| Monday, November 11, 2024 |
| MSU researchers get $1.2M to train students, teachers in AI | |
 | A Mississippi State University research team is looking to improve high school students' competency in artificial intelligence through a project funded by a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation. Led by Principal Investigator Yan Sun, who is an associate professor in MSU's Department of Industrial Technology, Instructional Design and Community College Leadership in the College of Education, the team of professors and undergraduate students will work with 60 students and 15 computer science teachers over the next three years to help them sharpen their understanding of AI systems. "Everybody nowadays is some kind of consumer of AI," Sun told The Dispatch. "Our goal is that we want our students not just to be consumers of AI. We want them to be creators of AI." During the program, yearlong cohorts made up of teachers and students will start by participating in a weeklong summer camp at MSU, where they will learn the basics of AI, like preparing image data and training image models. "We will start to build their knowledge about image classification and how to build, starting with some smart games, like how to train a robot to become a self-driving car," she said. |
| Bully Tartan now part of Scottish Register | |
 | The Bully Tartan has officially been registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans. The tartan was designed by Mississippi State University (MSU) alumna Elizabeth Costa, and it celebrates the university's mascot. The Scottish Parliament voted in 2008 to establish this independent tartan register. The Bully Tartan Collection features a design, created by Costa in 2017, as part of an MSU Fashion Design and Merchandising program student competition. Each stripe and color reflect significant moments in Bully's rich history. According to the university, three repeating dark red stripes honor the three different mascots in MSU's history -- the Aggies, Maroons and Bulldogs -- while small white and light grey stripes symbolize the university's 8-3 record from the year Bully was adopted. Additionally, the black stripe represents the 21 Bullies that have graced the university since the mascot's inception, and the dark grey stripe pays tribute to Tonka, the 19th Bully whose eight-year tenure of service as mascot is the longest in program history. |
| Starkville First United Methodist Church Christmas Holiday Bazaar set for Nov. 15 | |
| Starkville First United Methodist Church will feature more than 30 artists and crafters at its 15th Christmas Holiday Bazaar on Nov. 15. Held for the first time since 2019, the free event will offer hand-crafted items such as jewelry, paintings, hand-sewn textiles, pottery, woodwork, specialty food items and home decor. Frozen casseroles and baked goods will be sold from the church's booths. The event will be held in the church's Christian Life Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch will be available from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and will include chicken salad and pimento cheese sandwich plates, white bean chicken chili, and cookies. "We are excited about the variety of vendors participating," Frances McDavid, a steering committee member, said. "Our vendors' items will appeal to all tastes and ages. We are glad to have some previous vendors returning and will enjoy seeing the work of our first-time participants." Proceeds will go to the church's local outreach missions such as Backpack Meals, which serves school children who would otherwise not have meals available on weekends. Other beneficiaries include the community food pantry and Bedz for Kidz, which builds beds for children without beds. |
| Holiday shopping expected to see modest increase | |
 | With six fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, retailers still expect a modest increase in holiday sales. The National Retail Federation last month said it expects holiday spending to increase 2.5 to 3.5% over last year. Consumers are expected to spend between $979.5 billion and $989 billion in total holiday spending in November and December. For Jack Reed Jr. of Reed's department store, an unexpectedly warm fall so far has slowed the sales in sweaters and other traditional winter wear, but that's been offset by sales in athleisure wear, which is a blend of athletic wear and casual fashion, suitable for both exercising and everyday wear. Athleisure often includes items like leggings, sneakers, hoodies and other sport-inspired pieces. "People are comfortable wearing it anytime and everywhere," Reed said. "So we keep responding to the customers and what they want. You see a lot of the quarter-zips and hoodies and joggers. And if the cold weather comes, we've got some beautiful flannel shirts. That may end up being the winter coat that people end up needing if it doesn't get too cold." Reed's has added another brand to its portfolio: L.L. Bean. It is the only department store in Mississippi to carry the brand. Traditionally L.L. Bean has sold only online and from its 60 locations in the Northeast and Midwest, but has been looking for specialty stores that aligned with its core mission. Reed's fit that bill, Reed said. |
| Rep. Michael Guest introduces Veterans Day resolution | |
 | Ahead of Veterans Day, Congressman Michael Guest introduced a resolution in the U.S. House to honor the service and sacrifice of America's veterans while calling on those who did not serve to take some time during the Monday holiday to recognize the sacrifices made by military members. The resolution, introduced Friday by the Mississippi representative, was supported by more than 120 members of the House and calls "on the people of the United States to observe Veterans Day in recognition of the heroic actions of America's veterans to protect the United States and allow freedom to endure." "I am humbled by the dedicated service and the sacrifice that our United States veterans have given to this country," Guest said, per a press release. "This resolution is a way for the U.S. House of Representatives to demonstrate our deep appreciation for our nation's heroes. I want to thank all veterans throughout our country for their service to protect my freedom and the freedom of Americans from sea to shining sea. May God bless our veterans." The first iteration of Veterans Day came in November 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson designated the day to honor veterans of World War I, though it was then known as Armistice Day. Armistice Day became a legal holiday in 1938 before being renamed Veterans Day in 1954. It is now celebrated each year on November 11, honoring all who have served. |
| Foreign Ownership of Ag Land: Ag Commissioner urges Mississippi Legislature to address problem | |
| Concern has been increasing in recent years about foreign ownership of one of the most precious assets in America, agricultural lands. The State of Arkansas recently took action to require a Chinese firm to divest of agricultural land. While foreign ownership has also been an issue in Mississippi, there are concerns that recent state legislation has failed to address the problem. "During the 2024 legislative session, our Mississippi Legislature missed a great opportunity to follow Arkansas' lead," said Department of Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner, Andy Gipson. "Rather than banning foreign countries including our enemies from buying up Mississippi farms, the Legislature opened the door even wider to foreign control by passing the Mississippi Foreign Land Ownership Act." Gipson said prior to the passage of the 2024 Act, Mississippi law generally prohibited the ownership of Mississippi land by any "nonresident alien," a phrase that had never been precisely defined by the legislature in law. The old law, coupled with the lack of a clear enforcement mechanism, left a gaping loophole for decades, allowing numerous foreign countries such as the Netherlands, Canada, and many other foreign interests to purchase vast tracts of Mississippi farmland. |
| Two candidates appear headed for South Mississippi Appeals Court runoff after 3rd concedes | |
 | In a close race for a South Mississippi seat of the Court of Appeals, attorney Amy Lassiter St. Pé and Chancery Judge Jennifer Schloegel are apparently headed for a runoff on Nov. 26. St. Pé established and held a lead in the race Tuesday night, but Schloegel and attorney Ian Baker battled it out for second place. Both St. Pé and Schloegel said Baker conceded the race Friday afternoon, with 99% of unofficial election returns reported. St. Pé and Schloegel are vying for the District 5, Position 2 seat on the court, which is assigned appellate cases by the Supreme Court where the law is settled but facts are in dispute. The Court of Appeals has 10 judges who serve staggered, 8-year terms. St Pé, who is from Pascagoula, carried six of the 11 counties in the district: Jackson, George, Greene, Wayne, Perry, Forrest. Schloegel prevailed in Harrison, the most populous county, and Hancock. Baker won Pearl River, Stone and Lamar counties. St. Pé graduated from Mississippi College law school and has practiced law for 22 years. She founded her own law firm in Pascagoula, specializing in governmental law. She has served for 15 years as a city attorney for Moss Point and is also a municipal judge for the city of Gautier. Schloegel, who is from Gulfport, has served since 2011 as a Chancery Court judge for Harrison, Hancock and Stone counties. She graduated from University of Mississippi law school and also attended Emory University law school in Atlanta. |
| Water woes, policing disputes -- and now Jackson's mayor has been indicted, too | |
| Bribery and conspiracy charges against the mayor are the latest shock to Mississippi's capital, where a federally appointed official is running the water system after it nearly collapsed and state police are patrolling parts of the majority-Black city because of white legislators' concerns about crime. Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and two other Democratic elected officials -- Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens and Jackson City Council member Aaron B. Banks -- pleaded not guilty to federal charges Thursday. They will remain free while awaiting trial in a case tied to the proposed development of a long-vacant downtown property. Lumumba is Black and has described himself as a "radical" who is "uncomfortable with oppressive conditions." Both he and his sister, Rukia Lumumba, say they believe he is facing a political prosecution, even with the Justice Department still being led by a Democratic administration. Distrust of government runs deep in Jackson, from people who say the state has blocked efforts to help the city and those who say the city has stumbled in providing basic services. City Council member Kenneth Stokes, a fellow Democrat and frequent critic of the mayor, said the indictments sharpen the skepticism. "You're drinking dirty water. You can't get your streets paved. You already lost trust," Stokes, who is also Black, told media outlets. "Do not say you are running for office to help people when you're trying to help yourself," Stokes said. "If you're going to help people, help people." |
| Get ready for post-election ag debates | |
 | Most House and Senate Agriculture Committee members successfully won their reelection bids, avoiding a major shake-up in rank-and-file membership. But expect significant changes in ag leadership due to election results -- and changes in who has leverage for the rest of 2024 as members try to nail down some kind of a farm bill by the end of the year. Ag lawmakers will likely push for adding a one-year farm bill extension to a federal funding stop-gap measure or another must-pass bill before the end of the year, along with some money for commodity farmers reeling from economic losses and the so-called farm bill "orphan programs" around conservation, energy, research and more. The jockeying for senior USDA roles under a second Trump administration is quickly picking up post-election. Meanwhile, ag lobbyists, Trump allies and GOP lawmakers are weighing in on their top recommendations for USDA roles behind the scenes. A decision on Agriculture Secretary or other USDA roles could be weeks or even months away. During his first administration, Trump didn't nominate former USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue until Jan. 19. It was the last Cabinet pick he announced, one day before his inauguration. |
| House, Senate GOP to consider new leadership as Trump administration approaches | |
 | House and Senate Republicans will huddle this week to select a new slate of leaders for the next year's Congress, the first step towards legislating in the looming Trump administration. The moves come as the GOP is on the brink of securing a trifecta in Washington: Trump is headed to the White House, Republicans secured control of the Senate, and the GOP looks poised to retain its majority in the House, which would give the party full control in D.C. for the next two years. Republicans are two seats away from maintaining control of the House. As of Sunday night, the GOP had secured 216 seats in the chamber, with Democrats trailing at 209 seats, according to Decision Desk HQ. A total of 10 races remain uncalled. The Senate GOP conference will meet Wednesday, when lawmakers will choose between Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) to serve as the next GOP leader. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the current Senate GOP leader, is stepping down from his post this month, making way for a new face atop the conference for the first time in nearly two decades. In the House, members of the GOP conference will also meet on Wednesday for their internal elections, during which they will nominate a candidate for Speaker -- even though they have not officially clinched the majority. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is likely to get the nod for the job, but his odds of winning the job on the House floor in January remain unclear. |
| This week in politics: Trump wins Mississippi by higher margin than in 2020 | |
 | Who Mississippi would give its electoral votes to in the 2024 Presidential election was never really a question, and the results paint a concrete portrait. President-elect Donald Trump won Mississippi by a higher percentage than in 2020, taking several counties won by the Democrats four years ago. As of Friday morning, 98.99% of Mississippi's votes were reported in the presidential election, and turnout is expected to reach about 60% of the state electorate, falling below previous years, the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office said. Because of that, Trump received fewer votes in Mississippi than he did in 2020 when he faced President Joe Biden. Vice President Kamala Harris also received fewer votes that Biden did in Mississippi in 2020. However, Trump beat Harris by a higher percentage than he did Biden. As of Friday, Trump had 61.3% of the state's votes (684,617), while Harris received 37.5% (418,488). In 2020, Trump won with 57.6% (756,764), and Biden received 539,398 ballots, which was 41.1%. Trump also took several counties that voted blue in 2020, and he won four swing states won by Biden in the 2020 race. |
| Biden's White House invitation to Trump continues a tradition Trump shunned in 2020 | |
| Before he comes back for good on Inauguration Day, Donald Trump will return to the White House briefly at the invitation of Democratic President Joe Biden, who had hoped to defeat his Republican predecessor a second time and reside there for four more years. That may make for an awkward encounter, especially given that, after Biden ousted Trump in 2020, Trump offered no such White House invitation to Biden. Trump even left Washington before the Jan. 20, 2021, inauguration, becoming the first president to do so since Andrew Johnson skipped the 1869 swearing-in of Ulysses S. Grant. Biden also has the unusual distinction of having beaten Trump in one cycle and run against him for about 15 months during this year's campaign. As he sought reelection, Biden constantly decried Trump as a threat to democracy and the nation's core values before leaving the race in July and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, who took on her own campaign and lost on Election Day. When the two meet in the Oval Office on Wednesday, it'll technically be the first time since 1992 that an outgoing president sits down with an incoming one he competed against in a campaign. Back then, Republican President George H.W. Bush met with Democrat and President-elect Bill Clinton about two weeks after they squared off on Election Day. Biden has vowed to ensure a smooth transition and emphasized the importance of working with Trump, who is both his presidential predecessor and successor, to bring the country together. |
| 'Science is still science': US still committed to climate fight despite Trump's win, Podesta says at COP29 | |
| America's top climate diplomat John Podesta told foreign officials Monday that the U.S. remains committed to fighting climate change, even if President-elect Donald Trump isn't. His comments came as the implications of last week's election reverberate through the hallways of the global climate talks called COP29, which began Monday. "This is not the end of our fight for a cleaner, safer planet. Facts are still facts. Science is still science. The fight is bigger than one election, one political cycle in one country," Podesta told reporters. "While the United States federal government under Donald Trump may put climate change action on the back burner, the work to contain climate change is going to continue in the United States with commitment and passion and belief," he added. On the campaign trail, Trump promised to dismantle environmental standards and withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement for the second time. "That is what he has said, and we should believe him," Podesta said, calling the election results "bitterly disappointing." The speech had echoes of 2016, when Trump was first elected as global climate talks were underway in Morocco. But much has changed in the world since then. Clean energy has become more attractive and affordable in many countries, and China has gained global dominance in building green technology. |
| Trump talked to Putin, told Russian leader not to escalate in Ukraine | |
 | President-elect Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, the first phone conversation between the two men since Trump won the election, said several people familiar with the matter. During the call, which Trump took from his resort in Florida, he advised the Russian president not to escalate the war in Ukraine and reminded him of Washington's sizable military presence in Europe, said a person familiar with the call, who, like others interviewed for this story, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter. The two men discussed the goal of peace on the European continent and Trump expressed an interest in follow-up conversations to discuss "the resolution of Ukraine's war soon," one of the people said. The call, which has not been previously reported, comes amid general uncertainty about how Trump will reset the world's diplomatic chessboard of U.S. allies and adversaries after his decisive victory on Tuesday. Trump told NBC on Thursday that he had spoken to about 70 world leaders since the election, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky -- a call that Elon Musk also joined. |
| Trump Offers Elise Stefanik Role as U.N. Ambassador | |
 | President-elect Donald J. Trump has offered Representative Elise Stefanik, Republican of New York, the role of U.N. ambassador in his upcoming administration. Ms. Stefanik, who represents an upstate New York district in the House and is a member of the Republican leadership in the chamber, has been a vocal supporter of Mr. Trump. His decision to name her to the post was reported earlier by CNN. Ms. Stefanik has accepted the offer, her office said. Ms. Stefanik, 40, emerged as a key ally to Mr. Trump during his first impeachment proceeding. She has been chair of the House Republican conference, but has minimal experience in foreign policy and national security. She has served on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She has been an outspoken supporter of Israel, and had a high-profile role in the congressional hearings that led to the resignations of several university presidents over their handling of campus unrest following the terror attack by Hamas on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. Her selection comes after Mr. Trump last week named Susie Wiles, a longtime political operative who helped lead his campaign, as his White House chief of staff. On Sunday evening, Mr. Trump named Thomas D. Homan, an immigration hard-liner, to be his "border czar." |
| The Other Election Result: Christmas Starts Now | |
 | Heather Torreggiani woke up Wednesday morning feeling like she'd been hit by a wave. The Presidential election results had rolled in overnight. "I didn't know what to do," said the 52-year-old from Chicago, describing a cocktail of emotions after her pick, Vice President Kamala Harris, lost: confusion, exhaustion, and a lingering headache from the storm of divisiveness that had surrounded the race for the White House. Then she reached for her iPhone. One tap, and Mariah Carey's voice enveloped her kitchen with the upbeat strains of "All I Want for Christmas Is You." Torreggiani had never been one to break out the holiday tunes before Thanksgiving, but on this day, the public relations executive made an exception. "It's hard to stay sad when Mariah's singing that," she said. The tense election battle between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris was marked by a relentless barrage of attack ads. The campaign is over, but the race has left half the country shaken---and everyone exhausted. Torreggiani is among the many Americans who have come up with a cure for their postelection hangover: Christmas. Pressing fast-forward on Christmas helped extend the celebrations for some voters. “Christmas came early with Trump winning the election. So I let my wife put up the Christmas tree,” Ryan Briggs posted on Facebook. Briggs, a 45-year-old owner of a construction company in Plain City, Utah, said his family typically waits until the week before Thanksgiving to put the family tree up. |
| Jeanne Luckey, Longtime RNC Delegate and Philanthropist Dies at 63 | |
| Jeanne Carter Luckey was a formidable advocate for the welfare of others, a dedicated servant of the GOP platform becoming a prominent leader among Republican women in Ocean Springs -- and a nationally recognized champion of the conservative movement. Luckey unexpectedly passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home November 7, 2024 at 12:30 PM. Officials with the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) announced Luckey's passing on Thursday stating, she brought an energy and a commitment to her work as a trustee that resonated throughout our state's public university system. She actively served as a Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Trustee. "We are all better for having worked with her," Dr. Al Rankins, Jr., Commissioner of Higher Education said about Jeanne Luckey. "Students for years to come will benefit from her dedication to higher education in Mississippi." "We lost a great Mississippian today with the passing of Jeanne Luckey, and I lost a stalwart friend," posted Brad White, Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT), on his Facebook page. "The world needs more Jeanne's. Her positivity and patriotism was contagious. She was a true difference-maker in every productive way," White continued. |
| Family, politicians mourn veteran Republican from Coast: 'She made me a better person' | |
| The governor says his family is heartbroken. The attorney general has lost a friend. And of all the mourners grieving the sudden death this week of Jeanne Luckey, a veteran Republican force in Mississippi and national politics, none have lost more than her husband, Alwyn. "The most important thing I can say about Jeanne," he said, "is that she made me a better person than I otherwise would have been." The people who knew her call her fearless. She grew up in Biloxi and lived in Ocean Springs. She spent three decades driving action in the Republican Party, first in her local Republican women's club, later on campaigns and even when a car crash left her in a wheelchair three days after Hurricane Katrina. She kept working. "She was a driving force in Republican politics in this state and in this country," Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said. "I don't know any person that ran for a Republican office," he added, "that did not seek her advice." Luckey died peacefully in her sleep at home on Thursday, her husband said. She is also survived by two daughters, Laurel and Taylor, and her grandchildren. Former Gov. Phil Bryant appointed Luckey to the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees. At the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees, she was working to get Mississippi graduates to stay in state after college. |
| 'Under the Oaks Arts Festival' hosted local vendors at MUW | |
 | The Columbus Arts Council, in partnership with Mississippi University for Women, held its second annual "Under the Oaks Arts Festival." The festival had almost double the amount of vendors than last year at 36 unique vendors. The Columbus Arts Council relies on some of its funding to come from donations. Alum of MUW's art department and member of the Columbus Arts Council, Squeak Humphrey, says the festival is important because it brings out local artists, and also provides student artists a chance to sell their work for the first time. Humphrey said they think it is a great opportunity for artists to sell their art. "The main thing is not only helping local vendors be able to get their art out there and sell their art," Humphrey said. "But it's also this is a really wonderful opportunity for art students at the W to be able to have experience with selling their own wares at a festival." Naomi Simpson, an attendee said the support for art in Columbus is great. |
| Court declares missing Ole Miss student legally dead | |
| A missing Ole Miss student, believed to have been killed more than two years ago, was officially declared dead last month. Jimmie and Stephanie Lee, parents of Jimmie "Jay" Lee, filed the motion in early September asking Lafayette County Circuit Court to declare their son legally dead. Sheldon "Timothy" Herrington Jr., 23, of Grenada, is accused of killing Jay Lee, 20, two summers ago to keep their sexual relationship a secret. Herrington was indicted for capital murder and is scheduled to go to trial Dec. 2. The Lees filed the motion citing Mississippi Code 13-1-23. Under normal circumstances, a family would have to wait 7 years before petitioning the court. But under the "Zeb Hughes Law," which went into effect July 1, the family of someone who underwent a "catastrophic event that exposed the person to imminent peril or danger" can ask for a hearing to review the evidence of the catastrophic event. Prosecutors have said the Jay Lee maintained an almost constant presence on social media and called his mother multiple times daily. All contact, either digitally or in person, stopped around 6 a.m. July 8, 2022. Citing the evidence and testimony at the hearing, Judge Tollison ruled that Jay Lee is presumed dead and ordered the state to issue a death certificate. |
| USM, NOAA to enhance ocean floor exploration with new remotely operated vehicle | |
 | Ocean exploration is growing in demand and the University of Southern Mississippi is working to keep up with that demand. The university, with the NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute, is preparing to expand its oceanic research capabilities with a new medium-size remotely operated vehicle in the Gulf of Mexico, which will enable it to conduct fundamental research and discovery and inform restoration efforts on the deep seafloor and water column, university officials said in a news release. NOAA and USM signed a 10-year agreement in 2021 to work together on research using uncrewed systems. The technology can be used to collect data during a hurricane or when harmful algae blooms arise. "This is an incredible time to be a student at Southern Miss," said Robert Leaf, director of USM's School of Ocean Science and Engineering. "An investment like this will unlock doors for them to have rewarding careers in research, discovery and blue technology for decades to come." NOAA and the National Science Foundation recently announced they will fund the design and build of two ROVs. The second vehicle will be operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's National Deep Submergence Facility in Massachusetts. The institution is building the ROVs. |
| USM Air Force ROTC holds 24-hour vigil for veterans | |
 | Cadets of the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps at the University of Southern Mississippi organized a 24-hour vigil ahead of Veterans Day, carrying on a Hattiesburg tradition dating back three decades. The vigil started at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Veterans Memorial in Hattiesburg. Leaders said the ceremony was the collective brainchild of USM cadets, who came up with the watch 30 years ago as a tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. "The upperclassmen taught the lowerclassmen, and now, they have all become upperclassmen<" said Stephen Fogle, Operations Officer, Detachment 432. "They've taught the lowerclassmen, and it's been going on that way this entire time. "So, it's a very big honor for them to be able to continue this, and giving them the opportunity to hand this tradition down," Cadets changed shifts every 30 minutes to simulate the Old Guard's movements at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, Virginia. "I'm in the beginning steps of where those people were when they decided to give their lives," said Natalya Brownle, Cadet Wing Commander. "So, I'm very grateful to be a part of this and that we do have this big part in our community and we've been doing it every year for over 30 years." |
| Jackson State University welcomes students for 'High School Day' | |
| On Saturday, Jackson State University welcomed high schoolers throughout the nation to Tiger Land for its High School Day. Hundreds of students visited the athletic and assembly center to experience the university's culture. This year's event included popular entertainer and comedian DC Young Fly. The comedian advised students to seize the moment when it comes to deciding what they want to do. "If you know you want to be something, do it now," DC Young Fly said. The entertainer also had a hopeful outlook on their paths moving forward, encouraging students that "everything is going to be alright" once they determine what they want to do with their lives. Students say they looked forward to the experience, which included seeing the school's band, the Sonic Boom of the South and the school's junior dance team, the JSU Baby Tigers. Dejanae Webb, a high school student in the class of 2025, said, "It's a good experience to come out and experience something like Jackson State, to be a part of something so big." Students also had the opportunity to learn about the university's academic programs. |
| 'A destination for the college experience': Advisory board talks campus retention, flagship expansion | |
| The UT advisory board met Friday morning to discuss campus program expansion, record-breaking enrollment, parking and overall success of the university. Looking ahead, the board wants to continue pathway programs for transfer students and partner with peer institutions. UT saw great success in each sport last season. Tennessee placed third in the Learfield Directors' Cup -- an all sports competition that grants a title to the school with the best athletics program. Each sport at Tennessee placed in the postseason as 11 teams placed in the top 10 and six placed in the top five. The term "everything school" is used by many on campus, and athletic director Danny White agrees. "We have 20 teams at Tennessee -- every single one of them was in the postseason," White said. "That's the first time that has ever happened." The success of athletics is closely tied to increased application rates -- the more successful the sports teams are, the more interest the school receives. Chancellor Donde Plowman noted that "every 17-year-old in the country wants to come here. "When you are on the national stage for one thing, you are on the national thing for everything, and that's a great opportunity for all of us," Plowman said. |
| Enrollment up at Oklahoma's public colleges and universities, officials report | |
| Oklahoma's higher education officials reported a 4.5% increase in enrollment by headcount from last fall at the state's public colleges and universities. The state's freshman class also saw enrollment grow by over 1,700 students, or 6.4%, from last year, according to a report from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. This follows enrollment growth trends at some of Oklahoma's largest public universities. Total enrollment across the state's public higher education institutions is just over 169,000 this fall which is about 7,300 more than 2023. This is the fourth consecutive year with a reported enrollment increase. "Cost of attendance and student debt at our public institutions are among the lowest in the nation," Chancellor Allison Garrett said in a statement. "While institutions across the country are experiencing declines in the number of first-year students, freshman enrollment at Oklahoma state system colleges and universities is increasing. This is the trajectory we must continue to see our citizens thrive and our state prosper." The state's research universities, Oklahoma State University and University of Oklahoma, had about 5.8% growth in enrollment by headcount. |
| It's 10 a.m. and Dad's Doing Jell-O Shots. Must Be Parents' Weekend. | |
| As she geared up to visit her daughter at the University of Arizona last month, Melissa DeLeon stuffed her Lululemon fanny pack with the bare essentials: Disposable beer koozies, hair ties, Drip Drop hydration powder and red Wet Ones wipes. Fall is the height of parents' weekend at colleges across the country. While schools might offer campus tours, welcome speeches, mingling with professors and other wholesome activities, many parents have other plans. They want to party. And in a twist, at least some of their kids are totally cool with it. "They're so excited we're there because it's a different aspect of the parental relationship," said DeLeon, 53, of Overland Park, Kan. Her memory of parents' weekend at her alma mater, the University of Missouri, was her parents came for lunch, attended the football game and left. All they needed was a credit card. Nicole Beit, whose twins are juniors at the University of Michigan and University of Wisconsin, has attended multiple parents' weekends and says day drinking and dancing are the new normal. At the University of Michigan's parents' weekend in September, the football game started at noon, which meant "you're drinking at 8:30 in the morning," said Beit. Not that parents are acquiescing to all the indignities. To avoid having to drink cheap beer, DeLeon stuffs mini bottles of Tito's vodka in her fanny pack and Beit said her peers tend to bring their drink of choice in insulated water bottles. |
| ED, USDA Partner to Boost Access to Food Benefits Program | |
 | The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Education have announced a partnership to address food insecurity among college students with the hope of breaking down barriers to college completion while boosting student retention and degree attainment rates. In a joint agreement announced Nov. 7, the Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service and the Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid said they want to increase awareness of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP or food stamps, through greater communication and guidance to eligible students as well as a pilot program to improve data sharing between state agencies and colleges. Higher education policy experts and basic needs advocates say the Biden administration's nonbinding agreement is a step in the right direction, but they are less sure of its future in a Republican-led government. "There's definite [Republican] interest in ensuring that college students are able to access SNAP benefits when they are eligible," said Tanya Ang, executive director of Today's Students Coalition. But there's always concern that an effort like this will lose steam during the change of administration, she added. "I'm optimistically hopeful, but also, having experienced many [memorandums of understanding] that have fallen through the cracks, I'm wishing this had come out sooner." |
| Responsible concerns about tax cuts are not myths | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: Tax cuts remain the top topic of our triumvirate of power. Gov. Tate Reeves: "Getting rid of our state income tax, in my opinion, is the next step in continuing to unleash our full economic potential." Speaker of the House Jason White: "We're looking to do two main things: eliminate the personal income tax in as few years as possible and cut the grocery tax, hopefully in half." Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann: "I think it's time to look at the grocery tax." What makes tax cuts their top priority? Well, they are popular. At his recent summit on taxes, Speaker White cited a poll showing 64% of Mississippians favor eliminating the income tax over a five-year period. That same poll showed 84% favor eliminating the state sales tax on groceries. Ergo, let's cut some taxes. Is that how government is supposed to work? ... Not mentioned by Reeves or included in any polls is the ever-growing, now $25 billion funding gap at PERS. State Treasurer David McRae has suggested that surplus state funds should go to reduce that gap. Responsible leaders would address the PERS gap before yielding to popular desires for immediate tax cuts. |
| Sen. Roger Wicker is in position to challenge Trump on Russia if he so chooses | |
| Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison writes: In still incomplete returns, Roger Wicker, the state's senior U.S. senator, likely will have garnered the votes of more Mississippians in his reelection campaign than did Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. That fact holds some significance since Wicker, a Tupelo Republican, was criticized by some Trump supporters for voting in his official capacity to certify the election results in 2020 when Democrat Joe Biden handily defeated Trump in his reelection effort. Trump and many of his ardent supporters, arguing false claims of election fraud, did not want Congress to certify the Biden victory. Wicker was the only Republican member of the Mississippi congressional delegation -- including junior Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith -- to courageously follow the U.S. Constitution and certify the results. For that effort, Wicker was the subject of scorn by many Trump supporters. That is why his election results, apparently outperforming Trump, is of note. That said, Wicker's refusal to adhere to the president's wishes in 2021 and not vote to certify the election did not prevent the Mississippi senator from being an ardent supporter of Trump's election campaign this year. ... But there is a possibility that Wicker and the president will again butt heads during the next four years. Wicker has been one of the nation's most forceful supporters of Ukraine as the country attempts to beat back Russian aggression. |
SPORTS
| Women's Basketball: Mississippi State Handles Alcorn State, 73-45 | |
| Mississippi State women's basketball handled Alcorn State, 73-45, inside Humphrey Coliseum on Sunday. With the win, Mississippi State improved to 2-0 on the season and 19-1 overall non-conference home games under Head Coach Sam Purcell. Mississippi State extended its win streak to six straight in the series. Graduate student guard Jerkaila Jordan finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and four steals in 28 minutes. Redshirt junior guard Destiney McPhaul posted her second-straight double-digit scoring performance to open the season with 15 points on 5-6 from the field and 3-3 from three, in addition to two rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes. Graduate student guard/forward Eniya Russell pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds and added eight points. Mississippi State is back in action when it hosts its second-annual Education Day game against Alabama State on Wednesday at 11 a.m. CT on SEC Network+. |
| Jordan, McPhaul lead MSU in win over Alcorn | |
| Mississippi State women's basketball picked up its second win of the season against Alcorn State on Sunday. JerKaila Jordan scored 20 points to help lead the Bulldogs to a 73-45 win over the Braves, improving to 2-0 on the season The game was reminiscent of the sluggish 77-42 contest between the teams in last year's season opener. Head coach Sam Purcell continued to rotate the lineups, and Jordan's 20-point game alongside Destiny McPhaul's 15 helped the team overcome some slow offense to get the comfortable win. The Bulldogs were slow out of the gate, falling behind early to some hot shooting beyond the arc from Alcorn's Nakia Cheathman, who hit three from distance in the opening five minutes. The Braves led 9-8 at the midway point of the first quarter, but the Bulldogs went on an 18-10 run after that to end the quarter. Defensively the Bulldogs turned it on in the second quarter, allowing just five points from the visitors, and took a 44-23 lead into the halftime interval. That trend continued into the second half, and while the Bulldogs won comfortably there was not the same flow and scoring that was evident in the 100-56 win over Memphis in the season opener on Thursday. |
| Mississippi State offense lights up scoreboard in win vs Georgia State | |
| If the 95 points in the season opener weren't enough, Mississippi State basketball did even better on Friday. MSU (2-0) held off Georgia State (1-1) with a 101-66 victory at Humphrey Coliseum. The 101 points are the second-most in the coach Chris Jans era, beating the 95 points MSU scored against West Georgia on Monday. Three new players -- Claudell Harris Jr., RJ Melendez and Michael Nwoko -- made their first MSU career starts, but the scoring effort was stretched up and down the lineup. Five Bulldogs scored in double figures with Josh Hubbard in the lead with 15 points. The Bulldogs bench outscored Georgia State's bench 50-12. Mississippi State took a 22-point lead into halftime, but a 12-2 Georgia State run to begin the second half brought GSU back into the contest. Defense was at the root of MSU's separation, with the Bulldogs snatching 10 steals in the second half. |
| Kirk Herbstreit calls LSU fans 'clowns' after items thrown on field during Alabama game | |
 | LSU fans have become the latest group in the college football world to throw things on the field after disagreeing with a call. During the third quarter of LSU's game against Alabama, a facemask penalty on the Tigers eliminated a sack the defense got on the Crimson Tide's Jalen Milroe. The quarterback ended the drive with his third rushing touchdown of the game to increase the lead to 28-6 in the third quarter. After the facemask call, the boos reigned down in Tiger Stadium and so did the debris. "You see it popping up in college football, that's enough, clowns," ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said on the broadcast. "What are you doing? It's stupid." The other incident Herbstreit referred to was Texas vs. Georgia on Oct. 19 where trash thrown on the field led to a prolonged pause during the game. The field had to be cleaned and multiple students were banned from the stadium in the following days after officials looked at the surveillance footage. |
| Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia suing NCAA over NIL, eligibility | |
| Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia filed a lawsuit Friday against the NCAA, arguing that because the governing body counts junior college seasons towards NCAA eligibility and athletes cannot redshirt after they have played four years, NCAA rules violate antitrust law. The former New Mexico State transfer goes on to argue that the rules have forced athletes to miss out on NIL dollars. Pavia transferred to Vanderbilt for the 2024 season after spending two seasons at New Mexico State. The 2023 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year did not hold an FBS offer out of high school. A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Pavia spent two seasons at the New Mexico Military Institute to begin his career. Filed in U.S. District Court of Middle Tennessee, Pavia is seeking a temporary restraining order against the NCAA, which is preventing him from playing the 2025-26 season based on his attendance at junior college during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. The complaint included a declaration of support from Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea. Pavia's lawsuit also calls on the court to examine the rule of restitution, which could include vacating wins, postseason bans, return of TV revenue and financial penalties if an ineligible athlete participates. |
| Todd Golden to continue as Florida basketball coach despite sexual harassment probe | |
 | University of Florida men's basketball coach Todd Golden will continue to lead the Gators, despite being the subject of an ongoing Title IX investigation into his conduct. The school issued a statement Sunday night confirming that there is no change in Golden's status in the wake of a complaint alleging he engaged in sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, stalking and cyberstalking involving multiple women. Golden will be courtside as the 2-0 Gators host Grambling State on Monday night. A formal Title IX complaint was initiated Sept. 27, but was just revealed publicly on Friday when the university's student publication, The Alligator, broke the story with details corroborated by two former students. The third-year coach confirmed Saturday that he is cooperating with the investigation and has hired attorney Ken Turkel to represent him in a possible defamation case. Golden, 39, is 42-29 in three seasons at UF and he led the school to an NCAA Tournament appearance last season. |
| Pending roster limits pose uncertainty for college athletes | |
| College recruits and coaches are facing critical decisions this Wednesday on national signing day without clear answers for how their teams could be affected by a pending antitrust settlement that could eliminate thousands of Division I roster spots by the start of next year and have already caused some athletes to lose verbal scholarship offers. Leaders across college sports are rewriting myriad rules in preparation for implementing changes mandated by the $2.8 billion House v. NCAA settlement. Part of the pending agreement would set new limits for the maximum roster size of every Division I NCAA-sponsored sport, reducing D-I opportunities by at least 4,739 if the settlement is approved. The new maximum roster size for 19 of 43 NCAA sports would be smaller than the current average roster in those sports. A handful of sports, including football, baseball and women's soccer, would be disproportionately affected. Those reductions already have forced many coaches to renege on verbal promises they made despite the pending uncertainty about roster sizes. Football, baseball and women's soccer would all need to shed more than 1,000 athletes from their Division I ranks, according to data on the NCAA's website. The new limits in other sports are higher than current average roster sizes, which could lead to more opportunities if schools opt to increase spots on those teams. If those sports remain at their current size, the overall reduction in D-1 could be closer to 10,000 spots. |
| Penn State Goes to Trial In Trademark Fight with Vintage Brand | |
| Jury selection for a trademark trial pitting Penn State against Vintage Brand -- an online retailer of vintage T-shirts, throwback hats, retro tees, socks, magnets, koozies, mugs, cutting boards and similar products associated with sports teams -- begins this Tuesday in a federal district court in Williamsport (Pa.). The sports world will be watching. At stake is whether teams' imagery can be used without consent to create unlicensed products. But also at play is whether teams can exclude others from using historical memorabilia that, as relics of history, are already in the public domain. In 2021, Penn State sued Vintage for acting as a so-called "serial infringer" by selling "counterfeit Penn State-branding clothing and accessories" without the school's permission. Purdue, Arizona, Arizona State, Cal Berkeley, UCLA, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, USC, Stanford, Utah, Washington and Washington State have also filed suit against Vintage and raised the same basic grievance. They have accused the company of blatantly using schools' trademarks without permission to generate sales. As Penn State tells it, Vintage sells products online in "virtually indistinguishable" ways from websites that sell licensed Penn State merchandise, which include vintage and throwback apparel. It therefore competes with the university and, Penn State says, "free rides" off the university's fame. |
| Trump Is Back. Is the Sports World Ready? | |
| The polls were barely 24 hours from closing on Monday when Donald Trump made sure to address a pressing issue of both personal and national significance. The problem on his mind had been bothering him for months. "Maybe we can get the NFL to drop that ridiculous kickoff," Trump said at a rally in Pennsylvania. "I watched a game the other day and said, 'What the hell happened?'" Trump's unscripted football riff served as a loud reminder that his return to the White House will also mark the return of one of America's most powerful sports fans and critics, a vocal presence who has often cast entire leagues as political opposition, cozied up to some of the world's biggest stars, and freely sounded off on on-field issues to score points and fire up his supporters. Now, the most sports-focused president in modern U.S. history will reclaim the Oval Office at a moment when his administration could leave its mark on some of thorniest and most polarizing sports issues. These include questions around transgender athletes, a potential stake for the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia in the PGA Tour, and even the future of college athletics, where the line between once-amateur players becoming professional employees of their schools is wafer thin. |
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