| Friday, October 18, 2024 |
| Tickets available to one-of-a-kind John Paul White, Starkville-MSU Symphony Orchestra concert | |
 | Tickets are still available to a one-of-a-kind show tonight featuring Grammy winning singer/songwriter John Paul White and the Starkville-MSU Symphony Orchestra. White, known for his fusion of Southern rock, Americana and country music, and the orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, at Humphrey Coliseum. Doors open for the event at 6:30 p.m. Student tickets are free and can be reserved online or in person in MSU's Center for Student Activities, Colvard Student Union, third floor. Individual tickets can be purchased online at msstate.universitytickets.com. For more information, contact the Center for Student Activities at 662-325-2930. Winner of multiple Grammys as a former member of The Civil Wars, White co-wrote the 2009 EP "Poison and Wine," with the title track exposing the duo to a national audience when featured in the sixth season of the long-running TV show "Grey's Anatomy." It also was a track in the 2011 rom-com movie "Something Borrowed" starring Kate Hudson. A longtime concert opener for Adele, White moved further into the spotlight with the lyrics he co-wrote with Taylor Swift for her song "Safe and Sound" from "The Hunger Games" soundtrack. It was a 2011 Grammy winner for Best Song Written for Visual Media. The Tennessee native lives in Florence, Alabama, near Muscle Shoals, known as "The Hit Recording Capital of the World" where music greats such as Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Little Richard and others boosted their careers. |
| Golden Triangle Development LINK: Looking back, moving forward | |
 | For the past 20 years, The Golden Triangle Development LINK has been marketing the region to industries looking for a place to set up shop and put down roots. Looking back over the last 10, CEO Joe Max Higgins said a dedicated staff for existing businesses and expansions is critical. "It's important for us to monitor our existing companies because we can find out those who are in trouble, or those that have expansion possibilities," Higgins said. "We need to know both of those. If they're in trouble, we need to figure out a way to help them. If there's an expansion possibility, we need to figure out a way to help them." Higgins said since big projects got announced last year, they are seeing a handful of expansions with at least 500 new jobs. "The majority of jobs that will be created in the next calendar year will come from existing jobs that are expanding," Higgins said. With manufacturers like Paccar and Airbus in the Golden Triangle, Higgins said it makes it a great place for not only other big companies but small companies too. "I think what we've done is we've hit a critical mass that we're not a one-hit wonder, not a two-hit wonder, we've been doing this for 20 years, a little over, and we've been successful. It's not a one big deal and we're done," Higgins said. "We just continue to do it." |
| Free education program aims to help owners grow their small businesses | |
 | Small business owners in the Golden Triangle have the opportunity to learn how to grow their business while working with fellow business owners from around the country. The Goldman Sachs Foundation is expanding its 10,000 Small Businesses initiative to offer free education classes to eligible owners in Mississippi. Karen Stanley, owner of Neon Frog marketing agency, has been participating in the program with a cohort of business owners in Alabama, where the program expanded earlier this year. "I can already see the changes that are happening with me and my mindset," Stanley told The Dispatch. "It is not a group that gets together and whines about how hard it is to run a business. ... It is much more of a positive experience where we're all just trying to better ourselves." The Greater Starkville Development Partnership will host a virtual learning session at noon Wednesday for eligible business owners interested in applying. Hunter Harrington, GSDP director of membership development, encouraged local owners to take advantage of the opportunity. "I think it is a unique opportunity for our local business community to be able to cast their net a little wider as far as resources go, networking opportunities (and) education material," she said. "(It's) just a wealth of information and programming and tools for small businesses." |
| Chamber Luncheon looks to past, present and future to kick off Vicksburg's bicentennial celebration | |
 | On Wednesday, the Chamber of Commerce hosted a panel discussion at its monthly luncheon to kick off the 200th bicentennial celebration of the city of Vicksburg. Brother Rogers of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and Executive Director of Mississippi Humanities Council Dr. Stuart Rockoff shared stories of Vicksburg's rich history while Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. and Warren County Board of Supervisors President Kelle Barfield discussed the present and their vision for the future. Rogers began the discussion by highlighting the new museum to be built in the Vicksburg National Military Park. "We're working on a new museum to interpret the full scope of the Vicksburg campaign. This is going to be a Smithsonian-caliber museum," Rogers said. "This museum will explore not only the siege of Vicksburg, but also the outlying areas involved in the campaign, such as Chickasaw Bayou, Champion Hill and other areas. There will also be a portion of the museum devoted to the Reconstruction efforts following the Civil War." The new museum is to be completed by 2028 or 2029. The panel also discussed the challenges of appealing to younger generations through media. |
| Tax cuts, Medicaid expansion supported by Mississippi voters | |
 | According to a poll commissioned by Mississippi House Speaker Jason White, R-West, and completed via texts and an online platform by Cygnal, more than 33% of state voters out of the 500 who replied said the economy is their chief concern. Of the 500 respondents, 50.2% identified as conservatives, 26.2% identified as moderates, 16.7% identified as liberal and 6.9% of respondents were not sure of their ideological identity. After that, the top three priorities listed in the same question were eliminating personal income and grocery taxes, crime and public safety and healthcare access for the state's working population. "We will make informed decisions based on verifiable data, not partisan rhetoric," White said in a press release issued Wednesday afternoon. "Mississippi is facing critical challenges and the House of Representatives is committed to doing the work that the people care about most." Of the stated goals of House Republicans for the 2025 Legislative Session addressed in the poll, 14.7% of respondents said eliminating the personal income tax was their top priority, and 14% said eliminating the grocery tax was their top priority. Mississippi's grocery tax is among the highest in the nation. |
| Grassley pushes for new farm bill during Des Moines stop, says it won't happen by end of year | |
| During a visit to Des Moines, Iowa, Sen. Chuck Grassley voiced concerns about the limited time Congress has to pass a new Farm Bill before the end of the year. "With two weeks in November and three weeks in December that we're in session, it just doesn't seem to me that we have the time to do it," Grassley said. The Farm Bill funds federal programs that support farmers and provide food assistance nationwide. Negotiations on a new bill stalled earlier this year, and the most recent Farm Bill extension has expired. While there is money to keep farming programs running through the rest of the year, Grassley emphasized the urgency for Congress to reach an agreement soon. Grassley, a Republican, said he prefers the Farm Bill to be developed in committee rather than through proposals created by leaders outside of committee. The senator also called for improvements to crop insurance, protection for Iowa's pork producers and a funding cap on larger single-family farms. |
| Dems dominate in fundraising for key House contests | |
 | Democrats trounced Republicans in third-quarter fundraising in what are anticipated to be the closest House races of the 2024 campaign. Of the 32 contests identified by Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales as either tilting in a direction or a pure toss-up, Republicans led the fundraising in just two of them. And all told, Democrats had $82.9 million in receipts in those races, compared with just $37.6 million for the Republicans. About $5.4 million of that disparity comes from just one race: the battle for Virginia's 7th District, which Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., is vacating to mount a full-time run for governor of the commonwealth in 2025. Democratic candidate Eugene Vindman pulled in $6.5 million compared to Republican Derrick Anderson's $1.1 million. Vindman has been a small-dollar fundraising machine, bringing in $8.9 million this cycle in less than $200 increments. He's the twin brother of Alexander Vindman, both of whom were relevant characters in the first impeachment proceedings against former president (and current GOP nominee) Donald Trump. The two races in which the Republican candidate outraised the Democrat among the closest contests came in races rated Tilt Republican by the Inside Elections team. In California's 45th District, GOP Rep. Michelle Steel outraised Democratic challenger Derek Tran by close to $600,000. The fundraising in Virginia's 2nd District was the closest to a dead heat, with a quarterly advantage of nearly $75,000 to Republican incumbent Rep. Jen Kiggans over veteran Missy Cotter Smasal. |
| Wealthier Americans are driving retail spending and powering US economy | |
| It's a trend that has surprised many: Why, despite being squeezed by high prices, have Americans kept spending at retail stores and restaurants at a robust pace? One key reason is a relatively simple one: Wealthier consumers, boosted by strong gains in income, home equity and stock market wealth, have increasingly driven the spending. That trend, documented by Federal Reserve research, represents something of a shift from the pre-pandemic period. And it suggests that consumer spending, the primary driver of the U.S. economy, could help sustain healthy growth this year and next. Lower-income consumers, by contrast, have been disproportionately squeezed by higher-priced rent, groceries and other necessities, leaving them less able to spend on discretionary items, like electronics, entertainment and restaurant meals, than they were before the pandemic. Though their spending is starting to rebound as inflation-adjusted incomes rise, it could be years before their finances fully recover. The disparities help explain the gap between gloomy consumer sentiment and widespread evidence of a healthy U.S. economy -- a major dynamic in the presidential race that is now in its final weeks. Only a portion of the American population is fueling most of the growth that is evident in government economic data. On Thursday, the Commerce Department reported that retail sales in the United States rose 0.4% from August to September, a solid gain that suggested that shoppers are confident enough in the economy to continue spending freely. |
| Trump Adopts RFK Jr.'s War on Junk Food to Win Over His Fans | |
 | Sid Miller, the cowboy-hat-wearing rancher and Texas commissioner of agriculture, has a simple process as he vets potential appointees to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture should Donald Trump recapture the White House. "The first thing I ask is 'Do you support Donald Trump 110%?'" said Miller, who began interviewing prospects in recent weeks. "If they don't, then the vetting process is over." Miller then asks potential appointees if they agreed with a September opinion column he wrote for Fox News. Miller, 69 years old, who is known for controversies including comparing Syrian refugees to rattlesnakes and using taxpayer funds to attend an out-of-state rodeo, argued that federal food stamps shouldn't pay for "processed junk" food. He also called for the U.S. to do everything possible to limit what are known as "forever chemicals" in the environment, among other positions. This is the work the Trump campaign has taken on since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joined forces with the former president's re-election effort, which has fully embraced Kennedy's ambition to wage war on chronic disease. Trump, a fan of hamburgers from McDonald's, has picked up Kennedy's goal to take on ultra-processed food, environmental toxins and a healthcare system Kennedy argues is more designed to treat illnesses than prevent them. "It's not a marketing thing. Trump has bought into it," said Joe Grogan, a White House health official during Trump's term who has remained close to the former president's circles. "It's right in his sweet spot for what he likes." |
| Donald Trump attacks Kamala Harris, others at charity dinner | |
 | Former President Donald Trump used his spotlight at a Catholic charity dinner Thursday to hurl insults and attacks on targets ranging from the absent Vice President Kamala Harris to former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. Trump drew some groans and boos from the white-tied audience at the 79th annual Al Smith dinner, including what even he called a "nasty" joke about the breakup of the first marriage of Harris spouse Douglas Emhoff. Trump attacked Harris on items ranging from her late entry into the race to the way she laughs. "I never liked people I was competing against," Trump said at one point. The former president also described one of the other guests, de Blasio, as the "worst mayor" New York has ever had. He responded to the audience reaction by saying "I don't give a s---," and added: "That's not comedy by the way -- that's fact." Harris, who declined an invitation to the Al Smith dinner to campaign in the battleground state of Wisconsin, delivered milder barbs at Trump in a brief video presentation. Trump's performance was reminiscent of his speech at the 2016 Al Smith dinner, when he constantly insulted Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. Trump said in Thursday's speech that he went "overboard" in that speech and aides were upset with it, but "I did it anyway -- I didn't give a damn." |
| Harris calls out Trump for 'gaslighting' Americans about Jan. 6 attack | |
 | Vice President Kamala Harris chided Donald Trump on Thursday for his revisionist history on the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol -- accusing him of "gaslighting" the American people with his recent assertion that it was a "day of love." As she attempts to broaden her appeal to Republicans and conservatives in the final weeks of the campaign, Harris has been calling on Americans to choose "country over party" by voting for her. Driving that argument, she has charged that the former president would endanger democratic institutions, seek to jail his opponents and undermine the Constitution. She played a clip at her first rally this week showing Trump telling Fox News that he was more concerned about the "enemy within" -- referring to Americans he described as "radical left lunatics" --- than outside agitators. She has expressed disbelief that he went on in that interview to suggest that the military could rein in his political opponents. And at all her rallies this week -- including here in Wisconsin -- Harris has said Trump is "unstable" and "seeking unchecked power." Campaigning in two Wisconsin cities, Harris touted her own combative performance on Fox News on Wednesday night as a show of her willingness to speak to people "no matter their political party" or "where they get their news." She noted that on the same night, Trump had appeared at a Univision town hall where a 56-year-old self-described Republican said he was alarmed by what took place on Jan. 6, 2021, and wanted to give the former president the "opportunity to try to win back my vote." Trump responded by calling it "a day of love" and seemed to include himself when referring to those who entered the Capitol that day as "we." |
| McConnell exposes deep anti-Trump sentiment within Senate GOP | |
 | Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) has tried to mend his relationship with former President Trump, but newly reported comments reveal how deeply his personal animosity toward Trump ran after the 2020 election and signal the challenges GOP senators could have in working with Trump if he is elected again. Many Republican senators who have been critical of Trump in the past, including McConnell, have made a show of loyalty since he became the party's nominee for president. But McConnell laid bare some of the real feelings in the Senate GOP conference toward Trump when he revealed in an oral history at the end of 2020 that he viewed Trump as "stupid," "ill-tempered," "a despicable human being" and a "narcissist." He also hinted that Trump was viewed negatively by a broader swatch of the GOP conference, asserting "it's not just the Democrats who [were] counting the days" until Trump left office in January 2021. His remarks were reported in a new McConnell biography penned by Michael Tackett, deputy Washington bureau chief for The Associated Press, titled "The Price of Power," which is due for public release later this month. McConnell's comments signal there will be lingering tensions -- and some level of mutual distrust -- between a significant number of Republican senators and Trump if he returns to the White House next year. |
| After a Yearlong Hunt, Sinwar's Killing Came Down to Chance | |
| For a year, Israel's military and its intelligence agencies scoured Gaza in a relentless hunt for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. And for a year, the architect of the Oct. 7 attacks eluded them. On Wednesday, Sinwar's luck ran out. He was killed in a chance encounter with Israeli soldiers training to be squad leaders. They had no idea who he was. The moment that changed the war in Gaza came around 3 p.m. when the trainees searching for Hamas tunnels in the southern city of Rafah saw three armed men leaving a building. The soldiers opened fire. One of the men fled into a nearby building. Soldiers sent a reconnaissance drone in after him. The video feed showed the militant wounded and alone, sitting in a chair. In a final act of defiance, the man hurled a chunk of wood at the drone, before the soldiers opened fire again -- and the house collapsed on him. It wasn't until the next morning, when other soldiers returned to sift through the rubble, that they noticed a resemblance between the dead militant and Sinwar, the Middle East's most wanted man. With the death of Sinwar, who devised and led the Oct. 7 attacks, leaving 1,200 people dead and more than 200 held hostage, Israel has now killed nearly all of Hamas's top leaders in Gaza, with the significant exception of Sinwar's brother Mohammed. |
| North Korean troops helping Putin is a 'grave' threat to the world, Seoul says | |
| South Korea's president warned Friday that North Korea's involvement in the war in Ukraine poses a "grave security threat" to the world. President Yoon Suk Yeol held a security meeting Friday with key intelligence, military and national security officials to discuss Pyongyang's participation in Russian leader Vladimir Putin's offensive against Ukraine. According to the presidential office, the participants "shared the view that the current situation, in which the close military ties between Russia and North Korea have expanded beyond the movement of military supplies to the actual deployment of troops, poses a grave security threat" to South Korea and the international community. South Korea's spy agency said Friday it believes North Korea has already begun deploying four brigades totaling 12,000 troops, including special forces, to the war in Ukraine. Separately, the head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate also shared the agency's assessment that there are now nearly 11,000 North Korean infantry troops training in Russia to fight in Ukraine. "They will be ready on Nov. 1," Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov told The War Zone. The North Korean troops will use Russian equipment and ammunition, Budanov said. The first cadre of 2,600 troops will go to Kursk inside Russia where Ukraine began a surprise incursion in the late summer, but it is unclear where the remaining North Korean troops will be posted, he added. |
| IHL approves capital needs bond proposal for capital improvements to Mississippi's 8 universities | |
 | Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning board members on Thursday approved a multi-million dollar, four-year bond proposal to fund capital improvements at Mississippi's eight universities. IHL Associate Commissioner of Real Estate and Facilities Brad Rowland described the plan as a "system capital needs request" that was prepared after asking each university to prepare a list of their top five projected capital needs between now and 2027. Thursday's motion, which was made by IHL Trustee Gregg Rader and approved unanimously, does not officially commit to issuing bonds or spending proceeds not already approved by the 2024 Legislature. Rather it provides a framework for presenting future legislative budget requests beginning in 2025. "It is about identifying the needs of each campus in preparation for presenting those needs to the Legislature in 2025," said IHL Director of Communications John Sewell. Thursday's approval identifies $140.2 million in already-allocated funds for 2024; $126.2 million projected for 2025; $113.7 million for 2026; and $114.3 million for 2027; totaling $494.4 million over four years. Of that total about $354.2 million would be in new funds projected for the years 2025 through 2027. |
| Average freshman to sophomore retention for Mississippi universities at 81 percent, IHL Board told | |
| The Board of Trustees for the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning approved requests to implement new degree programs and heard an update about enrollment statistics during Thursday's meeting. At the end of the meeting, Commissioner Dr. Alfred Rankins provided an enrollment and graduation update for the 2022-2023 academic year, saying enrollment totaled 86,458. "New freshman and transfer students made up about 31 percent of undergraduates in our system and first-time freshmen made up about 18 percent," Rankins said. The average ACT score for first-time freshmen that year was 23.7 and the average freshman to sophomore retention rate was 81 percent. Last academic year, the institutions awarded 19,605 degrees, of which 4,567 were in the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. |
| MUW hosts annual Women's Health Awareness Luncheon | |
| Taking strides to eat more healthy. Women from around the Golden Triangle attended MUW's Women's Health Awareness Luncheon on October 16. Baptist Memorial in Columbus was a co-sponsor of the event. This year's focus was "Nutrition Across the Ages." "We always try to have a topic that's of special interest to women. Sometimes we have a doctor or sometimes we have another different kind of clinician," said Megan Pratt, the Marketing Director for Baptist Memorial Hospital- Golden Triangle. Stephanie Markham, the Clinical Nutrition Manager at Baptist Memorial, was Wednesday's featured speaker. She spoke about bone and heart health. She also clarified some myths about nutrition. "There's so much on social media. It's hard to know what to believe and what's actually true," said Markham. Markham encouraged those in attendance to be mindful of what and how they eat. "I always tell my patients 'Do good when you can.' You're not always going to make the best choices, but that's OK. Can't beat yourself up about that." |
| Oxford locals struggle with housing costs | |
 | One thing has increased consistently in Oxford: rent prices. For many Oxford residents, this is cause for concern; however, there is not a general consensus on what the root of the problem is. Before purchasing a house in Oxford, Army veteran Mike Watkins was homeless on and off for 10 years. "When I moved to Oxford, I was helped out through a program that helps veterans get on their feet, so I came from being homeless to getting an apartment," Watkins said. "Eventually, I got married, had two kids, and I bought a house right before COVID." While he has grown to love Oxford, Watkins expressed concern that stories like his are becoming more rare as housing costs increase -- pointing to the influx of students as a contributing factor. John Russell, who owns 15 units of rental properties on South Lamar, College Hill, North Lamar and Old Sardis Road, discussed the housing issue from the perspective of a property owner. "The reason things are not affordable is not the city. The city's job is not to build houses and become a landlord, so people need to take the city out of it. Part of what's causing the housing crunch is that the university keeps raising how many students they're bringing in every year," Russell said. Deputy Director of the Oxford Housing Authority Teasha Sanders affirmed Watkins and Russell's assumption that the university is a contributing factor to the housing issue. "The University of Mississippi is a contributing factor to the lack of affordability in our local housing market," Sanders said. "Ole Miss is part of the charm and cultural vitality that Oxford is known for, and the university brings so much to our local community, but with all the good there are also some issues." |
| Hollywood brings smiles to patients as Children's of Mississippi's first facility dog | |
| Children's of Mississippi has welcomed an adorable furry friend as the hospital's first facility dog. Hollywood, a 67-pound male golden retriever, is embarking on a journey to bring joy and comfort to patients. Born and educated at Canine Assistants in Milton, Ga., Hollywood has been on the job at the state's only children's hospital since September 24. According to a press release from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the newest Children's of Mississippi team member can help stabilize blood pressure and reduce anxiety, pain, and fear. "Hollywood isn't just a dog – he's a vital part of our Child Life team," said Cara Williams, child life manager and Hollywood's handler "He truly is the best dog. His demeanor is so calm, and the way he loves patients, families, and staff is something that can't be replicated. He is so gentle and truly wants to be with people. He loves a good belly rub and will lean all the way in for a pet." Williams further added that Hollywood's bedside manner can sometimes be the best form of medication for patients and their families. Hospital facility dogs like Hollywood are similar to therapy dogs, experts say, but have the skills to react to the emotions of patients and their families and bring them a sense of calm. These dogs work with handlers throughout the day and go home with them at night. |
| 2,200 students expected for construction career expo | |
| More than 2,000 area eighth-graders will flood East Mississippi Community College's Communiversity next week as the FORGE Your Path Career Expo returns for a fifth year. From operating heavy machine simulators to laying bricks and finishing concrete, students will explore different skilled trade careers as they learn from area professionals. "It's really just telling them to explore and to understand that there are options out there," FORGE Executive Director Melinda Lowe told The Dispatch. "We're showing them multiple pathways, however they see themselves down the line. We're just trying to plant seeds, so that more communication and more conversation can take place." The expo kicks off Tuesday at 5 p.m. with a "Business After Hours" event for local business leaders, community members and industry partners to preview the expo and network with each other. Then Wednesday and Thursday, students will begin the expo with a safety talk starting at 8 a.m. both days. The idea is to introduce students to the different career options available to skilled laborers as they're beginning to think about their high school schedules. "We want all of them to see that there are very respectable skilled trade careers available to them no matter what path they choose and really no matter when they choose it," said West Brothers Construction General Manager Rob Winklepleck, who also helped organize the first career expo. |
| MCC students, staff give back to community | |
 | From performing outdoor yard work to reading to children to cleaning the porch and breezeway at a local retirement community, Meridian Community College students, faculty and staff spread out across the county Tuesday for their annual My College Cares Day. "At Meridian Community College, My College Cares is a special opportunity for students, faculty and staff to come together and give back to the local community," said Marion Whiting, MCC's director of housing and student activities who served as the chairman of the My College Cares Committee. "The purpose of this day is to foster a spirit of volunteerism, strengthen community bonds and make a positive impact through service projects," she said. "This day allows participants to dedicate a full day of service to the community that they are a part of. It is a special and wholesome day watching our students come together with all different areas of the community to make a difference." Through their community service work, MCC students, faculty, staff and administrators impacted nearly 60 sites, which included schools, retirement homes and senior adult centers, museums, nonprofit organizations, campgrounds, churches and athletic facilities. Besides Whiting, other My College Cares committee members include MCCers Lowell Martin, Nedra Bradley, Marlo Turner, Josh Taylor, Mandy Hurtt, Dr. Cedric Gathings and Whitney Stevens. |
| U. of Alabama frat brothers charged with hazing allegedly stepped on, poured beer on pledges | |
 | Four members of a University of Alabama fraternity were charged with hazing Tuesday after they allegedly poured beer on pledges, among other claims, during initiation rituals over the summer, according to court filings. Depositions filed Wednesday in Tuscaloosa County District Court state the abuse began on Aug. 25 in the band room of the Pi Kappa Phi House, where video allegedly showed pledges were forced on their hands and knees as part of "Rules Night." The pledges were "yelled at, stepped on, pushed, had items thrown at them and had beer poured on them," the deposition filed by one of the pledges stated. The hazing continued three days later, according to the court filings, in the fraternity house's TV room. The four fraternity members charged -- Grant Henry Rakers, 20; Christopher Theodore Molineaux, 22; Charles William Gray, 20; and Joshua Donald Ferrito, 22 -- are each facing two counts of misdemeanor hazing. They face up to three months in jail on each count if convicted. Prosecutors contend they either failed to stop the hazing or report the abuse to authorities, and the members allegedly admitted to their roles in the incident to campus police. |
| Auburn University celebrates 77th Hey Day | |
| With brisk temperatures and warm smiles, the Student Government Association (SGA) kicked off Auburn University's 77th Hey Day on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 16. Dating back to 1947, Hey Day was created to welcome student veterans back to a kind and inviting campus following World War II. The veterans felt out of place at home post-war, so SGA rallied students to proudly wear name tags and connect with people they might not have otherwise met. The simplicity of Hey Day is designed to help remove some of the pressure students feel, allowing them to overcome their anxieties when talking to strangers. Sometimes, all it takes is a "hey" to spark a conversation. Wyatt Hardee, junior in chemistry, explained that Hey Day is one of his favorite Auburn traditions, and his love for Hey Day ignited during his freshman year when he volunteered for the event. "Something as simple as saying, 'hey', can really go a long way, especially if someone's having a bad day and might not want to talk," Hardee said. Nibir Roy, a first year graduate student in biosystems engineering, said he had never heard of Hey Day until that morning, but he soon discovered that Hey Day represents the southern hospitality found at Auburn University. "Since I came here, you know, the way they greet people, the way they meet with people, connect with people, I think that's what's fascinating," Roy said. |
| Ex-U. of Kentucky student Sophia Rosing sentenced to jail for racist attack on Black student | |
 | The former University of Kentucky student who was banned from campus for a racist attack on a Black student has been sentenced to one year in jail. Sophia Rosing, 23, physically assaulted and hurled racial slurs at a student desk clerk, Kylah Spring, who is Black, in November 2022. Video of Rosing's attack and arrest went viral, made headlines around the world and put a spotlight on UK. Rosing previously pleaded guilty to four counts of fourth-degree assault, one count of disorderly conduct and one count of public intoxication, according to her attorney, Fred Peters. Fayette Circuit Judge Lucy VanMeter sentenced Rosing to 12 months in the Fayette County Detention Center, 100 hours of community service and a $25 fine. Peters said he felt the sentence was "excessive." "What she said was awful," Peters said. "She got into a scuffle with the clerk and bit people on the hand; I think she did not deserve a sentence of 12 months in prison for the very first offense her in life." She will be in protective custody at the Fayette County Detention Center due to the nature of her offenses, Peters said. "It was not a good day for Sophia Rosing," he added. |
| It's 50 years and counting for Texas A&M University Press | |
 | Perhaps no other entity has its finger on the pulse of Texas history like the Texas A&M University Press. "We publish a lot of Texas history," Director Dr. Jay Dew told members of the William J. Bryan Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas at its September meeting. "Texas history and regional Texas topics are sort of our bread and butter, from Texas history, Texas music, Texas art, archaeology, things like that. We're definitely an established university press." That establishment recently marked 50 years of service. TAMU Press got its start Sept. 1, 1974, under founding director Frank H. Wardlaw. "We will endeavor to combine the university press's traditional obligation to scholarship with A&M's equally traditional role of service to Texas and the Southwest, preserving and interpreting the region's heritage in history, natural history, art, and literature," Wardlaw is quoted as saying in a promotional video for the 50th anniversary. The video, Celebrating 50 Years: Texas A&M University Press, is narrated by Fred McClure, chief community engagement officer in the office of the president at A&M. "This video was put together by some retired staff members who gave their time and talent and some board members who gave their treasure to produce this. It did not cost us anything and it's been a very good tool for us to sort of spread the word about the Press," Dew said. The first book published by the Press was "Storms Brewed in Other Men's Worlds: The Confrontation of Indians, Spanish, and French in the Southwest, 1540-1795," by Elizabeth A.H. John, published in 1975. Since then, the Press has gone on to publish over 2,000 books, winning more than 500 awards along the way. The nonprofit organization publishes 30-50 books a year. |
| Voting rights groups seek investigation into Wisconsin text message | |
| Voting rights advocates on Tuesday asked state and federal authorities to investigate anonymous text messages apparently targeting young Wisconsin voters, warning them not to vote in a state where they are ineligible. Free Speech for People, on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, made the request to the U.S. Department of Justice as well as the Wisconsin Department of Justice. The letter says that "thousands of young voters across Wisconsin" received the text message last week, including staff members at the League of Women Voters and students at the University of Wisconsin. The text in question cites Wisconsin state law prohibiting voting in more than one place and says that violating the law can result in fines of up to $10,000 and 3.5 years in prison. "Don't vote in a state where you're not eligible," the text said. Wisconsin is known for having razor-thin presidential elections. Four of the last six were decided by less than a percentage point. President Joe Biden won in 2020 by less than 21,000 votes. Students attending college in Wisconsin are able to register to vote either at their home address or their one at school. |
| College students fight barriers to casting ballots as early voting begins | |
| In the final weeks of the presidential campaign, each side is scouring swing states to get as many voters as possible, including on college campuses. But in some of those crucial states, students face new barriers to casting their ballots. North Carolina election officials are for the first time enforcing a 2018 voter ID law in a general election this November, following court entanglements that had put the law on hold. Universities throughout the state have already been working to ensure students who want to vote have identification, but students in recent weeks found out they can't use the ubiquitous digital college IDs stored on their cellphones. In states such as Arizona, Indiana and Texas, students have expressed concern over a lack of polling places on college campuses. And in Georgia, officials at Emory University in Atlanta mistakenly gave students incorrect guidance on which campus address to provide on voter registration forms, opening the students up to having their registrations challenged when voting. Nearly 41 million Generation Z Americans are eligible to vote in November's election, according to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, a research organization known as CIRCLE that focuses on young people. That large voting bloc could make the difference in an election that will likely be determined by small margins. But voting laws differ by state, and access varies from campus to campus for the roughly 18 million students in undergraduate and graduate programs. |
| ACT, SAT scores decline year over year | |
| The average ACT composite score of 19.4 from the class of 2024 was slightly lower than the 19.5 earned by their peers who graduated the year before, according to results released by ACT Education Corp., a college admissions assessment provider. Additionally, 57% of high school graduates in 2024 met one or more of ACT's College Readiness Benchmark in English, math, reading and science. First-year college students who meet ACT's benchmarks have about a 50% chance of earning a B or better and a 75% chance of scoring a C or better in their corresponding college courses, according to ACT. Many colleges and universities shifted their admissions policies to be test-optional or test-free during the pandemic. While many are continuing these policies, others are reinstating the requirement, causing high school seniors to be more strategic when it comes to applying to colleges. ACT said a record high of 78% of exam takers who graduated in 2024 tested through state and district programs that provide free school-day testing to students. ″When students are able to test during the school day at no cost to them, it opens doors to postsecondary, scholarship, and career opportunities for many students who didn't know that college could be an option," ACT CEO Janet Godwin said in a statement. |
| Study: Racial Discrimination Against Med Students Diminishes Professional Development | |
 | Roughly one-third of Black medical students reported experiencing discrimination in medical school---the highest rates of any racial or ethnic group, according to a study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "Experiences of racial and ethnic discrimination influence wellness and success in medical school and are associated with depression, burnout and increased attrition rates," the paper said. "Emerging evidence suggests that subtle acts of racial and ethnic bias in the clinical learning environment can hinder professional identity formation among medical students from racial and ethnic minority groups. These experiences are alienating, leading to feelings of discomfort and invisibility, and require constant vigilance, potentially contributing to a deleterious learning climate." According to the paper, discrimination against medical students is significantly associated with their diminished personal and professional development at medical schools, where Black students especially are already underrepresented. And that has implications for the larger health-care system and workforce, which is dominated by white and Asian doctors and doesn't represent the racial diversity of patient populations -- a factor experts have long said can lead to worse health outcomes. |
| 'Academic probation' sends message to students that college isn't for them, research says | |
| When a college student's GPA dips below 2.0 -- lower than a C average -- schools often send a notice meant to serve as a wake-up call: Improve your grades or risk losing financial aid and being kicked out of college. But the way that universities and colleges deliver this wake-up call could be backfiring and pushing students to give up on higher education altogether, according to new research. That's what California Competes, a nonpartisan policy and research organization, concluded in a recent report on "academic probation." The policy report was born out of a study that relied on interviews with over 50 "comebackers" -- students who returned to higher education years after stopping out -- from Shasta College and Sacramento State. Academic probation wasn't on the radar of researchers until the comebackers, brought on to co-design the study, raised academic probation as a serious issue that led many students to give up on their studies. "I was very surprised that this came up from the students, but this is why we center students in our work," said Su Jin Jez, California Competes CEO, in an interview with EdSource. Jez said students perceived being put on academic probation as a message that they aren't cut out for higher education, not as a wake-up call. This was especially true when an automated notice did not offer clear next steps for a student to begin to turn their academic career around. |
| Pro-Palestinian college protests lose some steam in new academic year | |
| The pro-Palestinian protests that roiled university life last year have been much quieter in the first few weeks of the fall semester, as a combination of activist turnover, fatigue and new rules turn down the volume on campus turbulence. While students have continued to hold protests, class walkouts, vigils for Gaza and other public demonstrations, none have come close to causing the level of disruption that led some colleges to move their classes online last spring. Aly Moosa, a pro-Palestinian organizer at Yale University, says the current strategy of those involved is more about building a lasting movement, compared to the last time around's urgent outcry. "It was a deliberate and reactionary approach to showcase widespread solidarity amongst colleges, amongst initiatives, amongst organizations," Moosa said about April's encampments. "I think the last few months are reeling from the intensity of that and trying to hold on to those relationships to build more of a long-lasting and less of a reactionary approach to organizing." "It's different from how it was in March and April, which was much more, you know, 'go big, go home' approach, versus now ... we need to build a long haul, and we need to continue building on and passing this," he added. |
| How U.S. Plans to Recognize Colleges for Student Success | |
| The Biden administration wants to recognize colleges that help students complete affordable credentials and increase their economic mobility, and it's starting with a list of 200 institutions. Colleges on the list, which was released earlier this month, are eligible to apply for the department's new Postsecondary Success Recognition Program, which is aimed at identifying and celebrating the best practices to help more students, particularly those from low-income families, get to and through college. "Imagine a world where schools with the most Pell Grant recipients are ranked highest in U.S. News and World Report, where 'prestige' is defined by preparing graduates well to enter the workforce and lead fulfilling lives and careers -- sometimes right in their own communities," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in an April statement announcing the program. Higher education policy analysts and lobbyists see the program as a positive opportunity to aggregate and share best practices, but some question the methodology of how institutions were selected, and others express ambivalence---uncertain of whether the potential benefits are worth the time and effort, particularly at the end of the Biden administration. |
SPORTS
| No. 3 Mississippi State Heads To Oxford For Magnolia Cup Clash With Ole Miss | |
| The No. 3 Mississippi State Bulldogs are set to face in-state rival Ole Miss in the highly anticipated Magnolia Cup on Friday night in Oxford. In the midst of a historic season, State has been dominant in SEC play, boasting a perfect 6-0-0 record and extending their winning streak to nine matches. Under the leadership of head coach James Armstrong and his staff, the Bulldogs aim to capture their fifth consecutive Magnolia Cup victory, adding another chapter to the rivalry's storied history. Mississippi State's elite defensive performance has been the backbone of their success. Goalkeeper Maddy Anderson has been outstanding, anchoring one of the top defensive units in the country. The Seabrook, Texas, native has recorded 10 solo shutouts this season (11 combined), raising her career total to 35. Anderson now ranks second in the NCAA for shutouts this year. She also leads the nation and the SEC in goals-against average (0.237) and ranks third in the NCAA in save percentage (.900). Her presence in goal has been key to the Bulldogs' unbeaten run and their rise to the No. 3 spot nationally. Offensively, Mississippi State has displayed remarkable depth and balance. Ally Perry leads the team with eight goals, including four game-winners, and ranks second in the SEC in total shots (59). Perry also leads the conference in shots per game (4.54), making her one of the most dangerous attackers in the league. The Bulldogs have spread the scoring across the roster, with 13 different players finding the back of the net this season, a testament to their ability to generate offense from all areas of the pitch. Mississippi State will look to continue their winning streak in the Magnolia Cup series, having captured the last four meetings between the two teams. |
| Mississippi State football approved for Davis Wade Stadium renovations | |
| Mississippi State football was approved for a $3 million renovation to Davis Wade Stadium during Thursday's Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning board meeting. The renovation will be for the two levels of suites on the east side of the stadium. It will be for aesthetic improvements that "include but is not limited to new interior finishes, millwork, doors, seating and lighting," according to the IHL. No timeline for the project was announced. It will be funded by the MSU athletics internal fund. MP Design Group was appointed as the design professional. Davis Wade Stadium was constructed in 1914, with the east suites added in 2002. The most recent stadium renovation was completed two years ago with the addition of the balcony seats on the upper level of the west side of the stadium. Mississippi State football (1-5, 0-3 SEC) and first-year coach Jeff Lebby begin a three-game homestand when they host No. 14 Texas A&M (5-1, 3-0) this Saturday (3:15 p.m., SEC Network). |
| Five keys to victory for Mississippi State against No. 14 Texas A&M | |
| Mississippi State (1-5, 0-3 Southeastern Conference) is back home for the first of three straight games at Davis Wade Stadium, and will play its third straight game against a ranked team when No. 14 Texas A&M (5-1, 3-0) visits Starkville on Saturday for a 3:15 p.m. kickoff on SEC Network. The Aggies have won five straight games following a season-opening home loss to Notre Dame. Opposing quarterbacks have had no trouble completing downfield passes at a high rate against MSU, and the Aggies' Conner Weigman is coming off an 18-of-22 performance in his return from an injury two weeks ago against Missouri. Forcing turnovers has been easier than forcing punts lately for the Bulldogs' defense -- MSU recovered two fumbles against Texas and intercepted Georgia quarterback Carson Beck twice last week, with Brice Pollock and DeAgo Brumfield each recording his first career pick. The Bulldogs will need to take the ball away and cut Texas A&M's possessions short. This is the Bulldogs' first home game in nearly a month, and players, coaches and administrators are pushing for a sellout. The crowd will surely be fired up during pregame ceremonies, but the important thing is it stays that way in the second half. MSU held its own in hostile environments in its last two games. This is the Bulldogs' turn to make an SEC opponent uncomfortable -- especially one that has struggled in previous trips to Starkville. |
| Kevin Coleman feels Bulldogs have turned a corner as team returns home | |
| When Jeff Lebby arrived in Starkville, one of the first things that the coach did was assess Mississippi State's roster and look for ways to improve it. It didn't take long for the coach to see that Louisville wide receiver Kevin Coleman was a player that could help jumpstart things right away. The former Jackson State star helped Deion Sanders to big things and then was a major weapon for the Cardinals last season. Coleman showed what he could do as a pass catcher and a returner through the first few games with Blake Shapen as his quarterback, but the starter went down with a season-ending injury in the Florida game on September 21. Now, the chemistry has begun to grow with freshman Michael Van Buren. "The chemistry is definitely growing," Coleman said. "Since we got here in January, we were throwing with Mike and Blake so we already had chemistry with Mike. That was always important to have chemistry with Mike. That was always important to get chemistry with him and (Chris Parson)." There shouldn't be a shortage of energy inside Davis Wade Stadium as the Bulldogs (1-5, 0-3 SEC) return home for the first time in nearly one month to take on the No. 14 Texas A&M Aggies (5-1, 3-0 SEC) at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday. |
| ABC dominates college football ratings as $300 million SEC deal pays off | |
 | On Saturday, ABC will air a highly anticipated SEC doubleheader: No. 7 Alabama at No. 11 Tennessee at 3:30 p.m. ET, followed by No. 5 Georgia at No. 1 Texas in prime time. A year ago, neither game would have aired on that network. CBS, which held the rights to the SEC Game of the Week for two decades, would have aired Georgia-Texas at 3:30. And because CBS held exclusivity among over-the-air networks for all SEC games, Bama-Tennessee would have fallen to ESPN. Now, thanks to a deal struck four years ago that gives ESPN/ABC all SEC rights, ABC airs SEC games in all three Saturday windows (Noon, 3:30 and 7:30) most weeks. And it's dominating the ratings accordingly. Of the 12 games that have averaged at least 6 million viewers this season, nine have been ABC broadcasts featuring at least one SEC team, including the Sept. 28 Georgia-Alabama thriller that averaged 12 million viewers -- most for a prime-time regular-season game since 2017. The network shifted the league's best game each week to its prime-time window, boosting the average viewership of its Saturday Night Football franchise to 6.47 million, up 87.6 percent from last season's first seven weeks. ABC's 3:30 (5.03 million) and Noon (4.37 million) windows are also higher than any other network's. "We told the SEC when we had discussions with them -- we want to compete in all three windows aggressively on Saturdays," said Nick Dawson, ESPN Senior VP for College Sports Programming and Acquisitions. "In most weeks, the two best SEC games are going to be one at 3:30 on ABC and one is going to be in prime time on either ABC or ESPN. But we wanted to be aggressive in the Noon window as well." |
| Decision made on whether Bulldog mascot Uga will be at Georgia football game at Texas | |
 | There will be no Round 2 of Uga vs. Bevo at Georgia football's top 5 matchup at Texas Saturday night. The Bulldogs live mascot, Uga XI, is staying put in Savannah, his handler and owner Charles Seiler told the Athens Banner-Herald Friday morning. "No dog," Seiler said. "This dog is only two and two months. He hadn't been on a plane yet, hand't been on a bus yet. The trip is just too far for us." Savannah to Austin is some 1,100 miles apart. Seiler said he would have had to drive five hours to Athens to get on a plane and fly with Georgia football. "The worst part is coming back because I've got to jump in the car and drive home from Athens when the sun is coming up," Seiler said. "That was OK when I was a younger man, but I'm 64 now. My wife tells me you ain't doing that by yourself. I have a feeling I'm going to have problems reaching these outer games. We haven't been to Texas A&M yet because we just hadn't had their home game yet." Uga X, known as Que, and Bevo infamously had a pregame incident before Texas' 28-21 win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 2019 in New Orleans. Texas mascot Bevo XV, an 18,000 pound longhorn steer, lunged towards the bulldog mascot in a photo-op on the sidelines in the Superdome prior to the game, sending photographers and other media members scurrying to get out of the way. |
| Texas' showdown with Georgia in Austin sums up why Longhorns made move to SEC | |
| Striding out of his office on Thursday afternoon, Chris Del Conte is on the way to another meeting. Such is life this week for the athletic director of the country's richest athletic department. This meeting, like many of the rest this week, is focused on logistics related to Saturday's big home game: No. 1 Texas vs. No. 5 Georgia. The game is, arguably, the biggest in Darrell K Royal Stadium this late in a season in 54 years and, perhaps some here contend, it is the biggest game ever given the circumstances: the SEC's new blood against the SEC's old blood colliding in a top-five, prime-time showdown in front of more than 100,000 people in the bustling downtown of one of America's booming cities. But there's more, says Del Conte. Formula 1, the international racing federation, is holding its annual Grand Prix just a few miles from the football stadium, where more than 400,000 people are expected over the three-day event -- from practice rounds to Sunday's finale. Del Conte isn't done yet. On Saturday night, as the Bulldogs and Longhorns tangle on the football field, an F1 concert unfolds featuring Eminem as the headliner. Wait, wait. There's even more. Right around the time the football game goes to halftime, the city's professional soccer team, Austin FC, begins a match across town. Del Conte shuffles into the logistical meeting looking like someone who's slept little. "Saturday's going to be a mess," he says before pausing. "Look, the whole thing's fine," he continues. "It's just chaos!" Chaos. A mess. Or, perhaps, another description fits this Saturday in Austin: Perfect. |
| John Calipari Campaign Cash Stands Out Among College Sports Figures | |
| Arkansas head men's basketball coach John Calipari and his wife have given more than $90,000 in political contributions this cycle, almost all of which the couple donated last year. Calipari's biggest beneficiary was the Democratic Grassroots Victory Fund, which received $50,000, while Pennsylvania's Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro got $20,000 of Calipari cash. The former Kentucky coach also spread some of his wealth to Republicans -- at least those living in the commonwealth. In 2023, he gave the Kentucky state GOP $3,400, while lavishing Rep. Andy Barr with $10,000 for his U.S. Senate bid. Calipari's wife, Ellen, also gave $3,300 to Barr's Senate campaign and another $3,400 to the state party. Since the start of this year, Calipari's donating has mostly dried up, with records showing his lone 2024 contribution being a $1,000 check he wrote in May to Jamie Palumbo, a Democrat who lost the primary election for a Kentucky House District seat. Calipari's giving served as an outlier among major college sports figures, according to a Sportico review of state and federal campaign finance reports. Regardless of how much money they make, or how politically engaged they behave online, the cohort has largely avoided opening their wallets to candidates this cycle. This is in spite of the increasingly political dynamics of the intercollegiate athletics industry, which in recent years has been turned on its head by state-based NIL laws, and which has habitually lobbied Congress to come to its aid. |
| Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin reacts to Tony Bennett's surprising retirement announcement | |
| Tony Bennett stunned many on Thursday with his reported retirement. That includes those in the state with Glenn Youngkin, the governor of Virginia, now reacting to it. Youngkin discussed Bennett's sudden retirement on NEWSRADIO WRVA on Friday. He knows it's sad news for their state, its university, and the school's basketball program with who Bennett was as a coach and as a person. "My heart broke yesterday, like every other big basketball fan and Virginia fan. Tony Bennett is one of the greatest coaches that college basketball will ever see, and he's also a great man. I was just heartbroken to see that he's stepping down," said Youngkin. "He'll get a chance today to share with everybody why but we're going to miss him." "This is a real loss for Virginia, for Virginia Basketball," Youngkin stated. "I mean, a two-time Naismith Coach of the Year, two-time AP Coach of the Year. National championship in 2019, ACC Championships. By the way, graduating players who you want to represent Virginia and the University of Virginia." Bennett, who's just 55 years old, was entering his 16th season as head coach of the Cavaliers. In that time since the start of the last decade, he posted a record of 364-136 (.728) in Charlottesville. That career there also included eight titles in the ACC and the national title in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. |
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