| Thursday, August 14, 2025 |
| MSU student uses AI tool to combat food insecurity | |
 | Amazon Web Services (AWS) continues to grow in the state of Mississippi, with it now being used to help target food insecurity. Mississippi State officials announced one of its undergraduate students, Junior cybersecurity major Devin Chen, is helping design software to support Hattiesburg-based food bank Extra Table, with hopes to deliver a working platform before 2026. Utilizing artificial intelligence tools powered by AWS and a partnership with a far-reaching nonprofit, Chen is developing software to help Extra Table better recognize need and target its distributions more efficiently using publicly available data and its own organizational inventory lists. This month, Chen launched the nonprofit Mississippi Institute for Food Sustainability and Security. He hopes to connect distributors, farmers, stores and other community partners together by communicating and coordinating their efforts all on the same network. And with the assistance of AI, this information can be conglomerated together into a mass network to effectively distribute resources throughout Mississippi. "The problem right now is, everyone is operating on their own infrastructure, working in their own bubbles and talking in their own languages," Chen said. "If we can get everyone on the same page, we can make a massive difference in the lives of thousands of Mississippians." |
| Famous Maroon Band member marches through obstacles | |
 | Perseverance is built when overcoming an obstacle or a challenging circumstance. And that's what it took for a Mississippi State student to battle cancer over the past year. Nothing could keep Joseph Guarisco from returning to The Famous Maroon Band. This is his first summer back on the field since his battle with cancer. "Last summer, I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma and I had to miss last year's marching season to do chemotherapy treatments," said Guarisco. "Besides just being rough on you physically, it was hard mentally being away from my friends and this experience. Because there's nothing like a game day when you're in the band. The hype is incredible," said Guarisco. But as of March, he said he was declared cancer-free. "Besides just being rough on you physically, it was hard mentally being away from my friends and this experience. Because there's nothing like a game day when you're in the band. The hype is incredible," said Guarisco. But as of March, he said he was declared cancer-free. Though returning has come with some challenges, Joseph said his band directors have been helpful. You can catch him and the other Famous Maroon Band members perform at MSU's first home game on September 6th. |
| Mississippi State & The MAX Form Partnership | |
 | Mississippi State University and the Mississippi Arts & Entertainment Experience have teamed up, looking for ways to improve their organizations and initiatives. Faculty members and students from MSU-Starkville and MSU-Meridian recently met with MAX representatives in a collaborative venture to help promote the facility. The goals of the meeting were to explore opportunities the MAX offers through music, art, history, communications and public relations and to discuss possible projects. "A place for artists to create and say maybe I could exhibit here," said MSU's Angi Bourgeois. "We could meet artists and designers who are being brought to this facility. It's something that we have not taken full advantage of, and I think that's the goal on both sides. We need to take advantage of everything both sides in this relationship are doing." The newly formed partnership is something both Mississippi State and the MAX are hoping to continue for many years. |
| Starkville High School construction bonds delayed until next year | |
 | Despite Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District's plans to borrow up to $125 million to build a new high school by 2027, that debt will not show up in next year's tax bill for district patrons. In fact, SOCSD taxpayers may see their tax bills decrease in the short term. The district is requesting a total of $33.7 million that will be collected from district taxpayers based on their real and personal property values. Of that request, $28.1 million is for operations, which includes the $27.7 million the district collected for operations last fiscal year and $402,675 for homestead exemption. By law, school districts can request up to a 4% increase for operations from the previous year's collections. Up to 7% can trigger a reverse referendum, and more than that requires a direct referendum. Homestead exemptions are not figured into that percentage. The request includes $5.1 million to cover the district's debt, including $1,161,672 to cover a 3-mill note for capital improvements and $3,958,578 for general obligation debt. It also includes $512,025 for the Millsaps Technology Center. Superintendent Tony McGee said the district was grateful to not have to request an increase to its operational request this year. "We work hard to be good stewards of the district's funds and are always mindful of the trust the community has placed in us to make sound financial decisions," he wrote in a text to The Dispatch. |
| Friendly City Books to host 2nd annual Possumtown Book Fest | |
| Summer is "festival season", and this weekend, Columbus has one you can enjoy indoors, in the air conditioning. Friendly City Books is hosting its second annual Possumtown Book Fest. More than 50 local, regional, and national authors are scheduled to attend, including Ellen Ann Fentress, Snowden Wright, keynote speaker Wright Thompson, whose book "The Barn" is this year's Community Read, and award-winning editorial cartoonist Marshall Ramsey. There will be panel discussions centered on several topics and literary genres, as well as book signings. Friendly City Books' owner, Emily Liner, said there is also a full schedule for the youngest readers in the family. "For kids, I would say come join us at 10 am, when we open the doors at Friendly City Books to get ready for story time and meet some of our partners: The Lowndes County Imagination Library will be here, and Excel By 5 to talk about some resources for local families. Then we'll have story time and Clifford. And then we'll all head down to the Columbus Arts Council together to check out the Book Fair, and there are some arts and crafts that are for kids, and kids at heart," she said. The Possumtown Book Fest will be on Saturday, August 16, from 9 am until 5 pm at the Columbus Arts Council. |
| Increased patrols begin Friday for national sobriety campaign | |
| Starting this week drivers in the Golden Triangle can expect to see even more local law enforcement in the cities and on the highways. Mississippi Highway Patrol and the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety are partnering with local law enforcement agencies -- including Columbus and Starkville police departments -- for the annual National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, which will start Friday and run through Sept. 1. MHP Sgt. Derrick Beckom said the campaign isn't just meant to catch people breaking the law. It's meant to be educational, he said, and hopefully encourage safe driving. "We want the public to be aware that the campaign is going on, and hopefully that alone will deter anyone from being on the highway under the influence," Beckom said. The increased enforcement efforts typically occur around major holidays, like Labor Day and Christmas, to deter drunk driving and to educate drivers on the dangers of driving under the influence, NHTSA's website said. Starkville Police Department Cpl. Joinay Watts, with the DUI enforcement unit, said the effort is important because while drinking and driving is dangerous, it is also preventable. "It's not just about writing tickets," she said. "It's about making sure lives are saved by encouraging responsible decisions before somebody gets behind the wheel." |
| Oktibbeha County man gets 15 years for attempted murder | |
 | An Oktibbeha County man will spend the next 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempting to kill a man in February 2024. Roy "Junior" Lee Fuller Jr., 44, was indicted for conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, tampering with evidence and possession of a firearm by a felon. The case was set to go to trial this month, but Fuller and prosecutors hammered out a plea agreement. Fuller pleaded guilty to attempted murder and the gun charge last week before Circuit Judge James Kitchens. In exchange for the guilty pleas, the office of District Attorney Scott Colom dropped the conspiracy and the tampering charges. According to court documents, Fuller buried the gun used in the shooting. Fuller and Daniel Allen Jr. got into an argument on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, at a Sturgis-West Point Road address. Allen was shot in the head and chest. When carried to the hospital, neither wound was determined to be life-threatening. |
| Arrest made in Starkville homicide | |
| A man is dead, and another person is in jail in Starkville. Officers were called to Gladney Street just before 1 am on Thursday, August 14. Tykell Harvey, 27, of Starkville, died at the scene. An SPD spokesman said that the two people involved did know each other. No other details about the homicide were released, including the name of the person arrested. Oktibbeha County Coroner Michael Hunt said an autopsy will be done at the state crime lab. WCBI will continue to follow this developing story and bring you more details as they become available. |
| A solar-powered drone as big as a 747 is pushing limits off the Mississippi Gulf Coast | |
 | From an airstrip just north of Interstate 10 on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, an aviation company recently launched an unmanned plane for a three-day flight, an important milestone on its quest for longer flights using only sunlight as fuel. Skydweller, the world's largest solar-powered flying drone -- its 236-foot wingspan is bigger than a 747 -- recently logged flights of 73 and 74 hours after taking off from its operations base at Stennis International Airport just east of the Louisiana-Mississippi state line, the company says. Robert Miller, CEO and co-founder of Skydweller Aero, is confident that goal is near. "It always takes a little longer than you think, but we're getting there," Miller said in a recent interview. "Every 12 months we see a quantum step in where we're headed." The recent test flights mark a big leap from last fall, when the company announced it had made six test flights, including one of 22.5 hours. Skydweller Aero's continued success has kept the interest of the U.S. military, which Miller hopes will translate into contracts for additional aircraft that spurs company growth at its hub on the Gulf coast. |
| Where will water to cool data centers near Jackson come from? | |
 | Just a few months ago, AWS announced that newer AI servers at the two new Amazon Web Services hyperscale data centers in Madison County will benefit from liquid cooling to more efficiently cool high density computer chips. Also, it will have more support for high-density AI workloads. On June 9, AWS announced a similar significant milestone that by 2030, it will expand its use of recycled water to more than 120 locations throughout the U.S., including in Madison County. For AWS operations, water is an essential resource, and it is primarily used for cooling data centers in the U.S. Several factors, including climate change, aging infrastructure and pollution, are making water increasingly scarce and that is impacting communities in the U.S. and around the world. Beau Schilz, water principal for Amazon Web Services, talked to the Clarion Ledger about the goals for the company. He also tries to alleviate concerns that people may have about where the water comes from and whether AWS is taking water away from the general water supply. All of the water for the AWS data centers in Mississippi will come from Beattie's Bluff Waste Water Treatment Plant along the Big Black River in Madison County. |
| Governor touts downtown Jackson redevelopment as economic opportunity | |
 | Downtown Jackson could be on the verge of a major economic boost, according to Gov. Tate Reeves. Reeves said significant investments in the capital city are already paying off, with new businesses expected to move in. He credited projects led by the Capitol Complex Improvement District for upgrading infrastructure and revitalizing the city's appearance, making it a more attractive place to live, work and visit. "I think that downtown Jackson has not looked this good in a long, long, long time," Reeves said. "The capital city is poised for development. Somebody is going to make a lot of money in downtown Jackson. I don't know who it's going to be, but someone is going to work the process of redevelopment." The governor said developers are already buying buildings downtown, and the state is hopeful the momentum will lead to a major economic boom. |
| Mississippi launches first-of-its-kind youth mental health initiative | |
| A first-of-its-kind mental health initiative in Mississippi will provide hope to the state's youth in low- and moderate-income households by utilizing a partnership with Canopy Children's Solutions and the Mississippi Development Authority. To kick off the program, MDA will utilize $16 million in Community Development Block Grant funding to allow Canopy Children's Services to provide mental health screening through a service called Canopy Anywhere. The services will be established in 29 school districts across the state -- including the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District -- with districts chosen based on need. Canopy Children's Solutions is a non-profit that partners with government, businesses and community leaders to offer a continuum of behavioral health, educational and family support solutions to help children thrive and families overcome challenges. Governor Tate Reeves said Wednesday that the school districts selected are in low-to-moderate income areas of the state where the need is greatest. "Mississippi has momentum in the classroom, and this new partnership will help keep it that way," said Reeves. "Our kids deserve the very best education we can give them. Emotional and mental health play a major role in students' academic success, and that's why this initiative is so important." A pilot version of Canopy Anywhere has been conducted in Madison County over the last two years. The success of that pilot program led to the initiative announced Wednesday expanding into more counties. The governor plans to use the data collected in this phase of the program to convince the Legislature to continue funding the initiative. |
| Morgan Freeman: Young dreamers in Mississippi should 'get a book' | |
| Morgan Freeman had a simple message for people attending the Mississippi Early Learning Alliance's inaugural fundraising luncheon on Tuesday. When asked what advice he'd give to an 8-year-old in Mississippi with big dreams, Freeman said just three words: "Get a book." Freeman, an Academy Award-winning actor, headlined the "Big Voices for Little Children" fundraiser for the alliance, which is dedicated to improving early learning and child development outcomes. More than 200 advocates, politicians and local leaders attended the luncheon, including Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and blues musician Bobby Rush. The event was hosted at the Two Mississippi Museums in downtown Jackson and primarily sponsored by TrueCare, a nonprofit created by Mississippi hospitals as an alternative to traditional managed care. The luncheon comes at a critical time for early learning in Mississippi and on the heels of statewide reading gains that have garnered national attention. That wasn't lost on speakers at the event, including Freeman. Freeman said his own education in Greenwood influenced his trajectory as an actor and advocate for children's education, which led to his role as polyester-clad Easy Reader on education children's television show "The Electric Company" in the 1970s. As people ate lunch, Freeman recounted stories from his childhood and shared his love of reading. |
| MDOT completes repairs on 43 bridge | |
| The Mississippi 43 bridge over the Ross Barnett Reservoir in Rankin County has reopened more than a month early following emergency repairs that closed the bridge in late July. "The contract allowed two months to complete the repair," Mississippi Department of Transportation Officials said on Monday. "Crews completed the work in two weeks. SR 43 is now open for travel." The closure, which called for a void repair underneath a bridge approach, began on July 28. The bridge is located on Mississippi 43 between State Route 471 and the Natchez Trace Parkway. Crews have been patching the failed bridge approach at least once a week over a period of several months in attempts to keep the road open before the road closure, MDOT Executive Director Brad White said. Five years ago, the road was closed for the replacement of two bridges. MDOT spokesman David Kenney said the road "is as old as the Reservoir itself." |
| From E-Bikes to Scooters, Roads Are Getting More Crowded and Confusing | |
 | Cities are facing a two-wheeled traffic jam. Across the country, the streets of metro areas are filling with powered vehicles that are neither bikes nor Harleys but something in between -- low-cost scooters, minibikes, electric bikes, skateboards and more, often with surprising speed. Some varieties top out at 20 mph or 28 mph, while others can hit 40 to 60 mph. As ridership has grown, these two-wheelers are all crowding into bike lanes -- when they aren't zipping through traffic or hopping up onto the sidewalk. And they are making traffic enforcement challenging, threatening pedestrian safety and complicating life for transit planners. "We didn't know we were building the bike lanes for scooters," says Laura Dierenfield, bike infrastructure chief in Austin, Texas, who is overseeing a build-out of bike paths. The U.S. lags behind Asia and Europe in two-wheeler adoption, so people aren't accustomed to dealing with the vehicles in such abundance. Their presence often surprises drivers, pedestrians and conventional cyclists, and many locales are still trying to work out how to regulate the two-wheelers. Among powered two-wheeler riders, erratic riding and failure to follow traffic laws can be particularly dangerous to others. |
| Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith tours the Mississippi Industries for the Blind | |
 | According to the American Federation for the Blind, more than half of people who are blind or visually impaired in the United States are not employed. The Mississippi Industries for the Blind is the largest employer of blind and visually impaired individuals in the state. The agency hires workers at the executive levels and within the agency's factory spaces -- to make products and operate a seasonal call center. Donovan Beitel is the executive director of the Mississippi Industries for the Blind and is visually impaired. After exchanging greetings with Sen. Hyde-Smith, he guided her to a small showcase in the front of the agency, which displayed all of the products made in the agency's factory. "Our main product is this one," he said. "This one we've had, we know, since 1956. It's the barrack's bag. So anybody you know that's been deployed got their PT gear and their barrack bag." The government contracts the MIB currently has also allows it to make ammunition patches and pistol belts. The agency also produces household items, including sponges, mops, brooms and postal service equipment. The agency funds itself, paying employees through funds made from the products and services. |
| Trump willing to meet with Democrats before shutdown deadline | |
 | President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he would meet with House and Senate Democratic leaders ahead of a government funding deadline but cast doubt on a deal to avoid a federal shutdown. Trump has not met with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries or Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, both of New York, since returning to the White House on Jan. 20. "Well, I will, I guess, but it's almost a waste of time to meet because they never approve anything," Trump said, responding to a question following his remarks at a Kennedy Center event. During a lengthy answer, Trump then several times said he would meet with Jeffries and Schumer but repeated his contention that such a bipartisan session likely would not yield legislative fruit. "So, I mean, we will meet," Trump said. "But nothing's going to come out at the meeting." At another point, Trump appeared to pour cold water on the possibility of a government funding deal that is required by midnight Sept. 30, the last day of the fiscal year, to avert a government shutdown. "Of course, I can meet with them. We're going to tell them all these good things, and they're going to tell us no," Trump said from the Kennedy Center. "And then, we're going to go out and we're going to vote it in by the Republicans because ... I don't believe that anybody is capable of making a deal with these people. They have gone crazy." Trump’s forecast, however, ignores some Senate math. |
| Electricity prices are surging, opening up a new line of attacks against Republicans | |
 | According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average utility electric bill for a residential customer in the U.S. in 2024 was $144, up from $122 in 2021, and this week's consumer price index report found electricity up 5.5 percent over the last year, higher than the average inflation rate. There are a host of reasons for these increases, from increasing demand due to the growth of data centers and artificial intelligence to the need for costly infrastructure upgrades to general inflation pushing all prices higher. But the uptick comes at a time when prices and cost of living are among the most important political issues on the minds of voters. The politics of this are tough for President Donald Trump, who frequently promised during the 2024 campaign to lower electricity bills if he were elected. "Under my administration, we will be slashing energy and electricity prices by half within 12 months, at a maximum 18 months," he told an audience in North Carolina in August 2024. Trump's first 12 months aren't over yet. But so far, the data show prices trending in the wrong direction. And Democrats are keen to make Trump pay for that. They are crafting an argument that not only have prices not come down but the sweeping tax and spending law Trump signed into law in July will make energy costs worse. |
| Congress is lukewarm on RFK Jr.'s plans. In the states, they're catching fire. | |
 | Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign to "make America healthy again" has spread from Washington to state capitols with nearly 900 measures introduced this year echoing his agenda. Those capitols span Republican strongholds, such as Austin and Tallahassee, as well as Democratic ones, such as Albany, Boston and Trenton. A POLITICO analysis found more than 130 bills aimed at regulating ultraprocessed foods and improving nutrition, over 60 bills restricting the application of pesticides and other chemicals and more than 130 bills expanding vaccine exemptions or prohibiting mandates this year. Lawmakers also introduced dozens of bills to promote the use of psychedelics, authorize sales of raw milk and ivermectin and ban the fluoridation of drinking water. The measures emerging from state legislatures, long seen as testing grounds for federal policy, show how Kennedy's movement to combat chronic disease has struck a chord across the country --- even as it conflicts with traditional Republican views about regulating industry. The outpouring of interest in Kennedy's agenda also shows how he has outmaneuvered a public health establishment that has condemned aspects of his agenda, such as expanding vaccine exemptions and ending water fluoridation, as unscientific and dangerous. |
| 'It is on my radar': Mississippi governor eyeing removal of junk food from SNAP program | |
| Mississippi could soon join a growing number of states receiving waivers to modify what recipients of food assistance programs can purchase at the grocery store. When asked Wednesday if he would pursue permission from the federal government to prohibit recipients from using government subsidies to buy junk foods, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves confirmed that he's looking into it. "It is on my radar," Reeves said, noting he discussed the idea further with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., at the National Governors Association summer meeting. "I spent some time with my fellow governors a week or two ago. We also had meetings with Secretary Kennedy while we were at the conference, very productive meetings, and that is something we are looking into." Currently, 12 states have obtained waivers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, amending the statutory definition of food for purchase under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In many cases, SNAP recipients have been barred from using their money from the taxpayer-funded program on sugary beverages, sodas, candy, snack cakes, and other ultra-processed snacks. Kennedy, the mind behind the "Make America Healthy Again" campaign, has long argued that junk foods are leading culprits behind chronic illnesses that have grown in prevalence for decades. |
| Trump is tightening the screws on corporate America -- and CEOs are staying mum | |
 | Corporate America doesn't want to fight with President Trump in public. But as a result, it's ceding him an unprecedented amount of control over the shape -- and future -- of U.S. business. In the past week, the president has turned up the heat on big companies and their CEOs to an extent that is unprecedented even by Trump's norms-shattering standards. He has publicly attacked companies and their executives throughout his political career --- but now he's demanding firings of executives who aren't even household names, such as a corporate economist at Goldman Sachs. On Monday, Trump announced an extraordinary deal for the U.S. government to take a 15% share of Nvidia's H20 chip sales in China as a condition for easing restrictions to allow the chip to be sold there. Then his Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, on Wednesday said the administration may ask other companies for similar payments in the future. "Trump has always used the bully pulpit of the presidency to try and direct business activity towards his desired ends -- but in the second term, we've seen this taken to a whole new level," said Ryan Bourne, an economist at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. On Monday, a columnist for The Wall Street Journal warned that Trump is "imitating [the] Chinese Communist Party" and transforming the U.S. economy into something resembling China's government-controlled "state capitalism." It's a mounting worry shared by other business experts. "It is a huge concern," said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a Yale University management professor who regularly speaks with CEOs. |
| Ole Miss staff residencies empower passion projects | |
| This summer, 21 staff members took time off from their usual jobs at the University of Mississippi to dive into some personal passion projects. They all had support from the Staff Creative Residency program, launched in 2022 by the Mississippi Lab with funding from the Office of the Provost. The program offers a $500 stipend and five days of paid creative time so recipients can complete a project of their choice. Successful summer recipients can apply for $300 winter stipends and three days of paid creative time. Jenny Joyner, admissions counselor at the University of Mississippi at DeSoto Center-Southaven, used her residency to train as a yoga instructor. She decided to get serious about yoga both to prepare her body for an upcoming kidney donation surgery and to benefit her 12-year-old daughter, Claire, who has Down syndrome. Joyner wants to help create an inclusive space for Claire in sports. Watching her youngest, Kate, thrive in gymnastics, tumbling and volleyball highlighted how different those environments are for Claire. Staff members who completed residencies this summer will show off their results at a fall showcase, set for 4-5 p.m. Sept. 9 in the banquet room of the Paul B. Johnson Commons. The event is free and open to the public. |
| New professorship endowment honors USM's Dr. Kay | |
| The USM Foundation and the Southern Miss Honors College announced an anonymous $300,000 gift will establish the Dr. Wallace G. Kay Honors College Professorship Endowment, which honors the life and legacy of the founding dean of the Honors College. Kay led the development of the program in its earliest stages and was instrumental in its formal establishment on July 1, 1976. Though initially referred to as the director, Kay continued guiding the program as it transitioned into an official college, becoming its first dean in 1977. He served in that role until 1985. "Dr. Kay's legacy is woven into the fabric of the Honors College," said Dr. Joyce Inman, dean of the Honors College. "This professorship established in his name ensures that his commitment to academic rigor, interdisciplinary inquiry and student engagement will continue to shape the future of the Honors College." With a $500,000 goal to fully fund a distinguished professorship, the endowment will support a faculty member whose teaching, research and service reflect the values Dr. Kay championed---innovative, student-centered and boldly interdisciplinary. |
| Solar firm replaces some eliminated federal grants at HCC Utica | |
| A local business is stepping in to assist with funding a critical program after the federal government ordered grant cuts. Soul City Solar's partnership with the Hinds Community College campus in Utica is offering students a chance at future career opportunities. Soul City Solar, a project of Apex Clean Energy, is stepping in to provide $16,000 in scholarships for the STEM-Up Academy. This program at HCC was in jeopardy after the Trump administration pulled more than $500,000 in federal grants from the school. The purpose behind STEM-Up Academy is to expand the students' science, technology, engineering, and math experiences through networking. "The STEM-Up Academy was funded through the National Science Foundation and it provided opportunities for exposure, work force preparation, and STEM engagement, and so that funding allowed us to prepare students for conferences, for research opportunities," Jonathan Townes, HCC Vice President of Career & Technical Development, said. More than 150 students have completed the STEM-Up Academy program since 2010. |
| Federal judge refuses to block Alabama law banning DEI initiatives in public schools | |
 | A federal judge on Wednesday declined a request to block an Alabama law that bans diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in public schools and the teaching of what Republican lawmakers dubbed "divisive concepts" related to race and gender. U.S. District Judge David Proctor wrote that University of Alabama students and professors who filed a lawsuit challenging the law as unconstitutional did not meet the legal burden required for a preliminary injunction, which he called "an extraordinary and drastic remedy." The civil lawsuit challenging the statute will go forward, but the law will remain in place while it does. The Alabama measure, which took effect Oct. 1, is part of a wave of proposals from Republican lawmakers across the country taking aim at DEI programs on college campuses. The Alabama law prohibits public schools from funding or sponsoring any DEI program. It also prohibits schools from requiring students to assent to eight "divisive concepts" including that fault, blame or bias should be assigned to a race or sex or that any person should acknowledge a sense of guilt, complicity or a need to apologize because of their race, sex or national origin. Six professors and students at the University of Alabama filed a lawsuit arguing that the law violates the First Amendment by placing viewpoint-based restrictions on what educators teach. The lawsuit also said the law unconstitutionally targets Black students because it limits programs that benefit them. |
| Pennington Biomedical Director John Kirwan makes a pitch for science amid funding cuts | |
 | Amid federal funding cuts to Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Executive Director John Kirwan made a pitch for the organization's research into diabetes and childhood obesity Wednesday at a Rotary Club of Baton Rouge luncheon. "These challenges make your support, Rotary folks, essential. You're trusted voices in the community, and that trust matters when we share what science truly says," he said. "And I believe trust in science starts in communities like ours, in institutions like Pennington." Kirwan spoke to more than a hundred people at the weekly luncheon, highlighting programs at the research center, including a center studying metabolic disease and a U.S. Department of Defense partnership to help optimize performance and health for service members. But he also acknowledged the uncertainty facing the center with national grant revocations, which have had an impact. "I'm not going to sugarcoat the challenges we're facing. Science is under pressure today, and we face new challenges," he said. "Federal funding is less predictable than ever; public confusion about health advice is growing; misinformation spreads faster than facts." Part of the LSU System, Pennington Biomedical sits on its own campus in Baton Rouge, where it engages in health research and partners with other institutions around the world. |
| U. of Tennessee System hires national law firm to ensure DEI compliance | |
 | University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd said Aug. 13 the system hired a high-powered national law firm to provide guidance about meeting federal DEI standards laid out by the Trump administration. UT has battled accusations from federal leaders that it has failed to adhere to new -- and multiplying -- DEI regulations. The national law firm Saul Ewing will assess the system's policies and activities to ensure it meets all requirements set by the Trump administration, according to the email from Boyd to the UT community. Boyd's letter specifically mentioned following a July 29 U.S. Department of Justice memo outlining anti-discrimination rules for agencies that receive federal funding. His email asks employees to study the federal rules and meet them. "Compliance is a top priority, as well as a priority shared by every campus and institute leader. Failing to meet this responsibility would undermine the trust placed in us and our ability to fulfill our mission," Boyd said in the email. He told employees to be responsive to compliance auditors and attorneys if they are contacted with questions. |
| UGA class of 2029 sets an admissions record | |
| This week, the University of Georgia welcomed the class of 2029 -- one of the most academically qualified in the school's history, with more than 6,200 students enrolled of the nearly 48,000 applicants. This class also set a new institutional record of admissions with 15,800 accepted students. This group of students holds an average GPA of 4.17, an average SAT of 1356, an average ACT of 31 and an average of 11 Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or dual-enrollment classes, according to UGA Today. "UGA's incoming class continues to impress," Marisa Pagnattaro, vice president for instruction and senior vice provost for academic planning, said. The class of 2029 consists of students from 15 nations, 45 states plus Washington, D.C., 142 of 159 Georgia counties and 463 Georgia high schools. Of the admitted students, 215 are Georgia valedictorians and salutatorians. The class is composed of approximately 80% in-state students and 20% out-of-state students, with the in-state percentage exceeding many other flagship institutions in the nation. Over 2,050 transfer students are also starting their first semester at UGA. |
| Aggie communications major becomes Aggie author | |
 | Benjamin Hollon is preparing to enter his final semester at Texas A&M University before graduating with a degree in communications. It won't be the only big accomplishment for Hollon as he has just had his short story "Those Who Breathe Easy" published in an anthology called "Overscan: Stories From Beyond the Screen's Edge" that came out in print and on e-edition on Aug. 9. It's another in a list of accomplishments for Hollon, and it may have surprised his younger self as Hollon said he didn't get into writing until the 10th grade when a supportive English teacher convinced him it was something he should pursue. "Going into that class I would have told anyone that I hated writing, and coming out of it I began considering [writing] as something I would love to do as a career," Hollon said Wednesday. "That teacher is a huge difference for me enjoying writing and seeing it as something where I can express myself and really tell the ideas that I want to get out there." Hollon graduated from an international high school in Penang, Malaysia, and wanted to be near relatives in Texas. He had an uncle who attended Texas A&M but most of his family had attended Baylor University. Hollon chose Texas A&M rather than becoming the fourth generation Baylor Bear in the family, an honor that will instead fall to his next younger brother. |
| Early education experts see this new Trump rule as 'the wrong step at the wrong time' | |
| Aspiring early childhood educators who want to pursue undergraduate degrees next year might lose out on federal loans they need to afford their studies. That's because, ironically, the profession does not seem to pay many of its workers enough to meet new loan standards set by the Trump administration. "If I had to pay for a class right now out of pocket, I wouldn't take it," said Shay Bourrage. For 13 years, Bourrage has nurtured toddlers and infants as young as 6 weeks old so their caregivers could work or attend classes. She became a teacher at a child care facility in southern Illinois, but needed a bachelor's degree to advance her career. President Donald Trump's tax and spending megabill slashes funding for higher education, including student financial aid. Under the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," degree programs will lose eligibility to participate in the Federal Direct Loan Program if they are determined to have "low earning outcomes" for undergraduates and graduates, starting in July 2026. Bourrage completed her degree last year as part of a fully funded online program through Illinois State University. But it wasn't easy. And in some ways, her income after completing school illustrates the Trump administration's point. |
| Anti-DEI efforts shutter cultural centers that college students call lifelines | |
| Khori Davis spent much of last school year at Kent State University's multicultural center. It was an anchor for her, a Black student on the predominantly White campus. She studied, socialized and attended events there, often dropping by between classes for respite. It was a home for the school's students of color, she routinely told incoming freshmen. "Most days, you'll find people in there from the time it's open to the time it's closed," Davis, 19, said. "It's a place to do homework, relax. And there's always somebody doing something. There'll be line dancing and people working on a chemistry project." But this summer, the Ohio-based university shuttered its multicultural center in response to a new state law that bans diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public universities and colleges. At least four more Ohio schools also closed their centers over the summer because of the statute, which took effect in June. The schools are among at least a dozen university and college campuses across six states -- Ohio, Indiana, Utah, Idaho, West Virginia and Louisiana -- that have eliminated their cultural or multicultural centers so far this year as state and federal policies slash diversity, equity and inclusion programs. |
| Applicants approach elite colleges with greater trepidation amid fights with Trump | |
 | Some college applicants are reconsidering certain institutions or changing their application strategies as President Trump wages war against higher education. Consultants hired to help students gain admission to elite institutions say they have seen some shifts in interest, stemming from concerns about funding, peer pressure and a waning belief in the need for a degree from specific prestige universities. Applicants have also cited visa pauses and the rise in tension on campuses. "In my experience, it has had a huge effect," said Kanishka Elupula, a college admissions consultant at The Ivy Institute, who works with U.S. students, along with applicants from India, Japan and countries in the Middle East. Students "asked me if it's a good idea to apply, and later they told me they're worried about it, they're scared about it, and I know that several people have chosen not to apply to the U.S. this year. In fact, even some American students are considering applying to European universities. So there's definitely been an effect," Elupula added. The funding pauses have led to concerns about research funding, especially for graduate students. But actions against foreign students, such as a pause in visa applications and threats to force international individuals out of Harvard, have also taken its toll. |
| Department of Education Clarifies What Race-Based Admissions Data Must Be Reported | |
 | The Trump administration released further details on its order for colleges to supply more racially disaggregated admissions data and wants to hear from the public about its plan. A draft of the proposal, which will officially be published Friday on the Federal Register, states that certain institutions will be required to collect and report comprehensive data about their admissions decisions going back five years. It must be broken down by race and sex and include students' high school GPA, test scores, time of application (early decision, early access or regular decision) and financial aid status, among other things. However, the new survey component, which the Department of Education is calling the Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement, will not affect all colleges and universities -- just four-year institutions that use "selective college admissions," as they "have an elevated risk of noncompliance with the civil rights laws," officials wrote in the notice. (The document does not say anything about reporting data on legacy admissions, another practice that, like affirmative action, has received public pushback in recent years.) Members of the public will have 60 days to comment on the notice. Among other things, the department wants feedback on what institutions should be subject to the new reporting requirements as well as the anticipated burden the request will place on university staff. |
| Historians Alarmed by White House Plan to Oversee Smithsonian Exhibits | |
 | Historians and free speech advocates have begun to speak out to express their alarm at the White House's announcement of a wide-ranging review of exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution's museums and galleries. The free expression group PEN America said it feared the review "will rewrite history and strip truth from exhibits," while Sarah Weicksel, the executive director of the American Historical Association, described the Trump administration move as a "major overstep." Ms. Weicksel, who leads the country's largest group of professional historians, said she had been hearing from some of its more than 10,000 members who said they have deep concerns. "Only historians and trained museum professionals are qualified to conduct such a review, which is intended to ensure historical accuracy," she said. "To suggest otherwise is an affront to the professional integrity of curators, historians, educators and everyone involved in the creation of solid, evidence-based content." The White House's announced review is a challenge to the Smithsonian, which has traditionally operated as an independent institution and regards itself as being outside the control of the executive branch. It is governed by a 17-member Board of Regents that includes Democrats and Republicans and is overseen by Congress. The White House said the review is aimed at portraying a more uplifting view of American history, but the administration has not specified who would be involved in evaluating the Smithsonian content. |
| Data center issue is raging nationally | |
| Mississippi newspaper publisher and columnist Wyatt Emmerich writes: Since I first raised the possibility of Madison's Amazon data center causing residential electricity rates to skyrocket, I have been deluged by emails from readers with links to similar articles across the nation. Just last week, the Tucson, Arizona city council voted unanimously to reject a massive data center project as residents cheered. ... In Tucson, the opposition focused on the enormous water consumption of the data center. This is yet another issue for the Madison data center, which will also consume enormous quantities of underground water, threatening water tables. In our neighboring state of Louisiana, citizens are complaining about Meta's proposed $10 billion data center between the tiny town of Delhi and Rayville, 30 miles east of Monroe. The site will be the size of 1,700 football fields. ... Unlike Mississippi, which has no non-profit group specifically organized to fight for electricity consumers, Louisiana has the Alliance for Affordable Energy, non-profit battling against pawning the cost of Meta's massive project onto Louisiana's residential customers. ... In summary, our state leaders, in a two-day special session gave Entergy Mississippi, a government sanctioned monopoly, and Amazon, one of the biggest corporations in the world, free reign to spend whatever they want and charge it back to the residential ratepayers of Mississippi. |
SPORTS
| Soccer: Bulldogs Host UT Martin To Open Zimmerman Era | |
| The 2025-26 athletic year will officially begin on Thursday night in Starkville as the No. 20/22 Mississippi State soccer team hosts UT Martin. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. The match will mark the beginning of the Nick Zimmerman era after he was named the seventh head coach in program history in December. State's lineup features six players named to the SEC Preseason Watch List and two who were recognized in TopDrawerSoccer's national Preseason Best XI. "I think we're all excited," Zimmerman said. "Obviously, to be in front of the best fans in the country but also just to go out and compete. It's another opportunity for us to grow and continue this journey together. I think we've had a good week of training, but it's a group that believes and that I'm really, really proud of because they've been really intentional with this preseason." State won the SEC Regular Season Championship for the first time in program history in 2024. The Bulldogs became the fifth school in SEC history to win every conference match in a season and were the only team in the nation to win every one of its regular-season conference matches. |
| Six Bulldogs earn national, conference preseason honors ahead of new campaign | |
| Mississippi State women's soccer returns to action today as the Nick Zimmerman era officially gets underway. The veteran assistant ascended to the head coach's chair after the departure of James Armstrong for Auburn, and he has another talented group to work with despite graduating most of the starting 11 from the side that won the SEC regular season crown in 2024. Six Bulldogs were named to the SEC Preseason Watchlist, including Ally Perry and Adia Symmonds, who also earned national watchlist recognition from TopDrawerSoccer. The Bulldogs kick off their new season against UT Martin in the home opener tonight at the MSU Soccer Field. The team played four exhibition matches in the spring and one at home this month, but they were rained out in the closing minutes of their final exhibition test at Louisiana Monroe last weekend. There is still plenty to look out for. Zimmerman stated last week that all three goalkeepers are still battling for playing time, and he expects that to continue through the nonconference matchups over the next month. The Bulldogs' season opener kicks off today at 6:30 p.m. at the MSU Soccer Field. The match is open to the public. Coverage of the match will stream on SECN+. |
| Mississippi State Fuels Future Success With Strategic Additions In NIL, Talent And Financial Strategy | |
| Mississippi State Athletics has announced two significant additions to its executive leadership team, further strengthening the department's progressive approach to the new era of college athletics which includes strategic financial modeling, roster and cap management, NIL advancement and student-athlete talent acquisition. Mitch Moser has been appointed Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Financial Officer, bringing more than 30 years of experience in higher education finance and athletic administration. In this role, Moser will oversee all aspects of the department's financial operations, while providing strategic fiscal planning and implementation guidance aligned with the evolving intercollegiate athletics model. His leadership will be central to Mississippi State's revenue-sharing strategy, budget structure, cap management and long-term capital funding efforts. Greg Phillips has been named Deputy Athletics Director for Talent Management Services, a newly created division which will lead all aspects of student-athlete acquisition, brand development, NIL integration, contracting and related budgetary and compliance operations. Phillips will oversee the development of a comprehensive talent strategy that includes fiscal oversight, market evaluation and strategic brand alignment for current and future student-athletes. In addition, KK Seago has joined Mississippi State Athletics as Director of Business Partnerships within the Bulldog Club. In this role, Seago will focus on developing third-party NIL and business development opportunities for student-athletes, while building strong relationships with university units and external stakeholders. |
| Position Preview: Looking at Mississippi State's offensive line | |
| The Mississippi State offensive line room added several players through the transfer portal, as well as a new position coach in Phil Loadholt. The former Minnesota Viking arrived after a year working under Deion Sanders at Colorado, where his line helped the Buffaloes become the No. 1 passing offense in the Big 12. Loadholt inherited a unit that returned some notable players from last season, but the number of key arrivals indicates a positional shakeup. The coaches have made it clear that there is plenty of opportunity to compete for starting spots, and The Dispatch is approaching its position preview accordingly. |
| What's the next 'arms race' in college sports? Finding ways to legally exceed new rev-share cap | |
| Tennessee athletic director Danny White faced a decision this year: Remain with apparel partner Nike or move to a new brand, adidas. He considered plenty of factors in the decision, such as quality of the gear and overall financial terms. But one, perhaps, stood above the rest: How much name, image and likeness (NIL) support would an apparel company give to Tennessee's athletes? "NIL was right up there," White told Yahoo Sports in a recent interview. "We are in a very competitive space. It was at the forefront of my mind." Tennessee announced on Wednesday a return to adidas, a brand the university used during a 20-year run that ended in 2014. The brand and school struck a 10-year contract that is "one of the biggest apparel deals in the history of college sports," according to White, likely putting its value at at least $10 million annually in product and cash. At the heart of the deal is expected to also be one of the most lucrative NIL components in the history of collegiate apparel deals, described by one of the company's vice presidents as "establishing a new standard for investment in NIL." In short, the players will get a piece of the $100 million-plus pie -- in a significant way, too, and, for some of them, immediately. |
| U. of Kansas alumnus donates record $300 million to upgrade sports facilities | |
| The founder of a large investment firm pledged $300 million to the University of Kansas in what was described as the largest gift in the university's history and touted as one of the biggest single donations in the history of college athletics. David Booth, the Austin, Texas, founder of Dimensional Fund Advisors, was responsible for a $50 million donation in 2017 to kick off renovation at what became David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. In 2010, he presented KU with basketball inventor James Naismith's original 1891 copy of the 13 basic rules of the game. The document is in Booth Family Hall of Athletics next to Allen Fieldhouse. In terms of the $300 million contribution to KU, Booth established a $75 million challenge grant to help raise money for the next phase of construction at Memorial Stadium and the Gateway District development adjacent to the football complex. The overall commitment from Booth also provided an ongoing source of income for KU athletics. "David's unprecedented generosity is transformative now and for our future," said Travis Goff, athletics director at KU. "There is no more generous and impactful Jayhawk." The Gateway District's second phase would add a hotel, retail and restaurant space as well as student housing, parking and an outdoor plaza. |
| Let them eat wings somewhere else. The Masters and masses part ways. | |
| Sporting events, including the venues that house them, were once designed mostly for the masses. Now they are increasingly being repackaged to deliver more and more luxury and exclusivity -- an understandable attempt to maximize profit, but with an associated cost nonetheless. Consider a couple of recent, seemingly unrelated, news items out of Augusta centering on the Georgia city's famed golf tournament, the Masters. Last week, Sports Business Journal detailed the 2026 "Official Masters Hospitality" program. It included offers of housing, transportation, catering and so on to the corporate and/or well-heeled. Consider the "Full Scale, Private Home Program," which will run you a mere $219,600 for the week. That bit of news came days after the announcement that a local Hooters restaurant, just a short stroll from Augusta National Golf Club, is closing. Nationally, the chain is known for its wings among, uh, other things. The Augusta Hooters, however, was very much a Masters week institution, a spot for the everyman to relax after a day at the tournament. It spoke to the dichotomy of Augusta, the club, and Augusta, the city. The former is the nation's most exclusive country club, located on formal and pristine grounds. The latter, especially on Washington Road leading from Interstate 20 to Magnolia Lane, is a snapshot of strip-mall, middle-American consumerism. Traffic lights and turn lanes, Taco Bells and tire shops. |
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