| Friday, March 14, 2025 |
| CyberSecure Mississippi Conference to help business owners strengthen cybersecurity | |
 | Mississippi State University is organizing an upcoming conference to help support businesses in safeguarding themselves against cyber threats. Set for March 21 at the college's campus in Starkville, the Cybersecure Mississippi Conference aims to help business owners protect their operations from cyber threats. With small business cyber-attacks increasing, the free event offers essential training, covering basic awareness, system security, and incident response. "The conference is designed for business owners who want to take control of their cybersecurity strategy," Shelly Hollis, director of MSU's Center for Cyber Education, said. Running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Thad Cochran Research Park. The event requires registration at this link. Attendees will receive a cybersecurity binder and assessment. Sponsored by the Small Business Administration and MSU's Center for Cyber Education, the event will provide critical knowledge to help safeguard businesses. |
| Homeward Bound: Helping Dogs find their Forever Homes | |
| When fans watched the Super Bowl on Feb. 9, undoubtedly many pulled for Kansas City Chiefs' and Philadelphia Eagles' players with Mississippi ties. For instance, Mississippi State Bulldogs Chris Jones -- a Kansas City defensive lineman -- and Darius Slay -- an Eagles cornerback -- stood on the Superdome sidelines with the rest of their teammates. Viewers might not have realized it, but if they happened to watch The Puppy Bowl on the Discovery channel that day instead, they probably saw two dogs with Mississippi State ties as well. Meatball, a labrador retriever and Australian shepherd mix, and Andy, a pit bull and American Staffordshire terrier mix, both played on Team Ruff. Meatball and Andy found their forever homes thanks to the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine's nonprofit Homeward Bound project. "Homeward Bound is a program that helps animals that need homes and the people who adopt them, and it is also a program that helps veterinary students develop into better veterinarians," said Nicholas Frank, dean and professor at the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine. |
| 'Loved' infant twins found in 'rare' burial in Roman cemetery in Croatia | |
| In 2016, construction on a private parking lot in Trogir, Croatia, destroyed layers of an ancient cemetery. Construction teams learned of their mistake when they discovered several stone urns, followed by 42 human burials that had not been completely damaged by the work. The site became known as the Dragulin villa cemetery, part of the Tragurium communal necropolis in the Roman city of Tragurium, researchers said in a study published March 1 in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. The cemetery dates between the first and fourth centuries B.C., according to the study, and excavations over many years allowed researchers to get a better understanding of the cemetery's occupants. One "rare" burial caught their attention -- two infants buried facing one another. "This burial was found in a portion of the community cemetery that seems to have been set aside for individuals who died very young," study author Anna Osterholtz, a researcher from Mississippi State University, told McClatchy News in an email. "It is one of very few double burials known in Croatia and in this cemetery in particular and is the only double burial of very young individuals in the cemetery," Osterholtz said. "Affection or care is always difficult to infer from the archaeological or bioarchaeological record, but placement of infants in double burials with their mothers as well as depictions of infants on mortuary monuments has been used to argue for affection and grief at the loss of a child within the Roman world," according to the study. |
| MSU urges caution due to potentially dangerous weather, moves first pitch of Friday's baseball game with Longhorns to 4 p.m. | |
 | Mississippi State University is asking students, faculty and staff to monitor weather conditions and exercise caution and good judgment in the local area and when traveling as potentially dangerous weather conditions are predicted across the state. The National Weather Service is predicting that tonight [March 14] beginning around 6 p.m. for the northern two-thirds of Mississippi, including the Starkville and Meridian campuses and several MAFES and Extension research facilities, an enhanced risk of potentially dangerous weather which could produce extreme conditions such as severe storms with damaging winds with tornadoes and large hail possible. The NWS also predicts a slight possibility of the same conditions in the northern counties in lower third of the state on Friday night [March 14]. Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MSEMA) and NWS officials predict an even greater risk of severe weather on Saturday [March 15] in which tornadoes are likely (including strong, long-track tornadoes), damaging winds in the range of 60-70 m.p.h. and large, golf-ball size hail is possible. The greatest Saturday threat is mid-morning through the afternoon. Tonight's MSU Baseball game with the University of Texas Longhorns will see the first pitch moved back two hours for a 4 p.m. start at Dudy Noble Field. |
| Big March storm system threatens US with tornadoes, blizzards and wildfire risk | |
 | A huge storm system crossing the U.S. threatens to unleash tornadoes Friday in the Mississippi Valley, blizzards in the northern Plains and dry, gusty conditions in Texas and Oklahoma that pose an extreme risk of wildfires. The National Weather Service predicted extreme weather across a vast swath of the U.S. with a population exceeding 100 million people. Powerful winds gusting up to 80 mph (130 kph) were forecast from the Canadian line to the Rio Grande border with Mexico. Forecasters say the severe storm threat will continue into the weekend, with a moderate chance of tornadoes and damaging winds pushing farther south Saturday to areas including New Orleans and Birmingham, Alabama. Heavy rain could bring flash flooding to some parts of the East Coast on Sunday. "If there's a time of the year where a storm like this can deliver these coast-to-coast impacts, we are in it," said Benjamin Reppert, a meteorologist at Penn State University. The tornado threat pushes farther south on Saturday into the Gulf Coast states, including New Orleans and other parts of eastern Louisiana and much of Mississippi and Alabama. |
| Severe weather likely this weekend | |
 | Severe storms are likely across much of the state as residents usher in the weekend. The National Weather Service in Jackson is forecasting an enhanced risk of severe weather beginning Friday afternoon, bringing with it the potential for damaging winds, hail and possible tornadoes. The risk, which diminishes heading south of Interstate 20, will last through Friday night. A second round of severe weather Saturday is expected to bring an even greater chance for storms with a moderate risk of strong tornadoes, 60-70 mph winds and golf ball size hail stretching from Gulfport to Columbus. The main chance of severe storms will be Saturday afternoon and into the evening, the National Weather Service states. Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is encouraging residents to prepare now ahead of the storms. Residents should have an emergency plan, have multiple ways to receive weather alerts and have a safe place to shelter already identified. |
| Storm systems will bring severe weather to region Friday night, Saturday | |
 | Northeast Mississippi could be hit with strong thunderstorms, tornadoes and even golf ball-size hail as a pair of storm systems roll through Friday night and throughout the day Saturday. The first round of potentially dangerous weather will begin Friday around 10 p.m. and continue until 4 a.m. "The storms that do form Friday night will be scattered but will still have the potential of all hazards -- damaging winds, tornadoes and hail," said Andy Chiuppi, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Memphis, Tennessee. After that series of storms moves through the area, there will be a gap before the next system moves through. And that gap could determine how bad things get during the day Saturday. "I'm not sure it will have a chance to reload in just a couple of hours," Chiuppi said. "The next wave could redevelop around sunrise and continue all day. Saturday will be a long day." |
| Tornadoes, damaging winds likely in Mississippi Friday and Saturday | |
 | Mississippi may see isolated severe weather on Friday with hail, damaging winds and tornadoes possible, but on Saturday the threats are more widespread, and strong tornadoes are expected. "The main threat we're really highlighting is going to be tomorrow (Saturday)," said Nicholas Fenner, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jackson. "Some of those tornadoes could be strong and long-tracked. "Typically, strong tornadoes are anything that are EF2 tornadoes or stronger. The peak for that timing is really going to be mid-afternoon into the evening." In addition to significant and possibly numerous tornadoes on Saturday, the National Weather Service warns of golf ball-sized hail and damaging winds up to 70 miles per hour. Fenner said those winds could result in downed trees and power lines along with damage to homes and other structures. Those same threats are possible on Friday, but storms producing them should be fewer than are expected on Saturday. While the entire state could experience severe weather, the highest risk area in Mississippi is from Yazoo City northeast to Tupelo and south to the coast. |
| Bird flu detected in Noxubee County chicken flock | |
 | Poultry in a broiler breeder chicken flock in Noxubee County have tested positive for avian influenza. Birds from the flock have not entered the food system, according to a Thursday press release from the Mississippi Board of Animal Health. The State Veterinarian has quarantined the premises, and birds on the property have been "depopulated" to prevent the spread of disease, as a part of a joint response between MBAH and federal animal health officials in Mississippi, the release said. "It was a four-house farm and all birds were affected," MBAH Director of Companion Animals and Communications Beth Adcock told The Dispatch in an email. "The National Poultry Improvement Plan and state regulations are already in place. During an outbreak, we have surveillance zones and increased testing frequency is required for those farms." The Noxubee flock is the third case of avian influenza in commercial poultry in Mississippi since the spring of 2023, the release said. But Adcock said the incident is not "necessarily indicative" of an increase in case frequency, since Mississippi is part of the Mississippi Flyway for migratory waterfowl, which are known to carry these kinds of viruses. |
| Businesses, hospital system coping with gas outage | |
| As a customer dropped off some shirts to be cleaned and pressed at Gilpin Dry Cleaners downtown, co-owner Larry Goddard shrugged his shoulders. "You know, I can't exactly tell you when you're going to get them back with the Atmos thing," he said. The "Atmos thing" would be the natural gas outage that has affected some 17,000 businesses and homes across Lee County, including Goddard's. Dry cleaners use gas for their equipment, but they're sitting idle until gas is restored. Goddard said all he can do is wait and hope gas is restored soon to cope with what will be a backlog of customers. He isn't alone in having to contend with the interruption of business. The Eat With Us Group of restaurants -- Sweet Peppers Deli, Super Chix, Harveys, The Grill and Bulldog Burger -- have had to either close temporarily or limit their menu offerings. On Thursday, only Super Chix was closed, while the others offered reduced menus. Sweet Peppers was less affected but had limited their offerings to dine-in only. Harveys had a more extensive menu, including steaks, fish, burger and salads, but favorite fried appetizers like the broccoli bites and cheese sticks were unavailable. |
| Dollar General stalls as its customers struggle financially | |
| If you want to know how low-income Americans are feeling, just look to Dollar General. Its CEO Todd Vasos said in the company's earnings call this week that its "core customers" -- people who earn under $40,000 annually -- are struggling even more this year. Customer traffic fell last quarter. But if you can't afford Dollar General, where do you go? Dollar General's customers are struggling and end-of-month store sales are slowing, said retail analyst Matt Todd with S&P Global. "Lower income households, who are their core customer, are running short on cash," said Todd. Plus, there's inventory loss. Something called "shrink" is high. "Elevated shrink, I think, is another sign of people struggling at the lower end of the income spectrum," said Todd. "... third-party theft is the largest component of it. People stealing things." Dollar General's CEO said customers have already cut out discretionary purchases. Now they're going without some basic necessities, too -- partly by having a more strict definition of "necessities." Pretnar said Dollar General won't want to absorb price increases from tariffs, which means price-sensitive consumers who shop there might bear a higher share of that burden this summer. |
| Consumer Sentiment Nosedives on Gyrating Economic Policies | |
 | Consumer sentiment in the U.S. sank this month, reflecting increasing unease over shape-shifting economic policies and their potential to drive inflation higher. The University of Michigan's closely watched index of consumer sentiment nosedived an additional 11% to 57.9 in mid-March from 64.7 last month, much weaker than expectations of 63.2. It marks the lowest level since 2022 and a third fall in as many months. Compared to this time last year, consumer sentiment is down 27%. A loss of confidence can be a headwind for economic growth, since consumers can delay or abandon planned purchases if they feel downbeat about their prospects. Many consumers cited the high level of uncertainty around policy and other economic factors, said Joanne Hsu, director of the survey. Inflation expectations for the year ahead jumped to 4.9% from 4.3% last month, the highest reading since late 2022, according to the survey. "Frequent gyrations in economic policies make it very difficult for consumers to plan for the future, regardless of one's policy preferences," Hsu added. |
| Senate's attempt to revive its education agenda DOA in Mississippi House | |
| House Speaker Jason White (R) says efforts in the Mississippi Senate to revive education-related legislation that previously died is "not even worthy of a discussion." Earlier this week, Senate Education Committee chairman Dennis DeBar (R) moved to suspend the rules in the chamber to amend a House bill originally aimed at clarifying provisions in the Mississippi Student Funding Formula. Yet, when the dust settled, senators had added language to require school districts to adopt a policy to restrict student cell phone use, allow retired administrators to come back and teach while also drawing from state retirement, establish financial literacy coursework, allow school boards to receive state health insurance, and more. All of these Senate-backed measures previously died in the House. Notably, legislation aimed at expanding education freedom for families and students in Mississippi that died in the Senate, such as public-to-public school transfers and the 'Tim Tebow Act,' were not among the revived measures in the Republican-majority chamber. Senator DeBar told his Senate colleagues that in talking with the House Education Chairman, Rob Roberson (R), "there may be some appetite to revive these bills." However, late Thursday evening following a Magnolia Tribune report on the Senate actions, Speaker White all but said they were dead on arrival in his chamber. |
| Critics of efforts to eliminate Mississippi's income tax say it could hurt vulnerable populations | |
 | Advocates along with city and county leaders from across the state are voicing concern about the two pieces of legislation currently being considered that would reduce or eliminate Mississippi's income tax.. House bill one aims to phase out the state income tax over a 10-year period, lower the grocery tax and increase sales and gasoline taxes. Senate bill 3095 would lower the state income tax and the grocery sales tax, while increasing the tax on fuel. Currently, about 30% of Mississippi's state revenue comes from individual income tax. Oleta Garrett Fitzgerald is the Southern regional director for the Children's Defense Fund. She says the call to legislators is part of an effort of multiple partnering organizations which they've called "The Urgency Is Now." She says people living in underserved communities in Mississippi often don't have strong tax bases. Dr. William Truly is the mayor of the city of Canton in Madison County. He says cuts to state revenue, coupled with possible decreases in federal funding, could prove disastrous for low income residents. "I ask the Mississippi Legislature to give serious consideration of how poor people, poor whites and poor black in your community are going to survive because there's no exit strategy," Truly said. "There's no salvation. There's no path." |
| Hemp THC ban bill facing challenges in Mississippi Senate | |
 | An effort to rid Mississippi of unregulated and untested intoxicating hemp products currently sold mostly in convenience store has barely passed through the Senate. On Tuesday, the Senate passed House Bill 1502, a piece of legislation that bans the sale and ownership of intoxicating hemp, which is a type of hemp with derivative forms of THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis. However, some hemp beverages with low amounts of THC would still be allowed to be sold in convenience stores or grocery stores to those who are 21 years of age or older. The bill would also designate the Mississippi State Department of Health to regulate traditional consumable hemp products, commonly known as CBD, in Mississippi. Sen. Kavin Blackwell, R-Southaven, who has spearheaded hemp reform, told the Clarion Ledger the bill is likely now headed to conference and then back to both the House and Senate for a final round of voting. |
| Mississippi Legislature again fails to replace statues of white supremacists in U.S. Capitol | |
| When representatives of Alcorn State University, one of the oldest historically Black colleges in the state, came to the Capitol recently to recognize Hiram Revels' importance in Mississippi history, members of the House of Representatives offered a round of applause during the presentation. The special recognition came after the majority-GOP House unanimously passed a resolution honoring Revels, a Natchez resident, the first president of Alcorn State and the first Black person to sit as a member of Congress in Washington. "In 1868, Revels became a delegate to the Mississippi State Republican Convention where he played a pivotal role in advocating for the rights of freedmen and ensuring their participation in the political process," Democratic Rep. Gregory Hollaway of Hazelhurst said in his remarks about the groundbreaking figure. But legislation pending in that same chamber could honor Revels more prominently. Yet, House leadership has declined to advance it out of a committee and will likely let it die, as they have for the past several years. Mississippi remains an outlier for its statues, even among other Southern states. The Magnolia State is currently the only state in the nation to honor two Confederate leaders in the National Statuary Hall Collection. |
| 'Notice to Proceed' issued for elevated bridge over Lakeland | |
| The Mississippi Transportation Commission gave the go-ahead earlier this year for work to begin on a one-of-a-kind, elevated pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly bridge that would provide a safe way to cross Lakeland Drive and mark the LeFleur Museum District. If everything goes according to plans, the bridge would be completed by July 4, 2026. "We're making America's 250th birthday our deadline," said Susan Garrard, president and CEO of the Mississippi Children's Museum and board chair of the Great City Mississippi Foundation, which was a catalyst for securing the federal funds. "The commission issued a Notice to Proceed in mid-January." A Notice to Proceed authorizes work on a project as outlined by a contract. The Mississippi Department of Transportation is overseeing the bridge project and Neel-Schaffer is the engineer, also known as the bridge master, for the project. "We're inspired by other cities, especially the investments made in northwest Arkansas to bring outdoor recreations and parks to the forefront as part of their efforts to keep and attract young people," she said. |
| Haley Barbour Wants Trump to Restructure, Not Abolish, the U.S. Department of Education | |
| Former Gov. Haley Barbour, a Republican from Yazoo City, Miss., says he no longer supports dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. He explained during a Mississippi State University Stennis Institute Press Forum on March 10 that he would prefer cuts to the federal department that decrease bureaucracy and allow state education departments to take more control over how each state handles education. When this reporter asked if he still believed in abolishing the federal education department as he called for when he was the chairman of the Republican National Committee in his 1996 book, "Agenda for America: A Republican Director for the Future," Barbour said, "not really." Barbour said on Monday that he did not think Trump's administration would abolish the department. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Education announced it was eliminating almost 50% of its workforce, starting that evening with hundreds of layoffs. On Tuesday night, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon told Fox News host Laura Ingraham that eliminating the department is President Trump's goal. "His directive to me, clearly, is to shut down the Department of Education, which we know we'll have to work with Congress, you know, to get that accomplished," she said. |
| South Mississippi letter carriers warn of delays and disruptions if Trump reshapes Postal Service | |
| The suggestion by President Trump to privatize or reshape the U.S. Postal Service is facing growing concern among letter carriers in South Mississippi, who say doing so would delay or stop mail from reaching the region's most rural areas. Trump told reporters last month he was considering shifting the Postal Service under control of the Commerce Department. He also suggested last year the Postal Service could be privatized. The White House said last month it has no immediate plans to change the Postal Service, which has been independent for decades. Dozens of unionized letter carriers who gathered Wednesday at a rally at the Biloxi Town Green said they believe the plan would be illegal without approval from Congress. Privatizing the Postal Service or shifting its work to contractors, they said, could slow mail delivery in the region's smaller cities or stop it entirely in rural areas. Private companies motivated by profits have little incentive to make daily deliveries in lightly populated places, said Steve Lassan, who leads the National Association of Letter Carriers's Region 8, which includes Mississippi. |
| Farmers sue Trump administration over halted IRA grants | |
 | Farmers and environmental groups are suing the Trump administration over its decision to pause grants that are part of the Democrats' climate, tax and health care law. They are challenging the freezing of grants including those that are part of a $300 million program to help farmers install renewable energy or energy efficiency upgrades. The lawsuit says the farmers have already made purchases and entered into contracts with installers related to the program -- money they won't be able to get back. Two of the plaintiffs, Butterbee Farm and One Acre Farm, have fully finished solar projects and now will have to pay tens of thousands of dollars that had previously been promised by the government, according to their suit. "Such a substantial, unexpected financial burden could put Plaintiffs' farms' financial futures at risk," the suit said. In January, the White House directed federal agencies to pause funds coming from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) -- legislation that provided billions of dollars in subsidies for climate friendly projects. |
| Senate Democrats relent on six-month stopgap funding bill | |
 | Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer said Thursday that he'll vote to advance a House-passed stopgap funding measure needed by Friday night to avert a partial government shutdown, likely providing cover for other Democrats still on the fence. The comments from Schumer represent an about-face one day after he declared opposition to the full-year continuing resolution. He had instead demanded a vote on a one-month funding extension that would provide time to finish the detailed fiscal 2025 appropriations bills. In a floor speech Thursday night after several days of closed-door caucus meetings where Democrats aired their views, Schumer said he came around to the fact that a shutdown would be worse than passing Republicans' CR. "I believe it is my job to make the best choice for the country, to minimize the harms to the American people," Schumer, D-N.Y., said. "Therefore I will vote to keep the government open and not shut it down." He said Republicans' "outright rejection" of Democrats' short-term alternative left him little choice. |
| Democrats Implore Schumer to Reverse Course as Vote on Funding Bill Nears | |
| The Senate headed toward a vote Friday clearing Republicans' measure to fund the government through September, as heartsick Democrats implored Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) to reconsider his decision to yield to Republicans on the eve of a government shutdown. The Democratic leader on Thursday said he would vote to avoid a shutdown, capitulating to Republicans and political reality after his party mounted a last-ditch effort to use it as leverage to salvage talks on a bipartisan spending bill. Senate Democrats by the dozens have parted ways with their leader, but Republicans will need only eight Democrats to advance the $1.7 trillion funding measure past the chamber's 60-vote filibuster threshold. Schumer said privately Republicans had enough votes, though growing Democratic rumblings in the Senate added last-minute uncertainty. The Senate is set to vote starting midafternoon. "A shutdown gives Trump and his minions keys to the city and the country, and I thought that had to be avoided," Schumer told reporters on Thursday night, cautioning that a shutdown would enable Elon Musk and other government spending-cutters to speed up their restructuring of the federal government. "If we go into a shutdown, and I told my caucus this, there's no off-ramp," Schumer said. |
| As Congress Weighs a Spending Bill, Earmarks Are a Casualty | |
 | A museum in Connecticut was planning to build out its planetarium and observatory. Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee and Texas were set to expand their mentorship programs. A college in Georgia wanted to turn part of its library into a business incubator, and at least two dozen airports across the United States were on track to renovate their terminals and runways. Those projects and scores of others that had been in line to receive federal funding this year saw that money evaporate this week when Republicans rallied around a stopgap government funding extension to avert a shutdown at midnight tonight. The measure, which passed the House on Tuesday and awaits a vote in the Senate, largely keeps government spending at current levels. That means it doesn't include earmarks requested by members of Congress for individual projects in their districts and states. Taken together, the projects totaled about $13 billion, according to congressional aides, a drop in the bucket when it comes to federal spending. Their omission is yet another way in which Congress has given up its power of the purse -- in this case, its members' ability to direct federal money to projects that help their constituents -- at the start of President Trump's second term. |
| Judges threatened with impeachment, bombs for ruling against Trump agenda | |
 | Federal judges who have ruled against the Trump administration this year are confronting a wave of threats, potentially compromising their personal safety and the independence of the judiciary. The sister of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett received a bomb threat earlier this month, and lower court judges who hit pause on some of President Trump's efforts to dismantle federal agencies and programs have been singled out on social media. Republican lawmakers close to the president even have proposed impeachment proceedings against a few of those judges, who serve for life. Elon Musk, who oversees the Department of Government Efficiency making cuts to federal agencies, himself has repeatedly posted on social media about impeaching judges who delay or block parts of Trump's agenda. Efforts to undermine the judiciary come at the same time the Trump administration has moved to fire lawyers inside the Justice Department and the Pentagon, penalize private law firms who represented clients Trump does not like, and to back away from participation in the activities of the American Bar Association. One thing stands out to legal experts: these attacks on judges are coming at a very early stage in the legal process -- often, before the Supreme Court weighs in as the final decider. |
| Trump asks Supreme Court to curb judges' power to block policies nationwide | |
 | President Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to eliminate a key tool that lower courts have used to block various aspects of his agenda. In an emergency appeal Thursday, Trump asked the justices to rein in or shelve three nationwide injunctions lower-court judges have issued against his bid to end birthright citizenship. But his request could have repercussions far beyond the debate over the controversial citizenship plan. Judges have used nationwide injunctions to hobble many of Trump's early moves, from his bid to end "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion" programs to his cuts to federal medical research. But Trump's acting solicitor general, Sarah Harris, argued to the Supreme Court that federal district judges have no authority to issue sweeping orders that block policies nationwide. Instead, Harris suggested, an injunction should apply only in the geographic district where the judge is located -- or only to the specific individuals or groups that sued. In addition to taking aim at nationwide injunctions, the Trump administration's appeal to the Supreme Court seeks to weaken the ability of states to file lawsuits against federal policies. States with Democratic attorneys general have brought a flurry of such lawsuits in the past two months, challenging Trump actions on issues ranging from transgender rights to safeguards on sensitive federal government data to reimbursement rates for federal grants. |
| East Central Community College to highlight journey of publishing children's books | |
| East Central Community College is excited to announce an upcoming forum entitled "Watson Goes to Print: The Journey of Publishing a Children's Book." This special event, which is free and open to the public, will be held on Monday, March 17, at 3 p.m. in Huff Auditorium on the ECCC campus in Decatur. The forum will be led by Dekota Cheatham, a biology and nutrition instructor at ECCC and an alumna of the college. Cheatham will share insights into the journey she and her close friend, Krissy Long, took to publish four children's books. Attendees will hear about the challenges they faced, how they overcame them and gain valuable advice for aspiring authors, illustrators and other creative individuals who are interested in bringing their own stories to life. This informative discussion will delve into the intricacies of the publishing world, from conceptualizing a story to navigating the editorial and printing processes. Cheatham will discuss key lessons learned along the way, including the importance of perseverance, the role of collaboration in creative projects and the business aspects of book publishing. Attendees will also have an opportunity to ask questions and participate in a dialogue about the creative and technical elements of bringing a book to market. |
| Alabama, Auburn University among the most expensive tuition for in-state students | |
 | The most expensive public college for in-state students is also one of the largest in the state. Auburn University is the most expensive public four-year university for in-state undergraduate students, AL.com found. It's also considered to be the best school in the state by some metrics. Rounding out the top five most expensive schools are University of Montevallo, University of West Alabama, University of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. These rates are based on the estimated cost of attendance for two semesters provided at each university's website. The tuition rates are based on full-time enrollment as an undergraduate during the 2024-25 school year and may not include fees. Rates for graduate, doctoral and international students are calculated separately. |
| The excellence and significance of the Auburn Honors College | |
| Auburn University's core principles of instruction, research and extension have long been defining characteristics of one of the most prestigious universities in the southeast. The high standards and expectations of the university shine especially bright from the Auburn Honors College, where high-achieving students can elevate their education to new heights and can gain valuable experiences along the way. The Auburn Honors College was first established in 1979, with only 15 students in the program during its first year. Since then, the program has grown to having over 2,000 enrolled across nearly all fields of study at Auburn. This past summer, Auburn's Honors College was ranked 39th out of the top 50 honors programs in the nation, as well as the only institution in Alabama included in the top 50, according to College Transitions. In recent years, the Honors College at Auburn has undergone many significant changes. This past fall, the program welcomed a new director, Laura Stevens, an English professor who previously worked as a director at the University of Tulsa's undergraduate research. More recently, Honors Congress, the official student organization of the Honors College, underwent a structural reorganization in order to broaden the opportunities for Honors students to get involved in various interests and services throughout the university at large. |
| Charlie Kirk's visit proves conservatism is loud and proud at the U. of Tennessee | |
 | If there's strength in numbers, the state of the conservative movement at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville is strong. MAGA leader Charlie Kirk's visit to Knoxville on March 13 was a celebration for college conservatives asserting their influence at UT and campuses across the country. Students who showed up to hear Kirk told Knox News they once felt ostracized for their beliefs, even in decidedly Republican Tennessee. "I feel like conservatives feel like they can voice their opinions now more than ever just because of the real red wave that happened in the election," UT student Ella Williams, a freshman from Memphis, told Knox News. The University of Tennessee Humanities amphitheater served as an arena for thousands of students to cheer on Kirk, especially as he took on challengers as part of a public debate he incorporates into all his campus appearances. Students lined the benches to hear Kirk speak and debate. Dozens of students who disagreed with him took the bait. They walked away with varying levels of satisfaction. |
| Bee vaccine, citizen projects and other ways UGA researchers are helping bees, insects, more | |
 | They're creepy, and they're kooky. Mysterious and spooky. Some might even say they're all together ooky. But instead of being beloved and quirky like the Addams Family, bugs are decidedly less welcome in our homes. While bees and butterflies often feel the public's love, less conventionally attractive creepy-crawlies like cicadas and Joro spiders are left out in the cold -- or, worse, squished. "I think insect conservation is one of the most overlooked areas of conservation biology," says William Snyder, a professor of entomology in UGA's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES). "They're not huggable; not many species of insects are charismatic. But insects support so many ecosystems." Why should you care? They pollinate our fruits and veggies, help decompose organic waste that would otherwise pile up, serve as an integral food source for other creatures big and small, and so much more. |
| Arkansas Access Act higher education bills clear respective chambers | |
| The higher-education reforming Arkansas ACCESS Act bills were passed after a debate on the Arkansas House and Senate floor on Thursday afternoon. Identical bills were filed in each chamber. The bills will now be sent to the other chamber for a vote with their passage. Filing identical bills is not typical, but it is done on occasions when a bill's sponsors feel it is important. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the legislation on Feb. 14. She said the act focuses on what she describes as acceleration, common sense, cost, eligibility, scholarships, and standardization in the higher education system, giving the act its name. "After months of work with stakeholders around the state, I'm proud to announce Arkansas ACCESS, a targeted overhaul of our higher education system that will help every Arkansan get the education they need and prepare for the in-demand careers of the future," Sanders said in introducing the legislation. The legislation includes provisions for accelerated learning in every public high school, where students can access college-level and technical coursework. The term "advanced placement" would be struck from Arkansas regulations. |
| 'Sins of the past' do not budge Republican Senate from voting to end DEI in higher ed | |
| The Kentucky Senate has approved a Republican-backed bill that aims to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at Kentucky's public universities and colleges. Senators voted 32-6 largely on party lines in favor of House Bill 4 Wednesday afternoon. Sen. Robin Webb, of Grayson, was the lone Democrat to join Republicans in supporting the measure. For more than an hour, Democrats tried to show their Republican counterparts how prohibiting DEI programs and discussions could harm college students who are members of minority groups, including people of color and LGBTQ+ persons. Senate Democratic Floor Leader Gerald Neal, of Louisville, said historically not everyone has had the same "level of playing field" before discussing slavery in America, which was followed by Reconstruction in the South, Jim Crow laws and legal segregation. Neal is one of four Black senators in the chamber. With the Senate's passage of the bill, it's protected from a likely veto from Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who has repeatedly defended DEI policies. Republicans hold a supermajority in both chambers, meaning they can easily override Beshear's vetoes. |
| These Gators get up and go! 7 a.m. Club teaches discipline, time management and more | |
 | Gators, get up. Before most University of Florida students even hit snooze, members of The 7 a.m. Club are already at work. They're gathering at Heavener Commons to read The Wall Street Journal, set daily goals and tackle assignments before the rest of campus wakes up. For them, the sound of their alarm isn't just a wake-up call -- it's a daily commitment to discipline, consistency and self-improvement. Founded by UF senior Rosario (Rosie) Buitrago, The 7 a.m. Club traces its roots back to a concept developed by UF finance professor Maxim Dolinsky, who previously ran a similar initiative at Central Michigan University called the Wall Street Journal Club. At UF, the club began informally when a small group of students, including Buitrago, started gathering early in Heavener Commons to work and discuss current events. Without any official name or structure, they simply showed up every morning, without fail, at 7 a.m., motivated by a shared desire for self-improvement. Now an official part of the Finance Professional Development (FPD) program, the club has seen a surge in popularity, growing from just four members last year to nearly 30 regular attendees. |
| Vanderbilt cancer-fighting treatment is like 'sci-fi,' grateful dad says | |
 | Kyle Stephens grew fatigued. He began suffering stomach pains and night sweats during the Christmas season in 2021. The 43-year-old father of three went to see his doctor, who initially wasn't sure what was happening and ordered biopsies. During a follow-up visit in June 2022, doctors finally had the diagnosis. The Old Hickory resident had non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, with the common subset known as diffuse large B cell. It was Stage 4, having spread through his stomach, into his spleen and above and below his diaphragm. He credits his supportive wife and extended family with helping him endure several rounds of chemotherapy. By November, he was in remission and mentally put cancer "in the rearview mirror." He and his wife were planning her 30th birthday trip to France when scans in January and March 2024 showed that the cancer had returned. Oncologist Dr. Olalekan Oluwole, with the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, suggested a new treatment that Stephens thought sounded like something out of a science-fiction movie. Blood is removed from the patient and cycled through a machine that separates the T-cells, a type of white blood cell, which are then harvested and reengineered in a laboratory before being infused back into the patient's body. It's called CAR-T immunotherapy, short for chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, and its revolutionizing oncology across the nation. |
| Texas bill would increase oversight of universities' hiring, curriculum and compliance | |
| State lawmakers introduced on Thursday sweeping legislation that would create a new office to police higher education institutions, currently under fire by conservatives who claim they are not complying with a statewide ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The bill also proposes giving universities' governing boards more power to hire administrators and oversee curricula. The boards have traditionally allowed the institutions they oversee to manage some of those affairs in the spirit of respecting their academic independence. Senate Bill 37 would create an Office of Excellence in Higher Education within the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The new office, led by a governor appointee, would be responsible for investigating claims that universities and colleges have broken state laws or their own policies. Universities and colleges would be required to respond to the office's requests for information within 30 days. The new office would forward its findings to the Attorney General's Office and the university's board of regents, make recommendations based on the investigation, share its findings with state leaders and publicize them. |
| U. of Missouri Faculty Council considers campus-wide sports betting ban | |
 | The University of Missouri Faculty Council is exploring a potential campus-wide ban on sports betting as the state prepares to implement legal sports wagering later this year. NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative Pamela Bruzina presented policy considerations March 13 that could mirror Purdue University's ban on sports betting for all faculty, staff and students. Missouri voters narrowly approved Amendment 2 in November, legalizing sports betting with a 50.1% majority. The amendment specifically prohibits player proposition bets based on individual performance in games involving Missouri collegiate teams. "The policy is still a work in progress," Bruzina said. The Missouri Gaming Commission expects full implementation by Aug. 30, just before the NFL season begins. Recent NCAA surveys revealed 60% of 18-22-year-olds have engaged in sports betting, with 67% of students living on campus identified as sports bettors. NCAA sports betting-related cases doubled between 2023 and 2024, from 50 to 100 cases. Faculty Council members appeared supportive of extending gambling restrictions beyond the current prohibition in university housing. |
| College Applications Rise, Especially From Minority Students | |
 | The number of students applying to college rose 4 percent this admission cycle, and applicants submitted 6 percent more applications over all, according to a new report from the Common App. The increase was fueled by an especially large spike in the number of underrepresented minority applicants, which rose by 12 percent compared to non-URM applicants' 2 percent increase. In addition, applicants from families below the median income level rose 8 percent, compared to 3 percent from above the median. The increase could reflect the Common App's addition of more community colleges and open-access institutions to its platform, expanding to include more institutions that primarily serve low-income students. One striking finding in the report: Domestic applicant growth exceeded that of international students for the first time since 2019. Domestic applicants increased by 5 percent while the number of international applicants declined by 1 percent. In addition, the number of applicants submitting test scores in 2024–25 grew by 11 percent, outpacing nonreporters for the first time since 2021. |
| Diversity Officers, Under Siege, Dig Their Heels In | |
 | "They're trying to make you afraid of fighting." Hill Harper, the actor, entrepreneur, and social-justice advocate, paused from his pacing to wipe his brow and lock eyes with members of the capacity crowd of around 1,000 college diversity, equity, and inclusion officers. The critics trying to shut down their work are following a playbook, Harper said during last week's opening session of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education's annual conference. It's time for those in the trenches to fight back, he said. "If you stay in your head and not in your heart, you'll talk yourself out of this work." If anyone needed a wake-up message on this chilly morning in Chicago, Harper's rapid-fire speech, punctuated by cheers and snaps from the audience, delivered the equivalent of a double shot of espresso. Diversity officers who were hired and celebrated just a few years ago by colleges eager to show their commitment to equity and inclusion are now having to justify their existence. Jobs are being slashed, departments eliminated, student-support programs axed, and diversity work redefined. Amid this background, more than 1,000 people attended the annual meeting of the diversity officers' association, roughly equaling last year's record-setting attendance. |
| Student loans: Some repayment plans have been suspended under Trump | |
| The Trump administration's recent changes to student loans are causing frustration and confusion for some borrowers. In response to a February court ruling that blocked some Biden-era programs, the Education Department has taken down online and paper applications for income-driven repayment plans. "This especially hurts anyone who's lost their jobs, including federal workers," said Natalia Abrams, founder and president of the Student Debt Crisis Center. "A few months ago, they would have been able to get on a zero-dollar income-driven repayment plan." The removal of application materials also has caused confusion around the recertification process for borrowers already enrolled in repayment plans, experts say. Income-driven repayment plans take a borrower's finances and family size into account when calculating monthly payments, but borrowers must periodically demonstrate they still qualify. Adding to the uncertainty are layoffs at the Education Department, which oversees the federal loan system. The federal website for student loans and financial aid, StudentAid.gov, suffered an hours-long outage Wednesday, but the department has said it will continue to deliver on its commitments. |
| Universities Scramble to Avoid Being Trump's Next Target | |
| Ohio University suspended next month's Black alumni reunion. The University of Massachusetts revoked admission offers to biomedical graduate students. And new hiring freezes are stalling universities nationwide, from Stanford to Cornell and Harvard. After initial cosmetic steps like renaming DEI offices and scrubbing website language, schools now are making deeper, tangible changes in response to government spending cuts and President Trump's campaign against elite universities. Schools are nixing events and rejecting previously accepted graduate students as federal funding hangs in the balance and anything perceived as "woke" becomes a no-go. Universities are closely watching the example Trump is making of Columbia University. Last week, his administration canceled roughly $400 million in federal grants and contracts to the school over antisemitism allegations. Over the weekend, Homeland Security agents arrested a Columbia student protester. The Justice Department recently said a task force will visit 10 universities, including Northwestern, Harvard and UCLA, to "bring the full force of the federal government to bear" on its bid to eradicate campus antisemitism. Meanwhile, the Education Department sent similar warning letters to 60 universities. |
| College jobs: Some hiring freezes as Education Department, NIH, NSF funds threatened | |
| Universities across the U.S. have announced hiring freezes, citing new financial uncertainty as the Trump administration threatens a range of cuts to federal contracts and research grants. Some have announced layoffs. Johns Hopkins University said Thursday it is eliminating more than 2,200 workers because of a loss of funding from USAID. Some employees are in Baltimore but most work in 44 other countries in support of the university's Bloomberg School of Public Health, its medical school and an affiliated nonprofit organization. Recently, President Donald Trump has shown appetite for targeting colleges' funding more directly. His administration has vowed to take federal money from colleges that defy his agenda on issues including diversity, equity and inclusion programs, transgender athletes' participation in women's sports, and student protests that he deems "illegal." Higher education has been a steady job generator since the pandemic, with private colleges and universities adding 35,000 jobs nationwide last year. Hiring freezes and cuts at universities could contribute to slower job growth in the months ahead, advocates for workers say. Colleges had been bracing for head winds under the new administration, including the possibility of a big hike in the tax on university endowments. But the new administration has taken several steps that have heightened uncertainty. |
| More Colleges Freeze Hiring Amid Federal Funding Uncertainty | |
| As the higher education sector grapples with federal funding cuts and other disruptions, a growing number of colleges across the country -- from public flagships to Ivy League institutions -- are freezing hiring and spending and pausing graduate student admissions. This week, Brown University, Duke University, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Washington and others joined the list of more than a dozen colleges that have temporarily paused hiring and vowed to hold off on some discretionary spending. "It is meant to preserve our financial flexibility until we better understand how changes in federal policy will take shape and can assess the scale of their impact," Harvard president Alan Garber wrote this week in a message to the campus community. "We plan to leave the pause in effect for the current semester but will revisit that decision as circumstances warrant." Beyond hiring freezes, some colleges continue to re-evaluate graduate student admissions, particularly for Ph.D. students who are typically supported by federal grants. As the list grows, academics worry about the long-term consequences of the cost-cutting measures. The hiring freezes and disruptions to graduate student admissions have thrown a wrench into the plans of early-career researchers, who are now looking to Europe and the private sector for job opportunities. |
| How Wall Street and Business Got Trump Wrong | |
| The day after last fall's election, the stock market soared. And why wouldn't it? Investors assumed Donald Trump's second term would be like his first, giving priority to tax cuts, deregulation and economic growth. Tariffs would come later, after lengthy deliberations. Trump would treat the stock market as his real-time report card. His advisers reinforced that impression. A few days after Election Day Scott Bessent, now Treasury secretary, hailed the "markets' unambiguous embrace of the Trump 2.0 economic vision," in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. Trump, he wrote, would "ensure that trade is free and fair." We now know that business, investors and many of the incoming president's own advisers misread him. His priorities weren't theirs. In recent weeks, he has brushed aside a stock-market correction and warnings of inflation and weaker growth in pursuit of one goal: tariffs high enough to divert production of imported goods to domestic factories, shattering supply chains built up over decades. ... Trump's arbitrary and personalized policymaking is at odds with the predictability that businesses crave. Trump could tamp down the anxiety by laying out a coherent agenda (as some advisers have attempted) and a process for implementing it, such as asking Congress to write new tariffs into law, as the Constitution stipulates. But that isn't his nature. He sees the discretionary power to impose and remove tariffs and other measures as essential to dealmaking. |
SPORTS
| Baseball: Dawgs Open SEC Play Hosting No. 11 Texas | |
| Two of college baseball's most storied programs will clash on the Opening Weekend of Southeastern Conference play as Mississippi State hosts 11th-ranked Texas. The two teams last met in the semifinals of the 2021 College World Series with the Diamond Dawgs defeating the Longhorns 4-3 en route to earning State's first national championship. Texas is set to play in its first SEC baseball game on Friday. With severe weather forecast for the Golden Triangle and much of the Southeast, stay tuned to @HailStateBB on social media for official announcements regarding the weekend schedule. Pico Kohn is slated to make his fifth-straight Friday start for MSU. MSU holds a 7-6 edge in the all-time series against the Longhorns, a series that dates back to 1922. |
| Bulldogs riding six-game winning streak into SEC opener with Texas | |
| Mississippi State improved to 13-4 on the baseball diamond on Wednesday, defeating Nicholls, 2-1, at the Hancock Whitney Classic in Biloxi. The Bulldogs went 2-0 on the Coast with the Wednesday win and their 9-4 victory against Old Dominion on Tuesday. The Bulldogs are riding a six-game winning streak into SEC play this weekend. The run began with a dominant 18-3 win over No. 22 Southern Miss last week, which seemed to wake up the bats. They've scored nine or more runs in four of the six games, and despite the close call against Nicholls, the team is feeling better about where they're headed, thanks to their hot form at the plate. The Bulldogs aren't the only team on a winning streak, though. Their next opponents, No. 11 Texas (14-1) come to Starkville red-hot. They have won 14 straight and average nearly eight runs per game. Their only loss came in a 4-3 extra-inning defeat to Louisville in their first game of the season. They responded by beating Ole Miss 10-0 and No. 17 Oklahoma State 14-8. The Longhorns batting .310 as a team, led by Ethan Mendoza, who has an average of .423 with four home runs and 14 RBIs. The series this weekend will be the first meeting between the two programs since the Bulldogs' 4-3 victory in the 2021 College World Series on the way to winning the national championship. That's the level both programs aspire to as the Bulldogs officially welcome the Longhorns into the SEC. |
| From 'Mayor' to Majors? That's Mangum's hope for 2025 | |
| Jake Mangum grew up about two hours outside of Starkville, Miss. When he was in high school, he'd make frequent trips there to see his cousin at Mississippi State University. He got to know people. Some might say he got to know everybody. Soon enough, everybody got to know him. Mangum became so widely recognized around campus and so popular that, as a freshman, his upperclassmen teammates dubbed him "The Mayor of Starkville." "And it just kind of stuck," Mangum said, smiling. As a kid, Mangum's goal was simply to be a starting outfielder in the SEC. When he accomplished that as a freshman at Mississippi State, he aimed higher. He set out to make it to the Majors. After being added to the Rays' 40-man roster in November, following his third straight season at Triple-A, Mangum will likely start the season one call away from achieving that goal. But he's past the point of putting undue pressure on himself. "When my name is called to go into a game, I'm gonna do it to the best of my ability and give you everything I've got. Everything after that's out of my control," Mangum said. "Do I hope I'm a big leaguer tomorrow? Absolutely. That's been something I've grinded for for a long time." How did Mangum get here, as a living legend in Starkville and a 29-year-old prospect awaiting his chance in Rays camp? |
| Softball: No. 19 Bulldogs Begin Lengthy Road Stretch At No. 25 Alabama | |
| No. 19 Mississippi State will travel to Tuscaloosa this weekend to meet No. 25 Alabama in its first true road games of the year. The schedule has been altered due to severe weather in the forecast on Saturday, and the teams will now play a doubleheader on Friday with the finale remaining on Sunday. This weekend will mark the first time in series history that Mississippi State is ranked higher than the Crimson Tide when the two teams meet. It is also the first time that State has visited Tuscaloosa while ranked in the polls. The Bulldogs will travel to Tuscaloosa on Friday and return home following the doubleheader. They will return on Sunday. This weekend marks the first of four straight road trips, totaling eight consecutive true road contests, which will be MSU's longest true-road stretch since 2014. The Crimson Tide ended its pre-conference slate with a 20-7 record. The Bulldogs will return to the state of Alabama next week to play at UAB on March 19. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. CT on ESPN+. MSU won the first meeting of the year, 11-1, in five innings on Feb. 26. From there, State will stay in Birmingham before flying to Chicago to face Northwestern in a three-game series. |
| Men's Tennis: No. 16 Bulldogs Pick Up Dominant Ranked Road Win | |
| 16th-ranked Mississippi State picked up a ranked road win defeating No. 48 Vanderbilt, 6-1, on Thursday at Brownlee O. Currey Tennis Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The Bulldogs lost their first doubles match of the day, but Dusan Milanovic and Michal Novansky quickly responded picking up a 6-3 victory. No. 4 Petar Jovanonic and Benito Sanchez Martinez clinched the doubles point for the Maroon and White defeating Vanderbilt's 28th-ranked duo of Nathan Cox and Michael Ross 7-6(2). State won three-consecutive singles matches to clinch the match courtesy of wins from No. 125 Niccolo Baroni, No. 72 Benito Sanchez Martinez and No. 92 Mario Martinez Serrano. Michal Novansky and Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes would both tack on singles victories of their own to end the day. The victory over No. 48 Vanderbilt marks Mississippi State's third ranked win of the year. No. 16 Mississippi State will travel to take on No. 30 Georgia on Saturday at 12 p.m. |
| Men's Basketball: The Final Horn: No. 21 Missouri 85, State 73 | |
| Mississippi State and No. 21 Missouri had a nip-and-tuck battle on Thursday night in the second round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament. In the end though, a stronger finish by the Tigers pushed them to victory as the Bulldogs dropped an 85-73 decision at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The two teams were tied at 69-all with just over four minutes left to play. That's when Mizzou closed on a 16-4 run to put the game away. The Tigers' 12-point margin of victory wasn't indicative of the close contest that it was. The game featured 17 ties and nine lead changes. The two teams were never separated by more than eight points until the closing minute. MSU trailed 39-34 at halftime then came out of the intermission on an 11-4 run to go in front. The Dawgs and Tigers then traded blows and momentum swings for the rest of the half until the decisive final four-plus minutes of action. Mississippi State now awaits its March fate. The Bulldogs hope to learn they're dancing for a third straight season during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday, March 16. The show begins at 5 p.m. CT and will be televised by CBS. |
| Remembering the SEC's weirdest basketball tournament ever | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: They play the SEC Basketball Tournament this week in Nashville. The weather calls for pleasant springtime weather until Saturday when there is a 100 percent chance of rain and the forecast calls for thunderstorms that are likely to be severe. And you ask: Why the hell does that matter? They play basketball indoors. Well, let me tell you, there was one March when it really did matter. Boy, did it matter. We're talking Atlanta and the Georgia Dome. 2008. It was a Friday night, March 14, although Friday the 13th should have been much appropriate. This was the quarterfinal round, last game of the night. Mississippi State vs. Alabama. Hell of a game. I was covering for the Clarion Ledger with my sidekick Kyle Veazey. We were on a fairly tight deadline, which is to say the newspaper was going to hold the presses until we filed our stories. Of course, Alabama hit a desperation three-pointer to send the game into overtime. And now, State led 64-61 with two minutes, 11 seconds remaining. Just steps away from us, Bama's Mykal Riley, who had hit the game-tying shot at the buzzer, dribbled the ball near the sideline with State's Ben Hansbrough guarding him closely. Suddenly, we all heard this incredible roaring sound, really, like a freight train coming straight through the building, which began to shake. |
| CBSB: Ole Miss, Southern Miss make schedule changes ahead of potential severe weather | |
| Ole Miss and Southern Miss athletic officials are heeding the warning of forecasters projecting severe weather this weekend by reconfiguring the schedule for their home baseball series. No. 13 Ole Miss will now begin their first SEC series of 2025 at 2 p.m. rather than the originally scheduled 6 p.m. Gates will open at noon for those attending the matinee affair between the Rebels and No. 3 Arkansas. In Hattiesburg, No. 22 Southern Miss will open their Sun Belt conference slate against Old Dominion at the originally scheduled time of 6 p.m. The pair will play under the lights on Saturday, now a 7 p.m. first pitch time, to avoid anticipated weather in the afternoon. Sunday's contest was also bumped up to 12 p.m. |
| What's in a name? Trustmark signs naming rights deal for minor league baseball stadium in Pearl | |
| Trustmark Bank has signed a new deal that extends its naming rights for the minor league baseball stadium in Pearl. Trustmark Park, which the stadium has been named for the last 20 years will continue to have that name for the 8,480-seat facility. The deal is for 5 years, three of which are guaranteed with a 2-year option from Trustmark to extend. No financial terms were disclosed. It comes at a time where the Double-A Mississippi Braves left the area after last season for a newer stadium in Columbus, Georgia, which left a lot of uncertainty around the stadium and what would come next. Part of that was the naming rights deal that also came to an end after last season. Since then, in comes a new independent league team, the Mississippi Mud Monsters, which will begin playing for the historic Frontier League in the stadium in May. There is a new deal with Belhaven University to play their home games at the stadium and the continued play of Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Southern Miss at the stadium keeps the continuity. Ole Miss will play Southern Miss on March 18 and the Governor's Cup between Ole Miss and Mississippi State will take place in Pearl on April 22. |
| $13.4 million in conservation, outdoor recreation improvement grants awarded across Mississippi | |
| The Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund (MOSTF) Board of Trustees have awarded a new round of competitive grants totaling more than $13.4 million for 28 conservation and outdoor recreation projects around the state. When combined with an additional $25.3 million in funding from other private, local, state, and federal sources, the combined impact of $38.7 million of conservation and outdoor recreation improvements will be seen around Mississippi. Governor Tate Reeves celebrated the awards, saying Thursday in a statement that the accomplishments were exactly what he expected when he signed the Outdoor Stewardship Act into law. "The MOSTF is benefiting Mississippi communities and supporting jobs. It is exciting to watch these investments improve communities around the state and enhance our state's $8 billion outdoor recreation economy, which supports more than 79,000 jobs," Reeves said. Now in its third year, MOSTF annually accepts grant applications for selection by the seven Trustees. Proposals must meet the statutory goals of improving Mississippi's parks and outdoor recreation trails, improving access to public waters and lands, and preserving, enhancing, and restoring native wildlife and fish resources and their critical habitats. |
| 'It's a money game now' -- How LSU is using NIL to keep up in ever-evolving college football world | |
| Days before Thanksgiving, perhaps hours after quarterback recruit Bryce Underwood's stunning decision to shift his commitment from LSU to Michigan, a 50-year-old private equity executive in San Francisco worth billions fielded a phone call from someone in South Louisiana. "Holden," the voice on the other side said, "Can you help?" Every fundraising effort has to start somewhere. This one, in particular, began with Holden Spaht, a Harvard Business School graduate, Baton Rouge native and a mostly unknown figure who has worked in the shadows for years, with a small handful of others, to fund LSU football's name, image and likeness (NIL) efforts. In late November, the Tigers saddled with a third straight season of at least three losses, their five-star quarterback commitment jettisoned for more cash and their football NIL fund below many SEC peers, coach Brian Kelly and administrators orchestrated a fundraising effort intended to aggressively pursue transfers and retain top players. In less than two weeks last December, they needed to raise at least half of their springtime NIL goal of $13 million, which, in itself, was an already lofty objective given a startling fact: Despite its reputation as an NIL juggernaut -- featuring stars of authentic endorsement deals like gymnast Livvy Dunne and women's basketball player Angel Reese -- the football program's booster-backed NIL collective budget trailed many within its own conference. |
| U. of Texas golfer Potter apologizes for heckling McIlroy at TPC Sawgrass | |
| University of Texas golfer Luke Potter has apologized after he reportedly was removed from the grounds at TPC Sawgrass earlier this week for heckling star golfer Rory McIlroy. Video of the incident spread on social media earlier this week. McIlroy, playing a practice round Tuesday at Sawgrass ahead of this week's Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, hit a drive on the 18th hole into the water, then immediately turned back, walked over to Potter standing outside the ropes, asked for his cellphone, took it and then walked away. It wasn't clear in the video what Potter said, but Golf.com reported that he referenced the 2011 Masters, when McIlroy melted down on the back nine Sunday, shot an 80 and finished 10 shots behind winner Charl Schwartzel. Golf.com also reported that Potter was later escorted off the course. His phone was returned. A day before the incident, Potter had earned his first NCAA individual victory, beating the field at the John Hayt Collegiate Invitational at Sawgrass Country Club, which is near TPC Sawgrass. Potter posted a final-round 69 and helped the Longhorns rally for a 7-shot win. |
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