| Tuesday, July 15, 2025 |
| MSU-Meridian Offers New Behavioral & Mental Health Facility | |
 | The monthly Council of Governments meeting was held Monday at Baptist Anderson Regional Hospital. One of the main topics was the new Mental & Behavioral Health Services at MSU-Meridian. The school will soon be opening the facility, located on the third floor of the Regions Bank Building in downtown Meridian, offering a wide variety of mental health services for all ages. A $4.5 million dollar grant from the Broadhead, Riley and Phil Hardin Foundations is funding the services. "The clinic is slated to serve a range of mental health and behavioral health needs that folks in the area may have," said David R. Buys, Interim Head of Campus for MSU-Meridian. "We will be providing training opportunities for students. We'll be staffed with permanent, full-time licensed mental health professionals including psychologists, and two licensed professional councilors on staff. There's lots going on there." The new clinic is expected to start receiving patients this fall. |
| Five inducted into Department of Engineering Education's Academy of Distinguished Alumni | |
 | To celebrate its 20th year, the Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech launched its Academy of Distinguished Alumni by inducting its first class of five successful alumni whose careers in engineering education positively influence students, faculty, and society. "Our five inaugural inductees to this academy exemplify the levels of sustained impact on engineering education that define the academy," said Jenni Case, head of the Department of Engineering Education. "Their careers and their passion stand as beacons of inspiration for all of us. We are delighted that they accepted our invitation to join the academy." This year's inductees include Jean Mohammadi-Aragh. Mohammadi-Aragh is an associate professor at Mississippi State University, where she co-founded the engineering education working group and grew it to nearly 50 members with more than $14 million in engineering education research proposals. Mohammadi-Aragh also helped establish Mississippi State's Ph.D. program in engineering education. She has served on more than 20 National Science Foundation review panels and has more than $9 million in funded projects, including a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award. |
| Mississippi Cotton Farmers Face Falling Prices, Rising Costs | |
| Mississippi cotton farmers are losing money -- and some are preparing to abandon the crop altogether due to falling prices, extreme weather events, rising input costs and trade tensions. "Last year was rough. This year is bad. If next year's the same, it doesn't matter what the government payments are," said Will Maples, an agricultural economist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. "If there's not some improvement (by) next year ... it's really going to get rough." For farmers like Jerid Hensarling, whose family has grown cotton in Perry County since the early 1990s, the warning hits close to home. Standing in rows of cotton plants that stretch for thousands of acres, Hensarling said the industry has become a financial gamble. "It's just a tough time in the cotton industry," he said. "The future's a little unstable." The federal government has stepped in with emergency assistance and enhanced safety net payments, but economists warn that may not be enough if the current landscape persists. Next year could be a turning point for the future of Mississippi's cotton industry. "The whole ag economy -- on the row crop side at least -- is walking a very fine line right now," Maples said. |
| Weather dampens hopes for good watermelon crop | |
 | Mississippi's watermelon producers face a tough year as summer rains diminish what they had expected would be a good crop. "The crop looked really good until all the rain started," said Heath Steede, Mississippi State University Extension Service agent in George County. Watermelons require the right balance of rain, sun and warm temperatures to reach peak size and sweetness. Rains early in the growing season help melons grow to the proper size, but excess rain later in the season can introduce diseases, allow those diseases to spread faster and cause melons to ruin. Steede said he is seeing plenty of ruined melons in fields in the southeast corner of the state where most of Mississippi's watermelons are grown. George County alone has watermelon production on 1,500 to 2,000 acres. While north Mississippi has fewer watermelon producers than the southeastern portion of the state, those producers are experiencing the same issues with the wet weather. "They were late getting the crop planted mainly because of the rain," said Steven Tucker, MSU Extension agent in Pontotoc County. "Then the rain hurt the quality of the melons. I'd say overall our crop is in poor condition right now." Another challenge Tucker's producers have is nuisance wildlife eating the melons. |
| Abundant anglers, crowds and fish expected at 92nd Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo | |
| Expect another huge crowd of anglers and spectators for the 92nd Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo (ADSFR) during Alabama's premier fishing event July 17-20 at the rodeo site on Dauphin Island. A tarpon tournament held in 1929 started the long journey to today's largest saltwater fishing tournament in the world. Participation has grown from 250 anglers at the inaugural event to about 4,000 anglers who fish the rodeo annually. The rodeo also has more than 120 sponsors, from local businesses to national sponsors. During rodeo weekend, 100,000 people will visit the rodeo site. Another important aspect of the ADSFR is the collection of scientific data on so many different species at one location. Dr. Sean Powers, rodeo judge and head of the University of South Alabama Marine and Environmental Sciences Department, will bring a crew of students and researchers to sample a variety of fish. Dr. Marcus Drymon of Mississippi State University will bring a team to take a variety of samples from the shark species brought to the rodeo site. |
| Ask The Dispatch: How much do city workers make in the Golden Triangle? | |
 | Near the end of the Columbus mayoral election this year, a candidate posted a photo to Facebook revealing the pay stub of a Columbus first responder with an hourly wage of $13.48. The post quickly drew dozens of comments, with many questioning how much first responders are paid, who sets the wages and whether it's enough. How much do city employees earn in Starkville and Columbus? What factors into their pay? In Starkville, city employees, including office workers and laborers, earn $16.75 per hour over 2,080 hours for an average annual salary of $34,840. In Starkville, Ward 2 Alderwoman and budget chair Sandra Sistrunk said entry-level police officers earn $21.18 per hour, working approximately 2,236 hours a year for an average annual salary of about $47,358, not including overtime. Firefighters' pay is more "nuanced," due to their unique scheduling and overtime structure, Sistrunk said. "There's more to the story than that pay stub, particularly if you're just zeroing in on that hourly rate," Sistrunk said. "So that's the part that usually gets missed in these discussions." Sistrunk said that although minimum wages and pay stubs can appear misleading, she'd like to see city employees paid more – a topic sure to arise in the budget meetings of both Columbus and Starkville ahead of the new fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. |
| Community Profile: Brady's needlepoint business aims for southern market | |
| In a makeshift studio tucked in the guest room of her family home, 25-year-old Rachel Brady sits at a long table with rows of colorful paints stacked neatly beside her. Mesh needlepoint canvases are tacked to the wall behind her. These "sassy sayings," are part of Brady's southern collection of handpainted needlepoint designs, a business venture sparked just two months ago after Brady picked up her first-ever needlepoint project. Two months later, her business, RB Needlepoint, has already brought in more than $2,000 in sales. By day, Brady works remotely as a social media manager and project management assistant for a marketing firm in New Orleans. By night, she's painting dot by dot on large, mesh canvases. Brady, who is from Columbus, graduated Tulane University in 2022 with two degrees in marketing and digital media design. After graduating, she moved to New York where she worked at various marketing and sales firms, but after two years and a few "heartbreaks," she decided it was time to come home. But the heartbreaks Brady experienced in New York are partly what inspired her to start her own business. "I had such difficulties surviving layoffs or failed companies, ... and it's just such a hard battle for so many people my age and older," Brady said. "Several people on Tiktok are (saying) to just start your own business, so I was like, 'OK, we'll see how it goes.'" |
| Donation aids improvements at Civil War battlefield in Vicksburg | |
| Vicksburg National Military Park is receiving over $5 million toward restoring a key monument and removing a building that previously was used as a visitors' center. Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park recently announced a $2.8 million private donation to the park by John L. Nau III, a Texas businessman and philanthropist who was a founding board member of the nonprofit Friends organization. In 1863, Union forces led by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant laid siege to Vicksburg. After 47 days, the Confederate army surrendered, and the defeat turned the tide of the Civil War as the Union gained control of the Mississippi River. Vicksburg National Military Park was established in 1899 at the battleground. It commemorates the siege and its role in the Civil War, as well as those who fought. The Illinois Memorial is dedicated to more than 36,000 soldiers from that state who fought in Vicksburg. Both the stone and the inscriptions inside the building have worn down from weather exposure. In the release, Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park said the park needs both public and private support, as the National Park Service manages over 400 units nationwide. |
| New film about Neshoba County Fair to premiere July 27 | |
| If you've been to the Neshoba County Fair, you understand the pageantry of the week-long, action-packed affair. From horse races to concerts to political speeches and more all while wiping sweat beads off your brow, Mississippi's Giant House Party offers a wide range of entertainment uniquely tailored to its faithful visitors. But an outsider who has never experienced a night out in Neshoba may not understand its appeal. That's where Bryan Carpenter, a Carthage native who heads Mississippi-based 13 South Productions, is looking to step in with a new film, called "Last American House Party," centered around the annual summer extravaganza held in the middle of nowhere. "'Last American House Party' is part of our continued vision to create films about our great state of Mississippi, made in Mississippi by Mississippians. This project builds on that endeavor, following our first film, 'Little Brother of War' -- a beautiful piece showcasing the Choctaw people and their ancient game of stickball," Carpenter said. "Now, 'Last American House Party' explores a topic unique to our state and its beautiful culture: something you can find nowhere else. It reveals the Neshoba County Fair as so much more than its name implies -- a true celebration of Southern living at its finest, embodying love of God, love of country, and love of our neighbors." |
| Lottery generates over $113 million in revenue for roads, education in Fiscal Year 2025 | |
| The Mississippi Lottery brought in over $113 million in revenue for the state in Fiscal Year 2025, which ended on June 30th. "The Mississippi Lottery has made its final monthly transfer to the state for Fiscal Year 2025 with a transfer of $9,200,863.25, bringing the total amount generated for Mississippi during FY25 to $113,001,105.82," the Lottery Corporation released on Monday. Mississippi Lottery Corporation President Jeff Hewitt said the transfers demonstrate the Lottery's commitment to supporting Mississippi's long-term growth and success. As part of the 2018 law that established the state lottery, the first $80 million in net proceeds goes to road and bridge projects while the remainder is transferred to the Education Enhancement Fund. According to the Lottery Corporation, since the Lottery's launch in late 2019, a combined $691.7 million has been transferred to state funds with $470.7 million going to the State Highway Fund and another $221 million sent to the Education Enhancement Fund. |
| Inflation Picks Up to 2.7% as Tariffs Start to Seep Into Prices | |
 | Inflation picked up in June, a potential sign that companies are starting to pass tariff costs on to consumers. Consumer prices rose 2.7% in June from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Tuesday, faster than May's increase of 2.4%. That was in line with the expectations of economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal. Core inflation, which exclude volatile food and energy prices, was 2.9%, also in line with forecasts. Prices of household furnishings and supplies rose by 1% in June compared with May, prices of video and audio products rose 1.1%, toy prices rose 1.8% and apparel prices rose 0.4%. All four categories tend to be sensitive to tariffs. At the same time, prices of new cars fell 0.3%. Economists generally agree that tariffs raise prices and hurt economic growth but disagree over how big the impact of the White House tariffs will be, or when any price increases might start to show up. Many companies rushed to fill up their inventories by buying goods before tariffs took effect, making it easier for them to hold off on price increases in the spring. The June reading does little to settle a key debate among Federal Reserve policymakers about how President Trump's tariffs will affect prices in the coming months. |
| Senators face crucial vote on $9.4 billion rescissions package | |
 | A key test of Republicans' appetite to defend Congress' power of the purse arrives this week with the expected vote in the Senate on a White House proposal to cancel billions in previously agreed-to spending on foreign aid and public media broadcasting. The Senate could vote as soon as Tuesday on a procedural motion on the Trump administration's request to rescind $9.4 billion in appropriations, including $8.3 billion in international assistance and $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which helps fund NPR and PBS. Only a simple majority is needed to bring the package to the Senate floor, which means Republicans can afford to lose just three votes from their side. Senate GOP leaders sounded far from certain on Monday afternoon that they had the minimum votes needed to agree to a discharge motion. When asked if Republicans had enough votes to get on the bill, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said negotiations were still ongoing on potential amendments. "There's been a lot of back and forth, as you might expect," Thune said during remarks to reporters. He indicated that support would hinge on what amendment Republicans can agree on in advance. All eyes are on a few Republican holdouts. |
| GOP senators want nothing to do with Trump-Epstein-MAGA controversy | |
 | Senate Republicans are scrambling to steer clear of the controversy exploding within their MAGA-aligned party's base over allegations that the Trump administration is hiding information related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his "clients." President Trump is facing what may be the biggest backlash he's ever encountered from usually loyal activists, such as former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn and prominent conservative activist Laura Loomer. Republican lawmakers don't want to go near the Epstein controversy that divides their base. "I'll leave that up to DOJ and to the FBI. I think that's in their purview. I think the president's expressed his views on it and so I'll just leave it at that," Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters Monday. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), who has been outspoken about shedding more light on Epstein's criminal activities, said last week that she hoped to "uncover" more information. "For years, I have fought to expose the business associates of Jeffrey Epstein and those who were bankrolling his trafficking ring," she said in a social media post last week after the Justice Department and FBI released their joint memo. |
| The government wants AI to fight wars and review your taxes | |
 | Elon Musk has receded from Washington but one of his most disruptive ideas about government is surging inside the Trump administration. Artificial intelligence, Musk has said, can do a better job than federal employees at many tasks -- a notion being tested by AI projects trying to automate work across nearly every agency in the executive branch. The Federal Aviation Administration is exploring whether AI can be a better air traffic controller. The Pentagon is using AI to help officers distinguish between combatants and civilians in the field, and said Monday that its personnel would begin using the chatbot Grok offered by Musk's start-up, xAI, which is trying to gain a foothold in federal agencies. Artificial intelligence technology could soon play a central role in tax audits, airport security screenings and more, according to public documents and interviews with current and former federal workers. Many of these AI programs aim to shrink the federal workforce -- continuing the work of Musk's U.S. DOGE Service that has cut thousands of government employees. Government AI is also promised to reduce wait times and lower costs to American taxpayers. If AI drives federal decision-making instead of aiding human experts, glitches could unfairly deprive people of benefits or harm public safety, said Elizabeth Laird, a director at the Washington-based nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology. There is "a fundamental mismatch" between what AI can do and what citizens expect from government, she said. |
| A Political Influencer Could Seriously Win a Seat in Congress | |
 | In 2015, there were snickers when Barack Obama deigned to sit for an interview with an online content creator. Ten years later, influencers aren't just a key part of the media landscape -- they may be about to become elected officials themselves. The real political viability of content creators gets an important early test Tuesday as Deja Foxx, a 25-year-old social media influencer, tries to score a primary victory that would all but assure her a seat in Congress. Foxx has a legitimate shot to win. In her race to replace the late Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Foxx is taking on Grijalva's daughter, former county elected official Adelita Grijalva. The Gen Z Democratic hopeful was behind by just single digits in a recent Foxx campaigninternal poll, and Grijalva allies pumped in late money in a sign of potential concern. Foxx is one of the first professional internet content creators to run for Congress, but she certainly won't be the last. Regardless of whether she can pull out a victory against a political scion, the race signals new media is not only becoming a venue where candidates woo voters but a training ground for future politicos. Such a shift shouldn't be a total surprise. The pipeline from media to elected office is as old as the Republic. In the digital age, when local television news is almost as antiquated as the New York Tribune, it may now be time for the online content creator. |
| MUW hosts free science and math camp on Columbus campus | |
 | Science and math come alive at a unique camp hosted by MUW. 20 kids are participating in the free camp this week at Plymouth Bluff Environmental Center. MUW professors and student volunteers are bringing STEM learning into a natural, hands-on environment. On July 14, the group got a close-up view through a microscope. The children will learn about biology, chemistry, environmental science, geology, engineering, and mathematics. |
| Ole Miss invests $21 million for early learning center | |
 | Officials with the University of Mississippi said the college's new Early Learning and Evaluation Center aims to catch learning disabilities sooner, while expanding educational resources in North Mississippi. The center will be operated by the UM School of Education and will house the university's nationally accredited preschool, the Willie Price Lab School. "We are pleased to expand how we serve the community through the UM Early Learning and Evaluation Center and uphold our deep commitment for caring for one another, a cornerstone of our university's values," Chancellor Glenn Boyce said. "It is exciting how our talented and committed faculty and students from the School of Education will provide important evaluation and education services through the center. We are grateful for the support of the state, and we eagerly anticipate the construction of the forthcoming state-of-the-art facility." Demolition ahead of the $30 million-plus project began during the spring semester. Construction started in June, with the center slated to open in 2027. |
| IHL reps assure wary JSU alums the president search will be 'open and engaging' | |
| In the aftermath of a revolving door of presidents at Jackson State University, members of Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning board tasked with naming a new leader sought to defuse alumni concerns. But after an hour-long Zoom meeting with dozens of JSU graduates last week, some alumni remained uneasy that the state's college governing board would fall back on the same playbook. "Even Ray Charles can see the failures," Sen. Hillman Frazier, D-Jackson, a member of the Universities and Colleges Committee, said. "They should be upfront on their intentions this time to have a fair and transparent search. They need to double down on their commitment to stabilize their credibility because it's shot." Patrease Edwards, president of the national association, kicked off the conversation. Moderator Michael Jefferson, the group's information, communications and technology chair, asked Steve Cunningham and Gee Ogletree a series of questions ranging from the college board's vetting process to policies and procedures to ensure a fair and transparent search. |
| Belhaven University launches online master's in AI | |
| Belhaven University announced Mississippi's first-ever fully online program for students to get a Master of Science in Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI). According to the university, the program is meant to prepare students for in-demand tech careers grounded in ethical leadership on AI. The program is designed for working professionals, containing a flexible 10-course program with seven-week classes that prepare students for high-demand roles in technology, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and more. Students in this program will gain hands-on experience with industry-standard tools such as Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, OpenCV, and scikit-learn. A capstone project allows students to apply their skills to a real-world business challenge. "This new Master of Science in Applied Artificial Intelligence couldn't come at a more pivotal time," said Dr. Brett Andrews, dean of the School of Business at Belhaven University. "As Mississippi makes landmark investments -- over $37 million in AI education grants, an NVIDIA partnership to train 10,000 residents, billions of dollars in outside investment into data center construction, and targeted state policies to grow AI talent -- it's clear we're laying the foundation for the next generation of tech leaders." |
| Space breakthrough: Louisiana observatory detects biggest black hole merger ever observed | |
 | It took less than a second for the space observatory hidden in Louisiana woods to detect the most massive black hole ever observed. Only one tenth of a second to be exact. That's how long it took for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory in Livingston to detect the collision of two massive black holes creating a binary black hole with the largest mass observed in space. LIGO detectors made history in 2015 for the first time it detected gravitational waves from black holes. Since that first detection, it has detected about 300 black hole mergers. LIGO scientists officially announced this discovery Monday in Glasgow at a joint conference on relativity and gravitation, and gravitational waves. LIGO Livingston with its twin detector in Hanford, Washington, detected the black hole merger in November 2023. After studying the merger, LIGO wanted to wait to announce it at the conference in front of scientists around the world, said LIGO Livingston Observatory Head Joseph Giaime. LIGO Livingston has been in the news recently not just for a new discovery, but for being in danger of being on the chopping block after the Trump administration's proposal for the federal budget request for 2026. Last week the United States Senate subcommittee that oversees federal science agencies' budgets discussed only cutting $16 million from NSF -- a stark contrast to the proposed $5.2 billion cut. |
| U. of Tennessee raises $94M more than last year. How will a record $428M be used? | |
| The University of Tennessee at Knoxville is celebrating another broken record, this time for the hundreds of millions of dollars raised for the fiscal year 2024-25, $94 million more than last year's fundraising record. UT is responsible for $428 million of the UT System's $492.8 million in fundraising for the year, roughly 87%. The total is even more than what UT System President Randy Boyd forecasted at the annual UT System Board of Trustees meeting July 1. More than 70,000 donors fed into the $428 million for the Knoxville campus, which just broke $300 million in fundraising for the first time last year. The new record is about 30% higher than the $332 million raised last year. "We have the most incredible alumni base in the country, period," Brian Broyles, senior vice chancellor for advancement, told Knox News. "The alumni affinity we enjoy here in Knoxville is off the charts, and once again Volunteers have come together and answered the call and set another record." Donations are used, in part, to support more than 12,000 student scholarships, representing just a "little over one-third of the undergraduate population numbers," Broyles said. Donors contributed $92 million to the university's endowment, which helps UT fund academic services including scholarships, fellowships, professorships and programs. Broyles would like to see the number of scholarships increase over the next few years to provide financial support for closer to half of the student population. |
| State Lawmaker Asks Health and Human Services to Investigate Texas A&M | |
 | Texas state representative Brian Harrison has asked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to investigate his alma mater, Texas A&M University, for allegedly engaging in "discriminatory" student recruiting practices, The Dallas Express reported. "In the state of Texas, government entities ... should not be treating people differently based on anything other than merit," Harrison told the outlet. "We have got to bring back a focus on meritocracy. And the president of Texas A&M brags about the fact that he's doing it." According to a May letter to HHS acting general counsel Brian Keveney that Harrison posted on X, Texas A&M president Mark Welsh had sent him a letter "admitting @TAMU is still engaged in DEI courses and discriminatory 'targeted recruiting' practices." Welsh's letter, which Harrison also included, criticizes the lawmaker for posting a video and other content online accusing the TAMU president of flouting the law. Harrison told The Dallas Express that HHS had received his letter and is "taking it and handling it appropriately." |
| Legislatures Require Colleges to Cut Degrees in Low Demand | |
| In the past, lawmakers have pressured colleges and universities to cut the number of degrees they offer through measures such as publicly criticizing institutions or simply slashing funding and letting institutions figure out where to cut. But at least three Republican-dominated states -- Indiana, Ohio and Utah -- passed specific laws this year that push institutions to eliminate degree programs that graduate few students. In a similar vein, Texas passed a law going after academic minors and certificate programs with low enrollments. It worries faculty and scholarly groups, who stress that the number of majors in a program isn't the only or best way to gauge its worth. "Campuses are forced to respond to legislative mandates that have arisen from a narrow understanding of what higher education is," said Paula Krebs, executive director of the Modern Language Association. Students who pursue public higher education will be "getting a reduced version of what a degree should be," she said. Robert Kelchen, a professor of higher education at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, said the move reflects the broader trend of "legislatures getting more involved in academic affairs issues that have historically been either done through shared governance or done through institutional leadership." "It's just another sign that the era of 'trust the universities, they're doing the right thing' has long since passed," Kelchen said. |
| How Trump plans to dismantle the Education Department after Supreme Court ruling | |
 | Education Secretary Linda McMahon is expected to move quickly now that the Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to continue unwinding her department. The justices on Monday paused a lower court order that had halted nearly 1,400 layoffs and had called into question the legality of President Donald Trump's plan to outsource the department's operations to other agencies. Now, Trump and McMahon are free to execute the layoffs and break up the department's work among other federal agencies. Trump had campaigned on closing the department, and McMahon has said the department has one "final mission" to turn over its power to the states. "The Federal Government has been running our Education System into the ground, but we are going to turn it all around by giving the Power back to the PEOPLE," Trump said late Monday in a post on Truth Social. "Thank you to the United States Supreme Court!" Department lawyers have already previewed McMahon's next steps in court filings. Among the most important decisions is where to put management of federal student loans, a $1.6 trillion portfolio affecting nearly 43 million borrowers. |
| House Appropriators Propose 23% Cut to NSF | |
| House Republicans want to cut the National Science Foundation's funding by about $2 billion, according to budget documents released Monday. The House proposal shows Republicans' priorities as funding talks for the coming fiscal year ramp up. Congress has until Sept. 30 to reach an agreement on a budget, which is made up of 12 appropriations bills, or else the government could shut down. The House appropriations committee has released several proposal bills, while its Senate counterpart is just getting started. Still, funding for NSF is already one point of disagreement between House and Senate appropriators. Last week, Senate Republicans indicated that they would cut only about $16 million from NSF, leaving the agency with just over $9 billion. The House plan, which would give NSF about $7 billion, is just a proposal and doesn't go as far as President Donald Trump's proposed budget for fiscal year 2026, which cuts more than $5 billion from the agency. |
SPORTS
| Bulldog Club, Mississippi State Athletics Shatter Fundraising Records with Unprecedented $84.6 Million in FY25 | |
| In a year defined by momentum, belief and investment, Mississippi State Athletics and the Bulldog Club shattered fundraising records in fiscal year 2025 to deliver the most successful 12 months of support in department history. Fueled by the generosity and commitment of Bulldog Club members, the department raised $84.6 million in donations and pledges. Fiscal year 2025 spanned July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. The $84.6 million total more than doubled the department's previous all-time fundraising record. Out of the 202 major gifts received this year, 10 were $1 million or more. Ten seven-figure gifts are more than the last 10 years combined and more than double the previous record from 2011. "In our unwavering pursuit of new heights for Mississippi State Athletics, direct investments and contributions from our supporters are mission critical," Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said. "The generosity, passion and clear desire to invest in Mississippi State and our student-athletes are truly remarkable and we are overwhelmed with gratitude to our Bulldog Club members. It is hard to put into words how much this support means to us. This year's support set the standard for what we strive to achieve each year going forward, and for that, we are grateful. The inspiring philanthropic support, in addition to new revenue generation, continues to align our department's transformation to the new era of college athletics." |
| Mississippi State athletics more than doubles fundraising record for 2025 fiscal year | |
 | Mississippi State athletics announced a fundraising record for the 2025 fiscal year on July 14. The department raised $84.6 million in the year. According to the announcement, it more than doubles the university's previous record. The fiscal year ran from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. MSU, led by third-year athletic director Zac Selmon, said it received 202 "major gifts" in the year, 10 of which were over $1 million. The 10 gifts of at least $1 million also set a school record. MSU also said the Cristil Society, which has a $25,000 minimum investment, grew to 439 members. An $8 million pledge, the second largest in MSU athletics history, was made in September to form the State Excellence Fund. The Bulldogs also unveiled a 10-year facilities plan in January. In May, a $60 million project to build a football indoor practice facility was announced with the leading gift provided by Howard Industries. |
| Seven Bulldogs Selected In MLB Draft | |
| The 2025 MLB Draft is in the books and proved to be another banner year for Mississippi State. The Diamond Dawgs saw seven players selected on the second day of the draft. Pico Kohn, Evan Siary, Karson Ligon, Hunter Hines, Luke Dotson, Nate Williams and Jacob Pruitt were all taken during this year's draft to bring MSU's all-time total to 248 draft picks. Six of the Bulldogs picked this year were pitchers on Justin Parker's staff, which included the entire weekend starting rotation. Kohn, a junior, was the highest State player drafted going in the fourth round (134th overall) to the New York Yankees. Kohn started 15 games as a junior this past spring posting a 5-4 record with a 4.72 earned run average, 114 strikeouts and 29 walks in 80 innings of work. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound southpaw from Verbena, Alabama's strikeout total ranked seventh in the Southeastern Conference. It is the 13th time the Yankees have drafted a player from Mississippi State and the first since selecting Cade Smith in 2023. Siary was the second Bulldog to come off the board when the Texas Rangers took him in the eighth round (235th overall). The junior right-hander served in a variety of roles for State this past spring but settled in as the Saturday starter during SEC play. The Starkville Academy product posted a 3-1 record through 15 appearances and 10 starts in 2025 while recording 72 strikeouts and just 15 walks across 54 frames. |
| Purvis' Jacob Parker will play for Mississippi State baseball, not sign with Diamondbacks | |
| Jacob Parker will be playing for Mississippi State baseball in 2026 instead of signing a contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Parker announced the news with a post on X on July 15. He was picked by the Diamondbacks in Round 19 of the 2025 MLB Draft the day before. "Starkville, see you soon!" he wrote in his post with an image of him in a black Mississippi State jersey. There were questions whether Parker would make it to MSU or sign a pro contract, mainly before the draft began. The left-handed outfielder was ranked as the No. 109 prospect in the draft, according to MLB.com. However, he slipped to the No. 573 pick, which would have a significantly lower signing bonus than if he were drafted near his ranking. Parker is the twin brother of JoJo Parker. The two of them starred at Purvis and reached the MHSAA Class 4A championship game in 2025. JoJo Parker, also a Mississippi State signee, was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays with the No. 8 pick in the first round. Although he hasn't made any official announcement, JoJo Parker is not expected to play at Mississippi State since he was a first-round pick. Jacob Parker, a 6-foot-3, 215-pounder, was named to the Clarion Ledger's all-state first team, a 2025 Dandy Dozen selection, and named co-MHSAA Class 4A Mr. Baseball, which he shared with JoJo. |
| 2025 schedule release: Bulldogs face difficult path in SEC title defense | |
| Mississippi State women's soccer unveiled its 2025 schedule this weekend, complete with nonconference matchups and Southeastern Conference dates. The Bulldogs enter the year as the reigning SEC regular season champions and are looking to build off of the most successful season in program history. To do so, they'll have to go through a challenging gauntlet of opponents. "We're beyond excited to announce a competitive schedule that will challenge us and prepare us for success in the SEC," first-year head coach Nick Zimmerman said in a press release. "Every match is an opportunity to grow, and we're looking forward to seeing our fans packing the pitch and bringing that Starkville energy all season long." The schedule includes notable matchups against eight NCAA Tournament programs from the 2024 campaign, and seven teams that finished the season in the top 50 of the final NCAA RPI rankings. Highlighting the schedule is a non-conference home match against the 2024 national runners-up, Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons handed MSU its only regular-season defeat last year, a 2-1 contest in Winston-Salem, and advanced to the national championship game, where it lost 1-0 to in-state rival North Carolina. |
| Women's Golf Announces 2025-26 Schedule | |
| After making their fourth consecutive NCAA Championship appearance in the 2024-25 season, Mississippi State women's golf and head coach Charlie Ewing announced the schedule for the upcoming 2025-26 season. The slate for the Bulldogs sees nine regular-season events, eight of those returning from last season. "We've found a great schedule that has worked out great for us the last several years and are starting to settle into it. It allows us to travel the whole country, compete with the best teams nationally and most importantly, prepare ourselves properly for the postseason," Ewing said. "We are going to be challenged quite a bit again this season and that's by design. We want to be a battle-tested team in the postseason so we can be ready for anything the most important tournaments of the year could throw at us. This season will be exciting and I'm looking forward to learning a lot about our team along the way. For the fourth consecutive season, the Bulldogs will begin their season hosting the Carmel Cup at Pebble Beach Golf Links, beginning on August 29. The tournament is unique to any other on State's schedule, as each team enters the competition with six-woman teams rather than the traditional five. |
| Sacco, Chaffin help Talons reach AUSL championship series | |
| Former Mississippi State standouts Sierra Sacco and Raelin Chaffin will play for the championship in the inaugural season of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League later this month. Their team, Talons, 14-4, secured a place in the championship series last weekend with a loss by the rival Volts, who are now out of reach of the first-place Talons. They are fresh off a series win against the Bandits, 11-7, who are currently second in the AUSL standings with a five-game lead over the Volts, and the Talons' likely opponent in the championship round. "They've been a thorn in our side a little bit, but they're quality," Talons head coach Howard Dobson said of the Bandits. "They swing it really well, and they put pressure, and they're one of those teams that never give in, even if you have a big lead." The AUSL championship series will take place at Rhoads Stadium from July 26-28 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. |
| Softball: Shaw Brings Home Second Career WBSC World Cup Bronze Medal | |
| Mississippi State softball assistant coach Zac Shaw and the United States' Men's National Team defeated Japan on Sunday to claim their second consecutive WBSC Men's Softball World Cup bronze medal. The Americans also won bronze at the 2022 WBSC Men's World Cup, which snapped a 22-year medal drought. Shaw started in all six games while serving as Team USA's captain. He was perfect defensively in 17 chances, and he has not made an error in 21 career WBSC World Cup games. His last error on the international stage came at the 2022 Pan American Championships. Offensively, the Odessa, Missouri, native collected two RBIs, bringing home a run with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch against Australia to open the tournament and opening the scoring in Team USA's 11-1 win over the Dominican Republic with a sacrifice fly. He also stole a base against the Aussies. The Americans, who entered the tournament as the No. 6 team in the world, narrowly missed out on the gold medal game. Shaw joined the staff at Mississippi State in the fall of 2022 as a volunteer assistant before being elevated to a full-time role prior to the 2024 season. |
| Netflix drops 'SEC Football: Any Given Saturday' trailer | |
 | Netflix released the first trailer for its Aug. 5 documentary, "SEC Football: Any Given Saturday," and it will have you running through a wall. It's no accident it was released on the same day of SEC Media Days. Included in the trailer is ESPN college analyst -- and former Alabama coach -- Nick Saban's comments about Vanderbilt. "The only place in the SEC that's not hard to play is Vanderbilt," Saban said last year during a segment on "The Pat McAfee Show." "I heard that," Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia said. "That fueled me." Pavia led the Commodores to a stunning 40-35 win over the the Crimson Tide and first-year coach Kalen DeBoer. The Netflix sports series takes fans deep inside the SEC during the 2024 season, offering unprecedented access to the players, coaches, and programs that define the sport's most dominant league. The seven-episode series, according to Netflix, captures the pressure, pageantry and intensity of SEC football like never before. Viewers will ride along on the team buses, sit in on locker-room speeches, drop in on barbershop banter, and witness the grind it takes to be a D1 athlete in the nation's most competitive football culture. |
| Wayne-Sanderson Farms named 'Official Chicken of the SEC' | |
| The SEC has a new top bird. Wayne-Sanderson Farms, one of America's leading poultry producers whose Sanderson Farms retail brand is based in Mississippi, announced a new multi-year sponsorship with the conference as the "Official Chicken of the Southeastern Conference." Beyond Mississippi operations, where the company produces nearly 14 million chickens per week, Wayne-Sanderson runs processing facilities in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Texas. Mississippi-based Sanderson Farms was acquired in a $4.53 billion deal by Cargill & Continental Grain in 2021. "Wayne-Sanderson Farms is thrilled to team up with the SEC, a conference that shares our commitment to excellence and community," Kevin McDaniel, president and CEO of Wayne-Sanderson Farms, said. "With 26,000 employees and 2,000 family farms spanning across the southeast, our roots run deep in SEC Country. We are honored to fuel the passion of SEC fans with the highest-quality chicken products, both on game day and every day." A multi-platform SEC-centric campaign will be launched in time for the upcoming college football season, continuing through basketball, baseball, and other sports, the company said in a release Monday. |
| Why Paul Finebaum, SEC sports talk provocateur, is embracing his softer side | |
 | It's story time in Room 114 of a sprawling resort and spa, an air-conditioned getaway just a few steps from the 89-degree temporary set of "The Paul Finebaum Show," which is overlooking the beach for two days as Southeastern Conference coaches and administrators stop by between the meetings they hold here each May. Finebaum wears a purple dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, with matching Brooks sneakers that his wife, Linda, gave him the previous July for his 69th birthday. He's sitting at a table with the show's producer, Jamari Jordan, and talking 1984. By then, Finebaum had exposed cracks in the late stages of Paul "Bear" Bryant's Alabama program and blown open a basketball recruiting scandal that nearly sent his journalism career in a different direction. He hadn't yet established himself as a professional hater, an SEC lover, operating at a ratio of roughly 1,000 zingers per smile, hosting the most unhinged sports-talk show in history and riding it to fame, fortune and ESPN. "He's stirred up a lot of s---," says former Alabama coach Nick Saban, now an ESPN colleague of Finebaum. But this "founding father" of sports talk, as friend and fellow journalist Gene Wojciechowski dubs him, who was hot-taking and loud-arguing before those were sports media staples, who has always done it his way in the face of convention and consequence, has changed. Or maybe he's just less protective of the non-cartoon side of himself. With two years left on his ESPN deal and a retirement decision to make at that point, it's a side that's more visible. It's a side the COVID-19 pandemic helped uncover, disappointments fueling introspection. It's a side that "saved my career," he says. |
| Greg Sankey says SEC, Big Ten still differ on best CFP model | |
| As the clock ticks on a Dec. 1 deadline to determine a format for the College Football Playoff in 2026 and beyond, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey reiterated the possibility it could stay at 12 teams if his league and the Big Ten can't agree on what model would be best. Sankey said he and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti spoke four out of five days last week and acknowledged the SEC's "different view" coming out of its spring meetings in Destin, Florida. While the Big Ten has favored a model that rewards conferences with guaranteed spots and play-in games to determine them, the SEC coaches most recently said they would now prefer a 16-team format that includes the five highest-ranked conference champions and 11 at-large bids. "The Big Ten has a different view," Sankey said following his opening remarks on the first day of SEC media days at the College Football Hall of Fame. "That's fine. We have a 12-team playoff, five conference champions. That can stay if we can't agree." The SEC will also continue to keep talking about its 2026 schedule, and whether to move from eight to nine league games -- also a key component in the CFP discussions, as multiple sources in the Big Ten have said they wouldn't consider a 5+11 model unless the SEC and the ACC both move to nine league games. |
| SEC and Big Ten are currently at a standstill over the College Football Playoff format | |
| Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey said Monday that despite frequent conversations with Big Ten counterpart Tony Petitti, the two leagues have yet to agree on the College Football Playoff format after this upcoming season and could leave it at 12 teams. The disagreement doesn't stem from a lack of communication. Sankey said he spoke with Petitti four times last week. The Big Ten, which has won the last two national championships, favors a 4-4-2-2-1 format, giving four automatic bids to the SEC and Big Ten and awarding the ACC and Big 12 two bids apiece. The SEC, originally thought to be on the same page, switched gears at its spring meetings in Destin. The SEC favors five conference champions and 11 at-large bids, which would presumably favor the top conferences most seasons. The CFP announced in May that teams in the upcoming playoff will be seeded strictly on where they are ranked instead of moving pieces around to reward conference champions. While the CFP contract from 2026 through the 2031 season requires the SEC and Big Ten to consult other leagues about prospective changes to the playoff system, it also provides them with the ability to impose changes they both want. Now it's a matter of getting on the same page. |
| Hugh Freeze, John Cohen discuss Auburn's experience with new NIL GO clearinghouse | |
| Auburn's roster building and NIL strategies since the House Settlement was passed have been under a microscope this summer. The Tigers' 2026 recruiting class has plummeted in the national rankings since June, a drop highlighted by four players decommitting. Head coach Hugh Freeze and athletic director John Cohen both attributed the recent struggles to Auburn's adjustment to the new revenue sharing era and the program's strategy for preserving the current roster and staying under the cap. Both Freeze and Cohen have emphasized that they don't believe other schools are operating by the same rules as Auburn, something they think could change on Aug. 1, when offers can start going into writing. Cohen elaborated more on Auburn's experience with NIL GO so far, saying that it's "a little hit or miss right now." "You're convinced that something that a businessperson in the business community put through is gonna go through and sail through, and it doesn't," Cohen said. "And then you're convinced that something that something everybody else puts in probably isn't going to go through, and it does. But I think we're all going to go through this learning experience." |
| Lane Kiffin challenges revenue sharing cap enforcement, trolls Hugh Freeze at SEC Media Days | |
| All eyes in the college football world were on none other than Lane Kiffin on Monday when the Ole Miss head coach took the main stage at SEC Media Days. With the cameras pointed in his direction, the Rebel front man harped on how attempts to regulate the ever-evolving landscape of college football have been flawed. On brand, he also took a series of shots at Hugh Freeze during his time at the podium. Specifically, Kiffin pointed to how his program operated "on a budget" ahead of a federal judge's approval of the landmark House v. NCAA settlement that allows universities to pay student-athletes up to $20.5 million out of their athletics departments' coffers. The revenue sharing implementation came with strings attached for name, image, and likeness deals. Now, all NIL agreements worth more than $600 must be approved by a clearinghouse managed by accounting firm Deloitte. "I think it's obvious people aren't staying within that cap, so I think the whole thing will be, what does that look like? That's what we don't know," Kiffin remarked. "What does it look like when you don't and what are the punishments for that? Do you win, and that comes later?" Kiffin did, on the other hand, contend that the new revenue-sharing framework will create a semblance of parity. |
| LSU helped launch it. Now Bocock Brothers' college cigar line is growing | |
| Last year, Houston-based cigar company Bocock Brothers made history when it began selling officially licensed LSU cigars. It was the first time a major university had partnered with a cigar brand. Fast forward to today and the company has significantly broadened its scope. Bocock Brothers now has eight collegiate partners, most of them in the SEC: LSU, Mississippi State University, Texas A&M University, the University of Florida, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the University of Mississippi, the University of Missouri and Wake Forest University. And more partnerships are on the way. "It all started with LSU," Matt Anderson, the company's global sales and marketing director, tells Daily Report. "They were the first ones to take a chance on a tobacco company and enter into a partnership like this." Bocock Brothers' pitch is simple: capitalize on the long-standing culture of cigar smoking after sporting victories, a culture that's pervasive in the SEC. With universities now required to come up with more than $20 million to pay their athletes each year, the company's pitch is even more compelling, as partner institutions receive a share of the proceeds. Inquiries increasingly are coming in from outside the SEC, according to Anderson. |
| Argument over 'valid buisiness purpose' for NIL collectives threatens college sports settlement | |
| Less than two weeks after terms of a multibillion-dollar college sports settlement went into effect, friction erupted over the definition of a "valid business purpose" that collectives making name, image likeness payments to players are supposed to have. The new College Sports Commission sent a letter to athletic directors last week saying it was rejecting deals in which players were receiving money from collectives that were created solely to pay them and don't provide goods or services to the general public for profit. A lead attorney for the players responded by saying those instructions went against settlement terms and asking the CSC to rescind the guidance. "This process is undermined when the CSC goes off the reservation and issues directions to the schools that are not consistent with the Settlement Agreement terms," attorney Jeffrey Kessler wrote to NCAA outside counsel Rakesh Kilaru in a letter obtained by The Associated Press. Kessler's letter notes that the "valid business purpose" rule was designed to ensure athletes were not simply being paid to play, and did not prohibit NIL collectives from paying athletes for the type of deals described above. |
| NIL Collectives Face Uncertain Fate as House Attorneys, CSC Bicker | |
| The House settlement was supposed to bring clarity and calm to big-time college sports, but attorneys who negotiated the deal already disagree on what it means for NIL collectives. The disagreement won't imperil the multibillion-dollar truce, but it's an early test of an arrangement crafted by attorneys who may have agreed on language but not on what the words mean. Last Friday, Yahoo Sports reported on attorneys Jeffrey Kessler and Steve Berman -- the duo representing the plaintiff athletes and class members -- sending a letter to the NCAA and power conferences demanding retraction of a guidance issued last Thursday by the College Sports Commission (CSC). As Sportico detailed, the guidance clarified that an entity whose purpose is to pay athletes or colleges rather than to sell goods and services to the general public likely won't satisfy a House settlement requirement that the payor of an NIL deal worth at least $600 use the athlete's NIL for a valid business purpose. At the heart of the debate is interpretative disagreement about NCAA Bylaw 22.1.3, which governs the involvement of so-called associated entities in NIL deals. |
| Players' associations urge Congress to reject proposed bill granting NCAA antitrust exemption | |
| Players' associations for the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, NHL and MLS issued a joint statement Monday urging Congress to reject proposed legislation that would grant the NCAA and its members an antitrust exemption to address NIL issues. The statement was in response to the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act, introduced last week by members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. A markup on the bill is scheduled for Tuesday morning. In their letter, the players' associations warned that an antitrust exemption would permit the NCAA and its members to "collude to harm athletes." "Whatever progress the athletes have made has been a result of their use of the antitrust laws," they wrote. "The SCORE Act would take that weapon away from them." The proposed legislation from seven Republican and two Democratic sponsors prevents athletes from obtaining employment status and mirrors many of the terms from the recent House vs. NCAA settlement. It would officially end most administrative restrictions on athletes' NIL compensation, but it allows schools and conferences to establish what is and isn't permissible. Should the federal legislation pass, it would override current NIL laws, which vary from state to state. Earlier Monday, two members of Congress from the state of Washington, Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Republican Rep. Michael Baumgartner, issued a similar statement urging the House committee to delay the markup until there are significant changes. |
| They Have a Losing Record -- and Everyone in Baseball Is Trying to Copy Them | |
| In the standings, the Atlanta Braves have been one of the most disappointing teams in baseball this season. Once expected to contend for a championship, they instead find themselves 11 games under .500. They would need a miraculous second half to even sniff the playoffs. But in the eyes of MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and other power players in the industry, the Braves aren't just a bunch of underperforming no-hopers. In fact, they're a shining example for the rest of the sport. The reason has nothing to do with their success on the field. Rather, it's because they have become an economic juggernaut off it -- and have turbocharged perhaps the most profound change to the professional sports business in a generation. "Everybody," Manfred said at a Braves investor event last month, "looks at this model, frankly, with envy." Truist Park, the Braves' eight-year old stadium in suburban Cobb County, will host the All-Star Game for the first time on Tuesday. The event will serve as the ultimate showcase not only for the ballpark, but for the 2.25 million square feet of apartments, offices, hotels, restaurants and entertainment options that surround it. The complex features a music venue that can fit close to 4,000 people, a 10-screen movie theater, 250,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space and 1.675 million square feet of office space. Comcast, Papa Johns and Gas South are among the companies with headquarters on site. Shake Shack is opening a second U.S. hub there. And the Braves control it all, making them far more than a baseball team. They have become a real-estate developer. |
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