| Monday, March 24, 2025 |
| MSU makes nearly $4 billion annual impact on state: report | |
 | A comprehensive economic impact study shows that Mississippi State makes one of the largest annual impacts of any single entity in the Magnolia State -- an estimated $3.9 billion annual economic impact. University leaders gathered at a press conference Wednesday to announce and celebrate the study's findings. "This report quantifies what we have long known -- Mississippi State University is a core economic driver across the state of Mississippi," MSU president Mark Keenum said. "Our world-class faculty and staff work hard every day to move Mississippi forward and educate the students and future leaders we need in our state and nation." The analysis, based on 2024 data, reflects remarkable growth in the institution's economic effect since 2019, when a similar analysis showed a $1.8 billion annual impact. MSU's National Strategic Planning & Analysis Research Center conducted the study. |
| MSU helps establish infrastructure to improve national security | |
 | One way that the US spreads its influence throughout the world is through something called "soft power". It is the use of things like foreign aid to establish and maintain good relations with nations and to help stabilize unstable regions. A massive use of that "soft power" is providing food and agriculture to places that need it. MSU hosted the Food and Agriculture as National Security conference to discuss just that. Leaders in MSU agriculture and food science met with national security experts to discuss their collaboration. In these discussions, they are building new infrastructure and solidifying existing infrastructure to address this issue. Chase Sova, the World Food Program USA vice president of public policy and advocacy said bringing this broad group of people together to discuss this will have real-world impacts. "We've learned over time that one of the best ways that we can help create global stability and peace is by feeding someone who cannot feed themselves and their family. That's part of the reason that we're here today at Mississippi State University. This is a very important conversation and I think we're bringing together folks from across disciplines, people who aren't usually in the same room together frankly. And that's, I think, the power of this convening," said Sova. |
| Interprofessional Simulation Lab aids MSU Meridian students | |
 | MSU-Meridian has an Interprofessional Simulation Program, designed to give students accurate, hands-on experience before they enter the workforce. It creates true clinic and hospital environments that depict what it looks like for students to care for patients in need. The sim lab allows nursing, social work, nutrition, and physician assistant students to work together on the same case, building teamwork and confidence. "I think the biggest thing is creating that experiential environment that they don't necessarily get. It's usually random what they see in clinical, but we can guarantee certain experiences here. We can look at the objectives and the outcomes, and students really love simulation," said Valerie Nicholson, the sim technician. "...Being able to see this stuff... simulated in VR really helps a lot... To work in labor and delivery, especially when we're in our OBGYN rotations, it's something that without seeing it is pretty difficult to know what you're actually going into... I think it will be really beneficial for rotations and learning," said Matt Kittrell, a Physician Assistant student. The Interprofessional Sim Lab would not be possible without the generosity and foresight of The Riley Foundation. |
| MSU Lyceum Series continues with The Great DuBois circus show | |
 | Mississippi State's Lyceum Series continues with a high-energy circus performance. The Great DuBois performs at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Lee Hall's Bettersworth Auditorium. Free to MSU students, the show is $25 for university employees and senior citizens and $30 for the general public. Tickets are available at events.msstate.edu. The duo act features Michael DuBois and Viktoria Grimmy, who have had numerous high-profile appearances, including Hugh Jackman's "The Greatest Showman," Broadway's "Pippin" and Jay Leno's "The Tonight Show." The circus performance showcases juggling, hula hoops, unicycles, aerial, circus stunts, contortion, magic and audience interaction with a comedic twist. The Lyceum Series is MSU's longest running performing arts series and is a key part of the university's continued commitment to the arts. For more information, visit lyceum.msstate.edu or call (662) 325-2930. |
| Cornerstone wetlands slated as home for arboretum | |
| The first question Bob Brzuszek usually gets from people who read that Starkville is getting an arboretum is how to pronounce the word. But once the former landscape architecture professor gets past that, there's plenty more to say about what these public groves offer residents and visitors. "Garden is another name for it, but the focus is more on woody plants rather than flowering ones like in botanical gardens," he said. "Being in nature is important to a lot of people, and providing opportunities for communities to do that is necessary. I'm very excited the city is creating a public space for people to enjoy the natural environment." The board of aldermen approved up to $25,000 in city funding Tuesday for Brzuszek's company, The Artful Gardner, to move forward with design work on the arboretum. He's joined in that effort by a broad coalition including the state Forestry Commission and Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, Mississippi State University's Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design, and Starkville's Town and County Garden Club. MSU students are using that development process itself to gain hands-on experience. Roughly a dozen students from the landscape architecture department helped plant 30 native trees on the site on April 25 for Arbor Day, and Anne Spafford, head of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design, said she hopes even more will participate in planning events. |
| Mississippi Hills Heritage Alliance awards more than $360,000 in grants | |
 | The Mississippi Hills Heritage Area Alliance's board of directors has approved more than $360,000 in community matching grants for the year, the second highest amount ever. A total of 34 grants across 13 counties within the Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area were approved as part of the FY25 Community Grant Program, including Oktibbeha County: Starkville CVB was awarded $20,000 to assist with phase two of the renovation of its lobby, which will feature new display cases showcasing artifacts from the collections of Mitchell Memorial Library at Mississippi State University. The awards were announced at a public ceremony following the board meeting. "This year we received a lot of strong proposals and were glad to be able to fund many of them," said Mary Cates Williams, executive director of the Alliance. "We look forward to working with grantees on their exciting projects." MHNHA is also funding $100,000 in special projects in FY25: two regional initiatives in conjunction with the Mississippi Main Street Association, and emergency repairs on the Tennessee Williams Home and Welcome Center in Columbus. |
| Dispatch reporter recognized for her college journalism work | |
| Dispatch reporter Cadence Harvey was recognized this week for work published in 2024 in The Reflector, when she was part of the student newspaper's staff at Mississippi State University. She won first place for Best Feature Story in the Senior College Division, an award announced Thursday during the Mississippi Press Association's O.C. McDavid Student Journalism Conference in Ridgeland. The story highlights the work of Alberta Ebeheakey, a Ghana native who came to the U.S. to work in forestry research. Ebeheakey serves on a team at MSU that uses artificial intelligence to help improve a wood identification system, which curtails illegal logging of protected tree species. Harvey graduated from MSU in May 2024 with a bachelor's degree in communication and a concentration in print and digital journalism. During her final semester, she served as managing editor for The Reflector, and she was named the College of Communication's Print and Digital Student of the Year. |
| Thousands of cats saved by Operation Colony Cats, thousands more to go | |
| For three days, a stray orange cat named Maisie limped through Hamilton with a raccoon trap clamped to her leg. By the time she was found on someone's property, her leg was barely attached to her body. Terri Doumit, founder of Operation Colony Cats in Columbus, rushed to help. Working alongside the Oktibbeha County Humane Society, she ensured Maisie received immediate medical attention. After rounds of antibiotics and an amputation, Maisie was put up for adoption for a second chance at life. Doumit started OCC in 2019 alongside two friends in a gas station parking lot in east Columbus. Their goal was simple: trap stray and feral cats, get them neutered and release them. OCC works closely with both Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society and Oktibbeha County Humane Society, both of which call on OCC when they have a sick litter, an injured kitten or are dealing with overflow. Oktibbeha County Humane Society also provides medical care to cats whose owners can't afford spaying and neutering. Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine in Starkville provides care for feral and stray cats. |
| Starkville to take lead in multi-agency task force to tackle human trafficking | |
| No one expects human trafficking to happen in their city. But just because it doesn't always look the way it does in movies doesn't mean it can't happen in the Golden Triangle. Now, law enforcement agencies are teaming up to prevent human trafficking from happening in the area. The Starkville Board of Aldermen unanimously approved joining the North Mississippi Human Trafficking Enforcement Task Force on Tuesday, an interlocal agreement that sets the city up for a leadership role in ensuring the Golden Triangle's police are properly trained and prepared when victims emerge. The collaboration, if it comes together, would require its members to maintain human trafficking enforcement training for officers and collaborate with other departments when a potential human trafficking case appears, with civilian partners helping support victims. "When you deal with human trafficking, I cannot emphasize enough, you have to have specialized trauma training," said Starkville Police Chief Mark Ballard on Tuesday. "You have to be trained how to interview a victim that might very well be, in that individual's mind, totally dependent on the perpetrator." Ballard said the new task force will serve as a preventative measure, ensuring officers have proper training when human trafficking cases emerge. |
| BankFirst reaches agreement to acquire Magnolia State Bank | |
| Mississippi-based BankFirst is expanding with an agreement being reached to acquire Magnolia State Bank. BankFirst, headquartered in Macon with locations in both Mississippi and Alabama, announced Friday the signing of a definitive merge agreement with Bay Springs-based Magnolia State Bank. The transaction was unanimously approved by the board of directors of each company and is expected to close later this year. Moak Griffin, president and CEO at BankFirst, said in a press release that the goal of the acquisition is to expand further into south Mississippi and along the Gulf Coast. BankFirst operates most of its operations in the central and northern parts of the state and the Tuscaloosa, Ala., area. After the merger with Magnolia State Bank, BankFirst is expected to have 52 branches and loan production offices in Mississippi and Alabama. Total assets are expected to land at $3.2 billion. Kris Mangum, the CEO of Magnolia State Bank who will remain on staff as a regional president after the merger, said it will be a "seamless transition" for customers, shareholders, and employees alike. |
| This husband, wife team is keeping Mississippi ag business afloat with foreign workers | |
 | The agriculture industry in Mississippi has long had troubles finding a competent workforce. So, many farmers have turned to looking for employees outside of the Mississippi Delta, the state as a whole and even outside of the United States to make ends meet. While there are many ways to do that, the H-2A visa program has been a way for agricultural employers to bring foreign workers to the United States to fill temporary or seasonal jobs if domestic workers are not available. With the current political climate toward immigration in general and the potential for a migrant workforce taking the place of Americans in some instances, the H-2A program is often not understood. One of the most influential people helping to facilitate the H-2A process in Mississippi is Zach Harris, owner of C.O.C. Placement Service in Greenwood. He serves as an H-2A agent/representative. Harris, along with his wife, Merritt Belk Harris, and his business, processes as many as 550 applications a year for H-2A employers in 29 states and represents 2,500 workers from South Africa, Mexico, Brazil and Ukraine. "A common misconception is that all these foreign workers that are here working on these farms, particularly those that are Mexicans, are illegal. The fact is that these days, regardless of where they are from, they are probably H-2A workers," he said. Harris said most Mississippi Delta farms are not receiving applications from U.S. workers. |
| Exclusive: Gov. Tate Reeves says Mississippi must be better than other states in economic development | |
| Over the course of the last couple of years, Mississippi has had an assortment of riches from a standpoint of economic development. The list is long and there are a lot of zeros at the end of all of the price tags. There's the billion dollar steel plant in the Golden Triangle. There's the billion dollar EV battery plant in Marshall County. In January 2024 when Amazon Web Services made waves, announcing it will occupy two Madison County locations for a historic buildout of hyperscale development centers. Everyone knew it was a big deal when Mississippi lawmakers completed the $259 million incentive package for the Amazon Web Services' $10 billion project in Canton and Madison County. That project could be worth much more than $10 billion. Finally, Dallas-based Compass Datacenters announced this year its next hyperscale data center campus in Meridian, which will consist of eight data centers that will be constructed over an eight-year period. That project represents an investment of $10 billion. The common denominator in all of those projects was the praise that the companies heaped on the state of Mississippi, the Mississippi Development Authority and Gov. Tate Reeves for the ease in which they were all able to work to get things done. |
| Lt. Gov. Hosemann feigns ignorance on typo that led to tax overhaul passing by mistake, claims victory | |
| Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann's House counterparts took advantage of typos in a bill his Senate approved -- bringing forth the most sweeping tax overhaul in modern Mississippi history. But after a day's silence on the issue, Hosemann on Friday acted as though he knew little about the snafu. Hosemann outlined what he said were victories in the bill headed to Gov. Tate Reeves with the Senate's typos unfixed. Then he attempted to end a press conference after taking, but not really answering, one question from Mississippi Today about the errors. As statehouse reporters kept pressing, Hosemann said he hadn't "focused" on the typos and didn't know whether the House had intentionally passed the bill to back the Senate into a corner. "I don't know whether they knew it had a flaw," Hosemann said. "Nobody told me that." Hosemann said his team spent "hundreds of hours" drafting its tax overhaul legislation and "an untold amount of allocations and computations" went into the process. But the thoroughness Hosemann described did not prevent a few errant decimal points from making it into the legislation the Senate ultimately approved by mistake. As confusion swirled throughout the Capitol late Thursday and early Friday, many lawmakers said they were unclear how quickly the income tax elimination would happen. |
| Will Trump administration order halt broadband funds for Internet buildout in Mississippi? | |
 | A reader from Forrest County recently asked the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center's "What Is True?" fact-checking service if a Trump administration executive order, issued on the president's first day in office for his second term, would halt federal funding aimed at expanding broadband internet access to rural portions of Mississippi. On Jan. 20, President Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders, including one called "Unleashing American Energy." This particular order directed federal agencies to pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a $1.2 trillion package aimed at modernizing U.S. infrastructure, improving sustainability and boosting economic growth. The act, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden in November 2021, allocated $65 billion for broadband expansion and affordability efforts. The act also created the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, better known as BEAD. After state officials submitted a comprehensive plan for expanding access, the Magnolia State was awarded more than $1.2 billion of this funding. Sally Doty, head of the state broadband office, told "What Is True?" that she foresees "no drastic change in Mississippi's plan for the buildout of broadband infrastructure to the approximately 125,000 households across the state that remain unserved." |
| Hyde-Smith rep Thames shares outlook at Rotary Club meeting | |
 | A representative for U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) told a group of Brookhaven and McComb Rotarians Thursday that she sees positive change ahead under the Trump administration. Hyde-Smith was scheduled to speak at the weekly meeting of the Brookhaven Rotary Club, but missed to be with her 87-year-old mother who was undergoing emergency gallbladder surgery in Jackson. Anna Thames, her field representative, who is also from Brookhaven, read a text from the senator in her place. "Things are going incredibly well in Washington, D.C.," Hyde-Smith wrote. "I'm very excited about things we are getting done. I'm so impressed with the cabinet members I've had the privilege to work with. Good things are happening." The meeting was also attended by members of the McComb Rotary and Brookhaven Servitium clubs. In the text Thames read, Hyde-Smith related the change-over in administrations to cleaning out a closet. "You have to pull everything out and create a mess before sorting and organizing begins. The end result is refreshing and certainly beneficial," she said. Thames used Hyde-Smith's notes to share that agenda she planned to present to the clubs. Hyde-Smith, who sits on the Agricultural Committee for the Senate, planned to share updates for farmers. |
| GOP senators warn Trump agenda will be slowed by internal divisions | |
 | Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has cautioned GOP colleagues that the Senate isn't likely to pass President Trump's border security, energy and tax agenda until July, at the earliest, and some Republican senators are warning the bill could drag well into the fall. Much of Washington's attention has focused on the rocky path Trump's agenda faces in the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) slim majority means he can only lose one GOP vote and still pass GOP legislation. But Republican senators are warning that getting a major package through the Senate will take months longer than has been publicly discussed, due to the sheer size of Trump's ambitious agenda and internal Republican divisions over an array of policy questions. While Thune has told Republican senators he wants to move a budget resolution in the "next work period" before the April recess to show progress on Trump's agenda, the "finished product" is still months away. "Thune and others have said they don't think it's realistic we'll move the finished product until the end of July," a Republican senator said of Thune's projected timeline for moving Trump's agenda. |
| 'Not how this works': The GOP agenda is stuck amid House vs. Senate infighting | |
 | Congressional Republicans left Washington riding high after their big victory on government spending. Now they're returning to face a brutal reality check: Their legislative agenda is going nowhere fast. Now months into the process, House and Senate Republicans are still trading barbs and accusing each side of slowing down progress on President Donald Trump's top legislative priority -- a sweeping bill linking a tax overhaul to energy, defense and border policies. When GOP lawmakers return to Washington Monday, they will be under fierce pressure to show meaningful progress toward delivering on that agenda in the narrow, three-week window they have before leaving town again. Speaker Mike Johnson has set an ambitious goal of finalizing a budget blueprint with the Senate and getting it passed in the House by the week of April 7. Yet nearly every key decision remains unsettled. They include how deep to cut into social safety-net spending, how to placate swing-seat lawmakers over a key tax break, how to account for the cost of extending existing tax cuts and how many more breaks they can pile on top. "How can we be moving quickly when some of those foundational questions haven't been settled?" North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said about the rising pressure from the House GOP. |
| Supreme Court to weigh use of race in redistricting | |
 | The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments Monday over the fate of Louisiana's second Black-majority congressional district, in a pair of cases that could shape how state lawmakers can use race when drawing new congressional maps. Parties in the case have urged the justices to clarify the "breathing room" states get between the statutory and constitutional requirements of drawing district lines, as part of the tangled court fights over the state's redistricting efforts since the 2020 census. On Louisiana's first congressional map, a judge found the state violated the discrimination protections in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and ordered the map redrawn. Then, on that second map, a separate court found the state violated the 14th Amendment's prohibition on racial discrimination and ordered it redrawn again. "Louisiana is tired," the state said in its Supreme Court brief, citing the years of litigation over the racial gerrymandering claims. The sides have asked for more sweeping decisions about how states can provide opportunities for minority voters to elect representatives of their choice -- as required by the VRA -- without those efforts emphasizing race so much they run afoul of the Constitution. |
| 'Playing favorites': Trump comes to rescue of Musk and Tesla amid DOGE backlash | |
 | Donald Trump liked the shiny red car. "I want the same color," he said, pointing to a Tesla Model S, before slipping into the driver's seat. The car-shopping president didn't go to a Tesla dealership to make his choice. He turned the White House into a showroom for the electric-car maker, which delivered five models to the presidential mansion and parked them along the driveway that winds around the South Lawn. But this wasn't really about a president buying a car. It was a choreographed event aimed at ending the backlash against Tesla and its owner, Elon Musk, who is leading Trump's campaign to slash the federal bureaucracy. Entire federal departments and agencies have been dismantled by Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, which he leads. Ten of thousands of government workers have been fired, although some have been rehired after court rulings that they were let go illegally. Angry Americans have reacted with violence and vandalism at Tesla dealerships across the country -- setting fires, smashing windshields and painting red X's on vehicles. Trump and his aides have stepped in to help Musk and Tesla weather the storm and boost the company's sagging stock, raising questions about the ethics -- and the legality -- of an administration actively working to benefit a business owned by the president's biggest financial backer. "This is unprecedented," said Richard Painter, who was the White House ethics chief under President George W. Bush. "I've never seen the United States government promote a particular company." |
| The Social Security Administration's many proposed changes are worrying advocates | |
 | In the past month, the Trump administration has announced a flurry of changes at the agency that administers Social Security. Among these changes are plans to cut thousands of jobs, close offices and enact new policy -- including more stringent identity checks that could require in-person office visits. Advocates warn these sweeping moves could lead to seniors and people with disabilities having a harder time getting help with their crucial benefits. Already, getting assistance can be burdensome. For years, advocates say the Social Security Administration has struggled to keep up with its growing workload. Besides retirement services, the agency runs programs that provide survivor benefits and disability benefits and supplemental income for the very poor. Nancy Altman, president of an advocacy group called Social Security Works, which opposes the staff cuts, said the agency is decentralized on purpose. She said the regional offices support the roughly 1,200 field offices across the country so that they don't have to go through agency headquarters in Baltimore for everything they need. "There'd be such a backlog if it all had to go through some central office," she said. "So instead, it's an appropriate, an efficient way of running this massive organization. It's one of the largest departments in the government." |
| 'DOGE and Musk were gonna have a big impact': Federal job cuts shake the Capital Region | |
| Political leaders across the Washington region are scrambling to find a place for government workers President Donald Trump is trying to fire, part of a mad dash to protect the region's economy that relies on serving the federal workforce. Officials from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia have been mobilizing their resources to build a safety net, trying to offer fired federal workers positions elsewhere. Websites sprawling with links on everything from filing for unemployment to postings for local jobs have gone up for all the major counties in the area, and officials are trying to hire as many former federal officials as they can in state and local government. "It was obvious from the beginning that DOGE and Musk were gonna have a big impact on the workforce in Northern Virginia, and really the whole DMV," Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) told POLITICO at a job fair he set up in the Washington suburb of Arlington for laid off feds, using a nickname for the region. "We want to try to keep them here as best we can." The loss of jobs for potentially hundreds of thousands of federal workers would be devastating for the area's future. |
| MUW: Raising fees on MSMS to $1.3M reflects 'actual cost' | |
| Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science may not be in Columbus for much longer. But Mississippi University for Women wants more money from the state to host the school for the time it remains there. On Wednesday, The W presented MSMS administration with updated fees it seeks to charge for certain services the university provides the residential high school for gifted juniors and seniors. The updates would jack the price to a little more than $1.3 million -- up 383% from the $271,400 The W charges MSMS for those services now. The fee update was delivered on the eve of a scheduled State Board of Education meeting in Jackson, where the board unanimously voted to recommend MSMS move to Mississippi State University by the 2026-2027 school year, pending legislative approval. MUW President Nora Miller told The Dispatch the increases reflect the actual cost of hosting the school and is reflected in its proposal to the State Board of Education to keep it. District 43 Rep. Rob Roberson, R-Starkville, who also chairs the House Education Committee, said the funds to cover the increases would need to be a part of MDE's budget for MSMS. But he's not sure how that would happen. "It's a very strange way it was presented, and I don't know if it will be funded," he wrote in a text to The Dispatch. |
| State Board of Education recommends MSMS move to Mississippi State | |
| The State Board of Education for Mississippi voted this week to recommend to the Legislature that the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science be moved to Mississippi State University. The school, which educates the state's gifted students in the 11th and 12th grades, currently operates on the campus of the Mississippi University for Women. A subcommittee made up of members of the Board of Education sought proposals from both universities last month in an effort to increase enrollment in the school which has churned out more than 3,000 graduates since its founding in 1987. State Superintendent Dr. Lance Evans reminded the Board that their task was simply to review the proposals and make a recommendation. The final decision lies with the Legislature, which also determines funding levels. "And of course it was also dependent upon fiscal responsibility from our Legislature, which right now we don't see that coming forward," McGehee told the Board during Thursday's meeting. "At the same time, we need to start making plans about how to move forward." If the Legislature decides to accept the Board's recommendation to move MSMS to Mississippi State, preparations and further planning would be required "so nothing is going to happen overnight." |
| MUW responds to SBE's recommendation to move MSMS | |
| Mississippi University for Women President Nora Miller was at the State Capitol when she heard the news -- the State Board of Education made a decision to accept Mississippi State University's proposal to house the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science. After being a fixture in Columbus since 1987, Miller says a lot will be missing if the city loses MSMS. "Tales from the Crypt, the 8th of May Celebration, they created those events. And it's been a highlight for the community. So that will be missing. And, you know, that's 240 kids who will no longer be a part of this community," said Miller. Miller said going through this process has caused them to take a deeper look at the service they provide and the level the SBE is requesting. Miller said they looked at the industry standard for facility improvements which was $6 per square foot. "Currently they pay $0.69 per square foot. So we put in the proposal, the $6 per square foot figure, so they would realize that if they want that level of service, that's what it's going to cost for us to provide that. We have been the best stewards we can be and we look forward to continuing our relationship with MSMS. And as long as they are here, we will continue," said Miller. |
| Southern Miss, Ole Miss enter partnership for accelerated law degree program | |
| A new partnership will allow undergraduate students at Southern Miss to pursue an accelerated law degree at Ole Miss. On Thursday, officials with both universities gathered in Jackson and formalized the partnership agreement following a Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning board meeting. The accelerated law school pathway provides a plan for undergraduate students in certain Southern Miss degree programs to trim a year off the time needed to earn both a bachelor's degree and a law degree. "High-ability" undergraduate students, or those who outperform their peers, will have the opportunity to earn both degrees in just six years rather than seven. "This program represents an extraordinary opportunity for our students to achieve their academic and professional goals more efficiently," Southern Miss President Dr. Joe Paul said. "By creating a clear and accelerated route to earning both a bachelor's degree and a Juris Doctor in just six years, we are preparing our students to begin their legal careers earlier while maintaining the highest standards of academic excellence." Ole Miss' fourth accelerated law program partnership with a Mississippi institution of higher learning. Earlier agreements launched partnerships with Tougaloo College, Jackson State University, and Mississippi State University. |
| Beautification project showcases USM Gulf Park Campus's deep-rooted connection to Coast | |
 | University of Southern Mississippi President, Dr. Joe Paul, joined Long Beach Mayor George Bass and other community stakeholders in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Friendship Oak Beautification Project on Friday. The project, vetted by the Mississippi Department of Transportation and approved by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, provides a showcase for the centuries-old live oak located on the front lawn of campus -- complete with lights, benches and off-street viewing areas. It also creates a landscaped platform on what was the foundation of the old Administration Building destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. "The tree is over 500 years old -- 1487. Columbus was 1492. This oak was already here before he even set sail for America,″ explained Jason Cantu, Architect and Assistant Director for Campus Projects at USM. "This project connects to the rest of campus. It's almost the gateway and the Friendship Oak is the first thing that you see kind of welcoming everybody. So, it was really important to do something that was meaningful for the oak, but also preserve the past of campus. So, we included the Administration Plaza which was a building pre-Katrina." |
| Jackson State community gives back for another year | |
| It was a day of giving over at Jackson State University on Saturday for the school's biannual Crop Drop event. Cars were lined up all the way to Gallatin Street as they descended on the campus to pick up much-needed items. People were greeted with sweet potatoes, collard greens, cleaning supplies, even generators and other goods as the school gave back to those in need in the capital city. One JSU senior says this event really makes a difference for those trying to make ends meet. "We're here in the food desert, so what better to be to give free food to our community? Sweet potatoes and greens and healthier. So that's important here as well," said Henry Thompson, JSU's Metro Jackson Community Prevention Coalition director. This year marks the 10th year for the event. |
| Higher ed reporter Molly Minta moves to Mississippi Today's new Jackson team | |
| Mississippi Today is excited to announce that Molly Minta, who has been covering higher education for the newsroom since 2021, has moved full-time to the newly launched Jackson team. In her new role, Minta's reporting will take an expansive view of topics like public safety, such as community-level examinations of housing and code enforcement, public parks and blight, economic and mental health resources across the capital city, as well as policing. "I've lived in Jackson since moving to Mississippi four years ago, so I'm approaching this beat with questions you can only get from lived experience in this city," Minta said. "There's so much we don't know about this city, and my goal will be to make information about the way Jackson works more accessible to everybody. Who has power in this city, how did they get it, and are they using it to help Jackson thrive?" Though Minta's focus has changed, Mississippi Today remains committed to covering higher education and will announce its plans for the role in coming days. |
| Out-of-state students fuel LSU's growth, with 40% of freshmen not from Louisiana | |
 | Danielle Hawkins, an LSU admissions counselor, asked a group of about 40 middle and high schoolers this week how many had been to a Mardi Gras parade. Only a few hands went up. "OK, a couple," she said brightly. "Look at y'all!" The students had come from Tampa to tour the Baton Rouge campus. Hawkins, who frequently travels to New Jersey and Pennsylvania to recruit, gave a presentation then introduced their tour guide: an LSU junior from Houston. As the Florida students shuffled across the sprawling campus, where 4 in 10 freshmen come from out of state, 10th-grader Ah'Yanna Maultsby liked what she saw. "It feels like I actually could belong here," she said. Louisiana's flagship public university, LSU has become a magnet for out-of-state students. Its steady expansion, to more than 34,000 undergrads last fall, has been driven almost entirely by students coming from outside Louisiana. Over the past decade, the number of undergrads from other states has nearly tripled, exceeding 12,000 students in 2024, according to LSU fall enrollment data that includes online and campus students. By contrast, the number of Louisiana undergrads inched up only 2%, to about 20,300 students. |
| Why the Farm Bill Affects Everyone -- Not Just Farmers | |
| You've probably heard of the U.S. Farm Bill, but do you know what it is? While it may seem like it only affects farmers, this complex legislation impacts everyone -- whether you buy groceries, care about conservation or rely on nutrition programs. Yet, despite its broad reach, it remains one of the most misunderstood laws in the country. University of Georgia Cooperative Extensionagricultural economist Amanda Smith, a faculty member in UGA's Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, breaks down some of the most common questions about this complex but crucial bill. In response to the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, the first Farm Bill, called the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, was introduced to stabilize agricultural markets by addressing the sharp decline in U.S. crop prices. It established programs to reduce surpluses and raise crop prices, providing much-needed relief to struggling farmers. Updated every five years, Farm Bills have since evolved into massive legislative packages that shape policies on everything from crop insurance and soil and water conservation programs to food assistance and rural development, Smith explained. "Among many things, Farm Bills serve as a critical safety net, stepping in when market conditions fail to provide farmers with adequate income," said Smith, faculty in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES). "While most farmers prefer to earn their living through the market rather than government assistance, these programs ensure agriculture remains viable during economic downturns." |
| How would Trump dismantling Department of Education affect U. of Tennessee? | |
 | President Donald Trump on March 20 signed an executive order calling for the U.S. Department of Education to be dismantled with a desire to bring education back to the states, but the situation requires more than just a signature to disrupt the federal agency. The University of Tennessee, like higher education institutions across the country, is waiting to see how these proposed sweeping changes will affect students and staff. The University of Tennessee is continuing to monitor the federal government and the rapid changes under Trump's administration. "This remains an extremely fluid situation, and we are closely monitoring developments related to the proposed dismantling of the Department of Education," UT System spokesperson Tiffany Carpenter said in an email to Knox News. Fully dismantling the department requires action from Congress. The executive order is only an expression of the president's goal to dismantle the department. Similarly, key federal programs for schools in the department can't be removed unless Congress authorizes it by passing laws, which Trump is sidestepping with his announcement of the Small Business Administration taking over student loans. |
| Texas faculty testify against bills to screen universities' curriculum for 'ideological' bias | |
| Dozens of professors testified Thursday against a proposal that would prevent college courses from endorsing "specific public policies, ideologies or legislation," saying it threatens not only their freedom to teach, but students' freedom to learn. The Texas Senate's K-16 Education Committee heard testimony Thursday on Senate Bill 37, by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, a sweeping piece of legislation that would task universities' governing boards with screening curricula for ideological bias, among other things. Seth Chandler, a professor of law at the University of Houston, said the bill could be interpreted as prohibiting a broad range of subjects -- from the teaching of free market economics to the original interpretation of the Constitution, or even the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery. Others said the legislation would instill fear to introduce and discuss material some might find controversial. "Mostly, I'm concerned with how SB 37 infantilizes college students. These are adults who take my classes, who are bright, thoughtful and more than capable of confronting new and challenging ideas," said Caitlin Smith, an assistant professor of Instruction in the Department of Educational Psychology at The University of Texas at Austin. |
| Purple corn? U. of Missouri researchers discover ways it could lower the risk of major diseases | |
 | For the past four years, University of Missouri researchers have been changing the color of corn to see whether purple breeds can provide potential health benefits. Working with a dark purple South American variety known as maiz morado, the researchers have discovered that its kernels have more antioxidants than blueberries, as well as other nutritional compounds that could be beneficial to health. Now these researchers are working to extract a red dye from purple corn to replace the petroleum-based Red 3 dye that has been banned by the FDA. It could also replace another synthetic food colorant called Red 40 that has faced heavy regulation in states such as California because of health concerns in children. Those concerns include allergies, migraines and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Pavel Somavat, an assistant professor of food and biological engineering at MU, is one of the leaders of the research project. Somavat expects a market for natural red dyes to become more pronounced as a backlash against artificial dyes becomes more widespread. This could open a market for Missouri and other corn growers. |
| Education secretary says Columbia University's changes put it on track to recover funding | |
 | U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said Columbia University is "on the right track" toward recovering federal funding after the elite New York City university agreed to implement a host of policy changes demanded by the Trump administration. Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday, McMahon described "great conversations" with Columbia's interim president, Katrina Armstrong. "She said she knew that this was her responsibility to make sure that children on her campus were safe," McMahon said. "She wanted to make sure there was no discrimination of any kind. She wanted to address any systemic issues that were identified relative to the antisemitism on campus." Armstrong announced Friday that the university would put its Middle East studies department under new supervision and overhaul its rules for protests and student discipline. It also agreed to adopt a new definition of antisemitism and expand "intellectual diversity" by staffing up its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies, according to an outline posted on its website. |
| Trump Plans to Move Troubled Financial-Aid Office to Decimated Small Business Administration | |
 | The nation's $1.7-trillion federal student-loan portfolio will be transferred immediately from the U.S. Department of Education to the Small Business Administration, whose staff is simultaneously being cut by 43 percent, the Trump administration announced in two separate statements Friday. The developments -- one conveyed in comments to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, the other in a memo from the SBA -- come on the heels of the president's executive order Thursday directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin closing the Education Department, a move that would require congressional approval. The decision to shift the student-loan program drew immediate criticism from groups that questioned whether the administration has the authority to make that move and whether the SBA will have the capacity to take on the enormous task of overseeing a financial-aid system that has been mired in crisis. In comments to reporters, the president said the SBA is ready. "They are all set for it, they are waiting for it. It'll be serviced much better than it has in the past," Trump said. However, the SBA's own release on Friday didn't mention the additional responsibilities, focusing instead on how its duties would be shrinking. |
| Efforts to save Department of Education move to courts | |
| Defenders of the Department of Education are turning to the courts to save it after President Trump signed an executive order to abolish it and on Friday said he would move some of its most critical loan programs to the Small Business Administration (SBA). Trump cannot abolish the department without an act of Congress, and it is not clear that legislation doing so could get through Congress. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) nonetheless on Friday said he would seek legislation to end the department, even as Trump through executive action attempts to hollow out a government agency that had more than 4,000 employees just months ago. "I expect that any actions to shutter the agency or to dismantle it will be challenged in the courts, and those challenges will prevail," Julie Margetta Morgan, a former deputy under secretary of Education during the Biden administration, told The Hill earlier this month. Trump could theoretically have an easier time in the courts if Congress is able to pass a law either eliminating the department or allowing for it to be weakened, but such a measure would require some Democratic support to clear the Senate, and not even all Republicans are on board. |
| Universities Sprint from 'We Will Not Cower' to Appeasing Trump | |
 | When University of Michigan President Santa Ono sat down for breakfast earlier this month with a group of lawmakers from his home state, the message was clear: The school was ready to play ball with Trump's Washington. It was time for universities to "wake up" and start addressing the reasons why they have lost so much trust, Ono told the bipartisan group in a hotel conference room near the Capitol, according to people with knowledge of the meeting. Ono added that universities should listen to their most "vocal critics." University leaders, pinned between liberal faculty and the Trump administration, are quietly trying to make friends in Washington amid widespread concerns about research budgets, student aid and the White House's quest to push academia to the right. During his election campaign, President Trump vowed "to reclaim our once great educational institutions from the radical Left," and he has moved quickly to target diversity, equity and inclusion programs, alleged antisemitism and anything perceived as "woke." He has threatened to pull funding from universities that don't comply. Critics say universities had this crackdown coming after failing to hold up their end of a longtime social contract. In the past, colleges and universities have largely enjoyed a cozy relationship with Washington. Universities are economic engines in many congressional districts---and they can offer perks like football tickets and honorary degrees in exchange for their hometown lawmakers' ears. Now few House lawmakers -- and virtually no Republicans -- are interested in going to bat for higher education, lobbyists, trade groups and officials said. |
| His father broke barriers in Mississippi politics. Today, Bryant Clark carries on that historic legacy. | |
| Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison writes: In his second term as a member of the Mississippi House, Bryant Clark presided over the chamber -- a rare accomplishment for a sophomore in a chamber that then and now rewards experience. The Holmes County Democrat presided in the House as if he were a seasoned veteran. In a sense he was. Bryant Clark is the son of Robert Clark, the first Black Mississippian elected to the state Legislature since the 1800s and the first Black Mississippian to preside over the House chamber since Reconstruction. Robert Clark rose from being a House outcast to serving three terms as pro tempore, who presides in the absence of the speaker. With Clark's death earlier this month at age 96, much has been written and said about Robert Clark, the civil rights icon. While his accomplishments were groundbreaking in the history of the state, the measure of the man is, unbelievably, much more. |
| The Typo Tax Swap Act of 2025 may be the most Mississippi thing ever | |
| Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender writes: In the end, it wasn't earnest negotiation or any agreement between the two sides that led to the passage of total income tax elimination in Mississippi -- it was a few typos. The Senate had accidentally put in some decimal points that essentially eliminated the growth triggers that would have staved off full elimination of the income tax for years. ... Instead of a long, cautious phase out of the income tax, the Senate had inadvertently approved a phase-out that would happen about as quickly as the House's plan, and without any real growth triggers as safeguards. Some of the Senate's majority vote on the measure had approved this plan only because of those revenue trigger safeguards. But the House leadership realized the Senate's error and ran with it. The error-riddled measure the Senate inadvertently sent to the House could now head to the governor and become law by only the removal of the holding motion pending in the House. Lawmakers in the House and Senate often make mistakes in bills. Typically, they are fixed by resubmitting the bills or by both sides voting to suspend rules and fix the errors. It is uncommon for one chamber to seize on another's mistake for one-upmanship. And it's unheard of, at least in recent history, as means of passing sea change legislation such as overhauling the state tax code. |
| New conflictive norms thrust upon us, embrace disparagement | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: Perhaps you have noticed the new conflictive norms being thrust upon us. You know, norms, the standards of behavior that guide our interactions. Elon Musk is one of the champions of these new norms, i.e., touting free speech then disparaging some of those who use it. "I acquired X in order to preserve free speech in America," Musk posted on X. "60 Minutes are the biggest liars in the world!" he later posted after the news program aired a segment critical of his DOGE cuts to USAID. "They deserve a long prison sentence." Of course, Musk is not the only one practicing the new norms. The declared mission of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, a Mississippi public charity, is to "advocate for and advance" conservative ideas. A recent newsletter from its president and CEO Douglas Carswell suggests its mission is to promote chosen politicians and disparage others. ... It's one thing to advocate and promote policy, another to advocate politicians, and quite another to falsely disparage other politicians. |
SPORTS
| Women's Basketball: Bulldogs Set To Face USC In Second Round Of NCAA Tournament | |
| The Mississippi State Bulldogs look to continue their run in March when they take on the top-seeded and fourth-ranked team in the country, USC. Tipoff for the contest is set for 9 p.m. CT on ESPN. Mississippi State took down Cal in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, 59-46. Cal's 46 points tied the lowest amount of points scored by a Mississippi State opponent in NCAA Tournament history. Madina Okot scored 14 points and secured 13 rebounds, while also anchoring the defense with three steals and two blocks. Eniya Russell collected 14 points. Jerkaila Jordan earned 10 points with four steals and two blocks. The Bulldogs will match up with the top-seeded USC Trojans. The two programs will face off for just the third time, with each team winning one game a piece. In the last matchup between USC and Mississippi State, the Bulldogs walked away with a 76-72 victory. Current Assistant Coach Victoria Vivians led those Bulldogs with 19 points, including knocking down three triples, with six rebounds and a steal. Mississippi State has an all-time record of 26-12 in the NCAA Tournament. They have advanced to at least the Sweet Sixteen in five of their 13 appearances. |
| March Madness: Mississippi State beats California 59-46 behind Okot's double-double | |
| Madina Okot had 14 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out late and ninth-seeded Mississippi State beat California 59-46 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday. Eniya Russell added 14 points for the Bulldogs (22-11), who are back in March Madness for the first time in two years. They lost in the national title game in 2017 and 2018. "I think what everyone just witnessed was our best defensive effort of the season," Bulldogs coach Sam Purcell said. The Bulldogs improved their shooting to 50% in the second half when they outscored the Bears 15-10 in the third and 18-17 in the fourth. They had 15 steals. "Physicality and rebounding wins us games. I don't think they were used to that," Russell said. "I definitely think our defense disrupted them." "There were just too many people who couldn't get into a groove and that meant we couldn't survive the turnovers and missed shots," Bears coach Charmin Smith said. Mississippi State will play JuJu Watkins and top-seeded USC in the second round on Monday at Galen Center. The Bulldogs last made the Sweet 16 in 2019. |
| Women's Basketball: Bulldogs play airtight defense in NCAA Tournament win over Cal | |
| Sam Purcell takes great pride in Mississippi State's scouting report defense, and that defense rose to the occasion Saturday under the bright lights of the NCAA Tournament. The No. 9 seed Bulldogs held California to 13 made field goals, the fewest MSU has allowed in a game since November, and defeated the No. 8 seed Golden Bears 59-46 in Los Angeles. Cal led for just 21 seconds as the Bulldogs took control in the first quarter and never looked back. "We probably went through 15 games (on film). That's how detailed we were," MSU's third-year head coach said. "The only thing I think we were missing is their social security numbers. We knew tendencies, which way they wanted to go. It was just really cool how my young women were dialed in and willing to accept the information, but then most importantly apply it." The win was the Bulldogs' 12th straight first-round victory in the tournament, dating back to the turn of the millennium and the Sharon Fanning-Otis era. |
| How Mississippi State shut down dangerous California offense for first round win | |
| Shortly after a jubilant celebration inside Sam Purcell's house last Sunday, it was time to get to work. Mississippi State (22-11) heard its name called for the NCAA Tournament, and Purcell's mind immediately started turning when the matchup appeared. He anticipated a potential showdown with TCU or Louisville due to the obvious storylines -- his past at Louisville and former player Hailey Van Lith now at TCU. Instead, the Bulldogs were headed to Los Angeles, with the California Golden Bears first on the agenda. It was a team Purcell was already familiar with, but his staff wasted no time diving into preparations after the Selection Show. Purcell leaned on his experience at Louisville under coach Jeff Walz to get ready. During nearly a decade with the Cardinals, he refined his scouting abilities as Walz relied heavily on his staff for game preparation. Now, Purcell is doing the same. "If you give me time, I think that's what I've been known for my whole career -- putting game plans together," Purcell said. "I'm a firm believer that proper planning prevents piss-poor performance. We had a well-oiled scout that we stuck to, whereas in the SEC Tournament, you don't have enough time to break things down. We don't have an off-day. We play on Sundays, and our off-day is a school day, so we go full-time." |
| Softball: Sells' Grand Slam Lifts State To Series-Clinching Run-Rule Victory | |
| The fourth inning belonged to the Bulldogs once again on Saturday. No. 18 Mississippi State sent 11 batters to the plate, scoring seven runs, in the inning to claim the series at Northwestern with a 12-2 run-rule victory. Kiarra Sells launched MSU's second grand slam of the series in the big inning, which was started by back-to-back triples from Riley Hull and Morgan Stiles. Nadia Barbary and Kylee Edwards also finished the game with two RBIs. "I love that response, the way we came out and just answering back after the loss in Game 1," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "You know, I think the game's funny that way, and things fall your way. We really played some of our poorest softball in the first couple of innings of Game 1. It was just good to just see the response, the maturity to know that we had to quickly forget it and get back to playing Mississippi State softball in Game 2." The Bulldogs (27-6, 5-1 SEC) dropped the first game of the day by a 4-2 score. Blaine and Sells homered in that contest to provide all of MSU's scoring. The Bulldogs will take an in-state trip to Southern Miss on March 26. First pitch against the Golden Eagles is set for 6 p.m. CT. From there, State will return home to host No. 2 Texas for a three-game series beginning March 28. |
| Veteran sports writer shares tales of 'Eggs' Noble, addiction recovery | |
| Mississippi State University freshman Clark Randolph Noble sat at the training table one morning, surrounded by his football team. As breakfast platters made their way around, Noble's eyes were fixed onto a steaming plate of eggs. Once the platter finally neared Noble, the defensive lineman beside him scooped a heaping pile of eggs onto his own plate, leaving an empty dish for Noble. Determined not to go without, Noble stood up, ready to fight for his eggs. Not looking for trouble, the lineman scraped the eggs onto Noble's plate, got up and walked away. From that moment on, Noble had a new nickname with the team: Eggs. This was just one of the many stories Steve Robertson shared from his latest book, "The Dude," during his book discussion Thursday afternoon at the Friends of the Starkville Public Library Books and Authors event. The book delves into the life and legacy of Clark Randolph Noble, better known to Mississippi State fans as Dudy Noble. Robertson is a veteran sportswriter and has covered Mississippi State and Mississippi college football recruiting since 1997. The idea for "The Dude" came unexpectedly and was sparked by the firing of MSU football head coach Zach Arnett. "I got to thinking, when was the last time we had a football season where the head coach didn't finish?" Robertson recalled. |
| Trump makes NCAA men's wrestling championships his latest sports-focused trip | |
| President Donald Trump attended the NCAA wrestling championships on Saturday night for the second time in three years, the latest example of how he has mostly limited travel early in his new term to trips built around sports events. Trump arrived at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia to loud cheers and a standing ovation. He pumped his fists amid chants of "U-S-A!" As the matches occurred, Trump stood near the action and personally congratulated most of the winning wrestlers. Hours later, he left the arena, shaking hands along the way as the crowd roared. The Republican president spent Friday night at his club in Bedminster, New Jersey, about 70 miles northeast of Philadelphia, on what was his first visit there of his second term. "We're going to the big fight," Trump told reporters as he left the White House on Friday evening. "I've always supported the wrestlers." He added, "These are the great college wrestlers from the various schools." Trump traveled with billionaire and top adviser Elon Musk. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin greeted the president as he arrived at the Philadelphia airport. Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick and U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan were also at the arena sitting in the same section as Musk and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. |
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