| Monday, April 21, 2025 |
| Mississippi State University and Department of Public Safety to work jointly on forensic cases | |
 | Academia and law enforcement will be working side-by-side on forensic investigations in Mississippi as part of a new collaborative agreement Mississippi State University and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety have formally agreed to collaborate on particular assessments, including recovery of human remains, exhumations, surface scatter and burial recoveries, and the identification of human skeletal remains. MSU President Mark E. Keenum joined Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell for a memorandum of agreement signing in Jackson on Thursday. Keenum remarked that the university's areas of expertise uniquely position Mississippi State to support the Department of Public Safety's forensic science needs. "As the state's leading research university and land-grant institution, Mississippi State is called to serve the entire state," Keenum said. "MSU will be helping the state of Mississippi meet a critical need for forensic science, expertise, resources, and personnel. This partnership is an example of how we can deploy the expertise and capacity we have at MSU to make a difference for our fellow Mississippians who have been affected by crime." |
| Mississippi State, Department of Public Safety sign forensics agreement | |
 | Mississippi State University (MSU) and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS) have formally agreed to work together on forensic investigations, including recovery of human remains, exhumations, surface scatter and burial recoveries, as well as identification of human skeletal remains. MSU President Mark E. Keenum joined Public Safety Commissioner Sean J. Tindell for a Memorandum of Agreement signing in Jackson on Thursday, April 17. Keenum said the university's areas of expertise uniquely position MSU to support the Department of Public Safety's forensic science needs. "This partnership between the Mississippi Department of Public Safety's Forensics Laboratory and Mississippi State University represents a meaningful step forward for both the students of MSU's anthropology program and for all of Mississippi," said Tindell. "By joining forces we're not only expanding educational opportunities and advancing forensic science, but also continuing to enhance public safety across our state." |
| MSU program joins Institute on Disabilities, adding services for disabled students | |
 | A life-changing program at Mississippi State is integrating with the university's Mississippi Institute on Disabilities this week, a move that increases services, resources, facility space and more for this thriving initiative serving families statewide. ACCESS has been ensuring college-age students with intellectual and developmental disabilities receive a quality higher education experience for more than 15 years, successfully immersing them in academic classes, social activities, employment preparation and independent living. With the transition to the College of Education's MIoD, the ACCESS program is further complemented through the institute's many units, which include the T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability, Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic, and Career Horizons Center, according to Kasee Stratton-Gadke, MIoD executive director. She said capabilities of the T.K. Martin Center alone include assistive technology like adapted driving, dyslexia and reading strategies, and even exposure to creative expression through art. "Our goal is to continue to bring the necessary resources, expertise and programming to ensure our students receive high quality vocational training and independent living skills," Stratton-Gadke said. "The students are among the largest population of untapped, potential employees in the state, and this opportunity will improve their futures." |
| MSU will host 2025 Startup Summit to provide opportunity for entrepreneurs | |
 | Across the state and country, entrepreneurs are looking to showcase their businesses. That's why Mississippi State University is hosting a statewide and national competition to help people achieve their goals and connect with others through the Mississippi Made Competition and the Bulldog Business National Pitch Competition. Newt Thomas has always had a passion for the world of investing, even as a teenager. Back in June, he decided to build a company based on his love for investing and to help others do the same. "I spent a long time looking for ways to make it easier, platforms that make it easier to do research. I really couldn't find one, and so I decided to start one on my own," Thomas said. His company, Nuviter, is creating an app that makes stock market research and investing easier for everyday people. Like Thomas, many young entrepreneurs are looking to showcase their ideas and pitch to investors. That's why the E-Center at Mississippi State University is hosting the 2025 Startup Summit. |
| Sweet potato to become state vegetable on July 1 | |
 | With Tate Reeves's signature of Senate Bill 2383 -- the sweet potato will be the official state vegetable of Mississippi! The bill is short with less than four sentences, but had little to no pushback. Likely because small town Vardaman, Mississippi is dubbed the "Sweet Potato Capitol of the World", producing around $82 million for the state according to Mississippi State University. "We are third to North Carolina and California as a domestic producer. Of these big three, we're also third in number of farms with 156, while the other two have 528 and 202, respectively," said agriculture economist Will Maples. "Farmers in Mississippi work hard to produce the safest, most nutritious and affordable sweet potatoes out there," said Lorin Harvey, sweet potato scientist and assistant agronomy professor. "I'm always glad to see them get any recognition for producing such an important vegetable in our state." So, whether it's fried, baked, smashed, or roasted, you can enjoy that sweet potato with a little more pride. |
| Sweet potato becomes state's official veggie, root's farmers applauded by MSU expert | |
 | It's official. The Mississippi sweet potato is growing tremendously -- in status that is. The storage root formally becomes the "Official Vegetable of Mississippi" on July 1, after Governor Tate Reeves signed Senate House Bill 2383 into law this past month. And, none could be happier about the legislation's passage than Mississippi State University sweet potato expert Lorin Harvey. "Farmers in Mississippi work hard to produce the safest, most nutritious and affordable sweet potatoes out there," said Harvey, an assistant agronomy professor in MSU's Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. "I'm always glad to see them get any recognition for producing such an important vegetable in our state." Known as the comfort food in grandma's savory pies and casseroles -- and even mysterious hash -- this veggie graces many tables in the Magnolia State mainly because of its taste and nutrition value, but Harvey explained its versatility also plays a role. "It can be used in so many ways and substituted in just about any recipe when it calls for carrots, pumpkin or other potatoes," said Harvey, who also is an extension professor at the Mississippi Agricultural and Experiment Station's Pontotoc Ridge-Flatwoods Branch. |
| New degree programs for JSU, Mississippi State and Southern Miss approved by IHL | |
 | Jackson State University, Mississippi State University and University of Southern Mississippi are getting new degree programs. The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning approved the programs during a regular Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday morning, April 17. During the board's monthly meetings, the trustees often hear about proposed degree programs that have already received approval from board committees. Thursday also marked Bruce Martin's last meeting as board president. He officially passed the baton to Trustee Gee Ogletree, who will serve as president for the next year. The new degrees approved for Mississippi State University are a Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Leadership and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Early Childhood Teaching. |
| IHL approves new degree paths, changes to ACT scoring | |
| Several new degree paths and a change to the way ACT scores are used for college admissions were approved by the Mississippi State Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees during last week's meeting. An amendment setting new regulations concerning college admissions using the ACT was approved Thursday. Dr. Casey Prestwood, Associate Commissioner for Academic and Student Affairs at Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, said the amendment went into effect this month. "So, beginning April 2025, the ACT composite score will be based on performance in English, math, and the reading section," Prestwood said. "The science and writing sections will be optional and reported separately with the science section no longer included in the composite score calculation." Mississippi State, with the IHL Board's approval, will now offer the Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Leadership. It's a 120-hour program that will build upon the related associate's degree. The emphasis will be on practical, applied learning, preparing graduates to assume leadership roles across sectors that include industry, sports, non-profits, and government agencies. MSU also has been approved to offer the Bachelor of Applied Science in Early Childhood Teaching to be housed under the College of Education at the Meridian campus. The program will require up to 122 hours and will build upon the Associate's in Early Childhood Technology, along with other early childhood majors. Graduates will prepare to start a career in education in the earliest grade levels. |
| Starkville-MSU Community Band wraps up spring concert series with April 27 free show | |
| A diverse selection of music will fill the afternoon air on April 27 as the Starkville-MSU Community Band concludes its spring concert series with a free, public performance. Scheduled for 2 p.m. at Mississippi State's Kent Sills Band Hall, 72 Hardy Road, the concert will include Samuel Hazo's "Novo Lenio," which paints a musical picture of Hazo's old school being torn down and replaced, and Starkville native Quincy Hilliard's "Rejoice, Dolce and Dance," among other pieces. A Starkville High School and MSU graduate, Hilliard is the Heymann Endowed Professor and a composer-in-residence at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he received the school's Eminent Faculty Distinguished Professor Award in 2023. The community band is directed by Johnny Folsom, a lecturer and supervisor for student interns in MSU's Department of Music. |
| OCH data breach exposed 67K patient files | |
| OCH Regional Medical Center announced Friday that it suffered a data breach that went undiscovered for more than a week in September 2023, potentially compromising a wide swathe of patient information. The hospital sent a press release just after 4 p.m. Friday that said "unauthorized individuals" found their way into OCH systems on Sept. 6 and went undetected until Sept. 14, gaining access to as many as 67,000 files. Hospital security "took abrupt action" to remove their access once it was discovered, but followup inquiries uncovered a broad range of potentially compromised information. "An investigation determined that the criminals may have obtained patient records containing names, social security numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers, addresses, diagnoses, disability codes, account numbers, insurance details and payer information," the release said. The hospital hired forensic experts after the incident to strengthen its systems and figure out which patients had been affected, though its release did not specify who it hired, what they did or whether they actually managed to determine what data had been compromised. Hospital staff, in compliance with requirements from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will send notices to individual patients and post a notice online for those they can't contact. |
| Parts of Mississippi under risk of severe storms Monday afternoon | |
| Officials with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency are warning of a low-level risk that severe weather could strike portions of the state on Monday afternoon. The National Weather Service has placed the severe storm risk as "marginal" and does not expect severe systems to be widespread. Damaging winds and up to quarter-size hail are possible. According to NWS Jackson, rain chances in most of central Mississippi will gradually increase throughout the morning into the afternoon as a "front begins to stall across our area." The risk will stretch as far northeast as Tishomingo County and as far south as Pearl River County, according to the most recent models. "We can't rule out a few strong storms this afternoon into early this evening, but no widespread severe weather is expected." The threat is projected to span from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday. NWS Jackson is also warning those on the Gulf coast that current weather conditions have resulted in high rip current risks until Tuesday. |
| Hull Group claims no responsibility in stalled tax incentive deal for mall renovation | |
| A stalled $3 million tax incentive deal for the former Leigh Mall and the missing sales data it hinges on has the Golden Triangle Development LINK and Hull Property Group blaming each other for who is responsible. John Mulherin, vice president of government relations at Hull Group, claims the company was never obligated to obtain tenants' sales data, while Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins believes the company was both responsible for obtaining the data and aware that was the case. The two have argued their points this week in emailed letters shared with Columbus City Council members, Lowndes County supervisors and members of the media. In a Wednesday letter, Higgins said the tax rebate agreement between Hull Group, the city and the county seems like "a giant waste of time." Mulherin responded Thursday with a letter addressing each paragraph from Higgins, mostly with pointed rebuttals. While Higgins apologized in his letter for its length, Mulherin dismissed it. "You could have called me or anyone else here to raise and discuss the concerns you have," he wrote. "Or, you could skip that step and send a letter with a generally false premise to 35 addressees. You should never apologize for showing who you are." Higgins said Friday that request comes after months of unresponsiveness on Hull Group's part. |
| Mississippi Sound Coalition urges USACE to utilize all options in fight against spillway openings | |
 | The Mississippi Sound Coalition is calling on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to limit the release of flood waters through the Bonnet Carré Spillway. This comes as the corps has already begun surveying the levees twice a week. Practice operations on the spillway will soon begin as the Mississippi River nears the threshold for opening. According to the National Weather Service, the river is expected to reach a flow of 1.25 million cubic feet per second -- a benchmark that typically triggers the opening of the spillway to relieve pressure on the levee system and maritime traffic. Friday, the Mississippi Sound Coalition issued a three-page letter urgently requesting the Corps utilize all measures to minimize impacts to Coastal Mississippi and Louisiana. "The Corps of Engineers should be able to walk and chew gum at the same time, and what I mean by that is that they have several mechanisms on that river to control flooding – the Morganza Spillway, of course, the Bonnet Carré Spillway, which is the issue we are discussing, as well as the old river control system," Coalition Chairman Marlin Ladner told WLOX News Now. A recent study by Mississippi State University stated the economic impact of the spillway openings in 2019 was about $20-$22 million overall for the Coast. Nearly half of the financial loss came from the seafood industry, according to the study. |
| Speaker White wants Christmas tree projects bill included in special legislative session | |
| House Speaker Jason White sent a strongly worded letter to Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann on Thursday, saying House leaders are frustrated with Senate leaders refusing to discuss a "Christmas tree" bill spending millions on special projects across the state. The letter signals the two Republican leaders remain far apart on setting an overall $7 billion state budget. Bickering between the GOP leaders led to a stalemate and lawmakers ending their regular 2025 session without setting a budget. Gov. Tate Reeves plans to call them back into special session before the new budget year starts July 1 to avoid a shutdown, but wants them to have a budget mostly worked out before he does so. White's letter to Hosemann, which contains words in all capital letters that are underlined and italicized, said that the House wants to spend cash reserves on projects for state agencies, local communities, universities, colleges, and the Mississippi Department of Transportation. |
| Local leaders calling on Legislature to increase Mississippi retirement system funding | |
| Local leaders throughout Mississippi are urging the Legislature to establish $100 million in annual funding for the Public Employment Retirement System of Mississippi during an upcoming special session. At the same time, those local leaders and several economists seem at odds over whether a recently passed hybrid retirement plan for future government employees will impact their ability to recruit new workers and also benefit future retirees. Currently, PERS members who are signed onto the system through February 2026 put in a 9% match of their pay into PERS for 30 years to later be pulled out as a guaranteed benefit. Retirees also receive a yearly cost of living adjustment payment, commonly referred to as a COLA, or 13th check. Several mayors who spoke to the Clarion Ledger said while it isn't a huge hindrance, the new benefits package could deter people from wanting to work in government. At the same time, they want the Legislature to establish new recurring funds for PERS to hopefully avoid future rate increases on employers. West Point Mayor Rod Bobo and Gluckstadt Mayor Walter Morrison both said the increased cost of funding PERS put on local public employers has been a nearly untenable burden and putting more money in the system at the state level is needed. |
| Mississippi parents struggle to find childcare, after-school programs, experts say | |
| Like millions of parents across the country, many Mississippians are struggling to find qualified daycare providers and after-school programs, a panel of experts said Thursday morning during the Mississippi Economic Council's annual meeting in Jackson. Perhaps the biggest problem the childcare industry is facing is teachers. The panel explained that low pay and high turnover often lead workers to leave for better jobs. "Many think they are daycare workers, no, they're teachers," said Ellen Friloux, vice president at North Mississippi Health Service Women's and Pediatric Services. Daisy Carter-Slater, executive director of Excel by 5, said many daycare teachers leave the field for better-paying jobs as cashiers or even dishwashers. Elizabeth Harris, executive director of the Mississippi Early Learning Alliance, explained its economics for daycare centers. High turnover and business costs lead to low pay. A recent survey shows that in Mississippi, about one in three daycare teachers are considering leaving their position for better paying jobs. Only 12 percent of directors describe their economic level as "comfortable," said Linda Southward, executive director of the Children's Foundation of Mississippi. |
| 'Trainwreck on the horizon': The costly pains of Mississippi's small water and sewer systems | |
| "This state ain't nothing but a big Jackson," Central District Public Service Commissioner De'Keither Stamps said during a December meeting that harkened back to his time as a capital city councilman. "We got a whole statewide trainwreck that's on the horizon." Over a thousand drinking water systems, most of them small, and hundreds of additional sewer systems operate in Mississippi. Nearly 60 percent of those water systems, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, have committed a violation in the last three years, and one in three sewer systems in the state have violated pollution limits in just the last year. Small water and sewer systems around Mississippi have for years struggled to stay afloat because of, to some degree, the nature of being a small water or sewer system. Now, as they try to correct deficiencies during a time of growing regulations and higher costs, many cash-strapped systems are facing the hard reality of needing to raise rates for necessary services in the country's second poorest state. "System officials think that part of the job is to hold rates at a low level, and that doesn't necessarily jive with what the need is," said Bill Moody, director of the Bureau of Water Supply at the Mississippi State Department of Health. Moody spoke anecdotally of system owners who bragged about keeping rates low, unaware of the revenue shortfall they would soon have. |
| AG Fitch joins peers in urging Congress to bar PBMs from owning pharmacies | |
| Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch has joined 38 of her colleagues in urging Congress to pass legislation that would outlaw pharmacy benefit managers from owning or operating pharmacies. A sentiment against pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), or third-party liaisons between pharmacies, insurance companies, and drug companies, has been growing in recent years, specifically among small pharmacy owners and consumers. With PBMs having direct influence on the drug-pricing market, the legal leaders believe it would be inappropriate and unethical for them to own pharmacies. "PBMs exert outsized influence in the healthcare marketplace, raising prices for consumers and forcing independent pharmacies out of business, which only aggravates access to healthcare, particularly in rural areas," Fitch said. "Allowing PBMs to own and operate pharmacies gives them more power to manipulate drug prices for medication that many Mississippians rely on for survival. States have been fighting back, but we need Congress to take action, too, and protect consumers from PBM exploitation." |
| Francis, the First Latin American Pope, Dies at 88 | |
 | Pope Francis, who rose from modest means in Argentina to become the first Jesuit and Latin American pontiff, who clashed bitterly with traditionalists in his push for a more inclusive Roman Catholic Church, and who spoke out tirelessly for migrants, the marginalized and the health of the planet, died on Monday at the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta. He was 88. The pope's death was announced by the Vatican in a statement on X, a day after Francis appeared in his wheelchair to bless the faithful in St. Peter's Square on Easter Sunday. Throughout his 12-year papacy, Francis was a change agent, having inherited a Vatican in disarray in 2013 after the stunning resignation of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, a standard-bearer of Roman Catholic conservatism. Francis steadily steered the church in another direction, restocking its leadership with a diverse array of bishops who shared his pastoral, welcoming approach as he sought to open up the church. Many rank-and-file Catholics approved, believing that the church had become inward-looking and distant from ordinary people. Conservative Catholics accused him of diluting church teachings and never stopped rallying against him. But Francis also disappointed many liberals, who hoped that he might introduce progressive policies. His openness to frank discussion gave oxygen to debates about long-taboo subjects, including priestly celibacy, communion for divorced and remarried people, and greater roles for women in the church. While he opened doors to talking about such issues, he tended to balk at making major decisions. |
| JD Vance Was Among Last to Meet Pope Francis | |
 | In his final hours, Pope Francis met Vice President JD Vance and delivered an Easter message on a theme that was central to his papacy: an appeal for better treatment of migrants and other vulnerable and marginalized people. The pontiff, frail after a near-fatal bout of pneumonia this winter, was too weak to preside over Easter Mass on Sunday morning. But he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in a wheelchair. He blessed the crowd of faithful and wished them a happy Easter. After the service, he greeted the cheering crowd in St. Peter's Square from his open-top popemobile. It was his last public appearance before his death on Monday morning. In his final Easter message, read out by an aide, Francis called for an end to the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan. He also condemned hard-line immigration policies again. Before the Mass, Francis hosted Vance in the Vatican, a meeting that lasted a few minutes as they exchanged Easter greetings. "I know you have not been great but it's good to see you in better health," Vance told the 88-year-old pope. Francis then gave the vice president three Easter eggs for his children. The brief but symbolic meeting on Sunday showed a desire by the Vatican and the White House to ease tensions after a public row earlier this year over the Trump administration's plans for large-scale deportations of immigrants. Francis' meeting with Vance, a convert to Catholicism in 2019, drew global attention because of the pope's outspoken recent criticism of U.S. immigration policies. |
| GOP lawmakers running out of options to pay for Trump's costly agenda | |
 | Republican leaders are rapidly running out of ways to pay for President Trump's agenda as GOP lawmakers shoot down various proposals to cut spending or increase revenues. Without finding some new ideas, the GOP risks adding trillions of dollars to future deficits by passing Trump's agenda, something many conservatives are loathe to do. Outside observers are expressing pessimism the Republicans will land on ideas that have enough support to get passed into law. "I just don't see them getting the money. There's no 'there' there, to be quite honest about it. If they want to spend money, they're going to end up putting it on the debt," said former Sen. Judd Gregg (N.H.), who previously served as the Republican chair of the Senate Budget Committee. "They're not going to get it out of tariffs, either. You have [White House trade adviser Peter] Navarro running around saying they're going to get $600 billion in tariff revenue. That's absurd. It's basic economics. You raise the price on it, people stop buying it," he said. |
| Former Pentagon official warns department's dysfunction could topple Hegset | |
 | The Pentagon is in "total chaos" and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is unlikely to remain in his role, according to its former top spokesperson, who painted a scene of dysfunction, backstabbing and continuous missteps at the highest levels of the department. "The building is in disarray under Hegseth's leadership," John Ullyot wrote Sunday in a POLITICO Magazine opinion piece. "The dysfunction is now a major distraction for the president -- who deserves better from his senior leadership." Ullyot, who resigned from the Pentagon last week, described a department in collapse. He accused Hegseth's team of "falsehoods" about why three top officials were fired last week, saying they hadn't leaked sensitive information to the media. He chastised Pentagon officials for how they handled revelations that Hegseth shared sensitive military information in a Signal chat, and he pointed to other leaks that caused embarrassment to the administration. The remarkable accusations by a former official -- who left only two days ago and insists he still supports the Trump administration's national security policies -- underscores the infighting and upheaval that has turned increasingly public in recent weeks. But he also found himself in the center of several controversies that added to that chaos. |
| Thousands are expected to attend the White House Easter Egg Roll, with the Trumps presiding | |
 | President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump expected to welcome 40,000 people to the first White House Easter Egg Roll of his second term, though the annual event could turn soggy with scattered showers in Monday's forecast. The president and first lady were scheduled to address the crowd from a White House balcony before they join the festivities. Children will line up to guide colorfully dyed hard-boiled eggs across a patch of lawn to a finish line. There's also an egg hunt and activities to promote next year's 250th anniversary of America's founding. Kids and families can sign a mini-Declaration of Independence or dress up as Founding Fathers during the daylong event that will feature multiple activity stations, live performances and story times. The first lady, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Keith Kellogg, the president's special envoy for Ukraine, are among those scheduled to read to children. The American Egg Board, which has participated in the Easter Egg Roll for nearly 50 years and has been a lead sponsor for the past decade, donated 30,000 eggs that were hand-dyed by board staff and volunteers and delivered to the White House on Friday, said Emily Metz, board president and CEO. |
| Trump Is Taking On America's Institutions but Resistance Is Building | |
| In moving to accumulate unprecedented power, President Trump has bulldozed his way through the traditional constraints of presidential authority with such force that institutions including universities, law firms and parts of Congress have been left reeling. This week, some started fighting back. Harvard University refused to comply with the Trump administration's demands for changes to address alleged bias. Columbia University, facing criticism for acquiescing in negotiations over federal funding, took a tougher tone. Federal courts raised the prospect of holding Trump officials in contempt. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has resisted calls to pre-emptively lower interest rates to cushion any economic fallout from Trump's trade war. Former cybersecurity official Chris Krebs, targeted with a federal investigation for not going along with Trump's claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, quit his private-sector job so he could more freely battle the White House. Voters are more loudly voicing opposition to some Trump policies, criticizing Republican lawmakers during town-hall meetings. "The embers are alive, and there are even some flames of resistance growing," said Peter Wehner, a Trump critic who served in three earlier Republican administrations. So far, the president and his top advisers are unbowed. They say the pushback presents an opportunity to paint Democrats, courts and universities as out of touch with voters who sent Trump to the White House a second time. |
| Secondhand stores are poised to benefit if US tariffs drive up new clothing costs | |
| Stores selling secondhand clothes, shoes and accessories are poised to benefit from President Donald Trump's trade war even as businesses the world over race to avert potential damage, according to industry experts. American styles carry international influence, but nearly all of the clothing sold domestically is made elsewhere. The Yale University Budget Lab last week estimated short-term consumer price increases of 65% for clothes and 87% for leather goods, noting U.S. tariffs "disproportionately affect" those goods. Such price hikes may drive cost-conscious shoppers to online resale sites, consignment boutiques and thrift stores in search of bargains or a way to turn their wardrobes into cash. Used items cost less than their new equivalents and only would be subject to tariffs if they come from outside the country. "I think resale is going to grow in a market that is declining," said Kristen Classi-Zummo, an apparel industry analyst at market research firm Circana. "What I think is going to continue to win in this chaotic environment are channels that bring value. The outlook for pre-owned fashion nevertheless comes with unknowns, including whether the president's tariffs will stay long enough to pinch consumers and change their behavior. It's also unclear whether secondhand purveyors will increase their own prices, either to mirror the overall market or in response to shopper demand. |
| Yasmine Ware named Truman Scholar | |
 | Yasmine Ware has been awarded the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship. Ware, a junior interdisciplinary studies major from Madison, Miss., was among 54 of this year's recipients. Selected students hailed from 49 United States colleges and universities. Truman Scholarships are awarded to students dedicated to pursuing a future career in public service, according to a press release from the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. Ware's involvement on campus includes serving as the president of the Undergraduate Black Law Student Association and a member of the Columns Society. Previously, she served in the Associated Student Body in the President's Cabinet and Senate. She also was a Senator in the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. Ware's academic concentrations are in international studies, global security studies and Chinese. She plans to attend law school after graduation. Her advice to fellow students wanting to pursue academic opportunities such as the Truman Scholarship is to be authentically yourself. |
| Lawmakers look to raise TOPS awards for most Louisiana students -- except at one university | |
 | Louisiana college students would get bigger state-funded TOPS scholarships under a new bill proposed this legislative session -- with one major exception. House Bill 77, which advanced out of the education committee Wednesday, would overhaul the scholarship amounts that students get from TOPS, Louisiana's program for high-achieving students who attend any of the state's public colleges and universities. It aims to bring scholarship amounts more in line with rising college costs and standardize rates across schools, said the bill's co-authors, Rep. Laurie Schlegel, R-Metairie, and Rep. Christopher Turner, R-Ruston. But it'll cost the state an extra $47.5 million, according to estimates, and lower the amount awarded to some students at LSU's Baton Rouge campus. The bill would create a new $12,000 annual "Excellence" award for the highest-scoring students and set new standard amounts for the other TOPS awards, which currently vary based on each school's tuition. The bill would give a big boost to "students who only receive TOPS and no other academic scholarships to help fund the hefty burden of college," Walker Pearson, student body president at Louisiana Tech University, told lawmakers Wednesday. But there is a big catch: The proposed Opportunity and Performance amounts are several hundred dollars lower than the existing rate at LSU's flagship campus in Baton Rouge, which has by far the most TOPS recipients of any state school. Nearly 9,300 students at that campus received one of those awards this school year, according to state data. |
| U. of Kentucky cancels events for LGBTQ, Black grads amid Kentucky, Trump anti-DEI pressure | |
 | The University of Kentucky has canceled celebrations for minority graduates due to state and federal pressure targeting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on college campuses. UK will no longer host programs that honor LGBTQ+, Black and first-generation graduates to be "in accordance with state and federal law," spokesperson Jay Blanton told the Herald-Leader. That includes the Lavender Graduation ceremony hosted by the Office of LGBTQ+ Resources, Harambe Unity Graduation Celebration honoring Black students and the First-Generation Student Pinning ceremony. These ceremonies take place before university-wide graduation, and are usually where students receive specialty regalia, like stoles and cords, to wear at commencement. "Why is UK okay with accepting my gay dollars, but they're not okay with celebrating a gay person?" Jay Stringer-Vaught, a UK student graduating with a Master's Degree in Library Science this May, said Friday in an interview with the Herald-Leader. Earlier this year, the Kentucky legislature passed House Bill 4, banning all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at higher education institutions in Kentucky. The law takes effect early this summer. |
| Finance officer says U. of Missouri System has strong financial base to weather economic uncertainty | |
 | The University of Missouri System is preparing for budgetary changes due to economic uncertainty. The UM System still has a strong financial base, though, says Ryan Rapp, executive vice president for finance and operations. The UM System has a nearly $5 billion budget. Tuition, fees and state appropriations are the least constrained in how it is used, while gifts and grants have specific use constraints. MU Health Care generally operates separately from the system as a whole, as well. Staffing changes have occurred since at least COVID-19 pandemic years as some consolidation has happened. MU spends almost the least on administrative staff, Rapp said. More is spent on academics, though. Cost reductions in the last eight budget cycles has focused on putting more toward academic investment, Rapp added. UM System enrollment is down in recent years, dipping in pandemic years, but is on the upswing again. Enrollment can have budgetary impacts. A majority of enrollment is in-state students, which provides some financial stability, Rapp said. Rapp is confident that the university is well-positioned to weather financial difficulties. |
| 'A gut punch': NEH terminations hit Missouri Humanities, U. of Missouri projects | |
 | The Trump administration's cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities are rippling through Missouri, as the state's humanities council, the University of Missouri Ellis Library and an MU professor face the loss of federal funding. The NEH's budget supports humanities councils, libraries, museums and special projects in every state and jurisdiction. In early April, NEH grants were immediately terminated for 56 state and jurisdiction humanities councils. Over 1,000 grants have since been terminated, and 65% of the NEH's staff has been laid off. Missouri Humanities is one of the NEH councils that has lost funding. It funds cultural institutions and humanities programming across the state, but lost $2.7 million on April 3 after its five-year support operating grant was terminated. The loss will be felt most in rural communities, Executive Director Ashley Beard-Fosnow said. "Many times the grants that we award or the public programs that we host as the Missouri Humanities Council are the only humanities offering available in that community for that year," Beard-Fosnow said. |
| College DEI rollbacks hit students' scholarships, campus mentors | AP News | |
| Campus mentors. Move-in events. Scholarships. Diversity offices that made them feel welcome on predominantly white campuses. As U.S. colleges pull back on diversity, equity and inclusion practices, students of color say they are starting to lose all of these things and more. The full scope of campus DEI rollbacks is still emerging as colleges respond to the Trump administration's orders against diversity practices. But students at some schools said early cuts are chipping away at the sense of community that helped open the door to higher education. Virginia, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin celebrated when the University of Virginia's governing board voted to end DEI programs in March. "DEI is done at the University of Virginia," Youngkin said in a statement, calling it a shift toward "merit-based opportunity." Tyler English, a senior at UVA, said students have been told scholarships and graduate programs focused on minority students are being scaled back or eliminated. Among other changes, a student group called Men of Color, Honor and Ambition is replacing the word "color" with "character," he said. "For a portion of us, we now question whether our identities and voices are truly valued in this space," said English, a member of the campus' Black Student Alliance. |
| Losing International Students Could Devastate Many Colleges | |
| Xiaofeng Wan, a former admissions officer at Amherst College, now works as a private consultant to international students who want to come to the United States. This week, as he held meetings in China with prospective students, he sensed a deep uncertainty among their parents. "They really don't know whether they should send their children to a country where they don't welcome Chinese students or they see China as a hostile competitor," Dr. Wan said by telephone from Beijing. "It's an unprecedented situation that we've never seen before." For years, American colleges and universities have attracted growing numbers of international students who often pay full tuition, effectively subsidizing domestic students. But the Trump administration's recent move to deport hundreds of students here on visas, and his trade war with China, have stoked fears that the United States is no longer a welcoming place for international students. This week, the administration also asked Harvard to hand over lists of foreign students, adding to a sense of panic on campuses. |
| What We've Learned So Far From Tracking Student Visa Data | |
 | On April 7, amid reports that the federal government was detaining international students and revoking their visas, Inside Higher Ed began collecting and cross-checking data in an effort to track exactly how many students were affected -- and at which institutions. Our goal was to understand the scope of the federal government's involvement in the visa process and what it means for international students and the colleges and universities they attend. Over the past two weeks, more than 1,500 students -- representing several hundred colleges and universities, as well as state systems -- have had a sudden or unexpected change in their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) listing, or their F-1 or J-1 visa status. The data we've gathered provides a snapshot of how the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security are acting on President Trump's campaign promise to remove international students who engage in political activism or disrupt campus operations. But it also reveals some details about the students themselves. |
| The Trump Administration Is Scrutinizing Colleges' Foreign Gifts. It's Not the First Time. | |
 | The U.S. Department of Education is demanding that Harvard University turn over detailed records about foreign gifts and contracts, the latest in the Trump administration's pressure campaign against the nation's wealthiest institution. In opening an investigation into Harvard's reporting of overseas funding, the department is recycling a tactic from the first Trump presidency, when it mounted inquiries against 20 prominent research universities, including Harvard. In a press release, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon accused Harvard of not being "fully transparent or complete in its disclosures, which is both unacceptable and unlawful." "We hope Harvard will respect its own motto and be truthful in its federal filings and foreign relationships," McMahon added. Jason Newton, a Harvard spokesman, disputed the allegation that the university has not complied with federal law requiring it to report foreign donations or other funds over $250,000. "As standard practice, Harvard has filed Section 117 reports for decades as part of its ongoing compliance with the law," he said in a statement. |
| NSF starts to kill grants that violate Trump's war on diversity efforts | |
| The National Science Foundation (NSF) has spent decades -- and billions of dollars -- trying to attract more women and members of underrepresented groups into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Not anymore. On Friday, NSF announced such efforts "are no longer aligned with its priorities" and that it is terminating any existing grant designed to improve the demographics of the scientific workforce. Grants related to "misinformation/disinformation" are also being axed. NSF declined to answer a query from Science about how many awards are being killed and their monetary value. But one source told Science the agency's $1.1 billion education directorate may have canceled as many as 200 grants just today. The $9 billion agency currently funds more than 30,000 research projects. NSF says it's OK to research technologies to help those with disabilities if the project "fills an important gap" in what's known about the subject. But a training program serving only those with a disability would not be acceptable because it would be based on "broadening participation in STEM on the basis of a protected characteristic." Going forward, NSF says it will only fund research projects that "create opportunities for all Americans everywhere, without exclusion of any groups." |
| How Universities Became So Dependent on the Federal Government | |
| For over eight decades, American universities and the federal government wound themselves into an ever tighter embrace. The United States wanted to build the most powerful bombs and cure the worst diseases. It wanted to be first to explore the outer edges of the solar system. It wanted to grow more efficient crops. And so, it offered millions, and then billions, to researchers at universities across the country -- in Cambridge, Mass., and Berkeley, Calif., but also in Minnesota, Indiana and Mississippi. The schools took the money. They built the best labs and attracted top-notch professors and students from around the world. They also became increasingly and, at first, somewhat warily beholden to the whims of politicians in Washington. Now, this mutually beneficial bargain has started to unravel. President Trump and many Republicans say they will use the threat of deep funding cuts to rein in out-of-control progressive activism on campus, which they believe has driven universities away from their mission to educate and mold better citizens. With confidence in higher education waning among Americans, the president also believes he has public opinion on his side. But as the Trump administration starts cutting -- including an announcement it would pull $2.2 billion in multiyear grants from Harvard University this week -- the future of the partnership that built the American research university into the world's engine of scientific innovation is anything but certain. |
| Mississippians are asked to vote more often than people in most other states | |
| Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison writes: Not long after many Mississippi families celebrate Easter, they will be returning to the polls to vote in municipal party runoff elections. The party runoff is April 22. A year does not pass when there is not a significant election in the state. Mississippians have the opportunity to go to the polls more than voters in most -- if not all -- states. In Mississippi, do not worry if your candidate loses because odds are it will not be long before you get to pick another candidate and vote in another election. Mississippians go to the polls so much because it is one of only five states nationwide where the elections for governor and other statewide and local offices are held in odd years. ... And in Mississippi, to ensure that the democratic process is never too far out of sight and mind, most of the state's roughly 300 municipalities hold elections in the other odd year of the four-year election cycle -- this year. ... In the modern Mississippi political environment, though, Republicans win most years -- odd or even, state or federal elections. But Democrats will fare better this year in municipal elections than they do in most other contests in Mississippi, where the elections come fast and often. |
| Debt importance seems to disappear when Republicans take charge | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: When does the U.S. national debt matter? Hmmm. Apparently not when Republicans are in charge. Consider this: Back in 2012 as the national debt passed $16 trillion, Sen. Lindsey Graham posted, "I stand ready to do the hard things -- entitlement reform, reducing spending, and reforming our tax code -- which will turn our economy and debt situation around." Earlier this month, as Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and with Donald Trump as president, Sen. Graham chose not to do the hard things. The Senate wants to ignore the Byrd rule that requires reconciliation bills to be revenue neutral. To facilitate that, Graham will pretend that maintaining Trump's 2017 tax cuts will not add to the deficit. He also supports increasing the debt ceiling so the now $36 trillion national debt can grow to $41 trillion. ... Then there is this: Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith have supported debt ceiling increases under Trump but opposed them under Democratic presidents. |
SPORTS
| Polk's baseball playbook meant to help new coaches | |
| Ron Polk takes pride in the fact that when you mention his name and college baseball, you're probably talking about one of two things -- the "Baseball Playbook" or the NCAA "attack dog." "I'm not only doing the book publishing," Polk told the Friends of the Starkville Public Library on Thursday during its monthly Books and Authors event. "I'm coaching baseball, doing camps and clinics and traveling all over the country. I'm fighting the NCAA on behalf of college baseball. Everybody supported me, but nobody could speak up like I did." While Polk has become known as the "Father of Southeastern Conference Baseball," with 60 years of college baseball coaching experience under his belt, he did not get there because he was already a professional ball player, or because the position was handed to him, Polk said. Polk started out coaching as an assistant coach at the University of Arizona at 22 years old, the first of nine schools he worked for throughout his career. From the beginning, he said, he approached the role with a drive to be the best. "That's when I started thinking, maybe this is what I'm going to do," Polk said. "But I said to myself all the time, 'If I'm going to do this, if that's what God has led me to do, I want to be the coach, not a coach.'" |
| Diamond Dawgs Top Florida On Easter Sunday | |
| Mississippi State banged out 16 hits and slugged its way to a 14-8 win over Florida on Sunday at Dudy Noble Field. The Diamond Dawgs (24-16, 6-12 SEC) had a pair of five-run innings in the bottom of the third and eighth to pave the way to victory. Ace Reese led the way for the State offense going 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs.Gehrig Frei ended the afternoon 3-for-5 with two solo homers. Bryce Chance and Joe Powell had two hits and drove in three runs apiece. All of Powell's RBIs came on a third-inning homer that gave the Diamond Dawgs a commanding 7-2 lead. Karson Ligon drew the Sunday start on the mound for State. He put in five innings of work with four strikeouts, earning the win to even his record at 4-4. Ben Davis tossed 2 1/3 innings of relief and stuck out one. Nate Williams punched out a pair through 2/3 innings. Stone Simmons hurled a scoreless ninth inning to seal the win for the Diamond Dawgs. Mississippi State and Ole Miss face off in the annual Governor's Cup at Trustmark Park in Pearl on Tuesday at 6 p.m. |
| Three up, three down from Mississippi State football spring game | |
| The highest-rated quarterback ever to sign with Mississippi State stepped on the field in front of fans at Davis Wade Stadium for the first time Saturday, and he showed those fans an exciting glimpse of what the future might hold. In an otherwise lackluster day for the Bulldogs' offense, KaMario Taylor put on an impressive display, leading the only two scoring drives in MSU's spring game and throwing the only touchdown pass of the day on the game's final play. Veteran Blake Shapen is still the Bulldogs' presumptive starter, but Taylor is making a strong case to beat out Florida State transfer Luke Kromenhoek as the primary backup. "He's a physical specimen. He's a big guy," Shapen said. "He's tall, he's strong, he's athletic, he can throw the ball a mile. He has every attribute to be a great quarterback, especially at this level. For him, (it's about) learning the offense, dialing in on the little things within each and every play. That's been big for him in his growth, but he's shown a lot, and he's going to be a great player one day." With spring practice now fully in the books, here are three positive and three negative takeaways from Saturday's spring game, which lasted just two quarters and ended in a 9-0 victory for the White team. |
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