| Tuesday, October 29, 2024 |
| Autonomous tech is coming to farming. What will it mean for crops and workers who harvest them? | |
 | A growing number of companies are bringing automation to agriculture. It could ease the sector's deepening labor shortage, help farmers manage costs, and protect workers from extreme heat. Automation could also improve yields by bringing greater accuracy to planting, harvesting, and farm management, potentially mitigating some of the challenges of growing food in an ever-warmer world. On some farms, driverless tractors churn through acres of corn, soybeans, lettuce and more. Such equipment is expensive, and requires mastering new tools, but row crops are fairly easy to automate. Harvesting small, non-uniform and easily damaged fruits like blackberries, or big citruses that take a bit of strength and dexterity to pull off a tree, would be much harder. That doesn't deter scientists like Xin Zhang, a biological and agricultural engineer at Mississippi State University. Working with a team at Georgia Institute of Technology, she wants to apply some of the automation techniques surgeons use, and the object recognition power of advanced cameras and computers, to create robotic berry-picking arms that can pluck the fruits without creating a sticky, purple mess. The scientists have collaborated with farmers for field trials, but Zhang isn't sure when the machine might be ready for consumers. Although robotic harvesting is not widespread, a smattering of products have hit the market, and can be seen working from Washington's orchards to Florida's produce farms. "I feel like this is the future," Zhang said. |
| Education: MSU invites high school, two-year college students to Music Discovery Day | |
 | Mississippi State's Department of Music is hosting its annual Music Discovery Day for high school juniors, seniors and community college students Nov. 4 on MSU's campus. The event takes place 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Music Building located at 124 Hardy Road. Registration -- for attendees who can bring one guest -- is open at https://www.music.msstate.edu/events/2024-08/music-discovery-day. Attendees will have opportunities for one-on-one visits with faculty members and current students. In addition to learning about the department's academic programs, scholarships and career opportunities, participants can observe music classes and attend faculty and student performances. For more about Music Discovery Day, contact Assistant Professor Olivia Boatman at oboatman@colled.msstate.edu. Recently celebrated as an All-Steinway School, MSU's Department of Music is housed in a $21 million, state-of-the-art facility equipped with sound-proof practice rooms, a high-tech recording studio, an acoustically advanced lecture-recital hall, over $3.5 million in Steinway pianos and more. It offers undergraduate degrees in music, music education and music performance in addition to a master's degree in music education. |
| Mississippi State University and Mississippi Lumber Manufacturing Association Partner to Advance Mass Timber Construction | |
| On Friday, Mississippi State University (MSU) and the state's leading lumber organization, the Mississippi Lumber Manufacturing Association (MLMA), announced the establishment of the Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association Endowed Professorship in Innovative Wood Construction and Design at MSU. The new partnership between MSU and MLMA positions the university as a leader in forest products innovation. The endowment -- housed in the College of Forest Resources' Department of Sustainable Bioproducts, with a joint appointment in the College of Architecture, Art, and Design's School of Architecture -- aims to drive innovation in mass timber manufacturing, construction, and design, with a research emphasis on sustainable wood construction, strength, and durability. Applications for the endowed professorship position will open this fall with an expected starting date of August 2025. Wes Burger, the Dean of the College of Forest Resources and Director of MSU's Forest and Wildlife Research Center, said the endowment further positions MSU as an innovator in sustainable building products and design. |
| 'This Is My Passion': Agritourism Flourishes in Covington County at Mitchell Farms | |
| A crowd of families gathered at the foot of a stage lined with hay bales and pumpkins on Oct. 5 to listen to Tori Easterling, wearing a red St. Jude T-shirt, as she announced winners of the 2024 Peanut Festival Queen Pageant that her running team, the Swamp Donkeys, hosted in August. Their heads adorned with tiaras, Kinley Morehead, Ansley Wade and Hadley Taylor moved forward to stand alongside Easterling and 15 other women wearing matching T-shirts after hearing their names. The group then posed for a photo to commemorate the sixth-annual Swamp Donkey race that they and more than 50 other participants ran at Mitchell Farms near Collins, Miss., earlier that morning to kick off the Peanut Festival. Easterling passed the microphone to Jo Lyn Mitchell, who thanked everyone for coming out and thanked God for the beautiful weather before closing the festival's opening ceremony. "This is my passion," the Mitchell Farms co-owner said. "I love to watch the children come out and have fun. I love to watch families walk around. I love to see people enjoying being outdoors together." Over the past decade -- on top of farming, cleaning, and boiling more than 200 acres' worth of peanuts across a given harvest -- the Mitchells have developed their farm to be a major agricultural attraction for the Southeast. |
| Why you're seeing scary-high chocolate candy prices this Halloween | |
 | As cocoa prices continue to spike, shoppers see the jump-scare prices for chocolate candy at the grocery store this Halloween season. A streak of poor crop seasons has reduced the supply of the key ingredient in chocolate bars, driving up the price for chocolate and confectionery manufacturing from cocoa by 45 percent from January through September, according to the producer price index. Chocolate manufacturers pass off the high costs to consumers, scaring shoppers off KitKats and M&Ms. In the past year, dollar sales for chocolate candies rose 1.5%, driven by inflation and rising shelf prices, according to a report this month from the National Confectioners Association. But, faced with costly chocolate, people are cutting back on M&Ms and Hershey's bars: The number of chocolate candy units sold over the same period dropped almost 5%. According to a recent report from the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute, next year will mark the third consecutive year with failed cocoa harvests. Chocolate manufacturers will likely feel the pain for some time, which means chocolate candy prices will also stay high for a while. "As we extend into Christmas, it's looking pretty rough for chocolate manufacturers when it comes to those cocoa prices," said Billy Roberts, a senior economist for food and beverage at CoBank's Knowledge Exchange research division. |
| Mississippi Economic Council to feature elected officials, aspiring politicians at annual Hobnob | |
| The Mississippi Economic Council's annual Hobnob will be returning to the capital city this coming week, allowing the public to engage with both elected officials and aspiring politicians. On Thursday, October 31, folks will gather at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson for a friendly exchange of handshakes and conversations with leading figures in the state. "It's always a fun event. It's where we kind of relax a little bit with a major meeting," Mississippi Economic Council President and CEO Scott Waller said. "We have it aptly named, in my opinion, because we get to hear from statewide leaders and they're going to talk about what's going on in their area." "Hobnob has been structured through the years to be just a few days before the election," Waller said. "Any of the major election things that are taking place, we try to highlight those." In addition, the Mississippi Economic Council will be celebrating the 50th year of its Leadership Mississippi program. A group featuring former Mississippi governor Haley Barbour as the keynote panelist will speak on how the program has positively impacted the state. |
| Mississippi Senators consider agency consolidation, elected vs. appointed positions | |
| Last week, the Mississippi Senate held a hearing concerning the current structure of state government and what potential changes could be made. Speakers included Northern District Public Service Commissioner Chris Brown (R), Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney (R), and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (R), among others. Mississippi's Public Service Commission is comprised of three elected members, with one each representing the north, central or southern portions of the state. As a layer of separation, the Public Utilities Staff, who support the PSC, report to an executive director. During Wednesday's hearing, Northern District Public Service Commissioner Chris Brown was asked about his thoughts concerning previous legislation concerning changing the PSC positions from elected to appointed. Brown started by citing a study conducted by the University of Michigan on the matter, which found elected officials had more skin in the game than appointed. "I trust the people more than I do the bureaucracy and I think that we constantly fuss and fight against bureaucrats," Brown told Senators. "They're answerable to somebody else other than the voters. We are directly answerable to voters like y'all are. That makes us much more responsive because we want to serve." Executive Director of the Public Utilities Staff Jim Beckett, also a former lawmaker, told the Senators he believes the PUS staff should continue to operate separate from the PSC. He said that separation keeps the staff isolated from politics, leaving them free to conduct independent interviews and investigations. |
| Auditor releases government waste study | |
 | A new study commissioned by State Auditor Shad White has found more than $335 million throughout various state agencies' recurring budgets that he identifies as government waste. The study, dubbed Project Momentum, makes several recommendations for major procurement policy changes, guidance on government goods and services across all state agencies and advocates for the removal of several state programs and what some would describe as a luxury travel option for state leaders. Of the many recommendations made in the 69-page report, the most notable suggestions were to overhaul the state's goods and services procurement process, to move several agencies' application, eligibility verification and record keeping online and to replace the state's private jet with a charter or commercial service. Those suggestions combined would result in tens of millions of dollars in long-term savings alone. The study was provided to White's office by Boston Consulting Group, which was contracted in late 2023 and paid $2 million to review state office budgets, expenses and staffs to then make recommendations on what should change. White's office cannot implement any of the change suggested in the report. That is the job of the Mississippi Legislature. |
| Auditor Shad White releases study on Mississippi government spending fat | |
| State Auditor Shad White on Monday released a study he commissioned to find government waste, saying it identified more than $335 million in government fat that could easily be trimmed without tanking services to taxpayers. White paid a Massachusetts-based consulting group $2 million for the study. He gave Boston Consulting Group the directive to find at least $250 million in wasteful spending among the 13 state agencies it examined. It appears White and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann -- who have each indicated they have 2027 gubernatorial aspirations and have sparred with each other politically -- will have dueling government fat-trimming initiatives. Hosemann said recently he wants legislation to reorganize and consolidate state government. Much of the Boston consultant's report for White covers potential savings or overspending that others -- including White -- have pointed out in the past. This includes spending on state buildings and office space, which some lawmakers and others have questioned over years, and government travel, which media has examined. It also noted potential savings from consolidating purchasing and back-office functions, which others have in the past championed, usually with minimal success. |
| Mississippi awarded more than $170M to improve bridges and rail lines | |
| Bridges and railroads in Mississippi will be getting a facelift courtesy of a hefty amount of money from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., announced on Monday that the federal agency is delivering $111,432,520 to replace 13 bridges and rehabilitate another and $59,525,044 to support rail projects to improve railroads. Funding for the bridge and rail projects comes from President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Wicker helped negotiate as the then-highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. Wicker prioritized rural corridors in his letters of support for Bridge Investment Program Grants. The grant program modernizes and enhances infrastructure, bolstering the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the movement of people and freight over bridges. "Mississippi's economy and people should not be traveling on nearly century-old bridges. This bill provides the investment our state has needed to make the necessary repairs or replacements," Wicker said. "I am pleased that the bill I helped negotiate keeps bringing solutions to Mississippi." Improved rail lines will help deliver freight on time and increase economic development in the state, Wicker contended. |
| Late shifts in dynamics, but GOP still holds advantage | |
 | The Senate map has long favored Republicans -- and one week out from Election Day, that hasn't changed. With the GOP almost certain to win West Virginia after the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin III, Republicans need to flip just one more of the seven competitive seats held by a Democrat or an independent to gain a majority in the chamber. The top Democratic targets remain Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio. Both are three-term incumbents whose states have grown more Republican since 2016. And with former President Donald Trump, who won both their states twice, on the ballot, their odds of winning grew significantly longer. But politics can be unpredictable, and this year is no exception. Republican Ted Cruz is facing a surprisingly close race in Texas against Democratic Rep. Colin Allred. Cruz's vulnerability has caught the attention of national Democrats, who announced last month that they are putting money into the race to defeat him. And in deep-red Nebraska, independent Dan Osborn is within striking distance of unseating Republican Deb Fischer. National Republicans initially viewed Osborn as a long shot but now consider him a serious threat. Despite some shifting, three key presidential battlegrounds -- Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Nevada -- also remain Senate battlegrounds. |
| This year's vote count will be faster, but it still might take time to know who won | |
 | Ballots will be counted faster this year than in 2020 -- but everyone should still be prepared for a long night, if not a couple days of waiting. Fewer votes will be cast by mail compared with during the pandemic, and some states have tweaked their laws to speed up the count. The single biggest factor that will determine when Americans know the winner is, however, out of the control of election workers: the margin of victory in key states. And this year's close election means the last ballot could be determinative -- which means waiting. "It should be sooner, but also be patient," said Barb Byrum, the Ingham County, Michigan, clerk. "It takes time to make sure that we are still following our security and our procedures." The single most important thing that will determine how quickly the world will know the president is the margin. And particularly close elections mean a longer wait. As election officials stress repeatedly, results have never been official on the night of any election. In fact, states will by law be counting at least some ballots after Election Day -- certain military and overseas voters' ballots that were in the mail by the election but received after are still counted. But media outlets' decision desks use the unofficial vote totals being reported, along with historical trends, exit polling and how many votes are outstanding, to project winners. |
| Stephen Bannon Is Released From Prison | |
 | Stephen K. Bannon, the combative and calculating strategist who helped elect Donald J. Trump to the White House and became one of the most influential voices of the hard right, was released from federal prison early Tuesday. He wasted little time reprising his role as one of the leading provocateurs of the former president's political movement. "I'm not broken, I'm empowered," Mr. Bannon said in an interview shortly after his release at 3:15 a.m. from a low-security prison in Danbury, Conn. He predicted a bitter legal battle after Election Day that could last for weeks or months before a winner is clear. "If people think American politics has been divisive before, you haven't seen anything," he said. Mr. Bannon, 70, had been serving a four-month sentence on contempt charges for refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena seeking information about the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. In prison, his access to the internet was restricted, silencing his political megaphone. Mr. Bannon's primary form of communication with the outside world was through email, using a service for inmates of federal correctional facilities that can be monitored and that limits the number of people a prisoner can contact. |
| Facebook Is Auto-Generating Militia Group Pages as Extremists Continue to Organize in Plain Sight | |
 | Anti-government militia movements have been continuing to use Facebook to recruit, coordinate training, promote ballot box stake outs, and prepare for a civil war that many militants believe will break out after election day. And in some cases, the movement is attracting people who don't appear to have any prior background in a militia. Meta is even doing the work for extremist movements by auto-generating some group pages on their behalf. Data shared exclusively with WIRED by the Tech Transparency Project shows that these groups have only continued to grow on Facebook, despite WIRED previously flagging this lapse in Meta's moderation. The brazen proliferation of paramilitary activity on the social media platform days before the election highlights Meta's lackadaisical approach to enforcing its own bans against groups it has labeled dangerous extremists. Militias require platforms like Facebook to grow: It's a tool for the paramilitary movement to strengthen and radicalize its network. It also helps them facilitate local organizing, state by state and county by county, and boost their membership. Extremist groups need access to mainstream platforms like Facebook to reach and radicalize people. When those groups are banned from larger platforms and relegated to fringe sites, their reach and recruitment opportunities are limited and their numbers can become stagnant or start dropping. Now, as the election fast approaches, the paramilitary network on Facebook has been a hive of people looking to link up, train, and prepare. |
| Are American Taxpayers Ready to Foot the Bill for Child Care? | |
 | Child care is crucial to the U.S. economy. If parents can't find quality care, or can't afford it, that inhibits their ability to work. "There's a growing understanding, especially through Covid, that this is economic infrastructure," said Aly Richards, chief executive of the Burlington, Vt.-based nonprofit Let's Grow Kids. Daycares are labor intensive. They can't, for example, hire remote workers. They are also closely regulated, which means they can't skimp on the number of teachers. Other fixed costs are also high and hard to bring down: the rent or mortgage, insurance, food. All this results in an economic mismatch. The median wage for a child-care worker is less than $15 an hour, according to the Labor Department. But the median cost for parents to send just one child can easily top $10,000 or $15,000 a year. "The child-care market is a textbook example of a market failure," said Cynthia Osborne, professor of early childhood education and policy at Vanderbilt University. "Child care is unaffordable for families and not profitable for businesses, and child-care educators are the ones really struggling in the middle." A paucity of child care is a drag on the labor market. About 13% of young children in the U.S. had a family member who had to quit, change or refuse a job because of child-care problems, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which examined Commerce and Labor Department data. |
| Mississippi College unveils Gayle Long Wicker Wellness Center | |
 | Mississippi College (MC) unveiled the Gayle Long Wicker Wellness Center as part of the 2024 MC Homecoming festivities. Gayle Long Wicker, a graduate of MC, was the first female to be elected student body president. She was the University's first female admissions counselor. In 1996, she was appointed to MC's Board of Trustees. "It is an extreme honor for us to have the Gayle Long Wicker Wellness Center on the campus of Mississippi College," said MC President Blake Thompson. "From her student days until today, Gayle has served our University in a variety of capacities with such commitment to our mission. We are grateful for her and all she does to support MC." The Gayle Long Wicker Wellness Center at MC houses the Baptist Healthplex, MC's Physician Assistant Studies program and clinics. |
| Delta State mascot pays visit to record-breaking Tupelo okra plant | |
| The beloved Delta State Fighting Okra mascot paid a visit to its skyscraping cousin in Tupelo. Earlier this year, Lee County couple Weylon and Tonja Michael began the process of growing an okra plant that suddenly began to display exceptional height. At the time of the mascot's recent visit, the plant had not quite surpassed the world record of 16 feet and four inches. However, that has since changed. Though strong winds and a cold snap threatened the okra plant a few weeks ago, the Michaels secured the plant to the side of their house with straps, covered it in plastic, and ran a line from a nearby dryer vent under the plastic to keep the plant warm. The plant is now as tall as the peak of their roof. Botanists from Mississippi State Extension Service have measured the plant at 17 feet and the plant is still growing about an inch per day and is still producing pods. Weylon and Tonja will be submitting the required documentation to have the plant officially recognized as the new world record holder in the coming days. "We were shocked and thrilled that the Fighting Okra would come all this way over to this side of the state. It was a great experience for us," Weylon said. "We never expected to get so much attention, but we are very appreciative of everyone taking part in this." |
| UM chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon receives cease and desist order from national chapter | |
 | The University of Mississippi's chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon received a cease and desist order from SAE National Office on Friday, Oct. 25 that bars the fraternity from "any and all chapter operations." The Daily Mississippian contacted the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life for comment, but it did not have an official statement at the time of publication. According to the order, Steve Mitchell, eminent supreme recorder of the SAE National Office, is permitted to place a chapter under a cease and desist order when there are accusations that require investigation. Mitchell did not specify what those accusations were. The order prohibits the fraternity from hosting any formal and informal chapter activities or events, unless otherwise permitted. Should the fraternity be found in violation of this cease and desist, the chapter could face immediate suspension as well the suspension or expulsion of individual members. In mid-December 2017, SAE was suspended by the national office due to "health-and-safety concerns and an inability to adhere to the national organizations standards and expectations." The chapter began the recolonization process in 2020. |
| Ole Miss receives $10 million for new Accountancy building | |
| A $10 million gift from Jonathan B. Jones, CEO of Jones Capital, will help construct a new academic home for the Patterson School of Accountancy at the University of Mississippi. Pending approval by the state Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) board of trustees, the building will be named Jones Hall to honor his support. The 100,000-square-foot, $125 million academic facility is to be built at the corner of University Avenue and Grove Loop on the Oxford campus. When completed, the building will also free up needed space in Conner Hall for the School of Business Administration to expand and better serve its student body. |
| Ole Miss alum, author to share treasured music mementos with UM Blues Archive | |
 | Bill Morris' Jackson office is filled with multiple framed photographs of family and shelves stacked with treasured books. Walls of pictures and news clippings showcase his love of vocal group harmony -- The Drifters, The Moonglows, The Platters and many others -- and focus on the individuals in that industry with whom he grew close. A hallway lined with oil paintings testifies to the collector's passion for fine art. But there's one value Morris holds closer than any of the others: a faith that punctuates every conversation. "Everything is a gift from God," said Morris, a 1964 University of Mississippi graduate who, with his wife, Camille, has committed to making a major gift to Ole Miss, something he felt led to do. "At a certain point, when you open your heart to the Lord and you ask Him for more, He's very generous, and He continues to be." "Bill Morris has lived a fascinating life, and the materials he's collected along the way will become an invaluable part of the archives here," said Greg Johnson, head of the Department of Special Collections at the university's J.D. Williams Library. "We feel so fortunate to be the designated recipient of these unique treasures and we are so grateful to Bill and Camille for their generous donation." |
| JSU homecoming kicks off, expected to bring millions in revenue | |
| Homecoming is back at Jackson State University, bringing in alumni and current students alike. Yolanda Clay-Moore, director of external affairs, partnerships and alliances with Visit JXN, said they're expecting thousands of people in attendance for the game, bringing in lots of revenue for the city. "I think we'll see a real boost this week as fans start returning home. We're looking at an estimated economic impact of about a little over $7 million with about 31,000 in attendance that we're expecting for this game," said Clay-Moore. This year's homecoming concert features rising artist GloRilla, drawing more people to the city. "It's a good draw for not just people interested in football, but they're interested in music that may have not thought to come but may come because of GloRilla's appearance at the homecoming events," said Clay-Moore. "JSU is a true economic vitality booster for the community, and we appreciate everything they have to offer to our city," said Clay-Moore. |
| Auburn University engineering alumnus makes $10 million scholarship pledge to his alma mater | |
| An Auburn University alumnus has made a $10 million pledge that will provide an estimated more than 300 scholarships to Auburn Engineering students during the next 20 years, making it the largest single commitment to scholarships in Auburn University history. Jeff Hills, '93 BSCE, recently established the Jeffery S. Hills Scholarship in Auburn's Samuel Ginn College of Engineering with the program providing financial assistance to first-generation students from the state of Alabama who are in financial need. The scholarship program will provide students with a scholarship covering tuition, fees, room and board for their first two years and then half of all costs for the remaining years in hopes that students will have secured co-ops or internships in their junior and senior years. "I always intended to give back as soon as I was able," Hills said. "I was a first-generation college graduate, so I understand the difficulties of that, both financial and psychological. For me, the biggest hurdle to overcome as a first-generation student was money." Mario Eden, dean of engineering, said this transformational gift will not only free many students of the financial burden of a college education, but it will also inspire them to pay it forward for future students like themselves. |
| Who you gonna call? Texas A&M Paranormal Society searches for proof of ghosts | |
 | While the paranormal might be a cause for fear to many, an intrepid group of Aggies prefer exploring the most haunted locations in Texas to find proof of lingering spirits. In 2023, Forbes ranked Texas as the most haunted state in America with over 13,710 cemeteries, 7,517 ghost sightings, 925 haunted locations and 158 paranormal investigators. The Brazos Valley is no stranger to ghost stories and haunted locations, including the LaSalle Hotel in Downtown Bryan and the Animal Industries Building on the Texas A&M University campus. The Texas A&M Paranormal Society (TAPS) brings believers and skeptics alike to haunted locations across Texas along with professional-level ghost hunting gear to test for paranormal activity and, hopefully, find evidence to one of life's greatest mysteries. Angelina Garcia, vice president of TAPS, is currently a sophomore sociology student at A&M and has a deep appreciation for learning about how cultures around the world discuss the paranormal. "I think where I grew up in San Antonio and being Hispanic, there's obviously a very big connection to the dead and what happens after you die," she said. "So maybe, subconsciously, my Hispanic heritage and my family really pushed me to go into both my degree and TAPS." |
| Students are taking Texas off college lists because of politics, new study says | |
| The highest percentage of soon-to-be college students are opting out of attending Texas colleges and universities due to the Lone Star state's politics, according to a new study. This month, a survey released by the Art & Science Group, a Baltimore-based consulting and research firm, found that 28 percent of college-bound students took a college or university off their list "solely due to politics, policies or legal situations in the state where the school was located." Of those who ruled out a school for these reasons, 31 percent -- the most out of the other states reported -- indicated they opted not to seek higher education in Texas. Other states that trailed behind Texas included Alabama, California, Florida and New York. The survey found trends on particular issues when associated with certain political affiliations. Of the students surveyed who identified as liberal, 75 percent avoided colleges and universities they saw as too far to the right on abortion rights or LGBTQ+ issues. Conversely, 66 percent of conservative students opted out of attending schools they described as too liberal on LGBTQ+ issues or too lenient on crime. Most surveyed could find common ground regarding colleges and universities supporting free speech, student activists, and protests. Despite the poll's findings, enrollment numbers do not appear to have been significantly impacted by this trend. |
| Austin is the best college town in America, study says | |
| Sorry, Lubbock, Dallas, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and everyone else --- Austin has been named the best college town in the country. But don't worry; several Texas cities scored high in other categories. A great college experience depends on a variety of factors, such as students' living expenses, academic and employment opportunities, and social environment. A WalletHub analysis considered these to determine the best college towns in America for 2025. "Picking the right college is crucial, but it's also important to make sure that the surrounding college town will be a place where you'll truly love spending your college years," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo explained. "Towns with a low cost of living, plenty of activities and large student populations can make your college experience a lot less stressful and a lot more enjoyable. In addition, cities with a great economic environment can make it easier to get a job during or immediately after college." Overall, Austin scored 65.16 points out of 100 and ranked 14th for academic and economic opportunities. The Texas capital has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country and claims the fifth-best annual job growth rate. The capital of Texas also ranked high (17th) for its social environment. It has plenty of attractions, sports clubs and shopping centers to help students relax from the stress of a classroom. However, like several high-ranking cities, Austin was somewhere in the middle in terms of wallet friendliness (191 out of 415). |
| Protecting peaches: How a Clemson professor is saving one of SC's biggest crops | |
 | Ksenija Gasic has always loved peaches. Orchards and vineyards surrounded her childhood home in northern Serbia where her father raised fruit trees in the sandy soil. Her love brought her to Clemson University in 2008 where she and her "Peach Team" of researchers have spent nearly two decades developing peach trees that are resistant to bacterial spot and brown rot bacteria -- the two biggest threats to one of South Carolina's largest crops. With help from the Clemson University Research Foundation, Gasic filed patent applications on two peach variations last year: the EveRes Ruby and CaroRes Wonder. The patent process for a third variation, CaroRes Delight, is underway now. The patent process typically takes three to four years. Peach growers need new, innovative crops that can adapt to changing climate, viruses and variable harvest times, said CURF Senior Deputy Director Chase Kasper. Peaches are usually harvested in two-week windows so many growers have multiple varieties on hand. "The more varieties that they have, the larger the opportunity for them to supply peaches to the public," Kasper said. "The peach industry -- just like many forms of agriculture within the state of South Carolina -- is very important to the vibrant economic condition of the state." |
| Howard U. Expects to Be Classified as R1, Making It the Only HBCU With Such Status | |
 | Howard University expects to be classified as a Research-1 institution this spring, making it the only historically Black university with such status. A Research-1, or R1, label could significantly increase the number of research grants the university qualifies for and attract more top scholars to its staff. The coveted status could also distinguish the HBCU's focus on research that disproportionately affects the Black community, such as sickle-cell disease and voter participation. "For HBCUs, in the research that we do, there's a stated and higher commitment to historically disenfranchised communities," said Bruce Jones, senior vice president for research at Howard. "Elevating HBCUs to [R1] status opens the door for them to acquire more resources and do more things in terms of meeting the community mission." Several colleges are expected to receive R1 status in the spring under new Carnegie Classification requirements. Earlier this year, the American Council on Education, which helps to manage the process, simplified its 20-year-old formula and ranking strategy by deprioritizing the number of doctoral degrees in science, technology, and math a college would have to annually award to qualify for R1 status. Next year, in order to receive R1 status, an institution must confer at least 70 doctoral degrees in any field and spend $50 million on research in the previous academic year. Last year, Howard granted 91 Ph.D.s and spent more than $85 million on research, according to Jones. |
| The cost of college is quietly going down | |
 | The cost of college in the U.S. is going ... down? With lower tuition, less student debt and more grant aid, College Board data released last week shows a hopeful future for higher education costs, despite public perception. The report shows that over the past few years, the cost of college and the number of students graduating with debt have decreased even while concerns among the public about the price of school have risen. Experts say the state of the economy and misperceptions around the sticker price of universities and the actual cost paid by a student could skew reality. The report is "pointing to what we think are positive trends and a result of our institutions, their boards, their legislators and their governors place in the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities." The College Board found in-state tuition for a public university is down to $11,610 a year, down from $12,140 a decade. After grant aid is applied, the average student would pay $2,480, a decrease from the 2014-2015 school year, when that amount totaled $4,140. "All this data are turning in the right direction. The average sticker prices have declined the last five years across all three major sectors," said Jennifer Ma, co-author of the report and executive research scientist at the College Board. The good news can be surprising amid headlines blaring about how some schools are nearing $90,000 a year. "Of course, that's depending on where the school you're going to is, depends on the state you live in, but your own situation might be different, so that's one thing," Ma said when discussing public perceptions. |
| The FAFSA Change Behind Colleges' Pell Progress | |
 | After a year of dour predictions that the botched rollout of the new federal aid form would drive low-income students away from college, higher ed institutions this fall are proudly highlighting significant increases in the number of Pell-eligible students in the Class of 2028. Georgetown University boasted that its first-year class includes the "highest number of Pell-eligible students in more than a decade." The University of Georgia celebrated a 22 percent year-over-year increase in first-year students receiving Pell Grants and $9 million additional federal dollars in students' pockets. Temple University noted a 38 percent surge in Pell students from last year, bringing its population of grant recipients to a historic high. But at this point, it's hard to tell how much of that growth has to do with institutional strategy. The historic expansion of Pell eligibility is a rare bright spot in the otherwise disastrous federal aid form overhaul. But the raising of that bar doesn't necessarily mean individual institutions are enrolling a higher share of low- and middle-income students than last year. Sarah Turner, professor of economics and education at the University of Virginia, said while institutions may have had some role in their Pell surges, the FAFSA formula change had an undeniably large one. She cautioned against correlating a change in colleges' socioeconomic makeup with an increase in their share of Pell students this year. |
| Sharp Decrease in Visas to Indian Students Alarms U.S. Colleges | |
| India has been the engine of post-pandemic growth in international enrollments at American colleges, but the number of visas issued to Indian students plunged by a third this fall, according to a Chronicle analysis of U.S. Department of State data. About 59,000 student, or F-1, visas were awarded by American consulates in India during the critical months of May to August, compared with nearly 89,000 during the same period in 2023. Worldwide, student-visa issuances for this academic year fell by 12.5 percent, with the bulk of the decline driven by India. The published data reflect only visa issuances and do not include initial application numbers. However, American colleges, international-recruitment companies, and education advisers in India said that while interest in studying in the United States among young Indians has moderated since its post-Covid explosion, much of this year's decline in new visas appears to be the result of a substantial uptick in denials. Many of these sources asked not to be named because they are trying to work with the State Department and U.S. Embassy in India to resolve the current situation, and they depend on their approval for future visas. "Flabbergasted" is how one characterized the sudden reversal in Indian student visas. |
| Harris brings in Maggie Rogers as she tries to fire up college-age voters in battleground Michigan | |
| Vice President Kamala Harris worked to fire up college-age supporters at a rally and concert in battleground Michigan on Monday featuring singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers, who told the crowd that doing something like voting is "greater than fear" at a time when "the future feels so uncertain." Michigan had the highest youth voter turnout rate nationwide in 2022, with long lines stretching outside polling locations on college campuses. Democrats hope they can recreate that enthusiasm this year, with rallies such as the one Harris held in Ann Arbor, home of the University of Michigan, featuring Rogers. "You can vote early now through Sunday, Nov. 3, and we need you to vote early, Michigan, because we have just eight days to go," the Democratic presidential nominee said at an outdoor rally in 50-degree weather. "Eight days left in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime." "And we will win," she said. "We have an opportunity to turn the page and chart a new and joyful way forward." Thousands packed into Burns Park for the event featuring Rogers, who sang "Love You for a Long Time" and some of her other hits. The event also reunited Harris with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The two had not appeared together since a campaign bus tour of Georgia in August. |
| Colleges are key to Democrats' strategy to lose by less in rural Pennsylvania | |
| The leaves on the trees were turning shades of red, orange and yellow as longtime resident Lynne Alvine sat on a bench in the heart of campus at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. While watching student organizers set up for a Get Out The Vote rally, the county's local Democratic party committee chair made a bold statement. "The road to the White House goes through Indiana County, Pennsylvania," she declared. But this campus lives within a ruby-red county, one that went for former President Donald Trump by more than 37 points in 2020 and just under that in 2016. Alvine understands that. Winning isn't the goal. Instead, it's to slightly narrow the margins – a state-wide strategy in rural areas that worked for Democratic Sen. John Fetterman during his campaign in 2022 and one that Vice President Harris and the Democratic party are trying to replicate. "Our motto is: lose by less," she said. "We don't imagine that we can win the vote for Harris in Indiana County, but we can bring out enough Democratic votes." Which includes driving up turnout on campus and getting young voters engaged. The Harris campaign is working to increase their vote shares in rural areas of the state, opening 50 offices coordinated with the Democratic party, 16 of those in counties that Trump won by double-digits four years ago. |
SPORTS
| SEC champs: MSU soccer continues historic season | |
| Mississippi State soccer wrapped up the 2024 Southeastern Conference regular season championship on Sunday, securing the program's first-ever title with a 2-0 win at Texas A&M. An eighth SEC shutout and goals from Ally Perry and Elle McCaslin saw the Bulldogs move to 9-0 in conference play. "This is an incredibly special night for our program," head coach James Armstrong said. "To win the regular season is a testament to the determined work ethic of the 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 fitting. Thank you to everyone for the sacrifices they have made and the fans who have supported us all season." Late that night, the Bulldogs returned to a police escort and a gathering of fans as they celebrated their win. "It's surreal, I can't put it into words, honestly," midfielder Macey Hodge said, reflecting on her personal and team journey after arriving at George M. Bryan airport late on Sunday. "To come down and see so many people, the community support is crazy here and we obviously created something special. They're just as much a part of it as we are, this was for all of us. So it was awesome being ready to celebrate with everyone." The Bulldogs have a quick turnaround before the final game of the regular season at South Carolina on Wednesday. Armstrong was happy to wrap up the title before then, but with seeding for the NCAA tournament still at play the team is looking to finish strong in Columbia. |
| 'This Is For Everybody At Mississippi State': Bulldogs relish SEC soccer title | |
| On Sunday night at approximately 10:30 p.m. CT, the Mississippi State soccer program's plane landed at the George M. Bryan Airport after defeating Texas A&M 2-0 in Bryan-College Station, Texas. Little did they know, the Maroon and White faithful was awaiting the aircraft with cowbells and vuvuzelas as it approached the landing strip. As soon as the plane came to a halt and the stairs dropped down, the crowd of State fans rushed over to the Bulldogs in celebration of the program's first-ever SEC regular season championship. "It's phenomenal. It's just a testament to why I love Starkville," graduate goalkeeper Maddy Anderson said. "It's such a big community. We're so thankful for all the fans who supported us over the last five years, who stuck with us, even though it might have not been the greatest [at times]. To be able to achieve something for them means everything." Just six years ago, head coach James Armstrong laid out the blueprint to bring a winning soccer program to Mississippi alongside his best friend and associate head coach Nick Zimmerman. They wanted to build something special at State. "I wish all of these people could see the look on the girls faces when we landed, because none of us expected that," Armstrong said. "The fans have been unbelievable. It's a Sunday night at 10:30 p.m. [and] the fact that anybody's here is so rewarding. It was incredible and the girls deserve it, but the fans deserve it too. They've been with us all season long. They've helped us get through some really tough times and games. This is for everybody at Mississippi State." |
| What Jeff Lebby said of Coleman Hutzler, Mississippi State football's struggling defense | |
| Mississippi State football's defense is one of the worst in the sport in multiple statistics, yet coach Jeff Lebby said Monday that it doesn't all fall on coordinator Coleman Hutzler. "I think it's a group thing," he said. "At no point in time will it ever be one person. Collectively and individually, I've talked about that a ton -- individually being the best that we can possibly be so that collectively we have the opportunity to go play the way we need to play." The Bulldogs (1-7, 0-5 SEC) allowed their most points of the season on Saturday in a 58-25 home loss to Arkansas. They've lost seven games in a row entering a Week 10 game against UMass (2-6) on Saturday (3:15 p.m., SEC Network). Hutzler, hired by Lebby from Alabama, is in his first season as coordinator. It's also his first time ever as a full-time defensive coordinator. Hutzler signed a three-year contract in December that pays him $1 million annually, the most of any assistant on Lebby's staff. Lebby added that in-game adjustments need to be better. "When we're making an adjustment on the sideline after somebody's done something that we haven't seen on tape, you get over, we coach it, we teach it and we correct it in the moment," Lebby said. |
| 'It's a group thing': Lebby breaks down another dreadful Bulldogs defensive performance | |
| The writing was on the wall before the season even started, when Mississippi State had a hard time attracting defensive players to Starkville in the transfer portal. For most of this century, the Bulldogs have been blessed with NFL-caliber defensive linemen -- seven of them are active on NFL rosters as of this week. But the pipeline has dried up in recent years, and a program known for its physicality and toughness up front has been overmatched at the line of scrimmage just about all year long. Saturday may have been rock bottom. While not as bad as the Bulldogs' mid-September blowout loss to Toledo, MSU allowed Arkansas -- a team missing its top running back -- to pick up nearly 10 yards per carry and rush for 359 yards overall in a 33-point rout. "At no point in time will it ever be one person. Individually, (it's about) being the best we can possibly be so that collectively we have the opportunity to go play the way we need to play," Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby said Monday. "Getting back to playing with really clean eyes and having incredible communication will get us back to the way we played the three weeks prior (to the Arkansas game), and that is something we have to do." |
| How to buy Mississippi State basketball tickets for every game on schedule | |
| One of the most highly anticipated Mississippi State men's basketball season is here. The Bulldogs have made back-to-back NCAA tournaments under third-year coach Chris Jans but have yet to win a game. They return All-SEC freshman Josh Hubbard while making a flurry of transfer portal additions. Mississippi State men's basketball tickets are available for purchase all season long with StubHub or Seat Geek. Tickets can also be bought at the Mississippi State team website. The Mississippi State men's basketball season begins Monday, Nov. 4 with a home game against West Georgia at 6:30 p.m. The first conference game at Humphrey Coliseum is Saturday, Jan. 4 against South Carolina. Ole Miss plays at Mississippi State on Saturday, Jan. 18. MSU's final home game is Tuesday, March 4 against Texas. |
| Youth sports report: Girls participation up, boys down; Caitlin Clark effect taking hold | |
 | Caitlin Clark. Artificial intelligence. NIL. Private equity. Pickleball. What do those national flash points have in common? All have also become influencers for youth sports participation in recent years, according to the Aspen Institute's National State of Play 2024 report, which was released Tuesday. The annual report, put out by Aspen's Sports & Society Program, also details how girls sports participation is increasing while boys participation is significantly declining; Black children are playing sports far less than they once did; and kids are specializing in one sport even more. Meanwhile, 39.8% of children aged 6-17 regularly participated in a team sport in 2023, the highest rate since 2015, according to data from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), which tracks participation. But nine of the 16 sports evaluated for the Project Play report experienced lower participation rates in 2023. Some kids are getting priced out, others edged out by competition to make teams, while overall physical activity among U.S. youths received a D- from the Physical Activity Alliance. "The purpose of youth sports is not to create the next Tiger Woods," Tom Cove, senior advisor for the SFIA, says in the report. "It should be to provide a quality experience to the vast number of kids so they enjoy it, and part of that is winning, but not the main goal. If we lose sight of that, we're doing kids and families a disservice and we're doing sport in general a disservice." |
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