| Friday, March 21, 2025 |
| MSU pep bands travel to NCAA Tournament this weekend to support Bulldogs | |
 | Mississippi State's basketball teams are not the only groups from MSU heading to the NCAA Tournament. As the Dawgs are dancing in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Los Angeles this week, so are MSU's pep bands. The university's basketball pep bands are ensembles of the Famous Maroon Band with members representing a variety of majors at MSU. The men's pep band is supporting the men's basketball team as they face Baylor in Raleigh on Friday, March 21, and the women's pep band is heading to the City of Angels as the Lady Bulldogs take on California this Saturday, March 22. Twenty-nine students are performing in each band during the tournament, per NCAA regulations. The men's band is directed by FMB Associate Director Craig Aarhus, while the women's band is directed by FMB Associate Director Cliff Taylor. In addition to supporting the basketball teams, the students will have the chance to explore the local areas. "The directors and student members of our basketball pep bands spend numerous hours throughout the season cheering on the Bulldogs, and we are excited for the opportunity to travel with them to post-season play," said Elva Kaye Lance, director of bands. |
| IHL board adds graduate program, renames Mississippi State diversity center | |
 | Trustees of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning on Thursday officially changed the name of what was known as a Diversity Center at Mississippi State University and approved a new graduate degree program in education at the Mississippi University for Women. The actions occurred during a brief, 20-minute meeting of the IHL Board of Trustees in Jackson chaired by Vice President Gee Ogletree in the absence of President Bruce Martin. What has been known as the "Holmes Cultural Diversity Center" at Mississippi State has been renamed the "Holmes Center for Student Success." It follows a series of executive orders signed by U.S. President Donald J. Trump in January designed to halt "DEI" or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives. As to the rationale of changing the diversity center's name, Rasheda Boddie-Forbes, Mississippi State vice president for Access, Opportunity and Success, issued this statement: "Changing the name and focus of the Holmes Center is one of a series of strategies that reflects a comprehensive approach to our student success efforts. As we await additional guidance from multiple branches of government, we are evaluating new organizational structures that are better fits for how we intend to operate moving forward." |
| State Board of Education recommends MSMS move to Starkville | |
 | The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science could be housed on Mississippi State University's campus as soon as 2026 if the legislature gives its approval. During its Thursday meeting, the State Board of Education voted unanimously to recommend the state approve the relocation with the understanding that it would require an appropriation of funding. If lawmakers approve, the residential high school for gifted juniors and seniors will move from Mississippi University for Women, where it has been housed since its inception in 1987. The vote comes after it asked the two universities in February to submit proposals to house and operate MSMS as it expands. MSU Vice President for Strategic Communications and Director of Public Affairs Sid Salter said the university is optimistic about the recommendation but intends to let the legislative process run its course. "Beyond that, the Legislature still has to act in terms of funding, and so we are observing the process," he told The Dispatch on Thursday. "We're hopeful that we will have the opportunity to operate (MSMS), which provides the best opportunity for those students to come out of a program with an education that will open doors for them." |
| State Board of Education unanimously supports proposal to relocate MSMS | |
 | State lawmakers have been encouraged to move the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS) from its existing home. After considering proposals from the Mississippi University for Women (MUW), where MSMS currently resides, and Mississippi State University (MSU), the State Board of Education is encouraging local lawmakers to consider relocating the magnet school to Starkville. Established during the 1987 legislative session, MSMS has served to accommodate academically gifted high school juniors and seniors. It has been housed at MUW in Columbus since its inception. However, MSMS officials have contemplated the prospect of relocating to Starkville in the past. In December, the State Board of Education launched an MSMS subcommittee to explore ways to strengthen the school's operations and ensure the continued growth of the academic institution. MSU and MUW were later asked to submit proposals that would increase enrollment and educational opportunities for MSMS students. After reviewing both universities' proposals and accounting for stakeholder feedback, the State Board of Legislature unanimously voted to promote Mississippi State being the future host site of MSMS. That move, of course, cannot be made unless approved by the Legislature. |
| Mississippi Board of Education recommends School for Mathematics and Science move | |
 | The Mississippi State Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to recommend the Mississippi Legislature consider relocating the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science to Mississippi State University beginning with the 2026-27 school year. "Our recommendation reflects our assessment of future growth possibilities and academic opportunities for MSMS students," State Board of Education Chair Glen East said in a news release. "It is not intended to diminish MUW's contributions to the success of MSMS." The State Board said MSU's proposal includes: Research depth: As Mississippi's leading research institution, MSU proposes to provide MSMS students with access to more extensive research facilities and opportunities, particularly in STEM fields. Additional academic partnerships: MSU proposes to offer more diverse course options to MSMS students by partnering with the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. Industry connections: MSU proposes to connect MSMS students with business and industry partners for experiential learning and internships aligned with workforce development needs. Career-focused STEM and arts programs: MSU proposes to provide tailored programs for MSMS students in high-demand fields including health sciences, defense industry, cyber security, engineering, manufacturing technology, data science, biotechnology and the arts in the digital age. |
| Social Workers honored by MSU-Meridian during Social Work Appreciation month | |
 | The month of March marks many things, like the beginning of spring, the NCAA basketball tournament, and Women's History Month. It's also Social Work Appreciation Month. Mississippi State University-Meridian hosted prospective students and social work professionals at The MAX. This event was an opportunity for potential students to learn about the program, meet other students, speak with field experts, and apply for MSU-Meridian's program with a waived application fee. "So this month, in honor of social work appreciation month, our university is waiving the application fee for students who want to sign up for this program. and the importance of that is $65 may not seem like a lot to us, but when you're a student, and you're in your junior or senior years, and you're struggling to get through with your education, that $65 is a lot of hamburgers," said MSU-Meridian's Marketing and Communications Coordinator Marianne Todd. |
| Baptist, North Mississippi confirm they bid on OCH | |
| Baptist Memorial Health Care and North Mississippi Health Services have both submitted offers to acquire the Oktibbeha County owned OCH Regional Medical Center in Starkville. Both proposals met the minimum requirements and have moved to the second phase of consideration. The two medical organizations confirmed to The Dispatch by email Wednesday evening they had submitted proposals for OCH to the board of supervisors. The county board met in executive session Wednesday morning to take an initial look at proposals and determine which ones would move on for further consideration. Supervisors voted to move forward with the sale in September after Raymond James Financial Services presented results from a feasibility study detailing the hospital's income, revenue leakage, physician recruitment and retention, debt profile, utilization and capital expenditures. The study recommended the board sell OCH, specifically suggesting it look for a "strategic capital partner" with a commitment to share resources, expand available services and fund capital needs. The supes failed in a 2017 attempt to sell the hospital, with voters overwhelmingly opting to keep OCH public. This time around, Mississippi State University and the Greater Starkville Development Partnership both publicly endorsed a sale, as did several local physicians, and a petition wasn't filed to force an election. |
| Hegseth speaks at Tupelo fundraiser, visits General Atomics, flies in Apache | |
| U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth met with an enthusiastic crowd Thursday at The Antler, serving as the keynote speaker for the inaugural "A Southern Salute to the Troops." Hosted by Scott Burns and 7 Days for the Troops, the event was dedicated to honoring and supporting veterans, with a goal of raising $100,000. Nearly half was raised prior to Thursday's event. "We've been working on this since July," said Burns. "When we started all this, it was going to be last October, then with the way things happened we had to wait until March." One of the big things that happened was that Hegseth, a Fox News host and National Guard veteran, was nominated by President Trump to be Secretary of Defense. U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, the state's senior senator, was with Hegseth throughout the day as they visited with the Army Aviation Support Facility adjacent to the Tupelo Regional Airport, and later, defense contractor General Atomics. Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Hegseth didn't hesitate to come speak Thursday. "He was named speaker long before he was named secretary, but he told me he was happy to make that commitment," Wicker said. "And I think today was his first visit to a defense manufacturer since he took office. It's a great honor, and a credit to him that he kept this commitment." |
| Lawmakers agree to end the tax on work in Mississippi, potential error could lead to new negotiations | |
| The Mississippi House of Representatives has voted 92-27 to concur with the Senate's amended version of HB 1, which phases out the state income tax, reduces the sales tax on groceries and addresses transportation funding and the future of the state employees retirement system. Pending a motion to reconsider, the legislation will be sent to the Governor's desk for his signature. "Let's end the tax on work once and for all in Mississippi," State Rep. Trey Lamar (R) said while making the motion to concur on the floor Thursday morning. Lamar said the House has been trying to eliminate the income tax for over a decade. As previously reported, the Senate's version of HB 1 cuts the current income tax rate of 4 percent by 0.25 percent each year from 2027 until 2030 automatically, effectively bringing that rate to 3 percent by 2030. Further cuts to the income tax would be based on the performance of the state's economy from 2031 onward. Following passage, scholars at the Tax Foundation pointed out a potential error in the trigger language passed by both chambers. As written, new tax cuts would be triggered starting when the state has surplus revenue that exceeds 0.85 percent of 1 percentage point of income tax revenue. In effect, this means new cuts would take effect with as little as a few million in surplus. Senate leadership has previously explained the triggers as requiring far higher surpluses. |
| Mississippi House pounces on Senate typo, sending tax reform plan to governor | |
| Attention to detail -- a phrase used in classrooms, locker rooms, and workplaces across the world. The basis of the phrase is if you pay attention to the little things, the big things will come together and work out as intended. Detail was not paid attention to by someone, or multiple people for that matter, in the Mississippi Senate when drafting what lawmakers touted as a "fiscally responsible" and "cautious" way to phase out the state's personal income tax. After months of opposing opinions being voiced and weeks of cross-chamber infighting, the House of Representatives made a surprising move on Thursday. It dished its own plan to eliminate income tax on a concrete, 12-year schedule and concurred with the Senate's plan -- one intended to immediately cut the grocery tax and phase out the "tax on work" based on how the economy is doing. In political talk, the latter is often referred to as "triggers," something that can only happen after specific conditions occur. Circling back to attention to detail, the Senate's lack thereof was punctuated by the House's full attention to detail. Sources confirmed that leading members of the House noticed the typo and purposely pounced. Instead of walking down the hall and asking the Senate for clarification, or allowing the bill to go to conference where the details could be hashed out and the typo remedied, the House quickly made its move and decided to pass the Senate's plan as written on Thursday. On Friday morning, the House doubled down and tabled a motion to reconsider, sending the bill to Republican Gov. Tate Reeves to sign. |
| Governor set to sign bill eliminating income tax despite obvious errors in wording | |
| The Mississippi House on Friday sent a bill to Gov. Tate Reeves' desk that would eliminate the income tax, but the legislation passed with blatant, unintended errors that would drastically speed up the tax cut. As for Reeves, he said is willing to sign the bill with the errors anyway. Reeves took to X, formerly Twitter, congratulating House leadership for passing legislation to totally eliminate the income tax, shave the grocery sales tax from 7% to 5% and raise the gas tax by nine cents over three years. Reeves did not respond to several requests for comment from the Clarion Ledger to discuss the tax cut situation. "Congratulations to the Mississippi legislature on passing historic tax reform and ELIMINATING THE INCOME TAX! What a great day for Mississippi taxpayers," Reeves posted. "Tremendous thanks and credit has to go to (House Speaker Jason White, R-West) and (House Ways and Means Chairman Trey Lamar, R-Senatobia) who have been working tirelessly on HB1. I am looking forward to receiving this bill tomorrow. (I hear there are those who desire future tweaks to this law, and those can certainly be considered in future legislation)." |
| Sweeping Mississippi tax overhaul passed ... by mistake. Gov. Reeves eager to sign typo tax swap into law | |
| The House on Friday took advantage of Senate typos -- a few errant decimal points -- in a bill and sent to Gov. Tate Reeves the most sweeping overhaul in taxation in modern Mississippi history. Despite the Senate and a large number of House members voting for the plan being accidental due to the typos, Reeves has said on social media he'll sign it into law, and that lawmakers can work bugs out in coming years. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who oversees the Senate, remained mum on Friday, providing no explanation of how the typos got past Senate proofers and lawyers. The bill would eliminate the state personal income tax and strip about $2.2 billion from the state budget while raising the tax on gasoline by 9 cents a gallon over three years, with later gas tax increases coming automatically. Opponents of the changes say the poorest state in the union can't afford to slash a third of its budget and still provide services to citizens, and that a shift to "regressive" taxation with an increased gasoline tax will hit poor people and those of modest means the hardest. Senate Finance Chairman Josh Harkins said little about the situation other than he plans to meet with House leaders to "make it clear" what the Senate intended to do with the typo bill. |
| Candidates make case in District 82 election | |
 | Voters living in state House District 82 will head to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in a special election to decide who will represent them at the capitol in Jackson. Gov. Tate Reeves called the election in January following the death of Rep. Charles Young Jr., who represented District 82 for more than 12 years. Three candidates have qualified to succeed Young and appear on voters' ballots including Joe Norwood Sr., a longtime Lauderdale County Supervisor, Gregory Elliot, who serves on Meridian's Civil Service Commission, and Meridian attorney Joseph Denson, a former public defender who operates his own law practice in the city. At an NAACP Candidate Forum held Wednesday at The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience, the three candidates made their case to voters why they are the best men for the job. Local NAACP President De'Angelo Houston asked the candidates to discuss their stances on healthcare and education. |
| Food Banks Left in the Lurch as Some Shipments Are Suspended | |
 | Food banks across the country are scrambling to make up a $500 million budget shortfall after the Trump administration froze funds for hundreds of shipments of produce, poultry and other items that states had planned to distribute to needy residents. The Biden administration had slated the aid for distribution to food banks during the 2025 fiscal year through the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which is run by the Agriculture Department and backed by a federal fund known as the Commodity Credit Corporation. But in recent weeks, many food banks learned that the shipments they had expected to receive this spring had been suspended. Vince Hall, chief of government relations for Feeding America, a nationwide network of over 60,000 food pantries and other distributors, said that when he asked U.S.D.A. officials about the suspended shipments, he was told that the department was reviewing the food aid programs funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation. Food bank directors fear that an across-the-board contraction to federal food assistance could drive more people to food banks just as they are losing access to critical supplementary funds. Rural communities would most likely feel the deepest immediate impact. Emergency food assistance programs, including those funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation, are "the food lifeline for rural America," Vince Hall, chief of government relations for Feeding America, said, because they come with funding to improve food storage and distribution, which can be more challenging in rural areas. |
| Why Many Americans Are On Board With Federal Worker Firings | |
 | Retired business owner Catherine Byrd is thrilled with President Trump's push to shrink what she considers a bloated federal workforce. And she isn't at all concerned for the tens of thousands of people losing jobs. "I don't feel bad for them a bit. I've worked in the private sector all my life," and got laid off from jobs in the early days, the Georgia resident said. "You know what you do? You go out and find another job, and there are plenty of jobs to find." While there is outcry over thousands of federal workers losing their jobs to Department of Government Efficiency cuts and the chaos that has unleashed, a cohort of Americans aren't sorry to see them go. Politics, personal experiences filing taxes or time in interminable post office and DMV lines lead many people to take a dim view of government workers at all levels. Resentment also stems from a sense that federal workers enjoy perks, like guaranteed pensions, which are rare in the private sector. Pew Research Center surveys in recent years show Americans roughly split on whether the government is too big or too small, but there is a stark partisan divide. A Pew poll this year found 38% of Republicans expressing confidence in federal career employees, compared with 72% of Democrats. Robert Shapiro, professor of government at Columbia University, said public support for federal workers varies widely, with agencies such as the military, Social Security, Medicare and national parks generally viewed more favorably. |
| Sen. Wicker reintroduces bill to give Vicksburg National Military Park facelift | |
| Mississippi-based U.S. Senator Roger Wicker has reintroduced a bill aimed at expanding and modernizing the Vicksburg National Military Park. Coined the Vicksburg National Military Park Boundary Modification Act, the legislation would modify the park's boundary to allow for the construction of a state-of-the-art interpretive center, improving visitors' experience and preserving the site's legacy. The bill was initially introduced last year and was passed by the Senate, but it ultimately died. Wicker is hoping to use the current Congressional session to get the measure passed. Vicksburg National Military Park commemorates the pivotal Battle of Vicksburg, a crucial turning point in the Civil War. As Mississippi's most-visited historical attraction, the park welcomes over half a million visitors annually and features more than 1,300 monuments and markers, 20 miles of preserved trenches, and the Vicksburg National Cemetery. But according to officials, many of its facilities, including the visitor center, have not been updated in nearly 70 years. "Tourists from across the country are visiting Mississippi to learn about the history of the Civil War," Sen. Wicker said. "Preserving and sharing Vicksburg's past will help increase tourism in our state. This land for the new interpretive center would play a key role in the efforts to modernize the park and ensure that future generations can learn from these stories." |
| Trump on collision course with GOP defense hawks over NATO | |
 | President Trump is on a collision course with Republican defense hawks over the question of whether the United States should continue its 75-year military leadership of NATO and at what level of commitment. Trump has criticized European allies for years for not contributing more to the military alliance, which was set up in 1949 to contain the Soviet Union. During his first term, Trump floated the idea of the United States withdrawing from NATO. Now the Pentagon is considering an overhaul of the U.S. military's combatant commands, including one scenario that would have the United States give up its role as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, according to NBC News, which cited defense officials familiar with the planning. That news was met with a swift rebuke from Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), who issued a statement warning that any major changes to combatant commands must be done in coordination with Congress. Wicker and Rogers said while they support Trump's efforts to ensure that European allies increase their contributions to the NATO alliance, they warned against moves that "risk undermining American deterrence around the globe," which would undercut "our negotiating positions with America's adversaries." |
| GOP committee chairs fire warning shot at Trump on NATO | |
| The GOP chairs of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees fired a warning shot at President Trump on Wednesday, telling him not to tinker with the military structure behind the top NATO command position. The joint statement from Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) is one of the strongest GOP warnings to date about Trump's plans to potentially reorganize parts of the government. "We will not accept significant changes to our warfighting structure that are made without a rigorous interagency process, coordination with combatant commanders and the Joint Staff, and collaboration with Congress," the two chairs said in a joint statement. The lawmakers were responding to a report in NBC News that the Trump administration is considering giving up the role of NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, citing anonymous officials. The current commander, Army General Christopher G. Cavoli, has played a key role in the U.S. response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a war Trump is trying to end. In February, Wicker called Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's dismissal of Ukraine's wanting to return its pre-war borders a "rookie mistake." |
| Elon Musk Leaves Pentagon After Discussions About China and Tech | |
| Elon Musk visited the Pentagon on Friday morning for sensitive discussions about China and technology, giving the wealthy businessman and adviser to President Trump insight into one of the Pentagon's most closely guarded operational blueprints. Musk was originally scheduled to receive a briefing on top-secret plans for a potential war with China, but then U.S. defense officials later said Musk would sit for an unclassified meeting. Musk walked into Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's office upon arrival. China was one of several topics discussed at the Defense Department, one of the officials said, as was technology. He arrived shortly before 9 a.m. in Washington and left about 90 minutes later. That Musk would sit for any China-related meeting at all underscored the potential conflicts of interest for him as a senior adviser to President Trump with a powerful and expansive role in the new administration. It could give him as the head of Tesla, which relies on China for car production, and SpaceX, a U.S. defense contractor, access to sensitive military secrets unavailable to business competitors. Musk, according to one person familiar, was going to receive the top-secret briefing on China because he asked for one. He has a security clearance but isn't in the military chain of command or known to be a military adviser to Trump. Musk has made positive comments about China in recent years, leading Beijing to hope he could be a conduit to Trump. In 2023, Musk said he was "kind of pro-China" during a conversation about whether Beijing would be helpful in writing global rules about artificial intelligence. |
| Military's DEI purge seen putting its future -- and its history -- at risk | |
 | From 2005 to 2023, the number of women serving active-duty roles in the U.S. military rose by 12%, while the number of men fell by more than 10%, according to Pentagon data. A third of active-duty enlisted service members came from racial minority groups in 2023 -- a higher percentage than in 2010. Those figures from the Department of Defense's most recent demographics report help explain why military experts who spoke with NPR are concerned the Trump administration's orders to root out digital content "promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" could undermine military recruiters' ability to connect with potential service members from important demographics. In their view, materials now being labeled as "DEI" are actually a form of targeted advertising. "There's a strategic reason why you have a website about [Medal of Honor recipient Maj. Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers] or a website about the Navajo Code Talkers," says Wayne Lee, a former Army officer who is a history professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. It's because, he says, "we continue to want to recruit from populations who identify with those people and who see them as their ancestors and who want to emulate their service." |
| Trump calls on Justice Roberts to stop nationwide injunctions against his policies | |
 | President Donald Trump demanded that Chief Justice John Roberts and the U.S. Supreme Court rein in federal judges who have issued injunctions around the country that have impeded an array of his policies. "It is our goal to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and such a high aspiration can never be done if Radical and Highly Partisan Judges are allowed to stand in the way of JUSTICE. STOP NATIONWIDE INJUNCTIONS NOW, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. If Justice Roberts and the United States Supreme Court do not fix this toxic and unprecedented situation IMMEDIATELY, our Country is in very serious trouble!" Trump said in a Truth Social post on Thursday. The post resumes a clash between the leaders of two of America's three branches of government amid escalating attacks by Republicans on federal judges who have determined Trump's sweeping actions in the first two months of his term were unconstitutional. Trump's post appears to highlight his concern that federal judges in jurisdictions across the U.S. have the power to issue nationwide injunctions, halting the federal government from acting even beyond the boundaries of their court's regional jurisdiction. |
| The Bidens want back in | |
 | Former President Joe Biden has told some Democratic leaders he'll raise funds, campaign and do anything else necessary for Democrats to recover lost ground as the Trump administration rolls back programs the party helped design, according to people close to him. Biden privately met last month with the new Democratic National Committee chairman, Ken Martin, and offered to help as the party struggles to regain its viability amid polling that shows its popularity has been sinking, the people said. So far, Biden's overture seems to have fallen flat. Democrats find themselves adrift, casting about for a compelling messenger. Whoever that is, it's not Biden, many party activists and donors contend. He's tethered to the 2024 defeat and, at 82, is a symbol more of the party's past than its future, they argue. "Who's going to want Joe Biden back in the game?" said a major Biden supporter, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk candidly about him. |
| We Dug Into the Polls. Democrats in Congress Should Be Very Afraid. | |
 | As Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer knows better than anyone, the Democratic base is pissed off. And not just a little. The intensity of the anger roiling the party is at a historic level, suggesting a breach between congressional Democrats and the party grassroots so severe that it could reshape the 2026 primary election season. Congressional Democrats have typically enjoyed higher popularity with their voting base than their Republican counterparts. But the trauma of the 2024 presidential election defeat appears to have ruptured that relationship. A review of Quinnipiac University's annual first-quarter congressional polling reveals that, for the first time in the poll's history, congressional Democrats are now underwater with their own voters in approval ratings. Just 40 percent of Democrats approve of the job performance of congressional Democrats, compared to 49 percent who disapprove. That's a dramatic change from this time last year, when 75 percent of Democrats approved compared to just 21 percent who disapproved. The Democratic base's disillusionment runs so deep that it's eerily reminiscent of Republican grassroots sentiment in the period leading up to Donald Trump's takeover of the Republican Party. The numbers are clear: No longer satisfied with the status quo in their party, Democrats are on the verge of a Tea Party-style, intra-party revolt. |
| Democrats are angry, disillusioned over failure to stand up to Trump and Musk | |
 | It's more than a year before Democrats will have a chance to find their way out of the political wilderness in the midterm elections, but voters turned out in droves Thursday to hear Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) rail against the government-slashing policies of Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Waiting in a line that snaked around a large North Las Vegas park, many said they came looking to the two progressive, populist leaders for direction -- a strategy to push back against the Trump administration's moves at a time when they don't see the Democratic Party offering one. "We want to hear what the plans are -- are we just going to be sitting on our behinds, talking a lot? Or are we actually going to be doing something?" said Leanna Terrell, a 75-year-old retired Navy intelligence officer who attended Thursday's rally with a half-dozen girlfriends whom she met while volunteering for Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign last year. "I'm scared to death for my country." As President Donald Trump has issued rapid-fire executive orders, presided over mass firings of federal employees and mapped out potential cuts to once-untouchable programs like Social Security, Democrats have struggled to coalesce around one message. |
| Great Smoky Mountains National Park closes campgrounds, trims offerings amid federal cuts | |
 | Six out of 10 campgrounds at Great Smoky Mountains National Park are closed as the spring season approaches. And that's not the only change coming to the Smokies as national parks across the country adjust to abrupt staffing and organizational shifts because of Trump administration orders and court rulings. At least 12 staffers had been let go from the Smokies after the administration directed the National Park Service to fire 1,000 employees. Although federal judges ruled the firings were illegal and the employees should be reinstated, and seasonal employees could be hired, typical Smokies programming has already been affected. In addition to campgrounds, popular picnic areas are closed, and vehicle-free days in Cades Cove have been postponed. The Smokies is the country's most-visited national park. According to official park service data, 12,191,834 people visited the park in 2024. Zion National Park in Utah was a distant second with 4.9 million visits. Visitors also are encouraged to be mindful of their trash and park resources, volunteer to help staffers and express their concerns to government leaders. |
| State Board of Education votes to move MSMS to MSU | |
 | On Thursday, the Mississippi State Board of Education voted to recommend moving the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science from its longtime home on the Mississippi University for Women campus to Mississippi State University. Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin believes the city is the best location for the residential high school. "It's very upsetting and disappointing, but we're not going to give in. We're going to continue to push to make sure that MSMS remains here in Columbus where it belongs," said Gaskin. Gaskin said the smaller size of The W's campus helps the high school students better prepare to transition to college. He encouraged the community to reach out to state lawmakers before the Legislature makes its final decision. "This is the time to be calling and emailing all the representatives, all the senators, the governor, lieutenant-governor, everybody in Jackson, with their concerns," said Gaskin. The final decision is up to the Mississippi Legislature. |
| Ole Miss poet, essayist wins national awards for teaching, writing | |
| Two national organizations have recognized University of Mississippi professor Aimee Nezhukumatathil for her work in poetry, writing and environmental education. Nezhukumatathil, professor of English and creative writing, was recently selected as a 2025 United States Artists fellow and as a recipient of the Pepe Marcos-Iga Award for Innovation in Environmental Education. The awards recognize Nezhukumatathil's work as a poet and environmental educator."As a professor and a mother of two teen boys, I'm constantly searching for ways to connect and nurture future generations with a deep appreciation and awe of nature and its importance in giving children a robust sense of place and belonging," Nezhukumatathil said. "Environmentalist Rachel Carson's reminder that 'the more clearly we focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction' seems needed now more than ever to encourage a new sense of gentleness towards our planet and towards each other. That quote from Carson goes on top of every syllabus I use with my nature writing classes." |
| Communications leaders, influencers to offer insights at IMC Connect! | |
| A University of Mississippi graduate who has amassed more than 400,000 followers on social media and a recently retired vice president of communications for Boeing Defense, Space and Security are part of the roster of guests speaking at the 2025 IMC Connect! conference. The event, hosted by the School of Journalism and New Media, is set for Monday (March 24) at The Inn at Ole Miss. It also includes a career fair, a cornerstone of the yearly event, the following day at the Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union. The conference provides opportunities for students to network with a gamut of top industry professionals, receive feedback on their portfolios and hear how they are advancing the future of integrated marketing communications. Students enrolled in Professor Amanda Sams' event-planning class organized the conference to include several booths and activities that enhance attendees' professional profiles. |
| LSU vet school performs first US gator cataract surgery on rare Audubon Zoo alligator | |
 | Zookeepers at Audubon Zoo in New Orleans knew something wasn't right with its rare, blue-eyed, white alligator Victor when he seemed to not notice his dinner -- a whole, thawed fish or other type of meat held out to him at the end of a pair of long tongs. "We would notice the food would be right next to him and he would miss it, or he couldn't grab his food as well," senior zookeeper Ashley Rabenau said. "Normally, they're taking the food right from the tongs." Another zookeeper, Victoria Brumley, noticed the alligator was instead following the shadow the tongs made on a wall in his enclosure. "We tried to toss the food closer to the shadow," Rabenau said. Something was amiss. Audubon Zoo veterinarian staff reached out to veterinarians at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine in Baton Rouge, where ophthalmologist Dr. Renee Carter and her team examined 12-year-old Victor's eyes and discovered he had an advanced cataract in the left one, along with some inflammation. But the retina itself was healthy and well. On Feb. 19, Victor became the first alligator in the U.S. to have cataract surgery. |
| 'HB 4 is about hate.' Gov. Beshear vetoes anti-diversity, equity, inclusion bill | |
 | Gov. Andy Beshear has vetoed House Bill 4, a GOP-backed bill aimed at restricting and in some cases dismantling Kentucky public universities' efforts on diversity, equity and inclusion. The governor announced his action in a video posted to social media mid-Thursday. "I'll always believe that diversity is a strength and never a weakness, that we are better with more voices and more seats at our table," he said. "Now, I believe in the golden rule that says we love our neighbor as ourself, and there are no exceptions, no asterisks. We love and we accept everyone. "This bill isn't about love. House Bill 4 is about hate, so I'm gonna try a little act of love myself, and I'm gonna veto it right now," Beshear said before signing his veto message. The bill would require state universities and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System to defund all DEI initiatives, including offices, policies and practices "designed or implemented to promote or provide preferential treatment or benefits to individuals on the basis of religion, sex, color, or national origin." Opponents say the bill would effectively limit access to higher education for minorities in Kentucky. |
| Texas A&M students are veterinary ambassadors at Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo | |
 | Texas A&M University is well-represented across many areas of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The College of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences has maintained a booth inside NRG Center to share information and help recruit future students. On March 14, the booth was manned by third-year veterinary students Hope Merriam and Kattie Williams. "We're here on behalf of the Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences ambassadors, just talking about the school and the program and all that good stuff," Merriam said. "We've got some young kids that are interested in veterinary school and just love animals a lot," Williams said. "So we get to talk to them about what it's like being a veterinarian. And then we've also been talking to some high school students and some early college-age students about the path to veterinary school and what it takes to get in and your career options after that. So, lots of different activities and different people coming to talk to us, which has been really fun so far." "Katie and I spent last spring break doing this as well, and we're on our spring break again this year, and it was so much fun last year we wanted to do it again," said Merriam, whose hometown is Allen, just north of Dallas. |
| Facing anti-DEI investigations, colleges cut ties with nonprofit targeted by conservatives | |
 | Until recently, it was a little-known program to help Black and Latino students pursue business degrees. But in January, conservative strategist Christopher Rufo flagged the program known as The PhD Project in social media posts that caught the attention of Republican politicians. The program is now at the center of a Trump administration campaign to root out diversity, equity and inclusion programs in higher education. The U.S. Education Department last week said it was investigating dozens of universities for alleged racial discrimination, citing ties to the nonprofit organization. That followed a warning a month earlier that schools could lose federal money over "race-based preferences" in admissions, scholarships or any aspect of student life. The investigations left some school leaders startled and confused, wondering what prompted the inquiries. Many scrambled to distance themselves from The PhD Project, which has aimed to help diversify the business world and higher education faculty. Some colleges moved swiftly to stop working with The PhD Project. The University of Kentucky said it severed ties with the nonprofit on Monday. |
| Universities are caving to Trump with a stunning speed and scope | |
| Colleges and universities across the country are capitulating to President Donald Trump with staggering speed, moving to slash progressive policies and crack down on student activism as they face compounding threats from an administration hellbent on reshaping higher education. Columbia University on Thursday appeared poised to submit to a list of Trump administration demands that threaten core tenets of the school's mission in an attempt to release itself from a $400 million federal funding freeze. The University of California's board moved on Wednesday to cut diversity statements from recruitment requirements. Dartmouth College on Monday announced it had hired the Republican National Committee's former chief counsel -- an outspoken critic of birthright citizenship -- as the college's top lawyer and leader of its immigration office. And dozens of universities last month rushed to scrub diversity, equity and inclusion policies from their websites and cancel related events. It's a stunning display of how some of the country's oldest, wealthiest and enduring institutions have swiftly folded to Trump, who is acting on longstanding conservative criticisms of universities as elitist and progressive. In the path of the Trump administration's threats -- and with hundreds of millions of dollars at stake -- schools are being tested on how their values, jobs and research stand up to today's political realities. |
| 'It's a Black Hole': Facing the Prospect of Trump's Cuts, Colleges Budget With Trepidation | |
 | In two months, Leslie Brunelli will take next year's budget to the Washington State University Board of Regents for approval. As in recent years, the document will reflect dropping enrollment -- but it will also most likely include a decrease in state aid. That's enough to pose real concerns about what cuts might be needed to balance the budget. But the prospect of sudden funding cuts by the Trump administration raises the stakes for officials like Brunelli, executive vice president for finance and administration at Washington State, who are now facing a nearly unprecedented budget season. What happens if deep cuts to federal funding of research grants are made permanent? What if Pell Grants get chopped? How do you make a budget on a campus that could lose huge inflows of cash? "It is just so unknown," Brunelli said. "This is my 29th year in higher ed. This is the most challenging budget year that I'll have experienced, because there are so many unknowns." The "biggest one," she added, is ripple effects from the recent staff cuts at the Department of Education. "What happens if our students' FAFSAs are not processed in the way we expect them to and they lose their access either to Pell or to direct student loans? I mean, that's a game changer. I mean, that's almost game over. I can't even wrap my head around what that might mean." |
| 'All this is in crisis': US universities curtail staff, spending as Trump cuts take hold | |
| The onslaught of US spending cuts is prompting drastic action by universities across the United States. Academic institutions are responding to the administration of US President Donald Trump's cost-cutting campaign with hiring freezes, travel restrictions and moratoria on pay raises. At least one US university has shed staff, and other campuses are contemplating lay-offs and furloughs. The number of schools and programmes known to have restricted graduate-student admissions continues to rise. The administration is threatening even more extensive cuts, leading some scholars to fear for the future of the US academic system, which relies on federal funding to finance everything from graduate students' stipends to building maintenance and utility bills. "The academic model on which the universities relied to conduct their research, to fund their students, to fund postgraduate students -- all this is in crisis, because a lot of it, in some way, was funded through federal grants," says Aseem Prakash, a political scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle. "This is a massive shock." Money-saving measures at universities include calling off pay raises and job promotions, and directives to avoid non-essential travel and training. Spending has been frozen on conferences, food and events. A substantial number of universities are limiting graduate-student admissions. |
| Trump's Latest Target: Foreign Scholars | |
 | Earlier this month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder and recent Columbia University graduate, and threatened him with deportation. The Trump administration said Khalil, who is of Palestinian descent, was a national security threat and accused him of terrorist activity for leading student protests at Columbia last year. In a public statement to The Guardian, Khalil described himself as a "political prisoner." "The Trump administration is targeting me as part of a broader strategy to suppress dissent," he said. "Visa holders, green-card carriers, and citizens alike will all be targeted for their political beliefs." That prediction has begun to come true. In the past three weeks, immigration officers have targeted international students they suspected of participating in pro-Palestinian protests, raiding their dorm rooms and revoking their visas. In recent days, the administration's dragnet has widened to include faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, visiting scholars and researchers. At least two of those international scholars were employed by U.S. institutions and in the country on valid work or academic visas. As the Trump administration escalates its attacks on foreigners in American academe, international students are increasingly apprehensive about studying at U.S. institutions and scholars worry about attending conferences or accepting fellowships in the country. |
| Trump's call to dismantle Education Department shows Republican rightward lurch and his grip on GOP | |
| A little more than 23 years ago, Republican President George W. Bush sat at a desk at a high school in Hamilton, Ohio, and signed a law that would vastly expand the role of the Education Department and transform American schooling. On Thursday, his Republican successor, President Donald Trump, signed a very different document -- this one an executive order designed to dismantle the department. For years, as right-wing activists called for eliminating the agency, many Republicans paid lip service to the cause but still voted to fund it. Now Trump, emboldened and unapologetic in his drastic remaking of the federal government, has brushed aside concerns that deterred his predecessors. Thursday's announcement follows other aggressive decisions, including the enlistment of billionaire Elon Musk to downsize the federal bureaucracy at startling speed, or the review of scientific findings that are foundational for fighting climate change. Advocates and Democratic strategists have warned that Trump's efforts could backfire with voters. According to recent polling, six out of ten registered voters oppose the closure of the department. The states whose schools are most reliant on federal dollars include Mississippi, South Dakota, Montana, Alaska, Arkansas and North Carolina -- all of which backed Trump. Any disruption in federal funding will hit them hardest. |
| After Cutting Half Its Staff, Trump Signs an Order Directing the Education Dept. to Close | |
| After weeks of speculation, the White House issued an executive order Thursday calling for the closure of the U.S. Department of Education. The move, according to the Trump administration, will return "power over education to families instead of bureaucracies." The order is meant to fulfill a key campaign promise made by President Trump, who has also called for returning more authority over education to state and local officials. (Most decisions about how schools and colleges are run already happen outside of the federal government.) The secretary of education, Linda McMahon, has previously acknowledged that the department cannot be abolished without an act of Congress, since it was created by a 1979 law. But the administration has already cut the agency's work force by nearly 50 percent, raising questions about whether it can still accomplish core functions required by law. In a Thursday news release hailing the order as "historic," McMahon pledged that the department could continue its work while lowering bureaucratic requirements and giving states more responsibility. "This is political theater, not serious public policy. To dismantle any cabinet-level federal agency requires congressional approval," said Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education and a former undersecretary of education under President Obama, in a statement, "and we urge lawmakers to reject misleading rhetoric in favor of what is in the best interests of students and their families." |
| Congress Eyes More Control Over Colleges | |
| American voters want to see an overhaul in higher education and Republicans are taking advantage of it. Over the course of its first 75 days, the 119th Congress introduced more than 30 pieces of legislation concerning higher education -- more than half of which came from members of the GOP. Historically, conservative lawmakers have taken a laissez-faire approach to governing colleges and universities. But at a time when students and families are demanding greater accountability and a solution to the debt crisis, Republicans -- who hold majority in both the House and the Senate -- are laying the legislative groundwork to increase federal control over colleges. But while the bills do in some ways levy penalties against institutions, lawmakers are also aiming to advance key Trump agenda items, an Inside Higher Ed analysis tracking proposed legislation shows. For example, they've introduced bills to crack down on immigration and foreign influence by threatening student visas and restricting international donations; to hamper flexibility for borrowers by capping student loan amounts; and to suppress "liberal ideologies," by establishing penalties for pro-Palestinian protests. Republicans are also escalating their ongoing attacks on wealthy colleges with proposals to significantly increase the tax on university endowments. |
| How the G.O.P. Went From Championing Campus Free Speech to Fighting It | |
| As conservatives fought against cancel culture on college campuses, they developed a particular fondness for the First Amendment. It was un-American, they argued, to punish someone for exercising their right to speak freely. Today, however, many of those same conservatives, now in power in state and federal government, are behind a growing crackdown on political expression at universities, in ways that try to sidestep the Constitution's free-speech guarantees. President Trump and Republican lawmakers say that new laws and policies are necessary to protect students from harmful and objectionable content, to prevent harassment and to discourage conformity. To that end, Mr. Trump has threatened to withhold hundreds of millions of federal dollars from universities because they moved too slowly to quell protests that left many Jewish students feeling threatened. And Republicans in state legislatures have drafted sweeping prohibitions against classroom "indoctrination" and the display of certain L.G.B.T.Q. symbols. They have also demanded the removal of art they consider inappropriate. Critics of this broad approach, including some on the right, say Republicans are being just as heavy-handed and censorious as they claimed the left was toward them. "That makes the situation so much worse," said Greg Lukianoff, chief executive of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a free-speech group that often represents moderates and conservatives who claim they've been retaliated against for their political views. |
| March Madness hits the Capitol as House concurs on Senate tax cut language | |
| The Magnolia Tribune's Russ Latino writes: As players from across the country laced up their sneakers for the start of the NCAA tournament Thursday, a different kind of game unfolded at the Mississippi State Capitol. The stakes, no less high. The thrill of victory for long-time proponents of ending the tax on work, no less sweet. Still, for veteran onlookers of the Legislature, the Mississippi House's decision to concur on Senate amendments to HB 1 raised eyebrows. A wide chasm separated the two chambers for most of the session on the question of whether to eliminate the income tax, and even once the Senate agreed, over how quickly to axe it. The expectation had been a protracted fight to close out March, and possibly even a special session. If the chambers were basketball teams on the issue of tax cuttin', the House would be fastbreak impresarios. The Senate, masters of zone defense. One hyper-aggressive. One middling-cautious. But on Thursday, by a vote of 92-27, House members accepted the Senate's gameplan. On its face, the bill maintains the state's largest tax exemption in the nation. It slashes the flat rate on the remainder of earnings down from its current 4.4 to 3 percent by 2030. It reduces the sales tax on groceries down to 5 percent, while creating a new dedicated stream of revenue for MDOT. |
| Celebrating Mississippi's agricultural trade: Feeding the world and supporting local communities | |
| Ag Commissioner Andy Gipson writes for Magnolia Tribune: Agriculture is the backbone of Mississippi's economy and the lifeblood of many of our small, rural communities. Our farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses produce a vast array of food and forestry products. They are not just providing food, fiber, shelter and fuel for consumption in the U.S.; they are providing these life sustaining necessities to consumers across the world. Mississippi exports a wide range of agricultural commodities and value-added products abroad. Last year, more than $1 billion of agricultural and forestry products were exported from the state of Mississippi to 90 countries. I believe this is worthy of celebrating, and this week, we are taking time to celebrate agriculture trade and raise awareness of its significance. Thanks to Governor Reeves for proclaiming March 19, 2025, as Agriculture Trade Day in Mississippi. Agriculture Trade Day was initiated to recognize the importance of agricultural trade and the contributions Mississippi's ag exports make to the state's economy. ... While we continue to see an increase in local demand for agricultural products, access to global markets remains important for the growth of agriculture. The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) is dedicated to exploring and expanding markets for our agricultural products. Establishing trade relationships is key in doing business in international markets. |
SPORTS
| Chris Jans trying to take next step in first round NCAA Tournament matchup with Baylor | |
| A different feel has set in for Mississippi State as they prepare for Friday's big game. The Bulldogs enter with the same win total as the last two seasons at 21-12 and the No. 8 seed hasn't changed from a year ago. Despite that, the Bulldogs come into the game with No. 9 seed Baylor with a different kind of mindset. State made the tournament in Chris Jans' first year as one of the last four teams in and had to play a First Four game in Dayton, Ohio. Last year, the Bulldogs were one of the 64 teams to make it in and came up short against Michigan State. This year's squad has been firmly in the tournament for several weeks now and they know what to expect coming into this week. The progress of three-straight tournaments is great, but they want to win now. "Obviously if you look back at when we arrived until now, we made the NCAA Tournament as a First Four game, then last year we improved our seed to an 8. We got to wear lighter colored jerseys for the first time. Then we're doing it again," Jans said. |
| SEC's toughness has prepared Mississippi State for challenges of NCAA Tournament | |
| The statistic is somewhat misleading due to the way conferences have expanded recently, but it's mind-boggling nonetheless -- the Southeastern Conference is sending 14 teams to this year's NCAA Tournament, shattering the previous record of 11 for any conference, set by the Big East in 2011. That means from the start of January on, nearly every game Mississippi State played was against a March Madness-caliber team. For the third straight year, the Bulldogs (21-11) have made the tournament despite a sub-.500 record in SEC play, and they did so comfortably for the second year in a row as a No. 8 seed. MSU will face No. 9 seed Baylor in the first round Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina. "From that way of trying to build your resume, it's awesome. I wish it was that way every single year," MSU head coach Chris Jans said. "I would love to have that type of quality of teams in your league because, at the end of the day, they're opportunities, and they're always going to be there." |
| Mississippi State vs Baylor prediction, picks for men's 2025 NCAA Tournament | |
| The 2025 NCAA Tournament is here, folks. First-round action continues Friday and a matchup between Mississippi State and Baylor in the East Region gets things started. The Mississippi State Bulldogs finished the 2024-25 season with a 21-12 record, good for 10th in the SEC. That earned them an 8 seed in the 2025 March Madness bracket. Their opponent, the Baylor Bears, finished seventh in the Big 12 with a 19-14 record. That earned them a No. 9 seed in the Big Dance. Mississippi State ranks as the 32nd-best team in the KenPom rankings, sporting the 23rd-best offense and 47th-best defense. Meanwhile, Baylor ranks 29th overall, possessing the 16th-ranked offense and 58th-ranked defense. Here's how our experts see Friday's Round of 64 clash playing out. |
| Mississippi State basketball vs Baylor in NCAA tournament reunites former Miami teammates | |
| Miami basketball went on an 11-day trip to France two summers ago. The Hurricanes played three exhibition games there while also touring Paris, Normandy and Nice. Michael Nwoko, now a sophomore center with Mississippi State, was a freshman on that Miami team. Norchad Omier was also on that team, and now plays for Baylor. The two of them were roommates in France and will play each other when the No. 8 seed Bulldogs (21-12) face No. 9 Baylor (19-14) in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday (11:15 a.m. CT, CBS). "It was fun," Nwoko said. "Definitely going out to France and living that life, it was fun, especially with him." The two of them said they exchanged texts on Selection Sunday after the bracket was revealed. "He's a great player," Nwoko said. "We texted when we saw the matchup and just kind of laughed about it." "We're excited to play," Omier said. "Both of us are competitors, so we're excited to play each other." |
| Baseball: State Set For SEC Series With No. 10 Sooners | |
| Mississippi State baseball is certainly becoming familiar with the two newcomers to the Southeastern Conference. After opening conference play at home against now No. 8 Texas, the Diamond Dawgs trek to 10th-ranked Oklahoma to take on the Sooners as they host an SEC series for the first time. The weekend series is set to get underway on Friday at 6:30 p.m. and continues Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. All three games will be streamed on SEC Network+. It will be the ninth time MSU and OU have met on the diamond. The Sooners currently have a 4-3-1 edge in the all-time series following their 15-9 victory in the last meeting during the 2023 Frisco Classic in Texas. State won two of three outings against Oklahoma to win the 2018 Tallahassee Regional on a run that eventually landed the Bulldogs back in the College World Series. The Diamond Dawgs will once again send Pico Kohn to the mound on Friday night. The junior left-hander is a perfect 3-0 with a 3.03 earned run average with 43 strikeouts and only five walks in 29 2/3 innings this season. |
| Mississippi State quarterback Blake Shapen grateful to be healthy and back on the field | |
| After getting off to a solid start in a new program, Mississippi State quarterback Blake Shapen saw his 2024 campaign cut short due to a shoulder injury in the fourth game of the season. These days, the former Baylor transfer is back healthy again and going through his second spring session with the Bulldogs. After Thursday's practice, Shapen met with the media for the first time since last September and discussed his return to action among other topics: Q: What's it been like with the recovery process and how do you feel? Shapen: It's been good. Obviously, it's pretty long but I feel good and glad to be back out there. |
| Track & Field: Bair's Beautiful Path To A National Title | |
| Peyton Bair can easily recall exactly why he decided he wanted to be a Mississippi State Bulldog. The track and field standout, who claimed an individual national title in the heptathlon last weekend at the NCAA indoor championships, was still deciding on his college home about a half decade ago when current State coach Chris Woods emphasized to Bair what Mississippi State is all about. "He told me that God comes first, our family comes second, school third and track is fourth," Bair said. "Focusing on those values and those things was something that I really admired and was something I wanted to be a part of and really, really led me to come here to Mississippi State." Bair is a young man who values having his priorities in order. It was critical that he find a place that did the same. That's because Bair wasn't the typical recruit when he was coming out of Kimberly High School in Idaho. |
| Mississippi turkey stamp bill signed into law by Gov. Reeves | |
| Hunters will soon be required to purchase a turkey stamp before killing the wild birds in Mississippi. Governor Tate Reeves on Thursday signed Senate Bill 2280 into law. The bill establishes a wild turkey stamp program, mandating hunters 16 and older to purchase a specific permit to hunt turkeys in the state in addition to other necessary hunting licenses. The Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks will be tasked with launching the wild turkey stamp and its electronic equivalent, allowing the Magnolia State to join 16 of its peers in instituting the program. For Mississippi residents, the turkey stamp will cost $10. The cost goes up to $100 for non-residents looking to hunt the feathered game in the Magnolia State. All revenue from the sale of stamps will be earmarked for conservation projects strictly seeking to restore, maintain, or preserve wild turkey habitats. These projects must first be approved by the state's wildlife commission. |
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