| Wednesday, July 30, 2025 |
| Mississippi State partners with Navy for innovative research | |
 | Officials said a new Mississippi State University (MSU) and U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command partnership is advancing key technical fields and new technologies in support of the Navy's defense mission. MSU and the Navy division recently signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement. Their goal is to meet the strategic needs in several areas, including advanced sensing and data processing, digital twinning and environmental modeling, workforce development, cybersecurity and weather-sensing technologies. The research agreement's focus areas align with the strengths of multiple MSU research centers, including the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, Center for Cyber Innovation, Geosystems Research Institute, Raspet Flight Research Lab and the National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center. "We are excited to strengthen our collaboration with CNMOC as we work together with industry partners to explore technologies that can help us better understand our ocean environments, our ships and how they impact defense missions," said MSU Associate Vice President for Research Narcisa Pricope. "By aligning our research efforts, we can help grow Mississippi's defense technology sector and the workforce needed to support future missions." |
| MSU and US Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command Enhance Collaboration Through Research Agreement | |
 | A new partnership between Mississippi State University and the US Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command is advancing key technical fields and new technologies in support of the Navy's defense mission. MSU and the Navy division recently signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the goal of meeting strategic needs in areas such as advanced sensing and data processing, digital twinning and environmental modeling, workforce development, cybersecurity, and weather-sensing technologies. Headquartered at Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi, the US Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, or CNMOC, is a global naval enterprise working in a wide range of scientific fields to deliver vital environmental data "from the seabed to the stars." The data characterizes the physical environment delivering US Navy assets and commanders an asymmetric advantage within the battlespace. MSU and CNMOC signed an Educational Partnership Agreement earlier this year to facilitate academic exchanges. "This agreement represents a strategic step forward in leveraging the combined strengths of academia, the Navy, and the defense innovation ecosystem here in Mississippi," added Jason McKenna, CNMOC chief technology officer. "By fusing CNMOC's operational oceanographic expertise with MSU's cutting-edge research in AI, sensing, and digital modeling, we are not just advancing technology -- we are preparing a future-ready workforce here in Mississippi, as well as strengthening the Navy's ability to increase lethality in increasingly complex environments." |
| Mississippi State University uses AI to recruit new students | |
 | Mississippi State University likes to meet prospective students where they are. Now, they're getting help from artificial intelligence. MSU launched an A.I. initiative with Amazon Web Services to amp up its recruitment strategy "for the purpose of AI analyses and machine learning, to help our recruiters know more about the students that we want to communicate with and have expressed interest in aligning and affiliating with us," said Sid Salter, MSU Vice President of Strategic Communications. "I think this tool will empower us to find students that are looking for a university just like Mississippi State, particularly those who have interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics," said Salter. MSU is the first university in Mississippi and the Southeastern Conference to use Amazon's AI services. After networking with MSU partners, Amazon pitched the idea to the university to test the new technology. "As the state's leading research university, they chose Mississippi State, which we're thrilled about it. We're thrilled at what we can learn and the benefits that can inure to the university through that," said Salter. |
| Biochar improves soil health for cotton production, study confirms | |
| For generations, farmers have used natural materials such as lime, gypsum and manure to improve their soil for growing crops. Now, a team of researchers led by the University of Missouri is giving new purpose to an established material -- biochar, a charcoal-like substance made from leftover plant waste -- and showing how it can address challenges facing today's cotton growers. The Mizzou researchers -- led by Gurbir Singh, assistant professor of plant sciences at Mizzou's College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, and MU Extension state specialist -- turned to bagasse, a fibrous organic material left over after sugarcane is pressed for its juice. When converted into biochar and added to the soil, the product improved the soil's ability to hold onto nutrients and moisture, giving cotton plants a better chance to grow strong and healthy. "Biochar impact on soil properties and soil solution nutrient concentrations under cotton production" was published in the Journal of Environmental Management. Co-authors are Gurpreet Kaur and Kelly Nelson at Mizzou; Ramandeep Kumar Sharma at Rutgers University; Amrinder Jakhar at University of Georgia; Jagmandeep Dhillon at Mississippi State University; and Saseendran Anapalli at the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. Singh, Jakhar and Kaur also have joint affiliations at Mississippi State University. This study was done at the Mississippi State University Delta Research and Extension Center in collaboration with USDA Agriculture Research Service's Crop Production System Research Unit in Stoneville, Mississippi. |
| Mississippi businesses adjust to new seafood labeling requirements | |
 | Mississippi seafood businesses and regulators are still adjusting to a new labeling law that requires all seafood sold directly to consumers to be marked as either domestic or imported. The law was passed earlier this year after a federal investigation revealed that Mary Mahoney's Old French House in Biloxi had for years falsely marketed imported seafood as local. The owner pleaded guilty to wire fraud in November and agreed to pay more than $1 million in restitution and fines. The new labeling rules are being enforced by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (DMR), which has so far focused on outreach rather than enforcement. Businesses are being given time to adjust, said Executive Director Joe Spraggins. "All we wanted to do was see that they were trying to do what was correct, and that was to get things listed the way it should be... label it either imported or domestic." Officials hope the new requirements will give a boost to the state's seafood economy, which generated $329 million in sales and supported nearly 7,000 jobs in 2022, according to Mississippi State University. Mississippi has a smaller seafood industry than some neighboring Gulf states, but imported products still influence the market. MSU researchers estimate imports account for about 4% of industry sales in the state, far below the national average, where more than 60% of seafood consumed is imported. |
| Wayne-Sanderson Farms announces major changes to poultry company | |
 | One of the largest poultry producers in the world just got bigger. Wayne-Sanderson Farms, the third largest poultry producer in the world, with about 8% market share, has announced the acquisition of Georgia-based Harrison Poultry. According to company literature, "Harrison Poultry is known for its proprietary 'Golden Goodness' range of traditional, international and halal poultry products." "We are proud to welcome the Harrison Poultry team into the Wayne-Sanderson Farms family," Kevin McDaniel, Wayne-Sanderson Farms President and CEO, said in a statement. "We are well matched. Wayne-Sanderson Farms is known for quality people, quality farm partners and quality products, and so is Harrison Poultry. We expect the transition to be practically seamless." This follows a range of major changes during the last several years including the merger of Wayne Farms and Laurel, Mississippi-based Sanderson Farms in 2022. Sanderson Farms had been run by long-time CEO and chairman of the board, Joe Sanderson. The headquarters of the combined company has been in Oakwood, Georgia, but an office has since been maintained in Laurel. |
| Groundbreaking ceremony celebrates Pearl River County Technology Park | |
 | A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Tuesday, July 29, for the Pearl River County Technology Park. Officials said the new development will create high-paying jobs for Mississippians as technology and aerospace-related businesses move into the new space. "When they build buildings here, there are companies that will locate here and they will hire Mississippians to work here and that's the vision that we have," said Gov. Tate Reeves, who attended the groundbreaking ceremony. "It's worked all over the state, and it's going to work right here in Pearl River County." The 30-acre site is located at 99 Runway Road, across from the Picayune Municipal Airport. The Master Plan depicts the technology park site with ten 10,000 square foot buildings, each of which could be expanded if needed. The park will cost approximately $2.4 million, which is being funded by state grants and partners. |
| U.S. Economy Grew at 3.0% Rate in Second Quarter | |
 | The U.S. economy returned to growth in the second quarter after contracting in the first, largely due to trade swings. The Commerce Department said U.S. gross domestic product -- the value of all goods and services produced across the economy -- rose at a seasonally and inflation adjusted 3.0% annual rate in the second quarter. The reading exceeded the 2.3% growth that economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expected. It followed a first quarter where GDP shrank at a 0.5% annual rate as businesses loaded up on imports to get ahead of the Trump administration's anticipated tariffs. Over the first six months of the year, the economy grew, but at a much more modest pace than last year: at a 1.2% annual rate. That was slower than 2.5% growth in 2024, measured from the fourth quarter of the prior year, and comes as the economy has grappled this year with stop-start tariff policies, a nosedive and partial recovery in consumer sentiment and worker deportations. While consumers continue to be supported by a strong labor market, weakness in business investment is likely to continue in the third quarter due to ongoing trade disputes, said U.S. Bank chief economist Beth Ann Bovino. President Trump welcomed the 3% reading and called for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates in a post on Truth Social. "No Inflation! Let people buy, and refinance, their homes!" he said. |
| Concrete is cheaper, but history said no: Why these Jackson curbs cost $170K | |
| Most people walk right over them. But these cost six figures.Outside Mississippi's Old Capitol building in Downtown Jackson, a row of granite curbs has bordered the street for more than 120 years. Now, they've been replaced -- at a cost to taxpayers of just over $170,000. The gray, almost marble-like curbs, stretch 680 linear feet from Pearl Street to Amite Street. The curb work is tied to State Street Improvement Project, a $29 million, state-funded initiative that spans one of Jackson's busiest corridors between Fortification and Capitol streets. Construction began in January 2024 and is unfolding in phases through summer 2026. Waggoner Engineering designed the project, and Hemphill Construction is handling the build. According to project documents, the curb replacement was justified as a restoration effort. The granite curbs were not part of the original 1830s Capitol building, according to Barry White, director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History's historic preservation division. They were added in 1902. The Old Capitol building carries multiple historic designations. While those federal designations don't dictate what kind of curb materials must be used, White said the site is protected under Mississippi's Antiquities Law. That law requires review and approval by MDAH for any changes to publicly owned historic properties. In this case, MDAH required the granite curbs to either be preserved or replaced in-kind. |
| Hackers derail Mississippi's second opioid council meeting | |
| A cybersecurity attack displaying explicit, racist and antisemitic images derailed Mississippi's second meeting to begin the process of allocating the state's opioid settlement dollars, further delaying the process of using the money to address addiction. Mississippi's Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Council was scheduled to meet Tuesday at 1 p.m. to further develop how the Legislature will allocate up to $73.3 million from companies that catalyzed the country's overdose crisis. Unlike the council's first meeting three weeks earlier, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch's office hosted the second exclusively over a Zoom video call. Public participants were not required to sign in to the meeting before joining. About 10 minutes into the meeting, as meeting host and Fitch special assistant Caleb Pracht asked for approval of the last gathering's minutes, a Zoom participant noticed that Pracht's screen was partially blacked out. As Pracht tried to fix the screen, an unidentified voice interrupted the meeting and said, "Yep, that is really good to hear because..." At that point, distorted music started playing, and an unidentified guest took control of the host screen. The chaos lasted about 20 seconds until the Attorney General's office ended the meeting. In a call with Mississippi Today, Fitch’s Chief of Staff Michelle Williams confirmed someone had hacked the Zoom meeting, an incident she said was unlike anything the Attorney General’s Office had ever experienced before. |
| 'All in on Mississippi:' A Jackson event looks into the state's brain drain and economy | |
| Hundreds of attendees joined local and national business leaders at the Mississippi Museum of Art in downtown Jackson Monday for "All in on Mississippi." The half-day event focused on strategies to address the state's brain drain while strengthening local economies. The event was hosted by Deep South Today and the digital news platform Mississippi Today. The forum was a mix of business and civic discussions. JPMorgan Chase chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon offered perspectives on how Mississippi could attract economic opportunities. Mississippi businessman Tommy Duff, who is considering a run for governor, says that he simply wants to support good government in the state. "Am I conservative? Certainly," he said during a one-on-one conversation with MT's editor-in-chief, Adam Ganucheau. "And very conservative in my beliefs and in my thinking process. But I also realized that life has practicality. You have to do the right things and move ahead. I'm as concerned about the problems in the Delta, and I can assure you that if I were to run and show up there and they look at me and say, what are you doing up there, why do you care? They might not agree with me, but I hope they'll say I cared, because that's what's important." Speakers were focused on the impact Mississippi's brain drain has had on the state - and potential solutions for it. |
| Mississippi broadband expansion moves forward despite federal changes | |
| Despite twists and turns, Mississippi took a step forward this week in expanding broadband access in the state. There have been concerns that the Trump administration would make cuts to the Biden era program. While there have not been cuts to the bulk of the money, the changes to the federal program have caused concern for advocates about the program's affordability, technology/stability and community engagement. Internet service providers submitted over 300 applications for grant funding to provide internet to underserved areas according to Sally Doty, the director of the Office of Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi. BEAM is responsible for managing the $1.2 billion the state plans to receive from the federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program. BEAD is a $42-billion program passed by Congress in 2021 as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. But on June 6, the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration altered the criteria to select providers. The notice eliminated the preference for fiber broadband and requirements for labor, community engagement, climate resilience and low cost/affordable plans. It did not change the amount earmarked for each state. |
| Unhoused Mississippians Fear 'Nowhere to Go' Under New Laws | |
| Two state laws targeting the homeless population that went into effect July 1 are raising concerns across Mississippi, particularly in communities where support systems for unhoused people are already strained. House Bill 1203 prohibits camping on public property not designated for shelter, making it punishable by a fine up to $50. House Bill 1197 requires people who solicit donations to obtain a permit that could cost up to $25 per day. The laws are intended to limit encampments and panhandling on public property, but in Hattiesburg -- where few shelters exist and homeless services are already stretched -- nonprofit leaders said they worry enforcement could further displace vulnerable people. Hattiesburg has 145 people experiencing homelessness -- one of the highest numbers of homeless people outside of the Jackson metro area and Gulf Coast, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's 2025 Point-in-Time Count. One of those people is Jarvis Ingram, a longtime Hattiesburg resident who became homeless after the death of a family member two years ago. He now gets showers and meals at the Fieldhouse for the Homeless and sleeps on the streets. Cynthia Young, co-founder of the Fieldhouse, said she has already seen growing concern among homeless residents like Ingram. |
| Senate confirms Trump nominee to lead CDC | |
 | The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Susan Monarez to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), putting a longtime government scientist at the helm of an agency being upended by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Monarez, 50, is President Trump's second pick for the job. She was confirmed on a largely party-line vote, 51-47. The CDC has not had a leader since March, when Monarez stepped down as acting director because she was nominated to be director. She is the first nominee for CDC director to require Senate confirmation. Monarez will take the helm of an agency under fire. The Trump administration is looking to slash its budget by almost half in 2026, and hundreds of staff have been cut. Meanwhile, doctors and public health experts have accused Kennedy of undermining the agency's credibility by changing vaccine recommendations and firing all members of a vaccine advisory panel. Unlike other Trump health nominees, Monarez is not known as a controversial flamethrower. She has worked in the federal government for nearly 20 years across multiple offices but had not worked for the CDC prior to Trump tapping her as the agency's acting head shortly after beginning his second term. Prior to her role at CDC, she served as deputy director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. |
| Senators introduce resolution supporting U.S. Preventive Services Task Force | |
 | Two senators introduced a resolution Tuesday evening to preserve the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, following reports that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. may soon fire its current members. Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine and Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., sponsored the resolution. "Prevention is at the heart of how we need to approach the cost of health care in this country," King said, in an interview with NPR. "To see that process disrupted would be a huge blow to the health of Americans." The resolution recognizes the "important work" of the Task Force, which has convened voluntary, independent medical experts to review evidence and make recommendations for primary care physicians since 1984. Since the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, its recommendations have been tied to services and medicines that most health insurers must cover without co-pays. King worries that if the Task Force's current processes get disrupted, "we could end up with recommendations for interventions that aren't proven, that don't have a scientific and factual basis that could end up costing the system more money." U.S. primary care doctors use these guidelines every day, says Dr. Carol Mangione, a primary care doctor and professor at UCLA, who has served as a member and chair of the USPSTF, and she hopes the task force will continue to function as it currently does. |
| Trump not letting off pressure campaign against Grassley over 'blue slips' | |
 | President Donald Trump is continuing his overnight crusade against Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley in an apparent attempt to pressure the Iowa Republican to ram through more nominees coming before his panel without deference to lawmakers whose states would be affected. Trump early Wednesday morning re-posted several Truth Social messages from various users calling attention to Grassley's age -- he'll be 92 years old in September -- and expressing support for the Judiciary chair to follow Trump's wishes. Trump specifically wants Grassley to abandon the so-called blue slip policy for district court judges and U.S. attorney nominees, a practice that allows home state senators to object to the personnel picks for their state and in turn gives the minority party some power over the process. Grassley gave up the practice for circuit court judges during Trump's first term but has not indicated a willingness to jettison it for other positions. It did not appear that Grassley was immediately receptive to Trump's pleading, saying Tuesday night, "I've already spoken about the blue slip problem. And I've got no more to say than what I've been saying for 50 years." His office also provided a statement saying Grassley has, and will continue, to move judges through his committee with buy-in from Democrats. |
| Senate confirms former Trump personal attorney for lifetime post | |
 | The Senate confirmed President Donald Trump's controversial former personal attorney to a lifetime federal appeals court post Tuesday on a narrow party-line vote. Emil Bove, who has served as a Justice Department official in the first few months of Trump's second term, will take a lifetime post on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit despite Democrats' concerns about his efforts to reshape the department in Trump's image. Those concerns included reported comments contemplating defying court orders and dropping a corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams for Adams' support of Trump's immigration policies. In floor speeches, Democrats argued that Bove was not fit for a lifetime appointment to a court which hears cases from Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the Virgin Islands. Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., criticized Republicans for proceeding with Bove's nomination in the face of whistleblower claims about his conduct and testimony to the committee. Durbin called Bove's nomination "an alarming departure" from nominees in Trump's first term. "Mr. Bove's primary qualification appears to be his blind loyalty to this president," Durbin said. The vote to confirm Bove was 50-49. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, were the only Republicans to vote against him. |
| Medicaid was signed into law 60 years ago. Trump's big bill is chiseling it back | |
 | On this day in 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed legislation into law that launched Medicaid, creating a U.S. health care safety net for millions of low-income Americans in what would become one of the crowning achievements of his domestic legacy. A year earlier, he did the same for food stamps, drawing on President John F. Kennedy's first executive order for the development of "a positive food and nutrition program for all Americans." This summer, with the stroke of a pen, President Donald Trump began to chisel them back. The Republican Party's big tax and spending bill delivered not just $4.5 trillion in tax breaks for Americans but some of the most substantial changes to the landmark safety net programs in their history. The trade-off will cut more than $1 trillion over a decade from federal health care and food assistance, largely by imposing work requirements on those receiving aid and by shifting certain federal costs onto the states. As the tax breaks and spending cuts law begins to take shape, it is unleashing a new era of uncertainty for the safety net programs that millions of people in communities across the nation have grown to depend on, with political ramifications to come. Local governments are scrambling to figure out how they will comply with the new landscape, calculating whether they will need to raise their own taxes to cover costs, trim budgets elsewhere or cut back the aid provided to Americans. |
| SNAP cuts threaten grocery stores, wholesalers and farms nationwide | |
| Big cuts are coming to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. As changes Congress made to SNAP in the "Big Beautiful Bill" phase in, including new work requirements, new paperwork requirements, and new requirements that states foot some of the bill for the food assistance program, more than half of the 42 million people who rely on SNAP could lose some or all of their benefits. That will not just affect their ability to afford groceries, it will also affect the stores where they buy those groceries. "I think most people don't recognize how many of the businesses, and especially food establishments in their communities, are bolstered by SNAP dollars," said Lily Roberts, managing director for inclusive growth at the Center for American Progress. "SNAP is an incredible boost to local economies." More than 27,000 retailers around the country are likely to be hit particularly hard by the coming cuts to SNAP, because they're located in an area where a high percentage of people receive food assistance, according to a recent analysis from the Center for American Progress. That includes businesses ranging from farm stands to big box stores. Now that the program is facing cuts, that loss of revenue may be enough to cause some stores to close. Those closures would ripple through the economy. "You can look at the supply chain in reverse, from table to farm," said Greg Silverman, CEO and executive director of the West Side Campaign Against Hunger in New York City. |
| Trump's Tax Bill Expands Farm Subsidies. Not All Farmers Will Benefit. | |
 | In the high plains of western Texas, 600 or so farms in Gaines County are projected to receive an additional $258 million in government payments over the next decade under President Trump's marquee domestic policy law -- the largest increase in the country. By contrast, along the coast of California, 1,000 farms in Monterey County will collectively receive just $390,000 in additional payments, according to one analysis. The difference comes down to what the farms grow, and illustrates the stark disparity in who stands to benefit from the president's sweeping tax and domestic policy bill. Under the new law, more than $60 billion in additional funding will be funneled toward agricultural subsidy programs, with large farms, particularly those in the South, poised to reap the most benefits. For those farmers, the law will provide reprieve from financial uncertainty caused by volatile global markets and high costs of fertilizer, equipment and other resources. But owners of smaller farms and independent producers who grow fresh fruits and vegetables or raise livestock have expressed concern that the distribution of funding will only deepen the consolidation of an industry that has lost over 300,000 farms in the past two decades. |
| Budget cuts knock down a 'pillar of public health,' ending nutrition education | |
| Sixteen children tumbled into nutritionist Kelsey Davis's cooking class on a hot July morning, some hugging their counselors, some high-fiving the other 9- and 10-year-olds. Full of energy and opinions, they took their seats in the YMCA classroom in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood, ready for another lesson. Davis asked them to name their favorite fast food restaurants and what they like about that food. McDonalds. Burger King. Popeyes. 7-11. Why? The fried and crunchy choices. And "the smell is something else." On this day's menu were zucchini fritters and ranch dressing that they would make and eat, taking turns grating the vegetables, mixing the eggs and flour, combining the lemon and yogurt, and measuring the spices. Leavened into Davis's directions were reminders of what fast foods and the sodas served with them may contain: unhealthy amounts of sugar, fats, and salt. "Cooking can help you control those things," she said. The YMCA class is one example of SNAP-Education, an extension of the federal government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. About 400 children participate in this particular program in Boston neighborhoods, while a total of roughly 1,100 individuals are also touched by the program's Mobile Markets, where fresh food and education are available for families to choose. Across the country, there is a common theme among educators: Telling people to eat healthier foods is one thing. Teaching them how to do it is another. "That's the role that education plays," said Beverly Durgan, dean of the University of Minnesota Extension. Like other land-grant universities across the country, hers oversees SNAP-Education efforts throughout her state. |
| Stronger Than Fentanyl: A Drug You've Never Heard of Is Killing Hundreds Every Year | |
| Fentanyl fueled the worst drug crisis the West has ever seen. Now, an even more dangerous drug is wreaking havoc faster than authorities can keep up. The looming danger is an emerging wave of highly potent synthetic opioids called nitazenes, which often pack a far stronger punch than fentanyl. Nitazenes have already killed hundreds of people in Europe and left law enforcement and scientists scrambling to detect them in the drug supply and curb their spread. The opioids, most of which originate in China, are so strong that even trace amounts can trigger a fatal overdose. They have been found mixed into heroin and recreational drugs, counterfeit painkillers and antianxiety medication. Their enormous risk is only dawning on authorities. Europe, which has skirted the kind of opioid pandemic plaguing the U.S., is now on the front line as nitazenes push into big heroin and opioid markets such as Britain and the Baltic states. The U.K.'s National Crime Agency has warned that partly due to nitazenes, "there has never been a more dangerous time to take drugs." In the U.S., where fentanyl dominated the opioid market, nitazenes had as of last year been found in at least 4,300 drug seizures since 2019, usually in fentanyl mixtures, and have led to dozens of deaths. But reporting on the drugs is sparse and relies on self-reporting. Many overdose toxicology tests don't include nitazenes. |
| Jackson man dies in roofing accident at MUW | |
 | A man from Jackson died after falling Monday from the rooftop of Painter Hall at Mississippi University for Women. Ignacio Hernandez, 47, a contractor with Roofing Solutions LLC, was working with a crew removing the roof when it is believed his safety equipment failed, causing him to fall approximately 35 feet to the ground, Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant said. Hernandez's coworkers alerted authorities at 11 a.m. First responders arrived shortly after, including a team in a medical evacuation helicopter. Hernandez was too unstable to be flown for treatment, Merchant said. Instead, he was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle by ambulance and passed away shortly after arriving. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials arrived at MUW Tuesday to begin investigating the incident. The construction on Painter Hall began Monday and is part of roofing upgrades across the campus, MUW Communications Director Tyler Wheat said. "The W community extends its deepest sympathies to the family," a statement sent by the university said. |
| Magnolia Mornings: USM's Garretson crowned 2025 Mississippi Miss Hospitality | |
| The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is celebrating Taylor Garretson, a senior who was recently crowned the 2025 Mississippi Miss Hospitality. The school said the Greene County native emerged at the top of a highly competitive field of 47 contestants from across the state, following a rigorous week of interviews, speeches and stage presentations. Now serving as the 76th Mississippi Miss Hospitality, Garretson, a digital journalism major and dance minor, will spend the next year traveling the state as a goodwill ambassador for economic development and tourism. |
| Mississippi students, professors receive Fulbright Awards | |
| Mississippi has seen recent immense growth in education, and now a few students and instructors are looking to help overseas students to grow as well. The University of Mississippi, the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and Millsaps College announced the recipients for the Fulbright Scholars Awards, which totals eight students and two faculty members from the universities. Ole Miss had seven students receive scholarships, while Millsaps had one. Southern Miss had two professors receive the Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) Award. The Fulbright program is a U.S. Government-sponsored program that seeks to increase mutual understanding and support friendly and peaceful relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The program awards approximately 8,000 merit-based grants every year to accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds and fields. These students and faculty will be sent to places such as Taiwan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Kazakhstan, Germany, Luxembourg, France and Spain. |
| College and Universities Day at the Neshoba County Fair | |
 | Tuesday was also Colleges Day at the Neshoba County Fair. Multiple colleges made a presence, with East Central Community College bringing their Centralettes dance team and Collegians rock band as part of their 41st year at Mississippi's Giant Houseparty. ECCC President Brent Gregory says the college's presence at the fair helps bring together students and alumni, while also giving prospective students a chance to see what's happening at East Central. "This gives us an opportunity to highlight all the wonderful things going on at East Central Community College. This is part of our district, here at the fair, it's something that's in our blood. A lot of our students are here, a lot of alumni that will be here today, so it's just a really exciting thing for our college." Lucas Calvert with East Central says EC's day at the fair is a great time to reach out to upcoming students, while also showing love to their alumni. "We serve 5 counties. We have Winston, Neshoba, Newton, Scott, and Lee County, so right in the middle of that is Neshoba, so it's kind of the hub for our district." |
| After K-12 funding change, lawmakers restart higher ed outcomes-based discussion | |
| Alabama lawmakers will soon analyze options for adding an outcomes-based funding formula to four-year colleges' annual appropriations. The Legislature's education budget and policy committees will begin meeting in late August to discuss tying some state funding to the universities' performance, including possibly graduation and retention rates. The goal is to drive improvement in the institutions and reward them for that work, Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, recently told Alabama Daily News. "The wish would be that we're able to navigate legislation through the process in the 2026 session and get buy-in from our higher education institutions for a mutually beneficial product," Orr said. Some performance-based funding could be in place in fiscal 2027. Orr said the upcoming conversations are the second part of a plan to use funding to get improved outputs in education. Lawmakers and Gov. Kay Ivey this year approved the RAISE Act, a new formula that provides targeted funding to K-12 schools serving students with greater academic and economic challenges, including poverty and special education needs, using weights that add per-student funding. They dedicated an initial $166 million to the effort. It is outside of and in addition to the state's traditional school funding model. |
| Active-shooter training at Neville Arena prepares police for the worst-case scenario | |
 | There were 503 mass shootings in 2024, according to the Gun Violence Archive. While it's not a common phenomenon in our community, Auburn police train to ensure the department and local first responders are prepared if something like that ever occurred in the area. The APD collaborated with Auburn University's Emergency Management Department and the Lee County Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday to conduct an emergency response training exercise designed to simulate an active shooter scenario at Neville Arena. Another is planned for Wednesday. Patrick O'Hara, emergency services manager at Auburn Public Safety, organized the active shooter training and said the goal was to learn from it and adjust the department's tactics and strategies should an event like that ever unfold. To "put it altogether," APD collaborated with AU to stage the entire event at Neville Arena. The idea was that the scenario would what if an active shooter opened fire at an Auburn basketball game. Police could not do a one-to-one scenario, which would have to involve around 10,000 in the arena, but the training did have several volunteers sitting in seats as music played over the speakers. |
| Interim U. of Florida President Kent Fuchs agrees to one-month extension | |
 | As the University of Florida continues to search for a permanent leader, interim President Kent Fuchs has agreed to a one-month contract extension ending Sept. 1, a UF spokesperson confirmed July 29. A new interim president will be named before Fuchs steps down, UF spokesperson Steve Orlando said. The university plans to launch a new presidential search early next year. Fuchs was UF's president from 2015 until 2023, and he has been its interim president since August 2024. Details about the leadership transition were discussed at a presidential Cabinet meeting July 29. So far, the university has not released details about the makeup or timeline of the search committee, nor has it announced any potential candidates to succeed Fuchs in the interim role. Fuch's contract extension is the latest development in what has been a rocky stretch for leadership at Florida's flagship university. |
| Want in-state tuition at the U. of South Carolina? How students can apply for residency | |
 | University of South Carolina students who live in South Carolina pay almost $25,000 less in tuition per year than those who don't call the Palmetto State home. But how does the university determine who's an in-state student? The university, under state law, considers multiple criteria before giving a student the in-state rate of $12,688 per year, which has been frozen for eight years. Out-of-state tuition is $37,388 per year. USC is required by state law to determine the classification of applicants who claim South Carolina as their home and legal residence. In-state residency is decided at the time of a student's admission and can affect the cost of tuition and eligibility for scholarships. Even if a student isn't a born-and-raised South Carolinian, they may still have the opportunity to take advantage of frozen tuition. But they need the proper intent and documentation. A student must establish their "domicile" -- their principal and permanent home -- in South Carolina. However, USC noted that students cannot seek resident status for the sole purpose of enrolling in the school or accessing other state-supported programs. The burden of proof, USC said, rests with the student to provide the required evidence to document a change in resident status. |
| FIRE: 'Green Light' Campus Free Expression Policies on the Rise | |
 | The number of colleges and universities with written policies that do not seriously threaten student expression are on the rise this year, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression's 19th annual "Spotlight on Speech Codes" report, published Tuesday. Since 2006, FIRE has grouped hundreds of public and private higher education institutions into three overall categories based on their campus speech policies: green, yellow and red lights. This year, 73 of the 490 (14.9 percent) colleges and universities surveyed received a green light ranking -- meaning their policies don't threaten free expression -- compared to 63 last year. It's the highest share since 2012, when just 3.6 percent of institutions earned green-light ratings. For the first time in 19 years, the number of green-light colleges outnumbered those in the red-light category (14.7 percent), reserved for institutions with policies that "clearly and substantially restrict free speech," according to the report. Last year, 20 percent of institutions received a red-light rating. Although political and institutional responses to campus protests related to the Israel-Hamas war reignited debate over free expression last year, the report attributed the decrease in red-light ratings to colleges and universities revising their policies related to harassment, hate speech and bias-reporting systems. Lawsuits, free speech advocacy -- from students, alumni and groups like FIRE -- and lawmaker scrutiny have all spurred changes in recent years. |
| OpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT for college students | |
| OpenAI is launching Study Mode, a version of ChatGPT for college students that it promises will act less like a lookup tool and more like a friendly, always-available tutor. It's part of a wider push by the company to get AI more embedded into classrooms when the new academic year starts in September. A demonstration for reporters from OpenAI showed what happens when a student asks Study Mode about an academic subject like game theory. The chatbot begins by asking what the student wants to know and then attempts to build an exchange, where the pair work methodically toward the answer together. OpenAI says the tool was built after consulting with pedagogy experts from over 40 institutions. A handful of college students who were part of OpenAI's testing cohort -- hailing from Princeton, Wharton, and the University of Minnesota -- shared positive reviews of Study Mode, saying it did a good job of checking their understanding and adapting to their pace. The learning approaches that OpenAI has programmed into Study Mode, which are based partially on Socratic methods, appear sound, says Christopher Harris, an educator in New York who has created a curriculum aimed at AI literacy. They might grant educators more confidence about allowing, or even encouraging, their students to use AI. "Professors will see this as working with them in support of learning as opposed to just being a way for students to cheat on assignments," he says. |
| Federal Actions Loom Large at NACUBO Conference | |
| Just outside of Washington, D.C., across the Potomac River, Capitol Hill cast a shadow over the annual meeting of the National Association of College and University Business Officers, where concerns over federal funding and policy changes were palpable among attendees. At panels and in side conversations during the three-day meeting, held at the sprawling Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, attendees swapped strategies, drilled into pressing issues and commiserated over pressures on the sector wrought by both the political environment and a business model that is strained in many places. Representatives of a diverse mix of institutions from across the nation attended, but common challenges emerged: They worry about the impact of looming federal policy changes, which they expect to add pressure to institutions already grappling with financial challenges related to enrollment declines, high tuition discount rates and other issues. |
| Columbia's Deal With Trump Stokes Fears of Federal Admissions Audits | |
 | Everyone wants to see the numbers. For as long as Americans have been hyperventilating about who gets into the nation's most selective colleges, they've been scouring admissions data at big-name private colleges and public flagships in hopes of making sense of outcomes that can seem arbitrary, unfair, or even unjust. Now, Uncle Sam is poised to scrutinize admissions data like never before. The controversial deal Columbia University struck with the Trump administration last week includes a provision that will subject the university to regular examination of its admissions numbers for the next three years. And the agreement requires Columbia to turn over data that goes beyond what the federal government already requires colleges to submit. According to the terms of the deal, each fall Columbia will share data -- "broken down by race, color, grade-point average, and performance on standardized tests" -- on all rejected and admitted applicants with a jointly chosen independent monitor. (Federal law distinguishes between "race" and "color," which refers to skin color, pigmentation, or complexion.) That trove of information on applicants, the agreement says, will be "subjected to a comprehensive audit." The unprecedented arrangement offers a powerful reminder: Scrutiny of admissions outcomes has only intensified since the Supreme Court's 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College. |
| Will Trump's Bill Reverse Health Improvements for College Students? | |
| In the 11 years since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, state-level Medicaid expansions have had a positive impact on college students, studies show. Uninsured rates dropped, graduation rates improved and more students were able to access mental health diagnoses and medication. Now experts fear those improvements could be at risk due to the Medicaid cuts and paperwork requirements included in President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. "We can see direct effects in terms of students' ability to succeed in college when they have health insurance, many of them ... through Medicaid," said Peter Granville, a fellow at the Century Foundation, a progressive think tank. "By extension, we can expect cuts to Medicaid to have negative impacts on students' abilities to succeed in college and get their degree." The changes to Medicaid come on top of other financial blows to students included in the legislation, including new caps on federal student loans. They also arrive at a time when more young people are citing mental health challenges as a main reason they're not planning to attend college. And young people's mental health continues to suffer, with one in 10 of those between 12 and 17 reporting thoughts of suicide, according to a new Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report, making access to affordable mental health care all the more vital. |
| Trump administration halts, then releases, NIH research funding | |
 | The Trump administration on Tuesday temporarily halted all funding for science research issued by the National Institutes of Health before releasing the funds later in the day, according to emails obtained by The Washington Post and more than a half-dozen federal officials familiar with the matter. The halt stemmed from a footnote in an Office of Management and Budget document, according to an email sent to NIH staff Tuesday afternoon by the NIH's associate director for budget, Neil Shapiro. The OMB gave the NIH its "full-year apportionment" of congressionally mandated funds, Shapiro wrote, but included a footnote limiting what the NIH could spend the money on. Finance officials within the agency "interpreted this footnote to permit NIH obligations only for salaries, administrative expenses, and Clinical Center expenses," Shapiro wrote. But research money including "research grant, R & D contract, or training awards cannot be issued during this pause," Shapiro wrote. He added: "We are working to make this limitation short-term and temporary." If the money had not later been unfrozen, the move would have affected about $15 billion in federal funds, according to the office of Sen. Patty Murray (Washington), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Contacted for comment Tuesday evening, less than four hours after Shapiro sent his email, OMB spokeswoman Rachel Cauley said that the money will be given out. |
| 'One big, beautiful bill' adoption signals both danger and opportunities for the state's rural hospitals | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: Much of the public debate of the so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4 focused on impacts on Medicaid and the food and nutrition programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) in poor rural states like Mississippi. A summary of the massive 870-page bill by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials offered this assessment: "The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill's health provisions will result in 11.8 million people losing health coverage by 2034." ASTHO analysts suggest that states will feel the impacts of the bill in increased Medicaid coverage loss for work requirement noncompliance, Medicaid eligibility changes, and limits on coverage of noncitizens. The group also forecasts impacts on the ability of states to fund the state share of Medicaid in the face of decreased federal funding for state Medicaid programs. However, contained in the ASTHO summary is a provision not included in the initial House-passed OBBBA. The Senate added a provision called the Rural Health Transformation Program as a hedge against fears that Medicaid cuts would harm the nation's rural hospitals. Republican holdouts in the U.S. Senate, led by Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME), inserted the provision to establish a $50 billion fund to support the delivery of health care in rural communities to mitigate the Medicaid cuts. |
SPORTS
| What the NFL salary cap has to do with Mississippi State football revenue sharing | |
| Revenue sharing where schools can directly pay athletes began July 1 and early returns for Mississippi State football have been positive, according to general manager Marc Votteler. The approved House settlement in June gave the anticipated green light for schools to pay athletes up to $20.5 million per year, divided among the different sports at the school's discretion. Mississippi State has not revealed what percentages have been allocated to each sport, but football is expected to get the most because of its exponential revenue and large roster. The contracts with the athletes are not publicized, either. Votteler said MSU tried to make the transition simple from the name, image and likeness (NIL) era to the revenue-sharing era. Athletes paychecks used to come from the Bulldog Initiative, MSU's NIL collective. Now, they can come from the university. "Some schools had to have new contracts and all that," Votteler said on July 29 during Mississippi State football's local media day. "We didn't get into any of that. Kind of transitioned over. It's been a smooth transition." But perhaps the trickiest part is the constantly evolving rules surrounding revenue sharing. "You get the plan in place, and you just adapt with the punches when things kind of adjust," Votteler said. |
| Bulldog defense eyeing improvement after roster, coaching shakeups | |
| Mississippi State defensive ends coach Vincent Dancy made his unit's job clear from the first day he set foot inside the Leo Seal football complex: "We have to get after the quarterback." Dancy, who also coaches outside linebackers and spent the past two seasons working with Deion Sanders at Colorado after a five-year stint as Mississippi Valley's head coach, knows the key to a strong defense starts up front. "We have to generate pressure on the QB for those guys on the back end of the field to create turnovers," he continued. "That's who we will be up front. We will be aggressive, we will be a bunch of guys that's chasing that ball every down, every play, or else you won't play." Mississippi State brought in 10 players to fill out a barren defensive line and edge-rush depth chart, emphasizing experience with six senior and graduate transfers. That depth could be a difference maker for the team as it looks to rediscover an identity up front. At SEC Media Days in Atlanta two weeks ago, defensive captain Issac Smith stressed the importance of player accountability after a historically bad year for the program, remarking that, "Coaches can't go out there and play for us." Smith is one of a few returning players from the 2024 defensive unit. While reinforcements were brought in, the emphasis on accountability as well as football ability is a source of confidence for the new staff, and something that they hope can make the defense a strength again. |
| What we learned from Mississippi State football assistant coaches: 'Last year don't even matter' | |
| Mississippi State football does not allow interviews with assistant coaches during the season under coach Jeff Lebby. There's one annual exception in Lebby's two seasons, occurring again in the first week of preseason practices. All 11 assistant coaches, plus general manager Marc Votteler, were made available for interviews on July 29, two days before the first practice. Wide receiver coach Chad Bumphis spoke glowingly about the position, despite three of last season's top four receivers departing. He even hinted that redshirt freshman Ricky Johnson could be in for a breakout season after appearing in four games with two receptions for 9 yards in 2024. "I personally think Ricky Johnson has taken the biggest step from Year 1 to Year 2," Bumphis said. "Unbelievable as far as maturity. Obviously, we know he can play. He spent all of last year playing outside (receiver). This year and this spring, we've had him playing in the slot. He looks incredible." Johnson was a three-star in the 2024 recruiting class from Warner Robins, Georgia. He made four catches for 33 yards in MSU's spring game. |
| Receivers coach Chad Bumphis: 'This may be my favorite group' | |
| Mississippi State receivers coach Chad Bumphis has a lot of new faces in his room this season, mainly from the transfer portal. It is an unknown group that has a lot of guys waiting to put their stamp on the program. On Tuesday, Bumphis met with the media to discuss his group heading into training camp, which begins on Thursday: Q: Jeff Lebby had a lot of confidence in your group this spring. What gave him that confidence? Bumphis: I think I said this the other day. I've had really good rooms but this may be my favorite just because they love ball. You have to pull them off the football field. Ayden Williams will sit outside and run routes all night if you let him. Jordan Mosley the exact same way. These are guys that now, you have to say 'woah' instead of 'giddy up'. You have to pull them back to protect them from themselves and over training. They just love ball and you see it. There's trust in there. There's guys that have played whether it's here or not. They've played at this level and then you add in the young guys, it is a really good room. |
| Nowhere to go but up: Mississippi State Coach Lebby preaches 'changing the outcome' after 10-loss season | |
| The theme for second-year Mississippi State Coach Jeff Lebby at SEC media days earlier this month: Changing the Outcome. No kidding. Lebby's first edition of the Bulldogs went 0-8 in SEC play, outscored by an average of 17.8 points per conference game. None of the losses were by single digits. "The thing that excites me the most is their consistency, their buy-in," Lebby said at media days. "Inside our walls right now, we have great belief, we have great hope, we have great energy. Our guys are incredibly intent on getting better and changing the outcome this fall." Mississippi State faces a brutal schedule that features College Football Playoff teams Arizona State, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas. However, after playing all of those teams on the road last season, the Bulldogs get them at home in 2025. "It's all about opportunity," Lebby said. "I think I had a great awareness of what the league was when I was able to get the job. That part of it wasn't going to change. For me and our guys, we understand what the gauntlet looks like. That's exciting. What a great challenge, what a great opportunity. Our guys will be excited to go chase it." |
| How coordinator Coleman Hutzler plans to rework Mississippi State football's woeful defense | |
| There are three words that define Mississippi State football's defense, according to coordinator Coleman Hutzler: effort, technique and execution. Hutzler, in his second season as MSU's defensive coordinator, said two of those pillars were missing with the defense last season, which allowed an SEC-worst 34.1 points per game. The effort was there, but the technique and execution were not, he said July 29 at Mississippi State's local media day. It was his first news conference since last season, and the only time he and the other assistant coaches will be available for interviews during the season. "I was proud of our effort throughout most of the year," he said of the defense in MSU's 2-10 season under first-year coach Jeff Lebby. "You look at from Game 1 to Game 12, our effort never wavered. And to be able to do that through a tough season says a lot about our players, their identity and what they believe in. The technique and the execution is where we got to make those improvements, and so that's been our focus through the offseason." It will be Hutzler's second season as the lone defensive coordinator. He was Alabama's special teams coordinator/outside linebackers coach in 2022 and 2023. |
| Defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler takes inventory of new look Bulldog defense | |
| A season after Mississippi State struggled mightily on the defensive side of the ball, head coach Jeff Lebby and defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler believe things are changing. The Bulldogs went out to the transfer portal and drastically changed the roster at nearly every position. State has real depth and size across the board and it starts on the defensive line. Hutzler had a chance to meet with the State media on Tuesday as the coach is preparing for his second training camp as a Bulldog assistant. The coach talked about the challenges in year two, his defense's improvement and more. "I think it starts up front. In this league and in the game of football in general, you've got to be able to win up front. Big people beat up little people and it starts with your d-line. We were able to add a ton of depth and a ton of great pieces on the interior as well as edge players and pass rushers so excited about that." |
| ESPN celebrates Mississippi sports history | |
| As part of its "SportsCenter: 50 States in 50 Days" series, ESPN spent July 29 highlighting Mississippi at the Neshoba County Fair in Philadelphia. Live segments aired throughout the day including in-depth looks at the fair's Pretty Cow Competition, different food stands and carnival games, and the first licensed horse racing track in Mississippi. ESPN's Shae Cornette reported live from the fair for the network's flagship program "SportsCenter," providing a food stand review on fried catfish, riding a horse named "Fluffy," and losing to a 12-year-old in a game of "Pop the Balloon." ESPN later took a look at some of the most memorable moments from the Egg Bowl between Ole Miss and Mississippi State in football. They started in 1983 with the Immaculate Deflection, moved to quarterback Dak Prescott's heroic return from injury to score a touchdown in overtime for the Bulldogs in 2013, and finished with Elijah Moore's unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that preceded a missed PAT and one-point loss for Ole Miss in 2019. |
| Men's Golf: Six Bulldogs Named GCAA Cobalt All-America Scholars | |
| Six Mississippi State men's golfers -- Harrison Davis, Garrett Endicott, Ugo Malcor, Dain Richie, Josep Serra and Drew Wilson -- have been named Cobalt Division I All-America Scholars by the Golf Coaches Association of America. This is the 15th year an MSU golfer has been recognized as a GCAA All-America Scholar. Six selections are the most in program history, and only three other teams have as many this year. Davis, who graduated this spring with his master's in business administration, collected a multitude of academic lauds during his time at State. He was selected to the SEC Academic Honor Roll every year of his career in the Maroon and White and was a three-time CSC Academic All-District honoree. Endicott was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll this year for the second time in his career, as well as his second CSC Academic All-District honor. Malcor was selected to the 2025 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll and joined his teammates as a CSC Academic All-District selection. Richie was a CSC Academic All-American finalist after graduating this spring with a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies. HSerra received SEC Academic Honor Roll honors twice in his career at MSU and was the Bulldogs' representative on this year's SEC Community Service Team. Wilson is a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection and will be entering his senior year, majoring in sports administration. |
| Notre Dame AD '100 percent committed' to USC series, opposed to Big Ten's CFP model | |
| Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua said he will do what it takes to continue the school's long-running football series with USC but rejected the Big Ten's plan to reserve multiple automatic qualifiers in the College Football Playoff for each power conference as a means to that end. "We make no secret about it. We want to play USC every year," Bevacqua said. "I think it would be a horrible thing if we don't. I think it would be bad for us. I think it would be bad for college football. And USC knows that." Bevacqua met with a small group of reporters Tuesday after returning to campus with the Fighting Irish less than 48 hours away from the start of preseason camp. Notre Dame's athletic director spent part of his summer golfing with President Donald Trump and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, as part of the lobbying work that helped craft the recent executive order from the White House on student-athlete compensation. In the coming days, Bevacqua will meet with Notre Dame's head coaches for a status report on their programs ahead of the new academic year. Bevacqua doesn't think the sport is headed toward an inevitable super league format, where the top teams break away and take their media rights with them. While Notre Dame would almost certainly be one of those teams, Bevacqua believes that outcome would be a death knell for the sport. He's a believer in college football's idiosyncrasies and inconsistencies being more of a feature than a bug for the entire enterprise. |
| Tennis Players' NCAA Prize Money Case Certified as Class Action | |
| A federal judge in North Carolina this week certified a class action lawsuit against the NCAA over rules that "severely limit" the amount of prize money current and prospective college tennis players can accept without forfeiting their D-I eligibility. Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Eagles ruled that UNC tennis player Reese Brantmeier -- the 2025 ACC Player of the Year -- and former University of Texas tennis player Maya Joint have satisfied the requirements under Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to represent two classes. The first class demands NCAA rule changes (injunctive relief) and represents the approximately 12,000 students who have either competed in D-I tennis since March 19, 2020, or who were deemed ineligible to compete due to prize money rules. The second class is much smaller -- court filings indicate somewhere between 21 and about 60 people---and demands monetary damages on account of voluntarily forfeiting prize money earned in a tennis tournament to comply with NCAA rules. The case takes aim at the NCAA prohibiting tennis players from accepting more than $10,000 per calendar year in prize money prior to attending college, with allowances for additional prize money not exceeding actual and necessary expenses. Athletes must submit information to the NCAA eligibility center about prize money they have accepted. |
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