| Tuesday, September 24, 2024 |
| The FAA's ASSURE: Testing for Standards | |
 | At the heart of enabling uncrewed traffic management in an advanced mobility airspace is the knowledge that everyone is flying with the same set of predictable rules for equipment and aircraft behavior. That kind of predictability can only come with agreed upon standards, which, in turn, are based on extensive research, both academic and operational, and training to ensure operators comply. While standards can be developed under many auspices, a core player is the Alliance for System Safety of UAS Through Research Excellence (ASSURE), the FAA's testing center for UAS research. "About 10 years ago, in 2014, Congress finally got frustrated with the FAA's inability to move UAS fast enough because the FAA didn't have the capacity to do research, only to establish regulations and policy," said Stephen P. Luxion, ASSURE executive director. ASSURE was set up as a Department of Transportation (DOT) Center of Excellence, housed at Mississippi State University after a competition among schools. Today, ASSURE is comprised of 29, soon to be 30, universities and more than 100 industry partners. "Our mission is to inform FAA leadership on rules, regulations, policy, guidelines, standards, and training requirements," Luxion said. To this end, ASSURE focuses on UAS airworthiness and certification, detect and avoid (DAA) technologies, human factors in UAS operations, UAS traffic management (UTM) and integration with manned aircraft, and risk assessment and management for UAS operations. |
| Mississippi State University Scientists Use $1 Million Grant To 'Get A Grip' On Automated Blackberry Harvesting | |
| The labor-intensive work of harvesting delicate blackberries by hand is a must, but the development of advanced technologies by Mississippi State University (MSU) scientists could help automate the tedious process. Many agricultural crops are picked quickly by machines, and MSU Assistant Professor Xin Zhang, of the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, is working with a university team to do the same for ripe blackberries -- taking this high-value specialty crop from special handling to robotic harvesting. In the university's Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Zhang and her team are developing a blackberry detection and localization system, the "eyes" and "brain" of a robotic harvester system powered by an innovative, artificial intelligence-driven deep learning approach. Zhang is co-principal investigator on a $1 million multi-institutional effort funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture National Robotics Initiative 3.0 (NRI-3.0) program in collaboration with the National Science Foundation. As the MSU team develops this critical component of the automated harvester, partners at Georgia Tech are working on a soft touch robotic arm and gripper and a bipedal mobile platform to work hand-in-glove with the MSU-trained perception system. The prototype gripper is equipped with sensors located at the ends---like tiny fingertips---allowing it to grasp and pick the berry without squeezing and damaging it. University of Arkansas scientists are focused on post-harvesting fruit analysis. |
| Southern land-grant universities create AI centers | |
| Artificial intelligence (AI) can help feed the world and preserve our natural resources. To maximize the bandwidth of AI, scientists are working together to develop robotics and precision agriculture, use drones effectively and more. Recognizing the strength of collaboration, universities across the South are launching centers where researchers combine brain power and data to help agricultural producers. In 2023, Mississippi State University launched the Agricultural Autonomy Institute (AAI), a pioneering interdisciplinary center focused on advancing autonomous technologies in agriculture. AAI aims to transform farming with innovations in robotics, artificial intelligence and remote sensing, improving on-farm precision, efficiency and economic growth. It leverages MSU's strong foundation in precision agriculture, aiming to boost productivity and address labor shortages, which could position Mississippi as the "Silicon Valley of agricultural autonomy." Scientists in the university's Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES) are developing autonomous systems to change the future of agriculture. Through rigorous research, public demonstrations, and educational outreach, MSU is equipping a new generation of agricultural professionals, ensuring continued leadership in integrating AI into farming and addressing broader goals of food security and environmental sustainability. |
| MSU scientist partnering on $2.1M grant to revive Red Wolf legacy | |
| A Mississippi State University researcher is studying a distinct population of coyotes along the Gulf Coast in hopes of furthering conservation of the disappearing species of red wolves. Dana Morin, assistant professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture and scientist in the university's Forest and Wildlife Research Center, is partnering on a $2.1 million grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation to study red wolf ancestry among wild canines along the Gulf Coast. Her partners include Bridgett M. von Holdt from Princeton University, Kristin E. Brzeski from Michigan Technological University and researchers from the Endangered Wolf Center. Gulf Coast canids are coyotes found in eastern Texas and western Louisiana that carry varying amounts of red wolf ghost ancestry in their coyote genomes. This research is one of 10 projects receiving funding under the Partnership to Advance Conservation Science and Practice program, a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the NSF and the Allen Foundation. The projects focus on a range of species, and the outcomes will have far-reaching implications for biodiversity and conservation, policy, and the economy. |
| MSU displays backpacks for suicide awareness | |
 | The month of September is set aside each year as suicide prevention month. Mississippi State University hosted a backpack display, to show support for lives lost to suicide. "We want our students to recognize that they are cared for, and that they are not alone, so we are providing a lot of mental health resources for our students on campus, as well as opportunities for us to engage with outreach. We have a board where they can write their reason for living, we also have a ribbon wall where they can honor someone that they lost to suicide, and also leave a life affirming message. Our goal in this, is make our students feel that they are cared for," said Assistant Director Kim Kavalsky. |
| 'There's a brighter day for healthcare in Starkville': OCH Regional Medical Center now up for sale | |
| Local officials are now seeking a buyer for the Oktibbeha County Hospital Regional Medical Center amid an ongoing healthcare crisis in Mississippi. Seven years after residents in the Golden Triangle county elected to keep the hospital under local government control, things pivoted last week with the decision now being to entice a buyer to take over the medical center. The shift in public opinion came after a thorough evaluation of OCH Regional Medical Center's feasibility highlighted a concerning future for the hospital if action is not taken soon. State Sen. Bart Williams, a Republican who represents Starkville, confirmed that the county's board of supervisors has decided to employ investment banking firm Raymond James to issue a request for proposal for a potential suitor to buy the hospital. "At the end of the day, I think our community has decided that the time for the county to be in the hospital business has passed," Williams said. "We want the best quality of healthcare that we can get and we think the model that has been applied in the past, it's probably time to sunset that." "We've got the best people that work in healthcare -- our surgeons, our doctors, our nurses, our staff, everybody, but we understand that it is time for a change," Williams continued. "There is uncertainty. There is a fear factor with that. But we know if we do it right, if we do it diligently, and we keep all the stakeholders involved, there's a brighter day for healthcare in Starkville." |
| Aluminum Dynamics provides jobs for the community | |
| Gregg Whigham, the operations manager for Aluminum Dynamics, spoke at Starkville Rotary Monday. He explained how the $2.5 billion project is more than halfway complete. Aluminum Dynamics is half-way to hiring a full staff and completing construction on their 2.3 million square foot aluminum rolling mill facility. The construction process has already added hundreds of jobs to the area. "We have currently over 1,400 contractors working on site everyday alongside of our almost 400 aluminum dynamics employees," said Whigham. By this time next year, the facility should be shipping out metal. Whigham said once the facility is complete and fully staffed, the impact will be felt all around. "So, I think not only are we going to have a great impact on our employees and their families, but that there will be a synergistic impact on the community as well," said Whigham. |
| Mississippi lawmakers holding summit on tax reform in Flowood on Tuesday | |
| House Speaker Jason White will be hosting a summit on tax reform at the Sheraton Refuge in Flowood on Tuesday. The 2024 Policy Summit comes after a summer of meetings for the Select Committee on Tax Reform, which was formed by White after the 2024 legislative session. As lawmakers recently implemented the largest income tax in state history, in 2022, but continue to squabble over how to further eliminate the income tax while also slashing the sales tax, experts and politicians will join forces at the hotel's event area to discuss what might be the best plan of action for the Magnolia State and its residents. "This summer, the committee began their evaluations and considerations of our state's tax code. This Policy Summit is another step in the House's commitment to building Mississippi up to have the most appealing tax structure in the nation," White said, per a press release. White noted that a majority of the House is already in favor of speeding up the elimination of income tax while the select committee studying the matter has also looked into ways to cut the nation's highest tax on groceries, which is levied through the state's 7% sales tax. |
| Brett Favre to testify Tuesday at House welfare reform hearing amid Mississippi scandal | |
 | Brett Favre is set to testify Tuesday at a hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee examining welfare reform, the panel confirmed to The Hill, an appearance that comes after the former NFL star faced allegations of using Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) state funds for corporate gains. Favre was accused of encouraging local officials to use welfare money to build an athletic facility and support the manufacture of a concussion drug. A Mississippi state audit found that some $5 million in TANF resources was reallocated to pay for the construction of a volleyball facility at Favre's alma mater -- the University of Southern Mississippi, where his daughter was then playing volleyball -- and that $1.7 million was directed toward a company named Prevacus, which is working to develop the concussion medication and where he is an investor. Favre will likely be asked to speak to his actions at the committee hearing, titled "Reforming Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): States' Misuse of Welfare Funds Leaves Poor Families Behind." |
| Meet the people running for Mississippi's Supreme Court and other courts | |
| This November, tens of millions of voters will select Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump to be president for the next four years. But, the presidency is just one piece of our democracy. Here in Mississippi, voters also have the opportunity to determine who will serve on their state and local courts. Up for election this year are two seats on the state Supreme Court, one seat on the Court of Appeals and, in Hinds County, one county court judgeship. These courts make rulings that impact the lives of Mississippians. Those elected to judicial offices hand down hundreds of decisions each year about criminal convictions, civil rights and the law. The Marshall Project-Jackson and Mississippi Today compiled information about each race and candidate to help you make an informed decision at the polls. Election Day is Nov. 5. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 7. |
| Lawmaker: Putting Smith-Wills back on tax rolls could 'provide much-needed income for the city' | |
| A state representative is speaking out after being blamed for including language in a 2024 bond bill to retake Smith-Wills Park from the city of Jackson. DeSoto County Rep. Trey Lamar has been credited with including a provision in H.B. 1983 directing Attorney General Lynn Fitch to retake the property from the city, saying it was no longer being used for parks and recreation, as the state intended. Lamar, though, rejects that claim, saying every lawmaker had a chance to vote on the bill after the provision was included, and said the governor signed it. "I don't say I would be solely responsible for an act that everybody had participation in from a legislative standpoint and the governor's office," he said. "But I was aware of some of the problems going on out there. Yes, I was, along with several other people." Lamar's comments come about a week after Fitch ordered the city to file a quitclaim deed for the Smith-Wills property with her office by September 30 or face legal action. The representative refuted claims members of the Jackson delegation were blind-sided by the provision, contending he spoke to several members about it, although he wouldn't say which ones. "They have asked for me not to say," he said. "There's some relationships there that I don't have the authority to disclose." |
| Jackson City Council set to vote on new state lobbyist | |
 | The City of Jackson's search for a state lobbyist has concluded. Back in November 2023, the Jackson City Council met with Hinds County Democratic Rep. Chris Bell, the leader of the Mississippi House of Representative's Black Caucus, to discuss the city's need for a state lobbyist. On Tuesday, the council will vote on an order to execute a contract with Donna Carole Echols of The Echols Group. This will be the first time the city has had a state lobbyist since 2022, according to Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba. Speaking after a Monday press conference, Lumumba said the city's search was on finding a lobbyist who can "effectively" pursue the various needs of Jackson in the Legislature and that he was "hopeful" the council would vote in favor. According to The Echols Group website, Echols has been "successfully lobbying on behalf of clients for over 20 years," including raising "over $3 million in disaster relief for firefighters and law enforcement" after hurricanes and tornadoes in the state. She earned her PhD in public administration from Jackson State University, and she is also a fellow for the Environmental Protection Agency. The group has also been successful securing funds for a program for bullet proof vests to local law enforcement, $28 million in state bonds for new Mississippi Department of Public Safety facilities and helped to authorize off-duty use of uniforms and weapons by law enforcement for private employment, according to their website. |
| Ag negotiators under ad hoc pressure | |
 | With farm bill talks still stalled and the deadline quickly approaching, commodity groups are pressing for lawmakers to either finalize a new farm bill or pass another extension with an ad hoc assistance package this fall to address disasters and concerns about the farm economy. Interest in some sort of emergency assistance package along with a farm bill extension to support farmers is growing among top farm bill negotiators. House Ag Chair G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) told MA there's a "lot of interest" from groups and constituents in emergency help from Capitol Hill along with any farm bill extension. House Ag ranking member David Scott (D-Ga.) appeared to acknowledge pressure on vulnerable members in a recent letter saying that an ad hoc package is an option if lawmakers can't clinch a new bill. But Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) isn't ready to settle on an extension and ad hoc pair, and is still emphasizing Plan A -- a new farm bill -- to be finalized before the end of the calendar year. "We'll just see. We want a farm bill," Stabenow said in a brief interview with MA. "This is all going to depend on how things go at the end of the year." Senate Ag ranking member John Boozman (R-Ark.), who pitched the ad hoc plan on the Senate floor, said last week that a priority for October will be "getting all the facts together" to have a forecast of how badly farmers need emergency assistance. |
| Trump listens during farming event in Pennsylvania, then threatens John Deere with tariffs | |
| Donald Trump sat in a large barn in rural Pennsylvania on Monday, asking questions of farmers and offering jokes but, in a rarity for his campaign events, mostly listening. The bombastic former president was unusually restrained at an event about China's influence on the U.S. economy, a roundtable during which farmers and manufacturers expressed concerns about losing their way of life. Behind Trump were large green tractors and a sign declaring "Protect our food from China." The event in Smithton, Pennsylvania, gave Trump a chance to drive his economic message against Vice President Kamala Harris, arguing that imposing tariffs and boosting energy production will lower costs. He highlighted Harris' reversal of a previous vow to ban fracking, a method of producing natural gas key to Pennsylvania's economy. And he noted the tractors behind him were manufactured by John Deere, which announced in June it was moving skid steer and track loader manufacturing to Mexico and working to acquire land there for a new factory. Trump threatened the firm with a 200% tariff should he win back the presidency and it opted to export manufacturing to Mexico. Trump has embraced tariffs as he tries to appeal to working-class voters who oppose free-trade deals and the outsourcing of factories and jobs, and the event wasn't all about showing a more personable side. |
| Carville: 'This just doesn't feel like a race that Harris is gonna lose' | |
| Democratic strategist James Carville said Monday evening that he has a "feeling" Vice President Harris will win the election in November. "I don't like to predict elections. I would just say, this just doesn't feel like a race that Harris is gonna lose," Carville told CNN's Anderson Cooper on "AC360." "But that's just a feeling. That's just a feeling," he added. Carville, who previously served as an adviser for former President Clinton, noted that most presidential elections in recent memory have been close until the very end -- save for the 2008 election. The long-time strategist predicted 2024's race will play out similarly, remaining close in the polls until eventually breaking for one candidate. The least likely scenario, he said, is for the seven core swing states to split, 4-3, for each candidate. "It's close in the polls, and I'm not convinced that it's gonna be close on election day," Carville said, when Cooper asked why the race seems so close. Harris and Trump remain locked in a close race that is likely to come down to the vote count in seven key swing states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. |
| Proposed Ban Would Be a 'Death Sentence' for Chinese EVs in the US | |
 | After officially hiking tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports earlier this month, the US government is getting even more serious about keeping China-made autos out of the country. On Monday, the US Commerce Department proposed a new rule that would ban some Chinese- and Russian-made automotive hardware and software from the US, with software restrictions starting as early as 2026. The Biden administration says the move is needed for national security reasons, given how central technology is to today's increasingly sophisticated cars. In announcing the proposed ban, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo cited vehicles' internet-connected cameras, microphones, and GPS equipment. "It doesn't take much imagination to understand how a foreign adversary with access to this information could pose a serious risk to both our national security and the privacy of US citizens," she said. The US government's move comes as China has dramatically increased the number of affordable vehicles, and especially electric ones, it makes and sells overseas. A proposed software and hardware ban is more preemptive than a response to any immediate security risk, says Steve Man, the global head of auto research at Bloomberg Intelligence, a research and advisory firm. "PRC and Russian automakers do not currently play a significant role in the US auto market, and US drivers right now are safe," a senior Biden administration official told WIRED. |
| Severe obesity is on the rise in the US | |
| Obesity is high and holding steady in the U.S., but the proportion of those with severe obesity -- especially women -- has climbed since a decade ago, according to new government research. The U.S. obesity rate is about 40%, according to a 2021-2023 survey of about 6,000 people. Nearly 1 in 10 of those surveyed reported severe obesity, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. Women were nearly twice as likely as men to report severe obesity. The overall obesity rate appeared to tick down vs. the 2017-2020 survey, but the change wasn't considered statistically significant; the numbers are small enough that there's mathematical chance they didn't truly decline. That means it's too soon to know whether new treatments for obesity, including blockbuster weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound, can help ease the epidemic of the chronic disease linked to a host of health problems, according to Dr. Samuel Emmerich, the CDC public health officer who led the latest study. "We simply can't see down to that detailed level to prescription medication use and compare that to changes in obesity prevalence," Emmerich said. "Hopefully that is something we can see in the future." The new study also found that obesity rates varied by education. Almost 32% of people with a bachelor's degree or higher reported having obesity, compared with about 45% of those with some college or a high school diploma or less. |
| USM receives $200,000 grant for special education | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) received a $200,0000 grant to support and protect the rights and inclusion of Mississippi K-12 students and their families through the Special Education Family Advocacy Network. "We are excited to launch this innovative program through our Institute for Disability Studies, which will create a statewide network of family advocates providing crucial peer-to-peer support for families of children with disabilities. This initiative will expand access to high-quality educational support, increase knowledge about special education services, and foster a sustainable system of family cohorts across our state," said Dr. Kelly Lucas, USM Vice President for Research. According to university officials, IDS aims to develop community-based networks of family advocates while also providing peer-to-peer support rooted in personal experience and extensive training in special education policies and procedures. |
| MCC named 'Great College to Work For' for second year | |
 | For the second year in a row, Meridian Community College is being honored as an exemplary employer by the 2024 Great Colleges to Work For recognition program. Based on feedback from MCC employees, the latest results of the survey were released late last week in a special insert in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Great Colleges to Work For status, one of the largest workplace recognition programs in the country, was designed to recognize colleges that are being successful in creating great workplaces for employees. This year marked the 17th anniversary of the program. Nationwide, 216 colleges were recognized as 2024 Great Colleges to Work For, including 139 four-year institutions and 77 community colleges. Results were reported for small, medium and large institutions. "This honor reflects the hard work of our faculty and staff in making MCC a supportive and welcoming place for employees and students," MCC President Tom Huebner said in a news release. "We'll continue to build on this strong foundation as we move forward together." MCC joins six other Mississippi institutions on the 2024 Great Colleges to Work For list, including the University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University, Mississippi University for Women, as well as Northeast Mississippi, Southwest and Mississippi Gulf Coast community colleges. |
| Meet the new provost: Jason Keith takes the reigns | |
| Jason Keith has started his first semester as senior vice president and provost with Iowa State University. Keith has also attended his first Faculty Senate and Board of Regents meetings. According to previous reporting from the Daily, Keith was named the next senior vice president and provost in May and succeeded Jonathan Wickert, who held the position for 12 years. Keith previously served as the dean of the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering at Mississippi State University and director of Mississippi State's Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering. Keith defined his new role as simple: "Simply put, I am responsible for student and faculty success, including the academic colleges, research, ISU Extension and Outreach, enrollment management and the University Library. The academic division also includes smaller (but really important!) units like Study Abroad and the University Honors Program," Keith stated in a written statement to the Daily. "What excites me about this role is the opportunity to work with students, faculty and staff across the entire breadth of our academic enterprise, from the Extension and Outreach staff who help Iowans dig out from floods and tornadoes, to the faculty who broaden students' horizons in the classroom and the researchers who work to address our most vexing challenges," Keith stated. |
| The U.S. News College Rankings Are Out. Cue the Rage and Obsession. | |
 | After months of tumult on American college campuses, relative stability in one realm returned on Tuesday, when U.S. News & World Report published its oft-disparaged but nevertheless closely watched rankings. Many top schools held the same, or similar, spots they had a year ago. Few franchises in American higher education are as contentious as the U.S. News rankings. Over the decades, their publisher has faced trouble with manipulated data, complaints about murky methodologies, accusations of revenge and the foundational question of whether it is appropriate to rank colleges. To U.S. News, which retired its print newsmagazine in 2010, the rankings are a bastion of its largely bygone influence. They are also a source of millions of dollars each year, as universities pay licensing fees to promote how they fared. o university leaders, the rankings are often publicly heralded but privately detested. To regulators, including Education Secretary Miguel A. Cardona, the rankings are responsible for "an unhealthy obsession with selectivity" and the development of "the false altar of U.S. News and World Report." And to almost everyone outside U.S. News, they are opaque and, ultimately, almost uniformly misunderstood. The criticisms have dented U.S. News' brand over the years, but few people dispute the rankings' power as an imperfect cultural force. |
| Have Americans Actually Lost Faith in Higher Education? | |
 | In the last year, a growing collection of polls has suggested grim prospects for the public perception of higher education. Most notably, Gallup found in 2023 that only 36 percent of Americans have "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in higher education -- down about 20 percentage points from 2015. At the same time, many higher education institutions have faced sharp drops in enrollment and intense political scrutiny, leading media organizations to link the drop in confidence to a decline in both the perceived value of a college degree and the number of prospective students. But analysts from the left-leaning think tank New America argue in a policy brief released Monday that that might not be the case after all, and that rumors of higher education's demise have been greatly exaggerated, to borrow from Mark Twain's famous words to the New York Journal. Yes, Americans are less confident in colleges and universities and increasingly questioning whether a degree is worth the investment of time and money. But they still value higher education, the brief argues; the reasons behind enrollment declines are far more nuanced than journalists often frame them to be, and the polls reflect the public's biases and misconceptions. Kevin Carey, New America's vice president of education and work and co-author of the brief, worries that if the media continues to paint the results of public polls with a broad, negative brush, it could impact allocation of the funds needed to address the systemic flaws that do exist within higher ed. |
| More men in their prime working years are neither working nor looking for jobs -- here's why | |
| Men have been steadily dropping out of the workforce, especially men ages 25 to 54, who are considered to be in their prime working years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for prime-age working men was 3.4% in August 2024. This number primarily includes those who are unemployed and looking for a job. But about 10.5% of men in their prime working years, or roughly 6.8 million men nationwide, are neither working nor looking for employment, compared with just 2.5% in 1954. "The long-term decline in labor force participation by so-called prime-age men is a tremendous worry for our society, our economy, and probably our political system," said Nicholas Eberstadt, a political economist at the American Enterprise Institute. Education is an important predictor of prime-age men's odds of being out of the labor force. "The big impacts are on the non-college-educated groups on their ability to enter and stay in the labor market," said Jeff Strohl, a director of the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University. A study by the Pew Research Center found that men who are not college-educated leave the workforce at higher rates than men who are. At the same time, fewer younger men have been enrolling in college over the past decade. |
| Tax policy on the table at Speaker's Summit | |
| The Magnolia Tribune's Russ Latino writes: Speaker Jason White will host a summit today on tax policy. Based on hearings held earlier this month and from outward appearance of the scheduled panels, it would seem a few different tax policies could be up for debate in 2025. In 2021 and 2022, the Mississippi Legislature made a push to eliminate the income tax. While falling short, the effort yielded the largest tax cut in Mississippi history --- one which when fully phased in will create a single 4 percent flat tax on income. It appears that Speaker Jason White wants to pick up where his predecessor, Philip Gunn, left off and finish the journey to income tax elimination. The policy has the potential to be transformational in Mississippi. An income tax is a tax on productivity, or what people contribute to the economy. In an ideal world, tax punishment for productivity would be minimal, because for economies to grow more people need to be working, earning, and ultimately, spending. ... The problem for the Legislature, however, is in deciding whether it wants to spend more tax revenue or allow the people to spend what they earn. For the 2025 fiscal year that began July 1st, the Mississippi Legislature budgeted total state support of $7.866 billion, a jump of over $1.5 billion, or 24 percent, from the 2020 budget of $6.351 billion. The big question is whether lawmakers' recent spending burst left sufficient room for a tax reform the size of income tax elimination. |
SPORTS
| Michael Van Buren Jr. named Mississippi State football starting QB for injured Blake Shapen | |
| Michael Van Buren Jr. will be Mississippi State football's starting quarterback against Texas, coach Jeff Lebby announced Monday. Chris Parson could play too, he said. "Both of those guys are going to be a big part of the competition, but Mike is going to run out first," Lebby said. "I can go ahead and announce that. I was proud of how he was able to put a drive together there in the fourth quarter for us. He's a guy that has great confidence in himself and the guys around him. Chris has been unbelievable from being a great teammate, working his butt off, doing some of the things that we need him to do to create a ton of confidence, but Michael will run out there first." It will be the Bulldogs' first game without starter Blake Shapen, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury last week's loss to Florida. Mississippi State (1-3, 0-1 SEC) plays Texas (4-0) on Saturday (3:15 p.m., SEC Network) at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Van Buren, a true freshman, came into the game for Shapen in the fourth quarter. He led a touchdown drive on his first series and then marched MSU down the field again in his second series to the Florida 1-yard line, but time ran out in the game. He finished 7-of-13 passing for 100 yards. |
| What Jeff Lebby said of Blake Shapen's injury recovery, facing Arch Manning at Texas | |
| Mississippi State football quarterback Blake Shapen appears to be in good spirits after sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury, coach Jeff Lebby said. Lebby said Shapen was with the team Monday getting rehab and even doing a little bit of his own coaching while wearing a sling during practice. "For him it's just a reflection of exactly who he is," Lebby said. "I couldn't be more proud that I get to coach him every single day as we walk through this thing and he gets it cleaned up. He'll be a huge part of the rest of the season just because of his leadership, his toughness and his edge. He's got such great respect from his teammates, and that's a testament to who he is." Shapen, who transferred from Baylor, left in the fourth quarter and did not return during last week's 45-28 loss to Florida at Davis Wade Stadium. It was announced hours later that Shapen would undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. MSU said it will apply for a medical hardship waiver to preserve Shapen a year of eligibility. He redshirted in 2020 while at Baylor. "Since he did just play in the four games, we feel good about that working out for us," Lebby said. "We've had conversations, me and him, his parents as well. So feel good about that happening the way we want to." |
| Texas QB Quinn Ewers questionable with strained oblique vs. Mississippi State | |
| Texas starting quarterback Quinn Ewers is questionable for the Longhorns' game Saturday against Mississippi State, coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday. Ewers missed No. 1 Texas' 51-3 win over Louisiana-Monroe with a strained oblique suffered on Sept. 14. Redshirt freshman Arch Manning started in his place, throwing for 258 yards and two touchdowns. Manning would start again Saturday if Ewers can't go. Sarkisian sounded optimistic about Ewers' progress. The junior quarterback practiced Monday and Sarkisian said he was "impressed" with where Ewers was in his recovery. "It's going to be kind of a work in progress, but today was a good start," Sarkisian said Monday. "I was actually impressed with where he was today. That's been kind of his trajectory since the injury happened. I feel like he keeps getting incrementally better day by day." Ewers was playing the best football of his career when he left the second quarter of the Longhorns' 56-7 win over UTSA with the injury. He suffered it while throwing a deep pass to tight end Gunnar Helm. Ewers left that game a play later and didn't return. Sarkisian said last week he wanted to be patient with Ewers to have him as healthy as possible for SEC play, which begins this weekend for the Longhorns. Sarkisian said they'll continue to monitor Ewers' progress throughout the week. |
| Ole Miss Chancellor Glenn Boyce appointed to NCAA leadership roles | |
| University of Mississippi Chancellor Glenn Boyce has been appointed to the NCAA Division I Board of Governors and Board of Directors, as announced by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey on Monday. "Glenn Boyce's experience and understanding of issues across the national landscape of intercollegiate athletics will be beneficial in these important board positions at a critical time in the history of college sports," Sankey said, per a press release. "The SEC is fortunate to have a leader like Chancellor Boyce representing the conference on the important issues facing all of us in college athletics." The NCAA Board of Directors is responsible for strategy and policy, plus overseeing legislation and management of the division. It focuses on strategic topics in college sports and their relationship to higher education. Boyce, who has been chancellor in Oxford since 2019, is now one of 16 voting members on both boards. Boyce begins a four-year appointment to the Board of Governors and Board of Directors effective immediately. |
| Gamecocks' 885-acre RFP, most not adjacent to Williams-Brice Stadium, changes focus of possibilities for college mixed use | |
| Williams-Brice Stadium sits on the east side of South Carolina's state capital, Columbia, surrounded by little-used scrapyards, industrial parks and gravel parking lots. The school's football practice facility sits to the south. Besides a Bojangles fast-food restaurant down the street, the roughly 2-mile swath between the stadium and Interstate 77 is otherwise largely devoid of retail or entertainment options. Interestingly, the university owns much of that land; 885 acres in total, equivalent to nearly 1.4 square miles. South Carolina issued a request for proposals (RFP) in June -- the due date for responses is Dec. 12 -- to develop the land, which is divided into eight parcels. Some of the parcels sit next to or near Williams-Brice Stadium, a typically huge SEC football stadium with 77,559 seats, while other parcels constitute broad stretches of low-lying floodplains next to the Congaree River. The land would be made available to developers through long-term ground leases, but the university itself will not make any capital investment or financially support any of the development projects. South Carolina plans to use revenue generated by the development to fund renovation and upgrade projects at Williams-Brice Stadium and other athletic facilities. The RFP's issuance followed roughly a year of research, led by RCLCo, into what could be done with the land. The effort dovetails with the most tumultuous time in college athletics history, as universities prepare for a reality in which they may have to share revenue with athletes or even pay them as employees. |
| Condi's playbook: How Condoleezza Rice shaped Stanford athletics | |
| When most people think of Condoleezza Rice, quite a few first's come to mind: the first Black woman to serve as the U.S. Secretary of State, the first woman to be named National Security Advisor and the first Black woman to become a provost of Stanford University. Adding onto this impressive resume, the former Secretary of State is also an avid sports fan with many athletic bona fides, including being one of the first female members of the Augusta National Golf Club, a former College Football Playoff Selection Committee appointee, and, most recently, a partial owner of the Denver Broncos. Yet, after decades of breaking barriers, one of Rice's toughest challenges came about this past academic year when interim President Richard Saller, a close colleague, asked her to serve as the special advisor on athletics to the president. Rice, the director of the Hoover Institution -- a public policy think tank at Stanford -- and a longtime supporter of Stanford athletics, gladly accepted the role. Just 10 days later, the Pac-12 conference fell apart. As special advisor, Rice drew on experiences from her prior roles in Washington, D.C. and at the University. She said that she used her negotiation experience as Secretary of State to get Stanford enough votes to enter the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), and her time as provost to understand the ins and outs of Stanford athletics and the budget. "I'm old-fashioned," Rice said. "I think that the value proposition is that you get a scholarship, the best training possible, the best coaching possible, great nutrition and a chance to display your talents. Then, if you're good enough, you become an employee of a professional league. That's the world that I'm most comfortable with." |
| Reggie Bush sues USC, Pac-12 and NCAA to seek NIL compensation from football career 2 decades ago | |
| Former Southern California football star Reggie Bush says he is suing his school, the NCAA and the Pac-12 in a bid to recoup money made on his name, image and likeness during his career with the Trojans two decades ago. In a brief news release from Bush's attorneys Monday announcing the filing, the Heisman Trophy-winning tailback's representatives claim he should be paid "to address and rectify ongoing injustices stemming from the exploitation of Reggie Bush's name, image, and likeness during his tenure as a USC football player." The release revealed no specifics about the intended suit. "This case is not just about seeking justice for Reggie Bush," attorney Evan Selik said in a statement. "It's about setting a precedent for the fair treatment of all college athletes. Our goal is to rectify this injustice and pave the way for a system where athletes are rightfully recognized, compensated and treated fairly for their contributions." Bush is only the latest former athlete to seek compensation through the courts this year for their prior athletic careers under the new rules in college athletics. Denard Robinson and Braylon Edwards were among several former Michigan stars who sued the NCAA and the Big Ten Network earlier this month. In June, a group of 10 players on NC State's 1983 NCAA championship-winning basketball team sued the NCAA and the Collegiate Licensing Company to seek compensation for use of their names, images and likenesses. |
| Is MWC dissolution coming? UNLV now holds keys to future in fight between Pac-12 and Mountain West | |
| In a matter of hours on Monday, during one of the wildest days in college sports realignment history, the Mountain West went from surviving with its eight football members together in a binding agreement to now on the brink of complete dissolution. The Pac-12's rebuilding effort could, ultimately, result in the destruction of its sister conference if UNLV accepts its offer to join. Such a move could trigger a domino effect that may lead to the Mountain West dissolving itself, presumably including the elimination of exit fees and other penalties for those members departing the conference. Sources with knowledge of the Mountain West policies spoke to Yahoo Sports about the possibility, of which many officials in both the MWC and Pac-12 are aware of. As Tuesday arrives, attention is on a decision from UNLV, a school thrust into the heart of this realignment madness -- the potential linchpin in a fight between the Pac-12 and Mountain West. |
| NLRB's College Athlete Rulings to Face Election Fallout | |
| Arguably the most important legal issue facing college sports is whether all, some or no college athletes are employees of their schools, conferences and the NCAA. Resolution of that issue could lead to hundreds of thousands of new university employees, some of whom might unionize, with conferences and the NCAA also on the hook as joint employers. Universities could owe back pay for past athlete work and, going forward, be required to offer wages, health care and other forms of compensation. The National Labor Relations Board, an independent agency that enforces federal labor law and guarantees eligible employees the right to unionize, will play a crucial role in determining whether and which college athletes are employees. Earlier this year, NLRB regional director Laura Sacks recognized Dartmouth College men's basketball players as employees, and those players, in turn, unionized. The school has petitioned the NLRB's board to review Sacks' finding. Meanwhile, NLRB administrative law judge Eleanor Laws is weighing whether University of Southern California football and men's and women's basketball players are employees of their school, conference and the NCAA. While federal courts will likely have the final say on whether college athletes are employees, the NLRB will have an important voice. But the agency's authority is under attack in federal courts, and the outcome of the 2024 presidential election will influence key NLRB policies. |
The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
