| Wednesday, August 7, 2024 |
| MSU Extension Service hosts agriculture tour for students | |
 | There is a lot of work involved in farming and students who joined staff from the MSU Extension Service on a tour found out that not all of that work is in the fields. "This tour gave us a chance to highlight some of the research that is going on here at MSU. From a drone standpoint to the use of drones, for various applications in addition to some of the ag research trials from corn, cotton, soybeans, and all those resources that we are able to get from various commodity boards," said Whitney Crow, MSU Extension Service Entomologist. The tour highlighted technology for crop management, and how to deal with insect problems. MSU Extension Service Entomologist Whitney Crow said she hopes this tour helped students build connections and learn who to turn to when they have questions about agriculture. Crow also said she hopes this event shows future MSU students the range of jobs available to them in agriculture. "For somebody who is not familiar with the opportunities in agriculture or even at MSU, being exposed to these field days just to see some research programs or extension programs to see all the different positions really helps. So rather than be graduate students, staff positions, or even PHD level positions, it really gives you an idea of all the opportunities," said Crow. |
| Renovate or rebuild? Felix Long costs could vary by $4 million based on MDAH decision | |
 | After more than two years of sitting empty, the Felix Long Memorial Hospital building's fate is finally in the hands of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. But getting it there led to some division among county officials. During Monday's board of supervisors meeting, Ryan Ashford with Major Design Studios of Columbus presented updated demolition and construction estimates for the county to send to MDAH. Those estimates ranged from $24.2 million for a complete 38,200 square-foot rebuild and $28.2 million for a partial renovation and new additions to the facility, which would total around 51,720 square feet, according to preliminary documents. "What we're asking for the board to approve today -- these two estimates, one new, and one renovating the existing (building)," Ashford said. "... We're ready to hear (MDAH) recommendations." County Administrator Delois Farmer said MDAH requested the county send estimates for both plans. The difference between them will be a factor as the department determines the future of the historic building, she said. "Until we give them that, they're not going to give us a direction," Farmer said. The building is listed as part of the Downtown Starkville Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places, therefore MDAH must approve changes to the structure. |
| No tax hike means police only get half their cameras | |
| A balanced city budget next year with no tax hike means the police department will get half the cameras and new manpower it had expected. Still, the board of aldermen plans to move forward with public hearings on a Fiscal Year 2025 budget that includes no ad valorem tax increase. The board must approve its budget by Sept. 15 in advance of the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. Ward 2 Alderwoman Sandra Sistrunk, who chairs the board's budget committee, said aldermen entered Friday's work session with a deficit of $227,000 between estimated revenue and planned expenditures. Instead of proposing a tax increase to fill the gap, aldermen looked to cut its expenses – among them slashing $140,000 from a planned police department camera expansion. They cut the remainder from estimated legal expenses and by delaying creating a capital improvement fund for at least another year. "It appears, while it's easy to say one supports something in the abstract, when the time comes to fund these programs, it gets a little harder." Sistrunk said during Tuesday's board meeting at City Hall. "There did not appear to be any appetite for a tax increase this year." |
| Delta wind farm provides Amazon carbon-free energy | |
 | It happened on June 18, a dusty day in the Mississippi Delta that spiked 88 degrees. A major milestone involving Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) was celebrated in Dundee (population: 73) so quietly that mainstream media generally overlooked it. On that day, Delta Wind Farm, the state's first utility-scale wind farm, with 41 of the nation's tallest wind turbines on U.S. land, officially began generating carbon-free energy to help power Amazon's nearby operations. The wind farm is located on 14,000 acres of precision land-formed and graded soil long-term leased from Tunica County farmer Abbott Myers and others. Initially announced in July 2023, Virginia-based AES Corporation (NYSE:AES) brokered the deal with Amazon to provide 184.5 megawatts (MW) of energy, enough to power approximately 80,000 homes. The substantial project represents a spectacular boost to a place that was "the poorest county in America," said Charles Finkley Jr., CEO of Tunica County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development. "These types of projects aren't going to come in and solve all the problems with our communities," he said when the project was announced. "But ... it's a start and a step in the right direction." Before each tower was built, "they put in geo piers pilings," explained Myers, an agricultural engineering graduate from Mississippi State University. "They'd make about an 18-inch hole, put rock in it, and pound it down to 80 feet. Depending on the site, they'd have from 60 to 200 pilings under each wind turbine. Then they'd have about 1,000 yards of concrete and 60 tons of steel." |
| Lee County takes next step in agreement with Swiss manufacturer Liebherr | |
 | Lee County officials took the next step in bringing an international manufacturer into the fold, approving a tax increment plan ahead of the final approval of promised tax incentives for the company. The Lee County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously among present members on Monday to authorize a tax increment redevelopment plan as part of the recent commitment from international construction equipment manufacturer the Liebherr Group to establish a facility in Lee County at the HIVE industrial park as an anchor business. "The redevelopment plan is done in connection to tax increment financing laws, and the purpose of the plan is to make sure that when the county issues tax increment financing bonds, that any project in connection with that complies with any codes or regulations ... that the county may have," said Sue Fairbank, an attorney at Jackson-based law firm Butler Snow. "At this point in time, the county doesn't have any codes or building regulations, so this is just a requirement of the statute." The project will see the company build a 1-million-square-foot distribution and manufacturing operation inside Lee County. The first phase of the project is expected to create an initial 180 jobs through a $176 million investment that could rise to nearly $240 in investment and 342 new jobs in the future. |
| Vision Neshoba Master Plan presented | |
| Philadelphia and Neshoba County residents were invited to attend the Vision Neshoba Generational Master Plan presentation on Tuesday at the Ellis Theatre. Bob Barber of Orion Planning & Design presented findings from the past year, and strategies for implementing them in the community and then opened the floor for questions. The generational master plan focuses on developing key community areas, such as the Downtown Core, which includes proposals for Hotel Philadelphia, more attractive streetscapes, an Artisan Market at the old police station, a Legacy Plaza, and gateway and wayfinding signage. It also emphasizes better Mobility and Connectivity with features like a Park Loop, Pearl River Trail, roundabouts, sidewalk improvements, and enhancements to freight routes and networks. Organizers said these findings are intended to guide the next generation of the community. This is not a quick plan; it requires implementing strategies to navigate these ideas for the future, they said. "These strategies are crafted with human hands," Barber said. "Some will prove more feasible than others, and some will be quite successful. When systematically pursued with diligent effort, they will work, and you will see the results of your plan." |
| Ridgeland Topgolf project has date in mind to open | |
 | Ridgeland's Topgolf project has seen many twists and turns along the way. However, Gabriel Prado, the CEO of PraCon Global Investment in Jackson, which is spearheading the project, said construction is zooming along and the golf entertainment venue could be open in December. "While I cannot share the specific details, I can tell you that opening before the end of the year is a real possibility," Prado said Tuesday. "This project has been in the works for nearly three years, and I am very grateful for all of the people that have been involved in the public and private sector to get it to the finish line." Ridgeland's Board of Aldermen approved a special overlay district in 2023 that paved the way for a development that will include Topgolf. While Topgolf is the drawing card for the development off Interstate 55 in Ridgeland, northeast of the Renaissance at Colony Park, the project has grown to include a national grocery store chain, an entertainment venue, shopping and upscale living accommodations. Topgolf will serve as anchor of Prado Vista at Ridgeland, a 77-acre mixed-use development that will include a national grocery store, two high-end hotels, more than 100,000 square feet of office, retail and restaurant space, an entertainment venue, 228 homes for sale and a river walk. |
| Mississippi Major Disaster Relief Fund established by Mississippi Economic Council and SuperTalk Mississippi Media | |
| The Mississippi Economic Council (MEC) and SuperTalk Mississippi Media announce the establishment of the Mississippi Major Disaster Relief Fund to support Mississippians impacted by major disasters. This initiative's goal is to provide grants to help address needs that continue to exist long after initial emergency assistance has been provided. The fund, managed by MEC's MB Swayze Foundation, is a partnership between SuperTalk Mississippi Media and MEC. Collaborating with local communities, chambers of commerce, and state and local officials, the fund will focus on targeted and effective relief efforts. "The fund will work with local entities to help address ongoing issues in disaster-affected areas," said Scott Waller, President and CEO of the Mississippi Economic Council. While first responders, state and federal agencies, and traditional relief organizations are extremely vital in the recovery and relief in the initial days following a disaster, additional support is also essential. The fund will have an advisory board comprised of business and community leaders which will engage with local organizations to pinpoint areas of greatest need. "Transparency is critical to ensuring the maximum use of all donations, and that we will be making a difference in helping Mississippians in their time of greatest need," Waller said. |
| Special tax levies granted to 12 Mississippi municipalities | |
| Each legislative session, cities and towns across Mississippi seek permission from lawmakers to impose or extend certain local sales taxes above the 18.5% received from the state's 7% sales tax. Those taxes could include special tax levies on hotels or restaurants for specific purposes such as building new recreational facilities or promoting tourism. During the 2024 legislative session, special tax levies were granted for 12 municipalities in the Magnolia State, according to the Mississippi Department of Revenue. Those cities receiving extensions on their local taxes through July 1, 2028, include West Point, Pontotoc, Fulton, Carthage, and Winona. Houston and Florence received extensions through December 31, 2028. West Point imposes a 1% hotel-motel tax and a 1% restaurant tax on the gross sales while Pontotoc and Carthage are authorized for 2% on both. Fulton's hotel-motel tax is set at 3%, and Winona's restaurant tax is 2%. Houston imposes a 2% hotel-motel tax and a 2% restaurant tax. Florence has a 2% bar and restaurant tax. The stated purposes for each of these local tax levies except Florence is to promote tourism and parks and recreation, with allowances being made for certain municipalities to pay bond indebtedness incurred in achieving that purpose. Florence's local tax levy is said to be used to promote economic development and to construct recreational facilities. |
| Mississippi has more rural emergency hospitals than any other state. Can the 'lifeline' program save rural health care? | |
| Mississippi has more rural emergency hospitals than any other state -- and there could be two more on the way soon. Some have hailed the federal designation, created in 2023, as a lifeline for struggling rural hospitals at risk of closure. Others say it forces hospitals between a rock and a hard place. Rural emergency hospitals provide 24-hour emergency and observation services, and can also opt to provide additional outpatient services. But the program comes with a catch. Hospitals must close their inpatient units and transfer patients requiring stays over 24 hours to a nearby facility. In return, hospitals receive $3.3 million from the federal government each year. Rural emergency hospitals in Mississippi currently include Jefferson County Hospital in Fayette, Progressive Health of Batesville, Perry County General Hospital in Richton, Sharkey Issaquena Community Hospital in Rolling Fork and George County Hospital in Leakesville. Progressive Health of Houston and Smith County Rural Emergency Hospital in Raleigh, a new department of Covington County Hospital established in collaboration with South Central Regional Medical Center, also intend to apply for the status. Quentin Whitwell, the founder and CEO of Progressive Health Group, said that in his experience, the designation has provided increased sustainability and financial viability for hospitals that have adopted it. |
| Nissan workers in Mississippi consider another union campaign: VW 'proved it can be done' | |
 | Pro-union workers at a Nissan plant in Canton, Mississippi, are once again considering launching a union campaign. This comes after a Spring of success and failure for the United Auto Workers, which aimed to unionize the South after targeted strikes last Fall led to record contracts for its members with the Big Three American automakers. The unionization of a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in April further encouraged the Nissan workers. They remain cautious about their prospects, though, especially after Mercedes-Benz plant workers in Vance, Alabama, voted against unionizing in May -- a reminder of how difficult it can be to win in the South. In the aftermath of that loss, a campaign to organize a Montgomery, Alabama, Hyundai plant has lost momentum. The mixed results from other Southern campaigns aren't the only factor in the Nissan workers' decision. There's also the industry's rocky pivot to electric vehicles, the question of who will sit in the Oval Office next year and the sting from their failed union election seven years ago this August. While the Nissan election may have happened in 2017, organizing at the plant started in the early 2000s. Members of that core group of Nissan employees take some credit for the current labor movement's successful campaigns at workplaces like Starbucks and Volkswagen. "We were the forefathers of everything that came to be," said Rahmeel Nash, a paint body technician at Nissan who has been at the plant for 21 years. But when it came time for Nissan workers to vote in 2017, they rejected unionizing. The final tally wasn't close -- nearly two to one against it. |
| Congress's Plan to Outlaw Chinese Drones Met With Protest | |
 | The U.S. isn't ready to wean itself from Chinese drones. Search-and-rescue worker Kyle Nordfors flew a drone made by a Silicon Valley company into the rugged Wasatch Range in Utah. No one was lost in the backcountry -- he was trying to make a point. The drone couldn't make it up the mountain. Its radio lost connection, causing it to turn around and fly back. "I could not even physically get the American drone to the top of the mountain to begin the search," he said. Nordfors, head of air operations for Weber County Sheriff Search and Rescue, was trying to re-create a rescue he had successfully completed a few weeks earlier with a Chinese drone from SZ DJI Technology. He has tested dozens of drones in the mountains, and DJI works the best, he said. Now he is worried Washington is about to hamstring his searches for lost climbers and hikers. Enthusiasts like Nordfors have proven crucial in DJI's fight against a proposed ban from Congress that would effectively outlaw new DJI sales in the U.S. Throngs of loyal users, from mountain-rescue squads to police departments and farmers, have drummed up resistance, calling their elected officials, writing opinion columns and signing letters in support for Shenzhen-based DJI. Small drones have become essential tools in U.S. commerce and emerged as critical weapons in modern combat, handing the world's largest supplier -- DJI -- enormous power. National-security experts say reliance on Chinese drones creates a dangerous dependency that China could exploit in a conflict. |
| Prominent Mississippi Republican raises concerns over JD Vance's foreign policy views | |
| As the race for the White House heats up with less than three months until Election Day, one prominent Republican from Mississippi has weighed in on GOP nominee Donald Trump's decision to choose JD Vance as his running mate. Trent Lott, who served as majority leader (1996-2001) and minority leader (2001-2003) of the U.S. Senate, took to The Gallo Show recently to discuss Vance's rapid rise from junior senator to Trump running mate. Lott said he overall approves of the pick but vouched that Vance is going to have to "take a serious look" at his checkered past when it comes to foreign policy and defense. "He is smart. He is articulate. But some of his positions have been questionable," Lott said. "He's going to have to take a serious look at what his support is for President Trump with regard to foreign policy and defense issues where he's been a little shaky. I think he will be fine, but like all of us, you have to grow and learn." The focal point of Lott's criticism of Vance is the Ohio senator's outspoken position on the war between Russia and Ukraine. Vance, an avid critic of giving additional aid to Ukraine, is on record saying he is not concerned with what happens if Russia overtakes its westward neighbor and would rather utilize U.S. taxpayer dollars to curb illegal immigration through the southern border. Lott did take a minute to give Vance the benefit of the doubt, though, and sympathize with his calls for accountability when it comes to foreign aid. |
| Trump on 'shocking' Walz pick: 'I could not be more thrilled' | |
 | Former President Trump welcomed Vice President Harris's decision to add Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) to the Democratic ticket, calling it a "shocking pick." "I would say my reaction is, I can't believe it. I never thought I was going to be the one who was picked," Trump said Wednesday morning in an interview on Fox News's "Fox and Friends." "He's a very liberal man, and he's a shocking pick," the former president added. "I could not be more thrilled." Trump called Walz a "smarter version" of Harris and "about the same as Bernie Sanders," referring to the independent senator from Vermont. Walz's voting record has shown he's much more moderate than Sanders. The GOP nominee also attacked Walz as weak on immigration and "very heavy into transgender." Walz has signed legislation as governor of the North Star State protecting access to gender-affirming care. Trump told Fox News he felt Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) would have been a stronger choice than Walz, and he echoed claims from other Republicans who have suggested the governor was passed over for the role because of his Jewish heritage. "I'm no big fan of Josh Shapiro. I know the state very well ... but I would have said it would have been a better choice," the former president said. |
| How Kamala Harris Trusted Her Gut and Picked Tim Walz | |
 | When Vice President Kamala Harris gathered some of her closest advisers in the dining room of the Naval Observatory on Saturday, they had more choices than time. Her team had just wrapped up the fastest, most intensive vetting of potential running mates in modern history, a blitz of paperwork and virtual interviews that had concluded only on Friday. The advisers were there to present their findings on a list that still technically ran six deep to Ms. Harris, who had less than 72 hours to sift through it to make her final decision. One by one, the circle of her most trusted confidants ran through the pros and cons of each possible No. 2. The sessions went long enough to be broken up with sandwiches and salads as the team eventually focused on the three men she would meet the next day for what would prove to be pivotal in-person interviews: Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona and Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania. Polls had been conducted. Focus groups had been commissioned. Records reviewed. And the upshot, Ms. Harris was told, was this: She could win the White House with any of the three finalists by her side. It was the rarest of political advice for a political leader at the crossroads of such a consequential decision. And for Ms. Harris, a vice president who had spent much of her tenure trying to quietly establish herself without running afoul of President Biden, the advice was freeing rather than constricting. She could pick whomever she wanted. On Tuesday, she did just that, revealing Mr. Walz as her running mate after the two struck up an easy rapport in a Sunday sit-down at her residence, forming a fresh partnership that will define the Democratic Party in 2024 and potentially beyond. |
| Young voters are looking for 'fun.' Democrats hope Walz can bring it. | |
 | Most young voters didn't know who Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was less than a week ago. But those who went to the freshly minted vice presidential candidate's first campaign event Tuesday in the pivotal state of Pennsylvania already liked what they were hearing and seeing about him online. Walz, a 60-year-old former teacher in his second gubernatorial term, enters with little national profile, and Republicans are racing to define him as a liberal boogeyman. But Democrats are hoping his aura and record on issues that matter to young people will help the party engage its base and prevent young voters from slipping to former President Donald Trump. "It's fun -- it's not scary," said Debbie Medina, 31, who traveled to the rally from New York with two friends. She praised Walz's "happy warrior" attitude and "unapologetically proud" messaging as the right complement to Vice President Kamala Harris' strengths. "I think something wrong with the Democratic Party is that they use fear tactics to get you to the vote. And for the first time, we're seeing someone have fun with it," Medina said. In the line to get into the rally, there was plenty of evidence that Harris has energized a particularly online and young group of voters. And, in a sign of how Walz has followed Harris’ social media-dominant footsteps, many readily named some of his accomplishments as governor -- ranging from free school meals for school children to the legalization of recreational marijuana. Dru McIver-Jenkins, a rising senior at Temple University in Philadelphia, where the rally took place, echoed Walz’s recent use of the word “weird” to describe comments about women and other issues from Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate. |
| Kamala Harris' Campaign Is a Windfall for Influencers | |
 | After President Joe Biden stepped down and Harris announced her candidacy, excitement quickly swelled around the new campaign. The KamalaHQ account on TikTok quintupled in followers within the first week, the campaign tells WIRED, and the new Harris-focused content received 232 million views and more than 33 million likes. This far surpassed Trump's total like count: As of publication, Trump's account has nearly 30 million total likes, compared to Harris' 60 million. Beyond the engagement data, the campaign also noticed TikTok users and content creators creating pro-Harris content at a rate once inconceivable with Biden at the top of the ticket. "We're able to tap into the For You page in a different way now because the amount of people creating content about KamalaHQ has grown so much," Lauren Kapp, who runs the Harris campaign's TikTok account, tells WIRED. "We've seen that in our engagement with influencers and celebrities as well too. There's a huge rise of them in our comments and resharing our content on KamalaHQ in a way that wasn't really happening on BidenHQ." It's not just Harris who has benefited from a digital groundswell of support for her campaign. Political influencers and content creators are raking in followers, likes, and engagement. Several creators who spoke with WIRED said their posts on platforms like TikTok and Instagram were receiving more likes and positive comments than when Biden led the ticket. As Harris' online stock and engagement has risen, Trump's appears to be slowing down. |
| Extreme heat is impacting most Americans' electricity bills, AP-NORC poll finds | |
 | During the summer, Levena Lindahl closes off entire rooms, covers windows with blackout curtains and budgets to manage the monthly cost of electricity for air conditioning. But even then, the heat finds its way in. "Going upstairs, it's like walking into soup. It is so hot," Lindahl said. "If I walk past my attic upstairs, you can feel the heat radiating through a closed door." Lindahl, 37, who lives in North Carolina, said her monthly electricity bills in the summer used to be around $100 years ago, but they've since doubled. She blames a gradual warming trend caused by climate change. Around 7 in 10 Americans say in the last year extreme heat has had an impact on their electricity bills, ranging from minor to major, and most have seen at least a minor impact on their outdoor activities, according new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. As tens of millions of Americans swelter through another summer of historic heat waves, the survey's findings reveal how extreme heat is changing people's lives in big and small ways. The poll found that about 7 in 10 Americans have been personally affected by extremely hot weather or extreme heat waves over the past five years. That makes extreme heat a more common experience than other weather events or natural disasters like wildfires, major droughts and hurricanes, which up to one-third of U.S. adults said they've been personally affected by. |
| UMMC downsizes specialized teams that transport sick kids, babies from hospitals around state | |
| The University of Mississippi Medical Center in April laid off seven specially trained medical providers who transport children and babies in need of critical care from hospitals around the state to Jackson. The cuts brought the total number of staff on the pediatric and neonatal transport teams from 21 to 14. UMMC officials said the reduction was the result of a routine evaluation looking for operational efficiencies. The transport teams offer timely, hospital-level care in a specialized ambulance for critically sick or injured children and babies. The teams are made up of specially certified paramedics, nurses and nurse practitioners, and the ambulances house more equipment and medicines than regular ambulances -- "more than ... most rural hospitals have," according to a January 2023 UMMC press release highlighting a pediatric transport team member. The teams can also provide care in a hospital's emergency room before transporting the patient to Jackson. UMMC did not answer questions from Mississippi Today specifically about how the decision to cut the teams was made or address what kind of impact it will have on children in need of this care in remote areas of the state. UMMC has the state's only children's hospital and the highest level neonatal intensive care unit and trauma center. |
| USM, Hattiesburg Public Library unveils Freedom Summer 60th anniversary exhibit | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi and Hattiesburg Public Library are uniting to mark the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer. "Freedom Summer at 60: Mississippi as a Catalyst for Change" features a collection of images from civil rights photographers selected from the university library archives. The exhibit will remain on display throughout August at the Hattiesburg Public Library. This Thursday, the public is invited to a special screening of two documentaries on the Civil Rights Movement. "The great part I think about this exhibition, and I would encourage people to come to the screening, is that Herbert Randall, of course, was here in Hattiesburg photographing and documenting what was going on here with voting rights, and all this was leading up to Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party where they went to the convention and ultimately walked out in Atlantic City," said Lorraine Stuart, USM's Head of Special Collections and Curator of Historical Manuscripts & Archives. |
| 2024 J.A.M. festival to be held in Jackson | |
 | A festival held to promote solidarity among the state's public HBCUs is set to hold its 35th-anniversary event in Jackson. Jackson State University (JSU), Alcorn State University (ASU) and Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) were the inaugural schools part of the first J.A.M. festival back in 1989. The focus of that year's event was to promote collaboration among universities and to leave their fierce sports rivalries on the field. The event featuring food, door prizes and raffles is free and open to the public. It will happen at the Hank Aaron Sports Academy - Smith-Will Stadium on August 19 at 5:30 p.m. J.A.M.'s theme again is solidarity, but as it relates to the future of the institutions. In February, Senator John Polk (R-District 44) proposed Mississippi Senate Bill 2726. If signed into law, it would have required the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning to close three universities by 2028. JSU, ASU and MVSU were among the universities seriously considered to be on the chopping block. The controversial legislation died in committee. In 2009, then-Governor Haley Barbour (R-Miss.) called for the Mississippi University for Women to merge with nearby Mississippi State University. He also called for ASU and MVSU to merge into JSU. The former governor cited fiscal responsibility as the principal reason for doing so, as the state then faced a $700 million budget deficit. Barbour's proposal was also unsuccessful. The J.A.M. festival celebrates the three institutions and seeks to preserve them for future generations of students and alumni. |
| Pearl River Community College constructing 4 dorms for student-athletes | |
| Pearl River Community College is building several new residence halls for student-athletes. It's an $8.2 million project. It involves the construction of four separate one-story dorms. They will house softball, baseball and women's and men's soccer players. Most of those athletes are currently housed together in other dorms. The new residence halls will free up space for other students, who are on waiting lists to live on campus. "We came into this fall with about a 600 student waiting list and so, we're trying to provide that, especially for our local students to get them a space to come be with us." said Jeff Long, Executive Vice-President for Student Services at PRCC. "Team bonding is a huge deal and the culture is really big, so to be able to have a dorm for them to live in and just excel in that's theirs that they can call their own is really exciting," said Christie Meeks, head softball coach at PRCC. Long says the new dorms will have a total of about 130 beds. |
| Back-to-school shopping presents 'pain point' for families amid high prices | |
| Parents are struggling with back-to-school shopping in an era of stubbornly high prices. Multiple recent surveys show parents feel they are spending more on clothing and classroom supplies than before and may delay essential purchases or bills in order to afford their student's supplies. And on top of thinking about their own children, parents are in some cases being asked to help bring in supplies and materials for the classroom for everyone to share as teachers also are seeing hardship as the school year nears. "We ask parents, 'What is the number one thing that's on your mind right now?' It's inflation and the economic struggle that so many families are in right now, and when we talk about back-to-school, that is just one of the main pain points for American families, because it brings into light just how much pressure we're really under in this moment," said Keri Rodrigues, founder and president of National Parents Union. While inflation, which measures how quickly costs rise, has come down this summer, prices are still well above their pre-pandemic levels. Since the pandemic, the cost of goods has gone up nearly 21 percent. According to a survey by Deloitte released last month, parents will be spending $586 per student this year, potentially totaling some $31.30 billion for the retail industry. That's actually down slightly from from last year, when per-student shopping was at $597. |
| We're not 'out of the woods' in the youth mental health crisis, a CDC researcher says | |
 | The mental health of high school students has largely worsened in the past decade, except between 2021 and 2023, when things improved slightly. Those are among the findings of a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which features results from the latest Youth Risk Behavior Survey, conducted every two years. "I don't think we are out of the woods by any means in terms of the crisis in youth mental health," says Kathleen Ethier, director of the CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health. "However, we're seeing some really promising small yet significant improvements in a couple of key places," she adds. For example, between 2021 and 2023, overall reports of poor mental health went down. "When we look at the persistent sadness and hopelessness, we go from 42% down to 40%, which I realize is a small decrease, but it's statistically significant," notes Ethier. And while girls and LGBTQ+ students are still more likely to report feelings of sadness and hopelessness, the share of girls reporting this went down from 57% in 2021 to 53% in 2023. Similarly, the portion of Black students who said they had attempted suicide in the past year went down over that two-year period -- from 14% to 10%. And the share of Black students who said they had made a suicide plan in the past year went down from 18% to 16%, and for Hispanic students that percentage went from 19% in 2021 to 16% in 2023. |
| Birmingham-Southern goes national in search of buyer for shuttered campus | |
 | The search for a buyer for the shuttered Birmingham-Southern College campus is expanding beyond Alabama. The college announced that it's going national to find a buyer for the 192-acre campus in west Birmingham. Birmingham-Southern, which closed its doors on May 31 because of financial struggles, is working with a New York-based real estate brokerage and investment banking firm to market the sale. "BSC continues to have productive discussions with prospective buyers from within Alabama," said Daniel Coleman, president of Birmingham-Southern, in an emailed statement to AL.com. "However, given our responsibility to obtain the best price on the best terms for the campus, we are also open to approaches from outside the state. We will not disclose the details of our interactions with any prospective buyers." Keen-Summit Capital Partners LLC and JLL executive vice president Hugo Isom of Birmingham are working with Birmingham-Southern on the sale. They are marketing it as a "rare opportunity" to purchase the "largest college campus for sale" in the United States. Uncertainty around the future of the Bush Hills campus has swirled in the months since the college's closure. |
| Sanctions upheld against six student protesters on UGA campus; barred until 2025 | |
 | The sanctions imposed by the University of Georgia administration on six students arrested during an April 29 protest on campus will remain in place, according to a ruling released Tuesday by a panel of UGA students who heard the appeals. The six students appealed the sanctions before a panel of three students from the University Judiciary during a hearing held July 30 at Memorial Hall. The students can still appeal this decision to UGA's vice president for Student Affairs. Isabelle Phillips, 22, of Athens; Austin C. Kral, 24, of Roswell; Trinity Lewis, 20, of Atlanta; John A. Hunter, 22, of Marietta; Zeena Mohamed, 22, of Lilburn; and, Aidan L. Heinze, 22, of Marietta, all presented evidence at the hearing aimed at mitigating or removing the punishment. The hearings are usually held in private, but these students asked for open hearings. The sanctions include suspensions from the fall semester, which begins Aug. 14, and an order they remain on probation through the remainder of their scholastic careers at UGA. In addition, all six are barred from being on campus through Jan. 1, 2025. The students were arrested during a demonstration held April 29 on North Campus outside Old College and the Administration Building. Demonstrators had erected a tent and put in place a fence and hung protest signs. |
| Florida's Public Universities Are Told to Review Courses for 'Antisemitism or Anti-Israeli Bias' | |
 | Last week the State University System of Florida instructed the leaders of its 12 public universities to screen certain courses for "antisemitism or anti-Israeli bias," The Chronicle has learned. Since Hamas's attack on Israel of October 7, politicians, donors, parents, and students -- particularly but not exclusively on the right -- have accused colleges of excusing antisemitic speech, including in the classroom. They've urged campuses to rein in professors whose courses they think cross a line. Now, it seems, Florida's university system, which instructs more than 430,000 students, is poised to do just that. The move raises questions, such as how much latitude professors will have in teaching about the Middle East and how the system will define terms like "anti-Israeli bias." On Friday, data administrators at those dozen universities received a brief memorandum written by Emily Sikes, the system's interim vice chancellor for academic and student affairs, telling them to conduct a keyword search of all undergraduate- and graduate-course descriptions and syllabi for the following words: Israel, Israeli, Palestine, Palestinian, Middle East, Zionism, Zionist, Judaism, Jewish, and Jews. Sikes told the staff members to provide a list of fall courses that use one or more of those terms, and a list of "their related instructional materials," to the office of the system's Board of Governors by August 16. |
| Big Chunk of Professors Flunked U of Florida Post-Tenure Review | |
 | Post-tenure reviews aren't a new phenomenon in higher education. The American Association of University Professors has had a stance on them going back to 1983, and in 1999 it released a report saying they should be for "faculty development" and not "undertaken for the purpose of dismissal." Last year, Republican lawmakers in Florida passed a law requiring post-tenure reviews for professors at public universities. That wasn't unique. But as with other policies, how administrators implement post-tenure review matters -- and the board of the State University System of Florida determined that professors who receive the lowest review ranking, "unsatisfactory," will "receive a notice of termination." Now, the first round of post-tenure reviews has been completed. And the flagship University of Florida's process produced a figure that has raised eyebrows among its faculty: About one-fifth of reviewed professors failed to pass muster or gave up defending their tenure. "There's no mincing words: Tenure's gone. It's been replaced by a five-year contract," said Meera Sitharam, president of the United Faculty of Florida union's UF chapter. She said UF's implementation of the policy "really gives them a chance to get rid of people they don't like." |
| Harris's VP Pick Has Backed Free College, Big Investments in State Universities | |
| After a quick search process, Vice President Kamala Harris picked Minnesota governor Tim Walz to be her running mate Tuesday, elevating a 60-year-old progressive Democrat who has helped to make higher education more accessible for Minnesotans while significantly boosting funding for the state's public colleges and universities. Walz, who is in the middle of his second term as governor, has secured a number of policy wins during his tenure, from universal free school meals for K-12 students to paid family and medical leave after Democrats won full control of the statehouse. On the higher ed front, he is known as someone who believes in the importance of postsecondary education and investing in the state's public colleges and universities. Walz signed into law a free college program known as North Star Promise that covered the cost of tuition to any public college in the state for students from families making less than $80,000 a year. Another scholarship program made college free for students who are members of a tribal nation. And under his leadership, the state launched a direct admissions program that guarantees graduating high school seniors a spot at participating colleges. Those changes and others, along with an investment of $650 million for higher education over two years, helped to boost enrollment in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System, which includes 26 community and technical colleges in addition to seven four-year institutions. |
| Tim Walz's wife Gwen, a former teacher, is a 'champion' of college behind bars | |
 | When Max Kenner met Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's wife Gwen more than a decade ago, he immediately knew he'd found an ally. A former teacher like her then-Congressman husband, Gwen Walz, wanted to know everything about Kenner's initiative to educate prisoners in New York state. And now that Tim Walz has been picked by Vice President Kamala Harris as her running mate in her bid for the White House, there could be a member of the second family with the greatest commitment yet to prison education. Kenner founded the Bard Prison Initiative in 1999 as an undergrad at Bard College, a liberal arts college located in the Hudson Valley, after a 1994 federal ban on Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students and a 1995 New York state ban on Tuition Assistance Program decimated in-prison education. Over the past decade, Kenner met with Walz numerous times to discuss access to higher education in prison, he said. "She was a devoted Midwestern public school teacher who approached education without prejudice or presumption about what kind of students might achieve what kinds of things and a real optimism for all kinds of students," Kenner recalled. "She also had a real frustration, or even feeling of disappointment, of how much we've failed in this country to create real educational opportunities for so many people, particularly access to college." |
| Colleges Balk at Federal Plan to Require Attendance Taking in Online Courses | |
| Administrators who oversee online education say a federal plan to require colleges to take attendance in virtual courses would impose significant time demands on faculty members and increase cost burdens on institutions. The U.S. Education Department proposed the change as part of a larger package of federal policies designed to protect students and hold institutions accountable for the financial aid dollars they receive. The rules emerged in July, from a negotiated rule-making session the agency held last year. Taking attendance would not be as simple as students logging into the learning management system or stating "here" at the beginning of each class session. Every 14 days, students would be expected to turn in an assignment or interact with a professor or fellow students during lectures and course discussions, although the department has yet to define exactly what mechanism or standard it would require colleges to use to align with the new policy. A department spokesperson told Inside Higher Ed, "The office does not usually comment on notices of proposed rule making beyond the text of the official proposals." The goal, according to the department's proposal, is to avoid having students drop out of online courses while the institution continues to collect federal Title IV financial aid funds. |
| American Science is in Dangerous Decline while Chinese Research Surges, Experts Warn | |
| In a first-ever "State of the Science" address at the end of June, National Academy of Sciences president Marcia McNutt warned that the U.S. was ceding its global scientific leadership to other countries -- highlighting China in particular. McNutt, a widely respected geophysicist, said this slippage could make it harder for the U.S. to maintain the strength of its economy and protect its national security. She also laid out a provisional plan of action to reverse the decline. The June 26 speech served as a scientific parallel to the State of the Union address by the U.S. president and came from the chief of a body originally chartered to provide nonpartisan advice on science and technology to the nation's government. It surveyed the strengths and weaknesses of the current scientific landscape and underscored an urgent need for a new coordinated approach to research and development. McNutt suggested that the country's failure to innovate and stay ahead ran counter to its history. In the decades after World War II, the U.S. achieved widespread excellence in the sciences by investing heavily in both basic and applied research and soliciting foreign talent. Landmark institutions such as the National Science Foundation and NASA emerged during this period, as did the country's pattern of dominating the Nobel Prizes. Then, as federal investment dipped in the 1980s, the scientific landscape grew more complex and difficult to coordinate. |
| The 2027 governor's race is shaping up as an echo of the hard-fought 1987 elections | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: The Neshoba County Fair political speaking program last week made plain two facts moving toward the 2027 statewide elections in Mississippi. First, the field of candidates in the race to succeed two-term Republican Gov. Tate Reeves may be broad, and second, the 2027 race will be hard-fought and may have substantial parallels to the 1987 Mississippi Democratic gubernatorial primary. Based on their Neshoba appearances last week, it's safe to say that Republicans Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, State Auditor Shadrack White, State Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson, former State College Board member and billionaire businessman Thomas Duff are all "strongly considering" gubernatorial bids in 2027 although none formally announced. Hosemann, White and Gipson spoke under the Pavilion, Duff worked the cabins campaign style. The political jury is out on Republican Attorney General Lynn Fitch making a bid for the Governor's Mansion in 2027, but her entry into that race would shock no one. There are usually some unknowns or single-issue candidates from both parties, so the candidate totals could mount once the Democrats field their candidates. One has to ask if Democrat Brandon Presley will make another run after a strong performance in 2023. |
SPORTS
| Proof of the Pudding introduces new food items for suites, clubs at Davis Wade Stadium | |
| Mississippi State fans sitting in the suites and premium club areas will not go hungry at Davis Wade Stadium this season. Since 2020, MSU athletics has partnered with the Atlanta-based catering company Proof of the Pudding to provide concessions at all on-campus sports facilities. But while most stands offer standard fare such as burgers, hot dogs and chicken tenders, the options in the suites and clubs -- which Proof of the Pudding has been in charge of since 2022 -- extend far beyond typical stadium food. New items this year include a Caesar salad with steak, boiled peanuts, more upscale desserts such as key lime pie, donut bread pudding and cast iron s'mores, and a "snacks on snacks on snacks" table featuring sour candy, popcorn and more. "It's been a phenomenal relationship. We love working here at MSU," said Jillian Wendler, a general manager at Proof of the Pudding who works on-site at MSU. "We've improved our tailgate section, which has our burgers and our hot dogs and sausages. We added more toppings to that menu. We added some more dips that (fans) can choose from." "Any time you're in a hospitality role, it can be really tough, but we have the right key players in place (and) their goal is to make the game day experience the best it can be," said Amy Blount, director of donor engagement and experience for MSU athletics. "(It's about) having the right people who have that service-first mindset and being able to fix problems when they come along." |
| Why this junior college could affect Mississippi State football's defense in multiple ways | |
| East Mississippi Community College made it to the NJCAA national championship game last season and Mississippi State football is tapping into that team's defense numerous ways. Four East Mississippi players were added to first-year Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby's team -- all of which are on defense. For three of them -- defensive lineman Ashun Shepphard, safety Tyler Woodard and linebacker Marcus Ross -- it's their first time playing Division I. Safety Brylan Lainer is different, playing on his fourth college team in four years and his third FBS team. Together, they are all competing for playing time under new defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler. "I feel like we all made a great decision," Lainer said after Tuesday's practice. "I feel like we made the decision based on experience with each other, so it's just been a great process for all of us." East Mississippi went 10-3 last season but won its last eight games of the season. It allowed more than 23 points in a game just once during that span. Take out the national championship game, which Iowa Western won 61-14, and East Mississippi allowed 20.0 points per game. |
| Position Preview: Looking at Mississippi State's linebackers for the 2024 season | |
| The countdown to this year's college football season has begun in earnest with less than four 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, opened fall camp 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. No room is losing as much production as the linebackers, as the Bulldogs adjust to life without Nathaniel "Bookie" Watson and Jett Johnson -- the Southeastern Conference's leading tacklers each of the last two years. No one player can replace either of those two standouts, but MSU did bring in a proven starter in South Carolina transfer Stone Blanton, and apart from him the Bulldogs will have to rely on internal improvements from players like John Lewis, Ty Cooper and JP Purvis, among others. Here is all you need to know about MSU's linebackers heading into the 2024 campaign. |
| Soccer Ranked 18th In United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll | |
| Mississippi State soccer is making waves as they head into the 2024 season, earning a spot at 18th in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll. This marks a significant achievement for the Bulldogs, showcasing the program's growing prominence on the national stage. Mississippi State is one of seven schools from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) featured in the preseason poll, highlighting the conference's competitive strength. The other ranked SEC teams include Georgia (14), Arkansas (16), Texas (17), Alabama (20), South Carolina (21) and Texas A&M (25). State will face off against five SEC teams featured in the United Soccer Coaches poll in 2024, beginning with a matchup with No. 17 Texas in Starkville on Sept. 22. The Dawgs rise in the rankings is backed by their best season in program history last year, where they advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time with a 12-6-5 record. State returns a veteran roster that has broken numerous program records during their time in Starkville. The season opener is set for August 15th, where the Bulldogs will face off against the Baylor Bears at home with a 6:30 p.m. kickoff, however, State fans can get a sneak peak of the action on Aug. 9 with a home exhibition match with ULM set for 6:30 p.m. |
| As youth sports kick off, watch for signs of heat illness | |
| The first of August is usually one of the hottest stretches of the year in Mississippi -- not the best timing for the many high school and college athletes who begin practices and camps during that time. Because the temperatures associated with fall sports are still weeks from arriving, managing heat exposure and staying hydrated are key for anyone working or playing outside to prevent heat-related illness. "Your body is around 60% water, and you lose water each day through breathing, perspiration and digestion," said Dottie Kenda, registered dietitian with the Mississippi State University Extension Service Office of Nutrition Education. "Your need for water is met through the beverages you drink and the foods you eat, especially foods with high water content, such as fruits and vegetables." Kenzie Hargrove, a doctoral student in kinesiology at MSU, is focusing part of her research on measuring the amount of sweat and sodium lost by young cross-country athletes and providing personalized hydration recommendations to optimize safety and performance. "In Mississippi, we like to say that we are used to the heat. While people who have always lived here may believe they are acclimatized, it does not mean that they are not at risk," she said. "Many adults and kids spend a great deal of time in climate-controlled settings like air-conditioned homes and offices, so their bodies are not fully prepared to handle the stress of physical activity in hot weather." |
| SEC moving toward adopting mandatory injury reports in time for 2024 college football season | |
| The SEC is moving toward a mandatory injury report for this coming football season, sources told CBS Sports. The topic was discussed at the conference's annual spring meetings in May with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey telling reporters that while it would be discussed, a final decision would not be made that week. A mandatory injury report hasn't been officially approved, but multiple sources indicated the details are close to being finalized and are expected to be in place at the start of the 2024 season. A decision could come as early as in two weeks when league athletic directors are scheduled to meet. The Big Ten became the first Power Five conference to institute a game day availability report during the 2023 season -- a move designed to protect the integrity of the game with respect to gambling. The league's weekly report had two categories for injured players: questionable or out. Some SEC schools, like LSU and Florida, released weekly injury reports last season, but the majority opted against the practice. Former Alabama coach Nick Saban told reporters in September he respected the media's desire for information, "but we also don't want to create disadvantage for ourselves when situations with players are relatively unknown or day-to-day, and don't know how they are going to be by game time." |
| What's in the box? A little Razorback creativity | |
| Razorback nuggets are coming to a store near you -- at least those in and around Arkansas. Hog fans set the internet ablaze last week when Tyson Foods and the school unveiled the "Razorback Nuggets." Yes, chicken nuggets in the shape of a Razorback are available for your fall tailgates in Fayetteville. College sports really are the best. "Who doesn't love the Hogs and who doesn't love some Tyson chicken nuggets?" Kevin Trainor, Arkansas' senior associate AD/public relations, told SBJ. Amen to that. I've been enamored with these nuggets since their release. How does one license a chicken nugget shape? Who greenlit them? How many people were involved in creating these? I set out to find an answer. The genesis of the Razorback nuggets started in the spring, fresh off Arkansas' hiring of John Calipari as its next men's basketball coach. As has been well-documented, John Tyson, the chairman of Tyson Foods' board and the grandson of its namesake, was intimately involved in bringing Calipari to Fayetteville and is a major supporter of the school. Excitement percolated throughout the Razorback fan base following Calipari's hiring and, with that, the opportunity for a new product capitalizing on the fervor around Arkansas athletics arose. Razorback nuggets were born. Tyson has shown a proclivity for creativity in the nugget game. Spooky Nuggets shaped like ghosts, bats and pumpkins are a holiday favorite. Dino Nuggets are iconic (and, full disclosure, a big part of my own childhood). The Razorback nugget, however, required a slightly different playbook -- including a licensing agreement with the university. |
| NCAA moves closer to financially rewarding women's basketball teams that reach March Madness | |
| Women's basketball teams moved a step closer Tuesday to getting financially rewarded for success in the NCAA Tournament. The Division I Board of Directors voted unanimously to introduce a proposal that will give performance units to teams that play in March Madness. Units represent revenue. The proposal goes to the NCAA's Board of Governors later this week to approve the allocation of funds, but approval is considered a formality. If approved by Division I membership in January, the plan would begin with the 2025 tournament. "This is a momentous day, and the Division I Board of Directors Finance Committee is proud to have led the efforts that brought us to the introduction of this proposal," said Houston Davis, president at Central Arkansas and chair of the committee. "If approved in January, these funds will again advance the NCAA's efforts to support gender equity and continue investment in the sport of women's basketball." The NCAA sharing March Madness revenue with its membership has long been a feature of the men's tournament. The 2018 tournament, for example, brought in $844.3 million in television and marketing rights, the vast majority from a contract with CBS and Turner Sports to televise the games. The latest extension of that deal is worth $8.8 billion over eight years, starting this year. |
| Google's Monopolist Ruling Could Bring Significant Sports Changes | |
| In finding that Google has violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act, U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta held Monday that "Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly." Although the ruling doesn't compel Google to take any immediate action, it sets the table for potential changes that could significantly alter how consumers search for information online and how businesses reach those consumers. That's true of sports fans, teams, leagues, athletes, NIL influencers, sneaker businesses, media companies, marketing firms and numerous others with sizable stakes in athletics. They could all see changes in their online experience that pose economic repercussions. U.S. v. Google centers on the Justice Department's contention that Google wrongfully uses exclusive agreements to secure default status "on nearly all desktop and mobile devices in the United States." Google, the DOJ maintains, is a monopoly in three markets: general search services, search advertising and general search text advertising. As Sportico has explained, a downsizing of Google's presence could alter sports leagues' marketing strategies and partnerships with technology companies. Ticket, apparel and sneaker companies, including those in partnership with leagues and players, pay for ads to appear on the first page of Google searches or with prominence on Google-owned YouTube. Media companies also try to "game" Google results to increase hits to stories. |
| Wicker, Hyde-Smith among 23 U.S. Senators calling on NCAA to protect women's sports | |
| Mississippi's Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are among a group of 23 U.S. Senators calling on the NCAA to adopt policies that protect women's sports. A letter led by Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn urges NCAA President Charlie Baker to update the association's student-athlete participation policy to require that only biological women can participate in NCAA women's sports. The group says the "science is clear." "Males have inherent athletic advantages over females due to their anatomy and biology – including through having larger hearts, higher red blood count, greater lung capacity, longer endurance, larger muscle mass, differences in bone density and geometry, and lower body fat," the Senators' letter to Baker states. "Consistently, when adult males' athletic performance is contrasted with adult females' athletic performance in sports relying on endurance, muscle strength, speed, and power, males dominate, outperforming females by 10 to 30 percent." The letter points out that other athletics associations are recognizing the obvious differences between the sexes. Senators Wicker and Hyde-Smith are also cosponsors of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023, which would preserve Title IX protections for female athletes and ensure fair, safe competition in women's sports across the country. |
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