| Wednesday, October 2, 2024 |
| After Hurricane Helene what will the weather in Mississippi look like? | |
 | The heat of summer is largely over and fall is officially here, but Mississippi weather is known to throw some curve-balls. So, what will the weather be like for the rest of the year and will more hurricanes than normal threaten in October and November? Hurricanes are fresh on most everyone's mind after the devastation and loss of life in the path of Hurricane Helene. It was one of 11 named storms that have formed as of Oct. 1. However, earlier this year, the National Hurricane Center predicted 17-25 named storms with eight to 13 of those being hurricanes. Given that 11 named storms is well below the forecast, could there be an uptick before hurricane season ends on Nov. 30? "That's still not technically out of the question," said Johna Rudzin, assistant professor of meteorology and physical oceanography at Mississippi State University. "In 2020 there were five major hurricanes from October through November. It could still happen. It's not unprecedented to have that many to catch up." While reaching the predicted number of named storms isn't out of the question, it's not set in stone, either. Rudzin said a lot of factors come into play when it comes to named storms. |
| Mississippi's corn, rice harvest wraps up for 2024 | |
 | Corn and rice harvests wrapped up for Mississippi fields in 2024 a bit ahead of schedule. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated corn harvest was 96% complete by September 22, 2024. This put harvest ahead of the five-year average, which typically has corn 89% harvested by that date. USDA estimated rice was 87% harvested by September 22, 2024, which is ahead of the five-year average of 67% harvested by late September. Harvests for both crops were helped by five days of weather suitable for field work leading up to that date. Spring rainfall delayed much north Mississippi corn planting until late April, and officials with the Mississippi State University (MSU) Extension Service said that increased those acres' vulnerability to summer drought. Much of the Delta region and other irrigated acreage was planted in early April. Officials said this allowed the corn to pollinate and benefit from cool, favorable weather the first three weeks of June. Mississippi growers harvested an estimated 580,000 acres of corn this year, down from 790,000 acres harvested in 2023. In the September Crop Production report, USDA estimates Mississippi corn yields to be 190 bushels per acre, up from 181 bushels an acre harvested in 2023. |
| Beep and Mississippi university launch autonomous bus test | |
 | Beep, a provider of autonomous shared mobility solutions, has launched C.A.B. or Campus Autonomous Bus, at Mississippi State University (MSU), marking Mississippi and Southeastern Conference's (SEC) first-ever autonomous pilot program. Celebrated on September 20 at a ribbon cutting ceremony on MSU's campus, the pilot completed weeks of continued testing and validation and is now available to all students, faculty and guests of MSU for transit. C.A.B. is currently scheduled to operate through the end of the year and will give MSU a chance to evaluate how autonomous transportation systems can be used on campus to diversify its existing fleet of transportation assets. MSU is also researching how electric and shared autonomous mobility can be used in rural-urban environments. Jeremiah Dumas, MSU's executive director of transportation, says: "MSU is a premier educational institution with a great transportation network, and as leaders in innovative transit, we are always on the lookout for new mobility technologies. This is why we are so excited to learn firsthand how Beep's autonomous shuttles can provide augmented and extended transportation options to our students, faculty, and city." |
| Possible indoor pickleball court wants to serve beer to players | |
 | With an indoor pickleball court possibly on the horizon, aldermen called Tuesday for a series of public hearings that could change the city's ordinances on alcohol sales. During Tuesday's board meeting at City Hall, Mayor Lynn Spruill said an unnamed party is interested in opening an indoor pickleball facility in the Industrial Park area but has requested to serve beer to its customers. "They would like to serve alcohol without having to have a full-on kitchen, with the overhead fan, the vent and all the things that go along with it," Spruill said during the meeting. "They would still serve food, but it wouldn't require that, and it's a significant investment. And so they would like to serve beer." City ordinances prohibit beer or light wine being sold for on-premises consumption if the seller does not have suitable kitchen facilities so that food sales generate 25% of the business' gross revenue. The ordinance was amended in 2017, so the percentage requirement does not apply to brewpubs or small craft breweries within the Leisure and Recreation District -- which does not include the area in question. Spruill told The Dispatch after the meeting that she is suggesting the percentage requirement be removed, since the city has trouble monitoring that requirement in the first place. She is also suggesting changes that could create a path for businesses that do not have a full kitchen to come before the board for approval to sell beer and light wine. |
| Winter vote to determine next steps for lake | |
| Supervisors are considering three options to either rehabilitate or decommission the dam at Oktibbeha County Lake that are estimated to cost between $5.4 million and $11.2 million. WSP USA Environmental and Infrastructure, the engineering firm overseeing the project, will finalize design drawings and cost estimates for each of the three options before supervisors cast their votes. District 3 Supervisor and Board President Marvell Howard said the goal is to have a draft plan ready by winter of this year once the preferred alternative is determined. The county, working with the National Resources Conservation Service and the Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission, applied for an NRCS Watershed Rehabilitation Program grant in February 2022, which will largely cover costs for the project. Daniel Gadke, a resident of Bulldog Cove, said it would be a mistake not to rehabilitate the lake. "If we decommission the lake ... what we're all doing is, we're agreeing forever to never problem solve how to make that lake a part of this growth and how to make the lake a part of the county and the economy and the future of Starkville," Gadke said. District 4 Supervisor Pattie Little said she would like to see the lake rehabilitated. "A lot of people live out there and have a vested interest," she told The Dispatch after the meeting. "They build their houses out there. They live out there. It's been there for 60-plus years. My personal feeling is if we can get it classified for (flood prevention) and get the money there, we're ready to go." |
| 'Outdoor superstore' Rural King eyeing old Kmart | |
| The "outdoor superstore" Rural King is a step closer to locating in the old Kmart building on Highway 45. Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins announced the company's identity during Tuesday's city council meeting, two weeks after he first told the council a national retailer was interested in the spot. The council also approved partnering with Lowndes County to provide the development with $2 million in tax incentives over 10 years. Those include all the city's allotment of sales taxes the retailer generates for the first five years and half for the next five. It also would abate half of the property taxes that would come from an increase in the site's property value. Higgins said county supervisors would consider the incentive agreement at its Monday meeting. If the $2 million cap is met before 10 years, the incentives stop, Higgins said. They expire after 10 years, regardless of whether the cap is met. Founded in 1960 and headquartered in Mattoon, Illinois, Rural King, a farm and home retailer, has 133 locations in 13 states, according to a fact sheet The LINK provided The Dispatch after Tuesday's council meeting. This would be its first store in Mississippi. |
| Tupelo Council approves rezoning, Target site plan | |
 | Following Monday night's recommendation by the Tupelo Planning Committee, the Tupelo City Council has pushed forward with the extensive rezoning of farmland on North Gloster Street for "Project Target." The Tupelo City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday night to approve the rezoning of just over 60 acres from Agriculture Open to Regional Commercial and the site plan for Target Corporation's proposed 148,721-square-foot store in the Barnes Crossing area. "I am so happy to see you all coming to Tupelo. We have been looking forward to this for a long time," Ward 4 Councilwoman and Council President Nettie Davis told a Target official on-hand during the meeting. The council also voted to take the next step in the process of procuring a Regional Economic Development Act Agreement and Tax Increment Financing plan for the project. City Attorney Ben Logan noted that the TIF plan will give $2.5 million in incentives over the next five years. Another hurdle the city and Target Corporation must clear is infrastructure. Logan said construction of the access road will be handled in two phases by the Major Thoroughfare Committee. The first phase will begin across from Commonwealth Boulevard and go to the back of the proposed Target. The second phase will connect the road to Barnes Crossing Extended, weaving behind the commercial property on Gloster Street. |
| First fight to Dallas nearly full as Contour begins new route | |
| Addie Blanchard had always flown out of Memphis to see her granddaughter in Dallas, but on Tuesday, she was flying for the first time from Tupelo. "She's graduating from the Air Force, and I'm very proud," Blanchard said. "I was going to fly out of Memphis, but my daughter said, 'You can fly out of Tupelo.' This is much more convenient." Contour Airlines, which has provided commercial air service from Tupelo to Nashville since 2016, had its inaugural flight to Dallas Tuesday afternoon with a 1:15 departure. Twenty-four of the 30 seats were filled. Contour will provide one daily flight to and from Dallas, as well as maintain its daily flight to Nashville. Several of the passengers on the Dallas flight weren't from Tupelo, which was what Tupelo Regional Airport executive director Joe Wheeler was hoping and expecting. "We're pulling in what we call leakage," Wheeler said, referring to the term used in the industry to describe people who opt for other airports even though there are more accessible airports nearby. "Hopefully, we'll be able to harness some of that. We're always going to have some because it'll be hard for Tupelo to compete with Birmingham or Memphis or even GTR (Columbus). This is something I've been working on for three years, since I got here. I'm very excited." |
| How the port strike could raise prices and hurt small businesses | |
 | Most consumers won't notice a meaningful change in prices, inventory or deliveries from their go-to retailers in the first few days of the dockworkers' strike that has idled ports along the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. But that will change quickly if this key link in the global supply chain remains offline for two or more weeks. A prolonged gap would reverberate across the economy, barreling from farmers and manufacturers to retailers and, soon enough, consumers. Prices of certain perishable goods would creep up, inventory thin out and delivery times lag, industry experts said. And it would almost certainly affect the holiday shopping season. "A one-day shutdown can take on average three to five days to recover from, and if the strike is prolonged, that compounds every day," said Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation. "If we go two weeks, you're looking at several months, and that could take us beyond the holidays." Although the strike isn't expected to give rise to the type of severe trade disruptions that became a hallmark of the pandemic, it comes at a particularly vulnerable period for retailers: It's peak time for holiday inventory delivery. More than half of imports traveling by sea in containers go through the East and Gulf coast ports, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Delays in deliveries could erode profit margins -- notably for small and medium-size business -- and push off sales schedules, industry experts said. |
| ADP president reacts to historic dockworkers strike | |
 | Dockworkers at three dozen ports across the U.S. are on strike for the first time in decades. Members of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) formed picket lines early Tuesday as part of a strike over wages and the ports' use of automation. Chad Newell, president of the Area Development Partnership, a private, non-profit community and economic development organization, says there's one thing for sure about the historic walkout-it's not good for business, industry or the consumer. "It's a disruption in the normal flow of goods, which kind of wreaks havoc on the supply chain," Newell said. If it's a short strike, Newell sees minimal impact. But, if it drags on for awhile, things will be different. "It could cause some cost increases for companies if they had to shift how they are shipping their products in, if they're coming from ports on the West Coast or further distances and being trucked or railed over, it can certainly impact costs for companies," Newell said. A long strike could also hurt Mississippi manufacturers who export their products overseas. "If the products cannot be loaded and shipped, then that delays getting those sales made and products delivered to their end customers, so it's a problem both ways, on the import side and the export side," Newell said. |
| Mississippi lawmakers, energy experts agree more nuclear power is in state's future | |
 | Energy sector experts and representatives from some of Mississippi's largest energy providers want to increase nuclear energy production in and around the state, and they aren't the only ones. During a meeting with the Mississippi Senate Energy Committee Tuesday at the State Capitol, representatives from Entergy and the Tennessee Valley Authority spoke with lawmakers about the importance and utility of new nuclear power technology to meet demands from various industries in and out of Mississippi such as steel manufacturing and data centers. Lawmakers also wanted to know what they can do now to entice developments of small nuclear reactor plants, which are essentially more compact reactors that can produce more power. "Obviously, nuclear is the future," Senate Energy Committee Chairman Joel Carter, R-Gulfport, said. "I think Mississippi has decided to say, 'Hey, y'all watch this,' and now we'll see what happens." Experts from Nuscale Power said more modern energy production sites can have as many as 12 small reactors to a plant and produce more than 1,000 megawatts of power while only using a portion of the land a traditional nuclear power plant would need. From a cost-to-build perspective, these types of nuclear power plant would take about three years to build at a significantly reduced overall price tag, Nuscale Power Executive Vice President of Business Development Clayton Scott said. |
| 'The future is very bright:' Capitol Police receives positive feedback 3 months after CCID expansion | |
| It's been three months since the Capitol Complex Improvement District expanded, doubling the coverage area for the Capitol Police Department. This comes from House Bill 1020, taking effect on July 1. The CCID expansion gave Capitol Police primary jurisdiction in 15% of Jackson. According to Chief Bo Luckey, patrolling a larger area has come with challenges, but it's nothing the department cannot handle. "The challenges are there, but Capitol Police has been able to meet those challenges head-on," Luckey said. The bill also allowed the department to hire 37 new officers. Officers are busier now than they were before, so Capitol Police is actively working on a recruitment and retention program. Luckey hopes to have more officers on the street within the next two to three months. "We're going to keep bringing on more officers in order to make sure that the community is adequately represented and efficiently represented," Luckey said. "We're going to do everything we can to make sure that the citizens of Jackson feel safe and that the citizens of the state of Mississippi can be proud of their capital city again." Luckey says when he first started, there was uncertainty from community members and leaders, but that is not the case anymore. WLBT 3 on Your Side spoke with some Jackson residents. They expressed their support for the expansion and feel it was well-needed. |
| State's forensic beds to double in 2025 | |
| A new facility for Mississippians with mental illness who are involved in the criminal justice system will open early next year. The 83-bed maximum-security building at Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield should open in January, Department of Mental Health Executive Director Wendy Bailey told Mississippi Today. Once staffed, the new building will bring the state's forensic bed count to 123, up from 65 current beds. Officials are hopeful the new building will cut down on wait times for mental health treatment for people in prison. Mississippi has the second-longest wait time for such treatment in the country, according to a study by the nonprofit Treatment Advocacy Center. "We are proud to be able to offer this service to Mississippians and to offer this environment to the people that we're serving and to our staff as well," she said. Forensic services are for people with criminal charges who need mental health treatment before facing trial and people who have been deemed not guilty by reason of insanity. Construction on the new building should be completed in November, said Bailey. The Department of Mental Health will begin a "heavy recruiting effort" to staff the unit this fall. The Legislature awarded $4 million for six months' staffing of the new building, given the facility's mid-fiscal year opening. |
| Mississippi, Alabama receive millions to improve rural health care | |
 | In a move to address health care challenges in some of the most underserved areas of the country, the Biden-Harris administration announced a major investment of $75 million to support rural health care services. Alabama and Mississippi are two of a handful of U.S. states to receive a piece of that funding and plan to use the initiative, spearheaded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to expand access to both maternal health care and substance use disorder treatment -- both critical issues that have long plagued rural communities in the region. "We focus on getting health care services to communities that have struggled to access them, especially rural and underserved communities," Carole Johnson, administrator of HRSA, said. Mississippi, with its high maternal mortality rates, will use the $3.6 million it received to primarily focus on improving prenatal and postpartum care. The investment includes expanding services like prenatal care, lactation support and workforce development for healthcare professionals. Both Mississippi and Alabama, like many rural areas across the U.S., suffer from a shortage of health care providers. To address this, the administration is making investments in training primary care providers in both states. HRSA's funding will help create more residency programs and provide medical school loan repayment options to doctors who commit to working in high-need, underserved rural areas. |
| Vance Seeks to Temper Trump's Policies, Walz Casts Former President as Dangerous | |
 | JD Vance sought to temper Donald Trump's more controversial rhetoric on issues like abortion, immigration and guns during a vice-presidential debate Tuesday night, as an occasionally tense Tim Walz offered a defense of Kamala Harris's record and argued that Trump poses a danger to democracy. On the campaign trail, the Republican senator from Ohio has developed a reputation as a partisan attack dog. But throughout the debate, he gave a more polished performance, playing down Trump's plans for mass deportations and saying the GOP needs to earn back the trust of Americans on abortion, tacitly acknowledging a massive gender gap Trump suffers. And he reminded viewers of his modest roots and that he was raised by "two lifelong blue-collar Democrats." "We've got to do so much better of a job at earning the American people's trust back on this issue, where they frankly just don't trust us," said Vance, 40, who was a passionate antiabortion voice as a Senate candidate and at times has supported a national ban after the earliest weeks of pregnancy. He called for the party to be "pro-family in the fullest sense of the word." Walz, 60, the Democratic governor of Minnesota, stressed Harris's support for abortion rights, her middle-class-focused economic policies and argued Trump was a threat to democracy. But he was put on the defensive over the validity of his past statements and flubbed several lines, such as when he said, "I've become friends with school shooters." He was referring to relationships he has formed with the parents of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut. |
| Education: The W seminar series continues with W staff, local physicians | |
| Mississippi University for Women's Department of Sciences and Mathematics is continuing its SM-100 seminar series for the month of October, welcoming a litany of guests to speak. All seminars will take place each Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. in Room 117 of Parkinson Hall. The first seminar, held Wednesday, will feature Dr. Richard Johnston, a local gastroenterologist at Gastroenterology Associates of Columbus, where he has been practicing since completing his fellowship at the University of Miami/Jackson. He earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Mississippi State University before pursuing his medical degree at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. After completing a residency in Internal Medicine, Johnston held various roles in the medical community, including Chief of Staff at Baptist Memorial Hospital, Golden Triangle. He will give a presentation titled, "Journey Through the Digestive System: Exploring the Role of a Gastroenterologist." |
| Splicing rodeo kicks off Digital Innovation conference | |
| Scott Hendrix was eagerly waiting for the splicing rodeo to begin Tuesday morning at the second annual Digital Innovation conference. As the CEO of Tombigbee Electric Power Association and Tombigbee Fiber, Hendrix said the next generation of workers could very well be found at the rodeo. In fact, Tombigbee Fiber hired one of last year's participants, and another joined C Spire. Hendrix wanted to hire another one, but at the time there wasn't a position available. The two-day Digital Innovation conference being held at the Cadence Bank Arena and Conference Center in Tupelo through Wednesday covers an array of topics including cybercrime, artificial intelligence and workforce development. As for the splicing rodeo, Hendrix said it's intended to be an education, and possibly recruitment, tool. "I expect to educate a bunch of kids on what we do every day," he said. "Somebody might find a career here." Hosted by Ole Miss and Tombigbee Electric Power Association Fiber, the splicing rodeo pits individuals from schools throughout the region who try their hand at splicing fiber cables. Greg Brown, assistant director of telecommunications at Ole Miss, said the university's involvement brought three technicians to help at the splicing rodeo. |
| Take a look at Auburn's newest hotel, The Graduate Auburn | |
| Auburn's newest hotel, the Graduate Auburn, recently opened, featuring 177 rooms across five floors and two dining options. Located at the corner of Wright Street and West Magnolia Avenue, the hotel occupies a prime spot in downtown Auburn, just half a mile from Jordan-Hare Stadium. When guests first enter the hotel, they are immediately immersed in Auburn spirit, with orange and blue accents intertwined throughout the space. The hotel's design combines Auburn's history and traditions with a creative interior through art, furniture and decor, which offers visitors a deep connection to Auburn's heritage and legacy. Graduate by Hilton opens hotels in college towns across the United States and has two located in the United Kingdom. The Graduate Auburn is the 35th hotel to open in the country. In March 2024, Hilton announced its plan to buy Graduate Hotels from the company Adventurous Journeys Capital Partners. In the lobby, guests can visit Bo Jackson's Beans, a coffee shop named in honor of legendary former Auburn athlete, Heisman Trophy winner and sports icon Bo Jackson. The War Eagle Supper Club is a full-service rooftop bar and restaurant that revives the name of the beloved venue that closed in 2015. Guests can enjoy food, drinks and a stunning view of the university. The Graduate Auburn offers the Magnolia Ballroom, which allows people to rent to hold events. |
| Vanderbilt professor Keivan Stassun receives prestigious $800K MacArthur fellowship grant | |
 | Vanderbilt University professor and astronomer Keivan Stassun was named among the 2024 MacArthur Fellows, a prestigious honor that comes with an $800,000 grant that each fellow can spend however they see fit. The money, sometimes referred to as the "genius grant," will be paid out in quarterly installments over five years. The fellowship, which is part of the MacArthur Foundation, is designed for people who display "exceptional originality in and dedication to their creative pursuits," according to the foundation website. Along with holding the Stevenson Chair position in Vanderbilt's physics and astronomy department, Stassun also leads its Frist Center for Autism and Innovation. The center's mission is to help autistic and other neurodiverse people develop and maximize their talent in the workforce. As the father of a son with autism, Stassun is especially passionate about inclusion and advocacy for people who are neurodiverse. "To enlist the full diversity of human abilities and perspectives in science is to bring the full power of the human diversity of mind to the task of answering the grand questions," Stassun said in an online biography from the foundation. "To participate in the asking and the answering of those questions, to contribute uniquely and creatively to the enterprise of science -- or at least the opportunity to try -- is every person's right." |
| Group behind 'roast' with Proud Boys founder sues U. of South Carolina over school funding | |
 | The self-described "free speech" group that brought the founder of the far-right Proud Boys to the University of South Carolina sued the university Sept. 30 over the Student Senate's refusal to fund its "roast" event -- even though the Student Senate had voted to fund the event days earlier. Uncensored America's federal lawsuit asserts that a later-reversed Student Senate vote not to fund the group's Sept. 18 "roast" of Vice President Kamala Harris was a "clear violation of the First Amendment" because it amounted to a public institution discriminating based on the event speakers' viewpoints. Those speakers, who included Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes and far-right British commentator Milo Yiannopoulos, had fueled sharp criticism of the event from state lawmakers, activists and student groups, who pointed to the Proud Boys' ties to political violence and the speakers' history of bigoted remarks. A petition urging the university to cancel or relocate the event garnered over 27,000 signatures. University President Michael Amiridis said at the time of the event that USC "didn't have a choice" but to allow the event to continue, reasserting the school's position that it would uphold speech rights. "We would not start, you know, allowing one group and not allowing another to have the space that they need, as long as they follow procedures," he said. |
| Texas A&M enrollment approaches 80,000 | |
 | Texas A&M University's enrollment rose 2.1% for the 2024 fall semester as the institution neared 80,000 students across all of its locations for the first time. A total of 79,105 students were enrolled at A&M -- as of the 20th day of classes on Sept. 16. Much of the enrollment growth was concentrated in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Mays Business School, Texas A&M University Law School and the Bush School of Government and Public Service with graduate programs accounting for more than half of the overall growth. "The demand for an Aggie education has never been higher, and that says a lot about what we stand for: excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect and selfless service, in addition to giving our students a superior academic experience," Mark A. Welsh III, president of Texas A&M, said in a statement. "As we lead the state in educating Texans, we are committed to offering the No. 1 student experience to the next generation of leaders who will put those Core Values into practice to change our state and nation." Out of the 72,560 students at the College Station campus, which saw a 2% enrollment increase over the fall 2023 term, 57,659 are undergraduates. More than half of the growth is attributed to graduate students. This growth occurred in unison with a modest and strategic decrease in new, first-time undergraduates. |
| Annual U. of Missouri report shows a increase in liquor law violations and decrease in drug arrests | |
 | The University of Missouri released the 2024 annual Fire Safety and Security Report on Monday, which includes data from 2021 to 2023. There was an increase in liquor law violations that were referred to disciplinary action from 2022 to 2023. Disciplinary action is taken when a person breaks the university code of conduct. The incident may not always lead to an arrest because no state or federal laws were broken. According to the 2024 report, the vast majority of referrals came from on-campus student housing. Only 11 violations were not in student housing. MU spokesperson Travis Zimpfer said they are keeping an eye on this trend but are not making any major changes at this time. "It's always a practice of constant evaluation," Zimpfer said. "More so than necessarily than making a new big initiative, and these results I don't think show there is a dramatic need for any major change." Zimpfer said the sample size of the data is very small because the MU Police Department's jurisdiction is limited to campus. |
| Ex-leaders of Penn State frat sentenced in 2017 hazing death of Timothy Piazza | |
 | The former president and vice president of a now-defunct Penn State fraternity, where a student died after consuming massive amounts of alcohol during a hazing ritual more than seven years ago, received jail sentences on Tuesday. Brendan Young, 28, and Daniel Casey, 27, were sentenced in Centre County Court to two to four months in prison, followed by three years of probation and community service, according to Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office. Both Young and Casey will be eligible for work release. Young and Casey each pleaded guilty in July to 14 counts of hazing and one count of reckless endangerment -- all misdemeanors. Prosecutors said the charges were tied to a 2017 hazing event, where 19-year-old Timothy Piazza was found unresponsive after consuming large amounts of alcohol and "died days later as a result of multiple falls incurred subsequent to his intoxication." The two former fraternity leaders participated in and facilitated the hazing event, according to prosecutors. Young served as president of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, and Casey was vice president and pledge master at the time of the incident. Young and Casey were the final two criminal defendants to be sentenced in the case, in which more than two dozen fraternity members were initially charged -- some with involuntary manslaughter. Some of the most serious charges were dropped and others were thrown out by judges. |
| As Fake Applications Soar, Colleges Turn to AI | |
 | Fraudulent admissions applications are routine for Ron Weist. On a particularly busy day recently, Weist said, fraudsters sent 80 fake applications to Prince George's Community College, in Maryland -- one every seven minutes for a couple of hours. But that number seems less daunting than it might have just a few years ago. That's because Weist, the college's customer-relationship management (CRM) administrator, is now catching most of those bad actors on the front end, screening them out with technology supported by artificial intelligence. So are a few hundred other U.S. colleges. "It's really kind of letting technology do what it does best, so our people can do what they do best," Weist said. So-called "ghost students" have plagued many colleges in recent years -- a phenomenon driven by motives such as financial-aid fraud and access to student discounts for services like Adobe Creative Cloud and the Microsoft 365 suite. The Covid pandemic, in particular, introduced additional risk factors for fraud: pivots to purely online learning and $30 billion from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, or Heerf, for colleges to disperse to students. |
| The Rise of the Interim College President | |
| A slew of college president jobs are held by temporary leaders this fall. It is partly by design. The leaders of Columbia University, Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania and more than three dozen other schools around the country currently have the "interim" qualifier attached to their titles. It is a sign of the tumultuous state of American higher education, where student protests, donor discontent, political scrutiny and distrust from the general public have left presidents with a thankless -- and very insecure -- job. These interim presidents are being tasked with calming stormy campuses and priming the school to attract top-notch candidates for the official role down the line. They have popped up in the corporate realm, too, including recently at craft chain Joann, BP and Petco Health and Wellness. School trustees say they are leery about committing too quickly to long-term leaders, particularly in light of the political upheaval of last school year. Interim presidents also hold appeal because they aren't necessarily gunning for the job on a permanent basis, say search-firm executives and trustees. That frees them up to make difficult or unpopular decisions, like cutting budgets. College presidents, under mounting pressure from numerous constituents, don't last as long as they used to. Claudine Gay led Harvard University for six months. Minouche Shafik was president of Columbia for 13 months before abruptly resigning in August. Liz Magill lasted about 18 months at Penn. College presidents had been in their positions for an average of 5.9 years in 2022, according to a survey conducted by the American Council on Education, a higher education industry group. That is down from 6.5 years in 2016 and 8.5 years in 2006. |
| Our Comprehensive, Inconclusive Diversity Database | |
 | Demographic data for the Class of 2028 is in high demand this fall. One year after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action, higher ed leaders, families, lawyers and policy wonks are anxious for a more concrete picture of what racial diversity looks like without it. That picture has begun to emerge over the past two months as colleges release their class profiles. Inside Higher Ed has gathered institutionally reported data from more than 25 universities and broken down the numbers into an interactive database, which we'll continue to update as more institutions make their first-year demographics available. The project is largely based on publicly available data released at the start of the fall semester, both in 2023 and this year. Colleges typically break down their class demographics by percentages, and the way they calculate those figures can vary; for example, some count only domestic students while others include international students. If colleges released more than one data point in a given category, we opted for the more inclusive number. An Inside Higher Ed analysis of the data is, so far, inconclusive. |
| Can DEI Officers Prove Their Worth? | |
| Too often, diversity, equity, and inclusion offices operate in crisis mode, failing to make persuasive cases for why they're needed until lawmakers are threatening to legislate them out of existence or administrators are pulling out the budget ax, experts say. Elizabeth Halimah is among those who are trying to change that. "I believe in being strategic and forward thinking," she says, anticipating what changes are afoot in the DEI world and preparing data to explain and defend the work. Halimah is an independent consultant who recently retired as an associate vice provost overseeing equity matters for the University of California's president's office. She uses data "to help tell the story --- the good, the bad, and the ugly." She and several other advocates are encouraging offices to start collecting data to better assess what strategies are and aren't working. A major challenge for college diversity offices is marshaling statistics to make the case that programs are working and worth investing in. Misconceptions about the field abound, and without persuasive data, these offices and personnel are vulnerable to cuts. "A lot of the current climate is based on a series of assumptions about what it means and what it leads to, but it's not rooted in a lot of facts or figures or data," says Kevin Swartout, a former professor of psychology at Georgia State University who leads Rankin Climate, a group that performs climate assessments and data reports for colleges. |
| Why legacy admissions bans have exploded in the US | |
 | The Supreme Court dealt a devastating blow to diversity advocates last year when it gutted affirmative action. It also gave them ammunition. The decision supercharged efforts to outlaw legacy admissions at universities, which had eluded every state but Colorado. Now, four more states -- including California -- have banned giving preference to the children of alumni, several more have introduced proposals to prohibit the practice, and members of Congress from both parties have floated a federal prohibition. Legislators, primarily Democrats, have centered their pitches on the fall of race-conscious admissions, arguing that if students of color can't get a boost, wealthy applicants with alumni ties shouldn't either. Virginia and Illinois this year banned the practice at public universities, and Maryland and California have outlawed it at private colleges as well. Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin in March signed the first ban since the court ruling, ending legacy preferences at the University of Virginia, which had altered -- but not eliminated -- the practice in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling. The law passed unanimously in the state's Legislature. "It would have been an important thing to do, even had the Supreme Court not made that decision," Democratic Delegate Dan Helmer, a backer of the House proposal, said in an interview. "This was an area in which there was broad agreement, regardless of how you felt about the Supreme Court decision." |
| New Semester Brings Renewed Labor Claims From College Protests | |
| Student unions have begun to file complaints in the wake of uprisings earlier this year demanding their universities cut their investment ties to Israel, saying that the ensuing disciplinary actions for students involved in the campus protests are ignoring their federally-protected rights. The union at Columbia University representing teaching and research assistants filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board in September, alleging that university officials were unlawfully denying workers their right to a union representative during conduct hearings following the pro-Palestine demonstrations. Other academic unions, including those at Cornell University and New York University, are preparing to mount similar legal arguments. The complaints could test how far labor protections extend in academic settings when work and study are closely entwined. The latest filings stem from a spring wave of political protests on campus related to the Israel-Hamas war. Student activists at Columbia set up encampments with tactics that were copied at over 100 colleges nationwide. Protesters occupied campus buildings and public spaces, calling for their schools to disclose and discontinue investments in Israeli institutions and weapons manufacturers. The tension from the last semester hasn't dissipated, union organizers say. |
| The Campaigns Need Younger People to Vote. Did the V.P. Debate Help? | |
 | In the pivotal battleground of Wisconsin, where presidential elections are won or lost by only tens of thousands of votes, students like those at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside are highly sought after. But getting young people interested in voting has always been a tall order. And on Tuesday night, that job did not get any easier after the vice-presidential debate between Senator JD Vance of Ohio and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota. "This is long, huh?" Grant Pitts, a senior who is president of the Parkside student government, said to a room full of students who groaned in agreement. Debates between vice-presidential candidates are usually low-impact events, even if they can deliver a memorable moment once a decade or so, like Sarah Palin's wink to the camera in 2008 or Lloyd Bentsen's humbling of Dan Quayle in 1988. Tuesday night did not deliver one of those moments, at least to students at three colleges in the closely contested swing states of Wisconsin and Georgia. Some students, jaded with politics altogether, seemed to have decided well before the debate that it would not be must-see TV. Many said they had already settled on a candidate, and that there was little either Mr. Vance or Mr. Walz could say to change their minds. Younger voters present a challenge for the campaigns of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald J. Trump. Many say they are disillusioned by the negativity of American politics and doubt that any candidate can help put the country -- and their lives -- back on track. |
| Serving in all three government branches, Pittman changed as Mississippi changed | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: Former Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Edwin Lloyd Pittman was an effective, honorable and influential Mississippi public servant whose views and actions changed -- particularly on the issue of race -- as those of his constituents changed. The 2000 general election defeat of the late former Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Lenore Prather by political newcomer Chuck Easley paved the way for then-Presiding Justice Pittman to be promoted to the top post on the state's highest court based on seniority. Few in state government logged more varied years of experience in public service than Ed Pittman. He served with distinction in the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government. Pittman faced the voters of Mississippi over a period of 40 years running successful campaigns in the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. ... Pittman was a good man, a good judge, and a good example of the transformation this state has undergone over the last 40 years. For just as there was a different Mississippi in 1963, there was a different Ed Pittman as well. |
SPORTS
| Bulldogs Continue Climb In National Rankings, Set Program Record At No. 7 In United Soccer Coaches Poll | |
| Mississippi State soccer continues to make history, climbing two spots to a program-best No. 7 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Poll. The Bulldogs also rank No. 6 in the TopDrawerSoccer Poll and have earned a No. 5 spot in this week's NCAA RPI Rankings. The Bulldogs' ascent in the national rankings reflects their dominant 9-1-0 start to the 2024 season, highlighted by a stout defensive unit and contributions from game breakers all across the roster. Mississippi State is just one three programs (No. 2 Duke and Rutgers) in Division 1 to allow only two goals through the first ten matches, maintaining a strong presence on both sides of the ball. State now boasts its highest rankings in program history, surpassing the previous marks set earlier this season. The No. 7 position in the United Soccer Coaches Poll represents the latest milestone for a program that has seen nothing but continued growth under head coach James Armstrong and his staff. The Bulldogs will look to build on their historic start as they return to the pitch this week for their highest ranked matchup in program history. No. 7 State will host No. 1 Arkansas Friday for a top 10 showdown on the pitch. The nationally televised bout is set for a 6 p.m. kickoff and fans are encouraged to pack out the pitch as the Dawgs look to set a new attendance record at the MSU Soccer Field. |
| What Chris Lemonis said of Mississippi State baseball fall standouts, 2025 schedule | |
| Mississippi State baseball's first team meeting of the fall was serious, but also had a moment of humor. The Bulldogs (40-23) and coach Chris Lemonis returned to the NCAA Tournament last season and thought they had a legitimate chance to host a regional. Instead, the selection committee gave them a No. 2 seed in the Charlottesville Regional in what was fiercely debated at the time. MSU wound up losing to Virginia in the regional final. "First team meeting, and I'm chewing the team's a-- about us being in Charlottesville No. 1 and losing, and Chase (Hungate) is just over there sitting there smiling because he was on the other side of it," Lemonis said on Tuesday. Hungate, a pitcher, transferred to Mississippi State from Virginia after the Cavaliers fell in the College World Series. He recorded the final three outs of the regional final that ended MSU's season. It resembles the mix in Mississippi State baseball's outlook for the 2025 season. MSU returned to the NCAA postseason after a two-year hiatus, but is still aiming higher than that after the 2021 national championship. Eleven Bulldogs were picked in the MLB Draft, the most of any college team, including all three of their weekend starting pitchers. So, there's a whole lot of new right now for the Bulldogs. |
| Stanley Salter named Citizen of the Year | |
| Retired banker Stanley Salter was named Neshoba County's Citizen of the Year Monday night during the Community Development Partnership's annual banquet. He has served on the board of the Industrial Development Authority of Neshoba County. Salter is known for his passionate support of Mississippi State University athletics, particularly the baseball team. He keeps detailed scorebooks for every Mississippi State game he attends. He has followed the Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team to the College World Series in Omaha since 2007, attending every appearance (2007, 2013, 2018, 2019, and 2021). |
| How Mississippi State football, Jeff Lebby are approaching open week before Georgia game | |
| Mississippi State football made No. 1 Texas battle for its win last weekend. MSU (1-4, 0-2 SEC) lost 35-13 but trailed by just eight points before the final play of the third quarter. That was closer than a lot of folks expected, given the circumstances. And the heat picks right back up for MSU's next game, on Oct. 12 at No. 5 Georgia (3:15 p.m. CT, SEC Network). Sandwiched in between is an open week. The team practiced Tuesday, will again Wednesday, and then lift and meet on Thursday. It's a chance to recover, prepare early for Georgia (3-1, 1-1), and also hit the reset button for a team on a four-game losing skid. "Being fresh and being fast next Saturday in Athens is going to be absolutely critical," Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby said Tuesday. There were plenty of encouraging signs from the loss to Texas, starting with quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr.'s poise and the running backs having a strong performance in consecutive games. The defense generated pressure up front, forced two turnovers and stopped the Longhorns on a fourth down. But Mississippi State also committed nine penalties. It wore down late, with the offense allowing three sacks in the fourth quarter, when Texas also rushed for 109 yards on 12 carries. |
| 'Hardest schedule in high school football history' has prepared Van Buren for anything | |
| A year before Michael Van Buren Jr. made his first collegiate start in front of 101,388 burnt orange-clad fans last Saturday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, the Mississippi State freshman was playing top high school football teams from all corners of the country. Van Buren grew up in Bowie, Maryland, and attended St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, but instead of playing a local schedule like most high school teams, the Panthers traveled all over the United States, facing some of the best teams in the nation from as far away as Florida, Texas and California. So while Van Buren's first start as a Bulldog came on the road against No. 1 Texas, his first high school start -- as a sophomore -- was also on the road against California powerhouse De La Salle, a program so storied that its 151-game winning streak from 1992 to 2003 became the basis for the 2014 movie "When the Game Stands Tall." "His first game action was in California versus De La Salle, and I'll never forget, he just kind of lit (up) the scoreboard," St. Frances head coach Messay Hailemariam said. "I knew early when he was in practice that he was really dynamic, but I got to see his game situation, and you see that his skill set is a little bit above average. He's not nervous. He's seen the best around the country early in his high school career, so it's not a shock to him." |
| Men's Golf: State In Striking Distance Entering Final Round At Blessings | |
| On a challenging day that saw only one team shoot par, Mississippi State men's golf held onto second place and kept the gap between itself and No. 15 LSU at just two strokes. The Bulldogs remain in second; however, their lead over third place has been cut from 10 strokes to five. Louisville, which entered the day in a tie for sixth place, was the only squad to record a par round, climbing up to third place overall. BYU shot 7-over as a team to slip just one spot to fourth place, and MSU and LSU were 9-over on the day. "The golf course played a lot more difficultly today," head coach Dusty Smith said. "I thought we navigated it well for the most part. We need to do a better job of embracing when things get more difficult. Champions rise to the challenge, and we need to do a better job of that tomorrow. We have a great opportunity in front of us, and I can't wait to see what this group does with that opportunity." Drew Wilson continues to lead the way for State. He carded a 1-over round on a day when only 12 golfers shot par or better. Wilson now sits at 1-under for the tournament in fourth place. After a double-bogey on the first hole, he responded with four birdies throughout the round. The Bulldogs will tee off at 10:50 a.m. CT on Wednesday. |
| Julie Darty Dennis and James Armstrong Headline Wednesday's 'Dawg Talk' | |
| Mississippi State's weekly radio show, "Dawg Talk," will feature volleyball head coach Julie Darty Dennis and soccer head coach James Armstrong on Wednesday. The show will be broadcast live from Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux in Starkville from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. On the court, Dennis had led the Bulldogs to their sixth-straight victory on Friday night, as they won their 2024 SEC debut against the South Carolina Gamecocks 3-1. State will welcome the Tigers of LSU on Friday for their SEC home opener. The first serve is set for 3 p.m. CT and can be streamed via SECN+. On the pitch, Armstrong has led State soccer to a 9-1-0 record and 3-0-0 start in SEC play. The seventh ranked Bulldogs will welcome top ranked Arkansas for the highest ranked soccer matchup to ever be held at the MSU Soccer Field. The 60-minute program will be featured each week on the affiliates of the MSU Sports Radio Network. Neil Price, "The Voice of the Bulldogs," will host the show. |
| Archery season officially underway in Mississippi | |
| Archery season is officially open in the majority of Mississippi's hunting zones. From now until November 22, hunters are legally allowed to kill deer of either sex on private land, open public land, and the Holly Springs National Forest with longbows, recurves, compound bows, and crossbows. Archery hunting can occur in the state's North Central, Delta, and Hills regions. The Southeast region's archery season will open on October 15. There is no minimum or maximum draw weight, nor is there a minimum arrow length that can be utilized to hunt. Fixed or mechanical broadheads are also allowed. "MDWFP wants to remind you to hunt safe, hunt smart, and hunt often," a statement from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks reads. "Hunters play a huge role in managing our deer herd for future generations, so do your part this season and utilize your bag limit!" |
| Greg Sankey predicts whether college football will have commissioner | |
| People long to have a college football commissioner in some circles and count Greg Sankey among those talking about it. The SEC commissioner is one of the most powerful figures in college athletics, but even he can't control or fix everything. A commissioner of college football would be a nice first step, but there's a whole new world of problems once you open up that can of worms. Sankey explained when he joined The Triple Option Podcast. "It's interesting because it used to be called a czar," Sankey said. "And I point out, like the czar thing didn't work really well. I'll go back to COVID. So it's a simple observation. Somebody should be in charge, right? Okay, go back to COVID. That wouldn't have worked very well, and we had to make some decisions based on the information, justified as being appropriate to provide opportunities, keep people connected to their team, rather than this notion of just canceling things and losing a year in life, and you never get the year back." ust putting someone like Sankey or another figure in that position wouldn't be the magic fix. "But just having a commissioner wouldn't solve the transfer portal and the legalities around that," Sankey said. "It wouldn't solve the name, image and likeness issues. It wouldn't resolve lawsuits. And so we have to deal with what's in front of us. We have to deal with that in the system we have, and it's going to have to adapt. Would that lend itself to some kind of central coordination? I think that's a lot more difficult proposition that people understand, and that's why I go back to the COVID example to say: that didn't work so well. |
| Alabama-Georgia averages 12 million on ABC, most-watched regular-season prime-time game since 2017 | |
| Alabama's 41-34 victory over Georgia on Saturday night averaged 12 million viewers on ABC and ESPN's streaming platforms, according to Nielsen. It was the most-watched regular season prime-time game since 2017, when Alabama-Florida State on the season's opening weekend averaged 12.3 million. It was also ESPN's most-streamed regular-season game. Nielsen reported the audience peaked at 14.1 million from 11:15-11:30 p.m. EDT, when Alabama was holding off a second-half rally by Georgia. The Crimson Tide's Ryan Williams caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Milroe with 2:18 remaining, and Georgia was driving for a potential game-tying touchdown before Zabien Brown intercepted Carson Beck's pass in the end zone. This is the first year ESPN and ABC have the entire Southeastern Conference football package. |
| 'Honor Mike VI': Gov. Jeff Landry wants a live tiger back on the field at LSU football games | |
 | "How 'bout we honor Mike VI by bringing us a live tiger on the field?" That's the proposition Gov. Jeff Landry put forward in response to a question from a reporter Tuesday on whether LSU fans would get to see a live tiger inside Tiger Stadium at any remaining home football games this season. Landry didn't give a definitive answer either way, but he unreservedly threw his support behind the idea. "I think that the opportunity to bring our mascot back on that field is an unbelievable opportunity," he said. Mike VI died in 2016, and Mike VII became LSU's mascot in 2017. Mike VII's predecessors had been taken to the sidelines of home games in a trailer, and some even traveled to away games. Reporters on Tuesday were gathered at Memorial Tower on the LSU campus for an unrelated news conference on new policymaking efforts around free speech at public universities. Landry used the question to speak to those with reservations about the well-being of a live tiger inside a packed stadium. "The tigers that live in sanctuaries live a lot longer than the tigers that live out in the wild, because the tigers that live out in the wild, they don't get an opportunity to go around the corner and see a veterinarian," Landry argued. "So everybody that has some anxiety over this needs to calm down," he added. LSU athletics officials declined to comment when asked about the Tiger situation. |
| How UNLV became the unlikely center of the college football universe | |
| Erick Harper wrapped his head football coach in a hug. The UNLV athletic director met Barry Odom at the goal line inside Allegiant Stadium and embraced for one long moment Saturday afternoon before walking off the field together. They had just reached new heights in the seemingly endless roller-coaster ride they were on, a 59-14 blowout win over Fresno State in which the Rebels were dominant in every way. Still, they looked more exhausted than exhilarated. "You look at each other like, 'It's been a tough week, but I'm proud of how you handled this week. I'm proud of how you've led this team,'" Harper said. "There's more for us out there." Last week, UNLV became the unlikely center of the college football universe as it navigated two unique situations, both of which could help shape the future of the sport. Harper arrived at a defining decision for the university, rejecting overtures from the rebuilding Pac-12 to remain in the Mountain West. This played out as Odom dealt with his starting quarterback quitting the team over NIL compensation and a public back and forth about what may or may not have been promised. On their own, either situation would have been testing for an athletic department. "It's been good in the sense that we wanted to be on the national scene," Harper said. "We got there, we just didn't know it'd all be in one week." |
| Dartmouth Won't Recognize Basketball Union and Bargain, NLRB Told | |
| It's been nearly eight months since NLRB regional director Laura Sacks found that Dartmouth College men's basketball players are employees within the meaning of the National Labor Relations Act. And it's been seven months since the players unionized with the Services Employees International Union Local 560. But to date there has no bargaining between Dartmouth and the union, and the agency's board hasn't indicated if it will accept Dartmouth's request for review (appeal), let alone set a schedule. A motion for summary judgment filed Monday by Thomas E. Quigley, counsel for the NLRB General Counsel (Jennifer Abruzzo), could shake things up. Quigley asked the agency's board, which has four members and one vacancy, to issue a decision finding that Dartmouth has violated the NLRA by failing to recognize the union and bargain in good faith. To that end, Quigley wants the board to order Dartmouth to bargain for a period of 12 months. |
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