| Monday, March 31, 2025 |
| Mississippi State University houses the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library | |
 | Mississippi State University is home to the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, a massive collection of correspondence, research notes, artifacts, photographs and memorabilia by and about the 18th president of the United States. Founded in 2012, the Grant Presidential Library, located on the fourth floor of the Mitchell Memorial Library on the Mississippi State University campus, opened in November 2017. Presidential libraries have three primary goals, said Dr. Anne E. Marshall, executive director of the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library and Museum and Ulysses S. Grant Association. Their purpose is to house archives, serve as a museum and promote the public's interest and investment in the institution of the presidency in an effort to expand civic education, engagement and dialogue. The collection of Grant memorabilia that the presidential library is based around has, until recently, been owned by the Grant Association. A memorandum was signed in March to facilitate the donation of the collection to Mississippi State University where it is housed. What makes Grant's life story so compelling, Marshall said, is that he was a typical American who became one of the most famous men of the 19th century. |
| MSU hosts choral performance honoring Anne Frank | |
 | Mississippi State's Department of Music is honoring the life and writings of Anne Frank with a special performance Thursday on the university's campus. Schola Cantorum, MSU's largest four choral ensemble, will present "Anne Frank: A Living Voice," at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Building Recital Hall, 124 Hardy Road. Phillip Stockton, associate director of choral studies, said the students are reading the diary as a class and taking time each week to discuss various aspects of the book. Sarah Beth Heard, a junior voice and psychology double major from Ocean Springs, shared how meaningful the experience has been for her and the other students. "Working on this has been such an incredible experience," said Heard. "One thing I and the rest of the choir have really enjoyed is getting to discuss Anne Frank's diary together in class every Tuesday. I think it's really important to do this so we're always keeping her in mind while working on the music, especially since the text we sing is taken from her diary. It's been very meaningful for all of us to help keep Anne's voice alive as well as the voices of all victims of the Holocaust." |
| MSU hosts choral performance honoring Anne Frank | |
| Mississippi State's Department of Music is honoring the life and writings of Anne Frank with a special performance April 3 on the university's campus. Schola Cantorum, MSU's largest four choral ensemble, will present "Anne Frank: A Living Voice," 7:30 p.m., in the Music Building Recital Hall, 124 Hardy Road. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children and may be purchased at the door starting at 6:30 p.m. or at https://www.music.msstate.edu/events. Admission is free for MSU students with ID, and MSU faculty and staff receive a 50% discount. The concert's music is composed by Linda Tutas Haugen and the lyrics are excerpts from Frank's diary. Phillip Stockton, associate director of choral studies, said the students are reading the diary as a class and taking time each week to discuss various aspects of the book. "This music is a powerful piece that has been very impactful for the students in our preparation," said Stockton. "I have found that by reading Anne Frank's diary and discussing it as a group, we have humanized a young girl that was living in an impossible situation. We hope that by bringing this work to life we honor her memory and courage she showed against evil." |
| Local MSU alumni association chapter seeking more members, sponsorships | |
| The Monroe County chapter of the Mississippi State University Alumni Association hopes to add to its roster of maroon and white faithful through new memberships. It is also seeking sponsorships. "We have thousands of people throughout Monroe County who are graduates from there. You don't have to pay to be in the alumni association. If you graduate from Mississippi State University, you are an alumni. If you donate to Mississippi State University, you are an active alumni," said Jamie Morgan, president of the Monroe County chapter. Dr. John Helton is vice president, Shawn Helton is treasurer, and Courtney Boatright is secretary. "We'll probably do some different watch parties and community events. We do send-off parties for students who are going to Mississippi State, and they'll get a cowbell from us. Your first cowbell is supposed to be gifted to you. You're not supposed to buy it," Morgan said. She mentioned the Soap Francis Scholarship and how there are plans to create additional scholarships for MSU students. "When people donate to Mississippi State, they can choose to donate to the scholarship. We're going to try to create more scholarships for our local students," she said. |
| Winter bee deaths hit decade high, challenging beekeepers | |
 | Entering this spring, beekeepers will be tasked with rebounding from the worst winter in over a decade for winter bee mortality. A nonprofit organization, called Project Apis m., surveyed more than 700 U.S. commercial beekeepers and found they lost 62% of their colonies between July 2024 and February 2025. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service, or NASS, estimated more than 2.5 million hives were managed by beekeepers in the U.S. in 2024. Of that, 29,000 colonies of bees in Mississippi produced honey last year, not including colonies owned by northern U.S. beekeepers who winter their bees in the state. Jeff Harris, apiculture specialist with the Mississippi State University (MSU) Extension Service, said varroa mites, which are the primary killers of honeybees, have become more physically resilient since they were first reported in the U.S. nearly 40 years ago, which has led to the increased mortality numbers. "It seems to be the typical story of a pest becoming resistant to the insecticide used to control it," Harris said. "The insecticide is amitraz, and it is usually used in the form of a no-pest strip that is hung inside beehives to kill mites. We noticed that amitraz was no longer killing varroa mites here in Starkville beginning late summer 2024." |
| Golden Triangle Regional Airport maneuvering for $2 million land buy | |
| The Golden Triangle Regional Airport is proposing to buy a strip of land beside its runway, requiring a loan of roughly $1 million that would be paid off by area municipalities. The land in question is about 109 acres, roughly between the southern end of the airport runway and Airport Road. The airport owns a third parcel to the north and has secured a $1 million FAA grant to purchase one of the two additional parcels. But it needs a loan paid for by its stakeholders to acquire the second. "This land has been available for quite some time, but we feel like now is the time the purchase needs to be made," Betsy Young, the Golden Triangle Development LINK vice president of economic development, said Friday during a Starkville Board of Aldermen work session. "...We're asking for the communities that own the airport ... to help to secure a loan through the airport and purchase that land." That urgency comes after a different buyer's bid for the property fell through, Young said. That bid brought "talk of placing warehouses or migrant housing on the land." The airport feels it has to act now or risk losing that land to another developer, she said. Further increasing the pressure is the combination of a land shortage and growing needs at the airport. |
| Local restaurant in Starkville celebrates 40 years | |
 | What started as a weekend hobby for Barry and Margaret Ann Wood has become a 40-year staple on the Starkville restaurant scene. The Woods were known for their weekend barbeques, and friends convinced Mr. Wood to let the public in on the flavor. In 1985, the Woods started smoking and selling out of a former gas station, and The Little Dooey was born. They quickly outgrew that spot and found a larger building that still serves their customers on March 28. For 40 years, The Little Dooey has managed to not only survive but thrive, even as other restaurants have come and gone. It has been a favorite of locals, students, and SEC sports fans, who keep coming back. Bart Wood represents the second generation to run the business, and he says it's the loyal regulars who keep things going. And The Little Dooey is looking to the future. Bart's son Connor has joined the business, making it to a third generation. |
| Local scouting troop celebrates century of adventure, community service | |
| When a deadly tornado swept through Tupelo in 1936, more than 200 lives and homes were lost. But as law enforcement and other authorities attempted to help the citizens recover, help came from an unexpected place -- Starkville's Troop 14 scouts. "Troop 14 takes all their bicycles, and they all go to Tupelo, and they act as messengers for the authorities until they got communications back up and running," Mark Guyton told the Rotary Club of Starkville on Monday during its annual awards banquet, which also celebrated Troop 14's centennial. "It's that kind of service that this troop has been doing for 100 years." Guyton is a longtime Starkville scout, growing up as a Cub Scout in Pack 14 and then transferring to Troop 14 when he was old enough, achieving the highest rank "Eagle" in 1974. Guyton also acts as the liaison between the local Rotary club and its three local Scouting America groups, and he presented some of Troop 14's history and impact during the banquet. Brent Fountain has a similar lifelong love of scouting. He got involved with Troop 14 about 23 years ago, after moving to Starkville, and he has been assistant scoutmaster for most of that time. One of Fountain's favorite things to watch the scouts learn, he said, was how to become leaders and learn to problem solve themselves along with serving the community. |
| International antiques dealer brings replica life mask of Abraham Lincoln to Columbus | |
| Anyone in Columbus Monday evening will have the rare chance to gaze upon the real face of Abraham Lincoln -- or as close as you can get 160 years after his death. Famed antiques dealer Peter Colasante, whose work takes him across the world but is based in the Washington, D.C. L'Enfant Gallery, is in Columbus this week to celebrate the opening of The Southern Exchange antiques consignment store. With him are some handpicked items from the Civil War era, including a cast of President Abraham Lincoln's likeness and some surprise items related to President George Washington. "If I bring things to the South, they know all about the confederacy," he said. "They should be northern things. ... That's why Lincoln and (Ulysses S.) Grant feature very prominently in what I'm doing for my little talk. ... If you talk about one thing it leads to another, and if you get people's interest they want to know about all these things." Starting at 6 p.m. in the Stephen D. Lee Home and Museum, the event will be open to the public. After some initial procedural matters for the Columbus Historical Society to complete, visitors can enjoy light refreshments, ask Colasante questions and examine the items he brought with him. The reason Colasante is here in Columbus is the opening of The Southern Exchange, a new antiques consignment store starting up at 418 Main Street. It allowed some select guests in for the first time Saturday and will be open to the general public starting Tuesday. |
| The deal is done: Target property purchased, paving way for retailer to begin construction | |
| Target, the retailer many shoppers who for years have been hoping for in the All-America City is on its way. On Friday, the purchase of the property on which the store will be built off North Gloster Street was officially completed. "We've been informed by the seller of the property that the deal closed today," said Scott Costello, spokesman for the city of Tupelo. He called it a "great step forward" and said Target is expected to open its store with 18 months. It has been a whirlwind of motion for the project which picked up steam last fall, culminating in the latest news. The storefront, as proposed, will sit on about 20 acres and occupy nearly 149,000 square feet. Site prep for the project already is visible with dirt work on the plot, which is located across North Gloster Street from the Tupelo Commons retail development. The plan includes 565 parking spaces and five out parcels to encourage economic development in the proposed plaza. |
| Dr. Courtney Taylor talks first-year triumphs, challenges as AccelerateMS executive director | |
 | A stronger alignment to economic development, providing greater accountability for workforce funding, and increasing employer engagement were top priority items for Dr. Courtney Taylor's first year as executive director of AccelerateMS, the Magnolia State's leading office for workforce development strategy and delivery. Taylor talked in-depth with Magnolia Tribune about those priorities and more to celebrate year one on March 16: "Over the past year, we've worked hard on a few key areas. The first is simply a stronger alignment to economic development -- workforce development is fully integrated into every major economic development initiative, ensuring that talent pipelines are a selling point for attracting and retaining businesses. The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) and AccelerateMS teams have worked incredibly hard to build as seamless an approach as possible. Bill Cork and I work closely together weekly to drive policy and programs to a point where they're making a difference and operating as fiscally efficient as feasible. This has been incredibly rewarding during a time when the state is seeing record investment and development with new sectors across the state and new and expanding industries." |
| Tariffs and uncertainty are prompting foreign investors to re-think U.S. investment | |
| One side effect of the Trump administration's tariffs on imported goods will be a stronger dollar, which will make U.S. exports more expensive and less competitive abroad. Thing is, those tariffs -- along with the administration's approach to foreign policy -- may be starting to have another negative effect on the economy: getting foreign investors to think twice about investing in the U.S. One of the biggest effects of tariffs is that they make an economy more isolated. Teresa Fort, a professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, said trade barriers cut out foreign competitors, so American companies can take their market share. "Workers and capital are going to move towards sectors that are probably not what the U.S. is best at doing," Fort said. In that case, Fort said that companies' output would slow down. The lack of competition could make them complacent -- even lazy. "It might take more U.S. workers to make the same things we were making before," Fort said. "That's reduced productivity. And that's going to translate into higher prices and less domestic consumption." |
| Trump's Trade War Arrives in America's Heartland | |
 | This stretch of America's heartland around Davenport, Iowa, sits far from any U.S. border, in a manufacturing hotbed on the edge of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area. But its economy is global -- plunging it into the nascent international trade war. Some businesses are already getting a jolt when needed raw materials fall under tariffs. There are winners and losers: Local companies buying materials domestically are taking business from rivals who have raised prices owing to import tariffs. Dairy farmers are expanding side ventures, fearing retaliatory tariffs from Mexico could pummel milk prices. The Quad Cities region -- actually five cities perched along the Mississippi River at the border of Iowa and Illinois -- relies more than most on selling what it makes to other countries. Exports generate about 20% of its combined economic output, nearly double the national average, according to Bill Polley, an economist with the Quad Cities Chamber. Anchoring the regional economy is Deere, the farm- and construction-equipment maker. "How Deere goes in this region is kind of how we all go," said Decker Ploehn, city administrator of Bettendorf, Iowa. Discussions about tariffs permeate the Quad Cities, where the low moan of freight trains sounding their horns is a constant presence. Downtowns have sweeping views of the Mississippi, which fuels trade from the region to far beyond. |
| Toyota, Nissan in Mississippi brace for Trump tariffs. How will car buyers be impacted? | |
 | As President Donald Trump is set to impose a 25% tariff on imported passenger vehicles, light trucks and some auto parts, beginning April 2, officials are bracing for exactly how much impact it will have on auto makers in Mississippi, such as Toyota in Blue Springs near Tupelo and Nissan in Canton, near Madison. Toyota reported Friday, March 28 that while its global production rose for the second consecutive month, production in North America dropped by 1%, while car shipments from Japan to its largest market, the United States, also declined by 1%, according to Reuters. Tiffannie L. Hedin, manager of corporate communications for Toyota Mississippi, said the company is not going to publicly speculate on tariffs. "We are not commenting on tariffs," Hedin told the Clarion Ledger. Toyota has the capacity to produce 170,000 vehicles annually. The plant, which opened in North Mississippi in 2011, assembles the Toyota Corolla. Toyota Mississippi employs more than 2,000 people and recently reported that it has produced more than two million Corollas. More than 180,197 vehicles were produced in 2024. |
| Special session imminent as Mississippi lawmakers scuttle state budget proposals | |
 | Mississippi Senate leadership on Saturday blasted the House for refusing to show up for a conference weekend to hammer out more than 100 budget proposals. Without a signed budget agreement, lawmakers now have two options. They can either suspend the rules of the Legislature and extend both deadlines and the session past April 6, or the governor can call lawmakers into a special session to negotiate a budget. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said House members, by not attending conference weekend, imperiled state-funded agencies. "We all took the same oath. We adopted the rules," Hosemann said. "We all agreed to be here. If we can't set a budget, that means, for Child Protective Services, we have little girls tonight having to stay in hotel rooms. Teachers can't sign their contracts for their jobs. Highway patrolmen are out there not knowing how much they'll get paid." Hosemann said he would now rather have a special session to deal with state government funding. House Speaker Jason White, R-West, said House members did not meet Saturday because it was a known priority for the lawmakers not to work on the budget at the last minute. When the Senate refused to go along with that plan, he didn't budge. |
| Fear and loathing: Legislative session crashes with lawmakers unable to set a budget because of Republican infighting | |
| Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and other Senate leaders on Saturday excoriated the Republican House leadership, after the House didn't show up for what was supposed to be "conference weekend" to haggle out a $7 billion budget. "There is no reasonable explanation for this," Hosemann said. "... A special session will be very expensive. We just cut taxes, but now we're going to go spend tens of thousands of dollars so (the House) can have the weekend off. I hope they enjoy their weekend off. If anyone sees any of their House members this weekend, they need to ask them, why didn't you do your job? Where were you?" Sen. Brice Wiggins, R-Pascagoula, on Saturday said he suspects discord over the tax overhaul, and the Senate refusing to agree with the House on legalizing online gambling played into the current budget stalemate. But he said he gets along with his House counterparts and the problems are more at the leadership level. "As much as I respect the speaker, I don't understand this," Wiggins said. "... Really, what this is doing is holding hostage agencies and the running of state government because of some issues they have ... People send us here to get our business done in the 90 days we have. I just want to keep us from becoming like Washington, D.C., because D.C. is not exactly the bastion of efficiency." |
| Mississippi lawmakers fail to beat budget deadlines, making special session a possibility | |
| Lawmakers in Mississippi are facing a dilemma after missing weekend deadlines to iron out a plan for funding the state government after July 1, 2025. While the Senate gaveled in at the state capitol on Saturday morning for what is commonly referred to as "conference weekend" -- a time that has become status quo for leaders of both chambers to negotiate the state's multi-billion-dollar budget for the incoming fiscal year -- the House had decided to go home. Before gaveling out on Friday, Republican Speaker Jason White told representatives they could travel back to their respective districts before returning Monday afternoon. The decision by White had some puzzled, considering conference weekend and its deadlines for budget-related bills was due to begin. But if you ask White, the move shouldn't be surprising. Instead, he and the House wanted to start negotiations on the estimated $7 billion budget weeks in advance to ensure taxpayer dollars are not misspent as a consequence of a rushed, blurry-eyed weekend. When the Senate chose to maintain tradition and stay in Jackson for the weekend, White didn't budge on his belief that budget talks need to begin earlier each session. |
| Law enforcement concerned about PERS changes within HB 1 | |
| he state has racked up a big pension debt to the total of $26.5 billion. But the idea of changing benefit plans for future employees isn't sitting well with one group of public employees. Not everyone is celebrating after Thursday's tax reform bill signing. "This bill had a lot of really popular wording in it, too," said Ridgeland Police Chief Brian Myers. "Things that are good for the state and that's wonderful. But when you when you sandwich something like this in with it... you take it out. You don't let this bill pass when you're hurting the people. The blue-collar workers. It's on their backs. Why? I want to know, why? And it makes me angry." Ridgeland Police Chief Brian Myers is worried about what the change to benefits found within House Bill 1 will mean when it's time to add to his force. "When I retire, my retirement will look much different than those who I hire," noted Myers. "We're short-handed. Now how am I gonna hire anybody? I'm gonna hire anybody and tell them, you know, you got to work 35 years or until you're 62 before you can retire." House Bill 1 creates a Tier 5 of benefits for public employees hired after March 1, 2026. Employees would still pay the same 9 percent, with less guaranteed money in retirement because there wouldn't be a cost of living adjustment. |
| Governor vetoes bill he says seeks to expand Medicaid in Mississippi | |
| Governor Tate Reeves vetoed a bill Thursday that would have modified several provisions within Mississippi's Medicaid program. Reeves said the bill, SB 2867 or better known as the annual Medicaid Technical Amendments Bill, essentially provided for as an expansion of Medicaid, something he has been adamantly opposed to and repeatedly spoken against during his time as Governor. A few of the changes listed in the legislation entailed requiring less frequent medical examinations and redeterminations for children with long-term and chronic conditions, allowing foster children to be eligible for benefits until age 26, eliminating the need for the State Division of Medicaid to apply for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services waivers for patients who are in end-stage renal disease, and allowing rural hospitals to opt out of reimbursements from the Medicaid program for outpatient services under the Ambulatory Patient Classification system. The measure would have also required reimbursement for a pair of eyeglasses every two years instead of every five and allowing for oral birth control prescriptions to be dispensed in 12-month supplies. |
| Governor vetoes bill hospital head said would help stabilize their budgets | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves vetoed a bill Thursday that would help stabilize hospitals, citing alleged contradictions and the loom of a deficit among his concerns. "Depending on one's perspective, there are either 25 million, 38.5 million, 40 million, or 50 million reasons to stand in the way of this bill becoming law," Reeves said in his veto statement, ostensibly referencing the amount by which the Mississippi Division of Medicaid's budget would increase. The same day he vetoed the Medicaid bill, Reeves signed into law a tax bill containing typos that many lawmakers had inadvertently voted for. Senate Medicaid Chairman Kevin Blackwell, R-Southaven, author of the Medicaid tech bill, chose not to override the veto Friday -- meaning the bill is likely dead. Blackwell declined to comment on the governor's veto. A main thrust of the bill would be to lock in place supplemental payment programs that have been a lifeline for hospitals -- but which are unreliable as they vary from year to year, according to Richard Roberson, CEO of the Mississippi Hospital Association. |
| Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus elects new leadership team | |
| The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus elected a new slate of officers on Thursday, tabbing Democratic Rep. Kabir Karriem of Columbus to serve as chairman. "Our mission is clear: to advocate for meaningful change and to address the pressing concerns of our communities," Karriem said. "We are united as one caucus, with a shared commitment to the issues and aspirations of the approximately 1.1 million Black people in Mississippi." Joining Karriem as leaders of the caucus are Sen. Rod Hickman (D-Macon) as vice chairman, Rep. Zakiya Summers (D-Jackson) as secretary, Rep. Tamarra G. Butler Washington (D-Jackson) as assistant secretary, Rep. Oscar Denton (D-Vicksburg) as treasurer, Rep. John Faulkner (D-Holly Springs) as parliamentarian, Rep. Robert Sanders (D-Cleveland) as sergeant at arms, and Sen. Gary Brumfield (D-Fayette) as chaplain. The newly elected leadership team will be sworn in on April 2 inside the state capitol. |
| State Auditor to Investigate Sheriff Who Used Inmate Labor on Family Farm | |
| The Mississippi State Auditor's office on Friday said it had launched an investigation into allegations that Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey had staffed his mother's commercial chicken farm with jail inmates who were in his custody. The investigation follows an article published Thursday by Mississippi Today and The New York Times in which former inmates and a former deputy described working on the farm and using equipment and supplies bought with taxpayer money. "We're all aware of the reporting," said Jacob Walters, communications director for State Auditor Shad White. "We read the article, and Auditor White has ordered an investigation to begin yesterday morning, when we became aware of the story." White's office can investigate potential misuse of government resources and file lawsuits to recoup taxpayer money. It does not have the authority to file criminal charges, but Walters said the office had alerted federal prosecutors to the allegations. Sheriff Bailey did not respond on Friday to requests for comment. In a statement issued late Thursday to some local media outlets, officials at the sheriff's department acknowledged that Sheriff Bailey had sent inmates from the Rankin County jail to work at his mother's farm, but said the inmates were always paid. |
| NASDA sets its federal policy focus for 2025 | |
| National Association of State Department of Agriculture's members-led board of directors chose five issues to serve as the organization's primary policy focus for 2025. They include the farm bill, food systems, pesticide regulations, PFAS and state cooperative agreement funding. NASDA CEO Ted McKinney remarked on the significance of these issues for 2025. "NASDA members have specified these areas as necessary to work on to best support farmers, ranchers and communities nationwide," said McKinney. "Further, we believe these areas represent critical opportunities where state departments of agriculture can lead impactful change and champion effective policy solutions this year." NASDA will advocate for Congress to restore and increase funding for cooperative agreements. Cooperative agreements are designed to increase coordination when addressing complex regulatory issues and sharing resources between state and federal governments. NASDA is focused on three cooperative agreements that require immediate attention: FDA's State and Local Food Safety Programs, USDA's State Meat and Poultry Inspection Programs, and USDA's Animal Disease Protection Program. |
| Former Bush cabinet member from Mississippi passes away | |
| Lanny Griffith, a Mississippian who served in President George H. W. Bush's administration, has passed away. According to an announcement from BGR Group, a Washington-based consulting firm Griffith helped found, the politico passed away after a brief battle with cancer. "Lanny was a genuine friend, a great tactician, and a true leader," fellow BGR Group founder and former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said. "His love for his family and the state of Mississippi are unmatched. Lanny was always working and finding ways to back the people and places that meant the most to him. He will never forget where he came from -- and we will never forget him." Griffith, a native of Corinth, entered the political arena in the early 1980s when he worked for the Republican National Committee, managing Barbour's run for U.S. Senate in 1982. Griffith is survived by his wife, Susan, and his daughter, Sally Hamilton. He was preceded in death by his son David. Griffith's funeral service will be held Friday, April 4, at 10:30 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Alexandria, VA. |
| In wake of Signal-gate, Senator Wicker says he and Secretary Hegseth 'are working in lockstep' | |
| Since the "Signal-gate" news broke earlier this week, Mississippi U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R) has been at the center of multiple news stories as the media in D.C. and beyond scurry for reactions. It was made public that national security officials used the app to discuss military strikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen earlier this month and that an editor with The Atlantic was included in the group chat. The Atlantic has since published the contents of the chat. The White House has largely defended their national security team as congressional Democrats have rushed to excoriate President Donald Trump over the incident. In his role as Senate Armed Services Committee chairman, Wicker is the top Republican overseeing the military, working closely with the Department of Defense to ensure readiness and operational efficiency. Headlines related to Wicker's response to the group chat gone wrong have ranged from "Senators overseeing the military request an investigation at the Pentagon into use of the Signal app" by the Associated Press to "Top GOP senator seeks watchdog probe into Signal chat leak" by CBS News. On Friday, Senator Wicker sought to instill confidence in his relationship with the President and the Secretary of Defense, writing on X, "The Beltway press will try to make it seem otherwise, but it bears remembering: Pete Hegseth and I are working in lockstep to deliver on President Trump's promise to restore peace through strength. We have a strong partnership, and that will continue." |
| Mike Waltz Is Losing Support Inside the White House | |
| President Trump has decided for now not to fire his national security adviser over the revelation that he included a journalist on a group text chat to discuss and execute a military strike, but the damage to Mike Waltz's reputation has put him on shaky ground in the White House, senior U.S. officials said. Despite repeated messages of support by Trump, Waltz has lost sway with the president and the backing of senior aides within the White House, officials said, just as the administration struggles to broker peace deals and faces the threat of further war in the Middle East. For Trump, the officials said, Waltz's biggest sin wasn't starting a Signal chat to coordinate strikes on the Houthis in Yemen, or even posting Israel-provided intelligence onto an unclassified network, it was having the Atlantic magazine's editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg's number in his phone and inadvertently adding him to the conversation. Trump's anger spilled over into many private discussions last week, including multiple calls with allies in which he unloaded expletives and blamed Waltz for the administration's first big national-security crisis. On Wednesday, Trump spoke to Vice President JD Vance, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and personnel chief Sergio Gor about whether Waltz should be dismissed. But on Thursday, Trump let Waltz know in a one-on-one meeting that the national security adviser would keep his job. He didn't want the media and Democrats to claim a scalp so early in his second administration, according to people close to Trump, as that would admit wrongdoing. |
| Senate GOP to start moving budget plan as soon as Wednesday | |
 | Senate GOP leaders will move as soon as Wednesday to begin advancing a budget plan -- the next key step to unlock President Donald Trump's massive agenda through a party-line bill. Under the ambitious timeline being privately considered by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the Senate would adopt its budget resolution before heading home for the weekend. A marathon vote-a-rama could kick off Thursday, though four people granted anonymity to disclose private discussions cautioned it could slip to Friday depending how quickly the chamber moves. In order to make this work, the Senate parliamentarian will need to sign off on Republicans' plans to use a tactic known as the current policy baseline, which will allow them to pursue trillions of dollars in tax cut extensions while claiming it doesn't cost anything. Senators believe they could secure such a ruling from the parliamentarian as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday of this week, though the meeting has yet to be scheduled. This ruling is crucial because Republicans can't finalize their retooled budget resolution until they know if their accounting gambit will be approved. |
| Trump endorses Senate-passed DC budget fix | |
 | President Donald Trump on Friday threw his support behind the funding fix needed to allow the District of Columbia's government to avoid $1.1 billion in budget cuts squeezed in the remaining half of the fiscal year, all but ensuring House passage of legislation the Senate passed two weeks ago. The full-year stopgap spending law, drafted by House Republicans, did not include the typical provision that would allow the D.C. government to tap into its fiscal 2025 budget for operating costs. This would force D.C. to go back to the previous year's funding levels for the remainder of the fiscal year, which runs through Sept. 30, which local officials say would require steep cuts in critical services like law enforcement and education. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform Friday that the House should "IMMEDIATELY" take up the Senate bill, which passed shortly after that chamber cleared the stopgap measure. "We need to clean up our once beautiful Capital City, and make it beautiful again," he posted. "We will be TOUGH ON CRIME, like never before." Trump's endorsement comes after he issued an executive order Thursday night aimed at making the District of Columbia "safe and beautiful." |
| Trump won't rule out seeking a third term in the White House, tells NBC News 'there are methods' for doing so | |
 | President Donald Trump did not rule out the possibility of seeking a third term in the White House, which is prohibited by the Constitution under the 22nd Amendment, saying in an exclusive interview with NBC News that there were methods for doing so and clarifying that he was "not joking." "A lot of people want me to do it," Trump said in a Sunday-morning phone call with NBC News, referring to his allies. "But, I mean, I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it's very early in the administration." "I'm focused on the current," Trump added, in some of his most extensive comments to date about serving a third term. When asked whether he wanted another term, the president responded, "I like working." "I'm not joking," Trump said, when asked to clarify. "But I'm not -- it is far too early to think about it." When asked whether he has been presented with plans to allow him to seek a third term, Trump said, "There are methods which you could do it." Trump has previously commented on running for a third term in office, though Republicans have seen these comments as jokes or the president trolling his critics. |
| Trump faces crucial week on the economy | |
 | President Trump is entering a critical week for the economy amid growing fears that his penchant for tariffs could stall growth and undercut progress on inflation. Trump has described Wednesday as "Liberation Day," when his administration will impose sweeping reciprocal tariffs on other nations with duties on U.S. goods. The March jobs report will also be released on Friday, providing additional data about the strength of the labor market, particularly in the wake of thousands of federal government employees fired by the administration. Experts described the economy as at something of a crossroads. Data about the labor market and wages have been generally positive, economists said. But the closely watched University of Michigan Survey of Consumers issued a report Friday that found consumer sentiment dropped to its lowest point since November 2022 amid fears of rising prices that could be worsened by tariffs. A recession is not inevitable, economists said. But the direction of the economy will depend largely on how Trump and his team proceed in the weeks ahead. Economists have repeatedly warned that tariffs lead to higher prices for companies, which are often passed on to consumers. |
| 'They're Laying the Groundwork for Things to Get Worse': Why Trump's Economic Messaging Isn't Calming Wall Street | |
| Just two months into Donald Trump's second term, Wall Street is unnerved. Julia Coronado, the president and co-founder of the economic consulting firm MacroPolicy Perspectives, said that's because investors and executives had convinced themselves that Trump wouldn't do anything significant to disrupt the market's upward trajectory. "We had a pretty great setup for Trump," Coronado said in an interview with POLITICO Magazine, paraphrasing the thinking on the Street. "Why would he mess with that?" Coronado, a former Federal Reserve economist who's held top roles at BNP Paribas and the hedge fund Graham Capital Management, is a widely sought after economic consultant whose clients include asset managers, hedge funds and banks. I spoke with Coronado as she drove to the University of Texas at Austin, where she's a clinical associate professor of finance at the McCombs School of Business. Wall Street craves predictability, but Trump's early priorities -- including off-and-on tariffs, government cutbacks and immigration crackdowns -- signal that this time around, the president has a much stronger appetite for disruption. He has refused to rule out a possible recession even after markets convulsed following a series of major tariff announcements. |
| For Trump, Recent Setbacks Are a Price Worth Paying for Radical Change | |
| When deportation flights carrying more than 250 migrants -- alleged by the administration to be dangerous gang members -- landed in El Salvador earlier this month, officials on the ground were surprised to see a small group of Venezuelan women on one of the planes. The arrival of the women created a problem: The megaprison that was set to house the migrants under an agreement between the U.S. and El Salvador didn't have the capacity to hold female inmates. So the women were immediately returned to Texas, according to court filings. It is one of the setbacks -- both big and small -- that stem from President Trump's unorthodox approach to the presidency, which gives priority to speed over drawn-out decision-making meant to avoid missteps and collateral damage. Mistakes are seen by Trump's team as a worthwhile price to pay, people close to the president said, as they enact their top priorities, including the Elon Musk-led dismissal of federal employees, the use of wartime powers to deport migrants and steep tariffs that have rattled markets. "You only have so much time and you can't waste the time, and you have to get it done," Trump told Newsmax this past week in an interview. The speed at which Trump is moving also reflects a feeling among advisers that he needs to get as much done as possible before the midterm elections, given the potential for a change in the power balance in Congress. |
| Trump fires TVA board member one week after Blackburn, Hagerty attacked utility leadership | |
 | President Donald Trump fired Michelle Moore from the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors on March 27, according to a March 28 filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The termination came exactly one week after Tennessee Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty wrote a scathing op-ed targeting the TVA board and calling for the Trump administration to replace them. The firing of a Biden nominee who leads a nonprofit organization that champions solar energy was more transparently partisan than Trump's termination of two TVA board members during his first term over outsourcing of IT jobs. The Trump administration has diverged sharply from the Biden administration on energy policy, prioritizing the "unleashing" of U.S. fossil fuel production and combustion over a dedicated focus on clean energy technologies like solar and wind power. Though board members are nominated by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, the board is nonpartisan and its members typically serve under multiple presidents. The termination was the first time the Trump administration aimed its efforts to reshape the federal government directly at the Knoxville-based federal utility, which generates electricity for 10 million people in seven states across the Southeast. |
| DOGE wants businesses to run government services 'as much as possible' | |
 | Mail delivery. Real estate. Foreign aid grants. The Trump administration is moving to privatize a sweeping number of government functions and assets -- a long-standing Republican goal that's being catalyzed by billionaire Elon Musk. The slash-and-burn approach of Musk's U.S. DOGE Service is paving the way for a new shift to the private sector, reducing the size and power of the federal bureaucracy in a real-world test of the conservative theory -- a version of which is also widely popular in Silicon Valley -- that companies are better than government at saving money and responding to people's needs. Examples are popping up across Washington and in proposals from President Donald Trump's allies, though the plans are various stages of development and, in some cases, have already encountered resistance. Traditional Republicans have long argued that private companies can do a better job of managing government services than civil servants. But Musk and his Silicon Valley associates want to push the idea much further than the mainstream GOP. At a Morgan Stanley technology conference this month, Musk said the government should privatize "everything we possibly can." |
| The Gen X Career Meltdown: Just when they should be at their peak, experienced workers in creative fields find that their skills are all but obsolete. | |
 | In "Generation X," the 1991 novel that defined the generation born in the 1960s and 1970s, Douglas Coupland chronicled a group of young adults who learn to reconcile themselves to "diminishing expectations of material wealth." Lessness, Mr. Coupland called this philosophy. For many of the Gen X-ers who embarked on creative careers in the years after the novel was published, lessness has come to define their professional lives. If you entered media or image-making in the '90s --- magazine publishing, newspaper journalism, photography, graphic design, advertising, music, film, TV --- there's a good chance that you are now doing something else for work. That's because those industries have shrunk or transformed themselves radically, shutting out those whose skills were once in high demand. Talk with people in their late 40s and 50s who once imagined they would be able to achieve great heights -- or at least a solid career while flexing their creative muscles -- and you are likely to hear about the photographer whose work dried up, the designer who can't get hired or the magazine journalist who isn't doing much of anything. Every generation has its burdens. The particular plight of Gen X is to have grown up in one world only to hit middle age in a strange new land. It's as if they were making candlesticks when electricity came in. The market value of their skills plummeted. |
| UM launches first-ever clinical trial on medical cannabis for diabetic nerve pain | |
 | Tracking patient outcomes is a major focus of the National Center for Cannabis Research and Education (NCCRE), as Mississippi's medical cannabis program continues to grow. The state now has over 50,000 registered patients, but no formal system exists to track the health effects of their cannabis use. The NCCRE at the University of Mississippi was established to advance scientific understanding of cannabis, its medical applications and its impact on public health. Drawing on Ole Miss's decades-long history as a leader in cannabis research -- home to the nation's only federally approved cannabis cultivation program for much of the past 50 years -- the NCCRE conducts clinical studies, policy analysis and educational initiatives. It collaborates with medical professionals, researchers and policymakers to provide evidence-based insights that help shape cannabis regulations and patient care. One of NCCRE's newest studies will track 300 patients over several weeks, monitoring their cannabis use, the associated costs and the drug's effects. Researchers will analyze safety, effectiveness and potential side effects --- something that has never been systematically tracked in the state before. |
| 2 arrested, including UMMC officer, after fatal shooting in Jackson | |
| Two men, including a law enforcement officer, have been arrested after a shooting in downtown Jackson left seven injured and another dead. Capitol Police said that 22-year-old Michael McLeod and his brother, 21-year-old Marquavius McLeod, were taken into custody Thursday. Per the University of Mississippi Medical Center's website, Michael was a police officer for the Jackson-based academic hospital. University of Mississippi Medical Center released the following statement after Michael McLeod's arrest, noting that he is no longer employed by the medical school: "Yesterday, Michael McCleod, who served as a police officer with UMMC Police and Public Safety Department of Labor for about a year was terminated. McLeod was arrested by Capitol Police Thursday as a part of the investigation of a March 22 shooting in downtown Jackson. He was not on duty at the time of the shooting and his UMMC-issued firearm was not used. Before becoming an officer with UMMC Police held another position with the department for about six months. Prior to UMMC employment, he cleared all regular background checks and has had no disciplinary actions against him or performance issues. Our condolences go out to the victims and their families. We continue to cooperate with Capitol Police in its investigation." |
| Aviation manufacturing training program at EMCC taking applicants | |
| East Mississippi Community College will be taking in-person-only applications for the FlightPath9 program April 1 and 2 from 9 am until 4 pm. It's open to anyone who has a diploma or GED by June 14th and will also turn 18 by June 16. EMCC and Airbus are partnering to bring Flight Works Alabama's FlightPath9 program to the Golden Triangle. The 10-week course will teach participants all the basics of aviation manufacturing. Ray Hollis, the EMCC Workforce Business Outreach and Training Manager, said the program requires dedication. "This is an intensive kind of program," Hollis said. "There's a lot of hours, a lot of different certificates they're going to gain through this training. And they want to make sure that there's an interest in aviation." The program is free of charge for those with a passion and drive for the industry. Participants who complete the program have a chance to land at Airbus. Hollis said It's a win-win situation for participants and Airbus. |
| U. of Florida professor to expand disease-prediction dashboard to monitor Gulf threats | |
 | After deploying life-saving cholera-prediction systems in Africa and Asia, a University of Florida researcher is turning his attention to the pathogen-plagued waters off Florida's Gulf Coast. In the fight to end cholera deaths by 2030 -- a goal set by the World Health Organization -- UF researcher and professor Antar Jutla has deployed his Cholera Risk Dashboard in about 20 countries, most recently in Kenya. Using NASA and NOAA satellite images and artificial intelligence algorithms, the dashboard is an interactive Web interface that pinpoints areas ripe for thriving cholera bacteria. It can predict cholera risk four weeks out, allowing early and proactive humanitarian efforts, medical preparation and health warnings. Cholera is a bacterial disease spread through contaminated food and water; it causes severe intestinal issues and can be fatal if untreated. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports between 21,000 and 143,000 cholera deaths each year globally. His team now wants to set up a similar pathogen-monitoring and disease-prediction system for pathogenic bacteria in the warm, pathogen-fertile waters of the Gulf of Mexico, now referred to as the Gulf of America by the U.S. government. |
| 'There's a war being waged against freedom of speech': Students, community members held protest, vigil for student arrested by ICE | |
| Thursday, March 27, about 50 students and community members of various backgrounds gathered on the sidewalks outside the College of Law at the University of Tennessee to hold a vigil and protest, advocating for the freedom of Mahmoud Khalil and the protection of freedom of speech. The peaceful demonstration lasted from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and was co-hosted by the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Democratic Socialists of America, Allies for Knoxville's Immigrant Neighbors, Local Alliance for Mideast Peace, Riverside Community Catholic Worker and the Knoxville chapter for Jewish Voice for Peace. "There's a war being waged against freedom of speech for every American right now," Miriam Atatrah, a UT alum at the vigil, said. "Our government and ICE specifically targeted a student with legal documentation to be here in this country, who took all the right steps to be here and have the proper documentation, (and he) still was not protected because of his stance on Palestine. And if somebody who is documented can be disappeared by our government, then citizens can also be disappeared by our government -- nobody is safe when the government starts literally abducting people because of their political views." |
| Texas A&M Board of Regents names Glenn Hegar as university system's next leader | |
| Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar will be the next chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, overseeing 11 universities that educate more than 157,000 students and eight state agencies, including the Texas Division of Emergency Management. The Board of Regents selected Hegar as sole finalist on March 7 to succeed Chancellor John Sharp, who has held the job since 2011 and is slated to retire in June. The vote was unanimous. State law requires the board wait 21 days before voting to confirm such an appointment, which the board did unanimously on Friday. Hegar is inheriting the system's reins at an inflection point as Republican leaders scrutinize what they see as progressive policies and curriculum in higher education. He'll have to contend with continued accusations that public universities are violating the state's ban on diversity, equity and inclusion policies, and navigate intensifying threats to academic freedom. Hegar's political trajectory is similar to Sharp's, who also served as comptroller before he became chancellor in 2011. |
| U. of Missouri researchers recognized for advancements in science | |
 | Four University of Missouri researchers have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for their advancements in their fields. The researchers are: Donald Burke-Agüero, professor of molecular microbiology and immunology in the School of Medicine and professor of biochemistry at the Bond Life Sciences Center; Felix Fritschi, professor in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and interim director of the Missouri Soybean Center; Scott H. Holan, chair of the Department of Statistics in the College of Arts and Science; and Richard Sherwood, professor of pathology and anatomical sciences and director of the Craniofacial Research Center at the School of Medicine. The American Association for the Advancement of Science is the world's largest general scientific society and the publisher of Science, an international journal of peer-reviewed research. |
| Columbia President Is Replaced as Trump Threatens University's Funding | |
| The interim president of Columbia University abruptly left her post Friday evening as the school confronted the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding and the Trump administration's mounting skepticism about its leadership. The move came one week after Columbia bowed to a series of demands from the federal government, which had canceled approximately $400 million in essential federal funding, and it made way for Columbia's third leader since August. Claire Shipman, who had been the co-chair of the university's board of trustees, was named the acting president and replaced Dr. Katrina Armstrong. The university, which was deeply shaken by a protest encampment last spring and a volley of accusations that it had become a safe haven for antisemitism, announced the leadership change in an email to the campus Friday night. Ms. Shipman, a journalist with two degrees from Columbia, is taking charge of one of the nation's pre-eminent universities at an extraordinarily charged moment in American higher education. |
| Trump Administration Wants 'AI Dominance' But Lays Siege to Key Grant Agency | |
 | American academics are sounding the alarm that staff reductions and anticipated budget cuts at the National Science Foundation are handicapping one of the Trump administration's touted priorities: AI research and development. For decades, the NSF has been a leading funder of AI innovation in academe, with a budget of more than $530 million for AI research in fiscal 2024 alone. Its grant programs include those advancing research, infrastructure, work-force development, and education around artificial intelligence. Much of this work, AI experts point out, can't be easily handed off to industry. Academics are often the ones conducting the time-intensive, basic research behind the products and services that companies ultimately create and bring to market. So federal support is critical, they say, to preserving the United States' position as the global AI leader. It's also critical for capitalizing on the current momentum that often eluded the field in the decades before ChatGPT. "I've been in AI for 30 years" said Pascal Van Hentenryck, director of the AI hub at the Georgia Institute of Technology. "This momentum is very unique." Yet it is support that now feels uncertain. |
| How Federal Law Could Hinder Trump's Plans to Dismantle the Education Dept. | |
 | Education Secretary Linda McMahon has repeatedly pledged since taking office earlier this month to "get rid of the bureaucracy in education" and "fire herself." "When [President Trump] asked me to serve as the secretary of education, I knew exactly what his mandate was -- to close the Department of Education," McMahon said Thursday on a New York radio station, adding that she plans to be "completely transparent with Congress." But she's already laid off nearly half of the agency's career staff, terminated dozens of contracts and canceled millions in grants without involving Congress, and she's said those moves are only the beginning. So, as the Trump administration embarks on a plan to close the department "to the maximum extent of the law," what more can it do legally? Not even McMahon seems to have the answer. "One of the things I've asked for and is being provided to me is a list of those actions that I can take without Congress, and those that I will need Congress's approval for" as the department looks to move its core programs to different agencies, she told the radio station. But more than a half dozen higher education scholars, former department staffers and lawyers told Inside Higher Ed that it will be very difficult for the president to wind down or relocate the majority of the department's operations aside from a few offices, awards and research projects. |
| Shocker! All six lawmakers appointed to finalize the bill banning Mississippi DEI programs are white. | |
| Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison writes: The leaders of the Mississippi Legislature -- House Speaker Jason White and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann -- are not practicing diversity, equity and inclusion in legislative efforts to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Is anyone truly shocked? For the conference committee process -- that is, the appointment of three House members and three Senate members to negotiate final details of a bill that seeks to ban DEI programs in Mississippi -- neither White nor Hosemann appointed a single Black Mississippi lawmaker as one of the all-important six conferees. The conference committee does include two women: Sen. Nicole Boyd, R-Oxford, who was appointed by Hoseman, and Rep. Shanda Yates, I-Jackson, who was appointed by White. Otherwise, the committee consists of four white males. This end-of-session practice, especially for legislation opposed by Black lawmakers, is not new. White and Hosemann have been reluctant to appoint members of the minority Democratic Party, who are predominantly Black, or members who oppose their goals to conference committees. Last year they refused to appoint a Democrat to the conference committee that tried and ultimately failed to reach an agreement to expand Medicaid to provide health care for the working poor -- regardless of the fact that Democrats have been working on and advocating for expanding Medicaid for years while Mississippi Republican legislators have sat on the sidelines. |
| Abraham Lincoln's 1838 warning is still relevant today | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: No matter your political alignment, the methods of President Donald Trump's administration should give you some angst -- executive orders abrogating laws passed by Congress, court orders flouted, judges attacked, longtime allies disparaged, masked ICE agents ambushing nonviolent legal immigrants, DOGE firing then un-firing thousands. reckless security breaches.... And, so far, the Republican controlled Congress simply kowtows, raising the specter of a despotic presidency. In 1838 Abraham Lincoln spoke of "The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions" to the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, IL: "There is, even now, something of ill-omen, amongst us. I mean the increasing disregard for law which pervades the country; the growing disposition to substitute the wild and furious passions, in lieu of the sober judgment of Courts." Perhaps nothing exemplifies more what Trump and his cohorts are doing than this proclamation by Tom Homan, his border czar: "They're not gonna stop us," Homan declared on Fox News. "We're not stopping. I don't care what the judges think, I don't care what the left thinks, we're coming." Lincoln warned that the leadership norm of constrained ambition essential to self-government would not always constrain an emerging tyrant from the "family of the lion, or the tribe of the eagle" who "thirsts and burns for distinction." |
| What happens in Jackson doesn't stay in Jackson | |
| The Magnolia Tribune's Russ Latino writes: When Jackson's water system failed in August of 2022, my email and texts lit up with concerned friends from other parts of the country. It did not matter that we live half an hour from the Capital City with abundant clean water. To the rest of the nation, Jackson is Mississippi. The state deserves a capital it can be proud of. A vibrant Jackson is good for all of us -- including surrounding burb dwellers. Across the country, thriving states all have one thing in common: thriving cities. What's more, the people of our state's most populous city deserve to live in a community that competently fills the basic functions of government. People expect and deserve clean drinking water, safe streets, well-maintained infrastructure, and reliable garbage service. These are core functions in any successful municipality. On each count, Jackson isn't delivering. ... Tuesday's elections are an opportunity for Jacksonians. The outcome will provide a powerful signal to their fellow Mississippians. Competence invites confidence and confidence invites investment. |
SPORTS
| Football: Bigger, Faster, Stronger: State Seeing Positive Strides Early In Spring | |
| You won't find a scoreboard out on the practice fields at Mississippi State's Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex. Truth be told, without one of those and a team wearing a different colored uniform, it's always difficult to measure wins and losses, improvements or significant strides forward. All that said, signs of progress can still very much be evident. The eye test is real. Feel can often foreshadow a team's drive to be great. So, as the Bulldogs hit the end of the first couple of weeks of spring practice, there aren't any official victories to report. However, there is certainly a group that is looking and acting exactly like a unit that is being pushed by last season's pains. It's a squad obviously determined to do all that's possible each day to get a little bit better until the points and defensive stands start counting for real this fall. "Everyone is here to work," tight end Seydou Traore said following a practice session last week. "What happened last year, no one wants to repeat that, and I think that in everyone's mind is pushing everyone so much harder. The people that were here felt the lows and we don't want to feel that again." There is perhaps no better motivator and teacher than trials and tribulations. Fortunately, MSU has a roster and staff filled with individuals that seem to have been good students as they went through last season's fire and came out the other side. |
| Rising sophomore Stonka Burnside discusses move to safety | |
| Stonka Burnside got his feet wet as a true freshman in the SEC and started his college career on the offensive side of the ball along with special teams' duties. But this spring the former On3 four-star prospect has switched to the defensive side of the ball. On Saturday after practice, the Starkville native met with the media to discuss his change of scenery along with other topics. Q: How is the vibe around practice and the goal of making it better than last season? Burnside: The vibes around practice are good. Coach (Coleman) Hutzler always makes sure that the defense, as he says, always turnt. Bring the juice to the defense. That is what I'm trying to do, bring the juice to the defense. |
| Men's Tennis: No. 17 State Takes Down No. 29 Gators | |
| The Mississippi State men's tennis team remains undefeated in SEC home contests taking down No. 29 Florida 5-2 on Saturday at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. State has yet to drop a doubles point since SEC play began with wins today from Petar Jovanovic and Benito Sanchez Martinez and Niccolo Baroni and Mario Martinez Serrano. To begin singles play, Martinez Serrano defeated No. 113 Henry Jefferson 6-2, 6-2 to extend MSU's lead to 2-0. Florida would tighten the score at 2-1 after a win on court six, but the Bulldogs quickly responded with a win courtesy of a 6-1, 6-4 win from Baroni. The Gators fought back claiming another singles point to make the score 3-2. However, Sanchez Martinez and Jovanovic won two singles matches to end the day and give State a 5-2 triumph. This victory moves MSU to 15-1 at home and 7-3 in the SEC. No. 17 MSU hosts No. 12 Texas A&M on Thursday at 3 p.m. and No. 31 Auburn on Saturday at 1 p.m. |
| What we learned as Mississippi State baseball gets swept at LSU | |
| There's no denying the talent on Mississippi State's roster. But through three weekends in Southeastern Conference play, the Bulldogs have still yet to put together a complete performance. The bats went cold in Friday night's 2-1 loss at No. 8 LSU, and following an even longer rain delay Saturday than the one the night before, MSU's pitching collapsed, allowing eight runs in the first inning of a 17-8 defeat that ended after 1:30 a.m. "I worry about it for the kids. Baseball is important in Starkville and when we're not playing well, you hear it," Bulldogs head coach Chris Lemonis said. "All we can do is go out and play the next game. We know we're close. It's just a matter of getting a big hit or making a big pitch." The Bulldogs have a midweek game Tuesday evening at Memphis, then return to Dudy Noble Field for a three-game series against South Carolina. "These kids are trying too hard," Lemonis said. "I need to get them to relax a little bit and have some fun playing the game. Winning is fun. We need to get to where we're winning some ball games." |
| Mangum Earns Major League Call Up | |
| The Mayor is headed to the Major Leagues. Jake Mangum was called up by the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday becoming the 71st Mississippi State to reach the Big Leagues and will join the team for the third game of opening weekend series against the Colorado Rockies in Tampa. Mangum could make his MLB debut as early as Saturday at 3:10 p.m. The switch-hitting outfielder is one of the most beloved Bulldogs in program history during his time in Starkville from 2016-19. Mangum finished his career with an SEC-record 383 hits, which is the fourth-most in NCAA history. He hit .357 during his days as a Diamond Dawg with 73 doubles, 10 triples, five homers, 126 RBIs and 56 steals. Mangum also pitched in six games (five starts) and posted a 2-1 record on the mound. He was a three-time first team All-SEC selection and was the first player in program history to be named SEC Freshman of the Year after leading the conference with a .408 batting average in 2016. The Pearl native was also a two-time All-American, two-time Ferriss Trophy and 2018 Rawlings Gold Glove winner. Mangum helped State win the SEC regular season championship in 2016, reached an NCAA Super Regional in all four years and made two trips to the College World Series in his final two seasons. He owned hits in 202 of 243 college games started (83.1 %) and posted 112 multi-hit games. He also had a .348 batting average and 205 hits in 588 at-bats against SEC competition. |
| Softball: State Drops Rubber Match With No. 1 Texas | |
| No. 18 Mississippi State was held scoreless into the seventh inning by No. 1 Texas in the deciding game of the series on Sunday, eventually falling by a score of 7-2. The Bulldogs (29-8, 6-3 SEC) scattered six hits, highlighted by a Lexi Sosa double. Nadia Barbary extended her hitting streak to five games, and Kylee Edwards pushed her reached-base streak to 11 contests. Morgan Bernardini also collected a double, and Jessie Blaine grabbed a single. "I think this team has higher expectations than that," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "I know they are the No. 1 team in the country, but we expect ourselves to compete every game. It just didn't seem like we did that today." The Bulldogs will play their final midweek and final non-conference game against Central Arkansas at Nusz Park on Tuesday, April 1 at 5 p.m. From there State heads to Knoxville to take on No. 9 Tennessee on April 4-6. |
| Mississippi State didn't try to injure JuJu Watkins, USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb says | |
| Southern Cal women's basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb doesn't believe Mississippi State intended to injure star JuJu Watkins. The Trojans beat the Bulldogs on Monday night in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Los Angeles when Watkins suffered a season-ending knee injury. Watkins' knee buckled just as she sustained slight contact from MSU's Chandler Prater. Watkins was carried off the Galen Center court in the first quarter and didn't return to the game. "100% no," Gottlieb said on Friday. "There was no intent to injure anybody." The Bulldogs, and particularly Prater, have been targets of criticism on social media following the injury. Some have claimed Mississippi State to be a dirty team, and that it intentionally injured Watkins. Prater has disabled most of the comments on her Instagram account after vulgar messages were written on her posts. The Bulldogs were also heavily booed throughout the remainder of the game after Watkins' injury. "No one deserves online bullying in any realm, but certainly not a young woman in Chandler, who was trying to make a play," Gottlieb said. "Unfortunately our player got hurt, but there was nothing to me that looked like it had any intent to hurt her." |
| Why women athletes face higher ACL injury risk than men, according to a sports physician | |
 | University of Southern California's JuJu Watkins' record-breaking sophomore season came to a halt this week, as the rising basketball star sustained a severe knee injury during the NCAA women's tournament. While pushing to the basket during the Trojans game against Mississippi State, Watkins tried to maneuver through two defenders. As she attempted the move, she crumpled to the ground, grabbed her right knee, and had to be carried off the court. USC later confirmed she tore her ACL and would miss the rest of the season. ACL injuries are particularly common in women's sports. Research shows female athletes are two to eight times more likely to tear their ACLs than male athletes. Dr. Christina Allen, chief of Yale Sports Medicine and an ACL surgery specialist, spoke with NPR's Michel Martin about why female athletes tend to experience more ACL injuries and what recovery looks like. As a former college athlete and a team physician for U.S. men's and women's soccer, Allen offers these insights. |
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