| Thursday, February 6, 2025 |
| MSU, Keesler AFB, Governor Reeves Sign Partnership to Advance Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center | |
 | Mississippi and the U.S. Air Force are marking a new era in cybersecurity research, training and collaboration as leaders celebrate plans for the Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center. The 100,000-square-foot planned building on Keesler Air Force Base will serve as the headquarters for the Mississippi State University-led Mississippi Cyber Initiative, building on statewide collaborations to enhance state and federal cybersecurity capabilities. On January 10, leaders from MSU, the U.S. Air Force and the City of Biloxi, along with Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, signed a joint proclamation for the state-of-the-art facility and collaborations that will support community and military needs. "The Cyber Center will strengthen Keesler's mission to train cyber warriors, and it will serve as a hub for academic achievement and economic development for cyber, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other technology companies and agencies," said Reeves. "In short, the future is here in Mississippi." The Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center will be built through an enhanced use lease agreement between the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center and the MSU Research and Technology Corp. Designed by Dale Partners Architects, the state-of-the-art facility includes space for MCI's headquarters, Air Force training, an event space, and secure office space available to private industry partners. |
| TVA offers Starkville $3 million for missed solar credits | |
 | Starkville has accepted a deal from Tennessee Valley Authority that could earn the city millions of dollars over two decades, helping to compensate for clean energy credits the city missed out on amid rising solar costs. Derek McGill, TVA's director of customer relations for the southwest, pitched the idea Friday during a board of aldermen work session. TVA would allow Starkville to step in as a partial middleman between TVA and Origis Energy's Golden Triangle I solar farm, which came online Jan. 20. "If you do that, it's estimated to generate about $160,000 per year in additional revenue for Starkville, and it's a 20 year agreement, so that's $3.2 million over the 20 years," McGill said. "(This is) in the spirit of just being a good partner and trying to provide financial compensation in response to the solar developer's price increase. It's a unique opportunity only offered to Starkville and Knoxville for being early adopters." Starkville was the first municipality in Mississippi to enter into TVA's Green Invest program, committing in 2020 to buy 30 megawatts worth of Renewable Energy Certificates from Golden Triangle I at prices McGill characterized in a Wednesday interview as "a really, really good value." The city accepted TVA's offer during Tuesday's board of aldermen meeting, pending approval from City Attorney Berk Huskison and concurrence from TVA. Mayor Lynn Spruill said she was thankful TVA was keeping track of the REC changes and working to make sure early adopters don't get a bad deal. |
| 'Let's Break New Ground': Gov. Tate Reeves announces new economic development initiative | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves is looking to build from $32 billion in private sector investment seen during his first five years. To help bring more companies and expansion projects to Mississippi, the Republican announced a new branding strategy called "Let's Break New Ground" on Wednesday. "Let's Break New Ground" is an initiative by Reeves and the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), the state agency tasked with attracting and retaining businesses. Created in partnership with The Ramey Agency, a Ridgeland-based marketing company, the new campaign will be used to further promote the "state's commitment to bringing new investments and good-paying job opportunities to Mississippians through its pro-business policies and favorable business environment," according to a press release. The "Let's Break New Ground" initiative hopes to bring in additional projects in 2025 and beyond. The release added that the initiative will include a commitment to explore new suitors, possibly in industries Mississippi has not been home to in the past, and focus on an increased speed to market. It also plans to emphasize key attributes that make Mississippi attractive to inquiring businesses such as a streamlined process with tax and other incentives; collaboration with local leaders, utilities, and educational institutions to reduce risk; and flexibility to tailor solutions that benefit both businesses and local communities. |
| Senator kills own bill that would have limited State Auditor's power | |
| Senate Accountability, Efficiency, and Transparency Committee Chairman David Parker (R) killed his own bill that limited the Auditor's Office during Tuesday's Senate floor session. By unanimous voice vote, the Senate voted to table SB 2847, which would have stopped Mississippi Auditor Shad White's office from filing lawsuits to recoup money on behalf of the state without prior approval from the Governor or Legislature. It also would have removed from the Auditor the ability to hire consulting firms for what the Legislature has called "managerial studies." The bill would also have allowed for pre- and post-audits of for-profit and nonprofit entities administering programs financed by state funds in an amount less than $10 million. Current law, Miss. Code Ann. 7-7-211(f), allows the Auditor to conduct pre- and post-audits of these entities without a cap on the amount. Senator Parker's committee advanced the bill to the floor last week. However, he said Tuesday that over the weekend he received a call, though he did not say from whom, claiming that any discussion of the bill is possible jury tampering. "I spoke with our attorney, who told me it was not," Parker said. Parker said the bill was not written with malice but to ensure a "fair and balanced" process. |
| Pair of bills restricting homeless panhandling, camping passes House | |
| Two bills that would regulate how Mississippi citizens solicit and camp in public spaces, understood to specifically address the homeless population, easily passed the state House of Representatives on Wednesday. House Bill 1197, the "Safe Solicitation Act," was authored by Rep. Shanda Yates, I-Jackson. Should it be affirmed by the Senate and the governor's desk in the coming months, a permission-based system would be established that requires those panhandling in public spaces to acquire a permit. According to Rep. Yates and others in support of the potential law, the primary motivation behind the bill is to give law enforcement the ability to penalize those either aggressively panhandling or doing so in an unsafe manner. "We're getting tons of complaints, especially from mayors but also from constituents all across the state, about the fact that over the years we've really done away with a lot of the penalty side of issues dealing with homelessness, vagrancy, and panhandling," Senator Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, chairman of the Senate Judiciary B Committee, said about legislation that address homelessness. House Bill 1203 would prohibit camping in any area that is not specifically designated as a camping area by a municipality or a county. |
| Rep. Donnie Scoggin gives update on House bills | |
 | It's been nearly a month since the Mississippi legislative session started and lawmakers are continuing to discuss several bills that they are trying to get passed. Representative Donnie Scoggin and other Mississippi House members are working through big-topic bills this session like the PERS bills. "This is in a big tax bill where we're having the tax cut, the grocery tax cut," said Scoggin. $100 million of the lottery money will go toward helping stabilize and ensure the funds for the Public Employees' Retirement System are still met. Scoggin said the legislature will not change any benefits that recipients are getting now for retirement. "We want that to remain the same," said Scoggin. "We don't have any intention of changing it, but we'll put $100 in there every year just to help stabilize that," said Scoggin. He believes the bill would be okay once it reaches the Senate. Changes to rules and regulations for the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG) are also on the table. "What we're doing is trying to change the MTAG so this will allow part-time students or nontraditional students to use that and it's going to cost about $19 million, but hopefully this is going to allow some of the people that are in the workforce to go back to school that may be can't afford it because of their marriage or children." The House is also trying to find a way to increase faculty salaries for Mississippi community colleges. |
| Delta Area Legislators Reflect on Session | |
| Every January, the state of Mississippi Legislature gathers to start a new session with goals of presenting and passing bills that will benefit the state's residents. Delta area senators and representatives are working on issues regarding their districts and beyond. Senator David Jordan, District 24 representing Leflore, Panola and Tallahatchie Counties, has been working in Jackson since 1993. His plans include a long look at getting Medicare to more Mississippi residents and school training for children. Mental health issues are a focal point for Senator Sarita Simmons who took her father's seat, former Senator Willie Simmons, in 2020 when he "retired" from the senate and became a Mississippi Transportation Commissioner. Serving District 13 that includes Bolivar, Sunflower and Tallahatchie Counties, Simmons is focused on mental health issues and helping small towns receive grant money matches. Representative Robert Sanders of District 29 has represented Bolivar and Sunflower Counties since his election in 2021. "There is a major project at Terrene Landing in Rosedale to add more dock area to accommodate tourist when they come in," says Sanders. "I want to help get more grant money for that project and to the Mississippi Delta in general. This will help with needed infrastructure projects and I want to get more money for our police departments and other agencies as well." |
| Measures allowing former felons to regain voting rights clear House committees | |
| Two measures allowing some people convicted of disenfranchising felony offenses to regain their voting rights passed a House committee on Tuesday, allowing the House to consider reforming one of the most strict felony disenfranchisement systems in the nation. The House Constitution Committee passed a measure to amend the state Constitution to revise the list of crimes that would result in someone losing their right to vote for life. Rep. Price Wallace, a Republican from Mendenhall who leads the committee, told reporters that his focus is establishing a pathway for people previously convicted of nonviolent offenses, especially those who have not committed any other offense, to regain their voting rights. The constitutional amendment removes bribery, theft, obtaining money or goods under false pretenses, perjury, forgery and bigamy from the list of disenfranchising crimes. It adds human trafficking, sexual battery, child exploitation or commercial sexual activity. The list of crimes already includes murder, arson, rape and embezzlement. It can now go before the full House for consideration, where two-thirds of its members must approve it before it can go to the Senate for further debate. |
| Emergency Support Urgent in Order to Help Agriculture 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." U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss) has concerns about the vast difference of opinion between Republicans and Democrats as to how the next Farm Bill should look. "My primary focus right now is to provide swift assistance to producers devastated by sky-high input costs and depressed prices this year, whether that happens through a supplemental appropriations package or as part of an improved version of a Farm Bill extension. I am operating with the intent to make sure that happens," she says. |
| Trump's Gaza plans fall flat with GOP lawmakers | |
 | Senate Republicans are panning President Trump's proposal for the United States to take over war-torn Gaza and push nearly 2 million Palestinians in the region to resettle elsewhere, with several GOP lawmakers dismissing the plan as unrealistic. Even so, some GOP lawmakers are praising Trump for coming up with "fresh ideas" to address a bloody conflict spanning decades that has defied years of American effort to broker peace. Republican senators say Trump's proposal to turn Gaza into the "Riviera of the Middle East" is gaining little traction on Capitol Hill and predict it won't go anywhere, just like his plans to acquire Greenland and seize control of the Panama Canal. "I think it's a really dumb idea to talk about having U.S. troops in Gaza. It's the last place on earth I'd send U.S. troops and I won't support it," said Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of Trump's closest Senate allies, warned that a U.S.-led attempt to remove Palestinians from Gaza would be "very problematic." Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), a staunch Trump ally, cheered the proposal. "Sounds good. You want to buy a part of it?" he quipped to a reporter when asked about Trump's goal of turning Gaza into the "Riviera of the Middle East." "I think it's a good idea." |
| Elon Musk presents a new vulnerability for Donald Trump | |
 | Democrats are starting to wake up and sketch out a plan to help them win back the working class: Turn the world's richest person into their boogeyman. They've set their sights on holding Elon Musk to account. Armed with new polling showing Musk's popularity in the toilet, key Democratic leaders are going after the top Trump adviser who is dismantling the federal government. They are attempting to subpoena him and introducing legislation to block him from receiving federal contracts while he holds a "special" role leading Trump's cost-cutting crusade. In a sign of how toxic Democrats believe Musk is, battleground Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) called Musk an "unelected, weirdo billionaire" and said he has "been getting a lot of calls over the past few days" about him. Golden is a moderate who represents Trump country. Democrats are also protesting him in Washington, making the calculation that the idea of an unelected billionaire wreaking chaos on the bureaucracy will be unpopular with voters. And they have some data fueling their efforts. New internal polling, conducted on behalf of House Majority Forward, a nonprofit aligned with House Democratic leadership, found Musk is viewed negatively among 1,000 registered voters in battleground districts. The survey isn't a one-off, either. An Economist/YouGov poll published on Wednesday also found Musk's approval rating underwater, 43 percent favorable to 49 percent unfavorable. |
| Elon Musk's Takeover Is Causing Rifts in Donald Trump's Inner Circle | |
 | Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, publicly at least, are on good terms. Yet when it comes to the staff in and around the new administration, it's a different story. Just two-and-a-half weeks into Trump's second term in office, a fissure has begun to emerge following Musk's DOGE takeover of the US government, according to a half-dozen Trump loyalist Republican aides and advisers inside and around the administration who spoke with WIRED. "I think it's more the staff who have an issue with Elon than President Trump," a Republican aide familiar with the discussions around DOGE and the administration tells WIRED. This staffer, like others, requested anonymity to relay sensitive conversations due to fears of retaliation. In the space of a couple of weeks, Elon Musk and his associates have taken control of multiple government agencies, and a cadre of young and inexperienced engineers with ties to Musk have been given access to some of the most highly sensitive federal systems through DOGE. As Musk's associates tore through the federal apparatus over the first weekend of February, a ride-or-die MAGA Republican operative who knows President Trump personally confided something to WIRED they never thought they'd find themselves saying before the past two weeks. "There could be a collision course coming here at some point," they said when asked if there's a brewing freak-out over Musk in Trumpworld. "He's getting too big for his breeches." |
| Musk's DOGE agents access sensitive personnel data, alarming security officials | |
 | Agents of billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency have gained access to highly restricted government records on millions of federal employees -- including Treasury and State Department officials in sensitive security positions -- as part of a broader effort to wrest control over the government's main personnel agency, according to four U.S. officials with knowledge of the developments. The officials, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, expressed alarm about potential breaches or abuses of such records by members of an administration whose senior-most officials, including President Donald Trump, have threatened to retaliate against federal workers accused of disloyalty. The records maintained by the Office of Personnel Management, or OPM, amount to a repository of sensitive information about employees of most federal agencies --- including addresses, demographic profiles, salary details and disciplinary histories. The moves at the OPM by members of Musk's pseudo-governmental DOGE have coincided with similar efforts to gain access to sensitive systems at other agencies, including a Treasury Department system responsible for processing trillions of dollars in U.S. government payments. "They could put a new file in someone's record, they could modify an existing record," one said. "They could delete that record out of the database. They could export all that data about people who are currently or formerly employed by the government, they could export it to some nongovernment server, or to their own PC, or to a Google Drive. Or to a foreign country." |
| The D.C. Neighborhood Bearing the Brunt of Government Job Cuts | |
 | As the Trump administration accelerates the president's pledge to shrink the size of the U.S. government, public staffers around America are steeling themselves. But perhaps no place is more abuzz than Capitol Hill, a neighborhood where one out of three working residents is on the federal payroll. Sweeping the front steps of his gray row house, Capitol Hill resident Thomas Schatz, who is also the president of Citizens Against Government Waste, sees a lot to like in some of President Trump's early moves. "I'm not downplaying anybody's concerns, but there are other jobs in this area," he said. Schatz isn't alone in that view nationwide; many say the U.S. bureaucracy could use pruning. But that is a minority view in this neighborhood, where many livelihoods are tethered to Uncle Sam. Here, mere blocks from the U.S. Capitol, the federal government is woven into a landscape where tidy brick row houses are often painted cheerful shades of red, green and blue. The modern glass-and-steel headquarters of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission overlooks the enclave, and Stanton Park, a popular gathering spot, including a playground, is owned by the National Park Service. The neighborhood is also home to the conservative Heritage Foundation, whose Project 2025 policy blueprint included calls to "dismantle the administrative state." The tension reverberating through historic Capitol Hill reflects uncertainty hanging over the Washington, D.C., metro area -- including Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland -- that is home to about 400,000 of the roughly two million civilian federal workers nationwide. |
| Trump to sign executive order forming DOJ-led task force to root out 'anti-Christian bias' | |
 | President Donald Trump said Thursday that he's forming a task force to be led by the Department of Justice to "eradicate anti-Christian bias" within the federal government and prosecute violence against Christians. Trump said he would be launching a presidential commission on religious liberty and signing an executive order putting Attorney General Pam Bondi over the initiative, which he said he was creating to confront "weaponization" and "religious persecution" of Christians in the United States. The mission of the task force will be to "immediately halt all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination in the federal government," including at the Department of Justice, the FBI, the IRS and other agencies, Trump said in a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast. "In addition, the task force will work to fully prosecute anti-Christian violence and vandalism in our society, and to move heaven and earth to defend the rights of Christians and religious believers nationwide," he said. Trump also said he's forming a White House faith office. |
| DEI ban passes Mississippi House. Senate also takes up DEI bill | |
 | A bill to ban Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DEI, from public schools and public colleges in Mississippi has passed the House, and the Mississippi Senate is slated to take up its own DEI ban legislation in the coming days. After heated debate and opposition from House Democrats, who staved off the final vote for House Bill 1193 for as long as they could, the measure passed 74 in favor and 41 against, strictly along party lines. Only one member of the chamber cast a "not voting", while four House representatives were counted as absent. Before it passed, the House Judiciary A Chairman and bill sponsor Joey Hood, R-Ackerman, faced heated opposition from House Democrats who pleaded with members not to vote for the measure. House Minority Leader Robert Johnson, D-Natchez, said the political move serves only to discriminate against minority groups in the state. The Senate is also slated to address its own DEI ban legislation, University and Colleges Chairwoman Nicole Boyd, R-Oxford, told the Clarion Ledger after the House vote. Boyd, who was present in the House chamber during the debate between Hood and House Democrats, declined to comment on HB 1193's passage. If the House version were to pass through both chambers, it would prohibit public schools or colleges from establishing or having DEI programs, prohibit the use of diversity statements in hiring, training or other materials. It would also include private schools. |
| Senate, House look to roll back DEI in Mississippi's universities | |
| A bill ensuring Mississippi's public universities do not expend taxpayer funds to "establish or maintain a diversity, equity and inclusion office" passed out of the Senate Universities and Colleges Committee on Tuesday. The bill, SB 2515, was authored by Universities and Colleges Committee Chair Senator Nicole Boyd (R), along with several Republican co-authors. State Senator Tyler McCaughn (R) noted that the bill would establish a task force comprised of appointees from several public offices to develop recommendations and present them to the Legislature for consideration. "I want to be clear, this is not to close down anything. This is not to do anything against taking universities out of the system," McCaughn described. "This is to do everything we can to make it more efficient and that those people who are going to these universities to get their degrees are coming out better than they went in there." He said the purpose of the legislation is to prohibit state institutions of higher learning and community colleges from engaging in discriminatory practices. The goal is to ensure employment, academic opportunities, and academic engagement are based solely on individual merit and qualifications, McCaughn said. The Mississippi House of Representatives discussed its own DEI bill on the floor Wednesday afternoon. While similar to the bill passed out of the Senate Universities and Colleges Committee, the legislation in the House, HB 1193, adds the K-12 public education system to the DEI restrictions as well as added definitions of sex as it applies to gender. Discussion of the bill on the floor was lengthy, with some Democratic lawmakers questioning the perceived negative effects of the measure. |
| 'This is a stupid bill': Mississippi House advances DEI ban | |
| Mississippi House Republican lawmakers advanced a bill that would shutter DEI programs in all of the state's public schools, ban certain concepts from being taught in classrooms and dictate how schools define gender. The sweeping legislation would impact all public schools from the K-12 to community colleges and universities. It threatens to withhold state funds based on "complaints" that anyone could lodge. It would empower people to sue schools accused of violating the law. And it drew impassioned opposition from House Democrats, almost all of whom are Black, in the state with the nation's highest percentage of Black residents. The state House approved House Bill 1193, sponsored by Rep. Joey Hood, R-Ackerman, in a 74-41 vote. Democrats said the bill could dissuade student-athletes from attending universities in Mississippi and chill freedom of speech. They also said the bill wouldn't eliminate favoritism in college admissions and hiring. Rep. Willie Bailey, D-Greenville, argued against the bill, saying, "The Bible could not be taught under this bill --- it talks about diversity, it talks about equity, it talks about inclusion." "This is a stupid bill," Bailey said. |
| Mississippi House passes bill banning DEI programs in public schools | |
| The Mississippi House of Representatives approved legislation Wednesday that would prohibit public educational institutions in the state from creating, promoting, or implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. House Bill 1193, authored by Rep. Joey Hood, R-Ackerman, passed in a 74-41 vote, though it did not garner the support of a single Democratic lawmaker. According to the text, the legislation will serve to bar public schools, state-accredited nonpublic schools, and public postsecondary educational institutions from "engaging in discriminatory practices." To clarify, Republican officials are looking to take measures to promote a meritocracy-based approach to hiring practices, student engagement, and academic performance while ditching a model critics of the bill argue is in place to protect marginalized people from discrimination. The legislation would forbid a prospective candidate seeking a job at a public education institution in Mississippi from having to issue a "diversity statement," or a commitment to promote values of "fairness and inclusion" when it comes to race and sex in the workplace. Diversity training would also be banned when hiring new employees or admitting pupils. |
| Carroll County remains identified as missing Ole Miss student | |
 | Remains found by deer hunters in rural Carroll County have been positively identified as Ole Miss student Jimmie "Jay" Lee, 20, who went missing in July 2022. The Oxford Police Department and the Carroll County Sheriff's Office made the announcement late Wednesday morning that DNA testing by the state crime lab confirmed what authorities already believed, based on physical evidence at the scene. "The Oxford Police Department made a commitment to finding Jay, no matter how long it took," said Oxford Police Chief Jeff McCutchen. "We are grateful to the Lee family and Jay's friends for their help and support throughout this process. We hope this confirmation brings them even a small measure of comfort." Carroll County Sheriff Clint Walker said hunters came across a body Saturday Feb. 1 but did not say where in Carroll County. Once the remains were confirmed to be human, they were sent to the state crime lab and a joint investigation was started by the sheriff's office, Oxford police and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. Timothy Herrington, 23, of Grenada has been charged with capital murder for Lee's death. A 10-day trial in December ended with a mistrial when the requested jury from Forrest County was unable to come to a unanimous decision. Moments after the mistrial, District Attorney Ben Creekmore said he "definitely" planned to retry Herrington. |
| Ole Miss issues statement after remains identified as former missing student | |
| Ole Miss issued a statement after a former student was identified after human remains were found in the woods in Carroll County. "The discovery of Jimmie 'Jay' Lee's body is a solemn moment and our thoughts are with Jay's family and loved ones. University officials have been in contact with his parents to extend condolences. We are grateful to the individuals and agencies for their efforts in this case," the director of news and media relations for the University of Mississippi said in a release. Authorities confirmed Wednesday the recovery and identification of Jimmie "Jay" Lee's remains in Carroll County. On Feb. 1, the Carroll County Sheriff's Office contacted the Oxford Police Department about human remains found in their jurisdiction. A joint investigation with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation led to the remains being sent for DNA testing. The Mississippi State Crime Lab confirmed the identity on Feb. 5. Timothy Herrington was charged in Lee's death, but in December, a judge declared a mistrial after a jury failed to reach a verdict. |
| Delta State President Reflects on 2024; Ennis Oversaw Many Changes at the University | |
| To say 2024 has been a challenging year for Dr. Daniel J. Ennis would be a major understatement. In his first full year as president of Delta State University, Ennis has overseen and initiated many changes at the Cleveland institution. Some of these have been hailed -- and others have not. However, Ennis believes all of them will, ultimately, benefit the school and the community he has come to love. "When I took this job, my eyes were wide open and I knew there were indeed challenges here at Delta State," says Ennis. "I also knew that most of those challenges were financial and that I would have to primarily focus on addressing those. I had researched the situation even before I came here but had to learn a great deal more as my work began. Once we knew where we stood, we took the steps to take us, Delta State, to a better place." Ennis says, while looking at enrollment numbers and revenue, there were too many programs with not enough students. "Because of that, I think, all programs were under-resourced in order that other programs might exist on a sort of maintenance level. I think it made sense to have fewer programs that were fully resourced than many that were under-resourced," he says. Because of this, the programs that still exist at DSU have a better chance at thriving, says Ennis. "We can redirect money, people, resources and equipment now to those programs that remain, so I believe it balances out," he said. |
| U. of Alabama launches new program for high school student leaders | |
 | This month, high school sophomores in Tuscaloosa City and County schools have the opportunity to apply for a new Leaders to Legends Program at the University of Alabama. This program is intended to empower student leaders to be changemakers in their schools and communities. Students will participate in monthly, hands-on sessions exploring Tuscaloosa's economic, social, historical and political landscape. They will also get mentorship from community leaders during character-building activities and service projects. The program was previously known as the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama's Forerunners program. Local students who are in 10th grade and will be in 11th grade during the program may apply for the Leaders to Legends program. |
| UGA's Creswell Hall set for renovations: But who is the namesake | |
 | The University of Georgia announced recently that it will spend nearly $116 million on renovations to Creswell Hall, a 9-floor high-rise dormitory that originally opened in 1963 as a residence hall for women. The renovations follow improvements made earlier to the Russell and Brumby Hall dorms, where UGA officials lauded the modern updates as beneficial to students. Creswell has 958 beds, but after renovations it will have 924 beds, according to UGA. Construction on Creswell, located on Baxter Street, is expected to begin in 2027, according to UGA. While Creswell Hall is one of the better-known dormitories on campus, the origin of its name is likely less well known today than it was in 1963 when its doors first opened to students. The building was named in honor of Mary Ethel Creswell, who in 1919 became the first woman to receive a bachelor's degree from UGA, according to historical sources at UGA. Creswell's graduation also opened the door for women that year. The next year 19 women graduated and in 1921, there were 137 women awarded with degrees, according to an article in the Oct. 29, 1943 edition of Red & Black student newspaper that reported on how women 25 years earlier had gained admission to the university. |
| World's largest student-run collegiate game jam Chillennium returns to Texas A&M campus | |
 | Chillennium challenges students from across the country to create a working video game in around 48 hours and, for 2025, will run Friday through Sunday. Known as the world's largest student run game jam, Chillennium officially closes registration Thursday and takes place at Texas A&M University's Hildebrand Equine Center in College Station. No previous knowledge about games is needed and, for a $25 registration fee, participants get five meals, a T-shirt, and the opportunity to network with professionals in the industry. Chillennium is a student-run event with assistance from the Performance, Visualization & Fine Arts department. In 2019, Chillennium broke records by having over 400 participants and, since then, hope to continue growing the event. Last year's event drew 265 students from 23 schools. Game submissions for the event can be found on itch.io, including last year's winning game "Plugged In" by Team Robot Bird of Dallas Coggins, Peter Schlenker, Christin Park and Casey Pei. The theme was "Hang In There." |
| Charge filed in connection to incident at U. of Missouri sorority house | |
 | The Boone County Prosecutor's Office filed charges Wednesday for an alleged burglary at a sorority house in Columbia. According to an email from the MU News Bureau, a man entered the Sigma Kappa house at the University of Missouri and briefly held a person there against their will. Officers arrested the man without incident. On Wednesday, Jeffrey Wheeland, 41, was charged with burglary, kidnapping and assault. The MU Police Department incident log noted a call for an incident involving burglary, kidnapping and assault at Sigma Kappa's address at 6:51 p.m. Tuesday. The probable cause statement filed by the prosecutor's office said officers responded to an incident at 6:51 p.m., though the address was redacted in the statement. A responding officer said when they got to the sorority house, witnesses said a man was in the basement armed with knives, according to court documents. The officer went to the basement and said the man was there holding multiple chef's knives. The officer demanded the man drop the knives, and he did so and was arrested, according to court documents. |
| Shock and confusion at Oklahoma State University after president resigns | |
| There was shock and confusion in Stillwater on Wednesday after news broke of Oklahoma State University's president resigning. The shockwaves of the announcement about President Kayse Shrum are being felt across campus and event at the state Capitol where Oklahoma leaders said Shrum's impact at the university will leave a lasting impact. Students and staff were shocked at the announcement, with an instructor telling KOCO 5 off-camera that they had no idea this was coming. Students told KOCO 5 that it would be difficult to replace Shrum. "What a diva. I'm like, it's depressing," said Karli Clemons, a senior at the university. "We all love Dr. Shrum," said Sam Savant, a sophomore at OSU. "I was just doing my morning Yik Yak, and I saw it," said Letcely Espino, a sophomore at the university. Students questioned why the Oklahoma State University A&M Board of Regents didn't provide a reason why Shrum was leaving as they reflected on what she brought to the university. |
| 'It's Creating Chaos': College Presidents Weigh Responses to Trump's Upheavals | |
 | Ora Pescovitz was in a hurry. The president of Oakland University, in Michigan, had spent three hours participating in a discussion on the future of higher education and had just a few minutes to get across campus before a webinar on President Donald J. Trump's plans for higher-education funding. The topic was apt. Days earlier, a wide-ranging freeze on federal funding had sent heads spinning across the sector -- and left presidents scrambling to figure out how their campuses might be affected. That was just one in a flurry of Trump's opening volley of orders that carry implications for colleges. On Thursday, the emails filling Pescovitz's inbox showed the pressures she and other leaders are under. They included pleas from students asking her to protect them from anti-trans, anti-LGBTQ, and anti-immigrant executive orders. "It's all been very confusing for people and it's creating chaos," she told The Chronicle, noting there are likely more orders and confusion on the way. To try to weather it, Pescovitz established a Strategic Response Team to respond to any future executive orders or mandates. It's not just limited to funding, but also anything affecting student success, research, teaching, community engagement, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. |
| College Presidents' Survey Finds Alarm Over Trump | |
 | Even before President Donald Trump unleashed a flurry of executive orders involving higher education, college and university presidents expressed serious concerns about his possible impact on the sector and on their own institutions. That's according to findings released today from Inside Higher Ed's forthcoming 2025 Survey of College and University Presidents with Hanover Research. More than half of presidents surveyed in December and early January -- 51 percent -- at that point believed Trump's second administration would have a somewhat or significant negative impact on the regulatory environment for higher education. Some 38 percent of respondents said they believed Trump would have a somewhat or significant positive impact on the regulatory environment, while the remainder expected his administration to have no impact. Male presidents were more likely than their female counterparts to express confidence in the Trump administration, with 42 percent of men responding that they expected an at least somewhat positive regulatory environment for the sector compared to 30 percent of women. Presidents also expressed concerns about what Trump 2.0 would mean for public perceptions of higher education's value, the climate for campus speech and the financial outlook for colleges and universities. |
| Trump is targeting antisemitism in schools. Experts fear other civil rights will be ignored | |
 | The federal office that enforces civil rights at schools across the U.S. has been ordered to prioritize complaints of antisemitism above all else as it molds to President Donald Trump's agenda, raising fears that other rights violations will go unpunished. Trump's new leader of the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights told staff this week they will be expected to aggressively pursue complaints involving antisemitism and hew closely to Trump's wishes, according to sources who were on the call with Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights. Already there are signs of a hard turn on civil rights enforcement, including new actions focused squarely on anti-Jewish bias and transgender issues. Responding to a White House order last week, the office launched new antisemitism investigations at five universities including Columbia and Northwestern. Days earlier, it opened an inquiry into Denver public schools over an all-gender bathroom that replaced a girls' bathroom while leaving another one exclusive to boys. On Wednesday, Trump ordered schools that receive federal money to ban transgender girls from participating in women's sports, promising the Education Department would investigate schools and colleges that don't comply. The office's fleet of lawyers have mostly been sidelined while the new administration shifts priorities. Daily work has been frozen, which is typical when a new president takes office, but sources say there's a new blackout on communication with schools, colleges or those submitting complaints. |
| As the DEI Crackdown Escalates, Faculty Choose Between Silence and Resistance | |
| Republicans in red states have been attacking diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education for years. But when Donald Trump retook the White House and turned the federal executive branch against DEI, blue-state academics had new cause to worry. A tenured law professor in the University of California system -- who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation and harassment -- said they read one of the executive orders that Trump quickly issued on DEI and anticipated trouble. "Seeing how ambiguous it is with respect to how they are defining diversity, equity and inclusion, and understanding that the ambiguity is purposeful, I decided to take off from my [university website] bio my own specialty in critical race theory, so that I would not be a target either of the [Trump] administration or of the people that they are empowering to harass," the professor said. The professor said they also told their university they're not interested in teaching a class called Critical Race Theory for the rest of the Trump administration. They said they faced harassment for teaching it even before Trump returned to the presidency. "A lot of law schools also have race in the law classes, we have centers that are focused on race," the professor said. "And so all of these kinds of centers and people are really, really concerned -- not just about their research, but really, again, about themselves -- what kind of individualized scrutiny are they going to get and what's going to happen to them and their jobs." |
| Plan to shutter Education Dept. 'not going to happen': Arne Duncan | |
| Former Education Secretary Arne Duncan said President Trump's plan to eliminate the Department of Education is "not going to happen," citing necessary congressional action. "First of all, (the Trump administration) cannot eliminate the Department of Education," he told "NewsNation Now," on Wednesday. "That takes an act of Congress. That's not going to happen." Duncan, however, stressed that the White House could still move to neuter the department. Trump is preparing to gut the Education Department to the full extent of his power, directing his administration to slash spending while pressuring employees to quit. Yet his promise to close the department is colliding with another reality: Most of its spending -- and its very existence -- is ordered by Congress. Duncan said the answer to America's struggles in education is more resources, not fewer. "One of the absolute joys of my job was to travel to all 50 states and visit hundreds and hundreds of schools," he said. "And I promise you, for every educational challenge we have, we have many that are being solved somewhere." |
| How U.S. progressives broke the administrative state, according to Marc J. Dunkelman | |
 | California Gov. Gavin Newsom did something revealing after his state's recent fires. He issued an executive order suspending permitting and review requirements to allow people to rebuild quickly. Newsom also directed state agencies to identify regulations that "can safely be suspended or streamlined." Which raises a question: If some building regulations "can safely be suspended," does California need them at all? Writer and progressive Marc J. Dunkelman argues that, in some cases, it does not. Dunkelman's forthcoming book, Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress -- and How to Bring It Back, argues that progressives "cultural aversion to power," has weakened the administrative state to the point of stifling the country's ability to take on big issues such as regulating corporations and expanding public works. He says that in attempting to keep checks on the establishment, governments across the country have added years to many projects by mandating extensive reviews and setting up complex permitting requirements for large infrastructure projects. And yet, Dunkelman, a fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, says hope remains, "there's nothing wrong with progressivism that can't be fixed by what's right with progressivism." |
| Mississippi farmers look to legislature to protect against litigation threat | |
| C.D. "Bubba" Simmons, a six-generation farmer and former president of the Delta Council, writes for the Magnolia Tribune: For over 100 years, my family has grown row crops on our land in Mississippi. We've been blessed to farm in a region with nutrient-rich soil and a climate that supports abundant, high quality crop growth, and we're proud to share the fruits of our labor to feed families across our state and country. Like so many Mississippians, farming is our livelihood, allowing us to live off our land and create our own American Dream -- right here in Mississippi Delta. Over the years, we've faced our share of challenges. Bad weather has led to low yields, machinery and equipment breakdowns have disrupted operations, and economic turmoil has strained our finances and business. But we've always had faith in our own hard work, community, and the officials leading our state. My fellow farmers and business owners would agree that we're fortunate to live in a state that puts the American people and businesses first. We don't have to deal with overregulation -- at least not at the state level. Lawmakers should stay that course this session and support policies that ensure regulatory clarity and the strength of our agriculture community. Sadly, some trial attorneys think they've found an opportunity to make a quick buck at the expense of farmers. They're filing a myriad of frivolous lawsuits to stop farmers from using critical crop protection tools because of inconsistencies in federal and state labeling requirements. |
SPORTS
| Bulldogs Announce $1.5 Million Gift To State Excellence Fund | |
| Mississippi State Athletics has received a generous $1.5 million gift from a family of long-time MSU Athletics supporters who reside in Starkville, Director of Athletics Zac Selmon announced Tuesday. "We are deeply grateful to this generous family for their direct support of Mississippi State Athletics," Selmon said. "This gift will create a lasting impact on our sports programs and provide vital resources for our student-athletes. This family exemplifies relentless work ethic and their passion for Mississippi State is insurmountable. Their belief in our vision and dedication to our success is truly inspiring, and we are thankful for their partnership in our pursuit to build the brightest future possible for Bulldog Athletics." This significant investment will support MSU's State Excellence Fund, advancing efforts to elevate the department and its programs while enhancing student-athlete resources and providing key athletic benefits in the increasingly competitive landscape of college athletics. Mississippi State is continuing its fundraising efforts to create immediate impact and reach new heights. To learn more or support these vital initiatives, visit StateExcellenceFund.com. |
| State Excellence Fund gifted $1.5 million as revenue sharing decision nears | |
| Just under two weeks after Mississippi State's Athletics Department received a multi-million dollar gift from an MLB agent and his spouse, another large sum of money is announced to be making its way to Starkville. Bulldog Athletics Director Zac Selmon announced that a family of longtime program supporters and Starkville residents, who chose to remain anonymous, are gifting $1.5 million to the State Excellence Fund. The State Excellence Fund serves as the athletics department's liaison for name, image, and likeness monies to be utilized to elevate sports at the university by enhancing student-athlete resources and providing benefits in the increasingly competitive landscape of college athletics. It will also serve to aid Mississippi State in the expected event that the House v. NCAA settlement is approved, causing the university to have to shell out a total of roughly $21 million to its student-athletes. "As a family with strong connections to Mississippi State, we've seen firsthand the impact Bulldog Athletics has on its athletes, students, and the community," the family said. |
| Women's Basketball: Bulldogs Return To Humphrey Coliseum To Take On Arkansas | |
| The Mississippi State Bulldogs return to Starkville to kick off a two-game homestand on Thursday, as they will take on the Arkansas Razorbacks. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 on SECN+. Mississippi State dropped their last matchup against the LSU Tigers, 81-67. Eniya Russell led the Bulldog offense with 13 points, while Destiney McPhaul and Quanirah Montague each collected 10. Madina Okot brought in 10 rebounds against the Tigers, the 11th time she had done so this season. State is 8-2 at home this season, 2-2 in conference play. The gauntlet of the SEC continues for Mississippi State, as State has played a ranked or receiving votes opponent six times in conference play, and seven times this season. Three of State's remaining six opponents are currently ranked in the top 25. Arkansas and State will match up for the 46th time in history on Thursday. The Bulldogs have won the last two games and lead the series 24-21 overall and 13-7 when played in Starkville. Izzy Higginbottom leads the Razorback offense with a conference-leading 24.3 points per game. She is first in the nation with 583 total points on the season. |
| State looks to get back on track with women's hoops homestand beginning Thursday night | |
| A couple of opportunities have slipped through Mississippi State's fingers in recent weeks, but the women's basketball team has no time to let it linger. State has four losses in the last five games in SEC play and two of those were in games against Ole Miss and Missouri where the Bulldogs had their chances for wins. Despite that, they sit at 16-7 on the year and 3-6 in the SEC as the midway point of the schedule hits and wins have to come quickly for the team to make postseason play. Two opportunities come this week for the Bulldogs as they host Arkansas on Thursday night and No. 23 Alabama on Sunday. Humphrey Coliseum has been good to the Bulldogs over the years and Sam Purcell needs it to be that way again on Thursday against the Razorbacks. More importantly, he needs his team to be back to hitting on all cylinders. "Anytime you're a coach and come off a loss, that next day you come back to work you find out a lot about your team," Purcell said. "Immediately when I came back to work, the energy was unbelievable. My team knows where each individual can step up and hold each other accountable." |
| Monumental shift: Power conferences, not NCAA, to control policing athlete compensation | |
| A committee of power conference administrators took significant steps this week toward the creation of a new entity that will govern the evolving professionalized aspects of college sports, a milestone moment in the industry's history. During a two-day summit in the nation's capital, a "transition team," charged with operationalizing concepts of the House settlement, inched closer to establishing a new structure to oversee, manage and enforce the settlement-related athlete compensation system for all of NCAA Division I. The newly created LLC, overseen by a CEO or executive director, is centered on a new enforcement arm to police violators of the industry's new salary cap and is expected to feature revenue-sharing policies and a corresponding penalty structure for violators. Multiple sources with knowledge of the meetings and issues spoke to Yahoo Sports under condition of anonymity. This new entity dovetails with a proposal introduced last month from the power conferences that grants them more autonomy and creates a new division or subdivision within the NCAA. It stands as another shift in the transformation of major college athletics as the NCAA deregulates itself and cedes more authority to the power leagues after court rulings toppled its long-standing amateurism rules. |
| Greg Sankey blasts NIL system, collectives 'struggling to pay bills for promises made' | |
| One of the most outspoken supporters of the House v. NCAA settlement, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey further called for change to the current NIL system. He specifically pointed out "promises that weren't fulfilled." During an appearance on The Paul Finebaum Show Wednesday, Sankey lamented the alleged unfulfilled NIL deals. He took aim at collectives, in particular, and reiterated his call for more transparency. But as dollars continue to flow, Sankey said he received word of some collectives having a hard time keeping pace. That, he added, is another flaw with the current system. "We need a name, image and likeness system that has a level of transparency, where there is protection for young people," Sankey said. "There [are] a lot of reports about promises made that weren't fulfilled, deals that were struck that were never authorized and problems that come. Collectives are out there, but I hear about collectives that are struggling to pay bills for promises made. That is not a healthy system. The way we're functioning can't go on." One of the most notable examples of an alleged unfulfilled deal was at UNLV this past season. Holy Cross transfer Matthew Sluka left the team after four games, preserving a redshirt, after his representation said the school verbally promised him a $100,000 NIL deal. Instead, he only received a $3,000 relocation fee, and he eventually transferred to James Madison. |
| Colorado's Deion Sanders says he 'couldn't coach pro ball' | |
| Deion Sanders stayed at Colorado after the Dallas Cowboys showed interest in him for their head coaching vacancy early last month. But the pro game is, well, too "Prime Time" even for Sanders these days, he said on his TV talk show, "We Got Time Today." Speaking with former Cowboys star quarterback Troy Aikman, Sanders reflected on the intensity of practices when the two were teammates in Dallas in the 1990s and how it compares with today's NFL. "I couldn't coach pro ball," Sanders said on his show, which streamed Tuesday. "That's why I say, I couldn't coach -- I know it was cute -- but I couldn't coach pro ball, because the way they practice, the way they go about it, I couldn't take it. As a man, and as a football enthusiast, and I care about the game. The game is still providing for Troy and I, so there is no way I could allow that to happen on my watch. That would be tough." The Cowboys last appeared in a Super Bowl in 1996, with a roster that featured Sanders, Aikman, Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith and Charles Haley. Aikman said some of Sanders' former teammates with the Cowboys were perturbed by team owner Jerry Jones not pushing for a formal interview or making Sanders an offer. Dallas instead hired offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, an in-house promotion for the longtime assistant and son of late NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer. |
| Students press their luck with illegal online gambling | |
 | A University of Mississippi junior began sports betting when he was 16. What started as a $5 wager quickly became a habit. "I had a buddy that had started getting into gambling, and he said it was fun. It literally started with one $5 bet on a sports game that we were going to, and it kind of took off from there," he said. Because sports betting is illegal in his home state, The Daily Mississippian granted the student anonymity. Over the years, he has placed bets on college football, baseball and other sports, with his biggest win reaching $800 and his largest loss at $600. For him, gambling has been more about chasing a feeling than just money. "The euphoria for winning is great. It's compared to a drug, and it's very similar to it. It just makes you hungry to bet more, but you have to be careful around that," he said. After struggling with gambling, the student said that -- by balancing his academic and career responsibilities -- he has now gained control over his habit. Mobile sports betting is illegal in Mississippi outside of casino grounds. However, HB1302 -- which would legalize mobile sports betting throughout the state -- was passed by the Mississippi House of Representatives last week and is now being considered by the Senate. |
| Coast casinos optimistic as Mississippi lawmakers push mobile sports betting bill | |
 | Online sports betting is one step closer to becoming legalized in the state after House Members overwhelmingly passed a revised version of the Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act by a vote of 88-10 on Monday. The House passed a similar bill last year but it died in the Senate. The new version allows a casino to partner with two sports gambling platforms rather than just one. Officials from at least two Coast casinos are optimistic lawmakers will pass legislation on HB 1302 championed by House Gaming Chairman, Representative Casey Eure (R-Saucier). "We are one step closer, so we're excited," said Brad Carpenter, Sportsbook Manager of Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort in D'Iberville. "We'll be like everybody else, paying close attention to what happens in the senate. If it passes, we'll be ready. And I think a lot of the guests we have will be excited, too, to be able to place the bets anywhere in the state." Golden Nugget Biloxi Vice President and General Manager Chett Harrison shared Carpenter's sentiments. "You have it in Tennessee. You have it in Louisiana. It's just a matter of time -- Alabama, Florida," Harrison told WLOX News Now. "Everyone around us is going to have the digital piece of online sports betting." Both Carpenter and Harrison say a green light could help Coast casinos keep pace in the ultra-competitive gaming industry. |
| As Super Bowl nears, UF Health expert warns sports gambling is a 'rising problem' | |
 | With Super Bowl LIX set to kick off this Sunday, many Floridians are looking forward to watching and enjoying America's biggest sporting event. Others, however, are hoping to cash in on only the second Super Bowl in which Floridians can legally bet. In 2021, Seminole Tribes launched its sports betting app, Hard Rock Bet, and began to offer sports gambling in certain casinos. A lawsuit, however, caused the app to temporarily shut down after pari-mutuel owners alleged it violated federal law. The app was quietly re-launched in November 2023. Currently, it is the only way Floridians can legally wager on sports. According to an American Gaming Association (AGA) report, as of Dec. 31, 2023, 15 Florida casinos, mostly located in South Florida cities like Miami and Hollywood, have raked in a combined $690 million in revenue. A UF Health expert said sports gambling is a rising problem in the U.S. but does not think the Super Bowl starts a trend of addictive behavior. "Growing up in New York, gamblers will tell me the Super Bowl is "amateur hour" and not where people get into problems in gambling. The sports gamblers, that have problems, are losing all their money when Vanderbilt plays at Mississippi State's basketball court or Georgia plays at Florida's baseball field or other SEC games that are going on at the same time is what gets them into debt," said Dr. Scott Teitelbaum, vice chair of UF's Department of Psychiatry. As part of his job, Teitelbaum, chief of addiction medicine, and medical director of the Florida Recovery Center, evaluates and treats patients with an addiction to sports gambling, including professional and college athletes. |
| For New Orleans, the Superdome Is More Than a Stadium | |
 | Branford Marsalis has traveled the world over, but one trip back to his hometown, New Orleans, still stands out. He was visiting from Los Angeles, where he was the bandleader on "The Tonight Show" in the early 1990s, and was invited on a local talk show that was being broadcast from the Superdome. Marsalis, now 64, knew the building well. An avid sports and music fan, he saw many Saints football and Jazz basketball games there, as well as concerts and other events. He also sold programs at Saints games. The joy of those days hit him when he walked into the stadium. "As soon as I saw the field, I got overcome with all this emotion and reflexively bought season tickets," Marsalis said. "Back when it opened, there were very few domed stadiums, and none of them looked as good as this one. It was a great place to be." Marsalis couldn't use his season tickets because he was living in California, so he gave them to his brother and bandmates. But his impulse purchase was a reminder of how the building, which turns 50 this year, and what it represents still has a hold on him and many others with connections to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. For the past half century, the Superdome has been best known as a sports venue. It is the home of the Saints, and also a host for Super Bowls, Final Fours, title bouts and other sports. But the Superdome, with its distinctive top, covers more than 13 acres and has a quarter million square feet of space that has been used for conventions, weddings, proms and hundreds of other events. The building has welcomed Mardi Gras parades, graduations, the Republican National Convention and Pope John Paul II. In the words of Doug Thornton, its longtime manager, the Superdome is "the city's living room." |
| This Mississippi Coast city is becoming a tourist hotspot for Super Bowl LIX | |
 | As New Orleans gets ready to host Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, some residents and tourists are escaping the chaos by retreating to a quaint coastal city just an hour away. Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, has been a favorite weekend getaway for decades for New Orleanians. But as the face-off between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles quickly approaches, the seaside city is becoming more crowded this week. New Orleans residents are crossing the state lines to avoid the tens of thousands of visitors flocking in. And out-of-state tourists are viewing Bay St. Louis as a cheap and peaceful overnight stay not far from the Super Bowl's host city, officials said this week. "The location is an hours-drive into the city. We got a lot of restaurants and nightlife ... It's just an opportunity for people to stay on the outside and travel back and forth," said Bay St. Louis mayor Mike Favre. After Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast city, Bay St. Louis revived itself, becoming an ever-growing entertainment hub for residents and visitors. Favre listed out its latest restaurant additions, including Barracuda Taco Stand and Tacos & Beer -- two popular eateries that have expanded from New Orleans. |
| Archie Manning calls New Orleans children's hospital naming 'our family's finest hour' | |
| Archie and Olivia Manning's tight-knit family is often referred to as the first family of American football. Now, there is the Manning Family Children's hospital in this city where the two native Mississippians have lived for the last 54 years. Seventy-year-old Children's Hospital of New Orleans Wednesday night officially took on the new name after what hospital officials called "a transformational gift" from the Mannings. At an event on the riverfront during Super Bowl week here, Archie Manning called the hospital's name change "our family's finest hour." The Manning family's investment of their time and money in children's hospitals is nothing new. Said Archie, "It kind of runs in the family." t does. A children's hospital in Indianapolis was renamed for Peyton Manning, the couple's middle of three sons, in 2007. Two years later, in Jackson, University of Mississippi Medical Center established the Eli Manning Children's Clinics at Children's of Mississippi after the Mannings' youngest son contributed and raised millions of dollars. Eli Manning also has helped raise $25 million for a children's cancer care in New Jersey. Said Archie Manning, "I told my sons that no matter what they did on the football field or elsewhere in their lives, the naming of those hospitals in Indianapolis and Mississippi were their finest hour. I feel this is our family's finest hour. Nothing else matches this." |
| America Is Abandoning DEI. The NFL Remains All-In. | |
| In 2020, as protests over racial inequities and police brutality swept across the country, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell ordered the league to embark on an all-out blitz in support of social-justice issues. "End Racism" was stenciled into the back of end zones. A song known as the Black national anthem was played before games. The league committed hundreds of millions of dollars to back equality initiatives. But five years later, as the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles prepare to square off in Sunday's Super Bowl, the NFL finds itself in a very different position. Even as the rest of America is running away from diversity efforts, America's most popular sport is digging in. Newly re-elected President Trump, who plans to attend Sunday's game, has quickly moved to unravel diversity, equity and inclusion plans in the federal government. Fortune 500 companies have taken steps to roll back their own diversity practices. Firms that haven't followed suit have faced criticism from activists and agitators. At the same time, the NFL has come under fire over accusations that its own diversity practices aren't tough enough. The league is coming off a hiring cycle that raised questions about whether policies designed to ensure a diverse pool of candidates gets considered for jobs such as head coach are actually working. In the new national reckoning over DEI, the NFL is somehow feeling the squeeze from both sides. |
| Trump signs executive order intended to bar transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports | |
| President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday intended to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls' and women's sports. The order, titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports," gives federal agencies wide latitude to ensure entities that receive federal funding abide by Title IX in alignment with the Trump administration's view, which interprets "sex" as the gender someone was assigned at birth. "With this executive order, the war on women's sports is over," Trump said at a signing ceremony in the East Room that included lawmakers and female athletes who have come out in support of a ban, including former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the order "upholds the promise of Title IX" and will require "immediate action, including enforcement actions, against schools and athletic associations" that deny women single-sex sports and single-sex locker rooms. The timing of the order coincided with National Girls and Women in Sports Day, and is the latest in a string of executive actions from the Republican president aimed at transgender people. |
| Trump Signs Executive Order Banning Trans Participation in Women's Sports | |
| President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday banning transgender women from participating in women's sports. "The war on women's sports is over," he said. "With my action this afternoon, we are putting every school receiving taxpayer dollars on notice that if you let men take over women's sports teams or invade your locker rooms, you will be investigated for violations of Title IX and risk your federal funding." The executive order, signed on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, declares that it's "the policy of the United States to oppose male competitive participation in women's sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth." Under the order, the assistant to the president for domestic policy will bring together representatives of "major athletic organizations and governing bodies, and female athletes harmed by such policies, to promote policies that are fair and safe, in the best interests of female athletes." Charlie Baker, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, told Congress recently that out of the more than 500,000 college athletes, fewer than 10 were transgender. The NCAA released a statement Wednesday that said, "The NCAA Board of Governors is reviewing the executive order and will take necessary steps to align NCAA policy in the coming days, subject to further guidance from the administration." |
| Trump Executive Order to Ban Trans Athletes Will Face Challenges | |
| President Donald Trump last week issued an executive order that warns a school could lose federal funding if it allows transgender students to play sports. It is the latest legal development concerning the sex-based eligibility of children and teenagers to play sports. The "Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling" order seeks to deter school activities that the White House says promote social transition, which the order defines as the process of adopting a gender identity different from a person's biological sex. The order lists several applicable activities, including the use of locker rooms and participating in athletic competitions. Other examples are modifying a person's name from a male to female or vice versa, such as calling "Jane" the name "James," using "him" instead of "her" and identifying the child as nonbinary. The order has spawned criticism that it promotes discrimination against transgender and nonbinary athletes. Currently, 26 states restrict or ban transgender athletes, usually by restricting athlete eligibility to play in men's or women's sports based on sex assigned at birth. The U.S House of Representatives recently passed a bill, H.R. 28, that expresses it is a violation of Title IX's prohibition against sex discrimination for a school to allow or sponsor transgender athletes to play in women's and girls' sports. U.S. Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.), the bill's sponsor, argues "an overwhelming majority of Americans believe that men don't belong in women's sports and that we must allow common sense to prevail." |
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