| Thursday, September 5, 2024 |
| Ludacris set to headline this year's Bulldog Bash | |
 | Grammy-winning rapper Ludacris will headline Mississippi State's Bulldog Bash on Oct. 4 this year, the university announced in a press release on Wednesday. He is set to take the stage at 9:15 p.m. at the intersection of Jackson and Main streets, closing out what is touted as the state's largest free outdoor concert. Belle Grace Wilkinson, MSU senior and Bulldog Bash public relations coordinator, said she hopes turnout this year will beat the event's current attendance record of about 35,000 concertgoers. "We are so stoked," Wilkinson said about booking the artist. "We wanted something big this year, and we landed on Ludacris and we are so so excited." Ludacris is a hip hop artist known for his Southern rap style and hit songs like "Stand Up," "My Chick Bad" and "Money Maker." Rising to fame in the early 2000s, he has released several multi-platinum albums, like "Word of Mouf" and "Chicken-n-Beer." He has won three Grammy awards, including the best album award for "Release Therapy" in 2007. Wilkinson said the Bulldog Bash team has already received positive feedback from students since the announcement was made on Wednesday. |
| HARDY to perform at Mississippi State University | |
 | Five-time Academy of Country Music award winner HARDY will perform at Dudy Noble Field at Mississippi State University (MSU) on September 12, 2024. HARDY is a native of Philadelphia, Mississippi, who last year soared to the top of the charts with his country and rock hits. He has written 15 No. 1 singles, including "One Beer" featuring Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson, as well as the Dierks Bentley and BRELAND collaboration "Beers On Me." Gates will open at 5:00 p.m. for the 6:15 p.m. concert that also features Randy Houser, Travis Denning and Ella Langley. Visit HailState.com/Hardy to purchase tickets and find more information. Prepaid digital parking permits for lots surrounding the stadium may be purchased beginning Sept. 4 at 10 a.m. at HailState.com/Hardy, which also includes traffic maps for ingress and egress. Attendees are encouraged to purchase parking permits prior to the show to reduce wait time. Parking lots near Dudy Noble Field will be closed starting at noon on September 12 and some lots will close sooner to accommodate concert operations. SMART shuttle routes will not be impacted but may take more time with increased traffic in the area. |
| MSU students connect with resources in the community | |
 | Kaylan Robinson is a transfer student, who just recently moved to Starkville. She's been going to class at Mississippi State, but didn't know what all was available in the community. "I just wanted to meet new people, get involved, find some organizations that I can be a part of," said Robinson. On September 4, Robinson attended MSU's "Shades of Starkville." The goal of the event is to connect students with resources in the area and on campus. "We have businesses ranging from restaurants to doctor's offices to churches, hair salons, health and beauty, all sorts of different things, so students know where to go when they need those resources," said Taylor Roberson, the Coordinator of Programs in the Center for Student Activities. MSU made it easy for the students to meet businesses that can help them, in person. Over 50 vendors were on hand. |
| Mississippi Water Stewards Help Monitor State's Waterways | |
 | Joy Rhoads has always felt connected to the waterways near where she grew up in Jackson. She learned to water ski on the Ross Barnett Reservoir northeast of the city and camped along the Pearl River watershed's many creeks and streams. The hours she spent outdoors made her feel responsible for protecting the area's natural resources -- an attitude she also observed in the people around her. "Conservation was a part of how most people behaved," Rhoads, a history instructor at Hinds Community College in the Jackson metro area, told the Mississippi Free Press on July 25. "We were the stewards of (the watershed) because we were using it." She brings that same mentality to her work at Mississippi Water Stewards, or MSWS, a statewide water monitoring and education program made up of citizen volunteers. "With Extension, we do outreach and education all across the state, bringing the research out of the university and really applying it in communities," said Beth Baker, an associate professor at MSU Extension who oversees the MSWS program. "So it really made sense that we transition from doing a lot of our own water monitoring to engaging citizens around the state." MSWS is poised to grow its footprint thanks to new federal funding. In July, MSU Extension received $100,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency to further expand the program in Mississippi, arming additional communities with tools to better understand local water issues and keep their waterways safe. |
| Taking Care of What Matters | |
| Jeff Gore, professor and head of Mississippi State University's Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, writes for the Delta Business Journal: Agriculture is, without question, the most important industry in the Mississippi Delta. Farmers and the allied agriculture industries that support farmers drive the local economy in the 19-county region of the state, more than any other business. Mississippi State University's Delta Research and Extension Center (DREC) was established in 1904 as the Delta Branch Experiment Station to support local agriculture and MSU's Land-Grant mission. ... Currently, the DREC has approximately 5,000 acres, 25 faculty members, and 160 total employees, but our mission remains the same as it was 120 years ago: to serve Delta farmers. The complex is also home to the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) Southeast Area Headquarters, the U.S. Forest Service Southern Hardwoods Laboratory, the Yazoo Mississippi Delta Joint Water Management District, Delta Health Alliance, and Delta Council. Together, we form a unique conglomeration affectionately known as "Stoneville," of which the Delta Branch Experiment Station formed the foundation. During the last 120 years, some of the most important innovations in agriculture have been developed and tested in Stoneville. |
| Gulfport mother-daughter duo earns national recognition for dorm room design | |
| A Gulfport mother-daughter duo has gained national recognition for an elaborate dorm room that the pair designed together. Tamara Wingerter and her daughter, Marissa, spent months designing the incoming freshman's room at Mississippi State University. The room has garnered plenty of attention online, even being featured by People magazine. However, dorm decor is a much bigger part of Wingerter's life than what it might seem. She is a co-founder of "Dorm Rooms of Mississippi and Beyond," a Facebook group that has 73-thousand members and shares inspiration, tips and tricks. Wingerter is also a businesswoman, designing rooms for group members and even launching a unique partnership with a local company. WXXV News 25 met with Wingerter for an exclusive interview and a look into her growing business as a dorm room designer. |
| New women's walking club promotes community and wellness
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 | A new walking club for women, We Walk Stark, is set to begin in mid-to-late September, offering a chance for community members to connect through exercise. Founded by Emma Watson, the club is designed to encourage a supportive environment for women of all ages and all different health and wellness journeys. Watson, a junior at Mississippi State University, started the club after noticing a lack of similar groups in the area. She hopes that the club will emphasize the importance of building a community where women could walk together, both literally and figuratively. After realizing there wasn't a group that met her needs, Watson decided to take matters into her own hands. She created an Instagram account for the club and shared it on local social media pages, where it quickly gained attention. Watson made it clear that the club is not just for Mississippi State students. She hopes to include women from all backgrounds and all ages, including those from nearby colleges. "I just wanted to create a sense of community and a space where women could begin a health and wellness journey together while being surrounded by a supportive community," Watson said. "It's important to me that women never have to walk alone." |
| Hundreds of cities get federal help to make streets safer | |
| With road deaths still stubbornly high following the pandemic, the Biden administration announced Thursday more than $1 billion in funding to help make the nation's streets safer. The grants to local governments will help fund 354 safety projects around the country. "We've been making a lot of announcements that make a lot of news at the Department of Transportation, but few could be as important as this one, because this really goes to the single main reason why our department exists, which is safety," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a call with reporters. The list of projects funded through the grants include nearly $10 million to provide telemedicine services to emergency responders in rural Minnesota, $8.1 million for a new roundabout near the campus of Mississippi State University, and $25 million to add "complete streets" features -- such as separated bike lanes, curb extensions, raised intersections and extra time for pedestrians to cross -- to a major thoroughfare in Milwaukee. About 70 of the local governments receiving awards that were announced Thursday received money for construction and implementation. The rest received help for planning future projects. |
| Mary Means Business: Harbor Freight plans Starkville location | |
| Harbor Freight is planning a Starkville location. Y'all, as a confident (but not quite competent) weekend warrior, I'm stoked about this one. According to City Planner Daniel Havelin, the tool and equipment retailer has filed a building permit that is currently under review. Harbor Freight will take the place of the outgoing Home Store Furnishings at 311 Hwy. 12 W. in Middleton Court shopping center. ... 929 Coffee Bar served its last latte Saturday at 106 E. Main St. Good news though, the coffee shop is just moving locations. The Dispatch hadn't heard back from owners by press time Thursday, but the company posted online last week that details would be released soon about its next location. ... John Hughes would be happy to see a familiar face moving back to where it all began. In the simplest terms with the most convenient definitions, The Breakfast Club is moving back to 105 Eckford Drive. ... The Joint, previously located at 105 Eckford Drive, announced online it is "moooooving" (I may have missed an o) to the Jackson area. Craig Fant confirmed the restaurant's move. Fant's wife Michele owns The Joint, along with Taste and Bluto's, and he said they plan to reopen in the Ridgeland area by next summer. |
| Report: Legislatures public retirement reforms not enough | |
 | State lawmakers will need to readdress concerns about the Public Employment Retirement System of Mississippi in 2025 if it is to remain viable long term, according to a July study. Legislative actions in the 2024 Session to reduce public employer contribution rate hikes and increase state funding are not enough to address billions in unfunded future benefits to retirees, according to a report released by the Legislature's third-party watchdog group, the Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Committee. Projections show the state's retirement plan being less than 50% fully funded by 2047 and having $25 billion in liabilities. According to several municipal leaders who spoke to the Clarion Ledger earlier this year, the legislative move from lawmakers in the past session should save public employers from cutting positions and raising taxes to keep and hire more public employees. PERS Executive Director Ray Higgins told the Clarion Ledger he wasn't surprised by the report's findings. "The PEER analysis seems to be an accurate report and generally reconciles with our information," Higgins said. "Also, the legislative action from last session appears to be a short-term solution." |
| Mississippi House panel starts study that could lead to tax cuts | |
 | Mississippi lawmakers could consider a comprehensive proposal next year to make the state's tax system fairer and more efficient, a state House leader said Wednesday. Ways and Means Committee Chairman Trey Lamar said he joins other top Republicans, including House Speaker Jason White and Gov. Tate Reeves, in continuing to advocate for eventually erasing the state's income tax. Mississippi is reducing its personal income tax under a law Reeves signed in 2022. Efforts to completely phase out the tax fell short in 2023 and never gained traction during this year's legislative session. "I've been on the record more times than I can count over the last five or six years," Lamar said Wednesday at the Capitol. "Eliminating the tax on work in the state of Mississippi is our goal -- and how we can do that responsibly and in as quick a time as we can." Lamar and Republican Rep. Scott Bounds are leading a bipartisan group of House members that White appointed to examine Mississippi taxes. Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann has appointed a bipartisan Senate committee to study taxes and other financial issues. |
| As lawmakers look to cut taxes, Mississippi mayors and county leaders outline infrastructure needs | |
| A legislative panel looking for ways to cut or eliminate state taxes in Mississippi on Wednesday heard from city, county and transportation officials about their need for adequate and stable infrastructure funding. "Infrastructure, that's our main need," said Ocean Springs Mayor Kenny Holloway. "We're an old city, and we've got crumbling water pipes, sewer pipes, sidewalks and roads. We're growing, and it's hard to keep up with needs." Holloway was one of four mayors to address the House Select Committee on Tax Reform during its second of several planned hearings for the summer and fall. The committee also heard from a representative of the association for counties, a transportation expert about the Mississippi Department of Transportation's need for more funding, and the Department of Revenue. On Wednesday, mayors of several Mississippi cities stressed to lawmakers how much their budgets rely on sales taxes and use taxes -- sales taxes collected on internet and other sales outside of the state. The state collects the taxes, then provides cities a "diversion" of part of the taxes collected inside each city. "We in local government don't have any problems that money can't fix," Louisville Mayor Will Hill joked with lawmakers. "... We have the infrastructure issue, and the increased cost of policing and fire protection. We're interested in having conversations on the importance of sales taxes, whether it's increased diversions of local options." |
| Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack shares his thoughts and concerns on getting the farm bill completed | |
| During the Farm Progress Show, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack shared his hope on getting the farm bill completed. "I know that Chairman (Glenn "GT") Thompson has exercised his enthusiasm and optimism for getting a bill done, and I share that hope," Vilsack said, regarding the chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture. He said that there are different levels of optimism on getting a new bill done. "I would say the chairman probably has the highest level," Vilsack said. "Here's what I am optimistic about: I am optimistic about the people who are involved in this process, understanding the importance of it, getting it done certainly before the end of the year." Vilsack explained the urgency about getting the bill completed by the end of the year. "If it doesn't get done before the end of the year, or there's not an extension before the end of the year, then there's some ramifications that are pretty dire," he said. "I know that folks in both the House and Senate are fully aware of that, and I know that they are committed, each and every one of them, to American farmers, ranchers and rural America. So based on this understanding, I'm convinced that eventually they are going to get this done." |
| Grassley expects another farm bill extension | |
| U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley expects another one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill to be included in the temporary spending bill Congress is likely to pass in the coming weeks. "I think we'd be better off if we had a five-year farm bill, but we don't, that isn't going to happen." The current farm bill extension expires September 30th, which is also the deadline for Congress to pass budget bills. The Iowa Republican says that should happen well before the end of the month. "When you get close to shutting down the government, like let's say the week before, there's a lot of taxpayer money spent within the bureaucracy just getting ready to shut down the government." Grassley says farm bill negotiations are held up in the Senate because Ag Committee members can't reach an agreement that reflects the House Ag Committee's bipartisan legislation. |
| Speaker Johnson's opening salvo on spending draws GOP doubts | |
 | Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is prepping House Republicans for a spending battle with Senate Democrats, opting for a strategy that pleases former President Trump and hard-line conservatives but complicates the path to averting a government shutdown at the end of the month. The plan -- which pairs a six-month continuing resolution (CR) with a Trump-supported bill to require proof of citizenship to register to vote -- grants a win to the House Freedom Caucus, which pushed for a longer stopgap that includes the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. But it is already drawing doubts from rank-and-file members who are skeptical it will prove effective and concerned it could damage the party electorally. Those dynamics are thrusting Johnson into a familiar -- yet thorny -- situation: Caught between firebrand hard-liners and apprehensive moderates, staring down a Senate Democratic majority, and scrambling to fund the government with just weeks to go until the Sept. 30 shutdown deadline. Johnson rolled out his opening salvo in the spending battle during a House GOP conference call Wednesday, arguing that the length of the CR -- which would stave off a shutdown through March 2025 -- is the only "practical" option, according to a source on the call. |
| Trump to Adopt Elon Musk's Proposal for Government Efficiency Commission | |
 | Donald Trump plans to outline a suite of economic proposals in a speech here Thursday, including introducing a government efficiency commission recommended by Elon Musk, taking an even more aggressive swipe at regulations than during his first White House term and pledging to rescind certain unspent funds appropriated during the Biden administration. The commission would conduct "a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government" and make "recommendations for drastic reform," the Republican former president plans to say in an appearance before the Economic Club of New York. The goal would be to identify ways to eliminate fraud and improper payments, according to portions of the speech viewed by The Wall Street Journal. Trump and Musk have grown close as Musk's political views have become more conservative. In a recent conversation on X, the entrepreneur suggested Trump form a commission tackling government spending as a way to address inflation. Musk said last month "I'd be happy to help out on such a commission," and on Thursday said on X "I look forward to serving America if the opportunity arises. No pay, no title, no recognition is needed." |
| Right-wing influencers were duped to work for covert Russian operation, US says | |
| They have millions of followers online. They have been major players in right-wing political discourse since Donald Trump was president. And they worked unknowingly for a company that was a front for a Russian influence operation, U.S. prosecutors say. An indictment filed Wednesday alleges a media company linked to six conservative influencers -- including well-known personalities Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson -- was secretly funded by Russian state media employees to churn out English-language videos that were "often consistent" with the Kremlin's "interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition" to Russian interests, like its war in Ukraine. In addition to marking the third straight presidential election in which U.S. authorities have unveiled politically charged details about Russia's attempted interference in U.S. politics, an indictment indicates how Moscow may be attempting to capitalize on the skyrocketing popularity of right-wing podcasters, livestreamers and other content creators who have found successful careers on social media in the years since Trump was in office. |
| Delta State completes final step in budget cuts: Faculty layoffs | |
| Delta State University announced the final number of faculty layoffs last week, signaling the end of the painful budget cuts at the regional institution in the Mississippi Delta. Nine faculty members received terminal contracts for the upcoming school year, in addition to seven faculty who have already resigned and two that will next school year, a spokesperson told Mississippi Today. "While Delta State, like every university, will continue to monitor revenues and expenses and make adjustments accordingly, the recent reorganization has positioned the university to live within its means," Christy Riddle wrote in an email. "No further major cuts are envisioned or necessary." Riddle added while Delta State hasn't finished auditing last year's budget, it appears much healthier than in previous years. The university will now be able to present a balanced budget to its governing board, the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees, she wrote. "Going forward, DSU will only take on additional expenses (including new employees and new programs) when there are sustainable resources available," Riddle wrote. |
| Ole Miss suspends fraternity following viral video of alleged hazing incidents | |
| Operations at an Ole Miss fraternity have been suspended temporarily after a video surfaced online of multiple alleged hazing incidents. Sources in Oxford tell SuperTalk Mississippi News that the fraternity facing suspension is Phi Delta Theta. In the video, a pledge is seen lying on his back as a member of the fraternity dumps two glasses of milk in his mouth. Another portion of the video shows multiple pledges lying on their backs and making obscene gestures. Officials at Ole Miss issued the following statement regarding the contents of the video: "The University is aware of the videos and takes allegations of hazing seriously. The university has placed the involved fraternity on interim suspension, which includes pausing new member activities. This should not impact the activities of other organizations on campus." Ole Miss did not give a timeline as to how long the fraternity's suspension will last. |
| UM receives record-breaking private donations | |
 | With a total of 26,706 donors contributing 61,668 gifts, the University of Mississippi received $168.36 million in donations in the 2024 fiscal year, setting the record for the highest fundraising year in the school's history. This is a $13.26 million increase from the 2023 fiscal year, in which UM received $155.1 million in donations. Donations fund a wide range of expenditures across campus -- including scholarships, individual school improvements and investments into medical research. "We always get funding for scholarships," Vice Chancellor for Development Charlotte Parks said. "One thing that people really like to do is help students be able to afford to come (to school here)." The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) also received millions of dollars to invest in medical research that improves the health, well-being and economic growth of Mississippians. "We greatly appreciate every donor who shares our vision for improving the health of Mississippians by investing in the work of our students, faculty and staff," LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs at UMMC, said in a university press release. "With private support to UMMC exceeding $30 million three years in a row, we are poised to continue our mission-based work in partnership with individual, corporate and foundation donors." |
| MDCC Enrollment for Both Summer and Fall Sessions Increased | |
| Mississippi Delta Community College has announced a significant increase in summer enrollment and a highly successful orientation season. Summer enrollment is up by six percent from last summer, and as of the conclusion of the last orientation session, fall enrollment is also up by six percent compared to this time last year. Valerie Wilbert, Assistant Director of Admissions, believes the success can be attributed to the dedication and interpersonal approach taken by the orientation teams and campus as a whole. "We took an individual approach by calling, emailing, and physically walking each applicant through the admissions process," says Wilbert. "This could not have been done without the help of many other departments reaching out to follow up on interested students becoming fully admitted into various programs. New Student Orientation was amazing; during this time, we shared information with parents on FERPA and how they can become involved in further assisting their child with successfully maintaining enrollment." |
| 2 U. of Florida students arrested during campus protests accept plea deals in criminal cases | |
 | Two University of Florida students arrested earlier this year during pro-Palestinian protests on campus have accepted plea deals to misdemeanor criminal charges and will pay a small fine with no jail time. Keely Nicole Gliwa, 23, of Gainesville, and Roseanna Yashoda Bisram, 20, of Ocala, pleaded no contest to a single count of resisting an officer without violence, according to court records. Under a deferred prosecution agreement, the cases against them would be dropped in six months if they are not arrested again, pay $150 in court fees and donate $150 to specific children's charities. Gliwa and Bisram, who had previously pleaded not guilty and turned down plea deals, did not immediately return phone messages Tuesday. They each remain suspended from enrolling at UF and banned from campus for three years. |
| Student launched late-night burger business. Why won't U. of Kentucky let him have a sign? | |
 | A student-operated restaurant in the University of Kentucky campus has hit a major roadblock: The university itself. UK senior Mohamed Weheba has operated L8NITE Fast Food inside the UK Cornerstone building at 401 S. Limestone for more than a year. The ambitious public-private university project opened in 2020 with an esports theater and local food hall, including beer and pizza, connected to a new parking garage. But few restaurants appear to have stayed long. L8NITE has built a following among fellow university night owls, who enjoy the restaurant's menu of burgers, chicken tenders and fries and more -- plus it's within walking distance of campus and available on delivery apps. But Weheba said the school has ordered him to remove the lighted signs outside his restaurant, leaving him without a way to advertise on the ground to potential customers. Weheba has a portable LED sign he rolls in and out every night on the Winslow Street side of the building, which so far hasn't been a problem. But after he put up another sign on the South Limestone side, he got a letter from his landlord telling him to take it down or face eviction for violating UK's standards. |
| A Nurse Practitioner's $25,000 in Student-Debt Relief Turned Into a $217,500 Bill From the Government | |
| Haley Clements was working as a nurse practitioner at a rural Alabama clinic when she enrolled in a federal program that would pay off her remaining $25,000 in student debt in exchange for staying in her job for three more years. But when one of her supervising doctors died and the other retired, she struggled to find another qualifying position in the area. The penalty for breaching her contract with the National Health Service Corps would be at least $217,500, the program told her. Instead, Clements is suing the government. The nonprofit National Student Legal Defense Network on Thursday filed a lawsuit in Alabama district court on her behalf against the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees a program that grants student-debt relief in exchange for working in underserved areas. The lawsuit argues that the way the program implements penalties on those who breach their contracts is unnecessarily harsh and violates a clause in the Eighth Amendment barring the imposition of excessive fines, among other measures. "I thought, what am I going to do? How will my family survive?" Clements told The Wall Street Journal of learning how much she would owe. A Journal investigation in 2022 found that the Service Corps shows little flexibility when workers breach their contracts, even when they lose their jobs. Finding a new job that qualifies can often be difficult without moving. |
| New Rules and Familiar Challenges as Antiwar Protesters Return to Campuses: 'The Stakes Are Extraordinarily High' | |
 | Students have been returning to classes this week amid tightened security, stricter rules about campus demonstrations, and the familiar sound of chants and drums as protesters continue to demand that their campuses cut ties with Israel. The environment on college campuses this fall is nowhere near the intensity of the protests last spring, when activists set up encampments and took over campus buildings, scores of people were arrested, and college presidencies were toppled. But the rallies and demonstrations that have broken out on a handful of campuses across the country in recent weeks have familiar echoes. They're also testing the new rules colleges rolled out over the summer to try to keep the chaos of the spring from returning. Meanwhile, as pressure on colleges to crack down on antisemitism intensifies, a group that believes colleges have been too quick to equate anti-Israel sentiment with antisemitism released new guidelines on Thursday. The goal is to help administrators, educators and students understand where protected political words or actions cross the line into discrimination and antisemitism. |
| Students' Demands for Divestment From Israel Have Mostly Failed | |
 | Last spring, many of the students protesting the war between Israel and Hamas demanded that their universities divest from weapons manufacturers and other companies profiting off the bloodshed in Gaza. Some called for total divestment from Israel, accusing college leaders of being complicit in a genocide as the death toll of Palestinian civilians continued to climb. Multiple universities agreed to weigh the divestment demands -- among other concessions -- often in exchange for students dismantling encampments. So far, few have actually moved to divest; some boards are still weighing the option while others have voted against it. But a handful of institutions have vowed to disclose their holdings, and some, such as San Francisco State University, have agreed to re-evaluate their investment screening processes. Most boards that have voted on divestment have shot down the idea. At the University of Minnesota, the Board of Regents announced late last month that it will adopt an institutional neutrality policy governing its endowment, rejecting divestment demands from protesters. Experts expect few institutions to yield to student divestment demands, due to the financial complexity and the potential political consequences of such action. |
| Trump Says His Son Barron Is Attending N.Y.U. | |
 | Barron Trump, the youngest child of former President Donald J. Trump, has enrolled as a freshman at New York University in Manhattan, his father said in an interview that was published on Wednesday. Mr. Trump had teased his son's choice of college for months, but in the interview, which was conducted on video by The Daily Mail, he revealed that Barron Trump had chosen to attend N.Y.U.'s Stern School of Business. "He's a very smart guy, and he'll be going to Stern Business School, which is a great school at N.Y.U.," Mr. Trump said in the interview. "He's a very high-aptitude child, but he's no longer a child. He's just passed into something beyond child-dom." The university declined to confirm the younger Mr. Trump's enrollment, but The New York Post published photos on Wednesday of him arriving on campus, flanked by Secret Service agents, a backpack over his shoulder. N.Y.U. had an acceptance rate of 8 percent for the class of 2028, and charges nearly $63,000 a year in tuition. |
| Is More Debt Relief Imminent? A New Lawsuit Says Yes -- and Aims to Stop It. | |
| A new lawsuit claims that the Biden administration will start discharging billions in student loans this week as a part of sweeping plan to provide debt relief for nearly 28 million Americans. Missouri, represented by Attorney General Andrew Bailey, and six other Republican-led states filed suit Tuesday to stop the plan before it takes effect. They argue that the education secretary is "unlawfully trying to mass cancel hundreds of billions of dollars of loans" and planning to do so by Sept. 7. The states asked a federal judge in Georgia to temporarily restrain the Education Department from moving forward with its plans to forgive loans. "Through cloak and dagger, the department has thus finalized a rule with a rollout plan that is maximally designed to forgive tens or hundreds of billions of dollars without any judicial review and is designed to boost the incumbent Democratic presidential candidate two months before the election," the lawsuit argues. But the department hasn't issued the final regulations, which would provide a pathway to loan forgiveness for groups of borrowers including those who have been repaying their loans for more than 20 years and others whose college programs failed to deliver sufficient financial value. That step is expected soon, though, and the department does intend to automatically forgive loans under the plan as soon as possible after finalizing the rule. |
| The Hot Labor Market Has Melted Away. Just Ask New College Grads. | |
| For much of the last three years, employers were fighting one another for workers. Now the tables have turned a bit. Few employers are firing. Layoff rates remain near record lows. But fewer employers are hiring. That has left job seekers, employed or unemployed, competing for limited openings. And younger, less experienced applicants -- even those with freshly obtained college degrees -- have been feeling left out. A spring survey of employers by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that hiring projections for this year's college graduating class were below last year's. And it showed that finance, insurance and real estate organizations were planning a 14.5 percent decrease in hiring this year, a sharp U-turn from its 16.7 percent increase last year. Separately, the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the overall pace of hiring in professional and business services -- a go-to for many young graduates -- is down to levels not seen since 2009. For recent graduates, ages 22 to 27, rates of unemployment and underemployment (defined as the share of graduates working in jobs that typically do not require a college degree) have risen slightly since 2023, according to government data. At 4.3 percent, the unemployment rate is still low. But a key measure of labor market momentum known as the hires rate, which tracks a month's hires as a share of overall employment, has notably fallen back to the sluggish pace of 2014. |
SPORTS
| How Mississippi State football is preparing for Arizona State weather, late kickoff | |
| Mississippi State football is preparing to play a team that, at least through one game, looks vastly improved from last season. Coach Jeff Lebby admitted on Monday, and Bulldog players have noticed it too after Arizona State (1-0) thumped Wyoming 48-7 in its opener. MSU (1-0) must also factor in the late kickoff that is scheduled Saturday (9:30 p.m. CT, ESPN) at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Mississippi is hot, but so is Arizona -- a different kind of hot, too. Modifications and remedies are being made, such as the team leaving Starkville on Thursday instead of how it normally would on a Friday for a Saturday game. "For our guys, just knowing exactly what we are getting into," Lebby said. "We continue to talk about that through yesterday and this morning and (are) having those conversations to understand what it's going to look like late in the week. We got to do a great job from a preparation standpoint of how we are hydrating, how we are eating and how we are resting to give us the ability to go on the road on this flight and be able to be at our best Saturday night." |
| What to watch for: Mississippi State at Arizona State | |
| Following a decisive 56-7 win last weekend against Eastern Kentucky, Mississippi State heads out on the road for the first time this season when the Bulldogs battle Arizona State on Saturday for a 9:30 p.m. Central Time (7:30 p.m. local time) kickoff on ESPN. The Sun Devils finished 3-9 in their final season in the Pac-12 last year before moving to the Big 12, but if their season opener is any indication, they are a much-improved team this year. Arizona State thrashed Wyoming 48-7 and has a roster littered with transfer portal additions on both sides of the ball. This is the first-ever head-to-head meeting between the teams. The Bulldogs were firing on nearly all cylinders in their win over the Colonels, with the offense looking rejuvenated under Baylor transfer quarterback Blake Shapen. Within four minutes, MSU led 14-0, and the defense held EKU to 3.3 yards per rushing attempt. Like the Bulldogs, the Sun Devils struck early and often in their opening game. An interception return for a touchdown gave them the lead after just 41 seconds, the start of a dominant defensive performance in which Wyoming managed a mere 1.3 yards per carry and 2.3 yards per play overall. Arizona State's defense scored again in the second half on a fumble return and was pitching a shutout until the final seconds. |
| Brent Rooker continuing progression with Oakland A's | |
 | Brent Rooker's first year in Oakland was a rousing success. In 2023, the Mississippi State product was an American League All-Star for the first time after hitting 30 home runs, driving in 69, and scoring 61 runs, all career-highs. However, for all the success he experienced with the A's last season, it left him wanting more. "My goal from last year to this year was (to) find a way to improve that offensive profile, be more than a home run-or-nothing threat, be able to work counts and at-bats. For me, the power always comes in spurts," Rooker, 29, said. "I wanted (this year) to remain productive between power spurts whether it's walks, taking my base hits or whatever that is. I've found a good way to do that." Through 122 games this season, the ex-Bulldog who was the 2017 SEC Player of the Year after becoming the second player in league history to win the Triple Crown after hitting .387 with 23 home runs and 82 RBI, is hitting .294 with 33 home runs, 93 RBI, and a .945 OPS, all new career-bests. In August, he saw a fellow Bulldog, pitcher JT Ginn, who was at State in 2019 and 2020, join him in Oakland as Ginn made his big-league debut. And anytime he and the A's play the Texas Rangers, the reigning World Series champions, it's always special since fellow State product Nathaniel Lowe, a former teammate and friend, plays for Texas. |
| DIRECTV reaches out to SEC commissioner Greg Sankey regarding Disney contract dispute | |
| DIRECTV subscribers in North Central Florida and throughout the country have been blacked out of Disney-owned channels since Sept. 1 due to a contract dispute between the carrier and the company. Now, DIRECTV is taking its case directly to the SEC. Head of State & Local Affairs Hamlin Wade sent letters to SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey and chancellors and presidents throughout the conference to pressure Disney into lowering its price point. The Disney networks include ABC, the ESPN family of networks, the SEC Network and ACC Network. "Fan loyalty is at the core of our mission," Wade wrote. "We want to offer maximum choice and value by empowering fans to choose the content they want at lower price points, not forcing them to accept a bloated bundle of expensive channels they don't watch. "Instead of digging in their heels and demanding the status quo, we need Disney to work with us to create more flexible options that better serve today's consumer preferences." Disney acquired the rights to all SEC football games as part of its landmark 10-year, $3 billion deal that begins this year and runs through 2034. |
| Memphis Acknowledges Letter Alleging Widespread Potential NCAA Violations in Men's Basketball Program | |
| Against a backdrop of staff upheaval within the men's basketball program, a University of Memphis official acknowledged the existence of an anonymous letter alleging widespread potential rules violations in the program and said the letter has been passed along to the NCAA. "The University of Memphis is aware of the anonymous letter and it has been turned over to the NCAA," university spokeswoman Michele Ehrhart said in an email to Sports Illustrated on Wednesday. "That is all we can say on the matter." Earlier Wednesday, Memphis Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway announced the firing of four members of his staff: assistants Rick Stansbury, Faragi Phillips and Jamie Rosser, as well as special adviser Demetrius Dyson. No reasons were given by the school for their dismissal. It is unclear if the firings are related to the letter, which was obtained by Sports Illustrated. The offseason has been rife with other turnover at Memphis in addition to what was announced Wednesday. The Commercial-Appeal reported that five other staff members have departed since the end of the 2023–24 season, and the team has just one returning scholarship player. |
| As college athletics prepares for revenue-sharing fallout, leaders wonder: is a breakaway from the NCAA next? | |
| The "big breakaway" now seems to be right around the corner. It's been hinted at, speculated and discussed for years: a growing possibility of some combination of the power conferences detaching themselves from the current NCAA structure. The concept has never been more likely. On Thursday, Ninth District judge Claudia Wilken is expected to give preliminary approval to the House v. NCAA settlement. Among the conditions is a tranche of revenue-sharing money that will change college athletics significantly in this already dizzying age. Schools will be given the option of funding up to 22% of their annual revenue -- an average of about $23 million per school -- to be set aside annually for athletes for the next 10 years beginning next year. In essence, it is true pay for play ... with conditions. If the separation of FBS isn't imminent, the mechanisms are definitely in place. The Power Four are already likely to form their own governance structure within the NCAA. How far that authority goes is up for debate. The split, if there is one, will come with its share of acrimony. The NCAA/FBS brand impacts the ability to land grants, donations and talented faculty. |
| NCAA House Settlement Faces Its Day of Reckoning in Court | |
| It's not an overstatement to say the future of Division I college sports rests in the hands of a 75-year-old judge in Oakland, Calif., or that a hearing before this judge on Thursday will alter that future. At 2:30 pm local time, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken will hear arguments from attorneys for the NCAA, power conferences and athletes represented by the House, Carter and Hubbard antitrust litigations. They'll urge Wilken to grant their motion for preliminary approval of a multibillion-dollar settlement. The settlement envisions the NCAA, conferences and colleges paying college athletes---and their attorneys---roughly $2.8 billion over the next decade for NIL, video game and broadcast compensation they could have earned in recent years. It also calls for colleges to be able to opt in to an arrangement where they'd share revenue with players and, subject to an annual salary-cap-like cap, pay them for media rights, ticket sales sponsorships and NIL. One important factor is that a settlement doesn't have to be optimal; the saying "don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good" very much applies. The "fair, reasonable and adequate" threshold accords Wilken wide discretion to determine if the deal, even if flawed and perhaps much better for some than others, is good enough to move forward to the next stage. |
| Federal judge will hear NCAA settlement objections Thursday | |
| The California-based federal judge overseeing the trio of antitrust lawsuits that could reshape college sports will weigh in for the first time Thursday on a proposed new model for paying athletes. Judge Claudia Wilken will ask questions and gather information from plaintiffs, defendants and other parties to decide whether to grant preliminary approval for a proposed settlement between the NCAA and its five power conferences and a class of former and current Division I athletes. Her approval would be the next, but not last, step toward implementing a system that would bring an unprecedented level of change to major college sports. Wilken does not have to decide from the bench Thursday -- a ruling could come days or weeks later -- but the hearing provides the first chance to gain insights about whether she feels the deal is a fair and adequate system for compensating college athletes for the next 10 years. "I don't think it's possible to overstate how important this could be in the grand scheme of things for college sports. We are closer than ever to an entirely new era," said Gabe Feldman, director of the sports law program at Tulane University and an expert in NCAA legal issues. "Part of what we're looking for is to see if Judge Wilken has concerns about the settlement." |
| Campus Engagement Tip: Promoting Athletic Event Attendance | |
| Tailgating and cheering from the student section are hallmarks of the college experience in Hollywood films, but researchers have long been tracking a decline in student attendance at college football games. Athletic events can promote school spirit, which is tied to retention and feelings of belonging among college students, which can in turn influence student completion and overall success. But getting students into the stands is one challenge for institutional leaders. Inside Higher Ed compiled seven strategies colleges and universities have implemented to turn students into cheerleaders for their athletic teams. The University of Oklahoma's fan engagement team focuses on awareness of events and getting players visible on campus to entice attendance at women's volleyball matches, as reported by the OU Daily. One initiative, Digs for Donuts, had players take a volleyball around campus and invite students to pass the ball (called a dig in volleyball) and receive a pastry for successfully doing so. OU broke its student section record last September in a match against the University of Texas, with 695 students in attendance. The University of Missouri has implemented frequent surveying of its sports event attendees to gauge what's working well and what could be improved, which also helps the athletics staff identify trends among younger attendees and the current student population. Surveys are distributed after each home game for football and men's and women's basketball, with questions about various features -- from concession stands and parking to scoreboard videos and game-time entertainment. |
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