producing more ribs for barbecues and smokers, while helping ease the U.S. meat industry's long-running labor shortages. Meatpackers are increasingly looking to robots for help. Smithfield, the largest U.S. pork processor, began rolling out automated rib pullers at its pork plants several years ago, which company officials said helps leave less wasted meat on the bone and relieves workers from some of the industry's most physically demanding jobs -- allowing workers to be reassigned from pulling loins or ribs to food-quality inspection jobs. Keller Watts, chief business officer for Smithfield, said the company, which has roughly 35,000 employees in the U.S., aims to use automation to help reassign some 500 people a year. "We can repurpose people," he said. "It's a key focal point for us." Meatpacking jobs can be some of the toughest, bloodiest and most dangerous around, and companies such as Smithfield, Tyson Foods and Cargill have long struggled to fully staff slaughterhouses and processing plants. Workers might have to stand for hours a day, often in cold temperatures, repeatedly slicing livestock carcasses on fast-moving processing lines or moving heavy boxes of frozen meat. Automation has been an industry ambition for some time, especially among processors of chickens -- which tend to be smaller, more uniform in size and easier for a machine to handle. "There are a lot of efficiencies and savings and productivity involved," said Tyson Chief Executive Donnie King. |
| New WIC rules include more money for fruits and veggies. They also expand food choices | |
 | The federal program that helps pay for groceries for millions of low-income mothers, babies and young kids will soon emphasize more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as provide a wider choice of foods from different cultures. The final rule changes for the program known as WIC were announced Tuesday by the Food and Nutrition Service, and will take effect within two years with some exceptions. Last updated a decade ago, the new WIC rules make permanent a bump in monthly cash vouchers for fruits and vegetables -- something first enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shoppers can also add canned fish, fresh herbs and lactose-free milk to their carts, among other changes. The voucher piece will take effect by June, officials said. "It places a heavy emphasis on fruits and vegetables, which we think is an important component of a healthy diet," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in an interview. "It's designed to fill the nutrition gaps that are often in the diets of many of us." The plan failed to include a change requested by top allergists in the U.S. that would have added peanut products to foods allowed for babies ages 6 months to 11 months to help prevent peanut allergies. Research published in 2015 showed early introduction to peanut foods can reduce the chance of allergy development in kids who are at high risk, and several U.S. guidelines suggest exposing high-risk children to peanuts as early as 4 months. |
| 'Be prepared,' CDC tells state leaders after bird flu found in Texas | |
| The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said Monday they have met with state health leaders in Georgia and around the country, telling them to be prepared for more human cases of bird flu after a dairy worker in Texas was being treated for the virus. While stating the risk to the public is low, the federal agency is urging state leaders to have "up-to-date operational plans" in place in case more farm workers test positive for the flu. The CDC on Friday issued a health alert asking doctors to test any farm worker who has been exposed to infected birds or other animals. Farm workers should be monitored for signs and symptoms of illness beginning after their first exposure and for 10 days after their last exposure. Those who worked within six feet or less of infected animals should be tested for the virus, even if showing no symptoms, according to the CDC. The CDC also said state health departments should notify the CDC within 24 hours of identifying a case. The advisory was in response to news April 1 that a worker dealing with dairy cows in Texas became the first person in the U.S. to catch this version of bird flu -- known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) -- from a mammal, federal health officials said. Officials say the virus has not mutated to the extent that it could spread easily between people, but experts worry about the potential for viral evolution. The vast majority of people infected with bird flu have gotten it directly from birds, but scientists are on guard for any changes that could raise the risk for people. There have been some reports of person-to-person spread within a family in Southeast Asia after one family member caught the virus from poultry. |
| Trouble in the wood basket: How a global push for renewable energy took advantage of rural Mississippi | |
| When Georgia Pacific closed its paper mill in 2008, it gutted the local Gloster economy. "It was devastating," said the town's mayor, Jerry Norwood. "We went on life support at that point." The mill closing meant the loss of 400 jobs, Norwood said, making it by far the top employer in a town of just 900 people. Despite being the mayor, Norwood knows how hard it is to find work close by. His last gig was at a chemical plant in Geismer, Louisiana, a three-hour round trip from his Gloster home. "The workforce is probably the biggest obstacle (to attracting new industry)," Norwood told Mississippi Today. "We don't have enough people to fill those (skilled) positions, electricians and stuff like that. And we don't have a school here in Gloster. The school closed in 1989. People don't want to move in here if their kids can't get a quality education." In the last decade, towns like Gloster turned to what they saw as a new hope: the emerging wood pellet industry. While the industry is now grappling with a variety of environmental objections, the state and local governments have invested millions of dollars in wood pellets, through tax exemptions and other incentives, in an attempt to stem rural disinvestment. Excited by the economic promise of the wood pellet world, and what it could mean to struggling rural areas, Mississippi officials have agreed to give companies like Enviva over $24 million in incentives over the last decade – a figure that's likely much higher due to unquantified tax exemptions. But in the process, the wood pellet industry has turned parts of rural Mississippi into venues for a climate and public health debate that's traversing the globe, one that people in Gloster are all too familiar with. |
| Public service commission now able to revoke certificates of utility providers supplying shoddy services | |
| Legislation that gives Mississippi's public service commission the power to hold municipalities accountable when it comes to providing quality utility services has been signed into law by Governor Tate Reeves. Senate Bill 2453, which was drafted following outcries from customers of the Holly Springs Utility Department that they had experienced lengthy and recurring power outages for around five years, is now in effect. The legislation gives the public service commission authority to investigate municipal utility providers to ensure that they are supplying adequate services to residents and hold a hearing to determine what services have not been supplied sufficiently. If the commission finds that sufficient services have not been provided, the utility department will be given a "reasonable" amount of time to rectify the issue. Failure by the municipality to remedy problems the commission brought to its attention within the designated timeframe could result in the utility provider having its certificate to service customers further than one mile beyond the municipality's corporate boundaries revoked. The commission will also be able to take findings that utility providers, both public and private, did not sufficiently meet the needs of customers to the chancery court in the district of the provider's service area. A judge will then be able to validate the commission's findings and place that utility provider under the leadership of a receiver -- similar to what the city of Jackson has with interim third-party water and sewer manager Ted Henifin. |
| ACT could replace subject area testing as Mississippi graduation requirement | |
| A bill that would replace end of year testing to determine graduation eligibility for Mississippi high schoolers, also known as subject area testing, with the ACT passed the floor of the House of Representatives with a vote of 103-6 late last week. SB 2689 aims to replace the current system of subject area testing with a nationally recognized test, such as the ACT or ACT WorkKeys. "This would change the testing requirement from the subject area testing we currently test to an ACT test that could be used as a benchmark for graduation," House Education Committee Vice Chairman Kent McCarty (R) said while describing the bill on the floor Thursday. The bill's author, State Senator Dennis DeBar (R), the Senate Education Committee Chairman, said the intent of the bill is to reduce the amount of time students spend taking tests throughout the school year. "For years, our schools have been inundated with testing," DeBar said previously. During discussion on the House floor, a reverse repealer was adopted through an amendment, likely moving the legislation to conference between the two chambers. There is one subject area the ACT does not include that students are currently tested on – U.S. History. State Rep. Noah Sanford (R) and State Rep. Stacey Hobgood-Wilkes (R) asked how that subject area would be handled should the bill become law. Rep. McCarty said there would be no change to that subject under this bill. Since U.S. History is not on the ACT, the U.S. History test currently being administered would still be offered but the overall goal is to reduce the number of tests, McCarty clarified. |
| Senate GOP urges Johnson to stand up to 'chaos caucus' | |
 | Senate Republicans are urging Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to stand up to the "chaos caucus" in the House GOP and move forward with legislation providing funds to Ukraine and Israel. GOP senators are encouraging Johnson to face down critics, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who are threatening to oust him from the Speakership. They say House backbenchers shouldn't dictate U.S. national security policy. "He needs to count the votes and I think there's a substantial majority in the House who would vote in favor of the defense supplemental, and he needs to do the courageous and correct thing to stand by our ally," said Sen. Roger Wicker (Miss.), the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, of Johnson. Wicker acknowledged the Speaker faces a difficult situation, but he predicted he would survive any motion advanced by Greene or another conservative rebel to oust him. "I don't think there's a majority of the House that will vacate the Speaker's position right now," he said. House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio) has dubbed the handful of House conservatives threatening Johnson's job in leadership as the "chaos caucus." Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), an outspoken advocate for helping Ukraine, said it's time for Johnson to "look past" his critics within the House GOP conference. |
| Why extremists keep trying to turn out the lights | |
 | Political violence has an increasingly common outlet: the electric grid. Unrest in the U.S. and abroad is driving a "dramatic increase" in malicious cyber activity on the nation's power system, according to an industry grid watchdog. The North American Electric Reliability Corp. says the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war combined with Israel's invasion of Gaza and the impending U.S. election are compounding the steady increase of threats by domestic and foreign actors, writes Catherine Morehouse. "The current geopolitical situation has significant ramifications for the North American grid," said Manny Cancel, senior vice president at NERC. "We know activists continue to use this as a vehicle to get their ideology and other political thoughts across." Physical threats against the electric grid have also skyrocketed in recent years, reaching an all-time high in 2023, according to a POLITICO analysis of Energy Department data. That year, the nation's power providers reported 185 incidents of physical attacks or threats against the grid, twice the number of instances in 2021. Security experts attribute the rise in attacks to a growth in domestic extremism and terrorism, enabled by public messaging boards where people share information about how to target vulnerabilities in the power system. Grid watchdogs are particularly concerned, however, about hackers linked to U.S. adversaries. |
| AI threat haunting 2024 elections, says Brad Raffensperger | |
| For all the good that artificial intelligence may be capable of, when it comes to elections, Brad Raffensperger is worried about what the growing technology may bring. The Georgia Secretary of State is not alone. As AI becomes more and more sophisticated, election experts across the country are raising concerns about the possibility of AI-generated content confusing voters, an additional headache for officials at a time when many voters don't trust election results. Only 50% of Republicans are confident that votes will be counted accurately at the national level, according to a recent study by the Bipartisan Policy Center. Raffensperger, himself a Republican, has become a symbol of U.S. election integrity since 2021, when former President Donald Trump asked him in a recorded phone call to "find 11,780 votes" and overturn his electoral loss in Georgia. His refusal to cave under pressure led to him and his family receiving threats from election conspiracy theorists, but also admiration from many Americans across party lines. Martin Luther King III, for instance, met Raffensperger over the weekend at the University of Virginia during a series of planned get-togethers honoring the 25th anniversary of the school's Center for Politics, including a panel discussion on AI. "We all know what he did, which took a lot of courage," King said of Raffensperger. "What he did was the right thing. But under the circumstances in the state of Georgia, he could have done something different." Secretaries of state are often low-profile, but Raffensperger's decision to uphold the election results despite Trump's pleas have made him a notable figure in U.S. politics, and almost certainly the most recognizable secretary of state in the country. |
| The most detailed look yet at the 'exodus' of local voting officials | |
 | Stephen Richer has never run a presidential election before. He oversees voting as the county recorder in Arizona's largest county, Maricopa County, and took office in 2021. Yet as November approaches in this closely scrutinized swing state, Richer finds himself looking across the profession and realizing he's essentially an old-timer. "There are 15 recorders in 15 counties ... and I'm already, I think, fifth-most senior or fourth-most senior of the 15," Richer told NPR recently, at an event hosted by the Campaign Legal Center. "So, yeah, [turnover] is real." A new report out Tuesday confirms that, and provides the most in-depth nationwide analysis yet of the people at the heart of the democratic process: the thousands of election officials across the U.S. that administer voting. It's been clear for some time that the work environment in these jobs was becoming unsustainable. Threats and harassment have become commonplace since the flurry of voting lies that followed Donald Trump's loss in 2020, while at the same time, the actual job duties required have been steadily growing more complex. And this new report, authored by researchers at UCLA and the Bipartisan Policy Center, confirms people are now leaving the profession at a faster rate than any point in the previous two decades. But the report also adds new context to the phenomenon. Notably, the report took a long view to the turnover question and found that while attrition did increase in the time following 2020, it's been slowly increasing for years -- meaning "election administration might be more equipped to respond to it than previously speculated." |
| W nursing remains atop the state, advances regionally | |
| Mississippi University for Women's Vandergriff College of Nursing and Health Sciences has once again been recognized as the best in the state, securing the top spot in the rankings for Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) programs by NursingProcress.org. "These designations are a testament to the collective efforts of the incredible faculty, staff and students in our Vandergriff College of Nursing and Health Sciences," said Brandy Larmon, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. "Our programs are continuously striving for excellence and to be consistently recognized, especially on a national level, is truly remarkable. Nursing and its education is not just a profession; it's a calling to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Our programs combine a lengthy and unique history of excellence, legacy, compassion and calling, and to be a part of that is really something of which to be proud." All of The W's undergraduate nursing programs maintained the No. 1 spot in the state. Additionally, ASN jumped to No. 1 for the Best of the Southeast Region while BSN (No. 4) maintained its position and RN-BSN (No. 4) jumped a spot in their respective categories. |
| UM hosts director of national intelligence at annual summit | |
| Today's college students are the future of the intelligence community, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told a crowd of University of Mississippi students Friday, April 5. Haines and U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly spoke to students during the Center for Intelligence and Security Studies' annual Days of Intrigue. The three-day event provides access to intelligence community leaders and lets students put their skills to the test with an international incident simulation. Haines told students they can find purpose in the intelligence community, regardless of what they are interested in. "What some people assume is that there are only certain fields of experience we are interested in, but that's not true," said Haines, who is the first female director of national intelligence. "Having terrific language skills is great, STEM is also great, but the reality is we're looking for folks with every type of expertise. There really is a job for almost everybody." Kelly charged students to follow their passions regardless of how out of reach they may seem. "I remember what it was like to be a young person from a small town in Mississippi," the Union native said. "I promise you the world is open to each and every one of you if you're willing to take the chance and do something you love. Do something you love and make it a career." |
| Ole Miss 'monitoring' Morgan Wallen arrest as country music star is still scheduled for April 20 | |
| Could the recent arrest of Morgan Wallen put the country music star's upcoming Oxford concert in jeopardy? That's what a lot of Mississippians are asking. Wallen was arrested at Chief's Bar in Nashville, Tenn., on Sunday night after allegedly throwing a chair from the sixth floor of the downtown establishment. Metro Nashville Police reported two of its officers were standing within feet of where the chair landed, and after reviewing video footage, they took the "Whiskey Glasses" singer into custody and charged him. Wallen was booked on a $15,250 bond as fans await to see if the country music star's latest controversy has any effect on upcoming concerts, including an April 20 show at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford. Per an email exchange with Ole Miss athletics director Keith Carter on Monday, he said the show is still on, but university officials are monitoring the situation in case of a cancellation. "We are aware of the situation, but no changes have been relayed to us yet," Carter wrote. "We are obviously monitoring everything very closely." Ebie McFarland, a media relations spokesperson for Wallen, confirmed to SuperTalk Mississippi News that no changes have been made to the singer's touring schedule at this time. |
| William Magee Center holds inaugural Student Wellness Fair | |
 | The William Magee Center is inviting all University of Mississippi students to attend a free Student Wellness Fair on Wednesday, April 10, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the South Campus Recreation Center. The event will offer free health screenings, healthy food samples, giveaways, mental health support and more. According to Shannon Richardson, assistant director of the William Magee Center, the goal of the event is to highlight student wellness resources both on and off campus. "This event brings various departments and organizations together in one space to help students navigate where to get help to improve any aspect of wellness, including physical, mental, emotional, social, financial and other dimensions," Richardson said. "We anticipate many students of all backgrounds attending. A lot of focus is placed on physical and mental health on our campus, which is a great thing, and this is a one-stop shop to explore all that the university and community have to offer." The Student Wellness Fair is sponsored by the University Counseling Center, University Health Services, and the GROVE Initiative. It is the first of its kind planned by the William Magee Center's current staff, but Richardson explained that they hope to make the event an annual occurrence. She expressed her excitement for the fair and talked about the aspects she is most looking forward to. |
| Ruhnke appointed chief communication officer at Southern Miss | |
| Nicole Ruhnke, a communications professional with more than 15 years of experience serving organizations throughout the Pine Belt, has been named director of university communications and chief communication officer at the University of Southern Mississippi. Ruhnke, a Pine Belt native and 2008 USM graduate, has been serving as interim chief communication officer since October 2023. "It is a great honor to serve my alma mater as chief communication officer under the leadership of Dr. Joe Paul," said Ruhnke. "Over the last few months, I have experienced a renewed zeal for the future of Southern Miss and look forward to positively impacting the institution for years to come." In her role, Ruhnke serves as USM's official spokesperson, advises university leadership on issues impacting stakeholders and directs senior-level communications. She will oversee the Office of University Communications, which includes staff members on the Hattiesburg and Gulf Park campuses. Prior to taking over as interim CCO, Ruhnke worked for the Southern Miss Alumni Association for eight years, where she served as assistant director for communication (2015-17) and associate director for external affairs (2017-23). |
| USM hosts solar eclipse viewing event | |
| Crowds gathered at Southern Miss for a look at Monday's partial solar eclipse. Hundreds of students and faculty gathered outside of the Walker Science Building for an eclipse watch party. Solar eclipse glasses were handed out as professors and students from the Department of Math and Science explained what happens during a solar eclipse. Clouds and rain covered most of the view, but students did get to see a small glimpse during breaks in the clouds. "This is Mississippi. Weather is changeable, and so, it's not a guarantee we'll ever have good weather. So, we got lucky the first couple of times recently. Right now, not so much. But yes, it is what it is, as they say," said Associate Professor Chris Sirola. "You can see like a curved moon like in a child's book. But it was really cool. It's like orange. It's super bright when it actually comes out. And I thought that I saw it for a moment without the glasses, and it started hurting. So, you have to take these seriously. But it was really, really cool," said Tori Faith Jones, a senior at USM. |
| Auburn's Tiger Giving Day connects donors with projects on campus | |
 | Auburn University will launch a 24-hour crowdfunding event on Wednesday to connect donors with projects on campus. Known as Tiger Giving Day, the fundraiser highlights projects that digitize Auburn Athletics' film reels, fund students' field trips, create a sensory gym and more. "Support from Tiger Giving Day would allow us to offer coaching at a greatly reduced cost and help more students develop the skills that will help them both in the classroom and in their professional lives," said Mandi Buckalew, SKILL program director and academic coach. Created in 2015, Tiger Giving Day facilities connections between the projects and donors, alumni, students and faculty. Donors have funded nearly 300 projects for the university since its inception. As a part of the crowdfunding event, AU will feature summaries of 45 projects on TigerGiving.org along with a video from the students and faculty involved. Each project has a progress bar that tracks the total funds donated and the overall fundraising goals. Recipients include the Auburn Sustenance Project, a student-led organization that works to ensure that schoolchildren who rely on school-provided meals are fed during school breaks. Donations from Tiger Giving Day will fund food storage and distribution tools, including a deep freezer, plastic bins and hand carts. Caroline Purvis, the faculty advisor for the Auburn Sustenance Project, said nutrition is a huge factor in child development and education. |
| 50,000+ books for sale: Baton Rouge's beloved Friends of the LSU Book Bazaar returns | |
 | One of Baton Rouge's most popular book events is back. The Friends of the LSU Libraries Book Bazaar, held at LSU's Parker Coliseum, will be held from Friday through Sunday. Each year the sale -- which primarily consists of new and used books, but also includes records, CDs and DVDs -- raises tens of thousands of dollars for LSU library acquisitions and services. Friends of the LSU Libraries volunteer Mike Liffmann said he was expecting a big year. "It's looking very, very promising," he said. "We have as many books as last year, where there were 50,000 books that came in 2,000 boxes. Last year was a banner year and we're very optimistic." The Friends of the LSU Libraries has existed since 1962, with its first sale in 1976. That first sale raised $500; last year's sale took in $80,000. While there are books covering just about every genre, one of the sale's key features is its focus on local history. Books on Louisiana history, politics and ecology, LSU Press books and general southern history abound. The sale is nationally known. Liffmann said he spoke to people from as far away as the southeast and Ohio at last year's sale, with many of the further-flung visitors tending to be professional book dealers. "We advertise nationally. It's a real vibe the way they operate," he said. "It's lucrative for them." |
| Why It's So Hard to Figure Out What to Do With a College Campus When It Closes | |
 | In Birmingham, Ala., 192 acres of historic brick buildings and expansive green quads will soon sit empty. The city hopes it won't be for long. Birmingham-Southern College, which has operated on its city-adjacent campus for more than 125 years, announced last month its imminent closure. The college's gradual demise, which began with financial troubles over a decade ago, made the announcement no less painful for the people of Birmingham. Residents hope another Alabama institution will purchase the property so it doesn't end up abandoned, wasting away in disrepair like a locally infamous nearby hospital, which closed in 2008 and sat empty for more than a decade. But it's not up to them. When a college shuts its doors, as several small, private institutions have done in recent years, leaders have to grapple with a very concrete logistical issue: What to do with acres of idyllic stretches of green space, ready-to-use facilities, and historic architecture that will soon have no occupants. Most of the time, a campus is sold off to another college. Other times, it's more complicated. Sometimes campuses are redeveloped -- as luxury resorts, office parks, or affordable-housing complexes. Some are razed. Others are abandoned. Regardless of what a campus becomes, plans often take years to come to fruition. Leaders must ask themselves what their campus can be, if it's not a college. The Chronicle spoke to several experts about why it can be so hard to figure it out. |
| Latino students make up most of the nation's growth in college degrees | |
 | Latinos are making substantial strides in college degree attainment, according to a report released Tuesday. Hispanic students accounted for the vast majority, 79%, of the 4% overall increase in degree attainment over the last five years, according to an analysis by Excelencia in Education, a nonprofit focused on improving ways to boost Latino college completion. However, Latinos still lag behind other groups in terms of college degree attainment. Only 27% of Hispanics earned an associate degree or higher in the 2021-22 academic year, compared to 44% of other Americans, and Latinos remain underrepresented in colleges and universities, according to the study. Sarita Brown, co-founder and president of Excelencia in Education, said it's essential to increase the number of Latinos earning college degrees to address the country's workplace and labor goals. "We are proud to make common cause with institutional leaders who choose to be part of our national network committed to accelerating Latino student success in higher education," Brown said in a statement. "Together, they are ensuring America's bright future with the talents of Latinos." The 34-page report highlighted that, compared to other ethnic and racial groups, Latino college students are overwhelmingly first-generation students -- the first in their family to attend college. |
| Report: State Financial Aid Programs Show Varying Levels of Accessibility and Equity | |
| State financial aid programs across the country have varying levels of accessibility for students and plenty of room to improve, according to a recent report from The Education Trust. According to "Who Deserves State Financial Aid?," insufficient state investments in higher education over the past two decades have led to significant increases of tuition rates and fees at public four-year colleges, leading to bigger hurdles for students looking to attend college, particularly for low-income students and those from marginalized communities. State financial aid programs can help alleviate these burdens, but such programs in the current day are lacking, according to the report. Not only have state financial aid programs not kept up with rising tuition, but they are also falling behind compared to changing demographics and the needs of today's students, which include returning adults, student parents, and working first-generation students. "The ways in which requirements have been in previous years and throughout time, they do not account for evolving student populations in the ways in which students come into postsecondary education," said report author Dr. Brittani Williams, a former financial aid counselor. Among the 10 states analyzed, California was found to be the one that awards the most financial aid, a sum of more than $2 billion, with Texas behind it with more than $1 billion in awards. Conversely, Michigan had awarded the least financial aid to its students -- approximately $118 million. And on a per capita basis, Louisiana ($350 million) and Washington ($516 million) gave the largest grant aid amounts, according to the report. |
| FAFSA submissions from high school seniors are down 27.1% | |
| Nearly 1.5 million high school seniors have submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid through late March, a 27.1% decline compared to the same time last year, according to an analysis from the National College Attainment Network. But FAFSA submissions don't represent the whole story, as they include applications that have errors that need to be corrected. FAFSA completions -- those that have been processed by the U.S. Department of Education -- are down a whopping 40% for high school seniors through March 29 compared to the year before, NCAN found. The figures come during a fraught financial aid cycle. The Education Department released a revamped version of the FAFSA, but the rollout has been marked by delays and technical glitches that have prevented students from completing the form. Concerns are mounting that the bumpy release of the new FAFSA form may result in fewer students opting for higher education. Late last month, NCAN warned that the dip in FAFSA submissions could lead to a "catastrophic drop in college enrollment this fall." Bill DeBaun, NCAN's senior director of data and strategic initiatives, echoed those concerns Monday. This aid cycle could have larger FAFSA completion declines than were seen during the pandemic, DeBaun said. "This could have really horrible impacts on postsecondary enrollment this fall," he added. |
| Biden Touts Latest Debt Relief Plan | |
 | Before President Biden stepped up to the podium at Madison Area Technical College in Wisconsin, his message was clearly forecasted on a number of screens around the stage: "Canceling Student Debt." "I will never stop to deliver student debt relief to hardworking Americans, and it's only in the interest of America that we do it," Biden said. Monday's announcement offered few new details about the administration's plan to provide debt relief, which has been in the works since last summer. Under the plan, borrowers who fall into one or more of five categories would see either partial or full cancellation. The groups include people who owe more than they initially borrowed as a result of accrued interest and those who have been repaying loans for more than 20 years. Fixing the country's student debt crisis is part of his broader economic agenda, Biden said, noting that the ballooning debt is a drag on local economies. In addition to the debt-relief plan, Biden also highlighted efforts to expand career and technical education, make community college free and invest in American manufacturing. While Biden spoke in Wisconsin, Vice President Harris touted the plan in Philadelphia and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff was dispatched to Arizona. Meanwhile, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona participated in a roundtable discussion with student loan borrowers in New York City. The promotional tour is the latest signal that the Biden administration sees debt relief as key to mobilizing young voters and winning a second term in the White House. |
| Fixing PERS in 5 'not so easy' steps | |
| The Magnolia Tribune's Russ Latino writes: As state leaders grapple with how to address a growing unfunded liability in the Mississippi's Public Employee Retirement System, here are five not so easy steps to honor the promises made to current employees and retirees, ensure long-term solvency, and protect taxpayers. Step 1. Admit There Is A Problem: The first step on the road to recovery is to admit there is a problem. The problem for Mississippi's Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) is fundamentally one of basic math. Design flaws in PERS have resulted in setting aside too few dollars to pay for the benefits promised to public workers. At present, PERS reports a $25 billion unfunded liability. Mississippi's public pension system is one of just a few state pensions across the country funded under 60 percent. Experts consider pension funding under this line to be "unsafe" or "in distress." |
SPORTS
| Diamond Dawgs Host UAB Tuesday | |
| The Mississippi State Bulldogs return to Dudy Noble Field for a midweek matchup against UAB. Tuesday first pitch is slated for 6 p.m. The midweek contest will be aired on SECN+ and will also be carried on the Bulldog Sports Network powered by LEARFIELD, along with a live audio stream via HailState.com/OnDemand. For the fourth straight week, the Diamond Dawgs are in the national rankings. They were ranked No. 22 by D1 Baseball, No. 15 by Baseball America, No. 23 by Perfect Game and No. 23 by NCBWA. This is the first time this year the Dawgs have been ranked by Perfect Game. UAB heads to Starkville with a 14-17 record and a 3-6 record in the American Conference. The Blazers are 3-8 in away games this season. Logan Braunschweig leads the Blazers with the highest batting average at .284 with Gavin Lewis Jr. right behind with a .280 average. Brayton Brown has 31 hits along with seven home runs which are the team highs. The pitching staff for UAB comes in with a 5.89 ERA and opponents are hitting .275 off them. They have tailed 240 strikeouts this season. Brooks House gets the start for the Blazers. This will be the third start of the season for House who holds a 6.97 ERA. He has made 11 appearances for the Blazers this season. Mississippi State leads the all-time series 38-10. Mississippi State last met UAB last season. The Diamond Dawgs defeated the Blazers 7-3. |
| Why Jeff Lebby believes Mississippi State football has the right receivers for his offense | |
| Kelly Akharaiyi was among the top receivers available in the transfer portal this offseason, and his numbers show why. Last season at UTEP, Akharaiyi ranked fourth nationally with 21.52 yards per reception. His explosiveness led to a plethora of teams reaching out, including Oklahoma, Nebraska and Oregon, among others. However, he landed with Mississippi State football because of the hiring of coach Jeff Lebby. The appeal to Lebby's offense was simple. "How much he throws the ball," Akharaiyi said. "My other offense, we didn't really throw the ball that much. Here, he told me we're going to throw the ball. I've got great weapons around me. I love it." Obtaining receivers was a clear priority for Lebby, who is entering his first season as a head coach after serving as Oklahoma's offensive coordinator. Along with Akharaiyi, Mississippi State added Kevin Coleman as a transfer from Louisville. In the high school signing class, Lebby inherited a commitment from in-state product JJ Harrell, who was a four-star prospect according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. However, the core of the class at the position came after Lebby's hiring with Mario Craver, Braylon Burnside and Sanfrisco Magee signing. With veterans leading in front of a young collection, Lebby feels he has receivers capable of fitting into his offense. |
| Why Josh Hubbard hosted high school showcase, announced Mississippi State basketball return | |
| Josh Hubbard was sitting in an empty Madison-Ridgeland Academy gymnasium Saturday afternoon. It's a place he knows well -- a gym that has had some of its loudest moments because of the all-time leading scorer in Mississippi boys basketball history. But on Saturday, Hubbard was at MRA earlier than most, and it wasn't because he was preparing to take the court. Instead, Hubbard was using his new platform to help those whose shoes he was recently in. Hubbard is a star for Mississippi State now, fresh off an All-SEC season as a freshman. He returned to MRA last weekend to host a showcase -- a two-day camp providing some of the top high school players in Mississippi with a chance to experience what basketball at the next level is like. The festivities started Friday, when attendees experienced college-like practices, according to Hubbard. On Saturday morning, players went through a pregame routing similar to one at the college level. It all culminated toward a showcase game on Saturday night in which the winning team of eight players split $8,000 worth of scholarship money. "I take pride in being from Mississippi," Hubbard told the Clarion Ledger. "I love being a Mississippi kid. I just see Mississippi as a little disrespected. I feel like we have a lot of great players in every class coming from Mississippi that were born and raised." |
| Holding pattern: Calipari deal awaits Board of Trustees' OK | |
| While speculation in the college basketball world Monday focused on who will be Kentucky's next coach -- and there was a national championship game played as well -- John Calipari technically remained on the job in Lexington, Ky. Calipari, inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015, is still expected to become the University of Arkansas men's coach by all accounts, but there was no official announcement Monday. There are still details of an agreement between Calipari and Arkansas to be finalized, sources said, including approval of his contract by the UA Board of Trustees. A source confirmed the Board of Trustees is meeting Tuesday afternoon. Calipari was seen in Lexington walking his elderly dog in his neighborhood Monday afternoon and had a brief exchange with a reporter from television station WKYT. Video of the encounter went viral on social media. Calipari, wearing a blue top, declined comment when asked if he had a message for Kentucky fans. "No, I don't," Calipari said as he continued walking. "I'm walking my dog right now." Asked again for a comment, Calipari replied, "Nah, I'm good. I'm good." Calipari and Arkansas officials have been in talks since last Friday, sources told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Sunday. |
| Want to win big? NIL collectives must be ready to break bank in basketball transfer portal | |
| In college football, $1 million in NIL capital can go a long way. A starting quarterback. Two elite offensive tackles. Maybe even four wide receivers. The top donor-funded NIL collectives are spending eight figures annually to field rosters that can compete for a College Football Playoff berth. But in college basketball, finances run differently. Budgets range from $1 to $4 million. Deals pushing half a million to seven figures are much more frequent in basketball, unlike football. "Think about it," an agent who negotiates collective deals for football and basketball players told On3. "You really just need to pay seven or eight guys in basketball. Truly, just need two studs in basketball to win. But in football, you can't just pay good money to two or three guys." Before the college basketball transfer portal even opened, assistants were sending warnings to On3 about how silly the 45 days could be. The national championship will be played Monday night. Nearly 1,500 athletes have already entered the sport's version of free agency. The most valuable position in the basketball transfer portal -- where most NIL dollars are used these days – are power forwards and centers. For high-end talent at those positions, $1 million deals are commonplace. Even top guards are making roughly half a million a year. Speaking with sources over the last week, On3's learned of a conference player of the year transfer earning $500,000. Another guard is set to make $450,000. |
| Student Athlete Suicide Rates Have Doubled Since 2002 | |
| College athlete suicide rates have doubled over the past two decades, according to a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The study analyzed the deaths of NCAA varsity athletes that occurred between July 1, 2002 and June 30, 2022. During that period, the share of deaths by suicide rose from 7.5 percent to more than 15 percent, making it the second most common cause of death after accidents. The majority of student athletes who died by suicide were men (77 percent). The two sports most affected by suicide were cross country and track and field. The study was authored by researchers from the University of Washington, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Oregon Health and Science University. "Athletes are generally thought of as one of the healthiest populations in our society, yet the pressures of school, internal and external performance expectations, time demands, injury, athletic identity and physical fatigue can lead to depression, mental health problems and suicide," the authors wrote. |
| NAIA approves transgender policy limiting women's sports to athletes whose biological sex is female | |
| The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, the governing body for mostly small colleges, announced a policy Monday that all but bans transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. The NAIA's Council of Presidents approved the policy in a 20-0 vote. The NAIA, which oversees some 83,000 athletes at schools across the country, is believed to be the first college sports organization to take such a step. According to the transgender participation policy, all athletes may participate in NAIA-sponsored male sports but only athletes whose biological sex assigned at birth is female and have not begun hormone therapy will be allowed participate in women's sports. A student who has begun hormone therapy may participate in activities such as workouts, practices and team activities, but not in interscholastic competition. "With the exception of competitive cheer and competitive dance, the NAIA created separate categories for male and female participants," the NAIA said. "Each NAIA sport includes some combination of strength, speed and stamina, providing competitive advantages for male student-athletes. As a result, the NAIA policy for transgender student-athletes applies to all sports except for competitive cheer and competitive dance, which are open to all students." |
| Source: NCAA could OK new transfer eligibility rule at next meeting | |
| The NCAA Division I Council could adopt emergency legislation this month for a new transfer rule that would allow all undergraduate athletes to transfer and play immediately if they meet specific academic requirements, a source confirmed to ESPN on Monday. The proposed legislation, which was first reported by The Athletic, would not limit the number of times an athlete can transfer. Athletes would still have two transfer windows and wouldn't be able to transfer midyear and play for a second school in the same season. In December, the NCAA proposed this policy in reaction to a West Virginia judge's ruling that intended to stop the organization from enforcing its bylaw barring athletes from transferring multiple times and playing right way. The NCAA agreed to terms on a preliminary injunction that runs through at least the end of the academic year. Previously, the NCAA's one-time transfer rule allowed athletes to play immediately at the first school they transferred to, but they then had to sit out a year if they transferred again -- or apply to the NCAA for a waiver to compete immediately. In January, the U.S. Department of Justice joined the lawsuit against the NCAA's transfer rules, which argues the limitations on transfers violate antitrust law. According to the amended complaint for injunctive relief, filed in January, the NCAA's transfer bylaw "unjustifiably restrains the ability of these college athletes to engage in the market for their labor as NCAA Division I college athletes." |
| NCAA's Charlie Baker concerned about 'enormously problematic' prop betting in college sports | |
| NCAA president Charlie Baker said before Monday's men's basketball championship game that the organization remains concerned about gambling in college sports but added that "we're kind of in the top of the first inning on this one," particularly when it comes to prop betting. "Did any of you notice how much time was spent on cable TV about Caitlin Clark's prop performance (after the) first (national semifinals) game leading into the second game?" Baker said. "Was that really what we should be talking about in the middle of a women's Final Four? I think the answer for that for most people is no." Baker, who in March completed his first year as NCAA president, talked to reporters for about 15 minutes before Purdue and Connecticut squared off. He was excited and encouraged about the women's Final Four. He also discussed measures the NCAA is taking to help college athletes and their families better understand the name, image and likeness landscape. In a statement released in March, Baker announced that the NCAA is "drawing the line" to better protect athletes and the integrity of sports. Prop bets allow fans to bet on a player's performance, such as how many rushing yards a football player gains or how many rebounds a basketball player grabs. They're also a reason fans lash out at players for not reaching those numbers. "The prop-betting piece is enormously problematic for student-athletes and I've had a lot of them say that to me,'' Baker said, adding that the NCAA has helped persuade four states to eliminate prop betting and others to pass harassment legislation. |
| Augusta National in bloom and the conditions dry for Masters. So far | |
| Tony Finau was to the right of the 11th green at Augusta National trying to chip to an imaginary front pin, a tough shot when it matters. This was the first full day of practice Monday at the Masters, and it wasn't any easier. The first attempt rolled across the green and off the putting surface. So did the second. It was like that all over the famed course, where the azaleas blooms are on their last leg and turf is firm under a blazing sun, save for a few minutes during the solar eclipse. The conditions -- always pristine, because everything is at Augusta National -- is as good as players can remember. There is rain in the forecast for the opening round, but otherwise players are faced with what could be the two "F" words that take on different meanings to different games -- firm and fast. "The course is very firm," Xander Schauffele said. "It's probably some of the best shape I've seen in previous years, to be honest. I don't know how the weather has been, but it's a shame that it might rain at some point this week because it's looking like a really hard, really firm. Tiger Woods was first out when the course opened at 8 a.m. playing nine holes with Will Zalatoris. Several of them stopped in mid-afternoon to don special solar sunglasses -- Masters green with the famous logo, sure to be a keepsake -- for a look at the eclipse. "Get to watch the end of the world at Augusta National, right?" British Open champion Brian Harman said with a grin. |
| To Choose the Menu, Just Win the Masters | |
 | The winner of the Masters Tournament gets a green jacket, an elegantly engraved trophy and a lifetime invitation to play one of the most revered events in professional golf. He also has the chance to plan a dinner the next spring for other Masters winners (and to pick up the check for one of the most exclusive evenings in sports). And at a tournament where the concessions are legendary, the pressure is forever on the new champion to pick a menu that befits the moment. Tiger Woods offered up cheeseburgers and milkshakes after his debut Masters victory in 1997, but over the years built menus that included sushi, porterhouse steaks and chocolate truffle cake. Sandy Lyle went with haggis after his 1988 win. Vijay Singh's selection of Thai food thrilled some players and flabbergasted others. When Jon Rahm, the 2023 winner, appears for his dinner on Tuesday night, he will sit down to a meal that starts with six tapas and pintxos, including "Mama Rahm's classic lentil stew," a recipe from Rahm's grandmother. Later on, there will be a Basque crab salad, a choice of rib-eye steak or turbot and a dessert of milhojas de crema y nata -- a puff pastry cake with Chantilly cream and custard that was essentially Rahm's wedding cake. The Spanish-born chef José Andrés helped the Spanish-born golfer develop the menu. "I wanted to put a little bit of my heritage and my family into this dinner, which is going to make it even more special," he added. "Hopefully I get to do it again, but I wanted to make sure the Basque heritage was there." |
The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
