| Monday, November 4, 2024 |
| MSU prepares students for the medical field with new technology | |
 | MSU takes dissection to a new level. On Thursday, the university cut the ribbon for its new Anatomage Tables. The electronic tables allow students to virtually dissect and study the human body. "I'm excited to be here today to dedicate our new Anatomage lab for our students. These are highly sophisticated tables where you have the human anatomy you have a 3D, 3 dimensional, presentation of the human body," said Dr. Mark Keenum, the president of MSU. Sarah High is a student at MSU and an ambassador for the biology department. "It is a revolutionary opportunity to be able to study the human body before I'm put in front of an actual cadaver in a medical school to be much more familiar with the organ systems and the bone structure and everything that I'm going to have to learn and to master in medical school. To have that opportunity is here is amazing and a lot of people don't get to have in undergrad education," said High. |
| MSU's Rhodes Scholarship finalists focus on education access, criminal justice reform | |
 | Mississippi State University seniors Sydney Denton and Devin Hutchins will soon vie for the chance to join one of the world's most distinguished academic communities as Rhodes Scholarship finalists. For Denton, who learned she had been chosen as a finalist during a guest lecture Tuesday, the news was a shock. "I never thought this was a possibility," she told The Dispatch. "I applied to this, and I put a lot of work into it. I was proud of the work I put into my application, but I never thought it could be me who got to be a finalist." Equally surprised, Hutchins said the weight of the honor hit him immediately. "It's an incredible opportunity, and it's not one that a lot of people get," he said. "It was certainly not something I ever thought I would get myself -- just to be able to go up for the scholarship in an interview." Established in 1902, the Rhodes Scholarship provides full financial support for selected students from around the world to pursue graduate studies at the University of Oxford. |
| Mississippi State adds fourth spring graduation ceremony in Starkville | |
 | Mississippi State University (MSU) will host an additional spring commencement ceremony in May 2025 to accommodate the growing number of graduates at its Starkville campus. In 2025, MSU will host morning and afternoon ceremonies on both Thursday and Friday (May 15 and 16) at Humphrey Coliseum. College of Arts and Sciences graduates will take part in the 9:30 a.m. May 15 ceremony, while that day's 3:30 p.m. event will recognize College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Education and ACCESS program graduates and completers. College of Architecture, Art and Design and College of Business graduates will walk the stage at 9:30 a.m. May 16, and those receiving degrees from Academic Affairs and the colleges of Engineering, Forest Resources, Professional and Continuing Studies, and Veterinary Medicine will be recognized at 3:30 p.m. |
| Maroon and white covers Starkville streets from 'Tailgate the Town' | |
| Merchants in Starkville welcomed Bulldog friends and family home November 1 with a citywide tailgate. More than 30 tents popped up around the city of Starkville with food, games and special deals for everyone visiting for this homecoming weekend at Mississippi State. From one end of Main Street to the other, shop owners, workers and volunteers visited with guests and shared what Watson said is the pride and ongoing community support for the Bulldogs. Mark your calendar for next year and plan to stop by Tailgate the Town. |
| Community volunteers bring holiday cheer to Downtown Starkville | |
 | Starkville's downtown will soon shine with holiday cheer as community volunteers gather for the third annual Making Main Merry, hosted by the Starkville Main Street Association and presented by Reed's. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, residents are invited to join at 7 a.m. to help decorate Main Street for the holiday season. "This is truly such a unique event because it brings so many community members together to decorate Starkville for the holidays," said Paige Watson, director of Main Street. "We always hear so many compliments on our Christmas decorations downtown and this event makes it that much more special because so many community members put in the effort to help out." The Starkville Main Street Association, in partnership with the City of Starkville, provides all decorations, with city funding supporting the purchase of lights, garlands, and other holiday décor. Volunteers will work together to fluff garlands, hang lights, and transform the downtown area into a festive display. |
| Brunswick stew, other Oktoc traditions set to return for 52nd year | |
| Brunswick stew is about to be bubbling at the Oktoc Community Clubhouse once again. The Oktoc Garden and Oktoc Community clubs are preparing for the 52nd iteration of the Oktoc County Store, complete with all of its annual traditions, including Brunswick stew. "Come out and enjoy some Brunswick stew and listen to the live music," Robin Blocker, president of both clubs, said. "It will be fantastic, and there'll be a chance to get together with people from the community and to have a good time." The Oktoc Country Store will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 9 at the clubhouse on the corner of Oktoc and Robinson roads. The store will include a baked goods sale, a photo booth, an attic yard sale, live music, two raffles – including its annual quilt raffle and a 15-gallon sprayer raffle -- and the stew, Blocker said. While there are other things to keep attendees occupied during the country store, like live folk music, antique tractors and cars on display, the raffles and other activities, Blocker also said one of her favorite parts of the event is how it brings the Oktoc community together. She emphasized that the country store gives Oktoc residents a time to check in with each other, work alongside each other, and share a meal together when they may not get otherwise. |
| Comedian Ellen Skrmetti publishes 'Hey Jesus, It's Me' book based on popular social media videos | |
 | Through hilarious viral videos, comedian Ellen Skrmetti developed an online following that allowed her to take her jokes from the stage to the page in a new book, "Hey Jesus, It's Me: I Have Questions, Comments, and Concerns." Skrmetti, a 47-year-old Ripley native who now lives in Birmingham, Alabama, spent most of her adult life working in sales, though becoming a comedian was always her dream. "I grew up in a family of funny people," Skrmetti said during a recent book signing at L.A. Green in Starkville. "There was just a lot of laughter growing up, and I always loved to make people laugh." In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, she began taking online classes through The Second City, a Chicago-based comedy theater and training center. Though she once believed she'd need to develop a persona or character for her comedy to succeed, the classes instilled the confidence that her stories were enough. As the book's title suggests, Skrmetti's Christian faith is an integral part of her being. |
| MDAH earns 3 awards at Southeastern Museums Conference | |
| The Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) was the recipient of three awards at the recent Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC). During the annual get-together in Baton Rouge, La., MDAH was recognized with the following: Silver Award in the poster category for the Two Mississippi Museums 2024 Makers Fest Poster. Silver Award in digital education over $10,000 budget category for MDAH Digital Snapshots, exhibits designed to introduce to a broader audience lesser-known, selected collections from the state agency's digital archives collection. Bronze Award in the gallery guides category for the Two Mississippi Museums Family Guide. "These resources created by our staff and partners allow visitors to immerse themselves in Mississippi's history and culture and empower people and communities to tell their own stories," MDAH director Katie Blount said. "We're honored by the recognition." |
| Early Intervention Task Force to request millions more from lawmakers in 2025 | |
| With the start of the 2025 legislative session just over two months away, Mississippi's Early Intervention Task Force is forming a list of recommendations to bring before lawmakers they hope will improve access across the state. The recommended changes aim to increase the Early Intervention program's reach and effectiveness. Mississippi's Early Intervention program is provided by First Steps and administered by the state Department of Health. First Steps receives state funding as well as federal grant funds as part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part C. True to its name, the program focuses on children from birth to age 3, identifying disabilities and then connecting families with the services needed for assistance and emotional support. The list of suggestions presented during Tuesday's Task Force meeting was extensive. The need to streamline the hiring process to get staffing numbers up was a main concern expressed to legislators. "We feel like those issues with onboarding have been addressed or are currently being addressed," said Dr. Julie Parker, Associate Professor at Mississippi State University. "We know that reducing that time for hire is essential for getting more boots on the ground." Parker suggested creating a provider directory, which will not only better connect families with services, but act as a recruitment tool for additional providers. |
| Insurance chief willing to sue feds if Gov. Reeves doesn't support state health exchange | |
| State Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney is willing to sue the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services if it does not allow Mississippi to create a state-based health insurance exchange because of Republican Gov. Tate Reeves' potential opposition. Federal officials, who must approve of a state implementing its own health insurance exchange, want a letter of approval from a state's governor before they allow a state to implement the program, according to Chaney. "I don't know what the governor's going to do," Chaney told Mississippi Today. "I think he'll probably wait until after the election to make a decision. But I'm willing to sue CMS if that's what it takes." The five-term commissioner, a Republican, said his requests to Reeves, also a Republican, to discuss the policy have gone unanswered. Chaney also said he's been consulting with former Republican Gov. Haley Barbour, who also supported some version of a state-based exchange while in office, about implementing a state-based program. |
| Mississippi has 3 contested US House races and 1 incumbent without a challenger | |
| Mississippi has three contested U.S. House elections and one incumbent who will win another term with no opposition in the general election. Republican Rep. Trent Kelly faces Democratic challenger Dianne Dodson Black in north Mississippi's 1st Congressional District. This is a rematch of the 2022 race, when Kelly defeated Black. Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson faces Republican challenger Ron Eller in the 2nd District, which encompasses most of the city of Jackson, plus rural areas in the Delta and along the Mississippi River. Republican Rep. Michael Guest was unopposed in the primary and the general election for central Mississippi's 3rd District. Guest is a former district attorney who was first elected to the House in 2018. He is chairman of the House Ethics Committee and vice chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. Republican Rep. Mike Ezell faces Democratic challenger Craig Elliot Raybon in south Mississippi's 4th District. |
| This week in politics: $991K given to Senate, House campaigns via WinRed, ActBlue | |
 | Almost $1 million in campaign donations have been given this year to Mississippi's U.S. Senate and House candidates through third party platforms. Of the 1,529 donations made via ActBlue and WinRed, only 200 of them were identified as funds from Mississippi residents. Most of the donations went to Republican candidates. ActBlue and WinRed are partisan platforms that candidates and campaigns use as a hub for donations. The platforms charge a percentage fee for the service and allow the campaigns to establish recurring payments and advertisements for donors. U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker of Tupelo received 532 donations totaling at least $612,430, but only 10 people within the state donated via WinRed, according to Federal Election Commission reports. His Democratic opponent, Ty Pinkins, received more third-party donations than any other candidate in Mississippi, with 869 ActBlue donations totaling at least $165,973. Of them, 167 donations were from state residents. |
| Mississippi Supreme Court race getting more attention as election day draws closer | |
| A Mississippi judicial race is bringing in a lot of campaign contributions and, therefore, more ad buys. It's the race for Mississippi Supreme Court District 1, Place 3. That's the central district that's made up of 22 counties. We caught up with the incumbent and one of his challengers today. "Don't stop when you voted for President and the other federal officers," said incumbent Justice Jim Kitchens. "Keep on going down that ballot till you come to the very important Mississippi Supreme Court race." "This race is extremely important to the future of Mississippi," noted candidate and Republican State Senator Jenifer Branning. "So, we're working hard to get to each and every voter possible." Jenifer Branning, who's looking to unseat Kitchen, is focusing her messaging on being a conservative. "I have heard on the campaign trail, people are excited about the opportunity for a new generation of constitutional conservative leadership on the court," she said. "To me, if you're a conservative, you want to conserve something, and I want to conserve our system of justice," explained Kitchens. "I want to conserve the Constitution of Mississippi and the Constitution of the United States, and especially the Bill of Rights. That's what I mean when I say that I'm a conservative too." Meanwhile, Kitchen is focused on experience. |
| Fed Prepares Rate Cut Amid Economic Contradictions | |
 | Federal Reserve officials are expected to cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point at their meeting Thursday because inflation has continued to make progress toward their 2% goal. Officials began lowering rates at their previous meeting in September by making a larger half-point cut. They are trying to figure out where, exactly, rates should settle after high inflation over the past three years led to a dramatic series of rate increases. "We're entering this new phase: Policy is going to become less restrictive over time, and that's because the Fed is more confident on where inflation is going -- that it's going back down to 2%," said Loretta Mester, who retired as Cleveland Fed president in June after 10 years in the job. This week's meeting should lack the suspense of the prior one, in which markets were left guessing over the size of the first rate cut in four years. Officials would like to avoid the spotlight because their meeting concludes two days after the presidential election, and the Fed strives to maintain an apolitical DNA. Tuesday's election also prompted the Fed to push back its meeting by a day. The central bank, which typically concludes its two-day meetings on Wednesdays, will do so this time on Thursday. |
| Boozman, Klobuchar lined up to follow Stabenow on Agriculture | |
 | The Senate Agriculture Committee will see a new leader in the next Congress regardless of the results of next week's election as the current chairwoman, Debbie Stabenow, reaches the end of her 24-year Senate career. Ranking member John Boozman, R-Ark., would likely take the gavel if Republicans secure the majority. Boozman became the top panel Republican in the 117th Congress after the retirement of Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. The Democratic side isn't quite as clear, but Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., looks most likely to take the party's top Senate Agriculture position -- chairwoman or ranking member, depending on who has the majority. Boozman wants the panel to remain bipartisan, an approach that is often necessary -- but not always taken -- to bring the nutrition focus of urban Democrats and the farm focus of rural Republicans together in legislation such as the farm bill. "The Ag committee has demonstrated over its history that it works best when it works in a bipartisan basis and legislates based on the needs voiced by the constituents of this committee: farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, rural residents and those requiring nutrition assistance," Boozman said in a statement. The panel spent much of the 118th Congress working on a new farm bill --- a legislative effort that will follow it into the lame duck and possibly the next Congress. The Senate hasn't released the text of its version of the bill but both Stabenow, D-Mich., and Boozman have released frameworks. |
| Harris and Trump will both make a furious last-day push before Election Day | |
| A presidential campaign that has careened through a felony trial, an incumbent president being pushed off the ticket and multiple assassination attempts comes down to a final push across a handful of states on the eve of Election Day. Kamala Harris will spend all of Monday in Pennsylvania, whose 19 electoral votes offer the largest prize among the states expected to determine the Electoral College outcome. The vice president and Democratic nominee will visit working-class areas including Allentown and end with a late-night Philadelphia rally that includes Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey. Donald Trump plans four rallies in three states, beginning in Raleigh, North Carolina and stopping twice in Pennsylvania with events in Reading and Pittsburgh. The Republican nominee and former president ends his campaign the way he ended the first two, with a late Monday night event in Grand Rapids, Michigan. About 77 million Americans already have voted early, but Harris and Trump are pushing to turn out many millions more supporters on Tuesday. Either result on Election Day will yield a historic outcome. |
| Young Men Could Boost Trump to Victory -- if They Show Up | |
| Donald Trump is pinning his political future on winning the votes of disaffected young men. But persuading them to get off the couch to cast ballots is no easy feat. Young men vote at far lower rates than many other demographic groups. They are more likely than older generations and their female peers to be disconnected from politics, and they are increasingly disillusioned with the country's institutions, according to researchers and election analysts. Youth voting increased in the 2020 presidential election, but it paled compared with the share of older voters who showed up at the polls. In 2020, 18- to 24-year-olds were the least likely age group to vote, with just over half of that cohort voting that year, according to U.S. Census Bureau surveys. In that age group, fewer men than women said they voted in 2020. In contrast, about three-quarters of Americans ages 65 to 74 reported voting in 2020. "I've had to ask a couple of my friends to come out and vote," said Joompit Nakhapakorn, 23, a consultant in Milwaukee who attended Trump's rally there on Friday evening. "They're like, 'Do I have to vote? Is it a good use of my time?' " In interviews with dozens of young men around the country in recent months, some said they don't see a place for themselves in today's Democratic Party. Others said they are drawn to Trump's politically incorrect approach. Many said they were focused foremost on their finances -- with several arguing that Trump would do more to benefit their stock portfolios. Others said they appreciated the former president's pledge to crack down on illegal immigration. |
| Donald Trump is talking about 'cheating.' His supporters are listening | |
 | Bill Robinson believes it's inevitable that the 2024 election ends in violence. A retired marketing professional, Robinson, 65, traveled to New York City from his home in North Carolina to attend former President Donald Trump's Madison Square Garden rally last month. "It's a horrendous possibility, because it looks like there's no other option than some kind of extreme unrest," Robinson said, as he stood outside Penn Station wearing a "Don't Tread on Me" hat. If Trump loses, Robinson predicts unrest on the right. If Trump wins, Robinson is worried about how the left will react. He is not alone among supporters of the former president. Many of the Trump followers interviewed at his New York rally said they are worried about rising tensions and anticipating violence. The two assassination attempts against Trump have heightened concerns. Some echoed Trump's unfounded claims about a stolen election in 2020, which culminated in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and are prepared to reject the results if he loses again. Trump already is complaining without evidence about "cheating" in the current election, raising concerns among democracy experts about violence on the right if he loses. |
| Why business leaders are worried about JD Vance | |
 | Business leaders watched with growing frustration as Donald Trump pushed the Republican Party toward a kind of populism they fear will threaten their bottom lines. Now, they're worried about JD Vance. The Ohio senator represents a new kind of conservative right that is skeptical of corporations and eschews the GOP's old free trade ideology. And he has done little in office or as the vice presidential nominee to quell their concerns. Vance has consistently bashed big business, expressed antipathy toward corporate merger activities, sided with labor and emphasized his support for costly tariffs. He's spoken favorably of the Biden administration's Federal Trade Commission chair, Lina Khan, who is universally viewed as a thorn in the side of major businesses, and forged unlikely alliances with progressives including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. With Vance by Trump's side, some corporate leaders worry a second Trump administration would be even more hostile to their interests than the first was. While he would have little agenda-setting power of his own, Vance would likely reinforce Trump on key economic issues -- trade policy, labor issues, market power -- unlike former Vice President Mike Pence, who acted more as a check on Trump's populist leanings. "[Vance] has taken a tack that big business, particularly some of the big tech stuff, is by definition bad," said William H. Strong, a Republican donor and financial executive. "Just because you're big doesn't mean you're bad ... I don't like those broad characterizations that he alludes to that big business is somehow bad. It's just not." |
| Biden suggests he'd like to smack 'macho guys' during final campaign stop | |
| President Joe Biden returned to his birthplace in Pennsylvania, making a final campaign stop Saturday for Vice President Kamala Harris and again let loose -- offering the kind of unfiltered political sentiments that have become fairly common in recent weeks. Biden slammed Harris' rival, former Republican President Donald Trump, and his supporters on policy issues during a speech in Scranton, but then suggested that he'd hit back -- literally -- on faux "macho guys." "There's one more thing Trump and his Republican friends want to do. They want to have a giant tax cut for the wealthy," Biden told the local chapter of the carpenters union. Then, apparently referencing people backing Trump, he added, "Now, I know some of you guys are tempted to think it's macho guys." "I tell you what, man, when I was in Scranton, we used to have a little trouble going down the plot once in a while," Biden continued. "These are the kind of guys you'd like to smack in the ass." Biden's comment in Scranton drew laughs from the crowd. But it was another moment of his veering off political script, something that's now happening frequently with the president -- even though he has played a decidedly limited role in promoting Harris, making few campaign stops for his onetime running mate. |
| Kamala Harris makes surprise visit to 'SNL,' promising to 'end the dramala' | |
 | At the tail end of an arduous, hotly contested presidential election campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris managed to have the last laugh. On "Saturday Night Live," that is. Appearing in the episode's cold open as the mirror image of Maya Rudolph's Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee reassured herself: "You can do something your opponent cannot do. You can open doors." The sketch, which focused on dueling rallies by Harris and former President Trump (James Austin Johnson), offered a comic compendium of recent events from the trail, with references to Trump's appearance riding in a garbage truck and President Biden's tendency to go off script in front of reporters. After conferring with Biden (Dana Carvey), running mate Tim Walz (Jim Gaffigan) and husband Doug Emhoff (Andy Samberg) backstage, the vice president asked for a moment alone. "I wish I could talk to someone who's been in my shoes," Rudolph's character said, before turning to her reflection in the vanity. The real Harris, who emerged to an extended ovation from the live studio audience, replied in kind: "You and me both, sista." In the exchange with Rudolph, Harris also promised to "end the dramala" of the campaign and "keep calm-ala and carry on-ala." Coming out from behind the mirror to stand next to Rudolph --- where she received yet another round of cheers from the audience --- Harris made one more joke, asking her counterpart if she's registered in the swing state of Pennsylvania, before the pair delivered the show's most famous line in unison: "Live from New York, it's Saturday night!" |
| GOP FCC commissioner says Harris SNL appearance may have violated 'equal time' rules | |
| A Republican member of the Federal Communications Commission is taking issue with Vice President Kamala Harris' appearance on this week's episode of Saturday Night Live, calling it a "blatant effort to evade" a rule requiring candidates get equal time on broadcast networks. "The purpose of the rule is to avoid exactly this type of biased and partisan conduct -- a licensed broadcaster using the public airwaves to exert its influence for one candidate on the eve of an election," commissioner Brendan Carr said on X. By scheduling Harris' appearance so close to the election, Carr said that NBC, the network that airs SNL, "appears to have structured this appearance in a way that evades these requirements." "What comparable time and placement can they offer all other qualifying candidates?" Carr said. Carr was appointed to the commission in 2017 by then-President Donald Trump, and subsequently renominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden. Carr has forged a close relationship with Elon Musk, a prominent backer of the former president, and is widely rumored to be a contender for commission chair should Trump win, POLITICO previously reported. Trump was not offered time from NBC or SNL, according to the Trump campaign. NBC declined to comment. |
| Creator Studio at MUW expands opportunities for students | |
| Fueling the creative process and offering hands, on experience, that's what the new Creator Studio at Mississippi University for Women is doing for students. The Fant Memorial Library had a vision: one with lights, cameras, and a lot of action. Between donors and space at the library, they devised a plan to turn an average study room into a studio. Professor and Chair of Communication Dr. Bary Smith said the idea is to give students a place where their creative ideas can come to life. "It provides the hardware, the software, the backdrops, the lights, microphones, everything that is needed, to do video production, podcasting, audio production," Smith said. All that along with print and web design as well. "They can come in with an idea and leave with a fully developed project," Smith said. Dr. Smith said the studio opens another doorway to opportunity through creating, streaming, and using the green screen with cutting-edge equipment and industry-standard software. |
| The W, CAC team up for art festival | |
| Mississippi University for Women has once again partnered with the Columbus Arts Council to present the Under the Oaks Art Festival. Set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 9 campus, especially Welty Drive, will be buzzing with excitement as nearly 40 local artisans set up booths showcasing their work. The road is also lined with oak trees, hence the name, Under the Oaks. "We're looking forward to welcoming the community and artist to The W's beautiful campus for the second Under the Oaks Arts Festival," said Erik Studdard, graphic designer for The W, and one of the coordinators of the event. The event is free and open to the public. Additionally, there will be live music and food. "We are excited to once again be partnering with The W to bring this event to our community. It helps us to provide an opportunity to help the artist of our town flourish. It also gives the art students of The W a chance to gain experience with selling their own artwork," said Squeak Humphrey, CAC gallery manager. The event serves not only to highlight The W's campus, but it also brings the university and the community closer together. |
| Students express course registration worries | |
 | Course registration is in full swing at the University of Mississippi, but prior to logging on to MyOleMiss, some upperclassmen students expressed concern about being able to book the courses they need to graduate. Samantha Liles is a senior legal studies and history double major whose registration window was Wednesday, Oct. 30. Prior to registering, Liles said she was anxious about being able to book her required courses. "It's really sad," Liles said. "I've been here for four years. ... I need three classes to graduate. I'm not worried that I'm not going to get them." Cooper Carrico, a senior international studies and Arabic double major, expressed concerns about his peers who are in more common majors. "It doesn't cause much worry, but this is the first year I haven't been on the first day. ... (I have) pretty niche classes," Carrico, whose registration window was Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 8:30 a.m., said. "My friends have had some complaints in bigger classes, such as the accounting school or business school." Jacob Batte, director of news and media relations at UM, said the university had a specific process for prioritizing students while balancing scheduling needs with ensuring academic progress. |
| JSU homecoming week wraps up | |
| The Jackson State Tigers took home the big homecoming win Saturday against Arkansas-Pine Bluff 41-3 at Veterans Memorial Stadium. A range of activities took place from Greek sorority and fraternity step shows, parades and concerts. This year, the homecoming concert featured rising artist Glorilla, a Memphis, Tennessee, native. Visit Jackson said the week brought a large amount of revenue to the city. "I haven't heard a final number, but we were estimated about 31,000, which is a little over $7 million in estimated economic impact. I mean, that's phenomenal, and JSU is a great asset to our city," said Yolanda Clay-Moore with Visit Jackson. The attendance for the homecoming game was over 34,000 people. |
| Clay joins ECCC staff as student recruiter | |
 | East Central Community College has named Anna Burns Clay as the college's new student recruiter/enrollment specialist. An ECCC alumna and seasoned professional in student recruitment, Clay brings extensive experience and a deep passion for helping students navigate their educational journeys. "We are thrilled to welcome Anna back to East Central in this important role," said James Miller, ECCC's vice president for student service and enrollment management. "Her recruiting expertise, along with her understanding of the needs of both traditional and nontraditional students, will make her an invaluable asset as we continue to grow and serve our district and beyond." Clay graduated from East Central in 2019 with an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts with a concentration in business administration before earning her Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing from Mississippi State University, where she graduated cum laude in 2021. Prior to joining ECCC, Clay served as the recruiting coordinator at Meridian Community College, where she coordinated over 340 recruiting events in one academic year and managed a team of 32 student recruiters. |
| Mississippi Coding Academy students prepare for upcoming graduation | |
 | A classroom filled with future coders in Biloxi can be found at Mississippi Coding Academy, a place where instructors have one goal in mind -- advancing the cyber world. "Our focus is to give students an opportunity to learn coding and advanced technologies in the way of VR, AR, Artificial Intelligence, web design, and other coding skills," said Jim St. Clair. St. Clair is one of the instructors at the academy on the Gulf Coast. During the course, Jim says students are getting a taste of what's it like dealing with things like cybersecurity -- something that workforces like Keesler and other businesses are looking to explore. He also says while many students will get offers from different states, his goal is to prepare them to stay in Mississippi to help further the cybersecurity field in the future. "Mississippi State University has a government-funded cybersecurity program that does a lot of research," said St. Clair. "Keesler Air Force Base is the home to preliminary cybersecurity training for airmen and especially airmen who specialize in cybersecurity and defend the Air Force networks. We are growing our practice area and education program in cyber security." |
| Two new charter schools receive approval in Mississippi | |
| Two new charter schools have been approved to set up operation within the state of Mississippi. Approval was provided during a meeting held on Monday by the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board. Grant Callen, founder and CEO of Empower Mississippi, said the addition of two more charter schools is beneficial for the state's children. He added that Embark, an initiative launched by Empower about three years ago, assisted both schools with the application process through their fellowship program. Embark Director Elyse Marcellino and her staff are now in the process of identifying fellows for next year's approval process, Callen said. "The credit goes to school founders, they put forth great applicants," Callen said. "It's a big win for kids and I'm really grateful to the Charter Authorizer Board and the executive director for their work to get us to this point, and I'm glad Embark was able to play a role in it." A release from the MCSAB states that the two schools will have some variations in how they educate. Archway Charter School will provide hybrid learning opportunities to students in grades 7 to 12, while the Mississippi Global Academy will provide traditional education experiences to students in grades 4 to 12. |
| Why Did the U. of Florida Back Away From a Symposium on the War in Gaza at the Last Minute? | |
 | University of Florida administrators withdrew institutional funding and support for an event on the war in Gaza less than 24 hours before it was scheduled to begin, forcing faculty organizers to make last-minute alternate arrangements. The symposium, "Critical Conversations in the Humanities: The War in Israel/Palestine," had been sponsored by the university's English department, its Center for the Humanities and the Public Sphere, and several other campus entities, and was planned to feature several academics, including the noted philosopher Judith Butler, who has been a critic of Israel's conduct in the war, as well as two prominent Palestinians. The event's planners were able to find space at a local church to host the symposium, without any university affiliation, on Friday and Saturday. But a lawyer representing one of the organizers argued the revocation of university support was an act of viewpoint-based discrimination, a charge to which a university spokesman didn't directly respond. Steve Orlando, a university spokesman, said in a statement that the organizers had "wrongly marketed" the symposium as a university-sponsored event. It was not, he said, and did not comply with the institution's use-of-space policy. Orlando declined to answer a question about how, specifically, the policy was violated. |
| U. of Florida recognizes top innovators and inventions in 2024 | |
 | UF Innovate | Tech Licensing hosted its seventh annual Standing InnOvation event on Wednesday to acknowledge and celebrate research discoveries by University of Florida innovators in fiscal year 2024. The number of disclosures, options and licenses coming through the UF Innovate | Tech Licensing office continues to grow annually. In the 2024 fiscal year, which ended June 30, innovators disclosed 372 new technologies, licensed 121, and started nine startup companies. What if we could live in an era in which vaccines could not only treat cancer but potentially prevent it? This is the research focus of Dr. Elias Sayour, the 2024 Innovator of the Year. When selecting the Innovator of the Year, UF considers the researcher's body of work over time, choosing one who has made significant scientific contributions that have been licensed or taken to the marketplace. Sayour, an associate professor of neurosurgery and pediatrics, is a pioneering and widely recognized researcher for his work in cancer immunotherapy. Sayour's development of unique mRNA vaccines could be the key to a universal cancer vaccine treatment. Sayour's technology uses mRNA to educate the human immune system. |
| Growing elderberry in Missouri -- and cultivating new markets for it across the U.S. | |
 | In a small packing shed in the southern Boone County town of Hartsburg, the staff of River Hills Harvest fills orders for Missouri elderberry products. From this little facility in the wooded Missouri River hills, the team is shipping elderberry juice, gummies, jam, tea and more across the country. "We have weeks where we send stuff to all 50 states," said Terry Durham, owner of River Hills Harvest, who used his grandmother's recipe to create the elderberry jam. Durham has been growing the tiny deep purple berries and turning them into consumable products for almost 30 years -- and he was one of the first. "We knew we had a big market if we could figure it out," he said. Thus began a decades-long partnership between farmers such as Durham and researchers at the University of Missouri, who set out to learn how to grow, harvest, process and market this relatively rare crop. Andrew Thomas studies horticulture, agroforestry and specialty crops at MU. He said his work with the elderberry consumes him and he depends on the partnerships with growers to guide the research. "The farmers are the ones that pick this up and take it up a notch," he said. For decades, elderberry researchers and farmers have shared data between the lab and the field. Researchers initially began testing different cultivars, or breeding different varieties of the berry. |
| Professors Are Uniquely Powerful. That May Be Changing. | |
 | Ilya Nemenman, an Emory University physics professor, seethed as summer break neared its end. After a pro-Palestinian demonstration in April had ended with police officers firing chemical irritants, Emory's president had decided to update the campus's protest policy. The revisions were not necessarily what angered Dr. Nemenman. The problem was that the president had not received the University Senate's feedback first. "This is not just a corporation," Dr. Nemenman chided the president, Gregory L. Fenves, during an Aug. 28 meeting, according to interviews and contemporaneous notes that summarized the discussion. "It is also a community that does not operate top-down." But Dr. Fenves's repeated pledges to work with faculty did not reassure every professor. For more than a century, professors have regularly had vast influence over instruction, personnel and other hallmarks of campus life, sharing sway with presidents and trustees in decisions shaping many parts of campus life -- an authority that is unfathomable in many workplaces. But this year has shown how fraught and fragile that practice, known as shared governance, has become at public and private universities alike. A coast-to-coast wipeout of faculty influence is not imminent, despite years of swelling suspicions of higher education and repeated attacks on tenure protections. But in recent months, professors have warned of an erosion of their power that they fear could undermine university culture. |
| Republicans Could Abolish the Education Department. How Might That Work? | |
 | Former president Donald Trump wants the Education Department gone. A candidate for U.S. Senate suggested throwing the agency "in the trash can." Another called it "one of the worst monstrosities that's ever been created." Getting rid of the Education Department is hardly a new idea. In fact, Republicans have campaigned on killing the agency since it was created in 1979, arguing the agency's existence violates the Constitution (because the document doesn't mention education) and is a prime example of federal bloat and excess. But calls for its demise have increased and intensified in recent years. Trump and others say the agency has grown too big and interferes in matters best left to local and state authorities. Driving the recent wave of calls is the Biden administration's efforts to forgive student loans, the botched rollout of the federal financial aid application and the department's overhaul of Title IX, which added new protections for transgender students. (The new rule is on hold in 26 states following several court rulings.) But dismantling the department is more complicated than the campaign-trail promises suggest, and few higher education policy experts believe the department's days are actually numbered. They point out that even Trump didn't get on board with abolishing the agency during his first term, proposing instead to merge the Departments of Education and Labor. But momentum for the idea has grown since 2016, and Trump has made it more of an issue. |
| On the Eve of a Tight Election, Higher Ed Is Holding Its Breath | |
| Like much of America, higher education is consumed with uncertainty over Tuesday's presidential election. But some things are already clear: Officials across the sector expect new regulation, especially if Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, is elected. The former president has been plain about his intent to wield the power of the executive branch in unprecedented ways to reshape higher education. The Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris, has been far less combative toward many colleges, but an administration led by the vice president would still likely bring new accountability measures that could affect smaller pockets of the sector, like for-profit colleges. But what we know pales in comparison to what we don't: Polls show a tight contest, and vote counting could last days or weeks. There's also the control of Congress to think about, and not just in terms of legislation. If Republicans keep their hold on the House of Representatives, will university after university send presidents to face pointed questions about antisemitism and other white-hot political issues? And then there are the state races, where funding, governance, and other issues rest upon who controls the governor's mansion and sits in the legislature. "There's certainly a lot of anxiety around the uncertainty," said Lynn Pasquerella, president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities. |
| How Some Faculty Plan to Handle Class on Election Day | |
| At least 86 colleges and universities have canceled classes Tuesday, according to Day on Democracy, an organization that helps students advocate for their institutions to give them Election Day off. At other institutions, individual professors are deciding whether to hold classes, cancel them or perhaps take a third option, like making attendance on Tuesday not mandatory. Catherine Hillman, a lecturer at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, said she has chosen to make class optional on every Election Day since she began teaching in 2011. This year will be no exception. She also always assigns an extra credit project in her marketing course, asking students to use a particular sales principle to either develop their own voting plan or persuade a family member or friend to vote. (There is an alternative prompt for those who can't or don't plan to vote, which is what she offers during nonelection years.) Though she never asks her students to confirm whether they actually voted, she has heard from students in the past that the assignment was successful; she said one reported nudging their entire group of roommates to cast ballots. "I do want to encourage them to vote," she said. "I don't want them to feel like this is an assignment making them vote. That's why I always give the other alternatives." |
| This Sorority Is Going All in to Get Out the Vote | |
| In the days after early voting started in Georgia last month, sorority parties broke out around Atlanta. In suburban Mableton, Ga., dozens of women wearing the pink and green colors of their sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, danced the "Cha-Cha Slide" on a grassy patch next to a strip mall. Two counties over, other members held a gathering, anchored by Beyoncé songs and free deli food, in a park. South of downtown, another get-together's music was so loud that it turned the heads of people driving by. Polls show a close presidential race, and these sorority-hosted events were aimed at persuading people to vote. Ms. Harris, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha since her days at Howard University, has remained a loyal member of the first Black sorority, and plenty of her sisters are thrilled to see one of their own running for president. The polls show that Black voters are overwhelmingly backing Harris, but some -- especially men -- are not matching the level of support that they had for Joe Biden four years ago. The most recent polls in Georgia show Mr. Trump with a slight edge in the state. Nationwide, Black, male voters increasingly are backing Mr. Trump, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll earlier this month. In their appeal to get the state's Black, male voters to the ballot box, the sorority is facing a challenge. And time is running out. |
| Harris promises to eliminate college degree requirements for federal jobs on Day 1 | |
| Kamala Harris said Friday she will sign an executive order to eliminate college degree requirements for certain federal jobs on the first day of her presidency. It's the most explicit Harris has been about her day one priorities to date. "The press is always asking me, 'What are you going to do on day one?' One of the things I'm doing on day one -- because I can do it by executive order -- is I will eliminate unnecessary degree requirements for federal jobs," she said during an event at an IBEW local union hall in Janesville, Wisconsin. "And then I will challenge the private sector to do the same." While Harris has previously promised to cut degree requirements for federal jobs, she had not made it a day-one priority. The union hall pledge represents the first concrete proposal from the vice president that she could actually accomplish on the first day of her presidency, without the help of Congress. Biden signed a record 17 executive orders on his first day in the White House. |
| Auditor's 'chainsaw' study useful but lacking | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: "It was time to take a chainsaw" to fat in state government," State Auditor Shad White said in announcing his $2 million study of government spending by Boston Consulting Group. Last week the public got a glimpse of the chainsaw. White released his "Project Momentum" report which identified $229 to $338 million in potential fiscal savings. The report proclaimed itself a roadmap to improve efficiency "by eliminating unneeded services, expanding the capabilities of state employees, and capitalizing on our state's progress by providing clear value to taxpayers." The "our state" clearly identifies the text as White's, not the consultant's, and the "clear value" isn't abundantly clear. ... Among the report's more useful parts are those on how other states operate more efficiently. For example, as much as 50% of the projected savings could come from improved procurement practices. Modeled after other states' practices, the recommendations cover multiple agencies with case studies on information technology, engineering services, public relations, emergency contracts, travel, and more. |
| Lawsuit to officially outlaw abortion in Mississippi may not have standing at the state Supreme Court | |
| Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison writes: Two high-profile cases in recent years where the Mississippi Supreme Court limited standing to pursue lawsuits could impact the hot button issue of abortion that some believe could be speeding toward the state's highest court. Based on those landmark rulings by the Supreme Court, the never-ending saga continues: Mississippi is simultaneously a state where abortions are technically legal but also where medical providers make no effort to perform abortions. A group of conservative doctors -- Mississippi members of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists -- filed a lawsuit asking the courts to overturn a 1998 ruling by the Mississippi Supreme Court saying the state constitution provides a right to an abortion based on privacy. In October, Hinds County Chancellor Crystal Wise Martin said the physicians did not have the right to file the lawsuit because they could not prove they were harmed by the 1998 ruling. In legal parlance, Wise Martin found the physicians did not have standing to bring the lawsuit. Attorney Aaron Rice, who represents the physicians, said he intends to file an appeal to the Mississippi Supreme Court asking that the Hinds County chancellor's ruling be overturned. |
SPORTS
| Michael Van Buren Jr. accounts for 3 TDs, Mississippi St. beats UMass 45-20 | |
| Following two-months worth of losses, Mississippi State found pay dirt once again. Michael Van Buren Jr. accounted for three touchdowns and led the Bulldogs back from an early deficit in a 45-20 win over Massachusetts on Saturday. "Just a happy locker room," head coach Jeff Lebby said. "Could not be more proud of our togetherness, the team we are creating, the foundation that's being built. For those guys, being able to feel victory is important so proud of that." Mississippi State answered a 10-0 start to the game by UMass by scoring 35 consecutive points in the second and third quarters. After the Bulldogs surrendered over 100 yards on the first two drives and had negative nine offensively, Mississippi State would hold UMass scoreless on five straight drives while scoring touchdowns to cap five of its six possessions. A six-play, 97-yard drive midway through the second quarter helped Mississippi State get the lead for the first time. A 35-yard run by Johnnie Daniels started the drive and Seydou Traore finished it with a 19-yard touchdown reception. Van Buren finished the night 14 of 25 for 222 yards and a touchdown and added two touchdowns on the ground. He led an offense that had 463 total yards with 241 of those coming on the ground on 30 carries. Mississippi State travels to Tennessee on November 9. |
| How belief in coach Jeff Lebby was reaffirmed in Mississippi State football win vs UMass | |
| The first four drives of Saturday's game were familiar for all the wrong reasons. The Mississippi State football offense went three-and-out on its first two possessions. The defense allowed a UMass touchdown and field goal. The Bulldogs trailed 10-0 in the first quarter and looked to be on the way to an embarrassing eighth straight loss. But quickly, everything changed. Mississippi State (2-7, 0-5 SEC) scored 35 straight points on its way to a 45-20 victory, with the game all but wrapped up in the third quarter. The Bulldogs have been saying they believed in first-year coach Jeff Lebby even during their seven-game losing streak. It finally showed on the field against UMass (2-7). "Coach Lebby is a great leader and he's telling us, he's teaching us and he's leading us to keep fighting, keep playing," linebacker Stone Blanton said. "It's not going our way, good. We just got to keep battling it out and keep doing it. There is a reason that this is happening. There is a lesson out of anything, no matter how bad it is." "Certainly proud of how we came back," Lebby said. "Obviously the way we started was not what we wanted at all on both sides of the football. I was incredibly proud of our guys just continuing to play the next play and finding a way to create some momentum and being able to keep momentum." |
| Moments that mattered in Mississippi State's win over Massachusetts | |
| Nothing was working on offense. Nothing was working on defense. So Mississippi State produced its first big play of Saturday's game against Massachusetts on special teams. Davon Booth hasn't had many chances to return kickoffs this year -- just eight entering this game, although he did take one back 42 yards the week before against Arkansas. But he has the speed to change a game in a flash, and with the Bulldogs trailing by 10 and getting outgained 113 to minus-4 with just over a minute left in the opening quarter, Booth gave the MSU sideline a spark. The Utah State transfer caught the ball on the right hash mark at his own 2-yard line and picked up a few blocks as he cut toward his sideline before being tackled from behind at the 42. The Bulldogs took advantage of the good field position, with freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren finding Booth out of the backfield for a 14-yard pickup to move the ball into Minutemen territory. MSU converted a third down later in the drive on a completion from Van Buren to Kevin Coleman, and the Bulldogs used two big defensive penalties to move close to the goal line before Van Buren's 2-yard touchdown run put the hosts on the board. That started a stretch of 35 unanswered points for MSU as the Bulldogs snapped their seven-game losing streak with a 45-20 victory. "It's what we're seeing on the other side, what gives us the best opportunity to ensure we get the best field position possible," MSU head coach Jeff Lebby said. "We felt like we had the ability with some of the kicks we had a chance to receive, to be able to bring them out and put us in a really good place." |
| Men's Basketball: Lights And Cameras Get Dawgs Ready For Action | |
| With a subtle breeze and hints of fall in the Starkville air, the stars shining in the sky were not the only source of light beaming on the night of Thursday, Oct. 10. If you drove down Spring St., you likely spotted a plethora of spotlights and bright LED lights glowing and flashing on the basketball court at Gorge Evans Park. That was not an illusion. It was the Mississippi State men's basketball program filming a special intro video for the Maroon and White faithful to view on the Humphrey Coliseum video board when a new season of hoops tips off on Monday night. The project's goal was much more than throwing in flashy lights and neon signs, however. State's creative mastermind and associate director of creative video Morgan Mills wanted to incorporate and highlight the style of play Chris Jans has established with the MSU program heading into his third year at the helm for the Bulldogs. "I came up with the idea of shooting it at an outside court because it helps with the identity coach Chris Jans is trying to push [of] being a hard-nosed, grimy, grit type of team," Mills said. "Doing the outside court with the chain-link fencing and stuff like that, I felt was the best way to tie that in." |
| Mississippi State basketball bold predictions: Josh Hubbard, Sweet 16 | |
 | Year 3 of the Chris Jans era with Mississippi State basketball has reset program expectations. The coach has led MSU to consecutive NCAA tournaments but hasn't achieved a win. The Bulldogs lost All-SEC forward Tolu Smith III but return another all-conference player in Josh Hubbard to combine with a mix of transfers. However, people around the SEC aren't necessarily projecting the Bulldogs to take a leap, picking them 10th out of 16 in the conference preseason poll. Here are our five bold predictions before the season opener against West Georgia on Monday (6:30 p.m., SEC Network+). Sometimes, coaches and players have to learn how to win in the postseason. And that usually comes from losses. That's all that these particular Bulldogs have experienced in the NCAA tournament. Hubbard checks off one big box necessary for having a star to make a postseason run. While MSU is expected to play a different playing style, Jans won't shy away from the defensive principles that have brought MSU success. The depth at guard will be the difference for Mississippi State to reach its first Sweet 16 since 1996. |
| Nine Bulldogs Earn SEC Awards, Armstrong Named Coach Of The Year | |
| Mississippi State soccer's 2024 season has been one for the record books, and the Southeastern Conference took notice in a major way. In a banner moment for the program, the Bulldogs earned an astounding collection of SEC awards, solidifying their place as a dominant force in collegiate soccer and celebrating an unprecedented sweep of major individual honors for MSU. Head Coach James Armstrong was named SEC Coach of the Year, while Macey Hodge earned Midfielder of the Year, Maddy Anderson claimed Goalkeeper of the Year, and Rylie Combs took home Defender of the Year honors. These awards reflect a season defined by collective excellence, grit, and breakthrough performances, as Mississippi State ascended to its highest national ranking and set program records in every area. The SEC further recognized Mississippi State's historic season with four Bulldogs earning First Team All-SEC honors. Joining Hodge, Anderson, and Combs on the First Team is forward Ally Perry, whose offensive prowess and finishing ability have been instrumental in key wins this season. |
| Mississippi State soccer wins numerous SEC awards. James Armstrong is Coach of the Year | |
| Mississippi State soccer swept some of the biggest awards from the SEC. James Armstrong was named the Coach of the Year, Macey Hodge is the Midfielder of the Year, Maddy Anderson is the Goalkeeper of the Year and Rylie Combs is the Defender of the Year. Nine players were named to All-SEC teams. Armstrong has led MSU to a 16-1-0 record in his sixth season, including an undefeated 10-0 mark in SEC play. He became the winningest coach in program history with a win in the regular-season finale at South Carolina. Mississippi State won its first regular-season SEC championship, is ranked No. 2 in the country in RPI behind Duke and has a first-round bye in the conference tournament. It will play either Kentucky or Tennessee on Tuesday (4:30 p.m., SEC Network) in Pensacola, Florida. The NCAA tournament bracket will be revealed Nov. 11. Last season, MSU made its deepest NCAA tournament run in program history before falling to Stanford in the Round of 16. |
| 'It's a total team effort': Mississippi State soccer looks to carry dominance into postseason | |
| The Mississippi State women's soccer team has had a lot of "firsts" this season. James Armstrong's squad earned a top-five ranking in the United Soccer Coaches Poll for the first time in program history. Mississippi State earned its first-ever SEC regular season championship this year. The team is also in the midst of a 14-game winning streak -- a program first. On Wednesday, the Bulldogs defeated South Carolina 2-1 to enter the postseason undefeated against conference counterparts for the first time. The midweek feat followed a multitude of successful outings, most notably a 1-0 home win over top-ranked Arkansas in early October. Accolades aside, Armstrong, the winningest coach in Mississippi State history, says his club's work is not quite finished. "We always felt that we could win the SEC. There was no doubt about that," Armstrong said SportsTalk Mississippi. "But I would say, when we outplayed Arkansas at our place, just seeing the hunger in our girls -- they didn't get carried away by it -- I think that's when we knew we had something special here. Some great things may happen." Top-seeded Mississippi State (15-1, 10-0 SEC) will enjoy the comforts of a first-round bye and prepare for a quarterfinal match versus either No. 8-seeded Kentucky or No. 9-seeded Tennessee on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. central. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network. |
| Volleyball: State Secures Scrappy Sweep Over Aggies | |
| Mississippi State leaves College Station with another win, as the Bulldogs took down the Texas A&M Aggies in three straight sets. The Dawgs hit their best percentage of the season in the contest, as they finished with a .361. "What a day for the Dawgs, we came into Reed arena focused and walked out with a win," head coach Julie Darty Dennis said. "Overall, it was about executing a gameplan, keeping it simple and fighting harder than our opponents. At the end of the day, I can say that is what we did" Ceci Harness continued to excel in the single setter system, as she picked up 33 assists in the contest. She also tallied a season-high three kills against the Aggies, as well as having six digs. "Ceci had a great day," Dennis said. "She did everything we asked and more, she has the most fight I've ever seen in a Dawg. She put Karli and Kailin in the spots she needed to." The duo of Kailin Newsome and Karli Schmidt led the Bulldog attack on the day. Schmidt finished the contest with a team-high 13 kills on 31 swings. Newsome picked up an efficient 10 kills on 21 swings, finishing with a .429 kill percentage. The Bulldogs will be back in Starkville this Wednesday against the defending national champions, the Texas Longhorns. First serve is set for 6 p.m. on SECN+. |
| Cowboys QB Dak Prescott will have an MRI to determine severity of hamstring injury | |
| Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will have an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of a hamstring injury that forced him to leave Sunday's loss at Atlanta. Prescott said he "felt a pull, something I've never felt" but added "it'll take a lot for me to not be out there" when the Cowboys host NFC East rival Philadelphia next Sunday. "It was a tough deal to walk on it," Prescott said. "I know how much we needed this one. I wanted to just get out there and compete, get out there and fight." Prescott also appeared to suffer an injury to his right hand at the end of the third quarter. The Cowboys were trailing 21-13 going into the fourth quarter and lost 27-21. Prescott completed 18 of 24 passes for 133 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions, ending his streak of three consecutive games with two interceptions. Prescott had three carries for 30 yards. Cooper Rush replaced Prescott as the Cowboys (3-5) lost their third straight game. |
| SEC will hand out fines, suspensions for fake injuries | |
 | SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has warned the league's football coaches and athletics directors that directing players to feign injury in order to stop the clock could result in penalties including fines and suspensions, according to multiple reports. In a memo obtained by Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger, Sankey laid out the following penalty structure if it is determined that it is "more likely than not" a fake injury has occurred: first offense --- $50,000 fine; second offense -- $100,000 fine; third offense -- public reprimand and one-game suspension for head coach. Assistant coaches or other staff members found to be involved will receive the same penalty, while players who fake an injury will be subject to a public reprimand. "As plainly as it can be stated: Stop any and all activity related to faking injuries to create timeouts," Sankey wrote. "... When a game stoppage is needed, use a time-out in accordance with NCAA Football Rule 3-3-4. This is not a complicated or confusing principle." Determining whether or not an injury was fake will be left up to the determination of National Coordinator for Football Officiating Steve Shaw after post-game video review, Sankey wrote. In order to challenge such a ruling, teams would have to submit "clear medical information" that the injury was legitimate. |
| Nick Saban Was the Greatest Coach in College Football. Now He's the One Getting Coached. | |
| Nick Saban shocked the sport of college football when he abruptly retired from Alabama last January. After 50 years and seven national championships, he was done with coaching. But it turns out coaching wasn't entirely done with him. Ten months later, Saban is still grinding through game film, searching for weaknesses and striving to achieve a higher level of performance. The difference now is that he's the one getting coached up. Shortly after leaving Alabama, Saban was announced as the newest addition to the cast of "College GameDay"---ESPN's long-running Saturday morning pregame show. And as he works through his debut season as an on-air analyst, the 73-year-old who oversaw 292 wins from the sideline says the transition to TV has cast him in the role of incoming freshman. "The pace is completely different," Saban said in an interview. "There's not the same stress level, [but] you want to do a good job." To do that job, Saban has displayed the same critical eye and single-minded pursuit of excellence that led the Crimson Tide to nine national championship appearances in 17 years. He had been in his new job barely a few weeks when Saban approached the ESPN producers with a blunt request. "I'm the rookie here. I need you to stay on top of me," said Matthew Garrett, the coordinating producer of "GameDay." "I want you to coach me hard. I want you to give me feedback, positive and negative. He calls me every week -- the first thing he asks is 'What can I do better'?" |
| NCAA Track and Field Coaches Are Worried About Cuts | |
| As Americans were settling in to watch the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, the coaches behind some of the country's best track and field athletes were concerned. That day, July 26, lawyers representing the NCAA and lawyers of athletes who are suing the organization for financial damages filed a lengthy court settlement. If approved, the settlement would usher in a new era of Division I athletics, by allowing universities to share revenue with their athletes for the first time. Revenue sharing is the latest shift in a constantly changing NCAA. Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), the transfer portal, and conference realignment have all affected how schools operate their athletic departments in recent years. But the historic settlement, if finalized, could tip the scales even more in favor of football and basketball, potentially leaving the other college sports -- including track and field and cross-country -- with less money to operate. Some may struggle to exist at all. On the same day that the settlement was filed, USA Track & Field (USATF) leaders sent a letter to the NCAA and the commissions of the major conferences, signed by USATF CEO Max Siegel and the organization's president, Vin Lananna. Lananna, who is also the director of track and field and cross-country at the University of Virginia, feels the issue is urgent. "Anyone who thinks that those changes will not be dramatic is not paying attention," he told Runner's World in a phone call. |
| Charlie Baker's impossible task: Keep everyone in college sports happy | |
 | They sipped their comped drinks and talked, their lanyards telling a story. They were a Division III athletic director and the head of a coaching academy. A major school fundraiser. A content creator. Very into the growth of softball. Young, old, hopeful, hopeless, they were bound by two things at the annual Women Leaders in Sports Conference in mid-October. They all want college sports to exist forever, like they have for decades, at least as something close to how they look right now. And they needed the tall man by the entrance to deliver that. Charlie Baker took a few steps inside the door before he couldn't move. One by one, they introduced themselves to the NCAA president, leaving him to shuffle his feet, nursing his cocktail down to the ice. If he was stressed by the weight of an entire industry, by all of their wants and needs, it didn't show inside the waterside hotel. He tucked his hands in his pockets, then behind his back, then with eyes wide, yelling about Caitlin Clark, he almost whacked a short woman in the head, a particular hazard for a 6-foot-6 person in a crowded room. "I mean, the Fever just had their greatest season ever!" he shouted. "Caitlin is Larry Bird!" Baker sounds a bit like a Boston radio caller when his accent slips out. Ask why he became NCAA president -- why, after serving as Massachusetts governor from 2015 to 2023, he took such a difficult and loathed position -- and he usually comes back to loving sports. |
| Report: Power conferences set initial revenue-sharing cap for 2025-26 sports year | |
| After the House v. NCAA settlement received preliminary approval last month, schools across the country are bracing for the revenue-sharing era in time for the 2025-26 sports year. The power conferences are also preparing their members by informing them of the projected cap, Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger reported. Schools were informed of the projected $20.5 million cap this week, Dellenger said. That figure is 22% of the average Power Conference school revenue in the previous year, and the cap will rise 4% each year as part of the settlement agreement. The $20.5 million is lower than the previous estimates of $21-22 million. Regardless, that sum is for schools to use at their own discretion and share with athletes. Revenue-sharing is just one part of the House v. NCAA settlement, though. Scholarship increases are coming across sports, as are new roster limits, if the agreement is certified. The proposed rosters include football (105), men's and women's basketball (15), baseball (34), men's and women's soccer (28) softball (25) and volleyball (18). |
The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
