| Friday, January 10, 2025 |
| Mississippi State University, Oktibbeha County secure $1.75M for Highway 12 redesign planning | |
 | Mississippi State University and Oktibbeha County have been awarded a $1.75 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop a plan to redesign and improve the transportation system along Highway 12. The grant, announced by Senator Roger Wicker's office, is part of the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. The funding will allow local officials and planners to study and create a detailed, shovel-ready plan to address transportation issues in the busy corridor between Bully Boulevard and Spring Street to the area north of College View Drive. Jeremiah Dumas, executive director of transportation at MSU, said the grant is the result of multiple years of applications and will enable the university and local officials to take a closer look at critical infrastructure improvements. "This will include studying ways to potentially add road connections between the city and campus, improve the Russell Street and Stone Boulevard intersection, and make the College View interchange more urban and appropriately scaled," Dumas said. "We will also explore how to better connect University Drive and the Cotton District to campus for a more seamless experience." "This funding allows us to create a roadmap for long-term improvements in this corridor," Dumas said. "It's unrealistic to fix everything at once, so we'll take a phased approach, working through individual projects over time." |
| MSU theater faculty earn prestigious awards | |
 | Leaders in Mississippi State University's theater program, part of the Department of Communication, are adding to their faculty awards this academic year, showcasing the program's outstanding achievements in theater arts and dedication to creative excellence. Assistant Clinical Professor Jesse Wade recently received a Meritorious Achievement in Scenic Design award from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for his contributions and work on the play, "A Piece of My Heart." KCACTF is a national theater program involving 20,000 students from over 700 colleges and universities, dedicated to the improvement of collegiate theater in the U.S. The award recognizes outstanding contributions in areas such as acting, design and stage management. Assistant Professor Tonya S. Hays was honored with the Tom Behm Award from the Southeastern Theatre Conference this past fall. This award provides professional development funds to individuals working or studying in the realm of Theatre for Youth, enabling them to attend conferences or pursue educational credits. Recipients receive a $1,000 honorarium, a one-year SETC membership, and registration to the SETC Teachers Institute and annual Convention. |
| Mississippi State announces remote operations Friday due to winter weather | |
 | Mississippi State University (Starkville campus and the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville) will conduct remote operations Friday, January 10. The university is responding to weather predictions including snow, freezing rain and icy conditions that are expected to produce dangerous travel. Remote operations guidance can be found online. MSU-Meridian will maintain normal hours and operations as weather impacts are not anticipated for that area. Classes are not impacted since MSU's spring semester is scheduled to begin January 15. On campus, Subway will open 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Maroon Markets in Griffis Hall and the Wise Center will be open 24/7. The Colvard Student Union, Sanderson Center and Mitchell Memorial Library will be closed. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to exercise caution when traveling and to allow extra time. |
| Mississippi State shifts to remote operations because of winter weather | |
 | The threat of winter weather, particularly to the north of the Metro, has led Mississippi State University to make some adjustments on Friday. The Starkville campus and the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville are shifting to remote operations on Jan. 10. "Citing an abundance of caution, the university is responding to weather predictions, including snow, freezing rain and icy conditions that are expected to produce dangerous travel," the university said in a statement. MSU's spring semester is scheduled to begin Jan. 15, so classes are not impacted. MSU-Meridian will operate normally on Friday. |
| Mary Means Business: Newest coffee shop on the block now offering a Starkville classic | |
 | Moving to Starkville, the newest coffee shop on the block is now offering a Starkville classic. High Ground Coffee on East Main Street now serves Starkville's favorite biscuits from the Biscuit Lady. The Biscuit Shop, which closed in Starkville in 2020, has partnered with High Ground and started selling biscuits this week. "Biscuits every day," the post read. "These are the real thing. You remember The Biscuit Shop. You remember The Biscuit Lady. She hooked us up." Also in town, Farmer Commercial Properties and Farmer Residential Properties have a new owner. Jane Anna Waide purchased both the real estate businesses and as of Jan. 1 serves as the broker and owner. Waide confirmed Scott Farmer, founder and previous owner, will still have a presence with the companies. "(He) will remain active with the companies," she said. "... People can expect the same great service and attention to detail. (We're) serving clients' needs for buying and selling real estate in the Golden Triangle." Farmer Properties is located at 101 S. Lafayette St., Suite 31, and can be reached at any time. |
| Brian Arnett's journey of service | |
| For Brian Arnett, life has been defined by service, community, and a passion for teamwork. A Starkville native, Arnett grew up in a home filled with Mississippi State spirit, thanks to his father's role as a professor. After graduating from Starkville High School and earning a master's degree in exercise physiology from Mississippi State University, Arnett spent 10 years working at a local hospital. In 2004, Arnett shifted his career path to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming a firefighter. He felt a calling to serve others in a hands-on, dynamic environment. "I've always believed that solving problems and serving people is what I'm meant to do," Arnett said. "If God gave me a gift, that's it." Now the training chief at the Starkville Fire Department, Arnett reflects on the journey that brought him here. "It's one of the greatest jobs in the world," he said. "You're part of a team, living a life of adventure, and serving your community every day." |
| Ward 7 alderman race draws challenger | |
| The city has gotten its first contested alderman race in Ward 7. Meanwhile, the Ward 5 incumbent announced Thursday he would not seek reelection. Nedra Lowery, 40, is trying again to run as a Democrat in Ward 7, after she was disqualified in 2021 because she had not lived in her ward for the two-year minimum required by state law to be a candidate. The Columbus native has unsuccessfully run for office there. Lowery is mostly retired today, but told The Dispatch she's worked in public communications both for McDonalds and as a private contractor. Lowery is running against incumbent and fellow Democrat Henry Vaughn. Incumbent Hamp Beatty, 69, told The Dispatch on Thursday that he will not seek reelection. Beatty has lived in Starkville for 20 years, working for MSU's Center for Government and Community Development before winning his seat in a 2019 special election. He also served as the mayor of his hometown Newton from 1992-2005, and as an alderman before that. He said he feels he has served his time in city government and the time is right to make room for someone new. Beatty's decision clears the field, for now, for newcomer and independent William Pochop, with no other contenders in that race as of Thursday. |
| Ransomware attack likely responsible for IT crisis at SOCSD | |
| A data breach that has crippled Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District's network appears to be a ransomware attack, according to online sources. The district is listed under recent data breaches that have been discovered by Breachsense, a company that monitors dark web and criminal marketplaces to find data breaches. The breach was discovered Dec. 30, and is attributed to a cybercrime group called SafePay, according to the listing. The group first surfaced in October 2024 and has targeted public entities and businesses across the globe, including two other K-8 school districts in December, according to Breachsense. In a ransomware attack, cybercriminals infect the targeted computer system with malware that encrypts the data, effectively locking the user out. Then the attackers demand a ransom be paid in exchange for a decryption key, often threatening to release the data on the dark web. Haley Montgomery, communication director for SOCSD, acknowledged in a Thursday email to The Dispatch the breach was a "malware encryption event." It has left students, faculty and staff without internet access on district campuses since the spring semester began Monday. Wesley McGrew, senior cybersecurity fellow for MartinFederal Consulting in Memphis, Tennessee, said many ransomware groups maintain websites on the dark web, which is an invisible side of the internet often used for anonymous browsing and criminal activity. |
| FedEx sponsors free MLK weekend at the Two Mississippi Museums | |
 | Visitors will enjoy free admission to the Two Mississippi Museums during an extended observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, Jan. 18-21, as FedEx sponsors the celebration. The holiday weekend events include the MLK Night of Culture on Monday, Jan. 20, at 6 p.m. in the Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium, with a theme inspired by the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Other activities during the free weekend at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and the Museum of Mississippi History include themed crafts, student performances, museum tours on voting rights and gallery talks from Freedom Rider Hezekiah Watkins. Additionally, staff from the elections division of the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office will be on-site for voter registration. "We are grateful to FedEx for their continued support of our annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration," said Katie Blount, director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, which administers the Two Mississippi Museums. "Welcoming the public as guests of FedEx allows more people to experience the rich, historical stories in the museum and honor this important holiday." |
| Data center company plans to invest $10 billion in Meridian | |
| A Dallas-based data center developer will locate its next campus in Meridian, a $10 billion investment in the area, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Thursday. The company, Compass Datacenters, will build eight data centers in the Meridian area over eight years, Reeves said. The governor said the data centers would support local businesses and jobs in a fast-growing industry that Mississippi has tried to attract. The Mississippi Development Authority will certify the company as a data center operator, allowing the company to benefit from several tax exemptions. Compass Datacenters will receive a 10-year state income and franchise tax exemption and a sales and use tax exemption on construction materials and other equipment. Republican Sen. Jeff Tate, who represents Lauderdale County, said the investment was a long time coming for the east Mississippi city of Meridian. "For far too long, Meridian has been the bride's maid when it came to economic development," Tate said. "I'm proud that our political, business, and community leaders were able to work together to help welcome this incredible investment." |
| Coast hats inspired by Gulf seafood, Donald Trump's slogan are a big hit in Jackson | |
 | Red caps the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources bought have been a big hit this week in Jackson, Executive Director Joe Spraggins said. MDMR employee Patrick Levine came up with the idea to riff on Donald's Trump's trademark "Make America Great Again" red cap. The DMR caps say, "Make Seafood Great Again." MDMR Executive Director Joe Spraggins said the caps are part of a marketing campaign to promote Gulf seafood and pass a law that will require restaurants, wholesalers and other distributors to label seafood so customers will know whether it comes from the Gulf or is imported. Cheaper seafood imports have for decades contributed to the decline of the Gulf seafood industry. Spraggins gifted caps to Tate Reeves and his staff members at a cabinet meeting Tuesday and handed out more at a packed Mississippi Coast legislative reception Wednesday night at Jackson's Trade Mart. "This is the greatest thing in the world," Spraggins said Thursday. "Everybody's wanting a hat." |
| Lawmaker eyeing certificate of need reform to improve Mississippi's healthcare | |
| Mississippi lawmakers will look to address the state's certificate of need laws this legislative session as a solution to ongoing healthcare concerns. With Medicaid expansion failing to reach the end zone last year and an incoming administration change at the federal level, efforts to expand access to insurance for the working poor in the Magnolia State could be paused until it is clear how Donald Trump and his cabinet will tackle healthcare policy. Much to the satisfaction of Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, a staunch opponent of Medicaid expansion, legislators may instead pivot their focus to reforming certificate of need laws -- colloquially known as CON laws. Though a plethora of elected officials, particularly from the Republican Party, have routinely criticized Mississippi's CON laws, wide-scale reform has not yet come to fruition, despite the GOP holding a supermajority in the state legislature. State Rep. Sam Creekmore, who chairs the House Public Health and Human Services Committee, is looking to change that this year. Creekmore is preparing to bring a "common sense" proposal to the House floor that would free up hospitals and other healthcare providers to make decisions without government oversight. |
| How are Mississippi lawmakers advancing the school choice agenda in 2025? | |
 | It is unlikely that a bill to give what some people call universal school choice to families in Mississippi will pass through the Legislature this session. However, versions meant to "baby step" the initiative, as House Speaker Jason White put it during a Monday podcast with Super Talk, will come up for debate in both chambers. "A great school is part of the ingredients that makes a community great, but let's be honest, while that is what we all strive for, that is the exception and not the rule in our state, and all we're saying is, let's give parents some choice," White said. "These are baby steps, and ones that we think we can methodically phase in and see where we get. If the sky falls, we'll back up." Unfortunately, the largest step in White's ongoing argument for school choice, as it has so far been proposed, might not help some students in the poorest-rated schools in the state. White said Monday he will support a bill that allows students in D and F-rated school districts to relocate to private schools and use the state's portion of education funding for each student, $6,995, to pay for tuition. Students would also have to have been attending a public school for at least one year prior to applying to a private school with public dollars. If that includes kids attending specific F-rated schools, private schools might not even be a viable option in some areas of the state. |
| Supreme Court grants Favre one appeal, denies another, in effort to have lead counsel reinstated in civil case | |
| Brett Favre is 1-1 in the Mississippi Supreme Court on Thursday, with the high court granting one appeal and dismissing another in the retired quarterback's effort to have his lead counsel reinstated in a civil case related to the state's largest welfare scandal. Favre is a party in a lawsuit filed by the Mississippi Department of Human Services to recoup some $90 million in misspent welfare funding. Last summer, Hinds County Circuit Judge Faye Peterson removed Favre's lead attorney, Daniel Koevary, saying he violated state rules of civil procedure. "Counsel has since repeatedly demanded hearings for matters unrelated to and not within the jurisdiction of this court to resolve, in what this court deems to be an attempt to manufacture discord," Peterson wrote. "Due to ongoing issues created by [the] defense counsel, paired with his meritless attack on the court, this court can fashion only one appropriate sanction... removal of him and his firm from this courtroom." Favre and his attorney appealed the ruling in August. The Supreme Court struck down one appeal as premature but granted another request for an expedited appeal from the NFL Hall of Fame inductee on the same matter under a separate case number. |
| Social Security benefits to increase, food stamps to decrease for thousands of Mississippians | |
| Beneficiaries of certain federal programs will see a bump in the amount of money they receive from the government. In light of recent adjustments to some federal benefits, including Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Veterans Benefits (VA), or Railroad Retirement, a notable tweak will be made to the funding individuals on these programs acquire. Beginning in 2025, Social Security and SSI beneficiaries will receive a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment. This increase is based on the rise in the Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners and clerical workers from the third quarter of 2023 through the third quarter of 2024. Households receiving aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program could see a downtick in the amount they acquire if they simultaneously see a bump from the aforementioned programs. According to the Mississippi Department of Human Services, SNAP and TANF cases could also be closed altogether. |
| Supreme Court Considers TikTok's Fate | |
 | The Supreme Court began hearing arguments Friday over a federal law requiring TikTok, the China-based social-media app, to shut down or find new owners by Jan. 19. It is a high-stakes clash between two strands of constitutional doctrine: broad protections for speech, and deference to government judgment on national security and foreign relations. The bipartisan bill President Biden signed last April classifies the app, which serves up short videos to some 170 million American users each month, as the tool of a foreign adversary that poses a grave threat to national security. TikTok's lawyer, Noel Francisco, told the court that the law unlawfully burdens the platform's First Amendment rights. "It singles out a single speaker for uniquely harsh treatment, and it does so because the government fears that China could in the future indirectly pressure Tiktok, to disseminate foreign misinformation," Francisco said. Chief Justice John Roberts said the court couldn't ignore congressional concerns that Beijing could use TikTok to spread propaganda and collect data on Americans. "It seems to me that you're ignoring the major concern here of Congress, which was Chinese manipulation of the content and acquisition and harvesting of the content," Roberts said. |
| Vance resigns from Senate, clearing the way for a GOP replacement | |
 | Vice President-elect JD Vance will resign from the Senate on Friday as he prepares to be sworn in to his new office later this month, temporarily shrinking Republicans' majority. "To the people of Ohio, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the privilege of representing you in the United States Senate," Vance said in a statement. "When I was elected to this office, I promised to never forget where I came from, and I've made sure to live by that promise every single day." His resignation will temporarily decrease Senate Republicans' majority to 51 votes. Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine will select someone to fill Vance's seat. Jim Justice, West Virginia's incoming senator, has delayed his swearing-in until his successor in the governor's mansion is inaugurated on Monday. Once both seats are filled, Republicans will have 53 votes. DeWine's appointment will serve until Ohio holds a special election in November 2026. The winner of that election will serve the final two years of Vance's term, which ends in January 2029. |
| Trump hosts Republican governors in Florida and talks anew about Greenland and drones | |
 | resident-elect Donald Trump hosted 22 of the nation's 27 Republican governors for dinner at his Florida club on Thursday night, looking to help drive the agenda in conservative-run states after he takes office in 11 days. Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte told reporters outside the gathering that some of the GOP governors unable to attend were being inaugurated, and that one was delayed by snow and was unable to make it to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. But he said attendees who could come were "thrilled to accept the president-elect's invitation" and welcomed a coming "collaborative, working relationship, which we have not had for four years" during the Biden administration. "It's been a long period without cooperation from Washington," Gianforte told reporters outside. "So, we're looking forward to the new administration coming in. We have a lot of business to get done on behalf of our states. We're just pleased to be here to meet with the president." The dinner came after Trump held a lengthy, closed-door meeting Wednesday with Republican Senators on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Trump described his discussions with his senators, as "a love fest" but added, "This is a love fest, too." |
| The economy keeps beating expectations. Can Trump keep it going? | |
 | President-elect Donald Trump is about to inherit a robust domestic economy from President Joe Biden, presenting his second administration with a major political advantage that few incoming presidents are granted. Now, it's up to Trump to keep the good times rolling. The Labor Department announced Friday that the economy blew past expectations and added a net 256,000 jobs in December while the unemployment rate -- already low by historical standards -- fell to 4.1 percent. Wages, which have grown 3.9 percent over the past year, are rising faster than inflation. That positive jobs report will create an even wider avenue for Trump to take credit for an economy that many Wall Street investors and analysts expect to remain solid at least through the early days of his second presidency. The danger for Trump will be if the economy's performance falters even slightly from the sky-high hopes that investors have for his administration. There's already evidence that the post-election euphoria that propelled the stock market to new heights has started to wane. The yields on 10-year Treasuries -- a barometer for longer-term inflation expectations -- rocketed this week as the president-elect doubled down on plans to slap tariffs on key allies. |
| Trump sentenced in hush money case, will not face jail or probation | |
 | Donald Trump was sentenced without penalty Friday for his felony conviction in his hush money trial, appearing virtually at what was probably his final court hearing as a criminal defendant before he is sworn in for another term in the White House. Trump, who was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records last year, had furiously sought to cancel the sentencing, appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court and arguing that it would interfere with his presidential transition. His efforts were unsuccessful, and 10 days before his inauguration on Jan. 20, Trump appeared on a video screen in the same Manhattan courthouse where he stood trial last year. New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who oversaw the trial and handed down the sentence, gave Trump an unconditional discharge, meaning the president-elect will not face time behind bars, a fine or probation. Because the presidency carries with it broad protections, Merchan said, this sentence was the only one possible without encroaching "on the highest office in the land." Merchan emphasized that he believed the charges were serious and felt it was vital to respect the jury's verdict. Trump, who did not attend the New York hearing but participated remotely, excoriated the case and the people involved, saying that he was mistreated and remained innocent of any wrongdoing. |
| Americans have dimmer view of Biden than they did of Trump or Obama as term ends, AP-NORC poll finds | |
| As Joe Biden prepares to leave office, Americans have a dimmer view of his presidency than they did at the end of Donald Trump's first term or Barack Obama's second, a new poll finds. Around one-quarter of U.S. adults said Biden was a "good" or "great" president, with less than 1 in 10 saying he was "great," according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. It's a stark illustration of how tarnished Biden's legacy has become, with many members of his own party seeing his Democratic presidency as merely mediocre. About one-third described Trump as "good" or "great" on the eve of the Republican's departure from the White House in 2021, according to AP-NORC polling, including about 2 in 10 who said he was "great" -- even after he helped sparked a deadly insurrection that saw a mob of his supporters overrun the U.S. Capitol. Americans were similarly likely to describe both Biden and Trump as "poor" or "terrible" -- about half said this characterized each president's time in office -- but about 3 in 10 said Biden was "average," while less than 2 in 10 said this about Trump. |
| White House plans new limits on exports of AI tech, vexing industry | |
| The Joe Biden administration may issue rules as early as Friday that restrict the flow of artificial intelligence technology around the world -- and aim particularly at China. Many in the tech industry are worried. The administration doesn't want AI to fuel China's military development. AI chips can go into phones, yes, but they can also go into drones. "Semiconductors really will be at the very heart of warfighting capability in the next generation," said Scott Jones, a senior nonresident fellow at the Stimson Center. He said that concern has been at the heart of the Biden administration's efforts to limit the spread of AI chips and chipmaking capabilities. The new set of restrictions "buckets countries into different groups," said Gregory Allen with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Some U.S. allies would get AI chips, no problem. Other countries, including China, wouldn't be allowed to get them at all. "You know, it started out with China, but now we're looking at the U.S. seeking to regulate, globally, the diffusion of these chips," said Peter Lichtenbaum, a partner at law firm Covington & Burling. Some tech companies are not happy with the rules, at least what's known about them so far. |
| Sex discrimination lawsuit over Jackson State presidential search to proceed, court rules | |
| A former Jackson State University administrator's sex discrimination lawsuit against Mississippi's public university governing board will proceed, a federal judge ruled in a lengthy order this week. Though a majority of Debra Mays-Jackson's claims against the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees were dismissed, the Southern District of Mississippi allowed two to survive -- one against the IHL and the other against the individual trustees. For now, the lawsuit's playing field is winnowed to the claim that IHL discriminated against Mays-Jackson, a former vice president at Jackson State, when trustees did not interview her after she applied to the university's top post in 2023. The recent order puts Mays-Jackson and her attorney, Lisa Ross, a JSU alumnus, one step closer to taking depositions and conducting discovery about the IHL's presidential search process and decisionmaking. An IHL spokesperson said the board's policy is not to comment on pending litigation. |
| Tim Tebow to speak at MGCCC Foundation's 15 annual Scholarship Gala | |
 | On Thursday, the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Foundation announced its 15th annual Scholarship Gala, set for the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi. The evening will feature Tim Tebow, former NFL player and Heisman-winning quarterback, as the keynote speaker. "The Scholarship Gala is a key part of our mission to open doors for students and create life-changing opportunities," said Dr. Suzi Brown, MGCCC Vice President of Institutional Advancement. "This year's 15th anniversary event, with the inspiring Tim Tebow, is a reminder of the foundation's ongoing commitment to empowering students through education. We're excited to celebrate this milestone with our supporters, whose generosity makes it all possible and helps shape a brighter future for the Gulf Coast community." The black-tie event will take place on March 15. A silent auction will be held at 6 p.m. with dinner to follow at 7:15 p.m. All proceeds support student scholarships through the MGCCC Foundation. |
| U. of Alabama senior goes viral on TikTok after sharing struggles: 'You are worthy' | |
 | This week, University of Alabama senior Jamie Causey started reading syllabi from her classes and cried when she talked on the phone with her mom. She shared her experience on TikTok. "We first go to school because of education, but sometimes it's very hard to not have that key set of friends to share your life with," the 21-year-old Alexander City native said in a recent video regarding her five classes this semester. "I just wanted to post this to be real and honest, but also encourage anyone that I feel the same way you do." Causey told AL.com she was inspired to start sharing her stories on TikTok after being a "silent scroller." "If I can help one person scrolling by feel better about themselves, then I've done what I need to do," she said. Her first video encouraging students who did not to join a sorority has more than 800,000 views and comments from Alabama TikTok influencers. "We can make a TikTok sorority," Nichols commented. "I'll be the house mom and we'll accept everyone!" |
| Was Rembrandt the master of the selfie? Find out at the LSU Museum of Art's 'Old Masters' exhibit | |
 | Rembrandt Harmenzoon van Rijn was into selfies -- really into them. In fact, it could be said that Rembrandt perfected the selfie several centuries before social media influencers came onto the scene. Proof? It's all there in the LSU Museum of Art's exhibit, "Rembrandt, Goya, and Dürer: The Marvel of Old Masters." The three-month show runs through Feb. 2, meaning there's still plenty of time to see this collection of 60 engravings, etchings and woodcut prints by three master artists. The show is on loan by the Park West Foundation of Southfield, Michigan. As indicated in the title, Spanish artist Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes and Albrecht Dürer of Germany join Rembrandt in the show. Each creator had his own style, and each told his own story. For Rembrandt, the 17th century Baroque artist was known for serious subjects when it came to painting, but selfies were his favorite genre for printmaking. Fun selfies, at that. "Yes, he would totally be using filters today," curator Michelle Schulte said, laughing. "He loved to do portraits of himself, and he would dress himself up as different characters." |
| UGA investigation clears employee whose property was used for neo-Nazi festival in 2024 | |
 | A University of Georgia employee who allowed a neo-Nazi event on his property in Oglethorpe County in 2024 was placed on administrative leave, but after an investigation that showed he didn't violate university policy he was allowed to return to work. The gathering in late October for a Texas-based group called the Aryan Freedom Network took place at the employee's property located outside the city of Lexington along Elberton Road, according to a report by Atlanta Antifascists, which tracks such organizations and sent personnel to the Lexington location. This information was made known to UGA, which launched an investigation. UGA released a statement that after complaints were made about about the festival, it referred the matter to the university's Equal Opportunity Office, which enforces the university's anti-harassment policy. "Over the course of the EOO's thorough investigation, the employee acknowledged that the event had taken place on property that he and his wife co-owned, but he denied direct personal involvement," according to the statement. Because it was a private, off-campus event without any connection to UGA, the EOO found no violation of its policy, the UGA statement reads. |
| Texas A&M to host gallery for veteran entrepreneurs | |
 | Twice a year the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship at Texas A&M University hosts the Reynolds and Reynolds Entrepreneurship Boot Camp for Veterans. The boot camp is free to veterans with all of their expenses for the week, including lodging, paid by Reynolds and Reynolds. This week, the 20th cohort of veterans, 23 in all from across the country and representing four branches of the military, came to the McFerrin Center to take part in the first cohort of the year. They have spent the past week participating in more than 25 educational sessions led by experts in multiple facets of entrepreneurship. Before this week's visit to Texas A&M the veterans had taken part in a 30-day instructor-led online course that focused on basic skills of entrepreneurship and the language of business. After this week the entrepreneurs will receive 12 months of support and mentorship as they grow their businesses. To celebrate the end of the week, the veterans will host a graduate gallery Friday night where each veteran will display their business plans. The public is invited to attend the gallery and learn more about the veterans, their plans and what is next on their journey of entrepreneurship. |
| UT-Austin's presidency goes vacant amid growing challenges for Texas public university leaders | |
| Many were shocked Tuesday when University of Texas at Austin President Jay Hartzell announced he'd be leaving the 53,000-student public school to lead Southern Methodist University, a growing but smaller university in Dallas. But not Holden Thorp. Thorp resigned in 2012 as chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2013, he accepted the role of provost at Washington University, which is also a smaller, private school. His departure came after he presided over an athletics scandal but he said not having to deal with lawmakers was another significant factor for his decision to leave UNC. He clashed with the North Carolina Legislature on issues such as creating gender-neutral student housing and immigration. "The reward if I had stayed would have been that I would have had to do battle with this GOP legislature who was suspicious of me to begin with because I came from strong connections in Democratic politics, and so bailing made all the sense in the world," said Thorp, who now serves as the editor-in-chief of the journal Science. For Thorp and some public higher education observers, Hartzell's departure is indicative of how difficult it has become to be a university president amid growing political pressures. |
| Medical School Enrollment Shows Mixed Trends as Diversity Numbers Decline | |
| Medical schools across the United States are facing new challenges in maintaining student diversity, according to data released Thursday by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). While overall first-year enrollment increased slightly by 0.8% in the 2024-25 academic year, matriculation rates among historically underrepresented groups showed significant declines. The report reveals concerning trends in diversity representation. Black or African American matriculants declined by 11.6%, marking the third consecutive year of decrease. Hispanic, Latino, student enrollment dropped by 10.8%, while American Indian or Alaska Native matriculants saw the steepest decline at 22.1%. These decreases have effectively returned minority enrollment numbers to pre-pandemic levels. Despite these challenges, there were some positive developments in the application phase. Black or African American applications increased by 2.8%, and Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish Origin applications rose by 2.2%. However, American Indian or Alaska Native applications decreased by 15.4%. The data also shows that women continue to dominate medical school demographics, comprising 56.8% of applicants, 55.1% of matriculants, and 54.9% of total enrollment. This marks the sixth consecutive year that women have made up the majority across all these categories. |
| Mixed Reactions After Biden Nixed TRIO for Undocumented Students | |
 | Advocates for undocumented students have their hands full as they prepare for President-elect Donald Trump to take office later this month. They're fielding questions from nervous students fearful of Trump's promises of mass deportations and advising college staff members seeking to support these students within legal bounds. But then, the Biden administration dropped a fresh disappointment on top of their heaping pile of concerns when it pulled back on a proposal to make undocumented students eligible for some TRIO programs. The decision -- tucked into a set of finalized rules released at the end of the year -- was met with mixed emotions from advocates who have long pushed to give undocumented students access to the federal college prep programs designed to help disadvantaged students enroll and persist in college. Some mourned the chance to secure a win for undocumented students before Trump took office. Others saw the decision as a painful but pragmatic response to the incoming administration, which may have barred undocumented students from these programs anyway or penalized TRIO programs for serving them. Proponents of the dead proposal expect it'll be years before the opportunity to open up these programs presents itself again. |
| Biden's Title IX Rule Is Now Blocked Nationwide. Here's What That Means. | |
 | A federal judge in Kentucky struck down the Biden administration's Title IX rule on Thursday, writing that the regulations exceeded the Education Department's authority and violated the Constitution. The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed last year by six Republican-led states, which primarily took issue with the Biden rule's protections for transgender students. Federal-court injunctions last year blocked the rule from being enforced on August 1 in those states and 20 others that sued, leaving in place the Trump administration's 2020 regulations. The Thursday decision bars the rule from being enforced nationwide. In his decision, Chief Judge Danny C. Reeves of the Eastern District of Kentucky emphasized that Title IX is limited by its language to protections against discrimination on the basis of sex, and by interpreting that to include gender identity, the Education Department overstepped its authority. |
| What's Next for Colleges After Judge Vacates Biden's Title IX Rule | |
| A years-long effort to change how colleges respond to reports of sexual harassment and discrimination and to expand protections for transgender students is dead after a federal judge ruled Thursday that the Biden administration's overhaul of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was unlawful. The court order vacates the rule nationwide and could create more confusion for colleges as they seek to move forward without running afoul of the federal gender equity law. The Title IX changes were already on hold in 26 states and at hundreds of colleges, thanks to a series of lawsuits from 26 Republican attorneys general. Thursday's order is the first final ruling in those cases and was part of a lawsuit brought by Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Republican lawmakers and state officials celebrated the ruling as a victory for women and girls while advocates for LGBTQ+ students criticized the decision as an attack on transgender students. The Biden rule allowed students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity. Chief Judge Danny Reeves of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, who previously criticized the rule, wrote in a 15-page opinion that the regulations suffer "significant constitutional infirmities." For instance, using the wrong pronouns for a student could be considered harassment under the rule. That provision "offends the First Amendment," wrote Reeves, a George W. Bush appointee. |
SPORTS
| Women's Basketball: State Knocks Down 10th Ranked Oklahoma Sooners | |
| Mississippi State picked up their 14th victory and their first SEC victory of the season on Thursday, as they took down the No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners. This marked the second top 10 victory inside Humphrey Coliseum in the past two years for head coach Sam Purcell. "I thought this team were focused and played for each other tonight," Purcell said. "That's why we were able to get the game done in four quarters." The Bulldogs opened the game on fire, leading the tenth-ranked team in the country by ten points at the end of the first quarter. They extended that start into a 14-point lead early in the second. Heading into halftime, the Dawgs held a one-point lead. A back-and-forth third quarter saw State lead by four heading into the fourth. Both teams would explode on the offensive side of the ball in the last ten minutes, as each team scored 28 apiece. However, State's third quarter lead was enough to push them over the hump. The Bulldogs continue SEC play as they travel to Athens to take on the Georgia Bulldogs on Sunday. The game will be broadcast on SECN+ beginning at 1 p.m. CT. |
| Jordan leads Bulldogs to upset win over Oklahoma | |
| Mississippi State was getting contributions up and down the roster, but the Bulldogs needed someone to emerge in order to pull off an upset against No. 10 Oklahoma at home Thursday night. Jerkaila Jordan stepped right up. Jordan led the Bulldogs with 24 points, and she exploded in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter. Whenever Mississippi State needed a big play in the second half, the ball was usually in her hands. A big night from Jordan and plenty of depth were enough to topple Oklahoma 81-77. "Just staying focused, staying locked in, knowing that every time I had the ball they were going to blitz," Jordan said. "So, looking for that open teammate, trusting in them and knocking it down. And then at the end of the game, just all being on one page on defense and just taking in the win." Mississippi State had seven players who recorded at least six points, and five had at least four rebounds. But the Bulldogs needed someone to help them keep up with Oklahoma's Raegan Beers, who finished the night with 19 points and 10 rebounds for a double double. That job fell to Jordan. Jordan was held to six points in the first half, but she added six more in the third quarter before turning it on in the fourth. She scored Mississippi State's first six points of the fourth quarter, and a bucket with 3:40 to play gave the Bulldogs a five-point lead. Jordan had 12 points in the fourth quarter alone. |
| Women's Basketball: Mississippi State guts its way past Oklahoma for first SEC win | |
| Jerkaila Jordan has played for Sam Purcell long enough that she is unafraid to call her head coach out. After Mississippi State squandered a double-digit first half lead at home against a top-10 opponent for the second straight game, Jordan bluntly asked Purcell, "Coach, what are you doing in the second quarter?" Jordan showcased her leadership skills on and off the court Thursday night, and with the Bulldogs locked in a tight battle against No. 10 Oklahoma, MSU ran its offense through her for most of the second half. The star fifth-year senior guard scored 12 of her game-high 24 points in the fourth quarter as the Bulldogs outlasted the Sooners 81-77 to earn their first conference win of the season. "That's what I love about her. She holds me accountable and I hold her accountable," Purcell said. "When she plays like that, our team can eat because the kid's a dog and she wants to win." Just like Sunday against defending national champion South Carolina, MSU (14-3, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) started fast against Oklahoma (13-3, 1-2). Sooners point guard Navaeh Tot hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give her team an early lead, but the Bulldogs ended the first quarter on an 18-4 run, thanks in large part to eight Oklahoma turnovers. |
| Valuing the basketball leads to top 10 win for Bulldogs on Thursday night | |
| Sam Purcell and Destiney McPhaul sat frustrated in Mississippi State's postgame press conference following a 95-68 beatdown to No. 2 South Carolina last weekend. It was a game that somehow showed State's potential but also the massive flaws it had to overcome all in the same 40 minutes. The latter played out for the majority of the ball game as the Bulldogs went from leading by 11 points early in the first half to losing by 27. The giant elephant in the room was persistent turnovers and Purcell and McPhaul called it out without hesitation. The Bulldogs finished the game with 20 turnovers and South Carolina took advantage, scoring 23 points off of those on the way to the blowout win. The same part of the basketball game that caused a rout in one top 10 game brought triumph to the Bulldogs on Thursday night. Purcell's team valued the basketball against the No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners and would use its defensive pressure to overtake the visitors in a 81-77 victory. |
| The change that Mississippi State women's basketball, Jerkaila Jordan made to upset Oklahoma | |
 | The start to SEC play did not go well for Mississippi State women's basketball. First, it was crushed by 22 points at Kentucky. Then, MSU suffered a 27-point loss to South Carolina on Sunday. Afterward, coach Sam Purcell was blunt with Jerkaila Jordan, his star player. "I talked about, 'There's moments there in that South Carolina game you didn't trust your teammates,'" he said. "'The moments are going to arrive again that you don't have to hit a home run ball. If you go into a collapse, I need you to make a pass.'" It unfolded just like he imagined. Midway through the fourth quarter, as Mississippi State led No. 11 Oklahoma by two points, Jordan drove to the right and was stopped by a defender at the block. She immediately spun around and located a wide open Debreasha Powe standing at the 3-point line. The pass was made. Splash. It was one of many brilliant plays by Jordan as she scored 12 of her team-leading 24 points in the fourth quarter and willed MSU (14-3, 1-2 SEC) to an 81-77 upset win Thursday night at Humphrey Coliseum. Purcell and Jordan both credited the win to one thing: focus. |
| Mississippi State turning Humphrey Coliseum into a true home-court advantage | |
| As Mississippi State keeps winning and keeps climbing up the rankings under head coach Chris Jans, Bulldogs fans are finding it harder to get their hands on tickets for home games. Reserved tickets are sold out for Saturday night's game between No. 14 MSU and No. 6 Kentucky, as well as for next Saturday when the Bulldogs (14-1, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) host rival Ole Miss. As of Thursday morning, less than 500 reserved tickets remained for the game on Jan. 29 against No. 5 Alabama. "When we arrived, we talked about trying to create that atmosphere that everybody wants," Jans said. "The students, to me, are the ones who have spearheaded it. They've been very consistent since we arrived. Our staff and our players have tried to develop relationships with those folks across campus, being visible and trying to work with them." After renovations at Humphrey Coliseum were completed prior to the 2023-24 season, the student section was expanded to include almost the entire area behind the north basket. The students have been engaged during games this season, most notably for MSU's 33-point rout over Pittsburgh in early December. But even last Saturday's SEC opener against South Carolina, before many students were back on campus for the start of the spring semester, drew a crowd of 8,075 fans to The Hump. The current post-renovation capacity is roughly 9,100. Every men's home game this season except Prairie View A&M and Bethune-Cookman has had an attendance of at least 8,000, after the Bulldogs had seven sellouts last year. |
| Head coach Chris Jans talks Kentucky and student support | |
| After a 2-0 start in the SEC, the road gets a lot tougher for No. 14 Mississippi State (14-1) beginning on Saturday. The Bulldogs welcome No. 6 Kentucky (12-3, 1-1 in SEC) to Humphrey Coliseum for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff (SEC Network). On Thursday, Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans met with the media for his weekly press conference and he discussed the Wildcats among other topics: Q: Obviously the goal on Saturday is to win. But your thoughts on the atmosphere your program has helped to build at Humphrey Coliseum? Jans: "It's been great. From year-to-year, I'm not sure if it is game-to-game but definitely year-to-year, it has been really, really good. When we arrived we talked about creating that atmosphere that everybody wants in their program. Students, to me, have been the ones that have spearheaded it. They've been very consistent since we've arrived. Our staff and our players have tried to develop relationships with those folks across campus and being visible and work with them and get to know them." |
| Mark Pope, friend of the refs? Why the UK basketball coach rarely argues with officials | |
 | Close observers of the Kentucky sideline in Rupp Arena have been watching something out of the ordinary this season. When a borderline call goes against the Cats -- and the home crowd roars its disapproval -- there's no hollering or histrionics from the man patrolling the UK bench. Rarely is there even a word of protest. Sometimes, Mark Pope simply stands there, arms folded, looking out at the court. More often than not, he's already moved on, his eyes following the action, his voice yelling out instructions or encouragement to one of his players. For a man in his position, this is odd behavior, as any Kentucky basketball fan will tell you. To the guy who's spent the most time with Pope on the sidelines, however, it's completely normal. "That's a huge part of being a leader in these times, right?" says UK assistant coach Cody Fueger, a brief pause before adding to that thought. "He hasn't always been that way." Really? Fueger replies to the question with a wide smile. "Yeah, he hasn't always (had the) calm, cool demeanor during these games with refs and things like that," he said. "He's really grown into somebody that just thinks about what to do, which is absolutely amazing. Because, at the end of the day, you can't control the ref. By me saying this and that to the ref --- that's not going to change any call. It's never changed a call ever." |
| Learfield and Mississippi State Athletics Announce Long-Term Partnership Renewal | |
| Mississippi State Athletics and Learfield announced today the renewal of their 16-year relationship with a long-term agreement for Learfield to continue as the exclusive rights holder managing all multimedia and sponsorship agreements on behalf of the Bulldogs. In the ever-changing landscape of college athletics, MSU Bulldogs Sports Properties (BSP) – the locally based team of Learfield – has facilitated numerous new and expanded relationships across Mississippi State's portfolio of brand partners, creating new opportunities for the athletic department, brand partners, and student-athletes through integrated data, digital, NIL and national sponsorship sales solutions. "Learfield is a long-time trusted partner of Mississippi State," MSU Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said. "We are excited for this opportunity to extend our relationship and grow our collaboration with them. This new agreement is integral to Mississippi State Athletics' success as we continue elevating our revenue generation, sponsorship opportunities, content and storytelling, NIL activations for student-athletes and fan experience in the new, ever-evolving world of college athletics." By aligning with Learfield's flagship multimedia rights division, digital solutions leader SIDEARM Sports, digital ticketing and marketing platform provider Paciolan, and ticket sales and development arm Learfield Amplify, Mississippi State Athletics maximizes opportunities for revenue growth through access to fan data from Learfield's Fanbase infrastructure, the largest fan data platform in college athletics. |
| College football fans will brave the winter chill as the Cotton Bowl Classic kicks off Friday | |
| When fans finally settle into their seats Friday night around 6:30 p.m. in Arlington for the start of the Cotton Bowl Classic, they'll do so amid an icy backdrop -- a cold snap that brought snow, sleet, freezing temperatures and school closures to North Texas in recent days. The University of Texas Longhorns take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff semifinal at AT&T Stadium with hopes of getting one step closer to a national championship. While some people raised concerns about the weather and how that might affect the game, there never seems to have been a real threat to cancel or reschedule, especially as forecasts improved. And there were a lot of scheduling ramifications to take into account if things did shift around -- especially with television. If the game was canceled or moved to another date over the weekend, it could have competed with the NFL playoffs. In the end, the Cotton Bowl, AT&T Stadium and local emergency management officials all gave assurances plans were in place to make travel to and from the venue as safe as possible. Gov. Greg Abbott, prompted by a reporter's question, even reiterated that confidence at a press conference Wednesday. "I've had conversations with multiple people about it, including in the briefing that we just had before coming into here, knowing that you would ask the question about Texas football," Abbott said. "There should be no hindrance to people being able to attend the game." As for whether the cold will chill the event atmosphere? Well, college football fans are pretty passionate, and there's still going to be a massive number of people who find their way to the game rain, sleet or shine. |
| Notre Dame reaches College Football Playoff title game with late field goal against Penn State | |
 | Notre Dame took advantage of a crucial Penn State turnover with under a minute left and made the game-winning field goal with seven seconds remaining to pull out a 27-24 win in the Orange Bowl and earn a spot in the College Football Playoff championship game. Penn State quarterback Drew Allar was intercepted in Penn State territory with 33 seconds to play, leading to a 41-yard field goal by Notre Dame kicker Mitch Jeter. The Fighting Irish will meet the Cotton Bowl winner between Texas and Ohio State on Monday, Jan. 20, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Down 10-0 with two minutes left in the second quarter and 24-17 with just under eight minutes to play, Notre Dame answered with a surprisingly explosive passing game, including a game-changing touchdown pass of 54 yards to wide receiver Jaden Greathouse to even the game at 24-24 with 4:38 remaining. A game of runs -- Penn State scored the first 10 points and Notre Dame the next 17 points -- came down to which quarterback made the critical mistake. That was Allar, who had turned his game around in the fourth quarter but made a costly decision on a rollout on the Nittany Lions' penultimate possession. |
| After another heartbreaking loss, will James Franklin and Penn State ever get over the hump? | |
| James Franklin seemed destined to break the skid. His skid, to be more specific: 12 consecutive losses to top-five opponents, a miserable eight-year drought. But the 11th-year Penn State coach was on the way to snapping that streak. He was en route to ending the nasty stretch, to quieting the critics, to shutting down the talk. Here in South Florida, inside Hard Rock Stadium against, of all teams, one of the biggest brands in the sport, Franklin's skid seemed over and done with. His team led 10-0 in the second quarter, 24-17 in the fourth quarter and held offensive possession in the final seconds of a tied game. And then, in a nightmare of a play, his quarterback, Drew Allar, threw one of the most costly interceptions in College Football Playoff history. Skid continues. Streak extended. A few seconds after that late-game turnover, Mitch Jeter's 41-yard field goal split the uprights to send Notre Dame to the national championship game in Atlanta -- 27-24 victors of a rock fight of a football game. The skid is now 13. And this one -- in the national semifinal, one step away from a national title appearance -- perhaps stings the most. |
| Lawmakers to address college sports NIL 'crisis' | |
| College sports officials spent the past four years seeking federal legislation to block student-athletes from gaining employee status and letting the NCAA impose limits on how much money schools and boosters may give to their athletes. With Republicans taking control of Capitol Hill this month, the odds of the NCAA getting its wish are better than ever. The new Republican leader of the influential Senate Commerce Committee told ESPN that one of his "major priorities" this session is to pass a law to help the NCAA regulate the booming market for college athletes without running afoul of federal antitrust restrictions. A bipartisan group of senators is drafting a measure to help prevent a split among NCAA schools. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said he's not interested in saving the NCAA. Instead, he said he wants to give college sports the legal runway they need to save themselves. "College sports is in crisis right now," Cruz said. "If Congress doesn't act, we risk seeing devastation." The new Senate majority leader, John Thune, R-South Dakota, previously has introduced legislation addressing how college athletes are paid, and now he is positioned to move a bill forward. |
| Why General Manager Is the Hottest Job in College Sports | |
 | Bill Belichick grew up around college football. As a child, he tagged along as his father, Steve, went about his duties as an assistant coach at the United States Naval Academy. But his own five-decade coaching career never took him back to the college game until recently. And in that time, and especially in the past few years, the sport has changed tremendously. There are now name, image and likeness rules, or N.I.L., that allow players to be paid directly, sometimes to the tune of millions of dollars. Players can use the transfer portal an unlimited number of times, which has led some to school-hop each season. The N.C.A.A. has been thoroughly defanged. So when the 72-year-old Belichick, one of the most infamous curmudgeons in a sport filled with them, was named the head coach at the University of North Carolina in December, there were some who were skeptical that he could adapt to a world in which college programs essentially need to re-recruit their own players every year and often help them secure ever-larger N.I.L. payments, all while keeping deep-pocketed donors happy. As Kliff Kingsbury, the Washington Commanders offensive coordinator and the former head coach at Texas Tech University, put it: "I don't see my man going in any home visits or doing, like, the cocktail hour after the visits. I just don't." Of course, Kingsbury added, "maybe he'll set it up like an N.F.L. deal." That is, in fact, exactly what Belichick will do. |
The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
