| Monday, April 7, 2025 |
| Dogs make a splash in MSU's Junction during diving competition | |
 | The crowd in the Junction grew quiet Saturday afternoon as seven year old All-American dog Boom Boom prepared for her dive into the pool. Boom Boom's owner, Laura O'Donnell, placed the dog as far back on the dock as she could. She kept both hands on either of the excited dog's sides, shouting, "Ready!" Seconds later, O'Donnell's hands snapped away from the dog, and Boom Boom flew through the air toward the apparatus hanging over the pool 16 feet from the dock's edge. The pup caught the bar in her mouth, and the crowd erupted into cheers. "It doesn't matter what size they are, or how far they jump," O'Donnell told The Dispatch following Boom Boom's victory. "To just watch them do it and see how much fun they have doing it is really (the best part)." Boom Boom was one of more than 40 competitors from across the country that came to Mississippi State University on Saturday for the American Kennel Club Diving Dogs Premier Cup, presented by Cosequin and televised on ESPN. |
| Mississippi State Hosts National AI in Agriculture & Natural Resources Conference | |
 | Mississippi State University and its Agricultural Autonomy Institute this week are hosting the 4th Annual AI in Agriculture and Natural Resources Conference, bringing together national leaders in artificial intelligence, or AI, and agriculture to showcase groundbreaking advancements and their practical applications in the field. With the theme "The Role of AI in Autonomous Agricultural Systems and Socioeconomic Effects," the conference emphasizes the transformative power of AI in addressing critical issues like food security, conservation strategies and the socioeconomic impacts of autonomous systems. The event opened with the release of a pivotal paper published by the Council on Agricultural Science and Technology titled "AI in Agriculture: Opportunities, Challenges, and Recommendations." "We know AI can improve essentially all aspects of agricultural production including efficiency, precision and environmental stewardship, but there are also barriers to AI adoption and societal implications that we address in this paper," said Alex Thomasson, the paper's lead author, CAST president-elect, and director of MSU's Agricultural Autonomy Institute, the nation's first research center of its kind. "This isn't just about adopting new technology. AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we feed the world, improve livelihoods, and protect our environment. By focusing on practical solutions, we can ensure that innovation translates into real-world impact." |
| Trump Nominates Telle, Sadler For Key Posts | |
| On March 24, President Donald Trump nominated Adam Telle to serve as assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, a civilian leadership position overseeing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' civil works program. The ASA (CW) is responsible for directing policy and providing oversight of the Corps' civil works missions, including navigation, flood and storm damage reduction, aquatic ecosystem restoration, hydropower, water supply, regulatory programs and recreation. The position plays a vital role in shaping national water resources infrastructure and ensuring collaboration between the Army, Congress, federal agencies and state and local stakeholders. Telle currently serves as chief of staff to Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and previously led the Senate affairs team within the White House Office of Legislative Affairs during Trump's first term. Earlier in his career, Telle served in senior roles for Sens. Richard Shelby and Thad Cochran. A native of Alabama, he is a graduate of Mississippi State University with degrees in computer science and communication. |
| Voter turnout for primaries a mixed bag in Columbus, Starkville | |
| Voter turnout in the 2025 municipal primaries for Columbus and Starkville showed improvement compared to low participation in 2021, though Columbus fell short of its higher turnout in 2017. Columbus led with a 24.8% voter turnout Tuesday with 3,671 of 14,832 registered voters casting ballots in mayoral and council races. Starkville saw a 24% turnout with 3,306 of 13,786 registered voters casting ballots. This year marked a significant jump compared to the 2021 primaries, when neither city had a contested mayoral race on the ballot. Columbus in 2021 had 6.5% turnout, while 4.2% of registered voters in Starkville cast a ballot in the primaries the same year. Turnout in 2017 was higher than 2021 for both cities, as there were contested mayoral races. Starkville's turnout Tuesday surpassed its 2017 turnout of 17.5%. |
| High prices, declining donations hit food pantries hard | |
| When residents of the Golden Triangle find their budgets tightening, food banks are there to help fill the gap. Now, however, food prices are bad enough that food banks are struggling to make ends meet. Starkville Strong is a nonprofit that helps coordinate charity work and mutual aid throughout the city, focusing on food and housing. Executive Director Brandi Herrington said its coffers have been completely exhausted. "We have used all of our savings and are completely reliant on what comes in daily," she told The Dispatch on Wednesday. "... The food we (have to) purchase for our pantries has increased significantly and we're running out of creative ways to crowdsource. We even ask for people to go through their pantries to grab items they may not want anymore, not expired of course." Starkville Strong relies on donations for 85% of the food it redistributes to those in need, covering the gap with purchases from its fundraised savings. That ratio has been getting worse, Herrington said, mostly because food intake from larger organizations have slowed. |
| Mississippi REAL ID deadline fast approaching | |
 | The Mississippi Department of Public Safety is reminding residents that the deadline to obtain a REAL ID is quickly approaching. Starting May 7, all Mississippians will need a REAL ID, marked by a gold star in the upper right corner, on their driver's license, learner's permit, or identification card. The REAL ID is a federally compliant identification that meets security standards for state-issued IDs, including driver's licenses, permits, and ID cards. To obtain your REAL ID, you must visit the DMV with the following documents: your Social Security card (or another official document with your Social Security number), a certified copy of your birth certificate, and two proofs of Mississippi residency. A REAL ID is necessary for several reasons. It will be required for commercial air travel, accessing military bases, and entering secure federal facilities. |
| No state has ended personal income taxes since 1980, but Mississippi and Kentucky may change that | |
 | About 45 years have passed since a U.S. state last eliminated its income tax on wages and salaries. But with recent actions in Mississippi and Kentucky, two states now are on a path to do so, if their economies keep growing. The push to zero out the income tax is perhaps the most aggressive example of a tax-cutting trend that swept across states as they rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic with surging revenues and historic surpluses. But it comes during a time of greater uncertainty for states, as they wait to see whether President Donald Trump's cost cutting and tariffs lead to a reduction in federal funding for states and a downturn in the overall economy. Some fiscal analysts also warn the repeal of income taxes could leave states reliant on other levies, such as sales taxes, that disproportionately affect the poor. Though income tax eliminations have been proposed elsewhere, they have not been successful. "It's a lot easier to go without an individual income tax if you've never levied one," said Katherine Loughead, a senior analyst and research manager at the nonprofit Tax Foundation. "But once you become dependent on that revenue, it is a lot more difficult to phase out or eliminate that tax." |
| Mississippi Typos Its Way to No Income Tax | |
 | The Wall Street Journal editorializes: Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill last month that puts Mississippi on a path to zero income tax, albeit in about 14 years. Yet the messaging is right, as the state tries to lure business investment. Mississippi is sandwiched between two economic powerhouses, Texas and Florida, which don't tax their residents' incomes. Neither does Tennessee next door. Mississippi's income tax is now a flat 4.4%, and a law passed in 2022 is already set to cut that next year to 4%. But under the bill Mr. Reeves signed, the plan is to keep going to 3% by 2030. Reductions after that, until the tax is phased out, are conditioned on hitting revenue triggers. That will attenuate some of the growth impact, but it's a common approach for governors who want to get rate reductions through reluctant legislatures. That's where the typos come in. ... Give Mr. Reeves credit for making the case for economic growth. "Mississippi will no longer tax the work, the earnings, or the ambition of its people," the Governor said. "Mississippi has the potential to be a magnet for opportunity, for investment, for talent -- and for families looking to build a better life." |
| Mississippi explores 'One Door' policy to integrate social programs, workforce development | |
| Lawmakers have agreed to form a task force to study workforce and social service reform in Mississippi as the state looks to implement a "One Door" policy. The goal is to improve the state's labor force participation rate and raise the earning capacity of working Mississippians. "This summer, we had a labor force participation rate committee that met," State Senate Daniel Sparks (R) told the Senate when presenting the measure. "One of the things that we're trying to do is help get people into the workforce." Sparks explained that Mississippi currently has a unique situation where the state has historically low unemployment while also having one of the lowest labor force participation rates in the country. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Mississippi's labor force participation rate sits at 56 percent. Senator Sparks said there are federal dollars available, particularly through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), that can be used for training and helping people enter the workforce. "The expectation is that the federal government is to reauthorize the WIOA policy and they're going to allow for a 'One Door' style policy that has been utilized in Utah," Sparks said. "We, along with states such as Louisiana, would qualify for an exemption that we could work with a 'One Door' style policy to help us utilize the resources we have for people to get into the workforce." |
| Karriem to serve as chairman of Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus | |
| Mississippi District 41 Rep. Kabir Karriem will serve as chairman of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus after being sworn in Wednesday. Karriem was elected as chairman by members of the Black Caucus earlier this week after nearly 10 years of membership. Karriem called being elected to the position an honor. "It's not just about a personal achievement," Karriem said. "It's a sacred honor. I'm proud that my colleagues felt fit to give me the sacred honor to lead the caucus." The Black Caucus represents and champions underserved communities in Mississippi, particularly the African American community, through legislation. Karriem said he is dedicated to fulfilling that goal. "I want to do all that I can to address those issues that we face here in the state of Mississippi," Karriem said. "When I say 'we,' I'm talking about the African American community, along with my members. I think we're all dedicated to that task, and we're going to do all that we can to try and change the trajectory of our communities." |
| Renick named TVA board chair after second member fired | |
 | Bill Renick has become the chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority following the removal of former chairman Joe Ritch on Tuesday. Renick, who was already serving on the TVA Board of Directors, had been appointed chairman-elect in February to take over when Ritch's term when it expired in May, or if he left unexpectedly. A former legislator and mayor of Ashland, Renick was nominated by former President Joe Biden. Renick's appointment was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in December 2022. Renick has an extensive career in public service. He has served on the Ashland Board of Aldermen and has been the chief of staff to former Lt. Gov. Eddie Briggs and former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove. He also worked as the workforce division director at Three Rivers Planning and Development District in Pontotoc. A TVA spokesman said Ritch had " transitioned off the board," adding that the members of the TVA Board of Directors are nominated by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The TVA is federally owned but is a public utility and receives no federal dollars; its revenue comes from power companies that purchase electricity from it. |
| House GOP leaders vow to push forward with budget vote | |
 | House Republican leaders told their members Sunday they still plan on muscling a reworked Senate budget blueprint through the House this week, according to multiple people briefed on the plans, even as fiscal hawks say there is enough opposition to tank the measure should it come to a vote. Several House Republicans have vowed in recent days to oppose the Senate framework, including Rep. Chip Roy of Texas -- a leader of the hard-right bloc -- and some other members of the House Freedom Caucus. With a 220-213 majority, Speaker Mike Johnson can lose only three Republicans on a party-line vote if all members are present and voting. The uncertainty over the budget plan comes amid the market carnage sparked by President Donald Trump's new tariff announcement, which has privately rattled many Hill Republicans in recent days. As the market losses pile up, some lawmakers are griping that the administration is failing to provide them with enough information about its plan before the tariffs go into effect this week. Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee did hold a private call Friday with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, according to five people granted anonymity to describe the private call. Greer is set to testify before the panel this Wednesday, as well as the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday. But Republicans beyond the panel are growing increasingly anxious that they don't have more information. |
| GOP rep says Russia and China are 'laughing at us' after NSA director firing | |
 | Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), a moderate Republican, slammed President Trump's decision to fire the director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and his top deputy after demands from far-right influencer Laura Loomer, saying Sunday that China and Russia are "laughing at us" after that decision. "I will tell you, this puts us back. It hurts us," Bacon said in an interview on CBS News's "Face the Nation." "Russia and China today are laughing at us because we just fired the absolute best leaders, the most qualified guys that we spent three-and-a-half decades preparing to have this role, and he's gone," Bacon continued. "And it's heartbreaking to see that that decision was made without explanation, and it hurt us." Bacon, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, said he is not aware of any White House communication to Congress explaining the president's decision to fire Gen. Timothy Haugh, a four-star general who was unanimously confirmed to lead the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command. He was fired late Thursday. Haugh has more than 30 years of experience in the U.S. Air Force and led numerous cyber operations to counter efforts from Russia and other U.S. adversaries. |
| 'Whatever': Trump official pressed on tariffs against islands populated by penguins | |
 | Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Sunday defended President Donald Trump's tariff rollout last week when asked why two uninhabited islands were hit with the fees, saying in a new interview "whatever." Trump on Wednesday announced a 10% baseline tariff for all countries and reciprocal tariffs against approximately 60 countries that he says contribute most to the U.S. trade deficit. But toward the end of a long list of charts displaying the reciprocal tariffs, as shared by the White House on X, Heard and McDonald Islands are listed as being hit with the 10% cost. "The Heard and McDonald islands have zero human inhabitants. They had zero exports," CNN "State of the Union" host Jake Tapper said Sunday. "They had zero imports. They do have a lot of penguins. Why are you putting import tariffs on islands that are entirely populated by penguins?" "Come on, Jake," Rollins responded. "Obviously, here's the bottom line. We live under a tariff regime from other countries. We have too long ceded the idea that America goes first. I mean, come on, whatever. Listen, the people that are leading this are serious, intentional, patriotic," Rollins said. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was also asked about the tariffs on the islands on Sunday. He argued the Trump administration couldn't leave any country off of their list of fees, in case other nations try to ship through the area to avoid tariffs. |
| Team Trump defends tariffs as bipartisan opposition grows, markets slide | |
 | Trump administration officials blitzed television networks Sunday to defend the president's massive tariffs that have caused a sell-off in the stock market and triggered recession fears, arguing that the import taxes are already forcing dozens of countries to come to the bargaining table. Fifty countries were "burning the phone lines into the White House" to negotiate with President Donald Trump, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told CNN's "State of the Union." Don't panic, White House senior counselor Peter Navarro said on Fox News's "Sunday Morning Futures." And Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," dismissed predictions from economists and banks that there would be a recession. The full-court press from Cabinet members and advisers came as the administration is under immense pressure to pull back on the tariffs, which have caused the biggest loss in American stock market wealth since the panicked sell-off as covid-19 spread in March 2020. A growing number of conservatives are pushing back against Trump's moves, with a nonprofit backed by right-wing megadonor Charles Koch leading a lawsuit against the tariffs, while some Republicans in both chambers of Congress are organizing a legislative effort to roll them back. |
| Trump Golfs, Fires Off Social Media Posts as Markets Convulse | |
| Steve Cambronne voted for Donald Trump three times. Now, he hopes the president's far-reaching tariffs don't hurt his small business. Cambronne, 70 years old, a Fort Meyers-based artist, said sales of his whimsical, metallic sculptures were down this weekend, a decline he blames on public concern about the fallout from the tariffs. He decided to skip a coming art show in the Washington, D.C., area because he thinks laid-off federal workers might not have enough spare cash to buy his art. "He has to do these things, I think, in order to correct the abuse in power that's been around forever," Cambronne said of Trump. But he said if public concern about the tariffs escalates and leads to a long-term slowdown in spending, "we're in trouble." A few miles down the road, Trump, who last week announced plans to levy tariffs of at least 10% on almost all nations, spent much of the weekend out of sight in Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Palm Beach. As markets swooned and countries flocked to negotiate (administration officials said Sunday that more than 50 had reached out), Trump visited his golf courses. Three of them. On Thursday, he dined with LIV Golf players celebrating the start of a three-day tournament at Trump National Doral Golf Club. On Friday he spent nearly six hours at Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach. On Saturday he played in a tournament at his golf club in Jupiter, Fla., winning his second-round matchup of the Senior Club Championship and advancing to the championship round on Sunday, the White House said. Trump posted a video on social media Sunday of him teeing off. This weekend's trip marks Trump's eighth visit to Mar-a-Lago since he took office 11 weeks ago. |
| 'Hands Off!' Protest: Hundreds gathered at the State Capitol to protest the Trump administration | |
| On Saturday, hundreds of people made their way to the State Capitol steps to make their voices heard and protest the recent actions from the Trump administration. People from throughout the state united to speak out against the decisions and policies being made by President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk. "To me, what we have seen here today is America. If you look out on this crowd, this is what America looks like. This is practicing free speech, this is exercising our rights in a democracy, this is stepping up and taking action, this is realizing we cannot sit on our hands," Kathleen O'Beirne said. The rally is part of The "Hands Off!" mass-action protests happening across the country. Key issues that protesters hit on are Trump's tariff plan, executive orders, immigration policies, as well as massive government cuts to departments and programs such as Medicaid, Social Security, and USDA. "They don't want you to know that Mississippi receives more federal funding than most states. So with the cuts that DOGE is doing, it's going to severely cripple Mississippi and its economy," Ashley Floyd said. |
| Trump pulls back Biden's plan to cover weight loss drugs | |
 | The Trump administration will not finalize a Biden-era plan to require coverage of anti-obesity medications in Medicare and Medicaid. In a rule finalized Friday afternoon, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stated it does not intend to continue with the Biden proposal, which was released in November. CMS did not provide a reason for dropping the proposal, but a spokesperson said finalizing the coverage is "not appropriate at this time." "CMS may consider future policy options for (anti-obesity medications) pending further review of both the potential benefits of these drugs including updated clinical indications, and relevant costs including fiscal impacts on stakeholders such as state Medicaid agencies," the spokesperson said. Both budget hawks and some health plans had warned about the cost to the Medicare and Medicaid programs. "While these drugs offer hope for many, the excessive costs carry enormous consequences for consumers, taxpayers and employers," said Ceci Connolly, president and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans, in a statement Friday. |
| Trump administration orders national parks to remain open amid staffing shortages | |
 | The Trump administration has issued an order demanding that all national parks remain open amid severe staffing shortages -- an action that one conservation group called "reckless and out of touch" as park personnel brace for millions of visitors this summer. "This order is intended to ensure that all national parks and national historic sites, which are managed by the Department of the Interior ..., remain open and accessible for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people and to ensure that the National Park Service (NPS) will provide the best customer service experience for all visitors," Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum wrote in a memo Thursday. The mandate requires that any closures or reduction in hours at park sites are first reviewed by the National Park Service director and assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks for approval. The order raised immediate concerns for Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of government affairs for the National Parks Conservation Assn. In a statement, Brengel called the order "yet another attempt by the administration to sideline the expertise of dedicated park staff." "It's micromanagement at its worst, creating more red tape when park staff are already stretched dangerously thin and dealing with peak visitation season," Brengel said. "This order is reckless and out of touch." |
| Cross-state collaboration aims to build future workforce for Airbus Helicopters | |
| A new cross-state partnership aims to provide students with a clear path to success while also creating a pipeline of work-ready individuals for employment at Airbus Helicopters. With East Mississippi Community College, Airbus and the company's education center, Flight Works Alabama, joining together to offer specialized training in aviation manufacturing, the first cohort of 10 students will be fully prepared to start careers in the industry, specifically at Airbus, by August. "This is not an internship. It is a preemployment training program," Kellie Andrews, a consultant with Flight Works Alabama, told The Dispatch. "Once they graduate from this (classroom portion) in 10 weeks, they will become an apprentice at Airbus for approximately 14 to 16 months, but they're an employee on day one." Andrews said the program is modeled after FlightPath9, which specifically prepares students to hold positions at Airbus' manufacturing facility in Mobile. Since it started in 2021, close to 300 students have graduated from the program, with many of them still employed at Airbus today, Andrews said. |
| 'Detrimental' to school kids: Mississippi education department set to lose $137M in COVID funds | |
 | The U.S. Department of Education announced an early liquidation of COVID-19 relief funds. Now, the Mississippi Department of Education and the state's school districts are at risk of losing a collective $137 million. On March 28, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon sent out a letter informing state education departments that COVID-19 relief funds, initially approved for a March 31, 2026, liquidation deadline, will end liquidation effective immediately. For Mississippi, the new deadline would cause detrimental effects to the state's students and educators, according to the Mississippi Department of Education, which is now asking the U.S. Department of Education to keep the original deadline. Plans were already underway to use the funds to bridge COVID-19-related learning gaps. The funds were also meant to support school nurses, mental health, students experiencing homelessness and facility repairs and improvements, all of which were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 2, Mississippi State Superintendent of Education Lance Evans sent McMahon a response letter. In four pages, Evans outlines the detrimental effects the year's loss of funding would cause, especially since the decision was announced without prior notice. |
| Trump administration slashes education funding. Mississippi leaders and schools panic | |
| Mississippi schools and the state education system are set to lose over $137 million in federal funds after the U.S. Department of Education halted access to pandemic-era grant money, state leaders said this week. In a Wednesday letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, Mississippi Superintendent of Education Lance Evans said the federal education department failed to provide states with required notice that it would cut of access to funds committed to schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools were already using the money to pay for a range of initiatives, including literacy and mathematics programs, mental health services, construction projects for outdated school facilities and technology for rural districts. The abrupt loss of funds sent Mississippi public and private school leaders rushing to brace for the impact of wide ranging cuts. By Friday, some were already forced to fire grant-funded teachers, coaches and nurses. At St. Richard Catholic School in Jackson, Father Joe Tonos and Principal Russ Nelson said the school would lose approximately $1.5 million, funds that pay staff salaries and fund programs for mental health. All schools staffers who were employed through grants were to be fired by Friday. |
| U. of Alabama increases in-state, out-of-state tuition costs for 2025-26 | |
 | Students at the University of Alabama and its associated campuses in Birmingham and Huntsville will see tuition rates increase by up to 3.5% for the 2025-26 school year, system trustees announced Friday. The UA System Board of Trustees unanimously approved to increase in-state, undergraduate tuition rates by 2.6% for UA, 2.9% for UAB and 3% for UAH. Out-of-state tuition would rise by 3.5% at UA, 3% at UAB, and by 3% at UAH this fall. Increases do not include fees. The board also approved a $2 per credit hour increase for the infrastructure fee. There are "significant increases in mandatory and day-to-day operating expenses that are central to support, recruit and retain the best and brightest," according to Dana Keith, UA System's senior vice chancellor for finance and administration. This includes data security and other "critical technology services." "We must pay market competitive salaries," Keith said. "On top of that, we are facing continued increased cost, significantly higher than average inflation for our contributions to the mandatory state retirement plan, retiree health insurance and other employee benefits." |
| Turning Point USA hosts conservative actress Leigh-Allyn Baker | |
| On Thursday, April 3, the Auburn chapter of Turning Point USA hosted actress and conservative figure Leigh-Allyn Baker. Famous for her acting role in the Disney Channel original show Good Luck Charlie and recent conservative activism, Baker spoke about navigating Hollywood, standing up against cancel culture and advocating for bodily autonomy against vaccinations to hundreds of attendees. Baker was hosted by the Turning Point USA chapter at Auburn University, a non-partisan student organization but is known for promoting conservative ideals. Founded by famous conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the national organization and its chapter at Auburn University hope to acquaint college students with conservative topics, including free market capitalism, free speech and limited government. The event did not deviate from the organization's mission, as Baker spoke about vaccinations, free speech, motherhood, spirituality and Hollywood. Since 2021, Baker has advocated for conservative ideals after her speech protesting a mask mandate at a Williamson County, Tennessee school board meeting went viral. |
| Fewer Louisiana students are taking TOPS scholarships. Would more money help? | |
 | Janna Jordan's family lives in Prairieville, about a 30-minute drive from LSU. This fall, her daughter Abby Veillon will head to Mississippi for college. Louisiana has long offered a merit-based scholarship, TOPS, to entice students to choose one of the state's public colleges or universities. But Abby, who will attend the University of Southern Mississippi, is among the growing number of high schoolers who don't meet TOPS' academic requirements. Even if she were eligible, the award amounts have been frozen since 2016 while tuition continues to rise. "TOPS is not going to keep us in state," Janna Jordan said, "whether we get it or not." Nearly 30 years ago, Louisiana made its students a compelling offer: Earn good grades and test scores in high school and your in-state college tuition will be covered, courtesy of a TOPS scholarship. The deal proved immensely popular. Participation and costs rose steadily until the 2020-21 school year, when some 56,000 students earned nearly $321 million in awards, according to state data. Then, suddenly, the numbers started falling. This school year, there are fewer than 48,000 TOPS recipients -- the lowest count in a decade -- getting $270.4 million, about $50 million less than four years ago. "Clearly we're trending in the wrong direction," said Kim Hunter Reed, Louisiana's higher education commissioner. "I'm very concerned about it." |
| Four at U. of Tennessee risk deportation after surprise change to immigration status | |
| Three University of Tennessee at Knoxville students and one former student working on campus are at risk of deportation because of changes made by the federal government to their immigration status, according to an email Chancellor Donde Plowman sent April 4 to the campus community. UT's Center for Global Engagement discovered this week the changes to the students' immigration status in a federal immigration database that processes documents for international students and exchange visitors. The students' and former student's status were changed because they were "identified in a criminal records check," according to Plowman's email. The change means they are now not legally eligible to be enrolled or employed at UT and at risk of being deported. UT's research into the situation found one student is on "judicial diversion for a property crime and another has been charged with DUI," but UT hasn't determined the cause for the change for the other two individuals. The students are not named in the email. The database is called the Student Exchange Visitor System, and commonly referred to as SEVIS. It is maintained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. |
| U. of Kentucky student visas revoked by Department of Homeland Security, university says | |
 | The Department of Homeland Security has revoked the visas of several University of Kentucky graduate students, campus leaders said Friday evening. The move affects "a small number of international graduate students at UK," President Eli Capilouto said in a news release. The number of students affected was not specified. It comes as the Trump Administration has targeted diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at colleges and universities around the country. "We recognize the impact visa and/or status revocation has on our students," Capilouto said. "I know, too, that this news will surface many questions. We are working to understand changing federal policies that are impacting many college campuses and are encouraging our international students to reach out to International Student and Scholar Services with immigration-related questions or concerns." According to the Associated Press, students who have their visas revoked are being ordered to leave the country immediately. "The university will always comply with the law," Capilouto said. "We also will make abundantly clear that our more than 1,300 international students and scholars are valued members of this special community." |
| Supreme Court Sides With Trump in Suit Over Canceled Teacher Grants | |
 | The Supreme Court overturned a Massachusetts District Court ruling that required the Trump administration to restore millions in previously terminated professional development grants for K-12 teachers and college faculty members, Law 360 and other media outlets reported. The decision marks the president's first major win in what is likely to be a series of cases regarding the executive branch's power. The 5-to-4 decision vacated a temporary restraining order that required the Department of Education to reinstate the canceled grant funding to California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Wisconsin. The grants were first terminated in early February after the Education Department said the programs ran afoul of the president's executive orders banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs. (This is one of at least two lawsuits challenging the teacher training grant cancellations.) Justices behind the majority opinion say the district court lacked the jurisdiction under the Administrative Procedure Act to issue the temporary restraining order. They suggested that the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, which handles contract-related cases, would have been better suited. |
| Trump Is Going After Universities' Federal Funding. Here's What to Know. | |
| President Trump has targeted universities and colleges, going after their federal funding in an effort to eradicate what he considers extreme leftist ideology on college campuses. He has threatened to pull funding from schools that don't comply -- and followed through in some instances. The Trump administration has been scrutinizing universities over their handling of alleged antisemitism on campus and their response to pro-Palestinian protests. In response, universities have taken steps to mitigate Trump's spending cuts, including hiring freezes and rejecting previously accepted graduate students. While many faculty members argue universities shouldn't yield to Trump, they are in a tricky spot. It isn't uncommon for a quarter or more of the operating budget of a large university to come from federal sources in the forms of student loans, Pell Grants and research funding -- research that supporters say goes on to produce innovations and fuel the broader economy. The impact to local economies could be noticeable, too. In Baltimore, Johns Hopkins is the area's largest private employer. Along with affiliates, it accounted for more than $15 billion in economic output in Maryland in 2022, according to the latest report from the institution. |
| Obama Calls for Universities to Stand Up for Core Values | |
 | Former President Barack Obama, in a campus speech on Thursday, urged universities to resist attacks from the federal government that violate their academic freedom. He also said schools and students should engage in self-reflection about speech environments on their campuses. "If you are a university, you may have to figure out, are we in fact doing things right?," he said during a conversation at Hamilton College in upstate New York. "Have we in fact violated our own values, our own code, violated the law in some fashion?" "If not, and you're just being intimidated, well, you should be able to say, that's why we got this big endowment."Mr. Obama's advice to lean on the endowment in the face of threats and stand on principle was also endorsed by his former economic adviser, Lawrence Summers, in a guest essay this week in The Times. "Believe me, a former president of Harvard," Mr. Summers wrote, "when I say that ways can be found in an emergency to deploy even parts of the endowment that have been earmarked by their donors for other uses." To many on the right, and even some on the left, one reason Mr. Trump is attacking higher education is because universities have become politically weakened, partly because they haven't taken the free-expression concerns of conservatives seriously. Mr. Obama told the crowd, which included college students, that everyone should stand up for the rights of others to say wrong and hurtful things. |
| Lawmakers' squabbling ends legislative session early | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: "Play nice children!" Unfortunately, there was no adult in the room when childish legislators' rhetoric dissolved into "You did it, no you did it." Sen. Briggs Hopson said, "they went home," after the House adjourned the Friday before "conference weekend." Due to legislative deadlines, the House action killed 105 budget bills, including several deficit appropriations needed to keep agencies operating through this fiscal year. "I don't know why anybody, any member of the Senate or the Lt. Governor, was surprised at all that we didn't have real negotiations on the budget earlier, that we weren't going to be here this weekend," said Speaker Jason White. He further blamed the Senate for amending House bills and thereby requiring conference. "We all took the same oath ... We adopted the rules ... We all agreed to be here," said Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann. "There is no reasonable explanation for this," he added. "A special session will be very expensive." ... It is both costly and regrettable that there was no adult in the room the settle the children down. You might think our governor would play that role, but he was likely giggling over his unexpected tax cut win and the clout he will have over a special session. |
| Gov. Tate Reeves, legislative leaders tout tax cut, but for some, it could be a tax increase | |
| Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison writes: House Ways and Means Chair Trey Lamar estimated that the Mississippi income tax will be phased out in 14 years under legislation passed this session and touted by members of the state's Republican political leadership. Nobody was crowing louder about the phase-out of the income tax than Republican Gov. Tate Reeves. He even went on Fox News to brag about it. "There are moments in a state's history that mark a turning point," Reeves said on social media. "A moment where the past gives way to the future ... The elimination of the income tax is not just a win for our economy. It's a win for freedom. A win for families. A win for the idea that Mississippi can lead -- that we will lead." Reeves claimed victory even though he originally proposed just before the 2025 legislative session began to eliminate the income tax much quicker. But if Lamar is right, the income tax cut that the Legislature eventually passed and the governor signed into law will be fully eliminated just as the now 50-year-old Reeves nears retirement age. This is at least a little ironic since for years, Mississippi has not taxed retirement earnings. But many of those retirees who do not pay an income tax under state law and other Mississippians as well will face a tax increase under this newly passed legislation touted by Reeves and others. |
SPORTS
| Baseball: Two-Hit Shutout Lifts State To Series Win | |
| South Carolina's first batter had a hit and its last batter had a hit which bookended a stellar day on the mound for Mississippi State. Karson Ligon and Stone Simmons combined for a two-hit shutout in a 6-0 victory on Sunday to clinch the Diamond Dawgs' first Southeastern Conference series of the season. Ligon punched out eight through six scoreless innings of work to collect his first SEC win of the season to improve to 3-4. Stone Simmons picked up his second-straight save by firing the final three frames and fanning five. MSU (19-13, 3-9) erupted for five runs in the bottom of the fifth ignited by a solo home run from Noah Sullivan. Sullivan led the Bulldogs' 11-hit attack by going 3-for-4 with two singles to go along with his solo shot. Dylan Cupp finished 2-for-3 at the dish with two singles and an RBI while Bryce Chance and Gatlin Sanders were both 2-for-4. Chance collected a pair of RBI doubles while Sanders also provided a double as did Hunter Hines. Mississippi State heads across the state line to take on UAB on Tuesday at 6 p.m. on ESPN+. |
| Mississippi State baseball takeaways from South Carolina SEC series win | |
 | Mississippi State baseball won its first SEC series of the season during the weekend. It wasn't a spectacular start, though. The Bulldogs (19-13, 3-9) lost Friday's game to South Carolina 7-3, marking their worst 10-game start to conference play in program history. They rallied to win the next two games, 11-4 on Saturday and 6-0 on Sunday. MSU limited the Gamecocks (19-14, 2-10) to two hits in the final 13 innings of the series. "I think it's probably our best day of the year between the competition level of being in the SEC and Karson Ligon's unbelievable start and Stone (Simmons) stepping on top of it," MSU coach Chris Lemonis said Sunday. "We made some great plays and I call it timely hitting." The Bulldogs are still on the outside looking in, but the series win keeps their slim NCAA tournament hopes alive for now. A series loss would've been detrimental. MSU went into the weekend not projected to make the NCAA tournament field. However, Baseball America listed MSU as one of the first four teams out of the tournament. Thirteen conference wins has typically been the benchmark for SEC teams --- before Texas and Oklahoma joined this season --- to make the NCAA tournament. That will require Mississippi State to go at least 10-8 the rest of the SEC season while still avoiding bad RPI losses in midweek games. |
| Ethan Pulliam focusing all his effort on football | |
| It's been a couple of weeks since Ethan Pulliam has devoted all of his time to the football field. The Starkville High School graduate was signed to play both baseball and football for Mississippi State and he spent the last two seasons doing what he could to help Chris Lemonis' team. After redshirting a season ago for football, however, Pulliam has decided its time to focus on punting. "Incredibly supportive of Ethan. I love the fact he was playing baseball. (But) I'm fired up about having him," head coach Jeff Lebby said of his decision. "I don't necessarily love how it worked out being in the middle of things and obviously supporting our baseball team like crazy." Now that Pulliam has stepped away from baseball, it has allowed him to focus solely on punting the ball. It's his second spring with the Bulldogs after practicing part time last year and being with the team as a freshman redshirt in 2024. Pulliam was a great baseball player for the Yellowjackets as he earned Starkville Daily News Player of the Year and All-State selections, but his ability at punter is hard to ignore. With a background in soccer that dates back to his younger years, Pulliam would step into the football realm in high school and take to it like a fish in water. |
| Softball: Bulldogs Claim 13th Run-Rule Victory In Doubleheader Split | |
| Playing a doubleheader due to Sunday rains, No. 17 Mississippi State evened the series at No. 7 Tennessee with a run-rule victory before dropping the series finale on Saturday night. The Bulldogs (31-10, 7-5 SEC) took the first game of the day by a score of 12-4 in six innings. The Lady Vols (32-8, 7-5 SEC) claimed the nightcap with a run-rule of their own, 8-0, in five innings. "I think this conference is such a gauntlet, and you have to be ready," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "Every game is a battle and can swing either way. When someone punches you, you've got to be ready to take it and get back up and swing back. I thought we did a good job of that in the first game today, particularly in the first inning just setting the tone. But it's about finding ways to compete in every game, in every inning. That's the goal every weekend out." Offensively, MSU made the most of an eight-run first inning in Game 1 that was highlighted by home runs from Sierra Sacco and Nadia Barbary to open the ballgame. Lexi Sosa and Morgan Stiles also homered in the game, and Kylee Edwards collected a team-leading three RBIs. Mississippi State returns to Nusz Park on April 11-13 to host Missouri in a three-game series. The opener on Friday is set for 6 p.m., and Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. The series finale will be played at 1 p.m. on Sunday. All three games will air on SEC Network+. |
| Bulldogs cruise past Texas A&M in top-15 matchup | |
| Mississippi State continued its climb up the Southeastern Conference standings Thursday as the No. 12 Bulldogs defeated No. 13 Texas A&M 6-1 at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. "The energy from the crowd today was awesome," MSU head coach Matt Roberts said. "Them being able to join our guys in chants created an atmosphere that makes it tough for our opponents to feel comfortable. Today the fans were so engaged with what was going on, every court, and they followed along with every chant that our guys were creating. It just created such a great atmosphere and really helped us get this win." The Bulldogs (18-4, 8-3 SEC) again won the doubles point, like they have in every conference match this year. Juniors Petar Jovanovic and Benito Sanchez Martinez, now the second-ranked pairing in the country, won 6-1 at No. 1 over the Aggies' 21st-ranked duo. Freshman Bryan Hernandez Cortes and junior Mario Martinez Serrano won in a tiebreak at No. 3 as MSU clinched the first point of the match. MSU is back in action Saturday at home against Auburn. |
| Judge dismisses lawsuit vs. news outlet for Brett Favre reporting | |
| A Mississippi judge dismissed a lawsuit Friday against a non-profit news outlet over its Pulitzer Prize-winning stories about a welfare-fraud scandal headlined by former NFL star Brett Favre. The lawsuit had been filed nearly two years ago by former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant. A ruling against the paper could have forced Wolfe and Mississippi Today either to turn over confidential sources or face contempt of court charges that would result in significant fines to the website or perhaps even jail for reporter Anna Wolfe and her boss, editor-in-chief Adam Ganucheau. But on Friday, Madison County Circuit Court Judge Bradley Mills dismissed Bryant's lawsuit. Billy Quinn, an attorney for Bryant, said the case "will likely end up on appeal before the Mississippi Supreme Court. ... This matter is far from over. Governor Bryant remains confident in the legal basis and righteousness of his case." The case grew out of a five-part series published in April 2022 called "The Backchannel," in which Mississippi Today detailed a $77 million welfare fraud scandal in the nation's second-poorest state. The stories described how, with then-Governor Bryant in office, Favre and a handful of others scored millions of dollars that were supposed to go to welfare families but were instead used on projects that included a college volleyball facility and a concussion drug company. |
| Don't expect college sports' landmark House settlement to be complete Monday, NCAA president says | |
| NCAA president Charlie Baker does not expect Judge Claudia Wilken to formally approve the House settlement following hearings on Monday. However, Baker told reporters Saturday at the Final Four he does think Wilken will eventually approve the landmark measure. "I don't think she'll approve it on Monday," Baker said. "She may give us some guidance with respect (to) what direction she's leaning. My guess is she's going to have the hearing and she'll [approve it] after that." The House v. NCAA settlement looms as one of the biggest changes in college athletics in decades. The settlement of a multi-billion class-action suit from 2020 establishes a trough of $20.5 million for schools outside of NCAA oversight to directly pay athletes for their athletic talents. That settlement goes directly against the foundation of why the NCAA was founded 120 years ago -- to protect the amateur ideal. But for the NCAA to survive, strategically, it had to agree to the settlement. Had the lawsuit gone to trial, the NCAA risked losing in court which would have trebled the damages and possibly bankrupted the association. Baker's view is held by many of college sports' power players, who told CBS Sports they don't necessarily expect Wilken to rubber stamp the settlement on Monday after hearing objections. If approved, the settlement goes into effect July 1. |
| Colleges Are About to Alter How They Pay for Sports. Here's What to Expect. | |
 | A group of antitrust cases that have been looming over college athletics may be settled as soon as Monday. In these suits --- House v. NCAA, Hubbard v. NCAA, and Carter v. NCAA -- athletes sought damages for being barred from monetizing their names, images, and likenesses (NIL), and challenged the National Collegiate Athletic Association's amateurism principles. A proposed settlement would do more than just award them damages; it would undo longstanding rules governing athletics and usher in a new era. Programs that compete at the highest levels of college athletics have been looking forward to this day for almost a year. "We are living in a little bit of a purgatory world," said Gabe Feldman, a sports-law professor at Tulane University. But the settlement's scope is so significant that many institutions had already been making changes with the expectation that it will be approved. Judge Claudia Wilken, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, will hold a final hearing on the proposed settlement on Monday, when she will either rule on it or decide to wait days or weeks before making her decision. If she approves it, the rule changes will go into effect on July 1. |
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