| Wednesday, July 17, 2024 |
| Baby bull sharks are thriving in Texas and Alabama bays as the Gulf of Mexico warms | |
 | Mississippi State University's James Marcus Drymon and Lindsay Mullins and a colleague write for The Conversation: In late spring, estuaries along the U.S. Gulf Coast come alive with newborn fish and other sea life. While some species have struggled to adjust to the region's rising water temperatures in recent years, one is thriving: juvenile bull sharks. We study this iconic shark species, named for its stout body and matching disposition, along the Gulf of Mexico. Over the past two decades, we have documented a fivefold increase in baby bull sharks in Mobile Bay, Alabama, and a similar rise in several Texas estuaries. Despite the bull shark's fearsome reputation, baby bull sharks are not cause for concern for humans in these waters. While adult bull sharks are responsible for an occasional unprovoked attack, baby bull sharks haven't fully developed the skills needed to hunt larger prey. And you're still far more likely to be killed by bees, wasps or snakes than sharks. The presence of bull sharks in these estuaries also contributes to their health and stability. Because bull sharks frequently move between freshwater and marine ecosystems, they can act as mobile links that connect these two aquatic environments. Bull sharks often feed in one environment, salty water for example, and then rest and excrete nutrients in freshwater bays. Feeding and resting in different locations can improve the ability of these ecosystems to withstand disturbances like warming weather conditions, because if one habitat is disturbed, the other is still supported. |
| Dairy demand, prices help offset high input costs | |
 | Despite encouraging milk prices, margins still project to be tight for Mississippi dairy farmers in 2024. The latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasted this year's average all-milk price at $21.60 per hundredweight nationally. Josh Maples, an agricultural economist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said this is an improvement from last year, but still below 2022 levels, when prices hovered around $25 per hundredweight. "Demand for dairy products in the U.S. and globally is strong in 2024," Maples said. "Dairy prices have been stronger in 2024 and are expected to get higher. Cheddar cheese, dry whey and butter prices are all expected to be stronger in 2024 than a year ago. Both imports and exports are expected to be higher than in 2023." Inputs, Maples noted, remain a key challenge for dairy producers, even in a positive market. "The milk price is an important indicator of the overall dairy industry, but whether any particular farm will be profitable depends heavily on the cost of production, which has been a significant challenge in recent years," he said. "Feed costs have come down slightly overall as corn prices have moderated, but many of the other costs such as equipment, insurance, labor and interest expenses on operating loans have continued to show increases." |
| New information available on forest restoration aid | |
 | Forest landowners who incurred damage from last year's drought now have more information about the federal cost shares for restoration assistance approved in April. The Emergency Forest Restoration Program, or EFRP, is open to landowners in all 82 counties with private, nonindustrial property in rural areas who have lost pine trees related to pine bark beetle infestations that stemmed from last year's drought. "Currently, properties located in city limits are excluded regardless of their acreage," said Curtis VanderSchaaf, forestry specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Administered through the Farm Service Agency, or FSA, the program provides a 75% cost share for restoration practices approved by the Mississippi Forestry Commission. The application period closes on Aug. 15. VanderSchaaf said only landowners with rural properties that had existing pine tree cover before the drought and pine bark beetle infestations are eligible to apply for the funds. The forested land must be at least one acre in size, be at least 120 feet wide and have had a canopy of live trees that covered at least 10% of the area. The landowner must also incur at least $1,000 of the costs related to restoration. The program's payment limitation is $500,000. |
| Students complete a mural project for Mississippi State | |
 | Video: The mural is on the first floor of the Hill Agriculture Science Building. |
| Loitering, aggressive panhandling could become crimes | |
| Criminal loitering and aggressive panhandling may soon be punishable by fines or jail time in the city, if a proposed ordinance takes effect. The board of aldermen approved a call for public hearings on its consent agenda during its Tuesday meeting. Ward 4 Alderman Mike Brooks, who proposed the ordinance, said he has experienced issues with aggressive panhandling at local convenience stores. Those instances, combined with complaints he has heard from other citizens, made him want the law on the books. "I've noticed it at gas stations, in particular," Brooks told The Dispatch Tuesday. "It seems you're vulnerable there, because you're (getting) gas and you can't leave your vehicle. Or you're coming out of a convenience store." "We don't want to come across as being mean, heartless, however you want to say it," Brooks told The Dispatch. "But at the same time, we have to take into consideration our citizens and protecting them. Letting them go about their business without feeling like they're being harassed, if you will." Language in the proposed ordinance cites increased homelessness in the city and homeless encounters with Starkville Police Department among the reasons for creating the law. SPD Chief Mark Ballard said during the board's work session Friday he previously spoke to the Tupelo police chief about some of the situations they had seen, since both cities are seeing panhandlers come from outside of their communities. "A lot of the individuals, like what Alderman Brooks referred to, are not from this community," Ballard said. "They are professional panhandling. They will set off, and some of them will show a little bit more aggression. Give me $2? That's not enough. Give me 10." |
| Ashley Furniture announces expansions to facilities in Lee County | |
| Ashley Furniture plans to expand its facilities in Lee County and create at least 500 new jobs. The company already has facilities in Verona and Saltillo. It plans to purchase and renovate a neighboring facility in Verona and will construct a new building, the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) announced on Wednesday, July 17. The company is also making a "substantial investment in equipment and operations" at its plant in Saltillo. MDA's announcement did not provide any further details about the Saltillo expansion. Ashley is investing $80 million in these projects. Work is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. |
| Mississippi amasses $19.1 billion in economic development investments over four years | |
| Since 2020, under Governor Tate Reeve's leadership, companies have invested $19.1 billion in the Magnolia State, creating 15,743 jobs. One singular project, Amazon's $10 billion announcement in January, nearly doubled the total investment. In this Q&A, Bill Cork, executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), reviews the last four years of economic growth in the Magnolia State. The second part of the series will look ahead four years and list 30 shovel-ready -- or almost shovel-ready -- sites across Mississippi. Cork served MDA as deputy director and chief economic development officer from 2020 to 2023, when he was appointed executive director. |
| Mississippi Lottery generates $125 million in total transfer to state | |
 | The Mississippi Lottery made its final monthly transfer to the state for Fiscal Year 2024 for $9,102,945.07. The lottery generated $125,102,374.83 in funding for Mississippi in FY24 ending on June 30. Having reached the $80 million required for roads and bridges in February, the Education Enhancement Fund has received a total of $45,102,374.83 for FY24. The fund pays for numerous education expenses, including early learning collaboratives, the Teacher Supply Fund and upgrading the Mississippi Student Information System. "It was another banner year for the Mississippi Lottery in sales and return to the State," said President Jeff Hewitt. "We appreciate all the hard work from our retailers and support from our players. As we approach our fifth anniversary, we are excited about the prospects for the new fiscal year." Since the first day of sales November 25, 2019, the Mississippi Lottery has transferred a total of $578,782,663.72 to the state, including $390,703,360.48 to the State Highway Fund and $188,079,303.24 to the Education Enhancement Fund. |
| Mississippi schools to share nearly $240 million more in education funding this fiscal year | |
| Starting July 1, a new funding formula went into effect for Mississippi's K-12 public education system. Some school districts will receive millions in additional funding under the new formula that replaces the former Mississippi Adequate Education Program, or MAEP. The idea for the new funding structure, called the Mississippi Student Funding Formula, was to ensure that the school districts in most need received additional monies. The increased local district allocations outlined below range from thousands to more than $18 million and include increases to educational funding as well as increases to teacher pay, health insurance and state retirement contributions in PERS. Total increased funding statewide comes to just under $240 million. "The purpose of this is to help the districts that do not have a tax base," State Representative Rob Roberson (R) explained to Magnolia Tribune. "To suggest that the intent was to raise money for areas that already have a tax base would be wasteful spending. So, the whole point of this is to make certain that we are getting to areas that do not have a tax base, getting them more in line where they need to be." Roberson chairs the Education Committee in the Mississippi House of Representatives. "The long-term effect of this is to make sure we are educating kids, not necessarily to continue raising the amount of money we're spending on education just because," Rep. Roberson described. "We're raising it in places that need it." |
| Law to improve access to prenatal care pending federal approval | |
| Pregnancy presumptive eligibility in Mississippi is still not in effect, despite becoming law July 1. However, the Division of Medicaid said it has cleared several administrative hurdles and is awaiting action from the federal government. But a discrepancy between state and federal law may delay the process further. Legislators wrote in the bill that pregnant women must provide proof of income when seeking prenatal care. Federal guidelines, however, state that while the agency may require proof of citizenship or residency, it should not "require verification of the conditions for presumptive eligibility." Matt Westerfield, spokesperson from the Division of Medicaid, said the "federal regulations could be open to multiple interpretations" and that the division doesn't necessarily expect the discrepancy to become a problem. "The Division can't speak on behalf of lawmakers about what was drafted and why. But we do think the Legislature included a sensible provision that an individual seeking taxpayer-funded Medicaid benefits meet minimal requirements for presumptive eligibility," Westerfield said. |
| 'Lack of details make it suspect': Engineer gives expert opinion on proposed oilfield landfill in Adams County | |
 | An expert opinion from a Mississippi State University professor and engineer says there is probable reason for residents to fear that a proposed oil field waste landfill at 19 Shieldsboro Lane in South Adams County could be hazardous to the county and harmful to nearby residents. Adams County resident Millicent Graning, who has been outspoken on the issue of the landfill, sought an expert's opinion as to whether her fears are valid. She read his opinion out loud during Monday's meeting of the Adams County Board of Supervisors and provided a copy to include with the minutes of the meeting. Graning said she contacted Mississippi State University and was given the name of Dr. Dennis Truax, "a licensed professional engineer who is board certified nationally as an environmental engineer and water resources engineer. He has worked on projects throughout the world, including the designs of water and wastewater treatment systems and hazardous and solid waste facilities," Graning said. Truax's academic career spans 41 years as school director, Department Head Research Center Director and Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Mississippi State University, she said. He also recently completed a term as president of the American Society of Civil Engineers. |
| Top Official Suggests Fed Is Closer -- But Not Yet Ready -- to Cut | |
 | A top Federal Reserve official suggested an interest-rate cut could be warranted in the coming months -- though not at the central bank's meeting in two weeks -- if a recent inflation slowdown continues. Together with signs that U.S. labor-market conditions are cooling gradually, the last three months of inflation data are "getting us closer to a disinflationary trend that we're looking for," said New York Fed President John Williams in an interview Tuesday. "These are positive signs. I would like to see more data to gain further confidence inflation is moving sustainably to our 2% goal." The comments from Williams, who is vice chair of the Fed's rate-setting committee and a top policy adviser to Chair Jerome Powell, suggest a rate cut is unlikely at the Fed's July 30-31 meeting even if one or two officials push for it. Instead, his remarks indicate the central bank could consider lowering its benchmark short-term interest rate when officials meet again in mid-September, provided there aren't big economic surprises. Data including last week's consumer-price index for June show "a broad decline in inflation," said Williams. He pushed back against concerns that bringing inflation all the way back to the Fed's 2% goal would be more difficult than it had been so far to lower inflation from a high of 7% to the current level of around 2.5%. "It is not really a story about a 'last mile' or some part that's particularly sticky," said Williams. Different inflation measures are "all moving in the right direction and doing that pretty consistently." |
| Biden seriously considering proposals on Supreme Court term limits, ethics code, AP sources say | |
 | President Joe Biden is seriously considering proposals to establish term limits for U.S. Supreme Court justices, and an ethics code that would be enforceable under law amid growing concerns that the justices are not held accountable, according to three people briefed on the plans. It would mark a major shift for Biden, the former head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who has long resisted calls to reform the high court, though since taking office he has been increasingly vocal about his belief that the court is abandoning mainstream constitutional interpretation. The details were first reported by The Washington Post. Any changes would require congressional approval, which would be unlikely in a divided Congress. But with Republican nominee Donald Trump bragging about putting the three justices on the high court who are now part of the conservative majority, Biden's call for major changes could help animate his voters. Biden is also considering calling for a constitutional amendment that would eliminate the broad immunity for presidents granted by the court in its most recent term, after Donald Trump claimed he was immune from prosecution for his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters violently descended on the U.S. Capitol. |
| Nearly two-thirds of Democrats want Biden to withdraw, new AP-NORC poll finds | |
| Nearly two-thirds of Democrats say President Joe Biden should withdraw from the presidential race and let his party nominate a different candidate, according to a new poll, sharply undercutting his post-debate claim that "average Democrats" are still with him even if some "big names" are turning on him. The new survey by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, conducted as Biden works to salvage his candidacy two weeks after his debate flop, also found that only about 3 in 10 Democrats are extremely or very confident that he has the mental capability to serve effectively as president, down slightly from 40% in an AP-NORC poll in February. The findings underscore the challenges the 81-year-old president faces as he tries to silence calls from within his own party to leave the race and tries to convince Democrats that he's the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump. The poll was conducted mostly before Saturday's assassination attempt on Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. It's unclear whether the shooting influenced people's views of Biden, but the small number of poll interviews completed after the shooting provided no early indication that his prospects improved. "I do have genuine concerns about his ability to hold the office," said Democrat Andrew Holcomb, 27, of Denver. "I think he's frankly just too old for the job." Janie Stapleton, a 50-year-old lifelong Democrat from Walls, Mississippi, held the opposite view, saying Biden is the "best candidate" for president. |
| Mississippians with experience working alongside Secret Service discuss Saturday's attempted assassination | |
| There's mounting pressure to find answers on what happened in the wake of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. As more time passes, more questions are growing about the security measures in place at the rally. Analysis of the witness videos and the feed of the speech indicate some of the attendees noticed the gunman on the roof of a nearby building nearly two minutes before the shots were fired. The Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas commented on Monday. He said, "When I say that something like this cannot happen, we are speaking of a failure." We spoke to a Mississippian who has first-hand experience planning for events with a president. Craig Ray was Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Advance Operations for both Bush administrations. As part of that job, he worked alongside the Secret Service and White House military to go over every detail of venues. Ray said watching Saturday's attempted assassination was like a punch in the stomach. "I immediately started thinking, 'How did it happen?' You know, how did this person get to that spot in the event to shoot the stage? Why wasn't it protected? You usually start at ground zero when you're securing a venue on where the best stage location would be for, you know, camera shot, sunshine, everything, and then from the security standpoint; they work out. From there, they go, 'Where is the best shot for a bad guy to get a shot?'" |
| Thompson Says Secret Service Bill Wouldn't Have Stripped Trump of Protection | |
| U.S. House Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, says former President Donald Trump would not have been unprotected during the campaign rally where a shooter fired at him even if a bill he introduced earlier this year to strip Secret Service protection from convicted and imprisoned felons had become law. Several Republicans have heavily criticized or even called for the congressman to resign since the shooting, citing the bill that Thompson introduced in April. Trump, whom a New York jury convicted on 34 state felony charges in May, could potentially face a prison sentence. U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, an Ohio Republican, also called on Thompson to resign just two days before Trump named him as his vice presidential running mate. "Remember this? I do," Vance said in a July 13 post, sharing Thompson's April 19 statement in which he announced the bill to strip Secret Service protections from convicted felons serving prison time. "Kick his ass out of Congress. Absolute scumbag." In a statement his office shared with the Mississippi Free Press on Tuesday morning, Thompson said his bill would not have made a difference even if it had been law at the time of the rally. "My bill would not have affected the Secret Service's presence during this tragic event. It aims to clarify lines of authority when a protectee is sentenced to prison and is in the custody of another law enforcement agency," the congressman said. "That does not apply to the former President." |
| A new kind of Republican Party is forming at the RNC | |
 | A new kind of Republican Party is revealing itself at its national convention. All the markers of a MAGA jamboree are on display, from hulking Donald Trump iconography inside the convention hall to rhinestone Trump cowboy hats and red Trump-Vance placards. But look closer and the party is changing --- increasingly embracing economic populism at home and isolationism abroad, shifting its decades-long position on abortion and not only leery of, but hostile to, certain business interests. Trump's newly-announced running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, has said that the GOP is in a "late Republican period," and the party needs to "get pretty wild, and pretty far out there." And that's exactly what's unfolding in Milwaukee. It wasn't just Trump's selection of Vance, the opponent of Ukraine aid who once said "I don't really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another." It was also the party's adoption of a slimmed down abortion platform and the criticisms of corporations it heard on the RNC floor. It's the result of a confluence of economic, demographic and cultural changes -- including a newly ascendant labor movement, which the GOP finds itself increasingly attracted to, at least nominally. Together, those forces have only accelerated the GOP's flirtation with a renovation of the party. "I think what we're witnessing now is a full on frontal assault on conservatism," said Marc Short, who served as chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence from 2019 to 2021, who is so estranged from this new version of the party that he was advised to skip the convention. "And you can look at the platform walking away from issues like life and traditional marriage, embracing tariffs across the board, but I feel like yesterday and last night went a step further when you have speakers that are basically saying NATO was at fault for Putin's invasion of Ukraine, and referring to job creators as 'corporate pigs' and announcing national right to work." |
| Former Donald Trump rival Nikki Haley encourages her supporters to rally with him during RNC speech | |
 | On the presidential campaign trail, there was no love lost between former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Donald Trump. Haley attacked Trump's age and vitality. He gave her a condescending name. But all that vanished at the Republican National Convention in Haley's nearly 12-minute speech where she called on her supporters and other Americans to get behind Trump as the GOP nominee when so extensive a plate of national security matters are at risk. "Trump has my strong endorsement, period," she said to cheers inside Milwaukee's 18,000-seat FISERV Arena in a speech delivered moments after Trump entered the convention hall, sitting and listening to the speakers. "I don't always agree with Donald Trump," she added. "But we agree more than we disagree." Haley, a former candidate for president in her own right who often found herself at-odds with her party on the campaign trail for her hawkish foreign policy positions and prior opposition to Trump, was initially not supposed to speak at all. She'd been left out of the convention schedule until a surprise announcement shortly after the July 13 attempt on Trump's life at a Pennsylvania campaign rally. That came after announcing she was releasing all 97 of her delegates from her failed 2024 White House bid but wanting them to pledge to Trump. "It was a complete, incredible flip-flop from what she's done, flip-flop, flip-flop," said former New Jersey governor, Trump critic and onetime Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie after Haley's speech. "I don't think anyone's gonna care." |
| GOP showcases Senate candidates who trash Biden, tout Trump | |
 | A parade of candidates hoping to flip the Senate took the stage at the Republican National Convention Tuesday night and criticized President Joe Biden and his Democratic allies, saying they have embraced policies on crime and border security that jeopardize public safety and put American lives at risk. "We're losing our country,'' said Hung Cao, a refugee from Vietnam who is running against Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine in Virginia. "Under Joe Biden, millions of illegal aliens flood our borders. They fly Hamas flags on our campuses and they shout 'death to America.' As an immigrant to this great country, let me be very clear to everyone who comes here. Don't ask for the American dream if you're not willing to obey the American laws and embrace the American culture." Another immigrant seeking a Senate seat, Ohio's Bernie Moreno, struck a similar theme. "The American dream that I lived is under attack from Joe Biden and his enablers in the Senate like Sherrod Brown,'' Moreno said, referring to his Democratic opponent. The focus of the second night of the RNC was on crime and border security under the theme "Make America Safe Again." Unmentioned by any of the Senate candidates was a bipartisan immigration bill negotiated by Sens. Christopher S. Murphy, D-Conn.; James Lankford, R-Okla.; and Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., that sought to stem the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs and give the president new tools to manage the southern border. Republicans tanked the measure in February after former President Donald Trump expressed opposition. |
| 'Betrayed': Unions, White House irate over Teamsters president's RNC speech | |
 | White House officials, congressional Democrats and several labor leaders say they are angry about Teamsters President Sean O'Brien's prime-time address to the Republican National Convention on Monday night, which marked a striking departure for a powerful union that for decades has supported Democrats. In a speech closely watched by other union officials, O'Brien praised former president Donald Trump -- calling him "one tough SOB" after Saturday's assassination attempt -- as well as his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, for "truly [caring] about working people." Breaking from nearly all other speakers at the Republican convention, O'Brien did not publicly endorse Trump. He also criticized corporate greed and took pains to emphasize that he would work with any lawmaker who would support union priorities, regardless of party affiliation. But his very presence in Milwaukee -- among GOP lawmakers and a former president who have pushed a policy agenda sharply at odds with that of the unions -- sent shock waves through labor and Democratic circles. White House aides were particularly furious over O'Brien's appearance, which they viewed as a betrayal of the administration's support for many of the Teamsters' top priorities, according to two people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. |
| Republicans are embracing crypto | |
| The Grand Old Party wants you to know they are pro-cryptocurrency. The official Republican platform adopted earlier this week says the party will "defend the right to mine bitcoin, and ensure every American has the right to self-custody of their digital assets." And after deriding bitcoin during his time in office, former President Donald Trump is now scheduled to deliver the keynote address at a bitcoin convention in Nashville later this month. There is some natural ideological overlap between parts of the crypto community and the more libertarian wing of the GOP. "The premise of crypto is that it's money outside of the state, outside of the government," said Lee Reiners, who teaches economics at Duke University and is a crypto skeptic. But Reiners suspects the real reason the GOP has embraced crypto so conspicuously is the same reason some Congressional Democrats have recently become crypto-curious: "The crypto industry has raised and spent an incredible amount of money influencing elections." As of last month, the crypto industry has set aside $160 million for political spending, according to Bloomberg. Calling for more crypto regulation not only risks a barrage of well-funded attack ads, but also losing some voters who may care more about the price of bitcoin than, say, abortion or immigration. |
| Elon Musk announces SpaceX HQ is moving to Texas; X headquarters moving to Austin | |
| In true Muskian fashion, personal frustrations over public school policy in California seemingly led Elon Musk to announce Tuesday that he is relocating SpaceX's and X's headquarters from the Golden State to Texas. Elon Musk posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the SAFETY Act signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom was "the final straw," causing him to move his Space X company to the Lone Star State. He later posted that X will also relocate its headquarters to Texas. "Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas," he posted. California's SAFETY Act limits schools from creating rules that require employees to notify parents of a child's gender identity. Musk, who has 12 children, has been an outspoken critic of California's policies. Starbase, a company town being built near Brownsville in South Texas, currently houses a landing pad, launch facility, launch control center and tracking station for SpaceX. The aerospace company has been conducting all its Starship test launches from Boca Chica, near the Texas-Mexico border along the coast, and earlier this year it announced a $100 million, five-story office there. Elsewhere, SpaceX already has facilities in Bastrop, where Musk is building the Hyperloop Plaza, which he imagines as a work-live community for his employees. The crown jewel of Musk's companies, Tesla, is headquartered in Austin and could be the reason he chose the capital city as the next home for his social media company, X. |
| Construction begins on state's first long-term care facility for medically fragile children | |
 | Construction on Mississippi's first long-term care facility for children with complex medical issues has begun more than five years after state lawmakers put over $12 million towards the project. When it's up and running, The Alyce G. Clarke Center for Medically Fragile Children is meant to be a place where patients from Batson Children's Hospital can receive long-term care in an environment that doesn't feel like a hospital. "The acute care hospital environment is just not a conducive environment for having someone who doesn't need to be in the hospital," Dr. Alan Jones, associate vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, said. ... "More of a homey environment is certainly better for the child." The center will also be a place where the parents or caretakers of patients can receive the training needed to take care of a child with complex medical needs. These are often babies leaving the neonatal intensive care unit or others who need the support of a ventilator or a feeding tube. Jones says learning the ins and outs of medical equipment takes time. The center won't only be a more comfortable place for those kids to receive care, it will also save the state money, Jones says. Keeping someone in a hospital setting dramatically increases the cost of their care and that cost is often borne by the state or the Mississippi Division of Medicaid. The center's construction is expected to be completed in the Fall of 2025. |
| Former ICC technician charged with embezzlement | |
 | Special agents from the State Auditor's Office arrested a former Itawamba Community College employee Tuesday morning. State Auditor Shad White said Timothy Lucius, 50, former Itawamba Community College Telecommunications and Information Services Technician, was charged with one count of embezzlement. Itawamba County Jail records show Lucius was booked into the Fulton facility at 10 a.m. and released on bond 12 minutes later. Lucius is accused of selling multiple pieces of electronic equipment owned by ICC on his personal eBay store and pocketing the money for himself. Lucius was served with a $3,409.73 demand letter at the time of his arrest. Lucius faces up to $5,000 in fines and 20 years if convicted. |
| New JC tuition plan to save students around $200 per semester | |
 | Students could save around $200 each semester under a new tuition plan at Jones College. Administrators say the program-based tuition model, which will be implemented this academic year, also simplifies and streamlines the tuition process. "The purpose of it is, number one, to reduce the cost, number two, is to make it simple, so families can understand and it can be affordable," said JC President Jesse Smith. Documents related to tuition and fees have also been reduced from 14 pages to a single page. "It's definitely going to be easier, because I'm used to just scrolling through all those pages and one page, yeah, it's going to be a great change," said Shatara Keyes, a practical nursing student from Jasper County. |
| U. of Alabama students return to Tuscaloosa: What to know | |
 | The University of Alabama will begin fall classes in August, which means nearly 40,000 students will arrive soon in Tuscaloosa. Students will arrive during two waves: Early move-in will begin Aug. 7 and regular move-in will begin the weekend of Aug. 18. The early move-in period, Aug. 7-14, is for students who are participating in sorority and fraternity recruitment activities, members of the Million Dollar Band, Honors College freshmen and students participating in other special programs. Those other special programs include biology boot camp, forensics and Camp 1831, a three-day session to acquaint new students with the UA campus. The rest of the students will move in over a series of days, from Aug. 16-18. Classes begin Aug. 21, a Wednesday at UA. Tuscaloosa residents will want to mark that date: Leave a little early for work, especially if your morning commute takes you anywhere near the UA campus. UA's sorority recruitment week went viral with videos on TikTok in 2021, followed by a documentary, "Bama Rush," which premiered in 2023 on Max. Activities for sorority recruitment week begin on Aug. 10 with a convocation and open house and culminate Aug. 18 with Bid Day. |
| U. of Arkansas system president announces he is retiring by Jan. 15 | |
| Donald Bobbitt, the president of the University of Arkansas system, said Tuesday he is retiring after leading the state's largest university system for nearly 13 years. Bobbitt notified the university's Board of Trustees that he plans to retire Jan. 15, or earlier, if a successor is selected before that date. Kelly Eichler, the board's chair, said she planned to call a meeting in the coming days to discuss a plan for a national search for Bobbitt's replacement. Bobbitt said he was grateful to serve with the colleagues and staff throughout the UA system, which includes the flagship university in Fayetteville. "Each and every day they carry out the complex responsibilities of their position, keeping first and forefront the mission of this system to serve Arkansas and its citizens," Bobbitt said in a statement. "It has equally been an honor to serve the many students across the UA System and help them achieve the dream of improving their lives through higher education." Bobbitt has served as UA system president since Nov. 1, 2011. He succeeded B. Alan Sugg, who led the system for 21 years. Bobbitt began his first faculty job as an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1985. |
| How This Professor Made History Class Cool Again | |
 | Years before Tore Olsson became an associate professor of U.S. history and director of graduate studies at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, he was a teenager using video games as a gateway to community and companionship. Video games are violent and usually senseless, Olsson said, and when life became serious after high school, he thought he'd left his life as a gamer far behind. There wasn't time to commit to both a virtual and a literal reality. When the Covid-19 pandemic forced professors to rethink teaching methods, Olsson decided to take a closer look at his courses, which already relied heavily on pop-culture references and the integration of music and film, and brainstorm ways to better connect with students. Meanwhile, as he was stuck spending a lot of time indoors, he found himself back in a GameStop aisle, surrounded by high-energy, action-packed, violent games. He picked up the latest copy of Red Dead Redemption II, for no reason other than because it was popular. He was surprised to find not only a compelling game, but also an enriching virtual environment that wrestled with themes like industrialization and racial integration in 19th-century America. Students could really learn something from playing Red Dead, he reasoned. So he decided to create a new course where they could do just that. Olsson has turned his curricular experiment into a book that's publishing in August, which he hopes will attract even more people to the study of history. |
| DeSantis slams Disney again, promises more changes to higher education | |
| While the First Amendment litigation between Ron DeSantis and Disney is more than a month in the rearview mirror, the Florida governor isn't done lobbing insults at the theme park giant. "Over the years so many Republicans, any time some big bad corporation opposes what they want to do, they cower in the corner like little scared kitties," DeSantis said during a Tuesday afternoon panel sponsored by Moms for Liberty in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, hours before he was slated to speak at the Republican National Convention. During the event, DeSantis not only touted what he had done but also hinted at the future: "On higher ed, we've got more that we're going to do." DeSantis and the GOP legislative supermajority already have taken aim at what they accuse of being progressive indoctrination in the state's public colleges and universities. They have, for example, banned funding for state college and university diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. "You have professors that are not meeting the mission, and the mission of these universities is a classical mission of education," DeSantis said. Also passed in Florida: the "Stop WOKE Act," a key provision of which limits discussion of race, gender and other topics in state university classrooms. That's currently blocked by the courts and awaiting a final appeals decision. |
| U. of Texas' new admissions policies do not unlawfully consider race: judge | |
| A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the University of Texas at Austin's new admissions policies by the group that pursued the successful challenge to race-conscious college admissions practices at the U.S. Supreme Court. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin on Monday rejected arguments by Students for Fair Admissions that the school had continued to unlawfully consider race when admitting students even after the Supreme Court's landmark 2023 ruling. The group, founded by affirmative action opponent Edward Blum, had sued the university in 2020 while it was in the midst of similar cases challenging race-conscious admissions policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. The lawsuit alleged the public Texas university improperly considered race in admissions and discriminated against white applicants in violation of the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While the case was pending, the Supreme Court's 6-3 conservative majority in June 2023 ruled in SFFA's favor in the Harvard and UNC cases and effectively ended affirmative action policies long used by U.S. colleges to raise the number of Black, Hispanic and other minority students on their campuses. Pitman, an appointee of Democratic former President Barack Obama, in Monday's ruling called the Supreme Court's decision a "watershed" ruling that "upended longstanding affirmative action precedent." The judge said that in response, UT Austin overhauled its admissions policy to comply with the Supreme Court's ruling by ceasing the consideration of race or ethnicity as a factor in the admissions process beginning in fall 2023. |
| Latest CBO Survey Shows Optimism Despite Headwinds | |
 | Despite palpable business challenges, the latest Inside Higher Ed Survey of College and University Chief Business Officers finds rising optimism among respondents. The survey shows that college business officers are more confident than they were last year about both the short- and long-term financial sustainability of their institutions, regardless of the challenging headwinds facing higher education. However, respondents tended to view the state of their own institution more favorably than their peers' on a variety of metrics, including projected financial stability, college costs and AI readiness. While this year's survey findings are sunnier than last year's, the news isn't all good. Respondents expressed concern that government efforts to shape institutional strategies and policies could pose a financial risk. And the number of business officers reporting positive operating margins has declined. The survey probed a number of other areas, including artificial intelligence, turnover and more. While much of the focus on artificial intelligence in higher education has been around student misuse and the potential for academic abuse, respondents had mixed views on the technology. More than half -- 55 percent -- expressed optimism about the potential uses of AI in higher education, and 33 percent noted that they are already using AI to make more informed decisions in their jobs. |
| How a bad year for college financial aid is shaping these students' futures | |
| Even in ordinary years, how students choose a college largely hinges on the amount of financial aid offered and the breakdown among grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities and student loans. However, in 2024, a botched FAFSA rollout heightened the critical role of aid in college choices. Because of problems with the new form, financial aid award letters were delayed and some high school seniors had trouble applying for any aid at all. As of June 28, only 46% of new high school graduates have completed the FAFSA, according to the National College Attainment Network, or NCAN. A year ago, that number was 53%. The challenge this year "was not only about the financial aid piece, which is huge, but comparing different offers coming in at different times," said Eric Greenberg, president of Greenberg Educational Group, a New York-based consulting firm. "It did have a big impact on the way people made decisions." In previous years, financial aid award letters were sent out at about the same time as admission letters, meaning students had several weeks to compare offers ahead of National College Decision Day, the deadline for most admitted students to decide on a college. Because of the extensive delays this year, some students won't get their final financial aid award letter until the end of August, the U.S. Department of Education said in a recent update. |
| College Costs Fuel Rise of the Workforce Development Coordinator | |
| When Dylan Beisler stepped onto the tarmac at the Pittsburgh International Airport last year and saw teams of people preparing snow removal equipment for the winter, his eyes lit up. The now-18-year-old knew he wanted to be part of the crew. That day, Mr. Beisler -- a 2024 South Allegheny High School graduate who today is an apprentice with Operating Engineers Local 66, which works with heavy equipment at the airport -- was put on the path to his future career through the guidance of the district's workforce development coordinator who signed him up for the tour to show him jobs he could pursue after graduation. "It was a real great thing," Mr. Beisler said. "I never figured I'd be doing something like this. ... I didn't even know what I wanted to do till this year." Mr. Beisler's experience is part of a growing trend across the country as districts hire intermediary positions to help students not pursuing college degrees go straight into the workforce while also mentoring college-bound students hoping to earn credits and certifications while still in high school. Locally, at least two area districts -- South Allegheny in Allegheny County and River Valley in Indiana and Westmoreland counties -- hired workforce-based positions. It's seemingly the next step schools are taking as they shift from a college-ready mindset to one that includes the trades as possible careers. |
| Nearly 700 More Colleges Don't Have to Comply With New Title IX Rule | |
| Colleges and universities in Democratic-led states from California to New York aren't immune to the legal fights over the Biden administration's new Title IX regulations, a court filing this week shows. Lawsuits challenging the rule, which strengthens protections for LGBTQ+ students, have come from Republican attorneys general and -- until now -- only affected the states they represent. But when a federal judge in Kansas blocked the Education Department from enforcing its new regulations in Alaska, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, he extended the order to cover any school attended by members of three conservative organizations that sued along with the states -- Young America's Foundation, Female Athletes United and Moms for Liberty. When he handed down the order earlier this month, it wasn't clear just how far that injunction could reach. Now, after the plaintiffs filed a list of colleges with the district judge Monday, more than 670 institutions across 50 states and territories are covered by the temporary injunction. The regulations were already on hold in 15 states, while another 11 are challenging the regulations in federal court. Lawyers for the Biden administration are seeking to delay the injunction or, at the very least, to limit it to schools and colleges attended by members who were part of the organizations prior to the court order. |
| President Biden should step aside to protect his country and his legacy | |
| Curtis Wilkie, a retired journalist, author and professor who covered eight U.S. presidential campaigns and subsequent White House administrations, writes for Mississippi Today: President Biden should never have sought a second term. I have an unusual perspective on this discussion dominating American politics considering I've known Joe Biden longer than any reporter who ever covered him. I've witnessed over the years how the relentless demands of the presidency have ravaged other occupants of the White House. And I share with Biden the frailties of old age that grip us both and have begun to diminish our physical and cognitive powers. This is not a new concern of mine, produced by the president's poor performance at last month's debate. I reached this conclusion during a long conversation in March 2023 with two old friends who had closer political connections to Biden than my own. I felt his age and halting public appearances would make him vulnerable in 2024, increasing the possibility of Donald Trump's return. My friends sadly agreed. The man we remembered for his wit, admirable empathy and high energy was slipping. My experience with Biden began in the summer of 1971 in Wilmington, Delaware. |
| Trump rally shooting points to how off the rails politics in our nation has become | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: If we are the American people we are supposed to be we are this week pausing from the caustic political exchanges on social media and thanking God for the fact that the assassination attempt at the campaign rally for former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania did not end in a state funeral. It is naïve to suggest that politics and violence have not intertwined during our country's history. There have been presidents killed, wounded, and shaken by such violence throughout our history -- a history that has been changed and redirected by these acts. Regardless, this sad incident should be a wake-up call for those on both sides of the political aisle who engage in irresponsible and dangerous rhetoric that the mentally ill and the misguided inevitably take to heart. ... This is not the column I intended to write this week. I intended to write about the fact that despite all the drama in the 2024 Biden-Trump rematch, the polling in the race remains close with neither candidate having a substantial lead even after Biden's extremely poor performance in the recent CNN televised debate. Before this senseless act at the Pennsylvania rally, Trump's protracted legal woes and eroding post-debate support for incumbent President Joe Biden had already plunged the 2024 election cycle into chaos and uncertainty. |
SPORTS
| Why Brent Venables believes Jeff Lebby will succeed as Mississippi State football coach | |
| New Mississippi State football coach Jeff Lebby received a vote of confidence from his old boss Tuesday at SEC Media Days. Brent Venables, who hired Lebby away from Ole Miss to become Oklahoma's offensive coordinator ahead of the 2022 season, was asked about Lebby's suitability for a head coaching role. "He'll do a great job," Venables said. "He's aggressive. He's innovative. He relates well to people. He brings out the best in people. He has the ability to instill confidence in the simplest ways. I know he's put together a really outstanding staff." Oklahoma finished third in the nation in points per game last season, averaging 41.7. That marked a jump of nearly nine full points from Lebby's first campaign running the offense, when the Sooners scored 32.8 points per contest to rank 25th nationally. In expressing confidence that Lebby would succeed, Venables touted his people skills. "Jeff is one of my favorite people on this planet," Venables said. "He's always had a great mood, his perspective on life and the game of football. In the locker room, real juice and energy and genuineness and positivity. He's a coach's kid. So the game and the locker room have always been a sanctuary for him, which helps him be a successful coach." |
| Which Mississippi State defensive players most need to step up this season? | |
| Mississippi State's starting offense seems likely to have seven transfers on the field when the Bulldogs open the season against Eastern Kentucky on Aug. 31. MSU's defense, though, will have to rely mostly on players the Bulldogs recruited out of high school. With key players gone from every level of last year's defense that grew a lot as the season progressed, MSU has question marks all over the field as Coleman Hutzler prepares for his first year coordinating the unit. Injuries were an issue in 2023, especially up front, but it may be the secondary that has the most to prove this fall. What's clear is that the Bulldogs will need significant contributions from players who have yet to prove themselves at the collegiate level so far. On the defensive line, the most likely candidate is Trevion Williams, who played in three games last season as a redshirt freshman before missing the rest of the year with an injury. Williams was a consensus four-star prospect out of Crystal Springs High School in southwest Mississippi, choosing MSU over the likes of Ole Miss, LSU, Tennessee and Auburn. The No. 5 player in Mississippi for his class, Williams redshirted in 2022 after appearing briefly in three games before seeing his 2023 season get cut short. |
| Jeff Lebby calls Lane Kiffin 'childish' for social media posts but respects Ole Miss coach | |
 | Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin introduced new Mississippi State football coach Jeff Lebby to the Egg Bowl rivalry with some social media shade this offseason. In November, he reposted a meme made by a fan that showed Kiffin carrying Lebby on his shoulders as a father might do for his child. Last month, Kiffin responded to a comment about his weight left on a video from 2020 -- when Kiffin was significantly heavier than he is now -- by saying he was hanging out with Lebby. Wednesday at SEC Media Days, Lebby was asked what he thought about Kiffin posting about him on social media. "Little childish," Lebby said. "But that doesn't mean I don't respect him." Lebby spent two seasons at Ole Miss as an offensive coordinator under Kiffin, helping the Rebels finish inside the nation's top 30 in scoring in both of those campaigns. He then left to join Brent Venables' staff at Oklahoma, where he coached the Sooners to more offensive success before getting his first head coaching shot with the Bulldogs. Asked about his overall relationship with Kiffin, Lebby had only good things to say. "Respect the heck out of who he is, what he's done, the job he's done and the energy that he's created up the road," Lebby said. |
| Mike Leach legacy alive and well at SEC Media Days: Kiffin recounts apparel coup, Drinkwitz calls for CFB Hall of Fame induction | |
| Late Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach has been brought up multiple times during SEC Media Days this week, the second time the event has taken place since Leach passed away in December 2022. On Monday, following his podium speech, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin made jest of why he no longer wears a tie to the event. Recounting to Leach's final SEC Media Days, Kiffin told the SEC Network that he and his in-state counterpart went to Commissioner Greg Sankey and appealed what they thought was a requirement to dress to the nines. Sankey dumbfoundedly informed the two that there was no written rule in place making head coaches wear ties to media days. Pushing back on an unspoken rule over apparel wasn't the first collective win Kiffin and Leach had off the field. In a more serious case, the two joined other Mississippi coaches at the state capitol in the summer of 2020 to successfully lobby for the state to change its flag from one with a confederate battle emblem to one more unifying to the average resident. You also might remember the viral video of Leach yanking at Kiffin's face mask that day. That was something Leach was good at -- having fun, even during a serious situation. |
| Eli Drinkwitz: CFB Hall of Fame should 'do the right thing,' induct Mike Leach | |
 | Mike Leach is technically not eligible for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, but Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz wants to see that change. Drinkwitz used part of his opening statement at SEC Media Days in Dallas on Tuesday to lobby Hall of Fame CEO Steve Hatchell to waive his organization's eligibility standards and induct Leach, the former Mississippi State, Texas Tech and Washington State head coach who died in 2022 at age 61. Leach's career record was 158-107, four percentage points short of the 60% threshold for Hall of Fame eligibility. "Next summer, we will be moving media days to Atlanta," Drinkwitz said. "And so it reminded me to call on CEO Steve Hatchell to do the right thing and to nominate Mike Leach for the College Football Hall of Fame. We need to put his name on the ballot." As Drinkwitz noted, Leach's "Air Raid" offense has been adopted or adapted by hundreds of college and high school football programs around the country. Leach's coaching tree is also extensive. Among those who played or coached under him who now are head coaches are Samford's Chris Hatcher, Louisiana Tech's Sonny Cumbie, Baylor's Dave Aranda, West Virginia's Neal Brown, TCU's Sonny Dykes, Tennessee's Josh Heupel, USC's Lincoln Riley and former Texas Tech and Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who is now with the NFL's Washington Commanders. |
| Always a late bloomer, Montez Sweat is living up to his star potential with the Chicago Bears | |
 | When Montez Sweat was coronated as a Pro Bowler, it was the final validation. The defensive end had just completed the 2023 season having accomplished the unprecedented -- leading not one but two teams in sacks with 6 1/2 for the Washington Commanders and six for the Chicago Bears. And there was impact beyond the measurable. After a midseason trade, he transformed the Bears defense with what his coach Matt Eberflus called "The Tez Effect." In October, Sweat also became the highest-paid Bear in history with a four-year, $98 million contract. His $63 million guarantee was the third richest among NFL defensive ends at the time, behind only Nick Bosa and Myles Garrett. Sweat reveled in the Pro Bowl games with his family. ... In 26 games at Mississippi State, he had 28 1/2 sacks and was named first-team All-American as a senior. Washington chose him with the 26th pick of the 2019 draft. ... It's all come together for Sweat, who recently held the first Montez Sweat Football Camp at the park in Stone Mountain, Ga., where he played football for the first time. There, he felt gratitude as he reflected on the journey that led him to where he is -- even if it sometimes felt like an amusement park ride. His sister has not seen him happier, more at peace or more at home. Sweat bought a house in Chicago and has discovered the decadence of deep-dish pizza. He also has relished Chicago hot dogs. |
| Mississippi State has most players selected in 2024 MLB Draft out of any college | |
| The 2024 MLB Draft has come to an end with Mississippi State having the most draft picks out of all schools. At the conclusion of the 20-round event, which went from Sunday night through Tuesday afternoon, the Bulldogs had a nation-best 11 players selected. Of those players selected, switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje was the first to come off the board at No. 15 overall to the Seattle Mariners. Right-handed pitchers Khal Stephen and Nate Dohm were selected in the second and third rounds by the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets, respectively. In the fourth round, the San Francisco Giants used their pick on hard-hitting outfielder Dakota Jordan. Other Mississippi State players selected were right-handed pitcher Brooks Auger (Los Angeles Dodgers), right-handed pitcher Colby Holcombe (Toronto Blue Jays), right-handed pitcher Tyson Hardin (Milwaukee Brewers), outfielder Connor Husjak (Tampa Bay Rays), left-handed pitcher Tyler Davis (Kansas City Royals), shortstop David Mershon (Los Angeles Angels), and right-handed pitcher Cam Schuelke (Cleveland Guardians). |
| Southern Miss football will make $1.9 million to play at Kentucky, pay SE Louisiana $350,000 | |
 | Southern Miss football will net $1.55 million from its four nonconference games in the 2024 season, according to an open records request by the Hattiesburg American. The Golden Eagles will begin the season at Kentucky on Aug. 31 before two home games against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 7 and USF on Sept. 14. Southern Miss will round out the nonconference schedule with a road game at Jacksonville State on Sept. 21. Southern Miss acquired Kentucky for the 2024 season opener as part of a four-team swap last November. The Golden Eagles were supposed to play at Ohio State, but that game was canceled. Instead, the Buckeyes will host Akron. It helped Kentucky get out of playing a road game at Akron, while Southern Miss breaks even to play at Kentucky instead of at Ohio State. The Wildcats will pay Southern Miss $950,000 for the game. Southern Miss received an additional $950,000 from Ohio State for the cancellation, bringing the total to $1.9 million. The only game Southern Miss will dish out a payment for is Southeastern Louisiana. The Golden Eagles will pay Southeastern Louisiana $350,000 to play at M. M. Roberts Stadium. The Lions went 3-8 last season, and lost FBS games to Mississippi State and South Alabama. Southern Miss is 18-3 all-time against Southeastern Louisiana with the last meeting in 2011 in Hattiesburg. |
| What's next for Greg Sankey, SEC after latest round of power grabs and realignment? | |
| Last summer, Greg Sankey fielded several phone calls from private equity firms seeking to arrange a meeting with the SEC commissioner. So, he went. There was talk of a cash infusion of millions of dollars, new financial resources to enhance an already valuable brand and its members. He absorbed the information and learned plenty but took no action. Months later, as college leaders began to finalize an extension of the College Football Playoff contract, a new request came in from a separate group -- a text message to power conference commissioners from the leaders of a private equity-backed "super league." Meet us for dinner in New York City. He didn't go. As it turns out, the super league leaders had toiled behind the scenes meeting for months with college athletic directors and school presidents, some of them even within the SEC. The talk centered around a consolidation of big brands; more attractive gameday matchups more often; a new-look playoff; and a tiered distribution system for the league's most elite programs. "I think ideas are best when they are shared through the front door, not the backdoor," Sankey told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday in a wide-ranging interview at Day 2 of the four-day SEC media days in downtown Dallas. Sankey, arguably the most powerful person in the sport, is clear where he stands on the matter. For those inside and outside his conference who are enticed by promises of big paychecks, high-profile matchups and streamlined governance, he sends a message: We can do this ourselves. |
| The expanded College Football Playoff: Suddenly, more SEC teams are more interesting | |
| A year ago, Missouri football made the jump from obscurity to national relevance. On Tuesday, star receiver Luther Burden was asked how his team could follow up on its breakout season. "The team goal is to play for championships," Burden said. Just something you're supposed to say. Except now ... Tennessee coach Josh Heupel, also speaking Tuesday at SEC media days, listed the team's accomplishments the past couple of years: 20 total wins, a New Year's Six bowl win, a top-three conference finish. "At the same time, that's obviously not the standard for where we want to get to," Heupel said. Again, just something a coach is supposed to say. Except now ... Oklahoma defensive back Billy Bowman was asked why he came back for his senior season. "My goal is to win championships," he said. "We went to the College Football Playoff four times (before I got here). I haven't been there. So that's something I want to check off." Win championships? Maybe a stretch. Get back to the CFP -- an expanded, 12-team CFP? Not a stretch. There was something unusual about Tuesday at the 2024 SEC media days. It wasn't just Nick Saban, no longer a coach, sitting in the back of the room and watching protege Kirby Smart needle him from the stage. It wasn't just Tennessee center Cooper Mays looking resplendent in a cowboy hat and claiming it was the first time he'd worn one. The most unusual part about this day: All four teams participating -- Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee -- could be nationally relevant this year. Welcome to Playoff expansion. |
| SEC officiating chief: 'Horns Down' won't necessarily be automatic penalty | |
| With Texas joining the SEC this year, many have been led to wonder how the "Horns Down" gesture will be handled by league officials. Longhorns supporters have long flashed the "Horns Up" gesture to celebrate big moments or simply to acknowledge fellow fans. But in recent years, opposing players and fans have turned the celebration upside down -- literally -- by mocking Texas with "Horns Down." The Big 12 treated any instance of "Horns Down" as taunting, and it resulted in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty if done in a game. During an appearance on the SEC Network Tuesday, however, SEC coordinator of officials John McDaid said that won't necessarily be the case in the Longhorns' new conference. "We're going to evaluate it in context," McDaid told SEC Network hosts Peter Burns and Chris Doering, via On3 Sports. "Is it taunting an opponent? Is it making a travesty of the game? A travesty of the game is something that offends us, right? Kick it out of the football stadium, go put it in a shopping mall or out in a parking lot somewhere. Well, does it offend someone? Then it's probably making a travesty of the game." McDaid added that if an opposing player flashes "Horns Down" in the face of a Texas player, that's more likely to result in a penalty. But on the sideline, probably not. |
| Dabo Swinney wary of expanded CFP's 'unintended consequences' | |
| Dabo Swinney used to say he'd be in favor of college football returning to the BCS era for the postseason, and while he's changed his tune a bit as the sport heads into its first season with a 12-team playoff, he said he's wary of potential "unintended consequences" he foresees as a result of the increased emphasis on the playoff. Clemson's coach said Tuesday he anticipates the shift to an expanded playoff could lead to frequent in-season opt-outs from players or teams sitting their stars if a playoff berth is already locked up. "You'll probably see some guys, if you're 4-4 and out of the playoffs, will probably head off to Arizona and train [for the NFL]," Swinney said. "You'll see some situations like the NFL, where if the Ravens are in the playoffs and have it locked up with one more game that really means nothing, do you play Lamar [Jackson] in that game?" Unlike the NFL's final week, however, Swinney noted a team's decision to rest stars at the college level could impact historic rivalry games. Swinney said college football has become more "NFL-like" with playoff expansion from two teams to four to 12, (and, he said there's an expectation it will expand again in two years), shifting the focus from winning every game during the regular season to winning enough to make the playoff. |
| What's next for the Big 12? Brett Yormark has a few ideas | |
| Brett Yormark isn't one to mince words. Heck, it's only been two years since he declared his conference was "open for business" -- albeit he now claims this was taken out of context to mean a reference to realignment. Semantics aside, Yormark has steered the Big 12 into college football's future with the deft additions of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah after the Pac-12 imploded. The league's new media rights deal with ESPN and Fox, along with a slew of other revenue-generating missions, have also nabbed headlines. Now comes capitalizing on that momentum. "When I took the job in August 2022, we could have gone two different places -- we could've gone backward or forward," Yormark told SBJ in Las Vegas last week. "And thankfully, we've made some of the right moves, and we've gone forward. I do think that in going forward, over the last 23 months, we've solidified ourselves as one of the top three conferences in America. I firmly believe that." The Big 12 resides in an awkward in-between when comparing empirical data and public perception. Its revenues trailed the ACC by nearly $200 million during FY 2023 and was dwarfed by the Big Ten and SEC. The new TV contract will help bridge that gap some, but not entirely. The league's current make-up, too, has just two programs that reached the College Football Playoff's four-team field (Cincinnati -- then a member of the AAC -- in 2021 and TCU in 2022). Despite all this, it's the ACC that feels like it's teetering on a knife's edge, not the Big 12. That public perception tilts toward the Big 12 as the third-best conference in America -- something Yormark said in his larger address at the league's media days last week and doubled-down on during his interview with SBJ -- is perhaps a credit to its hard-charging commissioner. |
| Title IX will apply to college athlete revenue share, feds say | |
| An official for the U.S. Department of Education, the federal enforcer of gender equity in sports, said Title IX rules will apply to future revenue dollars that schools share with college athletes, but the department declined to offer guidance on how schools should distribute the money between men and women to comply with the broad language of the law. "Schools must provide equal athletic opportunities based on sex, including with respect to benefits, opportunities, publicity, and recruitment, and must not discriminate in the provision of financial aid," Catherine Lhamon, the assistant secretary for the department's Office for Civil Rights, said in a written statement to ESPN. "In the new NIL environment, these same principles apply." The NCAA and its power conferences agreed in May to settle a trio of antitrust lawsuits, paving the way for colleges to share up to $20 million in revenue per year with athletes starting in 2025. The details of the settlement, which still must be approved by a judge, will not address how schools should handle Title IX requirements, according to multiple sources involved with crafting the agreement. The department did not answer a question about whether the revenue share dollars would be deemed financial aid, which would be required to be distributed to men and women athletes proportionally based on roster spots. To date, every dollar a school provides directly to its athletes has been intended to cover educational expenses and thus has been considered financial aid. |
| As House settlement nears, spotlight returns to potential employee model | |
| As industry leaders work to finalize the long-term settlement agreement in the historic House case, attention has turned once again to the prospect of some athletes being deemed employees of their schools, a scenario that would further reshape the enterprise. Stakeholders are confronting the potential -- if not likelihood -- of further industry upheaval, especially after last week's ruling by a U.S. appeals court kept open the possibility that some athletes are employees of their school, thus entitled to federal minimum wage and overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act. One legal expert following the case closely is Laura O'Donnell, chair of Haynes Boone's Wage and Hour Litigation Practice Group. She said the Johnson v. NCAA case sets the stage for a court to potentially find that some collegiate athletes qualify as employees entitled to compensation. "Without a doubt, schools competing for top athletes will use high compensation offers as part of recruitment efforts," O'Donnell said. "Sports through which colleges and universities currently generate significant profits -- like football and basketball -- will start looking more like professional sports teams." Last week's ruling, yet another courtroom setback for the NCAA, marked just the latest indication that the ecosystem at the highest level continues to move steadily toward a more professionalized model. |
| Homefield Apparel: What started in Broad Ripple basement is now one of college sports fans' favorite brands | |
| When Griffin Oakes' game-tying field goal attempt in the 2015 Pinstripe Bowl was controversially ruled no good, giving Duke the overtime win over IU, it signified another agonizing moment for IU fans -- who still haven't seen their Hoosiers win a bowl game since 1991. But one diehard fan turned that misery into fortune. Connor Hitchcock was a senior studying marketing at IU when Oakes' 38-yard attempt sailed directly over the right upright and was ruled a miss without review. A year before, Connor and his girlfriend, Christa, began an apparel company called Hoosier Proud. The brand catered to Indiana residents and sold graphic-designed shirts and stickers that featured details like Indiana's outline, the state flag and the phrase "three one seven." After IU lost the Pinstripe Bowl, the brand dabbled into the sports world. By 2018, Connor and Christa -- who met as high schoolers at a Michigan summer camp in 2010 -- were married and living in Broad Ripple. Connor was working in digital marketing for One Click, an e-commerce eyewear business. One day, Connor and One Click CEO Randy Stocklin talked over coffee as a part of One Click's mentor program. Stocklin suggested the Hitchcocks look into selling college sports gear full-time and expand beyond Indiana. Connor wasn't convinced it was something he wanted to or could do. Connor felt the market was too crowded. Stocklin saw a space for the creativity of Hoosier Proud to become nationwide for college sports. Stocklin, a Purdue basketball and Notre Dame football fan, felt the official products from those schools were too bland. Connor began to realize this, and when he and Stocklin met again a month later, the 23-year-old's mind had changed. So Connor spent the next six months setting up his new business. He found investors (including Stocklin) and created the infrastructure needed to go all in. In July of 2018, Connor and Christa quit their jobs. At the end of August, Homefield Apparel was born |
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