| Monday, October 28, 2024 |
| Mississippi State, Ingalls Shipbuilding partner for employee education assistance benefits | |
 | Mississippi State University (MSU) and HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding division formally partnered to give eligible employees at Ingalls expanded education assistance benefits. Officials said this includes a 10% tuition discount for those who enroll in MSU for undergraduate or graduate courses. The agreement applies to eligible employees -- defined as pre-approved through the Ingalls Education Assistance Program -- who may take online or in-person courses. The students must meet all admission criteria to receive the preferred tuition benefits. "We are so proud to give this benefit to the hardworking employees at Ingalls Shipbuilding to help individuals further their education and achieve their goals," said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. "Partnerships like this help MSU work with our state's leading industries to grow our state together. Ingalls is clearly one of the most important companies in Mississippi, and we are pleased to support the many hardworking professionals they have working in all aspects of their industry." |
| Mississippi State University, Ingalls Shipbuilding partner for employee education assistance benefits | |
 | Mississippi State University and Ingalls Shipbuilding formally partnered to give eligible employees at Ingalls expanded education assistance benefits, including a 10% tuition discount for those enrolling in undergraduate or graduate courses. The agreement applies to eligible employees, defined as pre-approves through the Ingalls Education Assistance Program, who may take online or in-person courses. Students must meet all admission criteria to receive the preferred tuition benefits. "We are fully committed to the growth and success of our team and are excited to be providing this extra educational benefit to our shipbuilders," Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said. "Through this partnership with MSU, we can continue ensuring our shipbuilders have every opportunity to gain the educational skills and training they need to excel in their careers. Eligible employees may request tuition payment deferment for up to six credit hours per term with an employer-approved tuition assistance form on file with the university. Ingalls will work with MSU to communicate the new education assistance benefits available as part of this latest memorandum of understanding. |
| FOX Weather-MSU scholarship program propels early careers of young meteorologists | |
 | College meteorology students can have a chance at getting first-hand experience in the broadcast industry, thanks to an annual scholarship program with FOX Weather and Mississippi State University. Scholarship recipients are given financial aid, mentorship and the opportunity to serve as an intern for FOX Weather. The scholarship program is available to eligible students with a concentration in either broadcast meteorology or professional meteorology/climatology at Mississippi State, one of the top meteorology schools in the nation. Created in 2021, the program has been offered to three MSU students, Sadie Morris, Mark Kimoto and Haley Meier. This year's scholarship recipient, Sadie Morris is working toward a Bachelor of Science degree in Geosciences with an emphasis in Broadcast Meteorology. She is currently being mentored by FOX Weather Meteorologist Jane Minar. Last year's scholarship recipient was Mark Kimoto, a Geosciences major focusing on Professional Meteorology and minoring in Communication. He will join FOX Weather this summer as an intern, allowing him to continue learning from veterans in the weather and broadcast industry, such as his mentor FOX Weather meteorologist Craig Herrera. "Being a mentor is more than an honor, it's a privilege," Herrera said. "From the get-go, Mark Kimoto and I hit it off, and I feel like he's my little brother. Mark is a great guy who absorbs so much information and guidance." |
| Williams Lecture commemorates 160th anniversary of Lincoln, Grant meeting | |
 | The 2024 Frank and Virginia Williams Lecture on Abraham Lincoln and Civil War Studies will commemorate the 160th anniversary of the pivotal first meeting between U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. Scheduled for 6 p.m. Nov. 7, the event will explore how their collaboration played a crucial role in securing the Union's victory and ending slavery during the American Civil War. Hosted in the John Grisham Room on the third floor of Mitchell Memorial Library, the event is free and open to the public with a reception following. MSU parking gates open at 5 p.m. Susannah J. Ural, the Frank and Virginia Williams Endowed Chair, said this year's format will shift from a traditional lecture to a conversation between scholars who will cover a range of topics related to the theme "Lincoln and Grant in 1864: The Partnership that Saved the Union and Destroyed Slavery." The featured guests are two of the nation's leading scholars of the U.S. Civil War era. University of California, Los Angeles, Professor Emeritus Joan Waugh is a critically acclaimed historian of Grant and Civil War memory. Leading Civil War military historian Joseph T. Glatthaar is an award-winning author and the Stephenson Distinguished Professor and adjunct professor of the Curriculum in Peace, War and Defense at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. |
| Mississippi State, MSDH partner to help rural hospitals | |
| Mississippi State University (MSU) and the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) are partnering to support the state's rural hospitals. Officials said MSU's Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems-Extension in Canton is offering the Healthcare Lean Certificate training for representatives from 11 hospitals this fall. The Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program is funded by the MSDH. Class participants will learn process improvement methods to enhance safety and quality of patient care, as well as organizational efficiency. "As our state's small and rural hospitals face a wide range of challenges, I am glad we are able to partner with MSDH to deliver impactful training in service of these important hospitals and the communities they serve," said John Moore, CAVS-E senior project manager and HLC lead instructor. Healthcare Lean training refers to the application of Lean principles and practices in the healthcare industry through specialized training programs. |
| Strong absentee voting this election cycle points to new trend | |
| Absentee voting for the Nov. 5 general election looks to be trending toward the second-highest totals ever in Golden Triangle counties. In Oktibbeha County, Circuit Clerk Tony Rook said 1,772 voters had requested absentee ballots by midday Friday, with 1,463 of those cast, either by mail or in-person. Though absentee voting opened Sept. 23, Rook said the last two weeks before the election generally sees an uptick in requests, and those now are coming into his office at a clip of about 150 per day. Rook estimates the total by the deadline could approach 2,500, less than the nearly 3,500 cast for the 2020 general election but solidly second place. "Prior to 2020, I don't think we ever had more than about 1,000 (absentee votes)," Rook said. Any registered voter 65 or older, or any voter who will be away from their county of residence for any reason on election day, can request an in-person absentee ballot, according to the secretary of state's website. To vote by mail, a voter must be 65 or older; be temporarily living outside their county of residence; have a temporary or permanent physical disability; be a parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a disability who is hospitalized outside his or her county of residence or more 50 miles of their residence on election day; or be an incarcerated who has not been convicted of a disenfranchising crime. To request an absentee ballot, contact your county's circuit clerk's office. |
| Starkville opens new community center | |
 | A new community center has opened in Starkville. "Never in my life would I thought anything like this would be in Starkville, in Needmore. This is beautiful," said Bettie Hairston-Holmes, a native of Needmore. The new community center replaced an older one that had been torn down. Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill says it's part of a revitalization of the city's public spaces. "This is part of our renewal for our parks, so we tore down a very old building that was not nearly in the shape that we should be proud of. And we've put up a brand-new building to serve the community in ways that the old one did not," said Spruill. Needmore is one of the earliest African-American neighborhoods in Starkville. One of the highlights from the new community center is the new mural that showcases the history of Needmore. The community center is also available to rent for events and has a new basketball court. |
| Autism support group hosts sensory friendly fall festival | |
| While hundreds of families filled Main Street for Pumpkinpalooza Thursday night, enjoying music, trick or treating, inflatable jumpers and more, another fall festival was going on just a few minutes away. But this other new festival, hosted in Fire Station Park by the Starkville Area Autism Support Group, was much quieter and calmer – just as volunteer organizer and mother Cindi Patrick hoped it would be. "My son, Shawn, he's 15. He has autism," Patrick said. "And so, he wasn't able to attend the Pumpkinpalooza because it was a little too crowded." Wanting her son to have the chance to participate in fun fall activities while avoiding bright lights, loud noises and large crowds, like those involved in the Pumpkinpalooza, Patrick helped to arrange the sensory friendly event. The festival included a calm zone, sensory bins, leaf painting, games, trick or treating and a photo area, giving those who wanted a calmer experience the chance to participate in some of the same activities happening on Main Street. The event also included allergy-friendly candy and wheelchair accessible games, so those that needed them could come and enjoy as well. Patrick said Starkville Main Street Director Paige Watson helped to arrange Fire Station Park for the sensory friendly festival, while local businesses donated free parking and treats to the event. |
| The MAX to celebrate Eudora Welty with documentary, dinner | |
 | Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience will host an upscale dinner presented by chef and restauranteur Robert St. John Thursday, Dec. 5, along with the airing of the new documentary "Eudora" highlighting the extraordinary career of Jackson-based author and photographer Eudora Welty. St. John, an author and popular figure in the culinary world, is co-founder of the Institute for Southern Storytelling at Mississippi College, which released a richly illustrated book on Welty and debuted the accompanying Eudora film during the Mississippi Book Festival in September. The book and film are garnering early praise. The public is invited to view a screening of the 56-minute documentary at 5:30 p.m. at the MSU Riley Center's historic theater followed by a brief panel discussion with the filmmakers. The MAX will then host a Welty-inspired dinner by St. John and a book signing in the Structural Steel Hall of Fame rotunda beginning at 7 p.m. Copies of the book will be available for sale. Robert St. John, Amy and Anthony Thaxton, and Mary Alice Welty White, niece of Eudora Welty, will participate in the panel discussion, dinner and book signing. The documentary screening is made possible by the generous support of The Phil Hardin Foundation, which also helped underwrite the making of "Eudora." |
| The art of crafting AI legislation for the Magnolia State | |
| Since Mississippi is at ground zero with artificial intelligence (AI) legislation, along with 19 other states, what do lawmakers do first? "Our first responsibility is public safety, and we need to make sure we're putting on guardrails, especially for minors, though we don't want to be too restrictive as this technology develops," said Sen. Bart Williams (R-Starkville), chair of the Senate Technology Committee. "We definitely need to look at deepfakes." Williams coordinated two days of technology hearings last month, loaded with eight AI experts representing private and public stakeholders, to better educate the 18 members of the Senate and House Technology Committees. There was encouragement for legislative bodies to establish governance structures, incentivize AI development, and allocate funding, with an emphasis on partnerships with private industry and workforce training. There was discussion on the need for legislative guidance on data quality requirements and plans, and on the challenges of legislating AI, particularly the fear of unintended consequences that could outlaw beneficial practices. An emphasis was placed on agile and flexible legislation. "For the most part, we really aren't sure how to approach AI legislation yet," said Williams, agreeing that Mississippi needs to have an AI governance model in place. "I've probably been four or five different places out of state, and I've got three or four more to go before we head back into session." |
| This week in politics: When Mississippi judge races went apolitical, or did they? | |
 | In this year's judicial races, Mississippi politicians and at least one political party have thrown their two cents in on who they believe should be elected to the Mississippi Supreme Court. And while the races are nonpartisan, and have been for just over 30 years, it has never stopped partisan groups from supporting a candidate who holds their values more so than others. "I think (the change from partisan to nonpartisan elections) is one of the best things about our system" said Jim Kitchens, Mississippi Supreme Justice and Central District candidate, in an interview with the Clarion Ledger. "... But I haven't seen any kind of judicial selection, whether it's appointed, elected or some kind of variation that completely eliminates politics." Kitchens has also received donations from Mississippi Democrats, including Brandon Presley and endorsements from state party leaders, including Cheikh Taylor, a Mississippi House Representative from Starkville. Kitchens said the point in the 1990s was to remove aspects of politics from the equation and to some degree it has. One of Kitchens' toughest opponents, State Sen. Jenifer Branning, R-Philadelphia, has received donations from Republican support groups for top state GOP members, including House Speaker Jason White and Senate Finance Chairman Josh Harkins. Branning also received a donation from former Gov. Haley Barbour. |
| Court says Mississippi can't count late ballots but the ruling doesn't affect Nov. 5 vote | |
| A conservative federal court said Mississippi cannot count mail-in ballots that arrive shortly after Election Day, however Friday's decision was not expected to affect the Nov. 5 election. Although the appellate judges firmly asserted that counting late ballots violates federal law, even if those ballots are postmarked by Election Day, the judges stopped short of an order immediately blocking Mississippi from continuing the practice. Their ruling noted federal court precedents have discouraged court actions that change established procedures shortly before an election. The outcome may be negligible in most elections in heavily Republican Mississippi, but the case could affect voting in swing states if the Supreme Court ultimately issues a ruling. The three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a July decision by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr., who had dismissed challenges to Mississippi's election law by the Republican National Committee, the Libertarian Party of Mississippi and others. The appeals court order sent the case back to Guirola for further action. UCLA law professor Richard Hasen wrote on his election law blog that the appeals court ruling was a "bonkers opinion" and noted that "every other court to face these cases has rejected this argument." |
| State, owners reach agreement on 'just compensation' for hotel eyed for fairgrounds expansion | |
| More than three years after talks began, the state soon could be purchasing the former Regency Hotel and Conference Center in downtown Jackson. The hotel has been at the center of controversy for years, with the Jackson Municipal Court ordering it shut down back in 2022. The state also sought a court order to have the property condemned, so it could be purchased to expand the Mississippi State Fairgrounds. This month, Hinds County Judge Pieter Teeuwissen removed a trial between the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration, Grandana LLC, Jain Ping Zhu, and others after the parties had reached an agreement regarding the "valuation and just compensation" for the property. The case has been set to go to trial on October 14, 15, and 16. The jury instructions had already been filed with the Mississippi Electronic Courts database. The hotel is located on Greymont Street across from the fairgrounds. According to the complaint filed back in 2022, DFA said the state was seeking the hotel and its more than six-acre parcel for the "expansion, safety, and security of the Mississippi Fair Grounds." The state had already purchased the old Dennery's restaurant, as well as the nearby Oyo Hotel, both of which have since been torn down. |
| Anchor David Elliott says WLOX-TV fired him over political views. His response: 'See ya.' | |
 | David "Dave" Elliott, a fixture at WLOX-TV, says he was fired Friday morning over his personal political posts on X, formerly known as Twitter. Elliott announced his departure to the public on one of his Facebook page, "David Elliott WLOX TV" and on his personal Facebook page, Dave Elliott. "I'm no longer at WLOX as of 10-25-24," Elliott wrote Friday morning. "The corporation doesn't like my political views." Before he was fired, Elliott posted a tweet on X that featured him in a video telling people they should stay home if they plan to vote for Kamala Harris. By midday Friday, the video posted Wednesday night had 1,100 views, 69 likes and 21 retweets. Elliott, who has worked at WLOX since 1985, said general manager Rick Williams broke the news about his termination. "X was brought up in the conversation, which lasted only about 30 seconds because I left," Elliott told the Sun Herald. "I was like, 'OK, see ya." Elliott joked not so long ago on social media that he planned to die in his anchor chair. He said Friday that he might just have a different employer in mind. "I was going to leave at the end of the year, anyway," he said. "I have irons in the fire. Things are going to move at the speed of light. Keep your eyes open." |
| US voters concerned about post-election violence and efforts to overturn the results: AP-NORC poll | |
| American voters are approaching the presidential election with deep unease about what could follow, including the potential for political violence, attempts to overturn the election results and its broader implications for democracy, according to a new poll. The findings of the survey, conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, speak to persistent concerns about the fragility of the world's oldest democracy, nearly four years after former President Donald Trump's refusal to accept the 2020 election results inspired a mob of his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol in a violent attempt to stop the peaceful transfer of power. About 4 in 10 registered voters say they are "extremely" or "very" concerned about violent attempts to overturn the results after the November election. A similar share is worried about legal efforts to do so. And about 1 in 3 voters say they are "extremely" or "very" concerned about attempts by local or state election officials to stop the results from being finalized. Relatively few voters -- about one-third or less -- are "not very" or "not at all" concerned about any of that happening. Trump's wide-ranging attempts to reject the will of the voters and remain in power after his 2020 loss have led to concerns that he will again fail to concede should he lose to Vice President Kamala Harris. Part of what divides voters on their views of American democracy is the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and who is to blame. |
| Trump's New York homecoming sparks backlash over racist and vulgar remarks | |
 | Donald Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden, billed as a triumphant homecoming, turned into a political fiasco on Sunday night as a pro-Trump comedian's racist diatribe drew furious condemnation, including from prominent Republicans. The rally, held just more than a week before Election Day, was intended to serve as a platform for Trump to make his closing argument. But the racist slurs and vulgarity of the former president's opening acts were so striking -- and sparked such backlash -- that his campaign was left on the defensive and issued a disavowal. The event began with comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, host of the "Kill Tony" podcast, who opened the rally with a set replete with slurs about Latinos, African Americans and other groups that Trump's campaign is actively targeting to turn out for the former president. His racist remarks drew swift rebuke from across the political spectrum, including from a pair of prominent congressional Republicans from Florida and New York. Danielle Alvarez, a senior adviser to Trump's campaign, said in a statement that Hinchcliffe's "joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign." But his derogatory comments and the slew of offensive remarks offered up by the pillars of Trump's political movement throughout the hours-long program quickly overshadowed the spectacle of the event that drew thousands of MAGA faithful to the heart of Manhattan and was designed to serve as a capstone to the former president's two-year attempt at a political comeback. |
| What 'Farmers for Trump' Say About Another Trade War | |
 | Justin Matott knows his corn and soybean farm will probably take a hit if Donald Trump makes good on his pledge to start new trade wars with China and others. But he is planning to vote for Trump anyway. Matott supports Trump for reasons beyond farming -- immigration, law and order, and social issues -- and is pretty sure his farm can weather whatever Trump stirs up. "I will do the best I can with what I'm given, and that's on me," he said while taking a break from the busy harvest season in northwestern Wisconsin. "And I want to vote for what I think is going to be best for my country...The trade policies are kind of far down the list for me." The last time Donald Trump started a trade war, largely with China and the European Union in 2018, the U.S. lost $27 billion in agricultural exports. Trump slapped import tariffs on steel, aluminum and other foreign-made goods, saying he was aiming to protect domestic manufacturers. The EU and China retaliated by imposing import tariffs on U.S. farm products, which they targeted partly to hurt communities that supported Trump, according to trade experts. Yet even as that cycle threatens to repeat itself should Trump win, plenty of rural voters in this swing state and throughout the Midwest are still backing the former president, often citing broader issues, such as border security and illegal immigration. A recent poll of 5,000 readers of Farm Journal, a publication for farmers, found that 77% felt Trump would have a more positive impact on agriculture than Harris would. |
| US Intel Says Insider Threats Are 'Likely' During the Election | |
 | Insider threats will "likely be an issue" that election centers across the US will face in the coming weeks, according to a US intelligence memo viewed by WIRED. These threats, the memo warns, "could derail or jeopardize a fair and transparent election process." The bulletin cites the Department of Homeland Security's definition of an insider threat: someone who "will use his or her authorized access, wittingly or unwittingly, to do harm to an entity." This stark warning was rolled into a situational awareness bulletin on the broader threat landscape faced by election centers heading into the 2024 election. It was published this month by Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC), Colorado's counterterrorism center, which compiles intelligence from federal, state, and local agencies into threat reports shared with its law enforcement partners. This warning comes as election deniers across the US have assumed positions at all levels of the electoral system. The intelligence bulletin outlines several examples of insider threat "red flag" behavior, including attempts to alter or destroy ballots, giving unauthorized personnel access to voting centers, accessing the computer network at odd hours, and turning off security cameras. |
| Authors, university honor Eudora Welty by sharing stories | |
| Columbus is once again filled with authors sharing their stories, honoring the legacy of famous author and Mississippi University for Women alumna Eudora Welty. Journalist and Author Jeannette Walls was the keynote speaker for the Welty Gala Friday night at the Trotter Convention Center. She shared lessons from her own life story, from growing up in poverty to her eventual success, which is also detailed in her best-selling 2005 memoir, "The Glass Castle." The Welty Gala is the annual fundraiser for the MUW Scholarship fund and is a part of the larger Welty Series. The series also includes an annual writers' symposium, which kicked off for its 36th year Thursday evening and will run through Saturday. The symposium includes a diverse range of literary genres, including fiction and non-fiction prose to poetry. The symposium started Thursday with a keynote by author Maurice Carlos Ruffin on his new novel "The American Daughters." |
| From childhood poverty to red carpets and best-selling books | |
| Working as a celebrity journalist between the late 1980s and the 2000s and interviewing some of the best-known movie stars on red carpets, Jeannette Walls felt like she had to hide the extreme poverty she came from, or she would lose everything. Instead, Walls confronted her roots and wrote her 2005 best-selling memoir "The Glass Castle," which was later adapted into a film in 2017. On Friday night, Walls told her story on stage at the Trotter Convention Center during the Welty Gala -- Mississippi University for Women's annual fundraiser benefiting the university's scholarship fund. "One day, I was going to some fabulous celebrity party, and my taxi got stuck in traffic a couple of blocks away from the party," Walls said. "And I glanced out of the window and saw a homeless woman rooting through the garbage. I got a good look at her, and I realized that it was my mother. And the emotion that overwhelmed me, I will admit, was shame." A few days later, Walls confronted her mother and asked what she should tell people about her childhood and her family, and her mother simply told her to tell the truth. |
| USM welcomes new deep sea ROV | |
| The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) will soon be operating a new medium-size remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in the Gulf of Mexico. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) recently announced they will fund the design and build of two ROVs. These vehicles will begin construction in 2024 at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). One of these vehicles will be operated by USM, and WHOI's National Deep Submergence Facility will operate the other. "Anything that creates a barrier to technology access can potentially be a barrier to discovery. The decision to fund and build these ROVs shows a commitment by NSF and NOAA to lift barriers and create increased access for the ocean science workforce of the future," said Dr. Leila Hamdan, USM Associate Vice President for Research. The NOAA-funded ROV is planned to operate in the Gulf to support the Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities restoration project, a multi-year study that aims to restore vital seafloor habitats damaged by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. |
| Jackson State University homecoming parade returns to campus | |
| Jackson State University's homecoming season is almost in full swing. This year, the much-anticipated homecoming parade will take place on campus and promises an exciting kick off to Saturday's football game. The parade will begin at 8 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 2, on Dr. Robert Smith Sr. Parkway with Pro Football Hall of Famer and JSU alum Robert "Dr. Doom" Brazile serving as the parade's grand marshal. In recent years, the JSU homecoming parade has taken place downtown. Chair of the Homecoming Parade Committee Arron Richardson said the decision to bring the parade back to campus was based on a desire to further highlight the JSU community. The relocation will also allow a better flow with other homecoming events taking place on campus. Also returning this year is the parade tradition of throwing out candy. Richardson said in recent years, tossing candy to the crowds of spectators was not permitted, but the parade's return to campus made that tradition possible again. Richardson said the JSU community has been supportive of the parade's return to campus. This year's JSU homecoming theme is "Thee House Party," paying homage to the popular '90s hip-hop duo Kid n' Play. The duo sparked the "House Party" movie franchise. |
| Auburn University professor's lawsuit advances, alleges university violated First Amendment | |
| On Monday, Oct. 21, Auburn University and faculty members James Goldstein and Lawrence Teeter filed an answer to a pending lawsuit brought against them by Joseph Majdalani, a professor in the university's aerospace engineering department. In their answer, the university and the related defendants denied the most relevant charges. The lawsuit remains pending and unanswered by an additional five defendants, most of whom are Auburn University administrators. The lawsuit was originally filed in 2018, over six years before the recent answer, and it alleges, in part, various First Amendment, civil conspiracy and defamation claims. As the judicial process has proceeded, this original complaint has been altered twice. In his Second Amended Complaint, Majdalani most significantly asserts that members of the Department of Aerospace Engineering and university administration, motivated by racial prejudice, conspired to have him defamed and fired for engaging in constitutionally protected associative activities. From these events, Majdalani alleges 11 counts of action against nine defendants. In his claims related to the infringement of his rights to association, Majdalani alleges that university officials improperly acquired his scorecards from a student competition hosted by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics or AIAA. He asserts that the defendants used these scorecards to claim he had behaved unethically by grading Auburn University students in a conflict of interest. |
| Budget cuts threaten popular programs where Louisiana students earn college credits | |
 | Danita Bright always believed that her daughter, Shalom Alexander, who loved collecting screws as a child and tinkering with gadgets to figure out how they worked, was destined to become a brilliant engineer. But Bright, a single mother who never attended college, worried she wouldn't know how to help her daughter navigate the complicated ins and outs of higher education. So when Shalom was accepted last year into a dual enrollment program that lets high school students take college courses, Bright was ecstatic. "I wouldn't know how to help her tap into anything," said Bright, who lives with Shalom in St. Bernard Parish. She added that the program has been a "bridge" connecting her daughter to college and her dream of becoming an engineer. The number of Louisiana students participating in dual enrollment courses has risen dramatically, with more than 41,000 high schoolers enrolled in classes at public colleges and universities during the 2023-24 school year, according to state data -- a nearly 60% increase from three years earlier. Yet even as dual enrollment surges in popularity and promotes college success, its progress is threatened by looming state budget cuts and rising college costs that could make the program less affordable for school districts, as well as by state policy changes that, critics say, give high schools fewer incentives to offer it. |
| U. of Tennessee has seen such student success, 200 schools are coming to learn how | |
 | As the University of Tennessee at Knoxville continues to celebrate its record retention rate, the Division of Student Success will put the national spotlight on the state's flagship campus this week when it hosts more than 200 institutions at the Student Success US 2024 conference, in partnership with two major higher-ed publications. The nearly sold-out conference, happening Oct. 28-30, comes off UT breaking its retention record for first-year students, reaching 91.9% in 2024. Inside Higher Ed and Times Higher Education, which selected UT to host the conference, "historically will select campuses that are on the cutting edge of this work," Vice Provost for Student Success Amber Williams told Knox News. "To be at a place where 97% of our students are academically thriving makes me smile," she said. "In some ways, it makes me emotional because those are dreams that will be fulfilled, and that's the best thing." UT Chancellor Donde Plowman and Provost John Zomchick are among the speakers who will address the institutions, sharing insight about their approaches to making sure students have the tools they need to succeed. |
| U. of South Carolina plans $350M hospital for Columbia's BullStreet District, first of its kind in state | |
 | The University of South Carolina's ambitious health district in downtown Columbia will soon include its own standalone hospital. The specialized, $350 million facility, the first of its kind in the state, would concentrate on treating brain diseases and the nervous system. It would offer advanced neurological and neurosurgery treatments, and neurological rehabilitation for conditions like trauma, stroke and cancer. It could open as early as 2028. USC is coordinating plans for the hospital with the state Department of Health and Human Services, and will receive $10 million in funding for preliminary architecture and engineering work. The university will also request $150 million from the state legislature to help fund the project. The hospital will have about 115 beds that provide care for patients. It will also come complete with clinical research spaces, laboratories and provide additional clinical training sites for USC students studying medicine, physical and speech therapy, nursing, pharmacy and more. "As USC expands its efforts to provide the highest quality medical education to South Carolina students and serve the state's health care needs, building a single location for neurological treatment and rehabilitation is a vital next step," President Michael D. Amiridis said in a news release. "This is a tremendous opportunity to address a critical gap in health care for brain-related conditions, not only for our state, but for the entire Southeast." |
| Texas A&M opens renovated Borlaug Building in honor of agricultural pioneer | |
 | The ribbon was officially cut and a statue unveiled Thursday at Texas A&M University recognizing the renovation of the former Norman E. Borlaug Center of Southern Crop Improvement into the Norman E. Borlaug Building. About 200 people came out for the dedication ceremony of the 85,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility named after the Nobel Peace Prize winner who is often considered the Father of the Green Revolution. "It's designed to advance and revolutionize research and new technologies to forge new insights into nutrition and our food system," said G. Cliff Lamb, director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research. Lamb presided over the ceremony, which featured six other speakers. "The Borlaug Building will be the home to the Institute of Advancing Health Through Agriculture (IHA), an institute that brings together a collaboration among members of the Texas A&M community and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the United States Department of Agriculture," Lamb said. "In addition, the Norman E. Borlaug Building will be the home of the new Department of Nutrition in the College of Ag and Life Sciences." A&M Chancellor John Sharp said the focus on nutrition is the "second step of what Norman Borlaug started." "The next Nobel Prize is going to be the second part of what this building is about and that is the Institute for the Advancement of Health Through Agriculture," he said. "Not only are we going to build on his legacy of producing more nutrition and more food and more carbohydrates and more proteins for people, but we're going to do it in a healthy way." |
| U. of Missouri Counseling Center launches study to evaluate student mental health | |
 | Responses to a mental health survey sent to 12,000 University of Missouri students Wednesday will be organized in a public database this spring. It will allow MU officials to compare student mental health by year in school, degree program and demographic groups. The survey and database are part of the Healthy Minds Study, which distributes online surveys annually to assess college students' mental health and use of campus mental health services. The study seeks to build an understanding of mental health stigma, knowledge and resources. MU is one of more than 600 schools participating in the study. The MU Counseling Center has been working to be a part of the study for multiple years. The center's director, Christine Even, said the counseling center encourages students to complete the survey so that their voices can be heard. This year, the university saw a 16% increase in freshman enrollment, bringing the student population to around 31,000. University spokesperson Travis Zimpfer said the increased enrollment has not affected the university's capacity to provide mental health care to students. He said the counseling center's care is still entirely covered by student fees, meaning students will not have to pay out-of-pocket for services unless they are referred to the Student Health Center or another outside care provider. |
| Harris stays quiet on student loans as cancellation loses its political luster | |
| At a campaign rally in April, President Joe Biden told a Wisconsin crowd about his latest "life-changing" plan for student loan cancellation, promising financial relief for more than 30 million Americans. But Kamala Harris has steered clear of the issue at her political events since replacing Biden as the Democratic nominee for president. The vice president's platform mentions it just twice, and with no specific plan. As she courts moderate voters, Harris has focused on policies targeting Americans without a college degree. "For far too long, our nation has encouraged only one path to success: a four-year college degree," Harris said in September in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. "Our nation needs to recognize the value of other paths." In the span of just a few years, student loan cancellation has gone from a pillar of the Democratic Party to a political liability. Once seen as a sure-fire way to energize young voters, the issue has now become a bludgeon wielded by Republicans who say it heaps advantage on elites and comes at the expense of those who repaid their loans or did not attend college. The issue came up just once in the September presidential debate, when Republican Donald Trump hammered Harris and Biden for failing to deliver their promise of widespread cancellation. The former president called it a "total catastrophe" that "taunted young people." "They didn't even come close to getting student loans," Trump said. |
| Hosemann wants to reorganize state government | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann wants his Senate to develop a plan to reorganize state government. Hosemann and Sen. Chris Johnson, chair of the Senate Government Structures Committee, set that as a "top priority during next year's session," reported the Clarion-Ledger last week. This followed a presentation to Johnson's committee by former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson who successfully reorganized government in Arkansas. Good luck. The history of significant government reorganization in Mississippi consists mostly of failures. As I write in my book A Republican's Lament: Mississippi Needs Good Government Conservatives, "In 1932 the Institute for Government Research of the Brookings Institution studied Mississippi government. Its Report on a Survey of the Organization and Administration of State and County Government in Mississippi recommended a maximum of 12 agencies. A study by Highsaw and Mullican, The Growth of State Administration in Mississippi, suggested 17 agencies in 1950. A group of CEOs, said 32 agencies in 1971. These thoughtful recommendations got nowhere with the Mississippi Legislature which wielded the power over agency creation and dissolution. In 1817 the state started with eight administrative agencies, by 1932 there were 80 and by 1950 just over 100, and in 2023 over 140." |
| Tate Reeves, Donald Trump seem to want public schools to teach only positive, whitewashed history | |
| Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison writes: Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves might have found a soulmate for his long-pursued quest to ensure the teaching of only positive American history. During a recent interview by the hosts on Fox News' morning show, President Donald Trump was explaining his plan to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education and instead send federal education funds directly to the states. The former president was interrupted by one of the hosts, Brian Kilmeade, who expressed concern that sending money directly to the states could allow liberal cities and states to "just decide we are going to get rid of that history. We have a new history. This is America built off the backs of slaves on stolen land, and that curriculum comes in." "Then we don't send them money," Trump boldly proclaimed. This sentiment might sound familiar to some in Mississippi. Nearly every year since taking the office of governor in 2020, Reeves has proposed as part of his budget spending $5 million to create the Patriotic Education Fund. ... The Legislature has for years now rejected funding the governor's Patriotic Education Fund, but Reeves keeps swinging for it. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State Soccer Clinches First SEC Regular Season Championship | |
| Mississippi State women's soccer etched their name into the history books on Sunday night, clinching sole possession of the SEC Regular Season Championship with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Texas A&M. The No. 3 Bulldogs (15-1-0, 9-0-0 SEC) were propelled by goals from Ally Perry and Elle McCaslin, along with a commanding defensive display led by goalkeeper Maddy Anderson. Head Coach James Armstrong also reached a personal milestone with the win, tying the program record for most coaching wins with 58. The victory reflects the total team effort that has characterized the Bulldogs' season. Mississippi State's defense, anchored by Anderson, was crucial in navigating early challenges. The Aggies threatened in the 14th minute with a close-range attempt by Sydney Becerra, but Anderson's quick reflexes denied the chance. Minutes later, State's Aitana Martinez-Montoya found herself with a scoring opportunity of her own, but Texas A&M keeper Sydney Fuller blocked her attempt, keeping the game scoreless going into halftime. In the 51st minute, Texas natives Kennedy Husbands and Ally Perry connected in the attacking third to give Mississippi State a 1-0 lead. Husbands set up Perry, who took one touch to beat her defender before blasting a shot off the crossbar and into the net, tallying her team-leading ninth goal of the season. Mississippi State sealed the win with an insurance goal in the 79th minute. The Dawgs will head to South Carolina Wednesday as the SEC Regular Season Champions for a meeting with the South Carolina Gamecocks at 6 p.m. CT. |
| Mississippi State soccer wins first SEC regular season championship | |
| For the first time in program history, the Mississippi State women's soccer team is the SEC regular season champion. The No. 3 Bulldogs (15-1) clinched the conference title with a 2-0 win over Texas A&M on Sunday. Goals from Ally Perry and Elle McCaslin paired with a dominant defensive display led by keeper Maddy Anderson helped etch James Armstrong's team into the history books with one game left to play before the postseason. Armstrong, who also reached a personal milestone with the victory in tying the program record for most wins (58), credited everyone involved with the program after securing the SEC regular season title. "This is an incredibly special night for our program," Armstrong said. "To win the regular season is a testament to the determined work ethic of players, coaches, and staff. Every day, they all come ready to go through the grind, so for them all to be rewarded this way is very much fitting. Thank you to everyone for the sacrifices they have made and the fans who have supported us all season." |
| MSU soccer wins first SEC Championship | |
| Mississippi State soccer secured its first Southeastern Conference title with a 2-0 win at Texas A&M on Sunday. The Bulldogs secured the SEC regular season title with one game to spare and have a chance to finish with a perfect conference record. Ally Perry scored her ninth goal of the season to give the Bulldogs the lead and substitute Elle McCaslin sealed the deal with a calm finish late in the game. The Bulldogs (15-1, 9-0 SEC) have conceded three goals all season, just one in conference play, and shut out their opponents once again on Sunday. Their strong defensive record gives them a great chance to earn a top seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament. Head coach James Armstrong and company have one regular season game left, traveling to face South Carolina on Wednesday in a makeup game. The original fixture was postponed due to weather conditions caused by Hurricane Helene. After the regular season, MSU will travel to Pensacola for the SEC tournament. The Bulldogs will have a first-round bye as the top seed. |
| Mississippi State beats A&M to claim SEC regular-season soccer title | |
| Mississippi State scored a pair of second-half goals for a 2-0 victory over Texas A&M that give the Bulldogs their first Southeastern Conference regular-season soccer championship Sunday night at Ellis Field. Mississippi State's Ally Perry took a pass from Kennedy Husbands at the top of the box and created space to fire in a shot from 25 yards in the 51st minute of the match for the first goal. Ellie McCaslin added an insurance goal in the 79th minute. Kara Harris corralled the ball and sent a through ball toward the box. McCaslin took the pass and dribbled to the top of the box and struck the ball with the outside of her foot and sent it past the goalkeeper. "They were able to score on those two key moments and that's why they're now champions of the SEC," A&M coach G Guererri said in a statement. The victory allowed Mississippi State (15-1, 9-0-0, 27 points) to clinch the title over Arkansas (13-1-2, 8-1-1 25 points), which ended its regular season with a 5-0 victory over Ole Miss on Sunday. Mississippi State will end its regular season at South Carolina on Wednesday. The Bulldogs, who had set the program's record of victories in a season, won its 12th straight. It also was Mississippi State's 11th shutout of the season. |
| Why penalties are a sneaky issue for Mississippi State football, Jeff Lebby | |
| Penalties weren't frequent for Mississippi State football on Saturday, but they still came into the spotlight against Arkansas. The Bulldogs (1-7, 0-5 SEC) committed only four penalties during the 58-25 blowout loss to the Razorbacks (5-3, 3-2) at Davis Wade Stadium. Seydou Traore's was especially costly. The MSU tight end caught a 32-yard pass in the second quarter and was tackled just inches short of the goal line -- replay review confirmed it. Except, Traore thought he had scored his first touchdown in two years, and he launched the football into the crowd to draw an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. It turned a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line to a first-and-10 at the 15, and Mississippi State settled for a field goal. That was only one of the penalties, but the Bulldogs have been out-penalized more often than not this season. And with how poorly MSU's defense has played, the difference between three and seven points is impactful. "It's just incredibly disappointing," coach Jeff Lebby said. "For that to happen in the moment, it should not ever happen. Incredibly out of character for Seydou inside that moment. We addressed it immediately. Get him off the field, don't give him a chance to go back in the game for a little bit and he has to understand the importance of what just happened." |
| Volleyball: Dawgs Sweep Razorbacks on Sunday | |
| The Mississippi State Bulldogs won their second consecutive game, as they picked up a sweep over the Razorbacks on Sunday. This was the first Bulldog sweep in SEC play this season. "It was a great week for the Dawgs," head coach Julie Darty Dennis said. "We talked about how it's going to be hard and how we should embrace it, and our team stayed in it. It's incredible to watch a group of people come together and work hard for a common goal. I'm just proud of this team." With 12 tied scores in the first set, the Bulldogs were able to pull ahead to win 25-23 on an Arkansas attacking error. State was able to keep the momentum in the second set, winning 25-21 and setting the Bulldogs up for the sweep. With only one lead change in the third set, State took the 3-0 victory on a Kailin Newsome kill. The Bulldogs are back on the road next Sunday in College Station, Texas to face the Texas A&M Aggies. The match is set for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on SECN+. |
| Volleyball: Mississippi State sweeps Arkansas for 2-0 home week | |
| Through two matches since switching to a one-setter rotation, Mississippi State has showed signs of turning its season around. The Bulldogs picked up their most impressive win of the year Sunday with a three-set sweep over Arkansas, 25-23, 25-21, 25-15. Following five straight losses, MSU has now won back-to-back matches after defeating rival Ole Miss in four sets on Wednesday. "That was clean, that was impressive," Bulldogs head coach Julie Darty Dennis said. "I think we've turned the corner. Ceci (Harness) did a great job with our offense, finding the hot hitter, finding the hot hand, finding the middle. It's just incredible to watch a group of people come together and work so hard for a common goal." Against a Razorbacks team receiving votes in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll, MSU (9-8, 3-5 Southeastern Conference) started strong, winning the first three points in the opening set and ultimately opening up a 14-9 lead. Arkansas (14-6, 4-4) scored five straight points to even it up, and the teams went back and forth from there. MSU has six days off before hitting the road to battle Texas A&M next Sunday. |
| 'Frustrated' Dak vows 3-4 Dallas won't fade away | |
| When the season started, the Dallas Cowboys never believed they would be in such a predicament after seven games. With Sunday's 30-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Cowboys are 3-4 and closer to the bottom of the NFC than a Super Bowl contender at the moment. "We're disappointed," coach Mike McCarthy said. "Our men really had a good week of preparation. I thought there were areas of improvement. But still, we have a ton to work on." The last time the Cowboys had a 3-4 record with a healthy Dak Prescott at quarterback was 2018. In 2020, the Cowboys were 2-5 on their way to 2-7, but Prescott suffered a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle in the fifth game of the season. The 2018 Cowboys were jump-started by a midseason trade for wide receiver Amari Cooper and finished the campaign with a 10-6 record, winning the NFC East and a playoff game. Only five players active on Sunday remain from the 2018 roster -- Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott, right guard Zack Martin, cornerback Jourdan Lewis and special-teamer C.J. Goodwin. The Cowboys will play at the Atlanta Falcons, leaders of the NFC South, next week. "We know what it takes in this league," Prescott said. "You got hot, you get rolling, that's all you're looking to do. That's my point, that this is frustrating but nobody is giving up." |
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