| Wednesday, April 10, 2024 |
| Students pitch business ideas at annual Startup Summit | |
 | When Mississippi State junior Susannah Case and senior Grayson Henry started making custom gameday buttons for football season, they had no idea their idea would turn into a business opportunity. Case and Henry started selling buttons to alumni, Greek life organizations and other campus groups. After realizing the pool of potential customers was bigger than they thought, the two expanded to also offer more party supplies, maintaining their philosophy of making each item personal to the customer. "The idea behind this is that people love being a part of something," Case told The Dispatch. "It took off, and from there we grew." Case and Henry pitched their idea for a brick-and-mortar business called Happy Platter at the annual Startup Summit on Monday hosted by the MSU Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach (CEO). They won first place, receiving a $2,500 check to use for furthering their business idea. The summit gives students and alumni the opportunity to pitch their business idea to a panel of judges. The CEO awards $40,000 to the winners of different categories over the span of five days. The Startup Summit will continue through the week with a different division competition each afternoon in the Leo Seal Atrium of McCool Hall. On Friday, the competition culminates with the new expansion of the CEO's E-Center. The center, designed to assist students, faculty and community members in launching their business ventures, is increasing space to more than 4,000 square feet. |
| $1 million E-Center expansion aims to better support student startups | |
 | Mississippi State University's Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, also known as the E-Center, has recently undergone a $1 million, 2,000-square-foot expansion. The expansion will be revealed to the public during a grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. Friday. E-Center Director Eric Hill said that the center is a place where student businesses can form. "I think the better way to look at it is there's a lot of students that don't necessarily know what they want to do, and for many, for most, there's a job out there that's perfect for them," Hill said. "And then for others, the opportunity to create their own is a big deal. That can be a way to change their life." Hill said the expansion will include additional work and meeting spaces. He also said that it will include "Zoom pods" that will be silent booths for people to conduct uninterrupted video meetings. The entrance to the E-Center will be more centrally located in hopes of increasing E-Center accessibility for all students. In this entrance, three major businesses will be showcased. Jeffrey Rupp, the director of outreach at the E-center, said the E-Center welcomes students of any major and will give up to $7,500 to student startups. "We need more kids to walk in the door. Some students say they're intimidated to come in here, and we really want them to know that everyone is welcome. There's no such thing as a bad idea. The market will tell you how good it is. We encourage everyone who might be curious to come see us," Rupp said. |
| Young Americans and How the Trump Years Changed Them | |
| This year's presidential contest will feature -- for the first time since 1912 -- two general-election candidates who have served as commander-in-chief: incumbent Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, whom Biden defeated in 2020. At 77 and 81, they're also the oldest presidential candidates in history, and age is likely to be an issue in the 2024 race, alongside their respective records on the economy, immigration, and health care. By contrast, significantly less attention will be paid to Americans at the other end of the age spectrum -- children under the age of 18 -- because they can't, of course, vote. But how they process this year's campaign and how they are affected by the outcome will undoubtedly have an impact on them as future voters -- a reality too often overlooked. "Kids are not often taken seriously as members of our democracy," says Margaret Hagerman, a sociologist at Mississippi State University who has studied children's social and political attitudes. "We can't discount the lessons that kids are learning in childhood because children then become adults. And there's a lot of evidence that shows the ideas that kids form during this middle childhood and early adolescence phase stick with them into the future." For her new NYU Press book, Children of a Troubled Time: Growing Up with Racism in Trump's America, Hagerman interviewed 10- to 13-year-old children in two contrasting political landscapes: ruby-red Mississippi and deep-blue Massachusetts. In speaking with kids who identified as liberal and conservative -- and were from different racial groups -- she found similarities in the ideas they expressed. |
| Optimal Engine Placement: A Guide To The HondaJet's Unique Engine Layout | |
| Honda Aircraft Company has been a manufacturer of light business jets for nearly a decade. Prior to that, it contributed to extensive research projects before eventually bringing light business jet concepts to the private aviation market. It entered the industry after over twenty years of design and research. Initially, Honda R&D Americas began studying small business jets in the late 1980s. It utilized the Mississippi State University Raspet Flight Research Laboratory to fabricate and test the Honda MH01 and MH02. These aircraft were all-composite aircraft using turbofan engines to test various concepts that Honda R&D Americas thought of. Flight testing on the MH02 continued for several years until the 1990s. The company founder and lead designer, Michimasa Fujino, began designing a modern HondaJet concept in 1997. After two years, the HondaJet was solidified. The concept was only developed into a commercialized version of the jet after Fujino displayed the aircraft at EAA Oshkosh AirVenture in 2005. Positive feedback from visitors pushed Honda Aircraft Company to eventually produce the aircraft. After several years of flight testing and refining the small business jet, Honda Aircraft Company introduced the HA-420 HondaJet in 2015. This concept is still reflected in modern Honda jets. One of themost notable design features of the jetis its engine placement. Honda Aircraft Company places each of its two engines above the wing, while common engine placement on business jets places the engines directly attached to the tail cone or back of the fuselage. |
| 'Could get worse': 2 dozen homes damaged as severe weather continues to strike Mississippi | |
| The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has issued a damage report from Tuesday's storms that went into Wednesday morning. According to MEMA, initial damage assessments include: 12 homes damaged in Hinds County, 2 homes damaged in Neshoba County, 1 home destroyed in Warren County and 8 homes damaged and 1 home destroyed in Yazoo County Downed trees have also resulted in multiple road closures in both Hinds and Yazoo counties. More severe weather is expected to hit the state throughout Wednesday, and Gov. Tate Reeves is asking all Mississippians to be prepared to take safety. "It's extremely important to keep in mind that our state is expected to experience more severe weather today," Reeves wrote on X. "There's a real possibility that the situation could get worse before it gets better. Please prepare in advance of today's storms – it can be the difference between life and death and keeping your family safe." As tornado warnings have already begun to be issued in southern Mississippi, MEMA and its partners have opened safe rooms across the state. |
| Closures for Wednesday, April 10 | |
 | Meridian and Lauderdale County schools and businesses are announcing changes to their schedules ahead of potential severe weather Wednesday, April 10. The National Weather Service in Jackson is forecasting ongoing storms with the potential for damaging winds, flash flooding and possible tornadoes along and south of Interstate 20. Lauderdale County School District announced its campuses will be closed Wednesday. Students and parents are encouraged to monitor the district's media accounts for updates. Meridian Public School District has also cancelled school for its students Wednesday. In a social media post, the district said afterschool activities and athletic events are also postponed. Russell Christian Academy will also be closed Wednesday along with RCA Preschool and Potter's Wheel Daycare. Meridian Community College will be closed Wednesday due to the potential weather. East Central Community College in Decatur announced Wednesday classes and activities on its campuses are cancelled as well. Wednesday classes at East Mississippi Community College will be held online. Students are encouraged to check Canvas for assignments. |
| Heavy storm damage in Neshoba County | |
 | A large complex of storms has moved through Neshoba County, causing significant storm damage. According to Sheriff Eric Clark, many trees are down across highways, on residential buildings, and on other types of properties. Clark says he is attempting to send out deputies to all of the calls coming into his dispatch, but due to the mass amount of trees on roadways, deputies are having to figure out alternate routes. Highways 485, 21, and many others have significant obstacles like downed trees and heavy debris blocking the roadway. Clark says that volunteer fire departments are making their way to the scenes with the most damage. According to the sheriff, the Dixon community experienced heavy straight-line winds causing severe damage. |
| Demopolis lock closures costs Mississippi companies millions | |
| The recent closure of an Alabama lock demonstrates exactly why it is crucial to fund updates to infrastructure along the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Mitch Mays, secretary and administrator of the Tenn-Tom Development Authority, told the Rotary Club of Columbus on Tuesday. Since a concrete failure shut down the Demopolis Lock near Demopolis, Alabama, in January, waterway traffic to Mobile has seen significant setbacks that are affecting Mississippi companies, Mays said. "A piece of the lock wall fell over into the lock, and it's been shut down since then," he said. "So no traffic out of North Mississippi can go south on the Tenn-Tom down to Mobile. It's costing millions of dollars to some companies. It's cut the tonnage in half from what I've been able to tell." Normally, about 7 million tons of bulk raw products, like coal and wood, are shipped down the Tenn-Tom each year, Mays said. With the closure in Demopolis, waterway traffic that would usually head south has to instead ship north up to the Ohio River in Paducah, Kentucky, over to the Mississippi River and then back down to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in order to reach Mobile. Repairs to the Demopolis Lock are expected to be completed in May, but in the meantime, business and industry along the waterway suffer, Mays said. "It almost shut us down," he said. "Steel Dynamics is a perfect example. They're still using the Tenn-Tom, but they're having to go a different route. ... There's been several companies out of Lowndes County Port that are having to spend extra money that they otherwise would not have had to spend." |
| Mississippi's credit outlook lowered from stable to negative over weak economics, tax cuts, retirement system | |
| S&P Global Ratings, one of the big three credit rating agencies, has lowered Mississippi's outlook from stable to negative, citing concerns about weak state economic trends, continuing tax cuts and the state's massive government pension plan. S&P lowered the outlook -- usually considered a fiscal warning shot to governments -- in March, but did not lower the state's relatively good credit rating of AA on its general obligation debt or its ratings on other types of debt. But it said the outlook on all Mississippi's ratings is negative. It appears neither Moody's Investor Services nor Fitch Ratings, the other two agencies, has recently lowered the state's outlook or bond ratings. Lawmakers during Senate debate on Tuesday over the state's government employee retirement system obliquely referred to the lowered credit outlook. "If you think our bond rating has issues now, that ain't going to help it," said Sen. Hob Bryan, D-Amory, arguing against a move to strip the retirement system board of authority to require increased employer contributions to the plan. A downgrade in credit ratings can cost taxpayers millions when the state refinances debt or borrows money. In 2016, with the state budget tanking from numerous tax cuts and a flagging economy, Fitch downgraded the state's credit rating from AA+ to AA and Moody's lowered its outlook to negative. |
| PERS rate increase on public employers challenged by lawmakers | |
 | Efforts in the Mississippi Legislature to impose more control over the Public Employees' Retirement System of Mississippi have been given a new lease on life. Sen. David Parker, R-Olive Branch, on Tuesday, presented House Bill 1618, which was originally only intended to address a retirement program that allows certain retirees such as healthcare workers and teachers, to return to the workforce in an effort to impact critical labor shortages. However, Parker placed language into the bill that would eliminate the PERS board's rate increase on public employers, such as counties, municipalities and state agencies, and would require any such rate change on employers to be approved by the Legislature during regular session. It passed 38-8. "Such increases could possibly raise retirement revenues but may also reduce revenues at schools and cities that decide to stop hiring employees," Parker said. Parker's changes to the bill mirror House Bill 1590, which would have taken away the rate increase, as well as replace elected board members with governor and lieutenant governor appointees. The bill now moves onto the House for concurrence. If the House does not approve, the bill could be sent to a conference of lawmakers from both chambers to iron out a compromise. |
| Effort to block PERS employer contribution increase resurfaces in Mississippi Senate | |
| The Mississippi Senate took aim at addressing the looming employer rate increase approved by the Public Employers Retirement System (PERS) Board. The increase would phase in a five percent increase over the next three years, starting with a two percent jump this July. The new vehicle for the language is HB 1618, originally filed to only address a program that allows certain retirees, namely healthcare workers and teachers, to return to the workforce in an effort to impact critical shortages. A substitute to the original strike-all was offered by State Senator David Parker (R) on the Senate floor. The language would leave the PERS Board as it is structured currently and rescind the employer rate increase set to take effect in July. It also lays out that any future rate increase recommendations made by the PERS Board must be accompanied by two additional independent actuarial assessments and then approved by the Legislature. The amendment also continues to protect benefits already guaranteed to current employees and retirees. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 38 to 7 on Tuesday. HB 1618 will now head back to the House where members can either concur or invite conference. "I believe every single city would have to implement a tax increase to make [the employer contribution increase] happen. My goal is to provide more of a teamwork type of attitude going forward," said Parker when explaining the legislation. |
| Senate votes to strip PERS board authority to raise rates to fund retirement system | |
| The Senate voted 38-7 Tuesday to prevent the board that governs the state's public employee pension plan from increasing the rates government agencies pay to fund the system. But in passing the legislation, Senate leaders, including Appropriations Chairman Briggs Hopson, R-Vicksburg, told the Senate they supported providing state money to improve the long-term financial viability of the Public Employees Retirement System. Under current state law, the board that governors PERS can act unilaterally to increase the amount employers, such as state agencies, city and county governments and education entities, contribute to PERS. But the Senate proposal would give the Legislature the final authority on whether to impose the rate increases. The financial issues surrounding PERS have come to the forefront this session after its board voted to increase by 5% over a three-year period the amount government entities contribute toward the paycheck of each employee. Various agencies, especially city and county governments, complained they could not afford the increase that would require them to raise taxes and-or cut services. After the Senate action, PERS Executive Director Ray Higgins, said, "We are aware of recent legislative developments and are monitoring closely. PERS is a very important system to so many, and additional funding in some manner is necessary for the long-term needs of the plan. We look forward to continued work with the Legislature on this important topic." Former Insurance Commissioner George Dale, who is a member of the PERS board elected by the retirees, said, "There has not been enough dialog between the board and the Legislature on what needs to be done to preserve the pension funds for Mississippi public retirees." |
| Mississippi Senate blocks House proposal to revise school funding formula | |
 | Mississippi lawmakers are unlikely to create a new funding formula for public schools this year, after senators blocked a House proposal Tuesday -- an action that creates tension during the final weeks of a four-month legislative session. Senate Education Committee Chairman Dennis DeBar said leaders of the two chambers should discuss school funding after the current legislative session ends in May and before the next one begins in January. "We need to come up with a formula, whatever that may be, that provides predictability, objectiveness and stability for districts as well as the state when it comes to funding our schools," said DeBar, a Republican from Leakesville. House Speaker Jason White said the current funding formula, called the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, is "broken and flawed." "By refusing to have meaningful discussion on this issue ... the Senate has moved to preserve the status quo, which will result in less funds to public schools and inadequate distribution in an unfair and inequitable manner," White said in a statement. |
| Education funding revisions die in Mississippi Senate | |
| The House of Representative's plan to rewrite the K-12 education funding formula, the INSPIRE Act, officially met its end in the Senate Tuesday morning. So too did the Senate plan to revise the existing MAEP funding formula. Neither side of the Legislature could come to an agreement on how to fund the state's education system this session. After the Senate killed HB 1453 earlier this month, the House re-inserted the INSPIRE Act language into the Senate's MAEP revision bill, SB 2332, and sent it back. Today, the Senate voted not to concur on the House's amendment to SB 2332 and declined to invite conference. By doing so, the Senate killed not only the House plan, but the MAEP revisions originally contained in SB 2332. While on the floor of the Senate, State Senator Dennis DeBar brought the House's amended version of SB 2332 before the body and explained why he was urging senators not to concur on the changes. "The House returned it to us and inserted their INSPIRE language. I've looked through INSPIRE, talked to different folks and based on my research I just think we don't need to address it during this session. And this is a way to take it off the table," DeBar explained. DeBar, the author of SB 2332, said he spoke with Rep. Rob Roberson, the author of HB 1453, about his concerns with the INSPIRE Act and indicated he's committed to continue to address their differences over the summer. "Whether it's coming up with a brand new formula or revising MAEP, whatever the case may be, but I think it's imperative that we look at it together and move slowly when doing it," Debar said on the floor. |
| Senate shelves House education funding rewrite. DeBar vows to work on it in off season | |
| The Senate on Tuesday voted down House legislation to rewrite and remove the objective formula used to determine the amount of money local school districts should receive for their basic operations. The Senate had the option under legislative rules of inviting conference to negotiate differences in education funding formula bills passed by the House and Senate or accepting the House proposal and sending the bill to the governor. Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar, R-Leakesville, made the unusual motion to not concur but did not make a motion to invite conference. That essentially killed the bill. Theoretically, a senator could make another motion Wednesday and revive the legislation. But DeBar said his goal is to work with House Education Chairman Rob Roberson, R-Starkville, the state Department of Education and outside experts in the legislative off session on the complex issue of how the education funding formula should be adjusted or changed. Nancy Loome, executive director of the Parents Campaign, a public education advocacy group, said the House plan had laudable features. But she said her group opposed the plan because it left it up to the Legislature to determine the amount of money needed to provide for the basic operation of schools. She said the plan has a feature requiring education experts to make a recommendation on the funding level to legislators, but the plan does not mandate that recommendation be adopted by legislators. |
| MDOT calls on the Legislature for more state funding | |
| Tensions were high at the Mississippi Department of Transportation's press conference as they approach what they are calling a crisis. Tuesday was the department's last chance efforts to receive more state funding from the Legislature. "Legislators, representatives, senators, lieutenant governor, governor, you want to fix the highways. I know you do, dammit, you told me, but you got to do it," MDOT Northern Commissioner John Caldwell said. Caldwell was joined by his fellow commissioners, Willie Simmons and Charles Busby, in a call to the Legislature. They made it clear that the department will not be able to meet the infrastructure needs moving forward, as their primary way of receiving state funding, the fuel tax, is not as effective. "Today's vehicles have greater fuel economy, which means that individuals today pay less to drive on our roads than they did in 1987. If you had a half-ton pickup in 1987, you would have paid about $264 in fuel tax through the year. Today, you would pay $185," Southern Commissioner Busby. Annual recurring streams of revenue are the long-term solution they want to be addressed. They have recently been receiving "one-time money" funds, like the nearly 2 billion dollars the Legislature granted the department last year. |
| Speaker, lieutenant governor agree to hold Medicaid expansion negotiations in public | |
| House Speaker Jason White and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann have both agreed to negotiate final details of a bill to expand Medicaid coverage to the working poor in public meetings, an increasingly rare occurrence at the state Capitol. The House last week voted to "invite conference" with the Senate to try and work out a compromise on a bill to expand Medicaid coverage to more Mississippians. In recent years the vast majority of conference committee negotiations don't take place in public. White, a Republican from West, first called for the negotiations to be public in a recent interview with Mississippi Today. The new speaker said he doesn't believe it's realistic for lawmakers to have public conference committee meetings on every relevant bill but believes Medicaid expansion rises to the level of holding such a public meeting. "I think the public on this issue is probably going to demand it to some degree, is going to want to see where people are on it," White said. Hosemann, a Republican who leads the Senate, also said in a statement that he believes major issues should be "conducted in public and not behind closed doors," including conference committees. "Such conversations create a better end product," Hosemann said. |
| Bill creating 'Purple Alert' for missing people with cognitive disabilities heads to governor's desk | |
| Mississippi could become one of just two states to create a special alert notification to raise public awareness about missing individuals with cognitive disabilities. While lawmakers in the House of Representatives and Senate have been at odds over healthcare matters and how to fund public education in the state, there was a consensus view among both chambers that a special alert system is necessary for the most vulnerable members of society. Both the House and Senate unanimously passed HB 873, which creates the Purple Alert as an additional means to aid the search for missing persons with special needs, such as autism and Down syndrome. The intention is to better prepare citizens and law enforcement who might approach the missing individual with cognitive disabilities. Similar to an Amber Alert or a Silver Alert, the Purple Alert would allow local law enforcement officers to report the missing person to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation which would then send out the alert notification to police, the media, and the public to raise elevated attention on the matter. |
| US has seen no evidence that Israel has committed genocide, Austin says | |
 | Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday rebuffed arguments that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, saying he's seen no evidence to suggest it. "We don't have any evidence of genocide being [committed]" by Israel in Gaza, Austin told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a budget hearing, where his testimony was interrupted several times by protesters. Austin's comments come as pressure builds on the Biden administration and Democrats over U.S. support for the conflict. Pressed by the panel's top Republican, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Austin stopped short of labeling the Oct. 7 attacks against Israel by Hamas a genocide, though he called it a "horrific terrorist attack" and said it "certainly is a war crime." Austin made the case for a foreign aid package -- stalled in the House -- that would unlock billions in military aid for Israel, along with Ukraine and Pacific allies. At the same time, the Pentagon chief underscored efforts to free up humanitarian aid to Palestinians. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) faulted the Israeli government for "collectively punishing" Gazans by throttling access to water and humanitarian aid. He pointed to recent comments from World Food Programme Director Cindy McCain that a famine is imminent. When asked by Kaine about the issue, Austin said a lack of food and medicine "will accelerate violence, and it will have the effect of ensuring that there is a long term conflict because the Palestinian people will have been disadvantaged to such a great degree. This doesn't have to happen." |
| Cole secures Appropriations gavel ahead of fraught budget cycle | |
 | Rep. Tom Cole secured the House Republican Conference's backing Wednesday morning to become the next Appropriations Committee chairman, elevating the 11th-term Oklahoma lawmaker to one of Capitol Hill's most influential -- and toughest -- positions. Cole, who ran unopposed, received unanimous support Tuesday night from the House GOP Steering Committee, which doles out panel assignments. That decision set the stage for the full conference vote Wednesday. The process was drama-free after Cole's only potential competitor, Rep. Robert B. Aderholt, R-Ala., announced Tuesday he would not make a bid for the gavel. Cole has vowed to get the Appropriations Committee right to work on fiscal 2025 funding, which is getting a late start after this year's spending bills weren't finalized until last month. Cole is a congenial and widely-popular member who secured the support of nearly all the other cardinals after Appropriations Chairwoman Kay Granger, R-Texas, announced last month she would be leaving the position early. Only Aderholt and Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., didn't publicly endorsed Cole. The Steering Committee leans toward the establishment wing of the party and voted overwhelmingly for the $1.2 trillion compromise fiscal 2024 package that Cole supported. |
| 'I'm not gonna get rolled': Controversial spying law reignites infighting among House Republicans | |
 | A controversial spying law is set to reignite tensions between House Republicans this week as conservative hardliners and members of the intelligence community fight over the scope of how the law should be reformed under a time crunch. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Authority Act, also called FISA, is set to expire on April 19, meaning time is running short for Congress to reauthorize the law. The sticking point lies in Section 702, which allows U.S. authorities to surveil communications of foreigners without a warrant. Because those foreigners often contact Americans, their info is also swept up in data collection. As a result, the FBI can conduct searches on American data collected through the law without a warrant. Many conservatives have balked at the function and are now relentlessly pushing House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to reform FISA with a new warrant requirement for authorities to sift through data. Section 702 has divided House Republicans into two warring factions. The law's harshest critics are being led by the House Judiciary Committee, while the House Intelligence Committee is pushing to preserve the law, arguing it is essential to protect the nation. FISA's conservative antagonists want an amendment to include a warrant requirement. Opponents of that move say that a warrant requirement would effectively neuter the program and threaten national security. The fight has revealed the deep divides between Republicans once again and has borne odd coalitions in the House. |
| US inflation up again in March in latest sign that price pressures remain elevated | |
| Consumer inflation remained persistently high last month, boosted by gas, rents, auto insurance and other items, the government said Wednesday in a report that will likely give pause to the Federal Reserve as it weighs when and by how much to cut interest rates this year. Prices outside the volatile food and energy categories rose 0.4% from February to March, the same accelerated pace as in the previous month. Measured from a year earlier, these core prices were up 3.8%, unchanged from the year-over-year rise in February. The Fed closely tracks core prices because they tend to provide a good read of where inflation is headed. The March figures, the third straight month of inflation readings well above the Fed's target, provide concerning evidence that inflation is stuck at an elevated level after having steadily dropped in the second half of 2023. The higher inflation measures threaten to torpedo the prospect of multiple interest rate cuts this year. Fed officials have made clear that with the economy healthy, they're in no rush to cut their benchmark rate despite their earlier projections that they would reduce rates three times this year. The figures will likely disappoint the White House as well, with Republican critics of President Joe Biden who have sought to pin the blame for high prices on the president and use it as a cudgel to derail his re-election bid. Polls show that despite a healthy job market, a near-record-high stock market and the steady drop in inflation, many Americans blame Biden for high prices. |
| Another Red-Blue Divide: Money to Feed Kids in the Summer | |
 | The governor was firm: Nebraska would reject the new federal money for summer meals. The state already fed a small number of children when schools closed. He would not sign on to a program to provide all families that received free or cut-rate school meals with cards to buy groceries during the summer. "I don't believe in welfare," the governor, Jim Pillen, a Republican, said in December. A group of low-income youths, in a face-to-face meeting, urged him to reconsider. "Sometimes money isn't the solution," the governor replied. A week later, Mr. Pillen made a U-turn the size of a Nebraska cornfield, approving the cards and praising the young people for speaking out. "This isn't about me winning," he said. "This is about coming to the conclusion of what is best for our kids." Mr. Pillen's extraordinary reversal shows the conflicts shaping red-state views of federal aid: needs beckon, but suspicions run high of the Biden administration and programs that critics call handouts. The new $2.5 billion program, known as Summer EBT, passed Congress with bipartisan support, and every Democratic governor will distribute the grocery cards this summer. But Republican governors are split, with 14 in, 13 out and no consensus on what constitutes conservative principle. The outcome illuminates the arbitrary nature of the American safety net, which prioritizes local control. North Dakota and North Carolina are in; South Dakota and South Carolina are out. Children can get aid in Tulsa but not in Oklahoma City, as state and tribal governments clash. In the impoverished Mississippi Delta, eligibility depends on which side of the Mississippi River a child lives. As with Medicaid, poor states are especially resistant, though the federal government bears most of the cost. Of the 10 states with the highest levels of children's food insecurity, five rejected Summer EBT: Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas. |
| How American Drones Failed to Turn the Tide in Ukraine | |
 | The Silicon Valley company Skydio sent hundreds of its best drones to Ukraine to help fight the Russians. Things didn't go well. Skydio's drones flew off course and were lost, victims of Russia's electronic warfare. The company has since gone back to the drawing board to build a new fleet. Most small drones from U.S. startups have failed to perform in combat, dashing companies' hopes that a badge of being battle-tested would bring the startups sales and attention. It is also bad news for the Pentagon, which needs a reliable supply of thousands of small, unmanned aircraft. In the first war to feature small drones prominently, American companies still have no meaningful presence. Made-in-America drones tend to be expensive, glitchy and hard to repair, said drone company executives, Ukrainians on the front lines, Ukrainian government officials and former U.S. defense officials. Absent solutions from the West, Ukraine has turned to cheaper Chinese products to fill its drone arsenal. "The general reputation for every class of U.S. drone in Ukraine is that they don't work as well as other systems," Skydio Chief Executive Adam Bry said, calling his own drone "not a very successful platform on the front lines." The shortcomings of U.S. drone makers are partly the result of the U.S. government's policy response to China, according to drone executives and former defense officials. The Defense Department has imposed strict requirements on drone manufacturers, including a ban of Chinese components, which has made it more expensive and harder to build small drones, the executives and former officials said. |
| Adderall shortage continues to affect Oxford residents | |
 | For over a decade, University of Mississippi student Elizabeth Horn has taken medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Since moving to Oxford from her home in Newport, R.I., she has struggled to access her prescription. "Each time I go to the pharmacy, it truly becomes a guessing game if I will actually be able to get the medication that I need," Horn, a freshman exercise science major, said. In October 2022, the Food and Drug Administration first announced the shortage of Adderall, a medication used to treat ADHD. Over a year later, experts doubt the supply of ADHD medications like Adderall, Vyvanse and Ritalin will increase anytime soon -- shortages are expected to continue through the end of 2024. Pharmacies in Oxford, both local and chain, are feeling the effects of this scarcity. The FDA said earlier this year it blamed "increased prescribing potentially related to the growth in telemedicine, supply chain issues, manufacturing and quality issues, and business decisions of manufacturers" for contributing to the ongoing shortages. To address the shortage, the Drug Enforcement Administration is targeting telehealth with tentative plans to require routine in-person appointments to receive Adderall prescriptions. |
| Severe weather expected in Hattiesburg | |
| Severe weather is expected to ravage the state Wednesday, with heavy rains likely at times. Tornadoes are possible. Check this link throughout the day to receive the latest updates. The Hattiesburg area is under a tornado watch until 1 p.m. today as a severe weather system moves through the state. The watch includes most counties south of Interstate 20, including Forrest and Lamar. "Tornadoes are likely, especially in south Mississippi," MEMA Executive Director Stephen McCraney said in a video message on X. McRaney said while the entire state is at risk for severe weather, the southern portions will be most vulnerable in today's weather events, which include the potential for heavy rain, strong winds, flash flooding and hail. After meeting with emergency management officials on Tuesday, area schools opted to cancel Wednesday classes or operate virtually, including the University of Southern Mississippi: All operations at the Hattiesburg campus and along the Gulf Coast will be closed. School officials stated students can expect to hear from faculty regarding any transition to online course delivery. |
| Alcorn State closed due to severe weather | |
| The National Weather Service has issued a severe weather alert for the region through Wednesday. In anticipation of hazardous driving conditions, Alcorn State University will close its campuses in Lorman, Vicksburg, and Natchez Wednesday, April 10. The University has canceled all classes. Alcorn State University officials said they encourage students, faculty, and staff to monitor local weather reports for possible severe storms and heavy winds and to exercise good judgment in making travel decisions. If necessary, please be prepared to shelter in place, they said. The University will continue to monitor weather conditions and any change will be announced through the school's emergency notification system and campus email. |
| University removes lead paint in Mary Martin Hall | |
| Auburn University is removing lead paint from the windows of Mary E. Martin Hall and plans to be finished by April 26. Built in 1908, Mary Martin Hall has four floors and is about 37,000 square feet. Originally called Carnegie Library, Mary Martin Hall served as the first library on campus. The building now houses Student Financial Services, Career Center and Admissions Processing. Mary Martin Hall got its name from Mary Eugenia Martin who served as Auburn's librarian from 1918 to 1949. Elizabeth De Kruif and Eric Moore of Risk Management and Safety and Facilities Management aided in explaining Mary Martin Hall's lead paint removal. "While in 1978, the federal government banned consumer uses of lead-based paint, it is not a hazard when undisturbed," said De Kruif, the university industrial hygienist in charge of the lead paint testing. Likely, the lead paint did not affect students or faculty in Mary Martin Hall or older buildings. However, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, children are more likely to be at risk when exposed to lead paint. Today, lead paint can still be found in buildings built before the 1978 Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule. For long-term building and restoration plans, Risk Management and Safety and Facilities Management regularly stay up-to-date with protocols and handle possible issues as they arise. |
| Why South Carolina students could see college tuition rates rise for the first time in years | |
 | Even though lawmakers have frozen college tuition rates for in-state students for the last six years, state senators are looking to give colleges and universities some flexibility to end that streak in the fall. A proposed budget provision in the Senate would allow state colleges and universities to increase their tuition rates by up to 2%, even if the schools take the tuition mitigation money meant to freeze tuition rates for in-state students. "We just don't have the money this year we had last year," said state Sen. Ronnie Cromer, R-Newberry, who oversees higher education spending on the Senate Finance Committee. "Last year we were able to give all what colleges asked for and a little more. With the money just not being there, it's hard to tell a university they can't increase tuition when inflation is up so high." Clemson University spokesman Joe Galbraith said the university appreciated the general assembly's push to make sure college is affordable, but said the school did not ask for the language in the proposed proviso. The University of South Carolina itself has frozen tuition for five consecutive school years. "We're grateful that both the governor and members of the General Assembly have recognized the importance of the tuition mitigation program, which has played an essential role in keeping tuition affordable for South Carolina students," said university spokesman Jeff Stensland. "We remain optimistic that affordability will remain a shared priority. USC remains committed to affordability and quality, and the current system of state funding makes that possible for all universities." |
| U. of Kentucky extends enrollment deadline due to FAFSA delays | |
 | The University of Kentucky has extended its deadline for students to confirm their enrollment for the fall semester because of financial aid delays, the university announced Tuesday. Nationally, changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) have caused delays in students receiving their financial aid offers from universities. At the University of Kentucky, students will now have until May 15, instead of May 1, to confirm their enrollment for the fall 2024 semester. "We understand that students must make informed decisions about their college choice and that includes fully understanding the cost of attendance. To that end, we feel extending the confirmation deadline is in the best interest of our students," said Christine Harper, UK's Chief Enrollment Officer. "We strive to put students first in everything that we do. Extending the deadline underscores our commitment to students, who through no fault of their own, are receiving important financial aid information much later than ever before." UK is still waiting for additional FAFSA data for processing, the university said. Financial aid notifications are expected to be sent to students at the end of April. |
| Ashley Blamey holds office hours for Title IX | |
| On Tuesday, April 9, the University of Tennessee's Title IX coordinator Ashley Blamey set up in the Hodges Library to answer any questions students may have about Title IX and how the office is spreading sexual assault awareness across campus. Blamey has been working with the university for fifteen years. Before she became the Title IX Coordinator in 2017 when the office was established, she worked with CHEW and in student support. Blamey talked about her role as the Title IX Coordinator and the work she does. "My overarching responsibility is for UT Knoxville's compliance to Title IX regulations and that happens in several different areas," Blamey said. "We work across the whole campus and have a lot of collaboration. It's not something that you can do with one office and one person. It takes the whole university to do it." The Title IX commitment on campus has five key areas: policy, prevention and education, supportive measures, investigation and resolution and patterns and trends. "Our model is rooted in prevention, which is a little different than Title IX offices typically on campus. They're more compliance-oriented. While compliance is our foundation, our goal is prevention," Blamey said. Awareness of sexual assault has grown over the years. This generation of students has more knowledge and awareness than they did when the office first started which allows the office to work with more students who value safety in their community and want to spread awareness. |
| U. of Florida bus proposal puts Gainesville Regional Transit System at risk | |
 | The city of Gainesville announced Tuesday that half of its Regional Transit System (RTS) budget is at risk of being lost if the University of Florida were to move forward with a proposal to scale back its prepaid bus fare program. The program, responsible for $6.8 million of RTS' $13.7 million budget this year, may end at the beginning of July, according to a press release. UF cited cost sustainability as a primary factor in the decision, the release said. "Since 1998, this partnership has been woven into the life of our community," said Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward in the release. "It is a shining example of a strong, working town-gown collaboration. It's good for the environment, it reduces traffic congestion and it has become an integral part of the way UF students come to learn about and love the City of Gainesville." This year, approximately 68% of RTS riders are participants of the UF program, according to Ward. A dramatic reduction in ridership could mean losing state and federal funding and other grants that are dependent on ridership volume, according to the release. UF spokesperson Steve Orlando said in a statement to The Sun that there has been no decisions or announcements made on UF's behalf about the RTS program. The statement said UF was surprised to learn of the press conference held by the city. "There seems to be a major misunderstanding on the city's part. The University of Florida has made no announcements and believed that our good faith talks were ongoing. We were surprised to learn about this press conference, because we recently asked the city to give us transparent data on their operating costs," the statement reads. |
| Source: A&M regent inquires about returning Bonfire to campus | |
 | Texas A&M Regent John Bellinger has penned letters to families who lost a child in the 1999 Aggie Bonfire collapse about the possibility of bringing the former longstanding tradition back to A&M's campus, according to a university source. In a letter obtained by The Eagle, which is dated in January, Bellinger asked one of the victim's families if they would be willing to meet with him and possibly other members of a special committee formed last November by A&M President Mark A. Welsh III to commemorate the return of the A&M-Texas football game. "The members of the committee and I are extremely sensitive to your loss," Bellinger, who is a co-chair for the special committee, wrote. "I do not want to reopen the many wounds that you have but it is important to me to have your opinion. "I cannot apologize enough for what happened. It is critical that we learn from our mistakes and never forget [the name of the family's late child] and the 11 others who lost their lives. We must remember their tragic passing, must always honor their legacy, and must also focus on preventing any possibility of a reoccurrence." Bonfire began in 1909 and eventually grew into one of the largest A&M traditions to commemorate the Aggies' "burning desire" to beat rival Texas in football. The Bonfire burned every year through 1998, except in 1963 after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, often in the days leading up to the annual A&M-Texas football game. At 2:42 a.m. on Nov. 18, 1999, the annual Bonfire collapsed and killed 12 people, including 11 current students, and injured another 27. |
| Study: Half of students started but never finished college | |
 | Only 60 percent of students who enrolled in college earned a degree or credential within eight years of graduating high school. That's one of the biggest takeaways from a new report the National Center for Education Statistics released Monday that analyzed the enrollment, completion and financial aid outcomes of students. The researchers tracked the postsecondary educational outcomes of roughly 23,000 students beginning in 2009 when they were freshman in high school through 2021, when the cohort was eight years out from graduating high school. Those 23,000 students represented the demographics of the millions of ninth graders across the country who were enrolled in public and private schools in 2009. "A big goal of the study is to understand their educational and life outcomes," Elise Christopher, director of the study, said. "We wanted to know how many had ended up enrolling in college and how many had completed and what kinds of degrees they'd received." By the time the study concluded in 2021, about 74 percent of students in the cohort had enrolled in college at some point. That number was down 10 percentage points compared to a previous iteration of the study which tracked students starting when they were high school sophomores in 2002. "That's not too surprising," said Nate Johnson, founder and principal consultant of Postsecondary Analytics. "The 2002 cohort would have been hitting college age right around the time of the Great Recession when enrollment was at a record high." |
| Diversity office name changes spark concern from both sides | |
| Not long after Texas passed SB 17, a law prohibiting diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public colleges and universities, many institutions chose to rename their former DEI offices, using words like "belonging," "community engagement" and "student development" in the new titles. But last month, an anti-DEI legislator warned that cosmetic adjustments were not enough. Republican state senator Brandon Creighton, the lead sponsor of SB 17, wrote letters to Texas's public university systems reminding them that compliance with the law goes beyond renaming offices. "While I am encouraged with the progress I have seen from many institutions of higher education in implementing SB 17, I am deeply concerned with the possibility that many institutions may choose to merely rename their offices or employee titles," he wrote. "This letter should serve as notice that this practice is unacceptable." Despite pushback in Texas to what legislators perceive as purely aesthetic changes to DEI offices, institutions in other red states around the country are rushing to alter DEI language -- even in states like South Carolina, that do not yet have legislation in place restricting DEI. Officials at many institutions argue the name changes are not in response to political pressure and are instead satisfying some part of their mission or strategy. But it remains to be seen how such adjustments will be received by DEI's critics -- especially lawmakers. |
| Biden's student debt gambit | |
| President Joe Biden is giving it the old college try, again. He traveled Monday to Wisconsin, a state that is critical to his chances of returning to the White House next year, promoting his latest push to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers. But there were a few glaring points missing from his speech. Sure, the announcement makes good on a promise made during his 2020 campaign that hasn't been fully realized. He wanted to signal that despite congressional Republicans' disinterest and a conservative-leaning Supreme Court thwarting his executive actions tackling loan forgiveness, he was still forging ahead. "We made a commitment to fix our broken student loan system," Biden said Monday at Madison Area Technical College, which marked his second visit to Wisconsin in less than a month. "Starting this fall we plan to deliver up to $20,000 in interest relief to over 20 million borrowers and full forgiveness for millions more," Biden added. Officials said the Education Department plans to formally propose the new program in the coming months and they expect to finalize it and swiftly implement it later this year. However, the president's remarks offered few new details about the structure of the program, which the Education Department has already debated publicly for months. "What I found fascinating was that it was clearly a very explicit choice to not be at University of Wisconsin Madison," says Allison Prasch who teaches about rhetoric, politics and culture at UW, which sports a student body population of more than 50,600. She adds that the speech, while ostensibly geared toward students, had an underlying message for folks not typically thought of when people think of UW, which is considered by many to be among the state's most elite universities. Instead, Prasch says, Biden's overtures were aimed at white, blue-collar voters, which she sees as one of the reasons why Biden didn't emphasize how this debt relief program would impact voters of color. |
| More Republican states sue to block Biden's new student loan repayment plan | |
| Another group of Republican-led states is suing to block the Biden administration's new student loan repayment plan, which offers a faster path to cancellation and has already been used to forgive loans for more than 150,000 borrowers. Seven states led by Missouri filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday challenging Biden's SAVE Plan, which has become a new legal target for conservative opponents after the Supreme Court toppled the Democratic president's first attempt at student loan cancellation. It largely mirrors another suit filed last month by Republican attorneys general in 11 states, led by Kansas. "Yet again, the President is unilaterally trying to impose an extraordinarily expensive and controversial policy that he could not get through Congress," according to the new suit. Filed just a day after Biden trumpeted a new proposal to cancel student loans for millions of borrowers, the lawsuit sets the stage for one legal battle and foreshadows another. The suit doesn't directly challenge Biden's newest plan for cancellation, but its architect, Missouri's attorney general, separately threatened to bring action against that plan, too. A statement from the Education Department says Congress gave the agency power to define terms of certain repayment plans in 1993, and that authority has been used before. The lawsuit reprises a courtroom showdown between the Biden administration and Missouri, which was a central figure in the Supreme Court case that overturned the Democratic president's first try at loan cancellation last year. |
| Faculty diversity at universities lags behind students: Watchdog | |
 | A report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released Tuesday found faculty diversity in higher education is lagging behind student diversity. The report, titled "Higher Education: Employment Discrimination Case Referrals between Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Could Be Improved," discovered that while diversity has risen over the years, it still is not on pace with the students that colleges serve. In 2021, 8 percent of college faculty were Black compared to the 12 percent of Black students on campuses, according to the GAO. Hispanic faculty made up seven percent while the number of Hispanic students on campuses was 19 percent. "Research has shown that faculty diversity plays an important role in student completion and can have a major impact on students' sense of belonging and retention rates. That is why I asked the GAO to study the state of faculty diversity at institutions of higher education and the hiring and retention policies to promote faculty diversity," said Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) Ranking Member for the Education and the Workforce committee. "The good news is that faculty diversity has improved over the last twenty years. The bad news is that faculty diversity is still not representative of the students they teach," he added. |
| Projected job and salary growth report reinforces value of investment in Mississippi's public universities | |
| Dr. Alfred McNair, the current president of the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, writes: Strategically located around the state and offering a broad range of programs, Mississippi's eight public universities and the University of Mississippi Medical Center are a sound investment for our people and our future. With oversight from the Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), the investment is paying strong dividends. Statistics don't lie and the statistics for our universities tell a story of success. Consider some of these statistics from the University Research Center---for every dollar invested in IHL, the state's GDP increases by $1.72 and personal income increases by $1.52. IHL is projected to have an economic impact of more than $8 billion on Mississippi's economy by 2030. In FY 2022, $641 million in external research funding was invested in more than 2,200 research projects across our university system. Those are strong statistics, and a new report from the University Research Center (a division of IHL) offers more good news about projected job and salary growth and the role that Mississippi's universities play in helping those projections become realities. Based on projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the report offers some interesting insight into the top 20 jobs in the state with the highest projected growth through 2032. ... The University Research Center presents specific details related to each of the 20 occupations noted in this report, but there is an important theme that emerges from their findings: Mississippi's public universities play a critical role in the economic development of our state, a role that extends far beyond the classroom and into the everyday lives of Mississippians. |
| Mississippi's prison system history is one that begs to break the recidivism cycle | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: After more than 40 years of reporting and writing about crime and punishment in Mississippi, I've seen the pendulum swing from "get tough" to "out of sight, out of mind" to "who's making money off the system now?" Mississippi's prison system has a capacity of just under 21,964 and a population of 19,127. Recidivism -- or repeat offenders after serving prison time -- is 37.1% in Mississippi in 2023. From the Southern "plantation prison" model that gave rise to Mississippi's Parchman, Louisiana's Angola and the Georgia chain gangs to "convict leasing" and other systems of continuing slavery under color of Jim Crow laws long after the guns of the Civil War were silenced, Mississippi struggled with corrections policy before and after race was the common denominator. Then, as now, change comes slowly in the state's prison system. In his 1988 book All Rise: Memoirs of a Mississippi Federal Judge, the late U.S. District Judge William C. Keady recounted his long involvement in efforts to reform the Mississippi prison system from the measured view of a veteran federal judge. "The court found that the physical facilities were in such condition as to be unfit for human habitation, that racial discrimination was practiced by the penal authorities in the assignment of inmates, that the medical staff and hospital facilities available to penitentiary inmates were far less than minimal, and that the inmates, under the protection of few free-world personnel, had to work under guns placed in the hands of other inmates who were trusties." |
SPORTS
| 'A long 12 hours': How Mississippi State was able to get most of its starting lineup back after ejections | |
| After finishing Saturday night's game -- a 3-2 loss to Georgia -- with just two starters remaining and multiple pitchers in the lineup, Mississippi State was staring down the possibility of playing Sunday's contest with a similarly shorthanded roster. Only shortstop David Mershon and center fielder Connor Hujsak played Saturday from start to finish. The rest of MSU's starting position players were lifted for either pinch-hitters or defensive replacements, and the Bulldogs wound up with two pitchers in the outfield. Khal Stephen, who had never batted in his collegiate career, wound up at the plate with the game on the line. Following a tag play at home plate in the top of the eighth, MSU catcher Johnny Long stood over Georgia baserunner Dillon Carter and stuck his knee into Carter's ribcage. Players from both benches emptied onto the field, although the coaches from both teams managed to pull their players back before any pushing or shoving ensued. NCAA Rule 5.16.c states that any players "who leave the dugout or bullpen to enter the field at the time of a potential altercation or fight shall be ejected and suspended for one game." Several of the MSU players who were ejected had already been on the field and were rushing in to either congratulate their teammate or try and diffuse the situation, as head coach Chris Lemonis pointed out postgame. |
| Softball Reaches Highest Ranking In Program History | |
| Mississippi State's softball team has reached its highest ranking in program history this week as the Bulldogs head into the final month of the regular season. The Bulldogs (28-10, 8-7 SEC) checked in at No. 11 in the Softball America poll, which is their highest ranking ever in any of the four polls. Previously, State had climbed as high as No. 13 in Softball America's list prior to hosting the Starkville Super Regional in 2022. That same week, the Bulldogs were No. 15 in the D1Softball poll, a mark they've now matched with their one-spot improvement this week. The NFCA Coaches' poll is the official poll of record for Mississippi State, and the Bulldogs remain No. 16 in that regard where they have been for three consecutive weeks. That is one spot shy of the best mark in school history as the Bulldogs checked in at No. 15 in Week 3 of the 2008 season. Since that campaign, State had not climbed higher than No. 19 prior to this year. State is No. 17 in the USA Softball poll. Another ranked matchup awaits this weekend as State is set to host No. 4/4 Tennessee for three games in Nusz Park on April 12-14. Every home SEC series this year is against a team that is currently ranked inside the top 10 in at least one poll. Tickets are still available for $8 in advance online or $10 at the door. Fans can purchase tickets to this week's series by visiting HailState.com/Tickets. |
| Men's Track and Field Ranked No. 8 In Latest USTFCCCA TFRI | |
| After another successful weekend of competition, Mississippi State's men's track and field team checked in at No. 8 nationally in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Ratings Index on Tuesday. It marks the third-consecutive week that the Bulldogs appeared in the top 10. It is the first time since 2018 that MSU has opened the outdoor season with three straight top-10 rankings. MSU features one national leader in freshman Jordan Ware (200m – 20.18w) who is a two-time SEC Runner of the Week this season. In addition, the Bulldogs boast two national top-five marks and five top-10 marks. State is also highlighted by two top-five ranked event squads with a total of three in the top 10. Ware also leads the No. 5 ranked 200m event squad that includes seniors Shamar Rose, Sema'J Daniels and junior Keldrick Turner Jr. The Javelin men own the No. 3 in the event squad rankings for the second-consecutive week. The squad, featuring seniors Remi Rougetet and Franck Di Sanza, sophomore Lewis Barber and freshman Sam Fisher boasts an average distance of 62.67m (205-7) that ranks second in the SEC. Rougetet, who ranks No. 6 nationally, leads the group with a mark of 75.40m (247-4.0). The Bulldogs will split for two meets this weekend with multis and distance going to the Bryan Clay Invitational hosted by Azusa Pacific while the remaining members going to the Tom Jones Invitational hosted by the University of Florida. |
| Auburn athletics officially announces new partnership with Nike | |
 | Beginning in July of 2025, Auburn's athletic uniforms will have a new badge affixed to their chest as the school officially announced their partnership with Nike Tuesday morning. Auburn's announcement put to bed months of speculation about whether the Tigers would be leaving Under Armour with the two parties' contract coming to an end. Auburn's current deal with Under Armour comes to a close at the end of the 2024-25 academic year and as of Sept. 1, 2023, Auburn became free to negotiate with other apparel providers. And with Tuesday's news, it seems Nike and its famous swoosh branding won over athletic director John Cohen. "We are excited to enter this new partnership with Nike, a brand that consistently champions athletes and sport around the world," Cohen said in a release Tuesday morning. "We are appreciative of their strong support throughout this process." Cohen revealed in his statement that Auburn would be entering into a 10-year agreement with Nike. News of the approaching partnership with Nike marks the end of Auburn's 18-year marriage with Under Armour. The two first entered into a partnership in 2006 and last signed a nine-year extension in 2015 -- a $78 million deal that featured stock in the company. Under Armour stock was at a record high in 2015. However, that has changed considerably since with the company's value dropping by nearly 85%. |
| Kentucky students praise Calipari but wonder, 'was he actually good for college basketball?' | |
| University of Kentucky head men's basketball coach John Calipari is on his way out of the Big Blue Nation. Calipari, the face of Kentucky basketball since 2009, is on the move to a different SEC school, reportedly taking the Arkansas reins and replacing Eric Musselman. "He had his time here," UK student Kevin Harris said of Calipari's departure before the coach officially stepped down Tuesday afternoon. "It sucks 'cause he's a legend here. It's gonna bring down the glitter and glam of Kentucky for sure when he leaves, but I think he's making the right decision for himself." While some UK students on campus think Calipari may have lost his touch, many agreed that he created a great foundation for the next coach to build on. Following quick outs in the NCAA Tournament, Calipari received a lot of backlash online, many people calling for him to resign. Some students think the harsh reaction to this year's first-round loss against Oakland heavily influenced his decision to leave his "lifetime contract" at UK. "He was probably kind of bullied out," student Bella Sims said. "It's probably the players that are not giving their best. There's only so much he can do, so I feel like they shouldn't put it all on him." UK student Kendall Duncan said Calipari has been working well for his players, but not for his school. Having a coach who cares about bringing in national championship wins instead of focusing on developing players for the NBA would be good for Kentucky, according to Duncan. |
| Florida State lawsuit vs. ACC to continue in Tallahassee | |
| Near the end of arguments in Tuesday's seven-hour legal hearing between Florida State and the ACC, a hypothetical scenario started to feel real. What if dueling lawsuits between the Seminoles and their conference keep unfolding simultaneously in Florida and North Carolina? "Then we do have chaos," ACC attorney James Cooney said. Buckle up. A Leon County judge, John C. Cooper, denied the ACC's motion to postpone FSU's lawsuit against the league in Tallahassee. Cooper's ruling from the bench comes less than a week after a Charlotte judge issued his mirror opinion: that the ACC's lawsuit against FSU will continue in North Carolina. That means the nine-figure future of the Seminoles, the league and nationwide conference realignment will continue playing out in two different courtrooms in two different states under two sets of applicable laws --- at the same time. The dueling lawsuits between Clemson and the conference in both Carolinas add complexity to when, how and if two of the ACC's biggest heavyweights could leave. The ACC had hoped for a different outcome when it sued FSU on Dec. 21, a day before Florida State's trustees met to sue the conference first. Cooper took issue with some of the ACC's filing. He had questions about whether the conference followed its voting protocols before or after it filed its complaint in Charlotte. The ACC's presidents and chancellors approved an amended lawsuit against FSU during a special Jan. 12 virtual meeting. ACC officials have said the vote was unanimous among present members ... but have not said who was present. |
| They're young and athletic. They're also ill with a condition called POTS. | |
 | Kaleigh Levine was running drills in the gym with her lacrosse team at Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio, when everything turned black. "The coach wanted me to get back in the line, but I couldn't see," she remembered. Her vision returned after a few minutes, but several months and a half-dozen medical specialists later, the 20-year-old goalie was diagnosed with a mysterious condition known as POTS. First described more than 150 years ago, the syndrome has proliferated since the coronavirus pandemic. Before 2020, 1 million to 3 million people suffered from POTS in the United States, researchers estimate. Precise numbers are difficult to come by because the condition encompasses a spectrum of symptoms, and many people have still never heard of it. Recent studies suggest 2 to 14 percent of people infected with the coronavirus may go on to develop POTS. The syndrome tends to strike suddenly, leaving previously healthy people unable to function, with no clear cause. In recent years, doctors specializing in the condition have noticed a curious and disproportionate subset of patients: young, highly trained athletes who are female. Short for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, POTS is diagnosed when a patient's heart rate goes berserk, jumping way above normal when changing position from lying down to standing. Teens and young adults at peak fitness are generally regarded as being extremely healthy, so the burst of POTS cases has puzzled doctors. At the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Sara Gould, an orthopedic surgeon, and Camden Hebson, a pediatric cardiologist, opened a sports clinic in 2021 to help young athletes navigate their health post-covid. It drew patients from across the South and beyond, but the physicians were surprised to find that few of the patients had myocarditis. Most were coming in with POTS. |
| For some Gulf South schools, a March Madness loss can still be a win off the court | |
 | March Madness is officially over following historic wins by the University of South Carolina and the University of Connecticut in the women's and men's NCAA basketball tournaments. This season, 12 schools from across the Gulf South punched their ticket to the Big Dance, ranging from Power 5 powerhouses like the Alabama men's team and the LSU women's team to smaller, relatively unknown teamsplaying the role of the underdog. In the women's bracket, that included teams like the Jackson State Tigers, who have made the tournament in three of the past four seasons but had a tough first-round matchup against UConn's women's team. On the men's side of the field, some entered the tournament for the first time ever, like Grambling State, or after years-long absences, like McNeese State, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Samford University. All of these schools were eliminated in the first round, but making it to the tournament in the first place is an accomplishment that could have lasting impacts on the school on and off the hardwood. Samford is a small Baptist university on the edge of Birmingham, Alabama, known for its liberal arts programs. But in recent years, the school has made a name for itself in athletics. During the Bulldogs' run to the NCAA Tournament, students could be seen walking around campus proudly wearing basketball jerseys and other paraphernalia. JD Roland, a freshman, said the feeling around campus was "electric," after Samford clinched its first trip to the NCAA Tournament in more than 20 years. For many prospective students, sports can serve as the introduction point to a university -- the "front porch," as Samford Athletic Director Martin Newman calls it. When a school like Samford makes it to a national stage against a perennial favorite like Kansas and puts up a hard fight, that front porch can get a lot bigger -- win or lose. |
| Women's NCAA title game outdraws the men's championship with an average of 18.9 million viewers | |
| The women's NCAA championship game drew a bigger television audience than the men's title game for the first time, with an average of 18.9 million viewers watching undefeated South Carolina beat Iowa and superstar Caitlin Clark, according to ratings released Tuesday. The Sunday afternoon game on ABC and ESPN outdrew Monday's men's final between UConn and Purdue by four million. The Huskies' 75-60 victory averaged 14.82 million on TBS and TNT. The audience for the women's game -- in which the Gamecocks won their fourth national title and denied Clark's Hawkeyes their first -- peaked at 24.1 million during the final 15 minutes. "You're seeing the growth in many places: attendance records, viewership and social media engagement surrounding March Madness," UCLA coach Cori Close said. "I don't think you can attribute it just to Iowa, though. A rising tide does lifts all boats. But I think all those boats have been on many different waterways. The product is really good, and the increase of exposure is getting rewarded." It was the second most-watched non-Olympic women's sporting event on U.S. television, trailing only the 2015 Women's World Cup final between the United States and Japan, which averaged 25.4 million on Fox. That also was on a Sunday and took place in prime time on the East Coast. The audience for the national title game was up 90% over last year when Clark and Iowa fell to LSU. That also was the first time since 1995 that the championship was on network television. |
| As the Masters nears, the PGA Tour-LIV rivalry still divides the sport | |
| Golf's biggest buzzword on the eve of its biggest tournament has nothing to do with technique or equipment or any of the superstars converging this week on Augusta National. The topic du jour is sustainability -- or, rather, the perceived unsustainability of the current landscape, which has the world's best pros competing on separate tours, their much-anticipated alliance still up in the air, and a sport enjoying surging participation but fearing a decline in fan interest. "Things need a correction," Rory McIlroy, one of the faces of the PGA Tour, said last week in Texas, "and things are unsustainable." "And it needs to happen fast," Bryson DeChambeau, the LIV Golf star, said in Florida. "It's not a two-year thing. It needs to happen quicker rather than later just for the good of the sport. Too many people are losing interest." While there's more money than ever flowing through the sport, the dueling pro circuits are fighting for relevance. They're tweaking and overhauling their business models in hopes of unlocking a return on investment, trying to funnel unprecedented sums of money to their players while still building profitable businesses. Meanwhile, a growing chorus is calling for some form of reconciliation. The sustainability discussion is two-pronged: Can the sport remain relevant and engaging to fans in its fractured state? And is the sport economically viable enough to support the current pace of spending? |
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