| Monday, November 18, 2024 |
| MSU, Ole Miss to take part in 12th annual Egg Bowl Run | |
 | Mississippi State University (MSU) and University of Mississippi Army ROTC cadets will partner for the 12th annual Egg Bowl Run. The event will take place on Sunday, November 24. MSU Army ROTC cadets will leave the campus at 2:30 a.m. and carry footballs from Starkville to Calhoun City, where they will hand it off to the Ole Miss cadets. The Ole Miss cadets will carry a football to Oxford. One football will be presented to the City of Calhoun, one will be kept in Starkville and the other will be presented to the Ole Miss cadets. This year's run will feature a tug-of-war competition and a food drive competition in Calhoun City. According to MSU officials, food drive donations can be dropped off at MSU's Army ROTC headquarters in Middleton Hall and at the Sanderson Recreation Center. The Calhoun County food pantry will distribute the food to those in need. The Bulldogs and Rebels will face off in the Egg Bowl on Friday, November 29. |
| Mississippi State to Teach Students to Build, Train AI Systems | |
 | In 2021, Mississippi passed a law requiring all public schools to offer computer science education by the 2024-25 school year. Mississippi State University's (MSU) Center for Cyber Education played a big role in helping schools meet this requirement, writing K-12 computer science standards, courses and content, and training more than 1,500 teachers in computer science education. Now, thanks to a recent $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation, MSU is offering more than standards and guidance. Researchers at MSU are partnering with 15 high school teachers for a hands-on extracurricular program intended to teach students to use artificial intelligence and machine learning to build smart devices and analyze digital images, according to a news release last week. Students and teachers in MSU's program will have the opportunity to attend a summer camp, create a smart device with image analysis capabilities each semester, then showcase their work the next summer. "Most AI projects for K-12 students focus on AI concepts, but ours is unique because we want students not just to be consumers of AI but creators of intelligent solutions and contributors of AI fairness," Yan Sun, who is leading the project, said in a public statement. |
| Starkville-MSU Community Band presents free concert Nov. 24 featuring renowned composer | |
 | The Starkville-MSU Community Band will present its final concert of the season Nov. 24, with special guest Quincy Hilliard. Including residents from the Golden Triangle region, the band will perform at 2 p.m. in the Kent Sills Band Hall, 72 Hardy Road, on Mississippi State's campus. Admission is free and open to the public. The program will feature music by Hilliard, a Starkville native and distinguished composer and music educator. He will serve as emcee during the concert, sharing insightful background about each piece played. Hilliard is the composer in residence at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and his music is played by middle and high school bands and college bands nationwide. He composed music for the 1996 Olympic games, the Library of Congress' Bicentennial Celebration of Abraham Lincoln and the documentary film "The Texas Rangers." A Starkville High School and MSU graduate, Hilliard holds a bachelor's degree in music education, a master's degree in music education from Arkansas State University and a doctorate in music theory and composition from the University of Florida. |
| Mississippi sees decent-sized pecan crop in 2024 | |
| Mississippi appears to have a decent-sized pecan crop this year, but officials said the quality may have been reduced by the dry summer. James Callahan, president of the Mississippi Pecan Growers Association, said the organization estimates Mississippi has about 18,000 acres of pecans in production with 400 growers. The majority of the state's pecans are in the Delta, and very few acres are irrigated. Callahan, who owns Moon Lake Pecans in Coahoma County with his wife, has 160 acres growing more than 1,100 pecan trees in seven varieties. He said the drought hurt pecan trees in the northern part of the state the most, as some other areas received timely rain. "I'm hearing from some of the growers that they had a good crop, but some of the early varieties are having some quality problems because of the drought," Callahan said. This year's pecan crop struggled with excessively dry weather for most of the summer. Eric Stafne, fruit crop specialist with the Mississippi State University (MSU) Extension Service, said drought leads to nut drop and prevents some remaining pecans from filling out properly. "Dry periods during the summer can be detrimental to non-irrigated orchards by reducing fruit quality and not allowing the nuts to fill out fully," Stafne said. |
| If you see this invasive lanternfly in Mississippi, you should 'report it and kill it.' | |
 | A new invasive pest has been sighted recently in Georgia and if it sticks around much longer, it could be a "serious threat" to the state and potentially, many others. The Spotted Lanternfly is an "invasive planthopper," and while the first sighting was in Pennsylvania in 2014, the species has now spread to 17 states. So far, the Spotted Lanternfly has not been seen in Mississippi, but according to experts, it's only a matter of time because the pests love to feed on one special tree. "Its favorite host, Tree of Heaven, already occurs here. It is good to be aware of this pest and know what it looks like," said Blake Layton with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. The invasive fly was most recently seen in Fulton County, Georgia, in October 2024. Although the Spotted Lanternfly is not harmful to humans, it "poses a serious risk" to agriculture. The APHIS said that the spotted lanternfly can lay eggs just about anywhere, such as on fences, trees, bricks, grills, stones, equipment and vehicles. However, it's what happens once they hatch that gets dangerous to the state's agriculture. Once they hatch, the lanternfly will be a nymph with a black body and white spots before they change into a black and red moth-like creature with spots. |
| Holiday Bazaar presented by BankPlus returns next week | |
| Starkville's annual Holiday Bazaar presented by BankPlus returns to the Mill at MSU next week on Wednesday and Thursday. The Starkville Main Street Association (SMSA), a member agency of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, has selected over 75 vendors to participate in this year's event. This year's event will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, with a Preview Night event from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday. Admission to the show is $8 per day, or $10 for both days, with all proceeds benefiting the Main Street Association. The indoor shopping event attracts thousands of shoppers to Starkville each year. This year's show will feature a variety of unique holiday shopping opportunities, including handmade items, as well as jewelry and clothing. All community members and tourists from around the area are encouraged to attend. For more information regarding the event, contact Paige Watson at (662) 418-0924 or email pwatson@starkville.org. |
| Visitor numbers quadruple for Heritage Museum since 2022 | |
| The Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum will be more than doubling its hours and bringing back several popular events as it looks to continue growing its number of visitors. The museum will bring in quilters, Black historians, hold its charity gala and tree auction, and stage another 5K race this coming year. "You can see we had a large increase in 2023, and we are on track to see similar results in 2024," Derek Aaron, the museum's executive director, said at a Friday work session of Starkville aldermen. "We've been working to improve our community engagement with social media and participation in other city programs like Pumpkin Palooza and the upcoming Christmas parade." In 2022, annual visitor count barely broke 200. After hiring Aaron and expanding programming, that number spiked to 813. This year the museum has tallied at least 433 visitors, with leadership confident they can maintain its popularity. Part of that could just be how long it's open. The museum has expanded its available hours from nine per month to 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Wednesday, and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday. That was made possible by a roster of 14 volunteers, each of which work three hours for one day per month. |
| FORGE business group opens North Mississippi chapter | |
 | FORGE has launched its first regional chapter of the organization, FORGE North Mississippi, billed as a collaborative effort between local businesses and community leaders committed to bringing the FORGE mission, along with all its initiatives, to area. "Originally, FORGE stood for 'Family Organizations Recruiting Great Employees,' which highlighted the role of local, family-run, generational businesses working together to attract and retain talented employees," said FORGE executive director Melinda Lowe. "As we've grown and expanded our mission, we've chosen to focus less on the acronym and more on the strength of the word FORGE itself. It reflects our commitment to building a skilled workforce, creating opportunities for career readiness, and forging pathways to success in high-demand industries. While the acronym is no longer central to our identity, the values of community, workforce development, and empowerment continue to guide everything we do." FORGE North Mississippi will focus on promoting career readiness and increasing awareness of opportunities in the construction and skilled trades industries. Through connections with local employers and hands-on learning experiences, the chapter aims to inspire students and help meet the growing demand for skilled trades professionals in the region. |
| US judge strikes down Biden overtime pay rule | |
| A federal judge in Texas on Friday permanently blocked a Biden administration rule that would have made about 4 million more salaried U.S. workers eligible for overtime pay. U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan in Sherman, Texas, said the U.S. Department of Labor rule that took effect in July improperly bases eligibility for overtime pay on workers' wages rather than their job duties. The state of Texas and business groups representing a range of industries had filed lawsuits challenging the rule, which had been consolidated. Jordan, who was appointed by Republican President-elect Donald Trump in his first term, struck down the rule after saying in June that it was likely invalid and temporarily blocking it from being applied to Texas state employees. The rule would have required employers to pay overtime premiums to salaried workers who earn less than $1,128 per week, or about $58,600 per year, when they work more than 40 hours in a week, beginning Jan. 1, 2025, and it had temporarily raised the threshold to about $44,000 per year on July 1. The previous threshold of about $35,500, which was set in 2019, will now be back in effect. The Labor Department can seek review of the ruling in the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which is widely regarded as the most conservative federal appeals court. But the incoming Trump administration could abandon any attempt to revive the rule. |
| Gov. Tate Reeves issues FY2026 executive budget recommendations | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves released his Fiscal Year 2026 executive budget recommendations on Friday, highlighting an agenda that he believes will benefit Mississippians across the state. In a press release, Reeves expressed that the plan he has laid out for lawmakers and other leaders will work off the progress made during his first four-plus years in office. The Republican governor now in his second term cited record-breaking economic development, advancements in workforce development, improvements in education, and investments in infrastructure improvements and capital city law enforcement. "Mississippi continues to shatter records," Reeves said. "We finalized the largest economic development project in state history, allocated hundreds of millions toward infrastructure, and invested in the future of our workforce. As our unprecedented economic success has continued, we have seen our unemployment rate drop to its lowest level in state history with the creation of thousands of high-paying jobs in Mississippi. This will have a lasting impact on our state and the people who live here, and we're not letting up anytime soon." |
| This week in politics: Reeves uses budget meeting to urge on tax reform | |
 | State leaders are again looking toward the 2025 Mississippi Legislative Session now that most elections are over and the money they will have to set the new state budget. Members of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, consisting of Republicans Gov. Tate Reeves; Speaker of the House Jason White of West; and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and others, agreed Thursday to set the state's Fiscal Year 2026 revenue estimate at $7.62 billion. In the spring, they will vote to set a more concrete estimate, which is used to determine the actual state budget. The current figure is less than $30 million above what was estimated for Fiscal Year 2025, which began in July. During the meeting, Reeves said about $600 million of unspent tax dollars remains in this year's budget and suggested the committee members, made up of House and Senate lawmakers, to give that money "back to the taxpayers." Both Hosemann and White are eyeing major tax cuts in the 2025 Session. Hosemann has publicly advocated for a cut of the state's 7% grocery tax, while White is looking to take an axe to the state's personal income tax. Reeves has been on record for years saying the income tax should be cut, which is currently being phased down to 4% by FY 2026. State Economist Corey Miller told the committee sales tax revenues are growing at a slower pace than in the previous three years, while income tax revenues despite the phasedown, are up. |
| Community engagement sessions to be held Nov. 20 for new military park interpretive center | |
| Two community engagement sessions will be held Wednesday, Nov. 20, to introduce the public to a new interpretive center being planned in conjunction with the Vicksburg National Military Park. The project is a collaboration of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH), the Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park & Campaign (FOV), and the National Park Service at the Vicksburg National Military Park. "From these sessions, the public will have opportunities to learn about the partnership project, our goals, and engage with us as we move forward with the development of the new center," said Megan Bankston, Vicksburg project manager at MDAH. By preserving and sharing the rich stories of the Vicksburg Campaign, the new interpretive center will connect visitors with a pivotal chapter in American history, exploring its legacy and its impact on the America we know today. Nov. 20, at noon. Katie Blount, director of MDAH, will present "MDAH Project Updates" as part of the "History Is Lunch" series in the Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium of the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson. The program will also stream live on the MDAH Facebook page and YouTube channel. Vicksburg project representatives from architecture firm Perkins&Will and exhibit design firm Gallagher & Associates will provide special project overviews. |
| Hyde-Smith shoots down possibility of holding cabinet position in Trump administration | |
| Amid speculation that U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith could possibly be selected by President-elect Donald Trump as the next Secretary of Agriculture, the Republican lawmaker from Mississippi has decided to remain in her current role. In a news release issued Friday afternoon, Hyde-Smith expressed gratitude for the fact that her name has been floated as a potential leader of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, she outlined that she wishes to stay put in the legislative branch with plans of running for re-election in two years -- as previously announced. No stranger to the demands of advocating for the needs of farmers and foresters, Hyde-Smith served as Mississippi's agriculture commissioner from 2012-18 before being appointed to her Senate role by former Governor Phil Bryant following longtime lawmaker Thad Cochran's resignation. During her time in the federal legislative chamber, Hyde-Smith, a known Trump-ally, has advocated for the Yazoo Backwater Area flood control pump project to come to fruition, legislation urging the federal government to purchase Mississippi catfish, and various conservation projects. |
| Hyde-Smith says she plans to remain in the U.S. Senate, not pursue Secretary of Agriculture post | |
| Mississippi U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith says while she's honored to be mentioned as a potential nominee for Secretary of Agriculture in the incoming Trump Administration, her plans are to remain in the Senate "and continue to deliver for the people of Mississippi." Hyde-Smith's name has been routinely thrown around as a potential pick by President-elect Donald Trump to fill the Cabinet-level post. Yet, the state's junior Senator said in a statement Friday that as a former state agriculture commissioner and with her current committee assignments, "I remain wholeheartedly committed to the ag community, its growth, and its success." "President Trump will always have my support, and I believe I can be most valuable to him and our country's farmers and ranchers through my work in the U.S. Senate, particularly as we work toward a new farm bill and address other agricultural and economic issues," Hyde-Smith said. |
| New life in the farm bill | |
| The head lobbyist with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association says the election results could motivate Congress to get a farm bill passed in its lame duck session. Ethan Lane tells Brownfield, "That would be a really good move to clear the decks of some of this stuff going into what we know will be a busy agenda in the 119th Congress." He says it's beyond time to get it finished, "Senator (Amy) Klobuchar has said as much, she doesn't want to deal with a farm bill in the next congress, GT's (Congressman Glenn "GT" Thompson) ready to go. I think (Speaker of the House) Mike Johnson is open to that idea, so gosh, let's see if we can take advantage of this and put this issue to bed with a bill that agriculture likes, and focus on other issues next year." Lane says there is a strong possibility a new farm bill written under a Republican controlled House and Senate may not get as much support, "The reality is these are some fairly minor adjustments, budgetarily, to how these programs are administered, and what was the worst deal ever a few months ago might now start to look pretty damn reasonable, and I think that might be factoring into the math, I hope it is." |
| Some in the U.S. farm industry are alarmed by Trump's embrace of RFK Jr. and tariffs | |
 | President-elect Donald Trump won farm country by wide margins in this month's election, with rural voters helping fuel his return to the White House. But some farmers, economists, analysts and others in the agriculture industry are voicing alarm over Trump plans that could disrupt America's $1.5 trillion food industry. Trump moved this past week to put Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the Food and Drug Administration. A nomination requires confirmation by the U.S. Senate. In a column published on Friday, soybean farmer Amanda Zaluckyj called the choice "a literal middle finger to agriculture, which constituted a key piece of Trump's base." Writing in the trade journal Ag Daily, she described Kennedy as "an absolute danger" to the American farm industry. "He has gone as far as saying he would 'weaponize' regulatory agencies to eliminate the use of pesticides," Zaluckyj said, adding that Kennedy has "voiced strong opposition to the scientific consensus" on farm industry practices. Zaluckyj isn't alone in raising questions about Kennedy's role. In an essay published in September, before Kennedy was named to head HHS, biotech analyst Dana O'Brien described Trump's "embrace" of Kennedy as "a threat to American agriculture." "The elevation of Kennedy by Trump is chilling," O'Brien wrote in the online trade journal Agri-Pulse. "It represents a wholesale shift in politics and farm policy." |
| McConnell may play key role on Trump's controversial Cabinet picks | |
 | Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will be under the microscope when it comes to President-elect Trump's most contentious Cabinet nominees, with senators watching closely to see if he will oppose confirming former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) as attorney general or former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence. McConnell, who clashed with Trump and is leaving his leadership position in the new Congress, will turn 83 in February and is up for reelection in 2026. Crossing Trump could make his road to another term more difficult, but it's also far from clear that he would seek another six years in the Senate. The longest-serving Senate GOP leader in history, McConnell has always been seen as a team player, but many think he could forge his own path on certain nominees. And if he isn't running for reelection, he has little to lose in voting his conscious. "He'll feel a bit liberated, I think. But he's a very measured man. He's very controlled. Very focused. What matters in this Congress mattered to him before," said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). "I think his influence is real and his voice will matter." "When he speaks, people will listen," Graham added. |
| Big voter turnout this year benefited Republicans, contradicting conventional political wisdom | |
| The 2024 presidential election featured sky-high turnout, approaching the historic levels of the 2020 contest and contradicting long-held conventional political wisdom that Republicans struggle to win races in which many people vote. According to Associated Press elections data, more than 153 million ballots were cast in this year's race between Republican Donald Trump, now the president-elect, and Democrat Kamala Harris, the vice president, with hundreds of thousands of more still being tallied in slower-counting states such as California. When those ballots are fully tabulated, the number of votes will come even closer to the 158 million in the 2020 presidential contest, which was the highest turnout election since women were given the right to vote more than a century ago. "Trump is great for voter turnout in both parties," said Eitan Hersh, a political scientist at Tufts University. The former president's victory in both the Electoral College and popular vote -- Trump currently leads Harris by nearly 2.5 million votes nationwide -- also contradicts the belief in politics that Democrats, not Republicans, benefit from high-turnout elections. |
| Trump's Choice for Energy Secretary Is a Fracking Booster and Climate Skeptic | |
 | Donald Trump rewarded the tycoons behind the shale boom, among his most ardent supporters, with the selection Saturday of Chris Wright as his nominee for Energy Secretary. Wright was front-and-center for the fracking revolution that reshaped the country as a band of scrappy wildcatters that reinvigorated U.S. oil and gas production to record heights. His $2.8 billion company, Liberty Energy, pumps water and sand underground to frack customers' wells. Wright's selection elevates a pugnacious branch of the oil-and-gas industry that is skeptical of climate-change science and mostly hasn't pledged to build out low-carbon energy businesses, unlike giants Exxon Mobil and Chevron. In recent years, the outspoken and combative chief executive emerged as an oil-and gas champion, as Wright touted the benefits of fossil fuels to improve the wealth, health and life opportunities of most of the world population. He has said renewable energy can't replace many of the functions fulfilled by hydrocarbons. After the clothing brand North Face declined to sell jackets to an oil-and-gas company with that firm's logo added to them, Wright rented billboards in and around Denver that said, "That North Face Puffer looks great on you. And it was made from fossil fuels." |
| Republicans suddenly think the economy's great and the election wasn't rigged | |
 | The vibes have officially shifted. The economy Donald Trump said was broken? All it took was him winning, and consumer sentiment among Republicans soared. Elections? Suddenly Republicans are on board with the reality that they're secure. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he saw no evidence of fraud in the 2024 campaign. And the media landscape? Viewership of Fox News has surged since Trump's win despite his harsh criticism of the network in the run up to Nov. 5. At the same time, Democrats' sentiment of the economy -- essentially how they view its overall health -- dropped by 13 percent after Trump's win. And viewership for liberal MSNBC has seen a downturn. It's a role reversal that, while heady for Republicans now, will quickly come with all the liabilities associated with incumbency. Republicans are betting they're about to see further economic improvement, lower prices and the immigration crackdown Trump promised on the campaign trail. Democrats, meanwhile, have no more status quo to defend -- and, like Republicans for the past several years, will be seeking to paint a dark portrait of the opposition party. It's typical for the winning party to see a surge of optimism among its ranks. But pollsters saw the mood shift coming this year for another reason, too: Exit polls showed that voters wanted major change this election -- and it was Trump who was ultimately seen as the change agent, as Vice President Kamala Harris struggled to distinguish herself from the Biden administration and the policies voters blamed for their current pocketbook challenges. |
| State treasurer: Affordable college tuition 'Legacy Plan' now 100% funded | |
| Mississippi is making strides in funding programs intended to make college tuition more economically feasible for families. According to State Treasurer David McRae, the Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (MPACT) Legacy Plan has reached 100.1% funding. When the treasurer first assumed his office in 2019, the Legacy Plan, which consists of prepaid tuition contracts purchased before 2014, was only 72% funded. This left taxpayers footing the $125 million bill. McRae touts a series of "fiscally responsible" decisions that revived the program's solvency and saved taxpayers millions of dollars. "The MPACT Legacy Plan's balance sheet hung over the heads of taxpayers for too long," McRae said. "We took action early in my tenure to reverse course and regain solvency, and today, that is exactly what's been accomplished." The Legacy Plan became more secure after experiencing a 27% performance investment return in Fiscal Year 2021 -- the best one-year return in the program's history. Another contribution to the plan's recent success is a decision the College Savings Board made in 2020 to update actuarial assumptions, or future projections, to more accurately reflect historical experiences. |
| Tanner McCraney, founder of Rumie, overcomes adversity to launch nation's largest college marketplace | |
| As a freshman studying chemistry at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tanner McCraney answered a Facebook Marketplace ad and met the seller in a Wal-Mart parking lot, where he was robbed of all his cash. The experience rattled him, and he vowed two things: to transfer to Ole Miss and to start an exclusive college-only free marketplace app where students didn't have to leave campus to trade goods. He took the idea to longtime pal Patrick Phillips. Between the pair and co-founder Caki Field, they hammered out development, marketing, and fundraising details until they created the nation's largest college marketplace. "My plan was to go to med school, so I double majored in chemistry and business, took the MCAT, and then Rumie took off," said McCraney, CEO of Rumie App LLC, a keynote speaker at the University of Mississippi Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship's (CIE) sixth annual REDe Entrepreneurship Summit on Nov. 7. More than 320,000 students have used Rumie for more than 10,000 listings at 1,078 universities, selling items from textbooks ($20 average) to furniture (up to $200) to reselling sports tickets or even renting dresses or formalwear ($20 per rental) or marketing a margarita machine ($500). Other items for sale: tires, compound bows for hunting, 21st birthday signs, and Pokeman cards. |
| USM announces online IT degree program | |
| The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) launched a new Bachelor of Science in Information Technology online degree program. According to USM, the Information Technology (IT) program offers a comprehensive curriculum that covers a wide range of IT topics, including cybersecurity, network administration, software development and database management. Students will gain hands-on experience through real-world projects and simulations, preparing them for successful careers in various IT roles. "We are thrilled to introduce our online Information Technology program," said Dr. Tom Hutchinson, dean, Office of Online Learning. "The program is designed to meet the growing demand for skilled IT professionals by providing flexible and accessible education to students from all walks of life." |
| USM students and faculty, community members fire up furnace to create art | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi's School of Art turned up the heat Saturday for the sculpture's program's annual iron pour. Students and faculty worked together to fire up one of the university's furnaces, melting down iron and pouring the molten metal into molds. The school also invited the community to get involved. Folks could buy "scratch plates" to carve, which were then used to cast iron blocks. This year's iron pour was one of more than 20 such events led by USM Sculpture Professor Jennifer Torres. Torres said the annual event was an opportunity for students to learn the value of coordination and collaboration. "Art can be a very solo adventure, and as a result of that, people are sort of siloed in their little worlds," Torres said. "This is something we have to do with everyone. We have to do it with everyone. And we need everyone to pitch in and everyone to put their egos aside and do whatever job is necessary. I think they revel in it. They love it. They begin to realize how important it is to work together." |
| Project Build Day At JSU | |
| JSU students got their hands dirty today as they started building what will become a new pocket park and learning garden near the campus civil rights center. JSU has a rich history, and that history played a huge role in the Civil Rights Movement. Students gave back to their university Friday by helping put together the beginning pieces of what will become a new pocket park and learning garden on campus. "So this is just for us to have, like a new patio space for us to just hang out, have something nice that's new on campus, you know, somewhere for us to socialize [and] study," said Zaria Miller, a student at JSU. "We need the new spaces. You know, this is our campus, too. We need something new." The funding comes from Home Depot's Retool Your School campus improvement grants. Jackson State University Director of Community Engagement said, "We won third place, which granted us $80,000 and we spent $50,000 at the pocket park and 30,000 here at the JSU learning garden. Students from across our campus are here building furniture. They are painting our new greenhouse, and they're just having a good time being outdoors. We're really appreciative of the grant." |
| William Carey University sees highest enrollment in school history | |
| William Carey University is ending the term with record-breaking enrollment numbers. In the last two years, the university says it saw a 42% increase in undergraduate students and 101% growth in transfer students. On-campus population grew by 35%. WCU President Dr. Ben Burnett said this growth happened in large part because of the "Make College Affordable" initiative that was started last year. "We're getting the word out that coming to a private school is not more expensive," said Burnett. "And sometimes, it is even more affordable than going to a public institution. That's a misconception that a lot of people have." With the MCA initiative students are seeing lower tuition, more money in scholarships and for undergrads, free textbook rentals. Burnett said the growth came from a team effort, and that he wanted more people to learn about WCU. "It's very exciting and, you know, nothing happens at one time," said Burnett. "You can't just blink your eye and increase enrollment or change the campus culture. We've got so many great things about William Carey that have been here for decades, great leadership before me, and we're just trying to build on that and not just to stay in the same place. "And so, it's very exciting to see changes a little bit along the way." |
| School of Aviation fleet grounding raises questions about engine safety | |
| Throughout the fall 2024 semester, Auburn University's School of Aviation has grounded numerous Cessna 172 airplanes citing safety concerns. Professional flight students studying for their private pilot certificate, instrument rating or a majority of their commercial pilot certificate have largely been unable to progress their training since then. Students, parents and flight instructors continue to express concerns over safety, course completion and academic standing as the School of Aviation is still working on handling the situation. The school, which had 880 students in the fall 2023 semester, now has 1,033 students enrolled. James Birdsong, interim director of the School of Aviation, expressed the school's focus on continuously maintaining the planes, especially after the school has reached higher numbers in enrollment. He has also sent multiple safety status updates and other information to students through the learning-management system, Canvas, throughout the fall 2024 semester. On Thursday, Nov. 7, the school reported that 54% of the C-172 planes had been equipped with new fuel servos and were available to use for flight training. They also posted a progress update of how many flights and "squawks" had happened since returning to flying. |
| A Star President's Resignation Was a Mystery. Was It All About Rankings? | |
 | Ben Sasse, the Nebraska senator, arrived in Florida in February 2023 to help cement a conservative makeover of one of the nation's top five public universities. The University of Florida had lured the senator with an unusual $10 million, five-year contract, possibly the most lucrative ever for a public university president. Gov. Ron DeSantis applauded the selection of a fellow Republican, calling Dr. Sasse a "deep thinker on education policy." Then, in July, just 17 months into his contract at the Gainesville university, Dr. Sasse resigned, sparking a host of questions about what went wrong. Dr. Sasse cited his wife's deteriorating health as the reason for his departure. But observers of the university knew there were a number of other possible factors. The former senator had never quite won over many professors or students. After he announced his resignation, there were revelations about questionable hiring practices and spending. There were also signs that Dr. Sasse faced another problem that has haunted college leaders everywhere: the school's U.S. News & World Report rankings. The rankings are often criticized by university leaders as unfair and deeply flawed, yet they remain a preoccupation at many campuses as administrators struggle to navigate an increasingly competitive environment for higher education. |
| U. of Tennessee gets $750K to train Black and rural workers for a 'green economy' | |
 | The University of Tennessee at Knoxville has received a $750,000 grant to boost an initiative to connect people from the inner city of Knoxville and rural areas of the Southern Appalachians with "green economy" jobs that promote sustainability and environmental conservation. The initiative -- under the UT leadership of professor Jon Shefner, Department of Sociology head Stephanie Bohon and associate professor Mitsunori Misawa -- is called East Tennessee Works, and it is designed to connect 5,000 East Tennesseans with career opportunities in a low-carbon, inclusive green economy. The Brookings Institution identified Knoxville in 2011 as a large and fast-growing area for the green economy. Using the grant, Shefner said, East Tennessee Works will increase training access in Black and rural communities he says have been underrepresented. UT, in partnership with TCAT Jacksboro and Pellissippi State Community College, will operate as a middleman in the job market to connect employers, workers, training programs, labor organizations and community groups offering services such as child care and transportation. The initiative will work to meet the demands for skilled labor by focusing on underrepresented workers within the green economy. |
| Prosecution begins case against man charged in the killing of Laken Riley on UGA campus | |
 | The police bodycam video showing an officer finding the deceased body of nursing student Laken Riley was viewed in court Friday as a bench trial began for the man accused of the violent fatal attack. Riley's mother, who was already emotional from previous evidence, left the courtroom before the video played. The suspect, Jose Antonio Ibarra, watched the tragic scene that unfolded on TV screens showing the desperate attempts by officers to resuscitate the young woman that testimony showed was beyond help. The trial in Clarke County Superior Court before Judge Patrick Haggard will resume at 8:30 a.m. Monday as the prosecutor continues the presentation of evidence. Haggard will make a decision on Ibarra's guilt on charges ranging from murder, attempted rape and aggravated battery. Ibarra had decided against having a jury trial. Riley, 22, a former University of Georgia student who was studying to become a nurse in an Athens-based program run by Augusta University, was slain in a wooded area of the intramural field complex on Feb. 22. The autopsy report shows she died of blunt trauma to her head that fractured her skull and asphyxia, as the killer also deprived her brain of oxygen during the assault. |
| Texas A&M to mark 25th anniversary of campus bonfire collapse that killed 12 | |
| The first, ominous sounds came from deep within the massive stack of logs in the darkest hours of the Texas night. Witnesses described hearing the stack of thousands of logs moan and creak before the crack of the center pole as it snapped, then collapsed. More than a million pounds (450,000 kilograms) of timber tumbled. In an instant, 12 people were killed, dozens more were injured and a university campus rooted in traditions carried across generations of students was permanently scarred. Texas A&M University is set to mark 25 years since the log stack collapsed in the early hours of Nov. 18, 1999. It was being built in preparation for the annual bonfire ahead of the Texas A&M-Texas rivalry football game in College Station. The school will hold a Bonfire Remembrance ceremony at the site of the tragedy on Monday at 2:42 a.m., about the time the stack collapsed. "Year after year, Texas A&M students have worked to ensure that we never forget those members of the Aggie Family who were taken from us 25 years ago," school President Mark Welsh III said. |
| U. of Missouri faculty press Choi on diversity, Homecoming policies | |
 | University of Missouri faculty members pressed Chancellor Mun Choi for answers on the future of diversity and politics at MU on Wednesday. A question-and-answer session at the general faculty meeting pushed Choi on his decision to exclude Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine from the Homecoming parade. Attendees also questioned the future of academic freedom after the dissolution of the university's Division of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity. The future of equity and inclusion at MU came up in several faculty questions. The Welcome Black BBQ name change continues to be a point of concern, as one faculty member asked Choi if he had a message for Black students, faculty and staff who are losing trust in his leadership. "We will strive continuously to be a place that is welcoming to all individuals, including Black students, faculty and staff," Choi said. "There are strong institutions within the university that support the faculty, staff and students that are Black and African American, whether that is the Legion of Black Collegians, the Black Culture Center or the Black Studies Department." Larger questions about academic freedom soon overtook the discussion. College of Education and Human Development Professor Chuck Munter asked Choi if the administration will ensure faculty aren't pressured to change their teaching now that the IDE division is dissolved. |
| A New Era in International Enrollment | |
 | International student enrollment grew by 6.6 percent in the 2023–24 academic year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time, according to a new Open Doors report from the Institute for International Education. Mirka Martel, IIE's head of research, said on a press call last Wednesday that the 1,126,690 international students in the U.S. last year were the most since IIE began keeping track. International students accounted for 5.9 percent of the total U.S. higher education population in 2023–24. But the number of first-time international students only grew by 0.1 percent, a marked difference from the 14 percent increase in first-timers in 2022–23, when the total international student population grew by 17 percent. For the first time since 2009, China was not the top source of international students in the U.S. That spot now belongs to India, which saw a 23.3 percent increase; Indians now make up just shy of 30 percent of foreign students enrolled at American universities. International enrollment from China fell by 4.3 percent over all and 12.8 percent at the undergraduate level, a precipitous decline that builds on years of waning interest from Chinese applicants. Despite this, China remained the No. 1 source country for undergraduate students. |
| Federal Judge Strikes Down Biden's Overtime Expansion | |
| A federal judge in Texas has struck down a Biden administration rule that would have expanded overtime eligibility for about four million salaried workers, including thousands of employees at colleges and universities. The decision, released Friday, comes nearly six weeks before the second phase of the rule was set to take effect. In that phase, employees making less than $58,656 a year would be eligible for overtime pay. The current cutoff, which took effect in July under the first phase of the policy, is $43,888. But in his ruling, District Judge Sean D. Jordan tossed the entire rule, resetting the overtime threshold to $35,568. Colleges and universities have argued that the Biden administration's overtime expansion, first proposed in September 2023 and finalized this spring, went too far, too fast and would be "highly disruptive." They warned that it could lead to tuition increases or layoffs. According to one analysis, nearly 59,000 employees across 882 institutions were set to benefit from the second phase. Those employees included admissions officers, counselors and advisers, student affairs professionals, and athletics staff, though coaches and faculty would have been exempt. |
| Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Appointment Would 'Put Americans at Risk' | |
| President-elect Trump's decision to nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a divisive denier of vaccine efficacy and purveyor of misinformation, to lead the sprawling Department of Health and Human Services has raised alarm among academics. If the U.S. Senate confirms Kennedy, he'll oversee numerous federal agencies, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health -- the largest source of federal research funding for universities, which received more than $30 billion from the HHS in 2022. "Over the edge. Down the rabbit hole. Completely insane," Dr. Jeffrey Flier, a professor and former dean of Harvard Medical School, posted on X in response to Kennedy's nomination. "Would not have believed this possible until right now. Completely independent of politics, this must be seen as unacceptable in 2024." Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, posted on X that because the HHS secretary "shapes health policy in profound ways," Kennedy is "an extraordinarily bad choice for the health of the American people. "Our healthcare system is far from perfect," wrote Jha, who also served as President Biden's White House COVID-19 response coordinator. "But it has spurred so much progress that has benefited the American people. This appointment, if confirmed, puts all of that at risk." |
| Supporters of public funds to private schools dealt a major blow after recent election results | |
| Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison writes: Mississippians who are dead set on enacting private school vouchers could do like their counterparts in Kentucky and attempt to change the state constitution to allow public funds to be spent on private schools. The courts have ruled in Kentucky that the state constitution prevents private schools from receiving public funds, commonly known as vouchers. In response to that court ruling, an issue was placed on the ballot to change the Kentucky Constitution and allow private schools to receive public funds. But voters threw a monkey wrench into the voucher supporters' plans to bypass the courts. The amendment was overwhelmingly defeated this month, with 65% of Kentuckians voting against the proposal. Mississippi House Speaker Jason White, R-West, has voiced support for vouchers, though he has conceded he does not believe there are the votes to get such a proposal through the House Republican caucus that claims a two-thirds supermajority. And, like in Kentucky, there is the question of whether a voucher proposal could withstand legal muster under a plain reading of the Mississippi Constitution. In Mississippi, like Kentucky, the state constitution appears to explicitly prohibit the spending of public funds on private schools. The Mississippi Constitution states that public funds should not be spent on a school that "is not conducted as a free school." |
| Rep. Guest on spot after Gaetz nomination | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of Matt Gaetz for U.S. Attorney General puts Mississippi Congressman Michael Guest on the spot. Last week, Gaetz suddenly resigned from Congress just days before the House Ethics Committee was due to vote to issue an investigative report on Gaetz. Guest chairs the Ethics Committee. In May of 2023, the committee reinstated a review paused in 2021 pending a DOJ review of sex trafficking charges. In June the committee explained its review would focus on whether Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, accepted improper gifts and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct. Per House custom, Gaetz's resignation ended the Ethics Committee investigation and, possibly, its report. Pressure is building for the committee to release it. ... Still and all, Republican criticism of Trump's choice could derail the nomination before the Senate gets around to any hearing next year. ... Calling it a "reckless pick", Republican Rep. Max Miller, a Trump admirer, told CNN, Gaetz is "a guy who is literally worse than the gum on the bottom of my shoe." |
| Cutting fat in state government: Everything old is new again | |
| Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender writes: Years ago, some state elected leaders lamented that Mississippi has far too much bureaucracy for such a poor, small state, and vowed -- for starters -- to eliminate or consolidate state government's roughly 200 agencies, boards and commissions. More than a decade later, the number of state agencies, boards and commissions has been whittled down to ... roughly 200. There was one monumental victory in the war on bureaucracy in Mississippi: After years of bitter political debate, the Legislature this year combined the separate cosmetology and barber licensure boards into one. Saa-lute! That's not much ROI for Mississippi's war on big government. But as a comedian once said, hope springs in turtles. State Auditor Shad White, eyeing the open governor seat for 2027, has paid a Boston consultant $2 million in taxpayer dollars to determine how to cut spending of taxpayer dollars. The resultant report is a spectacular, novel blueprint for lawmakers on how to starve the beast, run the state more like a bid-ness -- and it's chock full of hitherto unheard of ideas to put the Magnolia State's government on a diet. Actually, no. It's not. It's mostly a rehash, amalgam of long-discussed, never enacted ideas to cut government spending. Someone could have cobbled it together after spending a day or two on Google, going through Mississippi press clippings and perusing old legislative watchdog reports and recommendations and bills. |
SPORTS
| Top-Seeded Mississippi State Opens NCAA Tournament With 7-0 Victory Over Southern U | |
| Top-seeded Mississippi State (18-2-0, 10-0-0 SEC) delivered a dominant performance to open the NCAA Tournament, defeating Southern University (7-10-2, 5-1-2 SWAC) 7-0. With the victory, the Bulldogs advance to the Round of 32 for the third consecutive season and continue their historic season, highlighted by setting multiple records both on and off the field. Playing in front of a raucous home crowd, State once again shattered its attendance record, marking the third time this season the Bulldogs have set a new standard. The match boasted the highest attendance of any First Round game across the nation and fueled an unforgettable night for the program as 3,461 of the Maroon and White faithful packed the pitch. On the field, the Bulldogs' 38 shots were the most by any team in the First Round, and they were the only squad to hold their opponent without a single shot attempt. State's seven goals marked the most scored by any SEC team in the opening round and tied the program's highest goal tally in 16 years, dating back to 2008. The Bulldogs will continue their postseason journey on Friday when they host Washington. |
| Bulldogs open NCAA Soccer Tourney with 7-0 home win | |
| Mississippi State soccer advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 7-0 win against Southern University in Starkville on Saturday. Seven different Bulldogs got on the scoresheet in front of 3,461 fans, taking down the Southwestern Athletic Conference champions in dominant fashion. "I thought the girls did a great job of executing in the final third," MSU head coach James Armstrong said of the performance. "We limited them to a few chances, our game changers did a good job coming in and giving rest to players who probably needed some rest after a long season and a tough ending to the schedule. I couldn't be proud of the girls or the fans, this was a great night for Mississippi State as a whole and obviously our program. I'm looking forward to playing Washington next Friday." The Bulldogs (18-2) swarmed Southern's defense early on, scoring three goals in the first half-hour. The Bulldogs will play again on Friday as they host a Starkville Regional featuring next opponents Washington as well as Kentucky and Notre Dame. Armstrong and the players expressed their pride in the response from fans showing up for the postseason game, as well as their desire to see more of them same in the next round. |
| Men's Basketball: The Final Horn: State 78, Utah 73 | |
| Mississippi State is off to a perfect 4-0 start this season courtesy of a determined second-half surge that carried MSU past Utah 78-73 at the Landers Center in Southaven on Sunday. The Bulldogs trailed 39-28 after the first 20 minutes of play but used a 22-5 run out of halftime to gain a six-point edge before fending off the Utes down the stretch. Utah tied the game at 71-all with only 1:40 remaining, however State locked down defensively and scored seven of the game's final nine points to secure victory. Individually, Josh Hubbard scored 20 of his team-high 23 points in the second half to lead State's surge, while KeShawn Murphy did a little of everything for the Bulldogs with 18 points, 14 rebounds, a couple of blocks and an assist. Riley Kugel and Cameron Matthews also reached double figures in scoring for State as each tallied 12 points. Matthews also collected a pair of steals, surpassing the 200-mark for his career. Collectively though, the biggest difference in the game was State's second-half offensive resurgence. After shooting just 22.9 percent from the field as a team in the opening period, including only making one of 13 shots from three-point range, MSU shot 50 percent as a group the rest of the way and made five of its final 12 tries from deep. Mississippi State faces a true road test as MSU battles SMU at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, Texas, on Friday, Nov. 22. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be streamed via ACC Network Extra. |
| Men's Basketball: Bulldogs battle back to top Utah in Southaven | |
| After starting the season with three consecutive home victories, Mississippi State traveled up I-55 and conquered Utah, 78-73, at the Landers Center on Sunday evening. Whether it was alumni from the area or those that made the trek north from Starkville, thousands of MSU fans gathered to watch the non-conference battle between the Bulldogs and the Utes. "It was electrifying for sure," sophomore guard Josh Hubbard said. "Especially when we got it going (and) came back. There's nothing like these fans. They got into the game and helped us." As the game tipped-off, graduate Cameron Matthews wasted no time making his presence felt on the defensive end for the Bulldogs early in the first half, securing his 200th career steal in the process For Matthews, a 6-foot-7 forward from Olive Branch, performing lights-out in his hometown with family and friends in attendance was a dream come true. "There was a whole lot of people. I got a lot of phone calls and texts," Matthews said. "It's a good feeling being back close to home, seeing a lot of familiar faces. I'm just glad we got to do it here." State's next road test will commence on Friday as the Bulldogs travel to Dallas to face Southern Methodist. |
| Mississippi State basketball rides great second half to beat Utah | |
 | It wasn't pretty at halftime, but Mississippi State basketball flipped a switch against Utah to secure a close victory. The Bulldogs beat Utah 78-73 at the Landers Center in Southaven on Sunday. It is Mississippi State's best win of the year. The Bulldogs earned it through a strong second half. Heading into the break, Mississippi State (4-0) missed 13 consecutive shots. The poor offense contributed to an 11-point halftime deficit. Immediately after, the Bulldogs' stars got things turned around against Utah (3-1). Josh Hubbard had a game-high 23 points, 20 of which came in the second half. Riley Kugel (10), Cam Matthews (12) and KeShawn Murphy (18) were the other Bulldogs who scored in double digits. Murphy added a game-high 14 rebounds. Mississippi State is now 3-0 all-time against Utah. |
| Women's Basketball: Four Players In Double Figures Lead Mississippi State Past Chattanooga, 69-44 | |
| Four players scored in double figures to lead Mississippi State women's basketball past Chattanooga, 69-44, inside Humphrey Coliseum on Sunday. With the win, Mississippi State improved to 4-0 on the season and 21-1 in non-conference home games under Head Coach Sam Purcell. With the 4-0 start, Purcell is now one win shy of 50 for his career. Mississippi State held Chattanooga to 27.1 percent from the field and 24.1 percent from the three on the afternoon. The Bulldogs have now held all four opponents under 30.0 percent from the field through the early portion of the season. Mississippi State forced 19 turnovers and turned those mistakes into 19 points. In a balanced offensive attack, graduate student guard/forward Eniya Russell finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes, while graduate student guard Jerkaila Jordan added 12 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals in 33 minutes. Junior center Madina Okot posted 12 points and six rebounds in 26 minutes and junior guard Denim DeShields recorded 10 points to round out the four Bulldogs with 10 or more points. Mississippi State closes out its five-game season-opening homestand when it welcomes Mercer to Humphrey Coliseum on Wednesday, Nov. 20. |
| Women's Basketball: Mississippi State uses balanced effort to beat Chattanooga | |
| Mississippi State was reeling heading into halftime, its 17-point lead having been cut to five after Chattanooga closed the second quarter on a 10-0 run and held the Bulldogs scoreless over the last three and a half minutes. Debreasha Powe took charge in the locker room, helping her team refocus, and MSU's response to start the second half could not have been more emphatic. The Bulldogs scored the first 16 points of the third quarter and pulled away from the Mocs for a 69-44 victory over a team that defeated them last year. "The biggest thing with our team is (head coach Sam Purcell) wants us to be player-led," Powe said. "My teammates trust me and I'm very vocal." Powe put the exclamation point on that 16-0 run by drilling her lone 3-point attempt of the day, then grabbing a beautiful pass from Destiney McPhaul for a layup and completing a 3-point play. MSU concludes its season-opening five-game homestand Wednesday evening against Mercer. The Bears are led by first-year head coach Michelle Clark-Heard, who was on Purcell's staff with the Bulldogs last season. |
| No. 23 Mizzou's offense comes alive, defense folds late in loss to No. 21 South Carolina | |
| One week after last-minute theatrics sealed a comeback victory for Mizzou, No. 21 South Carolina handed the No. 23 Tigers a dose of their own medicine Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium. A Missouri defense that had lifted up a flat offense for weeks crumbled in the final minute, as South Carolina marched down the field for the go-ahead touchdown with 15 seconds remaining to hand the Tigers a 34-30 loss. "Congratulations to Coach (Shane) Beamer and his football team," coach Eli Drinkwitz said. "They earned it right there on that last drive. Hats off to them." It marked quite the deflating defeat for Mizzou, which welcomed back quarterback Brady Cook, who looked like he would not play earlier in the week. After being officially listed as "doubtful" all week leading up to Saturday's contest and missing last week's win over Oklahoma, Cook was the one who trotted out as the team's starting quarterback. He finished the game 21-of-31 with 237 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Mizzou continues its road trip next Saturday against Mississippi State in Starkville, Mississippi. "We've got two games left to go finish," Drinkwitz said. "We can be disappointed, but we can't be devastated." |
| Ted Cruz Vows to Push NCAA Reform in Next Congress | |
| Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the chair-in-waiting for the powerful Senate Commerce Committee, vowed on a podcast episode released Friday morning that Republicans would prioritize solving the "future and viability of college athletics" next Congress. "When the Democrats were in the majority, it just wasn't a priority for them," the senator said in an episode of his weekly podcast, Verdict with Ted Cruz. "It will be a priority. We are going to address it. As chairman, I can convene hearings. I'm in charge of every hearing the Commerce Committee has. I invite witnesses for the hearings. I can call up markups. I can decide what bills get marked up and what bills don't, and it gives you the ability to drive an agenda that is just qualitatively different." Cruz has proposed broad-based legislation that would establish a national NIL standard, provide the NCAA an antitrust exemption and declare that college athletes are not employees of their universities. At a press conference held at Texas A&M in September, when again asked to give a probability of passage, Cruz looked ahead to 2025. "There's bipartisan interest in saving college sports, and there's bipartisan acknowledgment that Congress needs to act," he said. "I can tell you this year, I tried very hard to make that happen. That didn't come together this year. I am hopeful next year it will." |
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