| Thursday, August 1, 2024 |
| Camgian to develop kill chain automation for U.S. Army's Integrated Air and Missile Defense systems | |
 | Starkville-based Camgian Corporation announced Wednesday that it has been awarded a $55 million contract by the Army to develop advanced kill chain automation technologies for the Army's Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) systems. The company said the contract will support the development of innovative approaches to improve sensor survivability and reduce warfighter cognitive overload. Earlier this year, Camgian was awarded a $17 million contract through the Department of Defense to develop artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) enabled systems aimed at significantly enhancing situational awareness capabilities of the warfighter. Camgian CEO and Founder Dr. Gary Butler believes his company is primed to deliver for the U.S. military. "Winning on today's battlefield is about closing kill chains faster than our adversaries," said Butler. "This contract affords us the opportunity to work closely with the Army's IAMD community to deliver new capabilities that enable our warfighters to fight at machine speed." Jeff Freeman, Camgian VP of Government Business Development, stressed, that this was the largest competitive contract awarded to the company to date. |
| CVB grant program promoting tourism opens applications for FY 2024-2025 | |
 | The Starkville Convention and Visitors Bureau has once again opened its Sponsorship Grant Program to applicants for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The priority deadline for applications is Aug. 15, according to a Wednesday press release from the Greater Starkville Development Partnership. "We are excited to open the grant cycle for fiscal year 2024-2025," Director of Tourism Paige Hunt said in the release. "This grant program is designed as a way for new and existing events to market to visitors and ultimately, increase overnight travel to Starkville." The Sponsorship Grant Program provides funds for marketing and other qualified expenses for projects and events that positively impact the city, enhancing tourism and promotion efforts. In the past, the grant program has funded the Mississippi Horse Park, Starkville Area Arts Council, Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum, Starkville Community Theatre, Frostbite Half Marathon, Charles H. Templeton Ragtime and Jazz Festival and the Rotary Classic Rodeo, the release said. To be eligible for the grant program, applicants' programs must occur between Oct. 1 and Sept. 30, 2025. |
| Golden Triangle sees new fast-charging station for electric vehicles | |
| New electric vehicle charging stations are rolling out across the Golden Triangle, including a fast-charging station that's installation will be underway this week. Starkville Utilities General Manager Edward Kemp said the new ChargePoint station will be located in the city-owned parking lot near the intersection of Lampkin and Jackson streets. It should be operational by early fall. "Our new EV charging station is another step into the future as we prepare to serve Starkville's changing transportation needs," Kemp said in a Wednesday press release. "It's all part of our commitment to invest in ongoing infrastructure upgrades that ensure Starkville is a convenient, accessible destination point for all travelers, no matter what mode of transportation they use." The project will cost roughly $216,000 and is being funded by a $150,000 grant from the Tennessee Valley Authority's Fast Charge Network Program, which is intended to install fast-charging stations at 50-mile intervals along interstates and major highways in TVA's service area. The fast-charging station at Lampkin and Jackson streets will be the sixth publicly available charging station in Starkville and the 16th in the Golden Triangle, according to PlugShare, an app that maps charging stations across the nation. Other mapped stations in Starkville include a J-1772 charger at the Mississippi State Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems. There are also mapped chargers at the Hampton Inn on Highway 12 and the Russell Inn & Suites on Russell Street, though both are marked as being available for hotel patrons only. |
| Starkville sanitation employees arrested for stealing trash bags | |
| Three sanitation employees in Mississippi have been arrested for stealing trash bags. The Starkville Police Department announced the arrests of Dylan Coleman, 20, Douglas Erwin, 31, and Stevenson Tutton, Jr., 30, on Tuesday. The three were charged with embezzlement and are accused of stealing rolls of trash bags intended for residents in need. Coleman, Erwin, and Tutton were employees at the City of Starkville Sanitation Department at the time of the crimes but have since been sacked from their positions. All three are being held at the Oktibbeha County Jail. If you have any relevant information on this case, SPD asks you call (662)323-4131 or submit an anonymous tip online. |
| Time for a change?: Stennis Institute holds info session on city government options | |
| A public meeting held last week at the Warren County Courthouse gave Vicksburg residents curious about the recent push for a change to the River City's form of government a chance to learn more about how the process could work. Dr. Dallas Breen, executive director of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government and Community Development at Mississippi State University, was on hand to explain the forms of government currently operating in the Magnolia State, how they differ and what advantages and disadvantages each might offer Vicksburg. "Our role and our job is to make sure everyone understands basic levels of the forms of government that are allowed, permitted by the State of Mississippi," Breen said. "We are not here, under any circumstance, to tell you what you should or shouldn't do. We are not here to promote or advocate changes in government." Breen agreed to provide information for the meeting after a group of concerned citizens began a petition pushing to change the City of Vicksburg's form of government. The petition, needing approximately 1,400 signatures to reach the 10 percent of registered voters that would constitute a ballot initiative, currently has around 800 signatures, according to group member Marilyn Terry. Also present at Thursday's meeting was MSU professor Dr. Eddie French, who spent years as a city manager in Virginia. "I'll tell you what I tell my students at Mississippi State: Being a city manager is not an exact science," French said. "You could have something work perfectly well in Vicksburg. You take it to Edwards and it blows up." |
| Community marks Meridian Day at Neshoba County Fair | |
 | Despite the sweltering heat, fair goers were all smiles as they strolled through Founders Square Wednesday morning, stopping at booths manned by Queen City organizations and nonprofits during the annual Meridian Day at the Neshoba County Fair. A large crowd filled the square's pavilion before the official kickoff of Meridian Day to listen to stump speeches by several political candidates, including Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and State Auditor Shad White. Hosemann said Mississippi, as a state, has changed a great deal since 2020 when he took office as lieutenant governor and the Neshoba County Fair was canceled for the first time since World War II due to the COVID pandemic. "What a difference of four years makes since then," Hosemann said. "Now our state's in the best fiscal shape it has ever been in. Lowering taxes, paying down debt, saving up for a rainy day. We've done all of that during that four years. We prioritized your roads, your bridges. We prioritized your schools. Now I am ready for the next four years." Mississippi Power Company's Chris Phillips, who is on the board of the East Mississippi Business Development District, was on hand to kick off the Meridian Day portion of Wednesday's activities, which also included remarks by Meridian City Councilwoman Romande Walker, state Sen. Jeff Tate and Meridian Community College President Thomas M. Huebner Jr. |
| Hosemann, White trade jabs, hint at gubernatorial aspirations at Neshoba Fair | |
| Republicans state Auditor Shad White and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann threw a little political shade at each other, and both indicated they have 2027 gubernatorial aspirations at the Neshoba County Fair on Wednesday. Hosemann told a crowd Wednesday that Mississippi's next step in tax cuts should be reducing the state's 7% tax on groceries. Hosemann made the commitment Wednesday -- the first of two days of political speaking at the historic Neshoba County Fair -- to make reducing the grocery tax a priority during the upcoming 2025 legislative session, which begins in January. White agreed, saying that because of the high cost of food, a reduction in the grocery tax would be big boost for families. But White blamed Hosemann, as presiding officer of the Senate, for killing legislation that would ban the expenditure of public funds at universities for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. He said the efforts are a waste of taxpayer money. He said some Mississippi Republican officials should act more conservative and "a little less like Joe Biden," an apparent jab at Hosemann given the context of his speech. After his speech, Hosemann was asked about White's comments. He said he did not hear them, but added he was surprised White was at the fair. "I thought he would be on a book tour," Hosemann said, referring to the the state auditor releasing a book next week on the misspending of at least $77 million in federal welfare funds, part of an ongoing criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. |
| Lt. Gov. Hosemann, Auditor White tease future plans, highlight work in Neshoba speeches | |
| Two statewide elected officials took the stage at the Neshoba County Fair on Wednesday morning as political speeches got underway on Founders Square. State Auditor Shad White (R) touched on the need to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) spending in Mississippi's public universities, allowing those funds to be used "for more important needs." Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann (R) touted recent legislative accomplishments. Hosemann's list of highlights included more funding for infrastructure and education as passed by lawmakers. He also reiterated his belief that public schools should move to a modified calendar and restrict access to cellphones during the school day. Both state leaders teased potential runs for office when their current terms expire. In the upcoming 2025 session, Lt. Governor Hosemann plans to consider reducing the sales tax on groceries while continuing to improve the state's workforce through various means such as pushing for free community college and better healthcare options for working Mississippians, alluding to taking another attempt at Medicaid expansion. In other education inspired legislation, Hosemann touched on the law that allows retired teachers to return to the classroom while still drawing their state retirement for up to five years. He added that it will address the current teacher shortage, which is estimated to be at 5,000 educators statewide. |
| Will Shad White, Delbert Hosemann run for Mississippi governor in 2027? | |
 | At least two statewide officials are now publicly considering running for higher office in Mississippi. After giving stump speeches at the Neshoba County Fair Wednesday, Mississippi State Auditor Shad White and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, two of the state's high-ranking Republicans, told reporters they have no intentions of leaving the political arena after completing their current terms. White, who took his time at the podium to discuss an upcoming report now said to detail more than $300 million of waste in state government, denounce Diversity Equity and Inclusion education and throw shade toward state lawmakers for not passing related legislation, said he is considering running for the state's highest office. "I am seriously considering running for governor," White said briefly. Hosemann did not so concretely state his intentions but said he does in fact have plans for a political office after his current term is over, and that he plans to stay in Mississippi. "I have been honored to be here, and we're not tired," Hosemann said. "The state is going in the right direction. I've got a vision for where my grandchildren ought to be. Me and my wife Lynn, we have two special-needs kids, and she wants to work on special needs matters. So, we're not ready to retire yet, and given the opportunity by the good Lord and the people of Mississippi, we're going to keep working." |
| Mudslinging between White, Hosemann underscores potential battle for governor | |
| It didn't take long for things to heat up in round one of political speeches at the 2024 Neshoba County Fair. During his time at the stump on Wednesday, State Auditor Shad White took aim at taxpayer dollars being used by government-run entities, specifically public universities, to cover the cost of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training. The Republican pointed his finger at another Republican, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, as the main culprit in allowing what White deems to be "indoctrination" funded from the pockets of taxpayers. White used his qualms with DEI to compare Hosemann to Democratic President Joe Biden while resurfacing Hosemann's "Go jump in the Gulf of Mexico" statement to President Donald Trump's administration over a request for detailed voter information in 2017. "We have Republican politicians who need to start acting a little bit more like conservatives and a little less like Joe Biden," White said. "I know that now that I've said all this stuff, somebody will probably tell me to go jump in the Gulf of Mexico and that's fine. This is not personal. This is about policy." Hosemann, who took the stump right after White, opened by taking a shot at the auditor's stature. As the lieutenant governor raised the microphone by a few inches, he referred to White as "the short guy" before embarking on his 10-minute speech. |
| Stamps calls on Biden to resign, Simmons seeks more transportation funding in Neshoba speeches | |
| Two Central Mississippi Commissioners – one at the Public Service Commission and the other at the Transportation Commission – spoke Wednesday at the Neshoba County Fair. Both spoke on the need for improvements in Mississippi, with DeKeither Stamps (D) focused on industrial park development and Willie Simmons (D) sharing his concern over stable funding for the state's roadways. One of the more newsworthy comments offered under the pavilion on Wednesday came from Stamps, the Central District Public Service Commissioner, who called for President Joe Biden (D) to step down. Stamps suggested Vice President Kamala Harris (D) and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R) lead the country together for the remaining six months of the current term. As for his priorities in office, PSC Commissioner Stamps said his focus was on ensuring all industrial parks across Mississippi have the utilities they need to attract more industry. He wants to ensure that job creation continues for all counties through industrial park development. Central District Transportation Commissioner Simmons asked all Mississippians to urge their lawmakers to provide recurring funding to ensure the state's highways are maintained. He said that if the Legislature will provide such funding, the transportation department could continue to maintain the existing bridges and roads while building new corridors. "We need $400 million annually to maintain our highways and our bridges," Simmons said. |
| Democratic candidate Pinkins decries Trump, Mississippi's poor health statistics at Neshoba Fair | |
| Ty Pinkins, Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, pledged at the Neshoba County Fair on Wednesday to work on ways to improve Mississippi's dire health outcomes, some of the worst in the nation. "I'm running to take a common sense voice to Washington, D.C., so that I can work for everyone," Pinkins said. Speaking at the Founders Square pavilion during the first day of political speeches, Pinkins said, if elected, he would seek out ways to lower the cost of prescription drugs for Mississippians and emphatically supported a woman's right to obtain an abortion. "Whether you are a pro-life or a pro-choice woman, I support you to make that pro-life choice for yourself and that pro-choice decision for yourself," Pinkins said. Pinkins is challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker for the seat he's held since 2007. Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, did not speak at the fair this year. A campaign spokesperson previously told Mississippi Today that Wicker would be working in Washington during the week of the fair and "doing the job Mississippians have elected him to do." Pinkins, an attorney in Vicksburg, has spent some of the last several years aiding Black farm workers in the Delta who were being paid less money for their work than white visa workers from South Africa doing the same jobs. Pinkins unsuccessfully ran for secretary of state in 2023. |
| Senate hopeful Pinkins appeals to military crowd, challenges those who have 'neglected their oath' | |
| Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Ty Pinkins fired shots at those currently holding power in Washington, including his incumbent opponent Republican Roger Wicker, during his stump speech at the Neshoba County Fair on Wednesday. In front of what was a light, GOP-leaning crowd, Pinkins began by leaning on his 21 years of military service, including three tours in Iraq, to try to rally cross-aisle support for his run for office. The Rolling Fork native argued a need for bipartisan partnership while directly challenging those he feels have "neglected their other" to those they serve. "The reason I'm running for U.S. Senate is because our country is at a crossroads. We have leaders in Washington right now that have failed us," Pinkins said. "They've forgotten us and many of them have forfeited the promise they made to us." "They have failed to uphold and maintain that oath. My opponent is one of those people," Pinkins said. "You cannot honor an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies foreign and domestic and, at the same time, support some of the issues that happened in our country." Among such issues, Pinkins specifically underscored the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He asserted that the insurrection was harmful to Americans regardless of party affiliation and that those who have shown support for the incident should be held accountable this election season. |
| State, local officials encourage involvement at legislative update | |
| Meridian residents were encouraged to get involved in their communities by making sure to vote and help others vote during a legislative update meeting Monday at Old Mount Barton School. Sponsored by the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus, the town hall meeting organized by Sen. Rod Hickman and Rep. Charles Young Jr., who represent Meridian in the state Legislature, was an opportunity for residents to learn about ongoing legislative efforts, ask questions and share concerns with their state and local officials. This past year, Hickman said, the Legislature passed a total of 486 bills, and 406 of those were signed into law by Gov. Tate Reeves. Among those bills was one rewriting the funding formula for public K-12 education, he said. Meridian, with both Meridian Community College and Mississippi State University, has some great educational opportunities, Young said, especially in medical fields. Both institutions' medical programs are set to produce workers for in-demand jobs with good salaries, he said, and Meridian will benefit from that through economic development. From an economic side, Hickman said Medicaid expansion is a necessary component in the state's overall growth. Mississippi prides itself on being business friendly, he said, but part of being business friendly is having a pool of healthy workers ready to take on the jobs being brought in. Failure to address the healthcare gap is not good for the state or for businesses looking to come here, he said. |
| With busy Election Day ahead, Mississippi looking for poll workers | |
| Secretary of State Michael Watson has proclaimed Thursday, August 1, as Poll Worker Recruitment Day in Mississippi. The national initiative is intended to help recruit poll workers ahead of the Nov. 5 general election, which in Mississippi, includes races such as presidential, state supreme court, and five of six congressional seats. "Poll workers, in addition to circuit clerks and election commissioners, are the unsung heroes of our elections," Watson said. "Their efforts are critical to providing a positive and smooth experience at the polls while maintaining the security of our elections. We strongly encourage Mississippians to consider volunteering for this invaluable civic duty as it takes all of us to ensure free and fair elections in Mississippi." According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, American has faced a critical shortage of poll workers since 2020 and is Mississippi is no exception. Watson said he's met with county circuit clerks and election commissioners across the state and discovered that adequate staffing of poll workers continues to be a "serious issue." |
| Cybersecurity, AI a concern for Mississippi election officials | |
| The Mississippi Secretary of State's Office is gearing up for the November election. Some of the biggest concerns are cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. Secretary of State Michael Watson is working to draw awareness after a robocall that impersonated President Joe Biden was received by some New Hampshire voters during the primaries that urged them not to go to the polls. "AI is at the disposal of just about anybody, and that includes bad actors," Watson said. "Making sure that you get trusted information is so important when it comes to cybersecurity, when it comes to AI. When it comes to just basic information that's put out there that is misleading. I just encourage folks to take the time (to make sure) they're getting trusted information." Watson said his office is in constant communication with their connections in the tech world, where they've learned new innovations are forthcoming to help people decipher what is real and what is AI. Watson said his office is preparing voters, poll workers and all Mississippi counties for the Nov. 5 general election, which includes the presidential race. |
| Governor appoints new adjutant general of the Mississippi National Guard | |
 | The top leadership post in the Mississippi National Guard is changing Thursday as one adjutant general retires and another fills the job. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced Wednesday that he is naming Maj. Gen. Bobby M. Ginn Jr. to succeed Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles. Reeves said in a statement that the National Guard is "better, stronger and more prepared" because of Boyles. The governor said Ginn has shown a long commitment to service. "He has my complete confidence and I know that he will continue leading the Mississippi National Guard to its highest possible potential," Reeves said of his new appointee. Ginn began his military career as an enlisted soldier in 1990, and he was commissioned through the Mississippi National Guard's Officer Candidate School in 1993. He has had several assignments, including as commander of Camp Shelby, a training site near Hattiesburg. Ginn earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and master's degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College. |
| For Decades, Mississippi Locked Up the Mentally Ill. It's Trying Something Different. | |
 | Levi Favre, a baby-faced Army veteran, shares a rare bond with Barbara Stanley, a 64-year-old dental assistant who has been confined to psychiatric institutions four times in the past five years. At her best, Stanley walks on the beach for exercise and socializes with a singles group. Other times, she pleads with Favre to keep her from the humiliation of another court-ordered hospital stay. Favre, 40 years old, is at turns a caretaker, confidant and handyman for Stanley and around 50 other clients on Mississippi's Gulf Coast. For five years, he has helped people with mental illness avoid forced stints at psychiatric facilities, treatment he knows firsthand and hopes to never repeat. He and more than a dozen other peer counselors do similar work in various parts of Mississippi. They are part of the state's efforts to overhaul its mental-health system, aimed at keeping people with mental illness from repeated hospital confinement by treating them in their homes or clinics in their communities. Mississippi, which like many other states has limited resources and abundant demand, has long relied on forcing mentally ill residents into state psychiatric institutions as a remedy. A federal judge in 2019 ordered Mississippi to effectively stop cycling people in and out of psychiatric institutions and instead offer more community services. While some states, including California, are moving to make it easier to order mentally ill people into confinement, Mississippi is now trying to keep them out. It has been slow going. |
| Battleground polls tell tales of before and after Biden dropped out | |
 | Polls in two key House races in the Midwest taken before and after Democrats' switch from President Joe Biden to Vice President Kamala Harris could reveal how the 2024 elections have evolved in the last 10 days and provide a window for the new normal. A survey taken in early July in the wake of Biden's disastrous debate performance showed the president underperforming his 2020 vote totals in Michigan's 7th District, with Democratic candidates performing better than Biden in the House and Senate races. But a new poll taken in Ohio's 9th District days after Harris sewed up the Democratic nomination showed the vice president outperforming Biden's 2020 vote share and longtime House and Senate incumbents with sizable leads with three months to go in the election. These are just two polls in two congressional districts in a vast landscape of states, districts and races, but they provide a glimpse into the state of the election at two key moments in time. More time will tell whether the Ohio survey is an outlier or part of a larger, positive trend for Democrats. If Harris can come close to, match or exceed Biden's 2020 performance, it not only puts Democrats back in the game to potentially hold the White House, but gives them a fighting chance to win back the House and hold the Senate. Because of the high correlation between presidential, Senate and House outcomes, a strong top of the ticket is important. |
| Trump and his allies had a plan for how to hit Harris. Then he opened his mouth. | |
 | Scrambling to put an end to Kamala Harris' ascent, Donald Trump's campaign and outside allies came up with a plan: Hit her on immigration, her record as a "liberal prosecutor" and as a "radical." It didn't last long. During a 34-minute question-and-answer appearance before the National Association of Black Journalists, Trump questioned Harris' Black identity. He said he would pardon violent Jan. 6 rioters, and he didn't directly answer when asked if his vice presidential pick, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, would be ready to assume the presidency. The exchanges overshadowed the attacks his political operation has made against Harris in recent days, while Trump still seems to be searching for an effective message to damage her. "They don't have a narrative that they're comfortable with about how to take down Harris," said Chuck Coughlin, an Arizona-based political strategist. "He's grasping around. I think he's desperately grasping around with his instincts. I don't think his team has any way to put their handle on this, and so he's instinctually grasping around for what to say." The Trump machine had in recent days begun a multimillion-dollar TV advertising blitz hammering Harris for her record on the border, an issue the former president's campaign sees as a winner -- and portraying her as ideologically out of the mainstream. Harris had even begun defending herself from the attacks. But Trump's comments Wednesday on Harris' racial background drew some of the biggest gasps from the audience, and provided Democrats with ammunition. During the appearance, Trump said Harris "happen[ed] to turn Black. ... She was Indian all the way and all of a sudden she made a turn and she became a Black woman." |
| Trump Allies Launch $20 Million Effort to Reach Young Men | |
| Allies of Donald Trump are launching a voter registration and turnout program aimed at one of the hottest prizes in the election: young voters. In particular, young men. The initiative, called Send the Vote, is expected to debut Friday on the popular "Full Send" podcast, which will feature an interview with JD Vance, Trump's running mate. The outreach to young voters takes on new urgency with Vice President Kamala Harris replacing President Biden as the likely Democratic nominee, and underscores the importance of the ever-evolving social-media battlefield for votes. Trump has increasingly found an audience with young men, who are trending more conservative and many of whom revel in a culture of entertainment and sports that is unabashedly masculine. The "Full Send" podcast's hosts, a group of online creators and pranksters called the Nelk Boys, conduct interviews with celebrities such as recent guests Will Smith and Jelly Roll. The Nelk Boys will promote the project on the podcast and on their social-media platforms, as will other influencers, Send the Vote organizers said. The effort, whose organizers are aiming to raise $20 million, will partner with entertainers and sports figures, including those from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the mixed-martial arts phenomenon Trump has courted. The effort will focus on nine states, including the battlegrounds of Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona and Nevada. Young voters might prove crucial for Trump. He has attracted a majority of men under age 30, a sharp reversal from the 2020 election and part of a growing gender divide. |
| Black and other minority farmers are getting $2 billion from USDA after years of discrimination | |
| The Biden administration has doled out more than $2 billion in direct payments for Black and other minority farmers discriminated against by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the president announced Wednesday. More than 23,000 farmers were approved for payments ranging from $10,000 to $500,000, according to the USDA. Another 20,000 who planned to start a farm but did not receive a USDA loan received between $3,500 and $6,000. Most payments went to farmers in Mississippi and Alabama. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters that the aid "is not compensation for anyone's loss or the pain endured, but it is an acknowledgment by the department." The USDA has a long history of refusing to process loans from Black farmers, approving smaller loans compared to white farmers, and in some cases foreclosing quicker than usual when Black farmers who obtained loans ran into problems. National Black Farmers Association Founder and President John Boyd Jr. said the aid is helpful. But, he said, it's not enough. "It's like putting a bandage on somebody that needs open-heart surgery," Boyd said. "We want our land, and I want to be very, very clear about that." |
| What Can a City Do When Neo-Nazis Start Marching Down Its Streets? | |
 | They first arrived at the beginning of July: dozens of masked white supremacists, shuffling out of U-Hauls, to march through Nashville carrying upside-down American flags. A week later, members of a separate neo-Nazi group, waving giant black flags with red swastikas, paraded along the city's famed strip of honky-tonks and celebrity-owned bars. The neo-Nazis poured into the historic Metro courthouse to disrupt a City Council meeting, harassed descendants of Holocaust survivors and yelled racist slurs at young Black children performing on a downtown street. The appearance of white nationalists on the streets of a major American city laid bare the growing brazenness of the two groups, the Patriot Front and the Goyim Defense League. Their provocations enraged and alarmed civic leaders and residents in Nashville, causing the city to grapple with how to confront the groups without violating free speech protections. "What I would characterize this as is terror tourism," Mayor Freddie O'Connell said in an interview. He recalled how his maternal grandfather, whose father was an Orthodox rabbi, and his siblings fled Poland as antisemitism began to take hold in Europe before the Holocaust. Of the white supremacist groups, he said: "These are mostly people from out of area, coming in here mostly to disrupt and use hate speech as an act of terror, and it's very difficult to prevent them from doing so." |
| Shingles vaccine linked with lower dementia risk, study shows | |
 | The shingles vaccine, recommended for people 50 and older to fight the painful viral infection, might also decrease the chances of developing dementia, according to data presented at a medical conference Tuesday. The study, which looked at the health records of hundreds of thousands of people across the United States, shows that those who received the shingles vaccine were 20 percent less likely to be diagnosed with dementia in the five years following vaccination compared with a control group of people who received a vaccine for a different illness. Pharmaceutical giant GSK, which makes the Shingrix vaccine, funded and performed the research, and presented it at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Philadelphia. Vaccine experts who were not involved in the research said that more definitive studies still need to be done, but they noted the study adds to growing recognition that infectious agents may play a role in the development of some types of dementia. "I think this is something that we have to take seriously," said Peter Hotez, a physician and co-director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. The GSK research follows two other large studies, which were not funded by the industry, that also show a lower risk for dementia among those who were vaccinated against shingles. |
| Ole Miss, Oxford communities mourn the loss of Ann Abadie | |
| Ann Abadie, Associate Director Emerita of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi, died on Tuesday at 85. "The lights of Oxford and Ole Miss dimmed last night with the passing of Ann Abadie," said Oxonian Kaye Bryant Wednesday. "I am grateful for having known her." Abadie received her bachelor's degree in English and History from Wake Forest University. She earned her doctorate in English from the University of Mississippi, where she later served on the committee that planned the Center for the Study of Southern Culture in 1977. Since then, she has served in crucial roles, including associate director of the CSSC and associate editor of the Encyclopedia of Southern Culture and the Mississippi Encyclopedia. Ethel Scurlock, Dean of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College said on social media that she once asked Abadie if she planned on resting during her retirement. "She told me she had no plans of slowing down because she had too much important work to do, Scurlock wrote. "Ann loved life, she loved this community and we are better because of her love." |
| JSU approves contracts to house students at Walthall Lofts, Courthouse | |
| Two downtown apartment facilities will soon be used to house Jackson State University students. On Wednesday, the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees approved JSU's request to enter into contracts with CW Old LLC and 225 East Capitol Street Hotel LLC to provide student housing at the Courthouse and Walthall Lofts downtown. According to the Mississippi Secretary of State's website, officers and directors for both companies are Gera Development LLC and Amit Goel, out of Houston, Texas. The facilities are managed by State Street Group, according to VisitJackson.com. JSU will have 115 units at the Walthall and another 58 units at the Courthouse. The contracts are for a combined $5.9 million and will be paid for with housing fees paid by students. The Board of Trustees also approved a request from JSU to set housing rates for the Walthall. A double-occupancy room will cost $14,000 for 10 months, and $16,800 for 12 months. According to a copy of the 2024-25 fee schedule found on the university's website, housing rates for other units range from a double-occupancy rate of $2,710 for McAllister-Whiteside Hall to $3,375 for Alexander East, Transitional Hall, John W. Dixon Hall, and Alexander West. |
| JSU unveils plan to preserve history of J.R. Lynch Street | |
 | Jackson State University (JSU) unveiled a long-range plan to preserve the history of J.R. Lynch Street, while also providing an economic home base for the City of Jackson. The plan aims to pay homage to the historic location and culture value of JSU and the West Jackson community. "We have tried to put forth a plan that not only focuses on Jackson State but being a community pillar to help with the revitalization of West Jackson and to tell that authentic history of what occurred here, what's happening here, said Heather Denne', director of Community Engagement at JSU. One retired developer and property owner on J.R. Lynch Street said the project could provide a boost to share the rich history of Jackson with the world. "When you think about the success of the Two Museums, and you think about the success of the various historic sites out across the state of Mississippi, you have, what I believe, can be just some of the top tourist and historical tour destinations anywhere and second to none in the world," said Milton Chambliss, a property owner on J.R. Lynch Street. |
| Jones College marching band fights heat during camp | |
 | The Pine Belt has been feeling the heat all week with heat indices in the triple digits, and members of the Jones College Maroon Typhoon Marching Band are trying to stay cool during band camp this week. "The heat for the band camp is always a struggle," said band member Ashton Champion. Those hot temperatures continue to rise throughout the summer months. Director Dr. Ben Burge said they've advised the students to prepare before camp. "We communicate with them to remind them to go ahead and get outside during the summer. The closer we get to camp, to condition themselves a little bit," said Burge. Once students are at camp, they have to stay healthy from drinking plenty of fluids and having a proper diet. Becoming adjusted to the heat plays a major role for those instruments to keep going as Ashton Champion said. "With heavy drums on, you definitely have to make sure to stay even more hydrated, more electrolytes because you're going to keep sweating, you're going to keep working it off with the heavy drum especially with hands always moving, feet always moving," said Champion. |
| Mississippi Superintendent of Education Lance Evans hits the ground running in first month | |
 | Lance Evans knew from Day 1 what he planned to do once he took over the helm of the state's Department of Education. The Mantachie native brought with him a list of priorities to work on as the new school year unfolded, which included more support for low-performing school districts and strengthening or implementing workforce development programs. Evans also plans to address teacher shortages and restore faith in the public school system. "Educating 21st-century students requires innovative approaches and a diverse range of strategies to ensure every student can succeed," Evans said in a news release. "Success looks different for each student. It is our responsibility as educators to create multiple, flexible paths to achievement. "All students deserve the opportunity to find their own route to success without encountering dead ends." The same can be said for underperforming schools and districts, Evans said. Through the MDE's Office of School and District Transformation, Evans plans to provide support to underperforming districts and help those districts improve student outcomes before a school or district gets to the point where a state takeover might be required. Evans earned a Ph.D. from Delta State University, a master's degree from the University of Mississippi and a bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University. Evans and his wife Brandy have two children, Katie, a junior at Mississippi State University, and Landon, a sophomore at New Albany High School. |
| Grady Winkler calls it a career after 53 years working at Texas A&M | |
 | It's a good thing Grady Winkler is a man of many talents. His past has seen him become a skilled pool player and a poker aficionado. In addition to being a master electrician, Winkler dabbles in carpentry, shooting and fishing. He's also a history buff, with an extensive library covering wars, military and government. Winkler, who lives in rural Bryan, has a number of ways to stay busy, and he'll need all of them when he calls it a career after 53 years working at Texas A&M University. He started at the school's facilities services department in 1971 and has had a first-hand view of the area's development until his final shift on Wednesday. "It's been amazing," Winkler said. Many, many parts of this campus were literally pasture. All of where Zachry Engineering [Education Complex] sits --- the golf course was there, but it was kind of primitive. Just the fact that there's so many high rises and all the buildings are jammed right next to each other now." His career at A&M began with simply inquiring about a job availability at the facility department's front desk. Winkler started as an electrician's helper at the university's Physical Plant, repairing televisions, PA systems and intercoms and making $2.65 an hour. Now, he leaves his post as a construction inspector and HazMat coordinator for SSC Services for A&M. In that role, Winkler documented the work of building contractors and ensured building plans, design standards and codes were followed. He also oversaw the removal of asbestos from older facilities on campus and checked that asbestos materials weren't used in the construction of buildings on campus. |
| Bird flu cases among farm workers may be going undetected, a study suggests | |
 | A new study lends weight to fears that more livestock workers have gotten the bird flu than has been reported. "I am very confident there are more people being infected than we know about," said Gregory Gray, the infectious disease researcher at the University of Texas Medical Branch who led the study, posted online Wednesday and under review to be published in a leading infectious disease journal. "Largely, that's because our surveillance has been so poor." As bird flu cases go underreported, health officials risk being slow to notice if the virus were to become more contagious. A large surge of infections outside of farmworker communities would trigger the government's flu surveillance system, but by then it might be too late to contain. "We need to figure out what we can do to stop this thing," Gray said. "It is not just going away." Without more assistance for farmworkers, and cooperation between the government and the livestock industry, Gray said, the U.S. risks remaining in the dark about this virus. Researchers warn that the H5N1 bird flu virus has evolved to be more infectious to mammals, including humans, in the past couple of years. This drives home the need to keep an eye on what's happening as the outbreak spreads to dairy farms across the country. |
| Gen Z might be ditching college, but parents still think it's worth the cost | |
| College tuitions have skyrocketed. In the past two decades, university fees have increased by over 38%, and in-state tuition has jumped by 56%. Increasingly, Gen Z has started to question the value of college, and more than half have said it's possible to find a well-paying job without a college degree. However, many parents still seem to think college might be worth it. Fidelity recently released its annual College Indicator study, which it has been conducting since 2007 to understand how parents are thinking about saving for college. This year, Fidelity surveyed 1,985 families with children 18 or younger who intend to go to college. The majority of parents believe college is worth the cost: 77% of parents agree a college education is worth the cost, but 30% say they are not sure what the cost will be by the time their child enrolls. Meanwhile, 54% of parents say their child will have fewer options because college costs so much. "While parents prioritize their children's college education, the reality is that balancing day-to-day expenses with long-term savings can be daunting," said Tony Durkan, vice president and head of 529 Relationship Management at Fidelity Investments. |
| Student loans, transgender protections: Supreme Court set to take up major education cases | |
 | The Supreme Court is taking up some major education issues, from transgender protections to school choice, over its next term. The conservative-leaning high court is set to consider another effort from President Biden regarding student loans, among other high-profile cases, and may yet add more to its docket as Republican states' efforts to get more Christianity into classrooms face legal challenges. Biden's new Saving on Valuable Education (SAVE) plan for student debt relief is the subject of two cases right now led by different groups of Republican states who say it is illegal. The Supreme Court will be examining at least two policies relating to transgender students: whether they should be on the sports team that matches their gender identity and whether parents should be informed if a student changes their name or pronouns at school. A school choice measure that has become popular across the country is finding its way to the high court over a legal challenge in Michigan, where opponents say a constitutional amendment that bars direct or indirect public financial support for private schools violates the 14th Amendment. While not at the court yet, it is probable a case about how much religion is allowed in public schools could be on the docket soon. Louisiana has enacted a law requiring the Ten Commandments be hung up in classrooms, while Oklahoma is directing schools to use the Bible as a teaching tool in numerous classes. |
| How Biden's Title IX Reform Became a Legal Morass | |
 | A little more than 100 days ago, the Biden administration finalized its overhaul of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which promised to usher in a new era for the federal civil rights law with greater protections for LGBTQ+ students and those who are pregnant, as well as new measures aimed at better supporting victims of sexual harassment. Complying with the rule by Aug. 1 would have been a lift for overtaxed Title IX offices in the best of times. But the new rule has run headlong into a divisive national debate about diversity, equity and inclusion and the rights of transgender individuals -- complicating colleges' efforts to comply and raising the stakes for officials in Republican-led states who do. (One Title IX administrator in Texas was suspended after telling a student newspaper that her university would follow the new regulations.) Some state leaders have told their colleges to not comply with the regulations, and 26 Republican attorneys general have challenged the regulations in court. So far, they've won seven temporary injunctions that prevent the Education Department from enforcing the regulations in those 26 states, and on hundreds of campuses in the others. Two injunctions were handed down the day before the regulations went into effect. |
SPORTS
| Position group preview: Looking at Mississippi State's wide receivers room for the 2024 season | |
| The countdown to this year's college football season has begun in earnest with less than five weeks until Mississippi State opens the season on Aug. 31 against Eastern Kentucky at Davis Wade Stadium. The Bulldogs, under first-year head coach Jeff Lebby, will open fall camp on Thursday. As camp progresses, The Dispatch will be taking a look at each position group on MSU's roster, noting who could be the potential starters, backups and impact players to look out for on the gridiron. The Bulldogs' wide receivers room is arguably the most exciting group on the team, having retooled significantly from a year ago. Lideatrick "Tulu" Griffin, Zavion Thomas and Justin Robinson are all gone, but MSU returns Creed Whittemore, Jordan Mosley and Jaden Walley and added impact wideouts Kelly Akharaiyi and Kevin Coleman in the transfer portal. A trio of freshmen -- Mario Craver, JJ Harrell and Braylon Burnside -- could make an immediate impact. |
| McCurdy wins the Heart O' Dixie again | |
| Jay McCurdy of Starkville took home first place in Saturday's Heart O' Dixie Triathlon with a time of 1:52:53. Triathlons include running, biking and swimming, and McCurdy says that the course for the Heart O' Dixie is one of the more unique that he has done in his 20-plus years of participating in events like this. "It's a point-to-point race, which is something unique and something you don't see very often in triathlons because of the logistics," said McCurdy of Starkville. "It has a shorter swim, but a longer bike and run than most triathlons do, which makes it a challenge that is more unique than other races." This is the second year McCurdy has raced in the Heart O' Dixie and he said that he had never been to the Neshoba County Fair before last year when he won the race. "It's really a spectacle and a really cool atmosphere," McCurdy said. "It is something that the community should really be proud of." He says that he had several friends racing and was glad to catch up with them and now is recovering with his family in Starkville. The Triathlon begins with the .5 mile swim at Lake Tiak-O'Khata. That's followed by the 27.5 mile bike race down Highway 15 to Philadelphia. The race concludes with a 7-mile run to the Neshoba County Fairgrounds. |
| Archie Manning and Langston Rogers team up to raise money for Delta State athletics | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: There was a time, in the early-to-mid 1960s when Archie Manning thought he would probably play football, basketball and/or baseball at Sunflower Junior College (now Mississippi Delta Community College). Or, Manning dreamed, if he really improved and put on some weight, he might even play at Delta State. Those were the college teams Manning knew well. Those were the schools closest to his hometown of Drew. Those were the places his daddy and uncles took him to watch college teams play. Ole Miss and Mississippi State? For a skinny, 155-pound, red-headed kid from the tiny town of Drew, those places were pipe dreams. You know the rest of the story. Manning did add some muscle to his lanky frame. He did improve and went on to become one of Mississippi's most beloved football players with Ole Miss and then in the NFL. Manning never attended Delta State, but he never lost his admiration for the school and its rich athletic history. That's why he will join his longtime friend (and Delta State graduate) Langston Rogers for fundraising conversation and sports auction at DSU's Sillers Coliseum on Thursday night. The program, billed as "Night of Champions," will begin at 7 p.m. |
| Why some Alabama players need to 'Eat more' before morning practices | |
 | One Alabama football practice doesn't look all that different from another, even with Kalen DeBoer taking over for Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa for 2024. However, there was a huge, obvious change implemented by the new head coach for his first preseason camp: The time. Saban conducted practice in the afternoon. DeBoer prefers morning, with the Tide's first session starting at 9:05 a.m. CT. Afterward, DeBoer admitted there were a few bumps on the road to change. "I think that a few guys, even though we really pushed it hard, I think they underestimate just the fuel they've gotta get in their bodies," DeBoer said. "Which leads to cramping and things like that. So they'll learn from it. That's part of this process." In the morning, they've got to get to the facility earlier, remembering to fuel up before taking the practice field. Especially on July and August days in Alabama. "We talk about them grinding every day, refining everything, whether it's note-taking in the meetings to their craft and the technique they have to, 'Man, I've gotta eat more. I've gotta get more sleep. I've gotta drink more, hydrate and all that.'" DeBoer said. "So I think there's a couple guys, when you go really follow up on the cramping, it's like, 'What did you eat?' They didn't eat enough." |
| NCAA launching disclosure database NIL Assist with Teamworks | |
| The NCAA is launching a new disclosure and voluntary agent database on Thursday. Working with NIL service provider Teamworks, the NIL Assist platform connects athletes with service providers, tracks disclosures of NIL activities and provides access to evolving trends across the landscape. The move comes after the long-form settlement of the House v. NCAA suit was filed last week. The mobile-friendly, web-based platform NIL Assist will include a "rate your experience" tool so athletes can share reviews of service providers. "Before I even started in my new role at the NCAA, one of the first things I heard from student-athletes and their families was that the NIL landscape was confusing and challenging to navigate," NCAA president Charlie Baker said in a statement. "It was a priority for me from day one to find ways to help student-athletes pursue and capitalize on NIL opportunities with confidence, and a little over a year later, the launch of this platform will help them do exactly that." Plenty of elements were revealed when the long-form settlement was filed last week with Judge Claudia Wilken in the Northern District of California court, but details about enforcement were scarce. The most striking takeaway from the long-form settlement was how aggressively the NCAA continues to try to prohibit donor-driven collectives from providing athletes with compensation packages that are not tied to endorsement deals. |
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