| Monday, January 6, 2025 |
| State Universities Continue to Attract More Students | |
 | The number of students enrolled in the state's eight universities increased by nearly 3,000 for the Fall 2024 term, reaching 79,817 compared to 77,074 for 2023 and 75,739 for 2022. The University of Mississippi led in growth with a record-setting freshman class and strong retention rates that led to attracting 27,124 students across its seven campuses, reaching record enrollment for the second consecutive year at the state's flagship university. Mississippi State University has continued to grow not just year-to-year but over the past decade. MSU President Mark E. Keenum attributes that to MSU's commitment in helping students realize life-changing opportunities through a combination of quality academics, campus experience, support services and hands-on, innovative learning. "We're focused on higher education at MSU being unequivocally accessible and are dedicated to ensuring every Bulldog student is on his or her path to a degree," said Keenum. |
| Michel will be next co-director of MSU Deer Lab | |
 | A former Mississippi State Alumnus is coming home to take the co-director position at the MSU Deer Lab. Eric Michel, former Deer and Elk Research Scientist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, will step into the role after Steve Demarais retired. Michel moved to Starkville on December 13. It is a homecoming for the Wisconsin native who earned a masters and PHD from Mississippi State University working in the deer lab. "I never thought I would have that opportunity," Michel said. "My wife is from South Dakota so moving is kind of a big deal for us. We are moving across the country for the opportunity... For me personally, it will be fun to have my family exposed to a new culture." Professionally, Michel said he was excited for the unique opportunity as the MSU Deer Lab enters a new chapter. He started his academic career as an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point before going to Mississippi State where he earned a masters degree and PHD. Michel is following in the footsteps of Demarais, who has dedicated his entire life to conservation and research. MSU Deer Lab Co-Director Bronson Strickland will also soon be retiring although it is unknown who will fill his role. "It was a unique opportunity. You look at what Steve and Bronson have done with the deer lab, there is nothing else quite like it," Michel said. |
| Agriculture Industry Overview 2024 | |
| Mississippi's agriculture industry remains vibrant with an overall production value estimated at $9 billion, despite a drop in row crop prices. Poultry is again the No. 1 sector of the agricultural industry with a value of $3.8 billion, up 10.5% from 2023. A rebound in broiler production in 2024 contributed to the commodity's stronger showing over last year, said Josh Maples, an agricultural economist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Forestry holds second place with a $1.5 billion value, holding steady from 2023. Soybeans ranked third with a value of $1.3 billion. Although soybean yield is expected to tie last year's record at 56 bushels per acre, the crop saw a 22% drop in value from last year. Livestock, which includes beef cattle, dairy cattle and hogs, ranked fourth overall behind soybeans, with a value of $578 million, a 14% increase from 2023. With more rain for non-irrigated acres, soybean yield could possibly have hit a new record. Final yield estimates will be announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture January 10. The value of catfish declined 18% from last year, landing that commodity in seventh place with a value of $214 million. Mississippi still leads the nation in catfish production with 29,000 acres. That is twice as many acres as Arkansas and Alabama, which round out the nation's top three catfish producing states. Multiple challenges, including marketing difficulties, high operating costs and decreased prices, have led to slight decreases in Mississippi's catfish acreage in the last several years. |
| Emergency Support Urgent to Help Ag Industry | |
| Farming is cyclical. It is par for the course to have ups and downs. But for the past several years, input costs have gone up considerably across the board while commodity prices have declined, said Delta Research and Extension Center's (DREC) Steve Martin, Ph.D., who is an ag economist. "It is kind of like everything else in the U.S. since the pandemic," says Martin. "There has been inflation of all items. While costs are up significantly, commodity prices are about as low as we've seen in about ten years. We have been blessed and had some decent yields that offset some of that. But you can't offset it all." Producers are currently operating on the 2018 farm bill that expired in 2023 and was extended for a year. Martin says there is a lot of hope about getting a new Farm Bill passed before another crop is planted. The old Farm Bill is outdated. "It was set up for five years because things change," says Martin. "Now it has been six years, going on seven. Farm Bills are designed to be safety nets and we currently don't have an adequate safety net. We hope to get a new Farm Bill that is more aligned with current conditions. Hopefully we will have some relief in costs going into 2025 due to lower interest rates and decreased costs for fuel. Also, there could be lower fertilizer costs since those are tied to fuel costs. We need markets to improve and people buying products so prices can improve a little bit." |
| Delta Ag Land -- No Better Value: Region's resource has become a precious commodity | |
| Delta dirt. The Mighty Mississippi River deposited plenty of value for generations to be discovered when the trees were cleared and the silty land remained. Since then, farmers have been making a living with cotton, soybeans, corn, rice, wheat and more. Generations of families continue to make a living plowing, planting and harvesting. Delta ag land is a precious commodity and as Mark Twain once said, "Buy land. They're not making it anymore." Especially, Delta dirt. However, all Delta dirt is not the same. There are different types of soil -- sandy loam, buckshot and gumbo are terms used to describe the silty dirt. Then there is dirt that has been land formed to hold and move water to benefit crops. There is land that is irrigated or not. Each factor plays into the create the value of each acre. Dr. Steve Martin has been around Delta ag land for decades working with the Mississippi State Extension Service. The retired director of the Stoneville's Delta Research and Extension Center for the Mississippi State Extension Service now serves as an economist for DREC. "It's been a good investment for a long time. And that's true of crop land in the Midwest and other places too. As the old saying goes, they're not making any more of it," said Dr. Martin. "Irrigated, non-irrigated is certainly an important part of it. But then you have about five classes of soils. What divides those classes is their productivity. They're all good. Everything in the Delta is fertile." |
| MSU Films production documenting youth suicide impact airing on MPB next week | |
 | An Emmy-winning MSU Films production exploring youth suicide in the Magnolia State will air on Mississippi Public Broadcasting next week. One-hour presentations of "Decision Point: Mental Health and Youth Suicide in Mississippi" are scheduled beginning 9 p.m. Monday, 4 p.m. Wednesday and 4:30 p.m. Sunday. "Decision Point" is a blend of short films "Justin" and "Mariah" emphasizing the lasting effects of youth suicide -- the second-leading cause of death for young Mississippians aged 10-22 -- and the animated short "The Stuff of Nightmares," which details nightmares' impact on adolescents. Produced by Senior Documentary and Special Projects Producer James Parker and University Television Center Director David Garraway, "Justin" won a 2023 Southeast Emmy, while the Parker- and Creative Manager Hal Teasler-produced "Stuff of Nightmares" received the same accolade last year. "Justin" also netted a 2023 Southeast Emmy for Mississippi State Professor of Psychology Michael Nadorff, director of the university's clinical Ph.D. program, and Associate Clinical Professor Emily Stafford, MSU Psychology Clinic director, who used a portion of approximately $2 million in grant funding to produce the miniseries aimed at preventing youth suicide. |
| Jim Lipscomb: Duty To Service and a Drive For Business | |
| Major General. Successful businessman. Mississippi oil legend. Devout family man. Public servant. The titles and adjectives that define Jim Lipscomb's career could go on for a long time and still not give the person himself the justice and recognition deserved. Born and raised in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Lipscomb's father was an employee of the telephone company, which transferred the family to Greenwood when Lipscomb was in high school. "That's how I ended up in the Delta," he says. "And, while it was a big change from south Mississippi, I still loved it, especially in those days, the late 50s and early 60s. I graduated from Greenwood High School and, as an enlistee in the Army National Guard, I went off to initial active duty training for several months. After completing that, I attended Mississippi State University." Graduating from MSU in 1965 with a degree in Marketing, Lipscomb had married before he got his degree. "Mary Lynn Bowman was my high school sweetheart, a true Delta girl, and we both attended State together after we married in 1964," he says. While also at MSU, Lispcomb attended Officers Candidate School and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Guard. For his civilian career, Lipscomb opted to go to work with an oil and refining company that is now known as ExxonMobil after meeting representatives from the company just prior to graduating college. It would be the start of a long and auspicious career for the young man. |
| Starkville losing nearly 20% of its water to small leaks | |
| An internal Starkville Utilities audit shows the utility is losing 19% of its water to small leaks. But that only accounts for less than half of the "water loss" the utility suffers each month. Edward Kemp, general manager for Starkville Utilities, presented the internal audit findings Friday during a board of aldermen work session at City Hall. The audit showed that in both 2023 and 2024 the utility lost roughly 45% of the water it intended to disseminate to customers, either because it never made it to a meter, to a bill or even into the system. With Starkville Utilities providing about 6 million gallons per day, according to Kemp, the "lost water" approaches 2.7 million gallons daily -- about the same amount as four Olympic-sized pools. "This is something we've been really hyperfocused on for the past couple months," Kemp said. "Everybody has dug in on this and tried to figure out where the issues are. There is no roadmap for exactly how to determine this. We've had to design it as we go, and it's been a very educational process that touches many departments." The bulk of water loss identified came from non-revenue water volume, which found an average of 19% of its total water produced is lost to leaks and miscellaneous actions like tank maintenance and brown water flushes. Almost all of that non-revenue water loss came in the form of small leaks in distribution infrastructure before it hits customer meters, Kemp said. |
| Backyard concert venue in New Hope hosts up-and-coming and renowned artists | |
 | A backyard concert venue in Northeast Mississippi brings world-class musicians and music fans together through the year for evenings of food and entertainment. Hosted in Steve and Kay Ellis's backyard in the New Hope community near the Alabama state line in Lowndes County, The Barn Concert Series is where it all happens. When the couple moved into their home in 2002, there was a pole barn in the yard, which was used as storage and a play area for their children. After straight-line winds destroyed it, they replaced it with the wood and metal structure that is now known as The Barn. For years, it was used for family parties, reunions and weddings but sat empty for a while after the kids were grown and gone, Steve Ellis said. He had worked as the founding manager of the WMSV-FM radio station at Mississippi State University and retired in 2015 with decades of experience in the music industry. His background helped him envision a new use for The Barn. "I kept looking at it and going, 'That would just be a heck of a place to have a concert,'" Steve Ellis said. "We have people from all walks of life out here," he said. "We had a show two years ago where we had a U.S. Senator, two State Representatives, a florist from the White House, two men from some steel company in Germany who were here visiting the steel companies here, all in our backyard. That was just cool." |
| Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Open Crystal Sky Casino in Louisville | |
| In the past 30 years, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) has proven how its gaming and entertainment developments can transform rural areas providing jobs and economic development. The Golden Moon and Silver Star hotels and casinos that are part of the offerings at Pearl River Resort in Choctaw and the Bok Homa Casino in Sandersville have been very successful. In December, the Choctaws opened another sister casino in Louisville, Crystal Sky, that is expected to be another good bet for generating jobs and economic growth. The $25-million Crystal Sky Casino that held its grand opening December 19 and employs 180 people. Some are local residents who previously were commuting to Choctaw. "Crystal Sky has some great, well-seasoned employees," said Cassandra Grady, Executive Director of the Project Management Office for Pearl River Resort. Louisville was chosen because of being located about halfway between Jackson and Mississippi State University in Starkville on Mississippi Highway 25. "SEC football is top tier and we hope those folks traveling from Jackson to Starkville stop at Crystal Sky and place their sports bets, maybe eat a little something, refuel and relax before they head on to the game," said Grady, who has worked for MBCI for 21 years. |
| Respiratory illness RSV at very high level in Mississippi, CDC says | |
 | A "high" level of respiratory illness activity in Mississippi could be causing people such as children and older adults to seek medical care, health officials say. On Friday, a weekly report was released from the CDC showing respiratory illnesses including COVID, flu and Respiratory syncytial virus levels in the state are "high" overall. About three weeks prior to the recent report, levels in the state were considered moderate. The CDC complied this data by using an acute respiratory illness metric to capture a broad range of diagnoses from emergency department visits for respiratory illnesses, from the common cold to severe infections. The report also showed emergency department visits for RSV -- a common virus that typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms -- are at "very high" levels in the state. ER visits for COVID-19 are low and increasing, while visits for flu are high and increasing. Steve Threlkeld, a doctor and director of infectious disease at Baptist Medical Health, said RSV normally increases in numbers from October through March, however, in recent years, COVID-19 interrupted the typical cycles of patient admission. Threlkeld said people should wash their hands with soap and water, find out what infection they have through readily available test and get vaccinated to prevent the spread of RSV. |
| Mississippi's 2025 legislative session: What to know | |
| Less than 48 hours from now, Mississippi lawmakers will have left their respective nooks and crannies across the state and made their way back to Jackson for yet another legislative session. Always promising to be busy down at the state capitol building, we've compiled the following information on what to know before the gavel lands for the first time on Tuesday afternoon. The 2025 session will officially begin on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at noon. Now in the second year of the term, lawmakers will return to the usual, 90-day calendar after an elongated 2024 session that lasted 124 days. This year's sine die is scheduled for Sunday, April 6, with the end date always subject to change. Leading the Senate for his sixth session as lieutenant governor is Republican Delbert Hosemann. Over in the House, Republican Jason White will oversee the chamber for his second session after being elected speaker last year. What will lawmakers discuss in 2025? This is the big question. Per usual, thousands of bills will be filed with hundreds making it to the floor for a vote. While we can't predict every topic that's bound to come up for discussion, we do know some. |
| 2025 legislative session could feature tax, education, PERS reform | |
 | The 2025 Mississippi legislative session begins next week and legislators will likely deal with issues like tax and education reform, Medicaid expansion and reform of the Public Employees' Retirement System. The retirement system, familiarly known as PERS, has $25 million in unfunded liabilities. Sen. Joey Fillingane (R-District 41) said some lawmakers want to create a new tier of retirement benefits, just for new public employees. He said benefits would be fewer benefits for the newcomers, but the changes would help make PERS more financially sound. "They would know the benefit package they would be signing on to when they sign on to becoming a state employee in 2026 and beyond," Fillingane said. "That would be less generous than the retirement benefits that our current employees have." But Rep. Omeria Scott, (D-District 80) said the new term won't fix the problem. "We need to rethink the number of people who are working in these agencies and in this budget that they propose this time," Scott said. "Seventeen-hundred positions are unfunded. So, they're still cutting, with a retirement system that is in dire straits." |
| Lawmakers ready to debate disenfranchisement, hesitant on ballot initiatives | |
 | Two policy issues that overwhelmingly passed in the House but died in the Senate last year will likely resurface in the 2025 Mississippi Legislative Session. Those two issues are:An ongoing effort to restore voting rights to a large portion of an estimated 68,871 disenfranchised people in Mississippi. The restoration of the people's right to a ballot initiative, which has been in a legal limbo since 2021. Committee leadership in both chambers have expressed interest in returning the right to vote to some disenfranchised nonviolent felony holders. At the same time, both chamber's committee leaders charged with the ballot initiative issue in 2024 are at this time hesitant to consider that legislation. House Constitution Chairman Price Wallace, R-Mendenhall, told the Clarion Ledger in late December that he will again push through legislation to give people previously convicted of nonviolent felonies suffrage. As for ballot initiatives, it would appear House committee leadership has been soured to the idea of bringing out legislation to restore it without a Senate version to consider. Sen. David Parker, R-Olive Branch, who chairs the Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committee, said he is also unsure if he will champion the issue again in the Senate this year. |
| Here are the issues the Legislature will address during the 2025 session | |
| Mississippi legislators will gather under the Capitol dome at noon on January 7 for their 2025 session. This will be the second year of the ongoing four-year term, and lawmakers are expected to address a raft of issues including tax cuts and shoring up the state's public retirement system. Capitol leaders will forego much of the pomp and circumstance that dominated the first portion of the 2024 session because both House Speaker Jason White and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann will not have to appoint new leaders to lead the dozens of legislative committees. Instead, the 174 legislators can dive headfirst into some of these issues that could be debated and considered. Lawmakers will be asked to consider legislation to expand the state's college financial aid programs for the second session in a row. Interest groups and higher education advocates are asking Capitol leaders to double the amount of money some students receive through the Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant and open up the program to adult and part-time college students, many of whom have never before been eligible for aid. The main heartburn for legislators is the proposal's price tag: it would cost $31 million a year, an increase by more than half what Mississippi already spends on its state financial aid programs. |
| Mangold brings a farmers perspective to upcoming session | |
| Lincoln County residents are represented by a lawyer, nurse and a farmer in Jackson and the three spoke to the Lincoln County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2024. They each gave their perspective on the upcoming 2025 legislative session which will start in January. As usual, Sen. Jason Barrett and Rep. Becky Currie spoke before Vince Mangold got up to the lectern. Mangold thanked the board for allowing them to be there. He quipped Barrett and Currie had spoken about everything already. He stated he plans to file a bill regarding the proper labeling of meat so consumers know what they are eating. He added that with the discussions of tax cuts any plans should not affect city and county governments. District 4 Supervisor Eli Ferguson asked Mangold about poultry producers and the fallout of an increased tax levy on chicken houses. Since 2009, chicken houses have been taxed at the same percentage but had a 100 percent increase for 2025. "They are trying to figure out how to protect and not cost the poultry growers. There isn't a lot of money there. They are trying to figure out a way to protect it and then not hurt the counties with less tax money," Mangold said. The issue was not something Lincoln County could correct. Tax Assessor/Collector Blake Pickering stated the problem is rooted in assessment which came from the state. Mangold said the problem was discovered when the tax assessor Greene County assessed chicken houses and apparently had chicken houses of his own. |
| Sen. Barrett shares his views on what will be hot topics in Jackson | |
| Squatted trucks are in the rearview mirror for Sen. Jason Barrett when he returns to Jackson in January 2025 when the Mississippi State Legislature reconvenes. He gave an indepth preview to what will be the hot button issues in Jackson this year to the Lincoln County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 11. "When I left Brookhaven last year I was adamantly opposed to squatted vehicles," Barrett said. "This year I'm really concerned about crime. We are all subject to the laws on the books. We need to do what we can to help our law enforcement." As usual, Barrett opened up the forum with Rep. Becky Currie speaking second and Rep. Vince Mangold wrapping everything up. Barrett is a lawyer, Currie is a nurse and Mangold is a farmer and together they work well. Barrett said he believes PERS, the state retirement system, will be a hot issue in the legislature this year too. Last year, legislators made an attempt to change the board for PERS. Barrett explained he believes if you contract someone for services and benefits they should get them. He further stated that asking the local government to pay higher funds into the system is not the solution. |
| This week in politics: Two Mississippi legislators running for mayor | |
| Two Mississippi legislators are now running for mayor in their respective towns. House Rules Committee Chairman Fred Shanks, a Republican, qualified Thursday to run for mayor of Brandon, less than 20 miles outside of Jackson, the state's capital. According to the City of Brandon City Clerk's Office on Friday, only Shanks and Mayor Butch Lee have qualified for the race. Lee is currently serving his third term. Shanks has been in a House member since 2018. "I will take my statewide rolodex and legislative skill set and apply those to the office of Mayor," Shanks said in a post on Facebook Friday morning. "My plan is to immediately work on the public works department, take a deep dive into current project list as well as current contracts." In 2024, Sen. John Horhn, D-Jackson, announced he would run for mayor in Jackson. He himself will face several opponents, including incumbent Mayor Choke Antar Lumumba, a Democrat. |
| Gov. Tate Reeves announces dates for upcoming special elections | |
| On Friday, Gov. Tate Reeves announced dates for seven special elections to take place for open positions in the legislature and across the state's judicial system along with one open district attorney position. The two special elections for District 23 (Calhoun, Lafayette, Pontotoc, and Webster counties) and for District 82 (Lauderdale County) inside the Mississippi House of Representatives will be held on March 25. The qualifying deadline for both is Feb. 3. Seats in the House were left open after the passing of Republican Rep. Andy Stepp on Dec. 4 and Democratic Rep. Charles Young, Jr. on Dec. 19. Per state law, Reeves was given 30 days in the aftermath of each lawmaker's death to announce a special election date. Reeves announced that Nov. 4 would be Election Day for trial court positions: Sixth Chancery District, Place 1 (Attala, Carroll, Choctaw, Kemper, Neshoba, and Winston counties), Twelfth Circuit District, Place 1 (Clarke and Lauderdale counties), and Twelfth Circuit District, Place 2 (Forrest and Perry counties). On the same day, a special election will take place for County Court Judge in Pearl River County. The qualifying deadline for all four is Feb. 3. A special election for district attorney in the First Circuit Court District (Alcorn, Itawamba, Lee, Monroe, Pontotoc, Prentiss, and Tishomingo counties) will also be held on Nov. 4. The qualifying deadline for this election is Sept. 5. |
| 'No one is immune': Mississippi Congressman reacts to the New Orleans terrorist attack | |
 | Two Mississippians were among 14 pedestrians killed in New Orleans early New Year's day during what the FBI has called an act of terror. Police say the suspect, 42-year old Houston resident Shamsud Din Jabbar, sped a rented pickup truck down Bourbon Street in the city's French Quarter. He then opened fire on police officers before being fatally shot in the shootout. U.S. Congressman Michael Guest represents Mississippi's third district. He said the attack hits "close to home." "The fact that New Orleans is so close to Mississippi, so many of us visit New Orleans on a regular occasion... to have a city here so close to us be the subject of a terrorist attack was extremely disturbing," Guest said. Guest is the Vice Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security. He says Mississippi has begun sending resources to Louisiana to assist in the investigations surrounding the attack. "This just goes to show that these types of attacks can happen in any city across the country," Guest said. "No one is immune." Guest added, "People need to be aware, not necessarily afraid, but they need to be aware of their surroundings, aware of their environment, and make sure that they take all due caution that they can to keep themselves safe." |
| Ag Industry Pushes for Farm Bill Action, Regulatory Relief After Johnson's Dramatic Reelection | |
| Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson was reelected as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in dramatic fashion on Friday as the 119th Congress got underway. Johnson eventually secured the necessary 218 Republican votes after a couple representatives changed their position before the final tally. Kentucky representative Thomas Massie was the lone GOP member to vote against Johnson. This was not a surprise as Massie has been outspoken about his lack of support for Johnson. Agricultural industry groups stressed their priorities for Congress as lawmakers gathered for the first time in 2025. American Farm Bureau did not comment on Johnson's reelection. However, when the Speaker was first elected President Zippy Duvall said, "Speaker Johnson has a strong history of supporting America's farmers and ranchers, which has earned him the 'Friend of Farm Bureau' award multiple times." In a Newsline podcast interview published Dec. 31, Sam Kieffer, Vice President of Public Policy explained the work Congress needs to do at the beginning of 2025. "They need to get back to the business of doing a farm bill," Kieffer said. "We've been kicking the can down the road for the better part of two years. |
| Johnson wants budget reconciliation bill on Trump's desk by end of April | |
 | Newly reelected House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday highlighted his and President-elect Donald Trump's plans to pass one "big, beautiful" budget reconciliation package through Congress and said he aims to have it on Trump's desk by the end of April. "Everything's got to move in the right sequence. And along the way, I think we're going to keep those trains moving in the right direction and on time," Johnson said on "Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo." "And if that happens, we will get it out of the House in early April, maybe as soon as April 3, and then move it over to the Senate." In the worst-case scenario, he said, Trump would have a bill ready to sign by Memorial Day. Johnson told Bartiromo his aim is for the bill to also address the debt ceiling. But that doesn't mean Republicans plan to spend up to the new number. Republican senators on Sunday were quick to offer support to Trump and Johnson's single-bill plan, including Senate HELP chair Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and newly sworn-in Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.). "There's very narrow margins," Cassidy told guest host Jacqui Heinrich on "Fox News Sunday." "And so we've got to get it right." |
| Congress gears up for snowy certification of Trump's election win | |
 | Congress is gearing up for a snowy certification of President-elect Trump's election win on Monday, as Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) vows to plow ahead with the vote despite a snowstorm set to hit Washington, D.C. The House and Senate are scheduled to convene in a joint session at 1 p.m. on Monday to certify Trump's victory, a process that is mandated by the Constitution and federal law. On Monday, however, the nation's capital is bracing for as many as 10 inches of snow, a weather event that could make it difficult for lawmakers to arrive at the Capitol. Johnson, however, has said the operation will go on "whether we're in a blizzard or not," citing federal law and Trump's "landslide" win. It comes exactly four years after a violent mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol and interrupted the certification of President Biden's election win. The House and Senate adopted a concurrent resolution last week that set Jan. 6 as the day Congress would certify the election, in accordance with the Electoral Count Act, which lawmakers passed and Biden enacted in 2022 following the Capitol riot. Both chambers are scheduled to convene in a joint session at 1 p.m. on Monday, kicking off the quadrennial procedure. Vice President Kamala Harris will preside over the House chamber. |
| No Jan. 6 disruptions are expected as Trump's win boosts GOP faith in elections -- for now | |
 | This Jan. 6 won't be the same. Four years ago, then-President Donald Trump urged supporters to head to the Capitol to protest Congress' certification of Democrat Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election. "Will be wild!" Trump promised on Twitter a few weeks before Jan. 6, 2021. And it was. Trump gave a vitriolic speech to thousands of people gathered at the Ellipse behind the White House, after which many marched to the Capitol and stormed the building in an attempt to stop the previously routine final step in formalizing the winner of the presidential election. Even after the rioters dispersed, eight Republicans in the Senate and 139 in the House voted against ratifying Biden's win in certain swing states, despite no evidence of problems or wrongdoing that could have affected the outcome. This year, the only turbulence preceding the quadrennial ratification of the presidential election resulted from House Republicans fighting among themselves over who should be speaker. "As citizens, we should all be happy when it goes smoothly," said Edward Foley, a law professor at Ohio State University. "It's always better not to have major contestation over elections, especially when there isn't a reasonable position for it." |
| Biden's National-Security Aides Wanted to Keep Steel Deal Alive | |
 | President Biden went against top national-security aides when deciding to tank a Japanese takeover of U.S. Steel and instead align with his domestic advisers to bolster his pro-union legacy. Staff presented Biden two broad options in recent days, administration officials said: block the $14.1 billion deal entirely, or delay an approval until Nippon Steel could allay concerns that its ownership would harm the American manufacturing supply chain. During closed-door discussions, national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken were among the foreign policy-minded aides pushing for options that could keep the deal alive, not wanting to damage a crucial relationship with an East Asia ally, according to the officials. Steve Ricchetti, counselor to the president, and other domestically focused staff said it was best to side with leaders of the United Steelworkers' union, who had been vocal opponents of the deal since it was announced in December 2023, the officials said. Biden has called himself the most pro-union president in American history. Biden's national-security advisers weren't uniformly supportive of finding a path to approve the deal: U.S. trade representative Katherine Tai, for example, was a proponent of scuttling the takeover. But the officials said it became clear that the final arguments pitted Biden's political instincts against global considerations. |
| Higher Social Security payments coming for millions of people from bill that Biden is signing | |
| President Joe Biden on Sunday plans to sign into law a measure that boosts Social Security payments for current and former public employees, affecting nearly 3 million people who receive pensions from their time as teachers, firefighters, police officers and in other public service jobs. Advocates say the Social Security Fairness Act rights a decades-old disparity, though it will also put strain on Social Security Trust Funds, which face a looming insolvency crisis. The bill rescinds two provisions -- the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset -- that limit Social Security benefits for recipients if they get retirement payments from other sources, including public retirement programs from a state or local government. The Congressional Research Service estimated that in December 2023, there were 745,679 people, about 1% of all Social Security beneficiaries, who had their benefits reduced by the Government Pension Offset. About 2.1 million people, or about 3% of all beneficiaries, were affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision. The change is to payments from January 2024 and beyond, meaning the Social Security Administration would owe back-dated payments. The measure as passed by Congress says the Social Security commissioner "shall adjust primary insurance amounts to the extent necessary to take into account" changes in the law. It's not immediately clear how this will happen or whether people affected will have to take any action. |
| Tougaloo College celebrates Rep. Bennie Thompson, after honor from President Biden | |
| Congressman Bennie Thompson is receiving congratulations from his alma mater after President Joe Biden awarded him the Presidental Citizens Medal. Thompson is one of 20 individuals who received the honor during a White House ceremony this week. Thompson is an alumnus of Tougaloo College. He graduated from the school in 1968. Tougaloo College President Dr. Carmen J. Walters said in a statement on Friday, "Congressman Thompson represents the very best of Tougaloo College's legacy. His dedication to justice and equality inspires not only our students and alumni but the entire nation." During the ceremony, Biden praised Thompson's leadership, particularly highlighting his role as chairman of the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Under Thompson's guidance, the bipartisan committee conducted a landmark investigation, shedding light on one of the most significant events in modern American history and reinforcing the importance of safeguarding democratic institutions. |
| Jones Named Tenth President of Mississippi Delta Community College | |
| The Mississippi Delta Community College Board of Trustees has announced the appointment of Dr. Steven J. Jones as the tenth President of the College, which was effective January 1. Jones currently serves as Vice President of Administrative and Student Services at the College. He succeeds Dr. Tyrone Jackson, who retired this year after serving as President since 2019. Teresa Webster currently serves as Interim President, stepping in to take the helm upon Jackson's retirement. "I'm extremely honored to be selected as the next president of Mississippi Delta Community College," said Dr. Steven J. Jones. "I thank the Board of Trustees for placing their trust in me to lead our institution into the next chapter. I consider this appointment to be a true blessing from God, and I give Him all the praise. I look forward to working alongside my esteemed colleagues to move the institution forward. I would be remiss if I didn't take this opportunity to thank Interim President Teresa Webster for her steadfast determination and success in leading our institution during this time of transition." |
| A partnership between the U. of Missouri and the courts helps families navigate a separation | |
 | During the past several decades, much has changed for modern relationships. Naturally, separation looks different as well. Focus on Kids helps ensure these transitions go smoothly. After a divorce or legal separation, parental education programs are mandated in Missouri. Presented through the University of Missouri and operated in cooperation with Missouri's local circuit courts, Focus on Kids educates separated parents on how to best navigate the challenges that come with a new family structure. Focus on Kids, one of many courses available, remains the most popular choice for its accessibility and inclusivity. In addition to its in-person courses, online options are available for parents. "There are sometimes situations where somebody from a more rural county, for example, might be driving a great distance in order to find an in-person class, and so this creates just another option for them to take the class in the comfort of their own home," says principal investigator Kale Monk. As an extension of the College of Education and Human Development, Focus on Kids is supported by the work of established researchers. One such researcher, postdoctoral fellow So Young Park, said that much is changing. "It's more diverse," Park said. "The scenarios presented for the parents that are taking the course are more familiar with recent topics." |
| College students 'cautiously curious' about AI amid mixed messages at school and work | |
 | For 21-year-old Rebeca Damico, ChatGPT's public release in 2022 during her sophomore year of college at the University of Utah felt like navigating a minefield. The public relations student, now readying to graduate in the spring, said her professors immediately added policies to their syllabuses banning use of the chatbot, calling the generative artificial intelligence tool a form of plagiarism. "For me, as someone who follows the rules, I was very scared," Damico said. "I was like, oh, I can't, you know, even think about using it, because they'll know." Salt Lake City-based Damico studied journalism before switching her major to public relations, and saw ChatGPT and tools like it as a real threat to the writing industry. She also felt very aware of the "temptation" she and her classmates now had -- suddenly a term paper that might take you all night to write could be done in a few minutes with the help of AI. But students say they're getting mixed messages -- the stern warning from professors against use of AI and the growing pressure from the job market to learn how to master it. |
| Long the Star Pupils, Girls Are Losing Ground to Boys | |
| Girls have lost ground in reading, math and science at a troubling rate, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of student test scores across the country. Since 2019, girls' test scores have dropped sharply, often to the lowest point in decades. Boys' scores have also fallen during that time, but the decline among girls has been more severe. Boys now consistently outperform girls in math, after being roughly even or slightly ahead in the years before 2020. Girls still tend to perform better in reading, but their scores have dropped closer to boys. The findings suggest that pandemic learning loss hit girls particularly hard in ways that haven't been addressed by schools. The most recent test scores show that girls haven't yet recovered. This comes following longstanding gains for girls and women in educational attainment. Teachers, parents and education researchers aren't sure what is driving the gender gap in learning loss, but some suspect the rise in behavior problems during the pandemic years prompted teachers to pay more attention to boys, who tend to act out more in class. Another factor may be the caregiving and household responsibilities many girls took on during and after the pandemic, sapping their time and energy for school. |
| 'Classical education' thrives in DeSantis' Florida | |
| Florida has become a haven for classical education, as the schooling model increases in popularity among conservatives trying to gain a foothold nationally. While several states are embracing the education approach -- which emphasizes liberal arts and western teachings on math, science, civics and classical texts that have increasingly been embraced by conservatives and some Christians -- Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis is going further by turning the state into an incubator for classical schools, both public and private alike. The efforts are one key way Florida's GOP governor and policymakers are reshaping education in the state. With a second Trump administration coming, there are expected to be more opportunities for classical education to grow nationally, such as through the 161 schools operated by the Department of Defense. It's seen by some proponents as a counter to how traditional public schools and even colleges are teaching students, particularly on social issues like race and gender ideology. Critics of this schooling model, though, charge it whitewashes history. Classical schooling is far from a new idea, but there has been a resurgence of the model in recent years since the Covid-19 pandemic. The demand is driven in Florida by parents seeking new education options for their children. |
| Legislators focus on $7 billion but will spend $28 billion | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: Over the next three months, legislators will focus on a $7 billion General Fund budget to run state government for FY 2026. Interestingly, that's only about 25% of the total $28 billion budget they will ultimately be called upon to approve. Welcome to the complex multiverse of government finance. The math begins with the estimated $11 billion the Mississippi Department of Revenue should distribute for FY 2026. The department will divert about $3.4 billion of that to more than 100 special funds. That leaves $7 billion for the General Fund budget plus the rainy day set aside and reserves held to spend later during the session. About $675 million from the special fund diversions will come back to support the General Fund budget in lines entitled State Support Special Funds. That leaves over $20 billion to account for in the $28 billion overall budget. Most of that will come from recurring federal funds but billions will also come from a variety of fees, assessments, interest, and billings that do not pass through the Department of Revenue. This $20 billion is lumped into budget lines entitled Other Special Funds. |
| Trump, lauded by some as a free speech advocate, files a barrage of lawsuits against news outlets | |
| Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison writes: For many there is no more cherished right enshrined in the U.S. Constitution than the freedom of speech and, of course, its accompanying freedom of the press. During the November election cycle, various people like billionaire Elon Musk and podcaster Joe Rogan spoke of the importance of free speech. Both cited part of their reasoning for supporting Donald Trump was his commitment to free speech. Those and many other self-professed free speech proponents are noticeably quiet as Trump works to curtail freedom of speech to a degree that perhaps has never been seen in this country. Trump, as part of a broad legal attack on the American press, is suing the Des Moines Register because the newspaper published a poll showing he was trailing Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris a few days before the November election. The president-elect also is suing longtime pollster Ann Selzer, whose poll the newspaper published. Granted, the Selzer poll of Iowa voters was way off, but because a poll is wrong has never been viewed as a reason to sue a news outlet that chooses to run it. And ABC, one of the nation's legacy broadcast networks, has already settled with Trump another lawsuit that many believe the network eventually would have won. |
SPORTS
| No. 17 Mississippi State runs winning streak to 7 games with an 85-50 victory over South Carolina | |
| Josh Hubbard scored 21 points and Claudell Harris had 17 points and nine rebounds as No. 17 Mississippi State beat South Carolina 85-50 on Saturday in the SEC opener for both teams. Mississippi State (13-1) opened the game with a 15-2 run and limited South Carolina to 18 points in the first half. That was the lowest point total allowed by the Bulldogs in SEC play under coach Chris Jans. The Bulldogs closed out the first half with a 10-0 outburst and led 43-18 at the break. Riley Kugel scored 12 points and KeShawn Murphy contributed 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots as Mississippi State won its seventh straight game. Zachary Davis scored 22 points and Collin Murray-Boyles was held to five points on 2-for-9 shooting for South Carolina (10-4). South Carolina shot 29% (16 for 55) and was 2 for 19 from 3-point distance. The Gamecocks had 14 turnovers and shot 16 for 23 from the line. Mississippi State shot 56% (35 for 62) from the field and outrebounded the Gamecocks 40-32. |
| How MSU dominated first half of win over South Carolina to start SEC play | |
| Just when it looked like South Carolina had survived getting run over by No. 17 Mississippi State for the first 13 minutes of Saturday's SEC opener, the Bulldogs hit reverse and ran the Gamecocks over again. Mississippi State was all over South Carolina from the jump, and the Bulldogs' 85-50 win was never in doubt. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 28-6 lead and closed the first half with 10 unanswered points to head into the locker room up 43-18. "If I knew, I'd do it every time," MSU head coach Chris Jans said. "They were ready to go. ... They had a little pop to them at 8 a.m. and they had some energy about them, even at that point in the day, which isn't always common. I don't know, they just seemed focused." It may be too early to label any game a must-win, but given the strength of the SEC, the Bulldogs needed a victory against South Carolina. The Gamecocks came into Saturday's game ranked just 85th in the country in the NET rankings, and starting conference play with a Quad 3 loss at home would be a significant setback. With stiffer challenges ahead, such as a home date with No. 10 Kentucky next weekend, Mississippi State had to take care of business. "I think it was important to set the standard of Bulldog basketball and where we are so far and where we'd like to be," said KeShawn Murphy, who finished the day with 12 points and eight rebounds. "So us coming out punching hard and setting the record straight was a good thing." |
| No. 17 Mississippi State dominates SEC opener with 35-point win over South Carolina | |
| Southeastern Conference play couldn't have gotten off to a better start for No. 17 Mississippi State. The Bulldogs welcomed South Carolina to Humphrey Coliseum on Saturday and wasted no time in asserting Maroon and White dominance on the way to a comfortable 85-50 victory over the Gamecocks. Prior to Saturday, Mississippi State had already shown how good it can be against tough competition on multiple occasions this season. The Dawgs trounced then-No. 18 Pittsburgh and blew right past then-No. 21 Memphis on the Tigers' home court in the nonconference slate. Now, MSU is already flexing its muscle in SEC action. Chris Jans' crew never trailed on the way to Saturday's win. The Bulldogs built themselves a double-digit lead less than seven minutes into the action, scored 28 of the game's first 34 points, and led 43-18 at halftime. The 25-point edge at the break stands as Mississippi State's largest halftime lead in an SEC game in more than 20 years. The domination continued in the second half with the Dawgs leading by as many as 37 points before settling for the 35-point triumph that moves them to 13-1 overall this year. Mississippi State will travel to Nashville to battle Vanderbilt on Tuesday. |
| No. 17 Mississippi State embarrasses South Carolina in SEC opener | |
| Mississippi State has already made several statements this season on the basketball court. The Bulldogs made another loud statement on Saturday in their SEC opener against South Carolina. Josh Hubbard had 21 points and Claudell Harris added 17 points and nine rebounds to lead No. 17 Mississippi State to a dominating 85-50 win over South Carolina at Humphrey Coliseum. In the SEC opener for both teams, the Bulldogs held the Gamecocks to just 18 points in the first half, the lowest point total allowed by the Bulldogs in SEC play under head coach Chris Jans. "I think it was important to set the standard of Bulldog Basketball and also where we would like to be," said KeShawn Murphy. "Us coming out punching hard and setting the record straight was a good thing." The 35-point margin of victory was also State's largest in an SEC opener since blowing out Auburn in the SEC opener during the 2004-05 season. It was also State's largest margin of victory ever against a South Carolina squad. "I think it's just our mindset," noted Hubbard, who was 5 of 10 beyond the arc. "We know what is at stake and we all want to win. So I think that just comes down to us sacrificing and doing what it takes to win. It all starts with (Chris) Jans' gameplan and we all believe in it. When we have that connectiveness and that toughness, it gets on the floor." |
| Men's Basketball: No. 17 Mississippi State pummels South Carolina in SEC opener | |
| Josh Hubbard entered Saturday's Southeastern Conference opener in a rare shooting slump. After a 1-for-9 showing from 3-point range Monday night against Bethune-Cookman, Mississippi State's star sophomore guard was shooting less than 25 percent from deep over his last three games. But after seeing his first two attempts against South Carolina swish through the net, Hubbard had a feeling it would be his day. He was correct, and the same went for almost all of his teammates. Behind 21 points from Hubbard on 5-for-10 from behind the arc, the No. 17 Bulldogs raced out to a 22-point lead after 13 minutes and never took their foot off the gas in an 85-50 demolition of the Gamecocks at Humphrey Coliseum. "I felt good warming up," Hubbard said. "The last few games have been a little frustrating with my (jumper), but my coaching staff and my teammates, they keep me positive and just tell me to keep shooting." MSU is back in action Tuesday night at Vanderbilt, facing a Commodores team that has already exceeded its win total from a year ago. "We're going to have a lot of games to see where we're at," Jans said. "We're going to be playing in awesome environments against unbelievable teams, and when you're at home and you have a lead, it's a little bit easier to play with your hair on fire." |
| Inside the run that epitomizes Mississippi State basketball's NCAA tournament potential | |
| South Carolina basketball had just started to show signs of life late in the first half. Mississippi State had led by 22 points only a few minutes earlier, but the gap shrunk to 15. Any more cuts to the lead, and the Gamecocks would be the ones with momentum entering halftime. That's when MSU locked it down. The Bulldogs finished the half on a 10-0 run in two minutes of game time. All five baskets were layups -- three of them off turnovers and on the fast break. Defense was turned to offense. It was a crucial moment in Mississippi State's 85-50 dismantling of South Carolina (10-4, 0-1 SEC) that got the Humphrey Coliseum crowd on its feet in the SEC opener. It also epitomized how No. 16 Mississippi State (13-1, 1-0) can be at its best. "When we're at our best, we're very active on the ball, we're handsy and got frenetic activity off the ball," MSU coach Chris Jans said after the win. "They're all wired and bought in. And when we are lethargic and not in stances, which obviously we've done a ton this particular season, we're just getting exposed. And so hopefully this will make them feel good about what we've been trying to preach to them and get them to buy in even more in this particular group, so we can play that style of basketball." |
| Former Bulldogs Jones, Cooke named to Pro Bowl | |
| A pair of former Mississippi State football players, Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke, were named Pro Bowlers on Thursday. Jones played for the Bulldogs from 2013 through 2015, recording 18 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in his college career. The Chiefs drafted him in the second round in 2016, and he has turned into one of the NFL's best defensive linemen, with at least 15 sacks in 2018 and 2022. The three-time Super Bowl champion from Houston, Mississippi, has been named All-Pro each of the last two years, and was just selected to his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl. In the 2022-23 AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Jones had two sacks and three tackles for loss and registered five quarterback hits. Cooke grew up in Columbia, Mississippi, and he punted 10 times for MSU as a freshman in 2014 before becoming the starter the following year. In his four years in Starkville, Cooke averaged 41.7 yards per punt, then became a seventh-round draft pick in 2018 by the Jaguars. He has been Jacksonville's punter ever since and is averaging a career-best 49.4 yards per punt this season, which earned Cooke his first Pro Bowl selection. Half of his punts this season have pinned the Jaguars' opponents inside their own 20-yard line. |
| What Mississippi State women's basketball coach Sam Purcell said is missing after loss to South Carolina | |
| The vibes were high in Humphrey Coliseum early in the second quarter. Mississippi State women's basketball center Madina Okot had just converted a layup off a sweet one-handed pass from Denim DeShields. It gave MSU its largest lead Sunday afternoon, an 11-point advantage over No. 2 South Carolina, the defending national champion. The Bulldogs' fast start looked formidable. Maybe, just maybe, a triumphant upset and signature win for coach Sam Purcell was brewing. Then South Carolina turned into the team that's lost just once in the past 1 1/2 seasons. The Gamecocks (14-1, 2-0 SEC) outscored Mississippi State 51-17 from that moment through the end of the third quarter to power toward a 95-68 victory. The Bulldogs (13-3, 0-2) have lost consecutive conference games by at least 22 points with more ranked opponents like Oklahoma, Tennessee, Ole Miss and LSU looming in the next month. Purcell believes the Bulldogs have the right pieces, however, to compete at the top of the SEC. "I don't think there's really anything missing," he said. "I really think it showed in the first quarter when you got 22-13 on the No. 1 team in the country that you have the pieces. Now, it's just making sure that they handle it all right." |
| Volunteers reroute bike trail at the Noxubee Hills Trail System | |
 | The Tombigbee National Forest hosts 32 miles of hiking and biking trails. While the forest service takes on bigger projects such as bridge building, many of the trails have been designed, built, and maintained through volunteer efforts. Retired Mississippi State Professor, Charlotte Fuquay is one of those volunteers. For the past 20 years, she has helped to design and build the Noxubee Hills Trail System. "I think that volunteerism and involvement in your community is really important," Fuquay said. "And that's what I wanted to do, but I sort of found my niche doing volunteer and contributing to my trail community by working down here." This was the first volunteer workday that had been organized for this project. The workers are rerouting the Splashing Dog trail after a bridge along it was washed out 2 years ago. Before this workday, Fuquay had been working alone. That's why the Starkville Cycling Club is a welcome addition to the workforce. The club's president, Landon Voller, said people volunteering their time is great. "Having this many people out here come out here and help us is just fantastic," Voller said. "And, you know, we can't get these projects done without having a lot of volunteers come out." |
| Two Black Coaches Are About to Make College Football History. It Could Be Just the Start. | |
| When Penn State coach James Franklin and Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman square off in Thursday's College Football Playoff semifinal, they won't just be playing for a spot in the title game. They will also be competing to make college football history. Either Franklin or Freeman will become the first Black head coach ever to contest a national championship game at the sport's top level. Over more than a century of college football before, through the four-team playoff and all those years when titles were decided by polls, no Black coach has ever won a national title. "It's a reminder that you are a representation for many others -- and many of our players that look the same way I do," Freeman said. "Your color shouldn't matter. The evidence of your work should." The matchup between Franklin and Freeman comes more than 40 years after John Thompson became the first Black coach to win an NCAA Division-I men's basketball championship. But there are signs that it could represent a wider breakthrough. While the major-college football coaching ranks have barely changed in more than a decade -- Black coaches still make up about 12% of head coaches -- recent developments in hiring have created conditions that could lead to big shifts. |
| Kirby Smart's dad, Sonny, dead after New Year's Eve fall in New Orleans | |
 | Sonny Smart, the father of Georgia head football coach Kirby Smart, died Saturday in New Orleans after complications from hip surgery, the University of Georgia stated in a release. Sonny Smart died at 12:15 a.m. surrounded by his wife, Sharon and three children Karl, Kirby, and Kendall. Sonny Smart, who was in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame, fell while walking outside his hotel on New Year's Eve day and fractured his hip. The fall was not related to the terrorist attack Wednesday where a man drove his truck down Bourbon Street, killing 15 people. "Sonny Smart touched many people in his life, and we are saddened to learn of his passing," SEC commissioner Greg Sankey posted on the death of Sonny Smart. "I had the privilege to visit with Sonny many times and enjoyed every conversation. Our sympathies go out to Kirby Smart and his family and to all who knew his dad." “He’s taught me so much just about the way you handle things, the right way, the wrong way,” Kirby Smart said of his father in 2023, per the Athens Banner-Herald. “Control the controllables. The moment’s never too big if you’re prepared. And I always watched the way he prepared our teams and our staff in high school." |
| Report: NCAA considering five-year eligibility rule for all sports | |
| In light of recent legal decisions that have ostensibly granted junior college athletes an additional season of collegiate eligibility in 2025, the NCAA is reportedly considering wholesale changes to their eligibility requirements. According to college basketball insider Jon Rothstein, the NCAA is weighing whether or not to add an additional year of eligibility to the current four-year limit for all players across all NCAA sports. The topic is expected to be discussed early this year. The NCAA currently grants student-athletes a five-year clock that effecitively provides five years to play four seasons, affording an additional redshirt year for those that qualify. The five-year clock currently starts when athletes enroll as full-time students. This change could simply just remove the additional redshirt year and allow athletes five full seasons to participate in collegiate athletics, or provide athletes a six-year window to play five seasons. |
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