| Monday, July 7, 2025 |
| MSU Space Cowboys place first in category at 2025 International Rocket Engineering Competition | |
 | In June, the Mississippi State University Space Cowboys won first place in a division at the 2025 International Rocket Engineering Competition. This is the second time in the last 10 years the rocketry team has won a category in this competition. The 2025 International Rocket Engineering Competition was held in Midland, Texas, and welcomed more than 143 teams from 22 countries around the globe. The teams' rockets were tested in altitude, engineering design, safety and mission objectives. Overall, MSU finished sixth place in the entire competition. "The Space Cowboys are a great example of the scholarly community we have in the Bagley College of Engineering, where students can successfully compete with anyone in the world on projects they're passionate about," David Ford, Dean of the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering, said. "We're incredibly proud of them." "These students implemented machine learning for predictions and design, which was amazing," Shreyas Narsipur, MSU aerospace engineering assistant professor and Space Cowboys faculty advisor, said. "The simulations and manufacturing teams did an excellent job testing and getting it all together. I think they really outscored the other teams in the technical aspects." |
| MSU students use Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo to assist research on ocean life | |
 | The Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo is much more than just a fishing competition. For Mississippi State University, it's that time when the rodeo paves the way, allowing the sampling of hundreds of fish. Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Professor Michael Sandel runs the lab at the university and said the rodeo is vital to the research each year. "[There are] two different research missions on this effort," Sandel said. MSU graduate and undergraduate students tested fish for bacteria and parasites with the goal of ensuring the sampled fish are healthy. They also used the retinas, which helped determine the age of the fish. All of this is part of an effort to make sure ocean life in the Gulf remains healthy and consumable. "We're looking at the bacteria on the skin of the fish to make sure they don't have any diseases the second is to look at parts of the fish that we can use to age them, so if we can figure out how old a fish is we know how much reproduction is taking place on a yearly basis," he said. |
| MSU to host bunch grape workshop July 11 in Poplarville | |
 | Mississippi State University will host a half-day grape workshop on July 11 for anyone interested in growing bunch grapes in the state. The event will be held that Friday from 9 a.m. to noon at the MSU South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station in Poplarville. Although registration begins at 8:30 a.m., no preregistration is needed, and there is no cost to attend. Eric Stafne, MSU Extension Service fruit and nut specialist, said this event will focus specifically on bunch grapes and will not include muscadine grapes. "Participants in the Summer Bunch Grape Workshop will tour the MSU vineyard to observe how different cultivars perform," Stafne said. "We will compare different trellis systems and identify common pests and diseases that affect bunch grapes." The workshop will give visitors a chance to learn practical tips for grape production and learn about current research projects. The tour will take visitors through the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Thad Cochran Southern Horticultural Laboratory. Those interested in muscadines can attend the annual muscadine field day on Aug. 28 from 9-11 a.m. at the MSU McNeill Unit. |
| USPOULTRY completes Mississippi State University research project | |
| USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announced the completion of a research project led by Dr. Pratima Adhikari from Mississippi State University, focused on understanding how branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) -- leucine, valine and isoleucine -- interact to influence layer hen performance, feather quality, bone strength and egg quality. This research is particularly significant for layer diets containing corn and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), which are naturally high in leucine. Such diets may create imbalances when leucine levels exceed those of valine and isoleucine, potentially reducing egg production efficiency, egg weight, feather quality and economic returns. The study supports efforts to optimize layer nutrition strategies while maintaining animal health and improving the sustainability of egg production systems. |
| Bats at Davis Wade, MSU dorms getting new home | |
 | Though you may not see or hear them, thousands of bats are living on Mississippi State University's campus, attending football games at Davis Wade Stadium and snuggling up in MSU's multi-story residence halls. Most people, though, aren't keen on having their winged neighbors around. Chris Ayers, an assistant teaching professor in MSU's Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, said the bats' droppings, called guano, and their fear-factor pose some real problems for the university. Ayers, who serves as adviser to the MSU student chapter of The Wildlife Society, a wildlife club on campus, is overseeing a project intended to relocate the estimated hundred of thousands of bats residing on campus into a newly-constructed 256 square foot bat-roosting structure. Julia Null, a recent graduate from the College of Forest Resources, headed the project. She and a small group of peers wrote a proposal to MSU's Student Association in 2023 requesting a $20,000 grant. They received the funding in full, though it took until this year to receive the additional $20,000 needed to complete the project. Once bats take up residence in their new home, Null and Ayers plan to make the structure a point of public outreach. |
| Arrest Made After Storage Units Burglarized In Starkville | |
| A Tupelo man has been arrested following a string of burglaries and a vehicle theft reported at a local storage facility, according to the Starkville Police Department. On July 1 and 2, officers responded to multiple reports of burglary at Moreland Storage Units, located at 1769 Louisville Street. Working with facility management, investigators quickly developed a suspect based on evidence from on-site security systems. 19-year-old Di'Quavious Gray, 19, of Tupelo, was identified as the individual responsible for a series of offenses over the two-day period. He was taken into custody and transported to the Oktibbeha County Jail. Gray was charged with five counts of vehicle burglary, three counts of commercial burglary, and one count of motor vehicle theft. Authorities credited the storage facility's security devices as being instrumental in swiftly identifying and apprehending the suspect. The case remains under active investigation, and police are encouraging anyone with additional information to come forward. |
| New laws crack down on panhandling, sleeping in public | |
| Two new state laws aimed at outlawing camping on public property and regulating panhandling took effect Tuesday. While the legislation gives law enforcement new tools to address the issues, they also raise concerns about how it may affect unhoused people in Columbus and Starkville. The law allows police to immediately remove people found camping on public property. Violating the law can result in a $50 fine, and in some cases, six months in jail if the court has a "compelling reason" to impose the imprisonment. House Bill 1197, known as the Safe Solicitation Act, requires anyone panhandling for donations to acquire a permit to do so that can cost up to $25. The law doesn't specify how long each permit is valid, but because only one permit per intersection is issued daily, the cost effectively becomes a daily fee for anyone soliciting regularly. Violating the law can result in fines of up to $400 and possible imprisonment for up to four months. Mayor Lynn Spruill said she doesn't anticipate either of the laws having a large impact in Starkville. Spruill said she isn't familiar with any issues related to camping on public property, and since the city passed an ordinance last year to create guidelines for panhandling, it hasn't been a problem. The ordinance also made "aggressive panhandling" punishable by either fine, imprisonment or both. |
| Direct sales from out-of-state wineries now legal | |
| Sen. Walter Michel said he's heard from numerous constituents who are happy to be able to order from out-of-state boutique wineries. One constituent told him about visiting a winery in Michigan, while another mentioned visiting a winery in Virginia. Both constituents, he said, were pleased by his efforts to get a bill passed so Mississippians can buy from an out-of-state, boutique winery that obtains a permit with the state, that started on July 1. The 2025 legislative session was the eighth try for Michel, who represents District 25 that includes Hinds and Madison counties, at getting the bill passed. The Mississippi law is nothing groundbreaking. Forty-seven other states are set up for sales by out-of-state wineries, Michel said. Richie Peaster, co-owner of Madison Cellars in Madison, said he doesn't expect the new law to have an impact on local stores. Peaster is most concerned the bill that passed is a precursor to other bills such as liquor sales on Sunday and the sale of liquor at grocery stores, which could be harmful to locally owned, small businesses. |
| Tourists flocking to Gulf Coast in Mississippi and Alabama. Why is this area so popular now? | |
 | Jeff and Kristina Russell and their three kids skipped their annual trip to the South Carolina shore this summer and packed their bags for Pass Christian, Mississippi, instead. Over several days in late June, the Illinois family soaked up the waterfront, boated to barrier islands and wandered through the oak-shaded streets of nearby Ocean Springs. It wasn't their typical vacation destination, but that was the point. "We wanted to see something different," said Jeff Russell, pausing during a stroll down Government Street in Ocean Springs on a recent Friday afternoon. "It's laid back. It's not overrun like Myrtle Beach." The Russells are among a growing number of visitors flocking to the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast from afar. Long a popular drive-in destination for regional travelers, in recent years, the area has become increasingly popular among tourists from other parts of the country as well. As coastal communities from Bay St. Louis to Perdido Key geared up for the peak of the season this holiday weekend, tourism officials and local business owners said summer 2025 is shaping up to be a strong year, after a record 2024. |
| Blessing of the Fleet recommences annual traditions amid shrimp industry struggles | |
| For nearly a century, shrimpers on the Mississippi Gulf Coast have turned to prayer for protection and prosperity before heading out into the Gulf waters. Sunday morning, the 96th annual Blessing of the Fleet took place in Biloxi. Around 20 working shrimp boats and several recreational vessels lined up to be blessed by Father Gregory Barras, who reminded everyone of the deeper purpose behind the tradition. "All of this is gifts, the Gulf of Mexico is a gift... we didn't put the seafood in the water, God did," said Father Barras. The Blessing of the Fleet serves as a spiritual sendoff, asking for a safe and successful shrimping season. But being out in the deepest parts of the Gulf can be dangerous, especially when storms roll through. Despite living on the Gulf Coast -- once called the Seafood Capital of the World -- the industry continues to face struggles, from the rising cost of fuel to competition with imported seafood. Still, many in the industry remain hopeful that new laws to protect local seafood will make a difference. "Hopefully they'll make a better living than they did before... the shrimpers give us a vital and wonderful life that we often take for granted," said Father Barras. |
| With EV show and Family STEAM Day, the Bean Path drives home need to connect all with emerging technologies | |
| The Bean Path in Jackson, Miss., wrapped its second annual AI Month in June with the dual draw of its first Electric Vehicle (EV) show and a Family STEAM Day, countering summer heat with cool science, technology, engineering, art and math-related fun at the Bean Barn, the second building in the Bean Path's Tech District development. The nonprofit dedicated to bridging the tech and digital divide in Mississippi focused on AI's real world impact with talks, virtual sessions, classes and hands-on workshops throughout the month. At this closing event, a suite of eight vehicles parked outside offered a low-key intro to the breadth of EV possibilities. Bean Path founder and CEO Nashlie Sephus brought her own 2023 Rivian R1T all-electric pickup to the show-and-tell, pointing out features like the Gear Tunnel where she can stash groceries, a flashlight and speaker that can pop out, a spacious front truck, an air compressor on the back, and plugs and outlets all around. "I'm a truck girl," said Sephus, a principal AI scientist at Amazon Web Services, and also a gardener and a frequent traveler between her Atlanta office and native Jackson. An EV that can haul stuff, make the distance on one charge and work nicely for daily use ticked the boxes. In a state rating among the lowest for EV registrations, the show was a chance to chat candidly with dealership reps and private owners, get a closer look and get pictures, too. |
| Launch of Mississippi's America250 Commission announced | |
| Mississippi's America250 celebrations kicked off Thursday when Governor Tate Reeves signed a proclamation elevating the program that over the next year will recognize the people, history, and stories of the state. Announcing the program at the Governor's Mansion in Jackson, Reeves said Mississippi is the birthplace of America's music, the first home of the heart transplant, and the center of the Civil Rights Movement. "Mississippi plays a vital role in America's history," he said, noting the latest contributions by the Magnolia State includes advances in science and technology. "Mississippi," he said, "Dares to lead." During the year-long celebration, events will be held at museums across the state, in communities, and in schools. Several federal and state grants are available to celebrate Mississippi and the 250th anniversary of America to support these events. The celebration is an offshoot of a national program, America250, which will explore America's history and rise to become a world leading superpower. "I take pride in knowing Mississippi's patriotism for the United States will shine during these commemorative events and programs," said First Lady and America250 Mississippi Co-Chair Elee Reeves. |
| Will President Trump visit Mississippi for America's 250th? Governor doesn't rule it out | |
| Could President Donald Trump be making a trip to Mississippi in the next year? Gov. Tate Reeves isn't ruling it out. On Thursday, the state's highest elected official and a handful of leaders gathered inside the Governor's Mansion to launch Mississippi's America250 Commission to highlight the upcoming semiquincentennial of the United States becoming an independent nation. The announcement makes Mississippi a participant in the national America250 celebration, one that Trump is slated to kick off at the Iowa State Fair later Thursday night. What does this mean for Mississippi in the coming months? Well, Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson teased the public on Tuesday that something "HUGE" was in store for Mississippi in a social media post about the president launching the year-long commemoration. When asked if the commander-in-chief would be making a trip to Mississippi soon, Reeves did not confirm or deny the possibility. However, he did confirm that he has been in contact with the president and select cabinet members, and that an unspecified collection of them are anticipated to visit the Magnolia State. |
| Supreme Court to consider reviving evangelist's lawsuit over restrictions in small Mississippi town | |
 | The Supreme Court said Thursday it will consider whether to revive a lawsuit from a man barred from evangelizing outside a small-town Mississippi amphitheater after authorities say he shouted insults at people over a loudspeaker. Gabriel Olivier, an evangelical Christian, says restricting him from public property violated his religious and free speech rights, but a legal Catch-22 has barred him from challenging the law in court. Lower courts found he couldn't file a civil-rights lawsuit because he'd been arrested, and instead needed to file under habeas corpus, a legal remedy open to prisoners. But because he was ticketed rather than imprisoned, his lawyers say that option wasn't open either, effectively denying him a day in court. The city of Brandon, Mississippi, on the other hand, says the restrictions aren't about religious speech, but rather about limiting disturbances caused when he and his group yelled insults like "Jezebel," "nasty," and "drunkards" at people passing by. The city says the case is about Olivier and his group's "desire to have their preferred method of protest, without regard for the rights or interests of anyone else." |
| Mississippi Congressman Warns of Hospital Closures After Trump's Bill Passes | |
| The hot sun beat down on the pavement in the parking lot of U.S. House Rep. Michael Guest's office in Brandon, Mississippi, as about 20 protesters gathered on Thursday to encourage the congressman to vote against President Trump's tax cuts and spending cuts. Soon after, though, Guest, who represents Mississippi's Third Congressional District, joined other Republicans to pass House Resolution 1. Protesters showed up at Guest's office hoping to speak to one of his staff members in person to express their concerns about H.R. 1, attendee Camille Wright told reporters. But when they arrived, the office was locked and had a note on the door that told visitors to call a phone number to speak with a member of Guest's staff. Kathleen Obeirne, who has helped organize 50501 protests in Jackson, said she came to Guest's office because she was concerned about the harm H.R. 1 could cause Mississippians and Americans. She said residents could lose their health insurance due to the legislation's Medicaid and Medicare cuts -- and that it could force some Mississippi hospitals to shut their doors due to a loss in funding. Mississippi's only Democrat in Congress, U.S. House Rep. Bennie Thompson, joined those warning that H.R. 1 could force hospitals in his district to close. "It's a bill that takes food out of children's mouths, strips health care from our seniors, and makes college unaffordable for working families, so the wealthy can get another tax break. In Mississippi's Second Congressional District, this means shuttered hospitals, empty grocery carts, rising bills, and dreams deferred," the congressman said Thursday in a statement. |
| DCCC targets 35 House Republicans over budget law's impact on rural hospitals | |
 | The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's first national online ad buy of the 2026 cycle will focus on the impact of Republicans' newly enacted tax and spending package on rural hospitals. The digital ads, shared first with CQ Roll Call, are set to begin running this week on Facebook and Instagram and target the 35 House Republicans the DCCC has marked for defeat next year. "Because of [his or her] vote, rural hospitals across America are now at risk of closing," reads the text of these spots. The four-figure digital buy is likely to be the first in a wave of ads by campaign committees and super PACs aligned with both parties spotlighting the sweeping GOP-led measure, which narrowly passed both chambers last week. The DCCC aims to make sure "every battleground voter knows that instead of lowering costs for American families, Republicans are ripping away health care for millions and cutting funding for hospitals, all to pay for massive tax breaks for their billionaire donors," committee spokesperson Viet Shelton said in a statement. The legislation, which contains trillions of dollars in tax breaks and spending cuts, forms the heart of President Donald Trump's domestic agenda. |
| Now Republicans Have to Sell Trump's Megabill to Voters | |
 | Republicans had a hard time persuading some of their own lawmakers to support the party's big tax-cutting and domestic-policy bill. They might have an even harder time selling it to the public. Polls show that the bill is unpopular. Opposition outweighed support by more than 20 percentage points in recent Fox News and Quinnipiac University polls. Some Republican lawmakers facing tough races next year represent the most Medicaid-reliant districts. They will have to defend the big cuts in the bill to Medicaid, the health-insurance program for low-income and disabled people, as well as to rural hospitals and to nutrition assistance, once known as food stamps. Those cuts help fund tax cuts in the bill that President Trump called for during the 2024 campaign. "If a Republican candidate voted to cut Medicaid to pay for tax cuts, they would lose by 21 points," the GOP firm Fabrizio Ward cautioned after polling competitive House districts in May. After a March survey, the firm warned that cutting Medicaid "could spell political peril for Republicans." Trump himself has acknowledged the risk, saying the target is waste and abuse, not services. "We're not cutting Medicaid," he has said. Control of Congress in next year's elections could turn in part on how voters come to see the bill. As the two parties prepare to spend millions of dollars to shape their impressions, Republicans have some advantages: Voters might be skeptical of the package, but many know little about it, suggesting they are open to persuasion. And some of its elements are popular. |
| 'Train wreck': Trump slams Musk after billionaire announces new political party | |
 | President Donald Trump took aim at Elon Musk after his former adviser announced the creation of new political party following staunch opposition to the president's signature legislation. "I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely "off the rails," essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks," Trump wrote on social media July 6. "He even wants to start a Third Political Party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States." Musk announced the formation of the "America Party" on July 5, the day after Trump signed his mega-bill. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects the legislation will increase the national debt by $3.4 trillion, which Musk as lambasted. Musk -- the world's richest person with a worth of $405 billion, according to Forbes -- spent nearly $290 million to help Trump and other Republicans get elected. In the opening months of Trump's presidency, Musk led the effort to slash federal agencies through the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk's announcement of a new political party comes after he suggested in May that he would cease his political spending as he shifts his attention back to his companies Tesla and SpaceX. |
| How the lone farmer running a state government is navigating Trump's turbulent policies | |
 | The threat of tariffs continues to loom over farm country, and no sitting governor is more aware of that than Nebraska's Jim Pillen, the only professional farmer leading a state government. Pillen has made his living for 30 years running Pillen Family Farms, one of the largest hog operations in the U.S. The business requires expertise in managing labor costs, balancing the books and ensuring the good health of his herd. As it turns out, those tasks are similar to what a governor faces in running his state. The hog farmer spent 10 years on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents before running for governor as a Republican and butting heads with the dominant figure in his party -- Donald Trump, who in 2022 endorsed Pillen's opponent, a wealthy businessman who was a longtime, loyal ally. "That's history," Pillen said in an interview in his office, where visitors are greeted by a sculpture of a hog named Petunia and his dog, Daisy, sits quietly at his feet. "Everybody has relationships. And hey, I'm thrilled that Donald Trump's our president. China, the border, safety, cutting government and getting rid of the bureaucracy. Sign me up. I'm on board." Pillen, like governors across the country, has had to pull together a state budget amid uncertainty about potential funding cuts out of Washington, as well as tariff-induced economic turbulence. And though he says he's "100 percent" with the president today on making the government smaller, he does have a beef with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has criticized industrial farming practices. "I'll debate him anywhere on that issue," said Pillen. |
| Generations of Campers Mourn a Texas Institution Devastated by Floods | |
| Each summer, the daughters of senators, governors, oil barons and other Texas royalty would pass through the gates of Camp Mystic on the banks of the Guadalupe River in the state's Hill Country. Once on the other side, they would leave behind their prominent last names and become Mystic girls, devoted to kindness, self-improvement and fair play while living in a realm with its own traditions and rituals conjured by generations of the same family. Camp Mystic was devastated on Friday -- the Fourth of July -- by floods. Even as adults, many Mystic women still wear their camp bracelets, dangling with silver charms that represent their cabin, their tribe and their favorite activities. "You get a feeling when you drive up to the Hill Country and you'd see the Mystic sign, and you'd feel the weight of the world had been lifted off you," Nicole Nugent Covert, Lady Bird Johnson's granddaughter, told the Austin American-Statesman in 2010. "There were no worries. I still feel that way. When I drop my daughter off, I'm jealous." Other prominent Texans who sent their daughters there include former Texas Govs. Price Daniel and John Connally, former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker and the Basses. Laura Bush spent a summer during college as a Mystic counselor. Several Texas debutantes list Mystic on their résumés. |
| Girls camp grieves loss of 27 campers and counselors in Texas floods that killed more than 80 people | |
| Crews trudged through debris and waded into swollen riverbanks Monday in the search for victims of catastrophic flooding over the July Fourth weekend that killed more 80 people in Texas, including more than two dozen campers and counselors from an all-girls Christian camp. With more rain on the way, the risk of more flooding was still high in saturated parts of central Texas. Authorities said the death toll was sure to rise as crews looked for the many people who were still missing. Operators of Camp Mystic, a century-old summer camp in the Texas Hill Country, said Monday that they lost 27 campers and counselors, confirming their worst fears after a wall of water slammed into cabins built along the edge of the Guadalupe River. "We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls," the camp said in a statement. The floods, among the nation's worst in decades, swept away people sleeping in tents, cabins and homes along the river Friday in the middle of the night. President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration Sunday for Kerr County and said he would likely visit Friday. "It's a horrible thing that took place, absolutely horrible," he told reporters. |
| EPA grant to help reduce lead in Mississippi schools, daycares | |
 | A recent grant announcement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has major implications for school and childcare systems within Mississippi. According to the Mississippi State Department of Health, Mississippi still has public water systems with lead. However, this problem is not unique to Mississippi. Realizing this, the EPA distributed roughly $26.2 million in funds to address the issue within schools and childcare centers nationwide. Mississippi received $305,000 from the EPA, or just over 1.1% of the overall funding. The funding came from Congress's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. The funding announced in June is not the first investment into water infrastructure from the EPA. Another EPA grant funds the SipSafe program, conducted by the Mississippi State University Extension Service. From 2016-2023, an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Mississippi raised awareness of lead poisoning from various water systems statewide. It did so through community-based research, education and outreach. |
| U. of South Carolina campus intersections are dangerous, data shows. Then they became deadly | |
 | The roadways near an intersection on the USC campus where a student was killed in April are notoriously hazardous, with an average of one serious wreck a month, according to data. Nate Baker, a student at the University of South Carolina, was killed at an intersection on campus in early April. A business major, highly involved and freshly 21, Baker was struck by a pickup truck while riding a motorcycle at Blossom and Assembly streets. The intersection, and those nearby, have a history of dangerous driving. At least one accident involving injury happens near that area on campus, on average, once a month, according to data from 2023 to the beginning of 2025 collected from the state Department of Public Safety. The intersection has become more dangerous as more of USC's campus has moved across Assembly towards the Congaree River and as auto traffic has increased. Assembly and Blossom streets, a busy junction where six lanes of traffic meet four lanes of traffic, is well-trodden by cars and pedestrians alike. It's where Baker died. USC has seen a steady increase in enrollment in the last decade, and more students head west towards university-owned and private student housing, Greek Village or USC's wellness center. |
| U. of Kentucky ROTC must stop using public park for military training, Lexington says | |
 | Lexington city government will end its relationship with University of Kentucky ROTC at the end of this year. Since 2016, ROTC has had a contract with Lexington Parks and Recreation to use Hisle Farm Park for tactical training, which includes large groups of cadets in camouflage carrying rubber guns. The props don't fire any ammunition but are visually indistinguishable from real guns, residents said. The contract between ROTC and Lexington Parks and Recreation, called a memorandum of understanding, was up for renewal this year. On Thursday, in response to the complaints, the council voted to stop allowing ROTC to use the park effective Dec. 31. Vice Mayor Dan Wu said letting UK use the park until December gives ROTC enough time to make different arrangements for training in the spring, but doesn't put them in a lurch for the fall semester, which starts next month. "Do we want military training in our public parks? It's really a one-sentence question, and for me, that answer is no," Wu said. |
| Wealthy families buy homes to get in-state tuition in Texas | |
| This was not a luxury apartment. The place had popcorn ceilings, laminate countertops and faux marble bathroom sinks. The vinyl flooring was warped in places. Two recent graduates from UT Austin had moved out weeks before. Hired cleaners hadn't come yet, so there was a layer of scum on the bathroom mirror and a damp smell the realtor blamed on old ventilation, but which he later deemed West Campus' signature scent: beer, vomit and shoddy attempts to clean up both. "You'll smell it," said Miller Gill, the realtor tasked with selling the 750-square-foot condo last month. But Gill wasn't worried about his bottom line. The week before, a family from New Jersey agreed to buy the place. To them, and to many others across the country, this 1980s condo was worth more than its parts; it was a ticket to a cheaper college education. Texas lets out-of-state students buy homes to get in-state tuition. The law has fed a niche but growing industry of real estate agents, like Gill, who specialize not only in buying homes, but also helping primarily California, Illinois and New York-bred students use these homes to save tens of thousands of dollars on a degree from a public university. "It's the tuition savings that is the big seller here," said Ryan Gomillion, another realtor who has helped families use property to secure in-state tuition. |
| Delayed Meeting at a Powerful College Panel Stirs Suspicions in Higher Ed | |
| The Trump administration's postponement of a summer meeting for a college-accreditation panel has set off alarm bells in an obscure but powerful corner of higher education. The panel is an 18-member board informally known as the accreditor of college accreditors. It recommends to the U.S. Education Department which agencies should be certified to accredit colleges. Without that approval, colleges aren't eligible for billions in federal funds. At its next meeting, the accreditation-oversight committee, formally called the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, is scheduled to vote on whether to renew approval of the accreditor that oversees Columbia University. The Ivy League school has been battling with President Trump over the future of its federal funding and autonomy. On June 4, the Trump administration said the school no longer appeared to meet accreditation standards because of alleged civil-rights violations. The president doesn't have the authority to pull accreditation from a university on his own. On June 5, the Education Department sent a memo to members of the accreditation-oversight panel postponing its semiannual meeting from July to October. Before October, the terms of six members of the panel will expire. Groups of six new members are appointed in staggered terms by the House, Senate and secretary of the Education Department. |
| AI Brings Pain and Promise to New Grad Job Market | |
 | For decades, recent college graduates -- who are cheaper to hire -- have had lower unemployment rates than the national average, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But that trend has steadily reversed over the past five years, plunging to a nadir this spring. Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported that the national unemployment rate was around 4 percent, while 6.6 percent of workers with a bachelor's degree between the ages of 22 and 27 don't have jobs -- up from 6 percent at the same time last year. While the pandemic's reverberations, rising interest rates and President Donald Trump's on-again, off-again tariff policies have all contributed to the labor market's volatility, generative artificial intelligence is also shouldering some of the blame. Not only are some tech leaders predicting that the new technology could replace a large share of entry-level white collar jobs in the next five years, but AI also allows job seekers to saturate application pools. But AI is also emerging as part of the solution, as some colleges are partnering with the makers of artificial intelligence tools to help alumni navigate those challenges. "The actual battle for the jobs that do exist is fiercer than ever because, through the use of ChatGPT or even more customized AI tools, an individual student can pump out 500 or 1,000 applications in the blink of an eye," said Jeremy Schifeling, founder of the Job Insiders, which trains students and career coaches on how to use technology, such as LinkedIn and ChatGPT, to help with job searching. "Recruiters are throwing their hands up." |
| How Trump's Cuts to Science Funding Are Derailing Young Scholars' Careers | |
 | Amiyah Buan was sure she'd be starting her Ph.D. this fall after applying to eight graduate programs in biochemistry. It was all part of a carefully considered plan, one she'd been working on since middle school. After graduating from Western Connecticut State University in 2024 with her bachelor's degree in biochemistry, Buan took a gap year, working three jobs to earn extra money while researching her Ph.D. options. She was hoping to build a career in academe, and maybe one day branch into industry. The Ph.D. program acceptances arrived in early 2025, first to the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and the University of Southern California. On January 15, Buan heard from the chemistry department at Georgetown University, her reach school: She was being recommended for admission to the graduate school. But in mid-April, administrators at Michigan and Southern California informed Buan that they'd have to rescind their admissions offers. Still, she thought, she had Georgetown, the institution she'd set her heart on attending. She attended an accepted students' weekend and began touring apartments in the Washington, D.C., area with her partner. Then on May 12, the word came: Her recommendation to the graduate school's admissions committee had not been approved because of federal funding changes. With that, Buan became one of thousands of early-career scholars who have become collateral damage. |
| Trump administration's crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus activists faces federal trial | |
| A federal bench trial begins Monday over a lawsuit that challenges a Trump administration campaign of arresting and deporting faculty and students who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations and other political activities. The lawsuit, filed by several university associations against President Donald Trump and members of his administration, would be one of the first to go to trial. Plaintiffs want U.S. District Judge William Young to rule the policy violates the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act, a law governs the process by which federal agencies develop and issue regulations. "The policy's effects have been swift. Noncitizen students and faculty across the United States have been terrified into silence," the plaintiffs wrote in their pretrial brief. "Students and faculty are avoiding political protests, purging their social media, and withdrawing from public engagement with groups associated with pro-Palestinian viewpoints," they wrote. "They're abstaining from certain public writing and scholarship they would otherwise have pursued. They're even self-censoring in the classroom." The government argued in court documents that the plaintiffs are bringing a First Amendment challenge to a policy "of their own creation." |
| How Trump's Anti-DEI Push Is Unraveling College Scholarships | |
| Colleges, companies and philanthropic organizations are retooling millions of dollars in scholarships that for years supported minority students. Under threat from the Trump administration and activist groups over diversity programs, some are scrapping scholarships entirely. Others are broadening the programs to focus on low-income students in general or tweaking applications to try to keep their original missions. "We're seeing widespread fear of litigation prompt many scholarship providers to re-evaluate," said Jackie Bright, president of the National Scholarship Providers Association. In June, $56 million in scholarships in the NSPA database had race, ethnicity or gender criteria, a decrease of 25% from March 2023. The database is a small but indicative slice of the billions of dollars of financial aid available in the U.S. As part of President Trump's crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the Education Department told schools in February that using race in financial aid could threaten their federal funding. Some universities are under investigation for their scholarships. Even before Trump took office, the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that found it unconstitutional to consider race in university admissions had forced changes to scholarships. Education experts said the changes could make it harder for minority students to graduate from college. |
| Trump Signs 'Big, Beautiful Bill' Into Law, Ushering in New Era for Higher Ed | |
| Following a flyover by a B-2 bomber, President Donald Trump signed a sweeping policy bill into law Friday, celebrating the Fourth of July and commending congressional Republicans for meeting his self-imposed deadline. The legislation, which narrowly passed the House on Thursday, promises to significantly change how colleges operate. Higher education groups and advocates warned that the bill will hurt low-income families while proponents praised the changes as necessary reforms. Much of the debate over the bill dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act centered on the nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, as well as changes to the tax code that will benefit the very rich. But the 870-page piece of legislation also overhauls higher education policy to cap some student loans, eliminate the Grad PLUS program and use students' earnings to hold colleges accountable. Taken together, higher education experts say, the legislation would transform the sector, hurt universities' finances and hinder college access. But the legislation doesn't include some of the proposals that most worried college leaders, such as cuts to the Pell Grant program and a 21 percent endowment tax rate. Wealthy private colleges will still face a higher tax rate on their endowments, up to 8 percent. (The current rate is 1.4 percent.) |
SPORTS
| Inside Brian O'Connor's first month as Mississippi State baseball coach | |
 | Brian O'Connor describes the first month on the job as the new Mississippi State baseball coach as "great" but also a "storm of a bunch of things at once." O'Connor, 54, was hired on June 1 after 22 seasons at Virginia. It came an hour after the Bulldogs' season ended in the Tallahassee Regional. The transfer portal opened the next day. His formal introduction was June 5 at Dudy Noble Field. One day later, the House Settlement was approved, allowing schools to directly pay athletes via revenue sharing beginning July 1. All of that has impacted what MSU has done in the last month. O'Connor and his staff have been working the phones, travelling across the country and hosting visitors in order to retool the roster not just for next season, but future ones too. O'Connor spoke with The Clarion Ledger on July 3 in a nearly 20-minute interview to discuss his first month as the Bulldogs coach. He discussed keeping Reese at Mississippi State, remaining needs in the transfer portal and how he's becoming familiar with Starkville -- including double-digit visits to the same well-known breakfast restaurant. "I've just kind of taken the attitude of, 'Hey, bring it on, what's next and what's most important now,' " he said. |
| Unpacking Mississippi State baseball roster for Brian O'Connor after transfer portal closes | |
| The Mississippi State baseball roster looks to be quite different for the 2026 season. The Bulldogs hired Virginia's Brian O'Connor as its new coach on June 1, one day before the transfer portal opened. He has flipped the roster, bringing players with him from Virginia while also finding players from other teams. The baseball portal closed July 1, but players are still able to commit to teams. As of July 3, 14 MSU players from the 2025 roster have entered the transfer portal. Fifteen players have committed to the Bulldogs, but plenty can still change with the MLB draft July 13-14. O'Connor told The Clarion Ledger on July 3 that they are still pursuing a catcher, an infielder and an "athletic bat" in the outfield. Mississippi State didn't lose key players in the transfer portal. Most of the Bulldogs' entrants were not key contributors. They were able to retain important position players like Ace Reese, Noah Sullivan, Gehrig Frei and Bryce Chance, though the latter three are eligible for the draft. Pitchers Ryan McPherson, Charlie Foster, Evan Siary and Ben Davis didn't enter the transfer portal, either. |
| McPherson, Reese Selected To USA Baseball Team | |
| A pair of Mississippi State players will represent their country in The Land of the Rising Sun. Pitcher Ryan McPherson and third baseman Ace Reese were selected to the United States Collegiate National Team following a five-day training camp among 56 of the top non-draft eligible players in the country. The 26-man USA Baseball Team will compete in the 45th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series across Japan from July 8-13. The Bulldogs are one of nine programs to produce multiple players on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. New MSU head coach Brian O'Connor also had two of his former players at Virginia earn roster spots. McPherson made two relief appearances for the Stripes team totaling three shutout innings. The rising sophomore right-hander did not allow a hit and surrendered just one baserunner during training camp while striking out a pair. It is the second time McPherson has donned the Stars and Stripes in his career. He was also a member of USA Baseball's 15U National Team in 2021. Reese started five of the six games during training camp on the Stars squad. The rising sophomore was 4-for-15 (.267) with four singles and drove in a pair while scoring three runs. Reese, who was named a first team All-American and All-SEC as well as the SEC Newcomer of the Year, started 57 games for the Bulldogs this past season. |
| Women's Basketball: Mississippi State Announces Contract Extension For Sam Purcell | |
| Fresh off his second NCAA Tournament in three seasons at the helm of Mississippi State women's basketball, Sam Purcell has signed a contract extension through the 2028-29 season, it was announced on Thursday. "I would like to thank Dr. Mark Keenum and Director of Athletics Zac Selmon for their trust to build on the success we have had. I'm extremely excited to work with Zac as he continues to take our athletic department to new heights," Purcell said. "I am blessed to be surrounded by an amazing staff and to coach great young women who represent their families, our program, the University and the state of Mississippi with pride. Life is about people, and my family and I could not be more excited to continue to call Starkville home and play in front of the best fans in women's basketball inside The Hump. Hail State!" Season tickets for the 2025-26 season are on sale now and start at just $99, plus fees. Fans interested in purchasing new season tickets can do so by clicking here or calling 662.325.2600. Season ticket renewals are still available as well for current season ticket holders. Fans can renew by clicking here. The deadline to renew is July 11. |
| Sam Purcell signs extension with MSU through 2029 | |
| Mississippi State women's basketball head coach Sam Purcell received a contract extension this week, keeping him in Starkville through the end of the 2028-29 season. The coach is entering his fourth season as head coach at MSU, and is building off of a 22-12 record and a return to the NCAA Tournament. Purcell has a 67-35 record in all competitions and a 24-24 record in the Southeastern Conference in his three years at the helm. The Bulldogs have won 20 or more games in all three seasons under his leadership, and the program has made two NCAA tournament appearances. His 67 wins, 24 SEC wins and 3 NCAA Tournament wins are the most of any coach through their first three seasons in program history. In Purcell's first season, the Bulldogs won two tournament games before exiting in a close loss to Notre Dame in South Bend. In 2025, the Bulldogs defeated Cal in the first round before falling to No. 1 seed USC in Los Angeles in the Round of 32. Purcell made a name for himself as a recruiter while working at Louisville, a record that continued upon his arrival in Starkville. He has signed seven ESPNW Top 100 players in his time as head coach, including three in his 2025 recruiting class. The 2025 class is the second-highest rated in school history behind Vic Schaefer's 2018 class. |
| Sam Purcell signs contract extension as Mississippi State women's basketball coach | |
| Mississippi State women's basketball coach Sam Purcell has signed a contract extension through the 2028-29 season, the school announced on July 3. Purcell's salary in the new deal was not released. Purcell, who'll be entering his fourth season as the Bulldogs coach, has two contracts, like many other head coaches at Mississippi State. One of them is with the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) and the other with the Bulldog Club, the MSU athletics foundation that allows coaches to circumvent the four-year cap on contracts for state employees. Purcell, 45, was previously under contract through 2028 at a $662,500 annual salary, according to those contracts reviewed by the Clarion Ledger. Mississippi State has made two NCAA tournaments in three seasons under Purcell, who was previously an assistant coach at Louisville. His 67 victories are the most by any MSU women's basketball coach through the first three seasons. "I would like to thank Dr. Mark Keenum (university president) and Director of Athletics Zac Selmon for their trust to build on the success we have had," Purcell said in a released statement. |
| Mississippi State track and field star Peyton Bair transfers to Oregon | |
| Mississippi State track and field star Peyton Bair will transfer to Oregon for his senior season. Oregon track and field announced the signing on the social media platform X on July 3. The announcement came three weeks after Bair won the NCAA Division I decathlon on June 12 in Eugene, Oregon. Bair scored a program-record 8,323 points, which is the 14th-highest total in NCAA history and the 10th best in the NCAA championships. Bair also won the heptathlon at the NCAA indoor championships in March. In addition to Bair transferring to the Ducks, his younger brother, Gatlin Bair, will join the Oregon football program in 2026. Gatlin Bair committed to Oregon in February 2024 but delayed his enrollment to 2026 to serve on a Latter-day Saints mission, according to 247Sports. |
| When does EA Sports College Football 26 come out? Game available to play on Monday | |
| It's the most wonderful time of the year for college football video game fans. EA Sports College Football 26 release week has arrived as the second installment of the popular video game franchise will be available to play after its triumphant return last year. There's plenty of excitement for the game as EA Sports attempts to create a game that can sustain the success College Football 25 had, with new features, expanded gameplay and tweaks based on community feedback. The game has a release date, but those that bought the deluxe edition or the bundle with Madden 26 will be able to play it earlier, allowing gamers the chance to get a head start on their dynasties or road to glory. Who wouldn't want to get their hands on the game as soon as possible? People that preordered the deluxe edition of EA Sports College Football 26 or bought the MVP bundle with Madden 26 will be able to play the game on Monday, July 7 at noon ET. For the standard version, the game will be available to play on Thursday, July 10. |
| U.S. Supreme Court To Review State Bans of Transgender Athletes | |
| The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Thursday that it has granted review of two cases, Bradley Little, et al. v. Lindsay Hecox, et al. and State of West Virginia, et al. v. B.P.J. & Heather Jackson, that center on whether states can lawfully ban transgender student athletes from competing on girls' and women's sports teams. The review, which will include an oral argument, will take place in the next Supreme Court term. That means a decision will be made by the summer of 2026. Idaho and West Virginia are two of the 27 states that have passed laws banning transgender students from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity. Although worded differently, these laws contend that eligibility to play a sport is based on biological sex, which is defined as the sex determined on a birth certificate. The eligibility of trans athletes has been a divisive topic in recent years, including last year during the presidential election. It has also sparked different legal consequences. NCAA president Charlie Baker has estimated there are fewer than 10 transgender athletes out of 510,000 active athletes (0.00196%). Even at the high school level, transgender athletes are rare, with estimations indicating that less than a half of 1% of high school athletes are transgender. |
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