| Monday, October 6, 2025 |
| Mississippi State scholars release annotated memoirs of Civil War general during major milestone | |
 | Officials at Mississippi State University are looking to bring Civil War history to life through a new version of memoirs from prominent Union general William Tecumseh Sherman. General Sherman's first-person account of his controversial role in the war and some of his campaigns, including the Siege of Vicksburg, has been reviewed and expounded upon by some of the nation's leading Civil War scholars at Mississippi State. The updated version comes 150 years after the work's original publication. "The Memoirs of General William Tecumseh Sherman -- The Complete Annotated Edition" is a Harvard University Press publication edited by Mississippi State's John F. Marszalek, along with Louie P. Gallo and David S. Nolen. The scholars' work follows their 2017 release of a fully annotated version of Ulysses S. Grant's historic memoirs. "The newly annotated Sherman memoirs, along with the recent publication of the Grant memoirs, make it possible for those interested in the Civil War to learn in great detail about the two leading figures of the conflict," Marszalek said. |
| 'The importance of history:' MSU to screen new Burns documentary on Revolutionary War before debut | |
 | America's struggle for independence that began 250 years ago will take center stage next month as Mississippi State's Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library hosts the screening of a new Ken Burns documentary on the Revolutionary War and a discussion featuring prominent Bulldog historians. Lee Hall's historic Bettersworth Auditorium will feature a 45-minute preview of "The American Revolution" at 6 p.m. Oct. 21 before the six-part, 12-hour documentary debuts on PBS in November. Following the screening, Grant Library Executive Director and Associate Professor of History Anne Marshall will moderate a short discussion featuring MSU Department of History Associate Professor Peter Messer and Professor Judith Ridner. The new film follows in the footsteps of more than 40 Burns has made for PBS, many of which are Emmy winners and Oscar nominees. The event is free and open to the public. |
| MAFES Store manager gives remodel update to Starkville garden club | |
| Jennifer Portera, manager of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES) Sales Store on the campus of Mississippi State University, gave an update to Starkville Town and Country Garden Club members about stores' remodel and various products at the garden club's Thursday meeting held at the First Baptist Church Applegate building. "I do not think any of us realized how much cheese the MAFES Store sells," said Connie Templeton, vice president of the Starkville Town and Country Garden Club. "Jennifer said they load and ship five 18-wheelers of cheese and gifts in December to ship across the country for Christmas." According to Portera, the MSU dairy has 150 dairy cows who get milked twice daily 365 days a year by college workers and staff, which produces 475,000 gallons of raw milk a year. The Dairy Plant then uses that milk to produce 50,000 balls of Edam cheese, 50,000 blocks of Cheddar cheese, 10,000 wheels of Vallagret cheese, 5,500 pounds of butter, 40,000 gallons of fluid milk and 25,000 gallons of ice cream. "You hear the word artisan a lot on social media and in conversation referring to specialty foods and products, and I feel that is really what Mississippi State has been doing for a long time," Portera said. |
| Peterson named MSU biochemistry, nutrition and health promotion department head | |
 | Daniel Peterson has been named head of Mississippi State's Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion. The department is home to three undergraduate programs, five master's and four doctoral programs. These programs include 32 concentrations and a post-bachelor dietic internship. The department houses nearly 40 faculty members and serves approximately 600 undergraduates and 50 graduate students. "Dr. Peterson is a proven leader, having served in numerous administrative positions within the university and serving the department in the role of interim head since 2023," said Scott Willard, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences dean and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station director. "I'm confident in his ability to lead the Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion, which is at the forefront of advancing health and science for a healthier Mississippi." Angus Catchot, Director of the MSU Extension Service, said Peterson was an ideal fit as department head to help oversee the department's many extension efforts. |
| Trick or Trot to raise funds, spirits at T.K. Martin Center | |
| In just a few weeks, families in costumes will gather at a starting line in front of the T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability, preparing to make a one-mile loop on the Mississippi State University campus. But the route will be a little sweeter than a normal run. The center is hosting its 13th annual Trick or Trot fun run on Oct. 18, with on-site registration and kid-friendly activities beginning at 9 a.m. and the fun run starting at 10 a.m. Community cheer stations will be set up along the route to encourage participants and pass out candy, giving children participating an early Halloween experience, according to an MSU press release. "I think the whole day is just fun," T. K. Martin Center Executive Director Kasee Stratton-Gadke told The Dispatch on Wednesday. "And for folks coming for the first time, they're shocked by the community cheer stations and the amount of ... excitement you get to have for that one mile." Lead Teacher McKenzie Foster said that over the years, the Trick or Trot has grown. This year, she said, the center hopes to hit a goal of $35,000. "Some of the teachers that have been here longer than I have, they said the first year they did the fun run, which was 2012, they were just happy to get $1,000," Foster said. "And now, they've continued to see how much it's grown and how much it's brought the community to it, and how much more awareness we've brought to what T.K. Martin does." |
| Invasive Cotton Pest: Recently confirmed in five Mississippi counties | |
| Specialists with the Mississippi State University Extension Service are monitoring the spread of a newly detected invasive pest in the state that has the potential to severely impact future cotton yields. The two-spotted leafhopper, also known as the cotton jassid, was first found in a Hinds County cotton field Sept. 8. It has since been confirmed in Noxubee, Neshoba, Oktibbeha and Forrest Counties. Brian Pieralisi, MSU Extension cotton specialist, says he expects no yield impacts for this year's crop that is nearing harvest. "We are far enough along in the season that it shouldn't be too much of a problem this year," says Pieralisi. "Most, if not all, of our cotton acres are nearing the point of defoliation. "But there is definitely concern for next year," he says. "This pest is here, and it is important that producers are on the lookout for it now and especially next year. Since it's been confirmed in two counties so far, it's likely in other cotton producing counties." Plants with high numbers of the pest will exhibit severe hopper burn within just a few days, with leaves turning yellow, red and then brown. This injury resembles exaggerated nutrient deficiency and can result in premature leaf drop. Whitney Crow, MSU Extension entomologist, says it is key for Mississippians to learn what they look like. |
| Virtual particles: How physicists' clever bookkeeping trick could underlie reality | |
| Mississippi State University's Dipangkar Dutta writes for The Conversation: A clever mathematical tool known as virtual particles unlocks the strange and mysterious inner workings of subatomic particles. What happens to these particles within atoms would stay unexplained without this tool. The calculations using virtual particles predict the bizarre behavior of subatomic particles with such uncanny accuracy that some scientists think "they must really exist." Virtual particles are not real -- it says so right in their name -- but if you want to understand how real particles interact with each other, they are unavoidable. They are essential tools to describe three of the forces found in nature: electromagnetism, and the strong and weak nuclear forces. |
| SNAP-Ed classes teach smarter, healthier eating | |
| Clinique Moore was shopping for groceries in Kroger in July when she was approached by Tequila Stallings, a parent educator assistant for the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Discovery Center, about an upcoming cooking program being offered for local adults. Moore jumped at the chance because she was already looking to create healthier habits for herself and her three children. "It came at the right time," Moore told The Dispatch. "... And it was just great to be able to learn some things that I didn't know about certain things as far as healthy foods go." Cooking Matters for Adults is a six-week program offered through Mississippi State University's Extension service in 42 counties across the state. The program launched in 2018 as an educational component to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education, or SNAP-Ed, and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program to help adults learn better nutritional skills. Though the signing of H.R. 1 -- or the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" -- in July discontinued funding for SNAP-Ed programs starting Sept. 30, Drew Cole, interim director for the MSU Extension Office of Nutrition Education, said the program will continue through EFNEP funding. |
| Federal resolution threatens area rail trail project | |
| A nearly 40-mile rail line stretching from West Point to Ackerman that has remained dormant for more than two decades has the potential to become a bustling destination for walkers and bikers through Starkville's planned rail-to-trail project. However, recent legislation proposed in Washington threatens to derail the city's plans before they even begin to take shape. House Resolution 4924, introduced in August, aims to impose additional requirements and restrictions on railbanking, the process of converting inactive rail corridors into recreational trails. Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill said the legislation could create roadblocks for what she believes would be a major asset for the community. "(The project) is a huge benefit in that right now all we've got is a dead rail line with dead space, and there is nothing that contributes affirmatively (or) positively to our community from this rail line," Spruill said. "It is non-navigable and it is a liability as opposed to an asset. ... I just hope that Congress and those who would be contemplating (the legislation) would think seriously about its implications and not move forward with it." Starkville is looking to help convert a roughly 38.1-mile section of rail line into a walking and biking trail, six miles of which runs through the city connecting the North Farm at Mississippi State University to Cornerstone Park. The entire trail, if created, would also run through Ackerman, Sturgis and West Point. |
| Starkville Fire Dept. enacts burn ban on Friday | |
 | The Starkville Fire Department enacted a burn ban for the city on Friday. It goes into effect immediately and will continue until further notice. The fire department reported this burn ban is due to extremely dry weather conditions and the increased risk of fire. Firefighters in Starkville have responded to several brush fires over the past week because of outdoor burning. The department said this burn ban will help protect lives, property and resources. All outdoor burning is strictly prohibited until conditions improve and the ban is lifted. This means no outdoor burning of any kind, such as campfires, bonfires, fire pits and burn barrels. Propane and gas grills and heaters, as well as charcoal grills, are still allowed. |
| High-end apartments under construction at The Depot | |
| A crew with Gene Reid's construction company started Monday tearing out wood floors on the first level of The Depot at Main and 13th Street South in Columbus, beginning the space's conversion from commercial space to six high-end apartments. By Friday, workers were tediously removing nails from the subfloor to make way for installing laminate tile. "We'll be done (with the whole project) by February, if not before," Reid told The Dispatch. "We'll move on it pretty quick. It's all inside work, so we won't have to take any rain days." Gayle Guynup, a judge from Santa Rosa, California, bought the more than 6,100 square-foot former train depot in 2014, converting the upper level to four, one-bedroom apartments and renovating the lower floor for commercial space. All 22 of Guynup's apartments downtown, including the four upstairs at The Depot, have enjoyed 100% occupancy for the past three years, said Royce Hudspeth, a Realtor with Rhett Real Estate who manages Guynup's local properties. Filling the commercial space downstairs at The Depot, however, has been more challenging -- especially after the lease for an event planning venue located there expired Jan. 1. |
| Mississippi's state fair is back. State officials hope it breaks an economic record | |
 | The 166th Mississippi State Fair has officially begun in downtown Jackson and state officials want this one to break records. Last year, attendance at the fair was around 20,000 less than the previous year, according to statements made by Mississippi's Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson. Officials believe this year, the fair has the potential to bring in even more visitors and at least $35 million dollars in economic impact. Gipson believes national celebrations may spark attendance this year. We're participating in the America 250 celebration," he said. "We're actually leading up to the 250th birthday of America, July 4th, 2026, so there is a competition nationwide who can have the most patriotic state fair, and I believe Mississippi can win this." Other local leaders, including Mayor John Horhn of Jackson, believe the historic and cultural significance of the host city may play a leading role in attracting more visitors. "There are a lot of historical sites and events that took place here. We have a great restaurant scene here. Our cuisine is fantastic. We have a great camaraderie of people who come from different backgrounds, different walks of life. So I don't know of a better place to have it than Jackson, Mississippi." |
| Mississippi sees record year for tourism, reports 44.2 million visitors in 2024 | |
| Mississippi welcomed 44.2 million visitors in 2024, and the impact of tourism last year generated an $18.1 billion contribution to the state's economy. Both numbers broke state records. Visit Mississippi Director Rochelle Hicks announced the release of the 2024 Tourism Economic Contribution report during the annual Governor's Conference on Tourism in Vicksburg on Friday. The report was conducted by Tourism Economics, a renowned firm, and showed an uptick in foot traffic in Mississippi. In 2023, Mississippi welcomed 43.7 million visitors, which yielded a $17.5 billion contribution to the state's economy. "Tourism is one of Mississippi's greatest success stories. It continues to be one of Mississippi's most powerful economic engines, showcasing our unmatched hospitality, culture, and natural beauty to the world," Governor Tate Reeves said. "These remarkable numbers are more than statistics -- they represent hardworking Mississippians whose livelihoods are strengthened by the travel and tourism industry. They reflect the charm of our communities, the vibrancy of our cultural heritage, and the growing recognition of Mississippi as a premier destination." |
| 'The biggest project we have in tourism': Hosemann talks new interpretive center, calls for state tourism department | |
| Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said Friday that Mississippi's tourism industry is entering "a new era of growth," with Vicksburg at the heart of the state's push to expand and rebrand its image for visitors. Hosemann said the state has invested heavily in tourism in recent years, including more than $50 million in federal ARPA and CARES Act funds and another $67 million for improvements to state parks. "Both of those investments are directly tied to people coming here," Hosemann said. "Our tourism industry brings in about a billion dollars in revenue and employs 100,000 Mississippians, so it's really important to sell our state." Hosemann said the state's tourism momentum -- along with Gov. Tate Reeves' appointment of the America250 committee ahead of next year's 250th anniversary of American independence -- marks a milestone toward a long-term plan for growth. "What we're doing is laying the groundwork for a viable tourism industry for the long term," he said. "To me, that requires a Department of Tourism." Hosemann said the state's most ambitious tourism investment is unfolding in Vicksburg. He called the new Vicksburg National Military Park Visitor and Interpretive Center "the biggest project we have in tourism," praising it as a model for how the state can lead major developments. He credited Sen. Briggs Hopson of Vicksburg, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, for leading the state’s funding efforts. |
| First responders ask lawmakers to create separate retirement plan | |
| First responders in the state are asking lawmakers to go back to the drawing board on retirement benefits for new hires. The latest state pension plan changes the years till retirement from 30 to 35 which is something first responders are worried about. "Five more years to sit down and go through day-to-day. That's 1,800 more days of death, destruction, domestic violence," said John Neal, retired Ridgeland Police Chief and past president of the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police. "And that takes its toll on you." Neal explained that several first responder groups are now asking lawmakers to consider creating a separate retirement plan for them. "One thing we want to make clear from the Chiefs Association is that we don't consider first responders any better than anybody else that serves under the PERS umbrella, but our careers are much different," Neal added. According to Neal, they would like to see that career specific plan with a 25 years of service and restored cost of living adjustment that was removed with the new plan. A new Stennis Institute of Government report shows a different plan is not unheard of. They identified at least 12 other states, including neighboring Louisiana and Arkansas, that have separate retirement plan or funds dedicated to first responders. Sen. Daniel Sparks said he is receptive to hearing from first responders or any groups about PERS. |
| Mississippi Health Department fires preventive health and health equity employees | |
| Mississippi's Health Department fired employees working on preventive health and health equity issues, people familiar with the personnel decision told Mississippi Today. An employee who was terminated Wednesday spoke to Mississippi Today on condition of anonymity because of concerns about repercussions in future job searches. The former employee said they were one of about 10 people laid off from jobs dealing with preventive health and elimination of health disparities. The Health Department downsized what it had called the "Office of Preventive Health and Health Equity" partially in response to issues outlined in a Sept. 22 report published by the Office of State Auditor Shad White, according to a person outside the department who was briefed on the firings and spoke to Mississippi Today under condition of anonymity to discuss internal agency decisions. The report alleged the Health Department failed to properly monitor taxpayer funds directed to the Office of Preventive Health and Health Equity. Greg Flynn, spokesperson for the state Health Department, confirmed the department made staffing "adjustments" but would not say how many employees were laid off or in which offices. |
| JOHN HORHN: New Mayor of The City of Jackson | |
| After being elected as the 54th Mayor of Mississippi's capital city, John Horhn went right to work. And has not stopped since, hitting the ground running. Horhn was sworn in as Jackson's mayor on July 1, in a ceremony led by U.S. Congressman Bennie Thompson and attended by various other Mississippi public officials, including former Jackson Mayors J. Kane Ditto and Harvey Johnson, Mississippi Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves and former Mississippi Supreme Court justice Rueben Anderson, spoke at the ceremony. The attendees represented the type of inclusion the new Mayor seeks to bring into his orbit, helping move the city forward. Horhn hit his 100th day in office on October 9. He points to his administration finding creative and innovative ways to elevate the city's budget as one early success. "We found $40 million through a bond instrument that we're pursuing," said the Mayor. "This would allow us to leverage our Modernization Use Tax, or Internet Tax as it's called. It will help us tremendously with infrastructure improvement and I don't think anybody expected us to do this so early in the game. The City doesn't have a bond rating after Standard and Poor's pulled it last year. We're working feverishly to get audits done and are making tremendous progress." |
| Lessons From Jackson, Mississippi, for Trump's Crackdown on Urban Crime | |
 | Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves made headlines in 2023 by dubbing his state's largest city the "murder capital of the world." Similar to what President Trump has done and threatened elsewhere, Reeves and other Republican leaders brought in outside law enforcement. They expanded the jurisdiction of the state-controlled Capitol Police, which previously protected mostly state buildings, to patrol a swath of Jackson, the Democratic-run capital. Local leaders opposed what they called a takeover. Two years later, results and resident opinions paint a complicated picture. Murders citywide are down sharply, while some other types of crime are up. Downtown Jackson, beleaguered for decades, has few businesses and largely empties out by dusk. Just blocks from the governor's mansion, homeless men wander among derelict buildings and collapsed storefronts. The Mayflower Cafe, an institution, has a security guard outside to help customers reach their cars safely. Dr. Sam Mozee, Jr., director of Jackson State's Mississippi Urban Research Center, called the murder decline great news but said "there are some bugs to be worked out" between the Capitol and Jackson police. About 25 gangs operate in the city, he said. Beyond homicides, the data show an inconclusive picture. |
| Mississippi Democrat Cliff Johnson announces bid for US House seat held by Republican Trent Kelly | |
 | A Democratic civil rights attorney who has advocated for better treatment of prisoners and testified against Mississippi's diversity, equity and inclusion ban said Thursday that he is running for Congress. Cliff Johnson, the director of the MacArthur Justice Center at the University of Mississippi School of Law, said he is seeking the northern Mississippi seat held by Republican Rep. Trent Kelly, who has indicated that he is seeking reelection. In his announcement video, Johnson criticized cuts to health care and policies that he said favor the wealthy and corporations, not working-class families. He also condemned politicians across the political spectrum, casting himself as a Democrat who isn't afraid to push back against the party establishment. "Who's fault is that?" Johnson said after listing issues facing the country. "Democrats, Republicans, independents who are more interested in maintaining the status quo and keeping us divided than living the values we all were taught." Kelly, a supporter of President Donald Trump, has held the seat since securing it during a special election runoff in 2015. He filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission indicating his intention to run for reelection. |
| Trump plans aid package for US soybean farmers while seeking trade deal with China | |
| President Donald Trump is planning a significant aid package to U.S. soybean farmers to help them survive China's boycott of American beans in response to his trade war even as the president says he is still seeking a soybean deal with Beijing. But farmers are worried that time is quickly running out to reach a deal in time to sell any of this year's crop to their biggest customer. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday said on CNBC that the public could expect news of "substantial support for our farmers, especially the soybean farmers" as soon as Tuesday. Details of the aid package are unknown, but it would come as the world's two largest economies have been unable to reach a trade deal and China has halted purchases of U.S. beans. China, the biggest foreign buyer of American soybeans for many years, last bought American beans in May and has not bought any for this harvest season, which began in September. The soybeans that China imports largely for oil extraction and animal feed are an important crop for U.S. agriculture because they are the top U.S. food export, accounting for about 14% of all farm goods sent overseas and China has been buying 25% of all American soybeans in recent years. |
| Federal government shutdown enters sixth day | |
| Republican and Democratic lawmakers have provided few public signs of meaningful negotiations to break an impasse on reopening the federal government as the shutdown entered its sixth day on Monday. President Donald Trump, when asked on Sunday night when federal workers would be fired as he has threatened, told reporters: "It's taking place right now, and it's all because of the Democrats." He declined to answer a question about which agencies are subject to the cuts. The possibility of layoffs escalates an already tense situation in which Washington lawmakers have struggled to find common ground and build mutual trust. Leaders in both parties are betting that public sentiment has swung their way, putting pressure on the other side to cave. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is expected to hold a Monday morning news conference at the Capitol, and others may do so as well. The House is not expected to be in session this week, focusing attention on the Senate to take the lead on any deal in the Republican-led Congress. Yet even with House lawmakers away, the Republican and Democratic leaders have been holding almost daily briefings as they frame their arguments and seek to shift blame for the shutdown. |
| Trump's Team Hones Message on Economy: Just Wait Until 2026 | |
| President Trump's advisers are counseling him to refine his economic message with a pitch to voters aimed at easing their anxiety about weak jobs growth and stubborn inflation. Their new mantra: Just wait until next year. In private conversations with the president, Trump's advisers, rather than dwell on shaky economic data, have painted a rosy outlook, insisting that data will begin to improve in the first quarter of 2026, according to people familiar with the matter, including senior administration officials. After a report showing only 22,000 new jobs in August, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Trump he believes the employment numbers will start to tick up once policies from his "Big Beautiful" tax-and-spending law are fully implemented heading into next year, according to a person close to Bessent. Earlier, at a closed-door gathering in the Oval Office, other advisers told Trump it was up to him how to publicly address the weak jobs data and he could just breeze past the information by pointing to the future, according to a senior administration official. They assured him the economic indicators will show improvements as 2025 comes to a close, the official said. |
| John Roberts, chief for 20 years, starts another new term -- with Trump, again, the main character | |
 | Will John Roberts put the brakes on the Trump train? President Donald Trump was less than two months into his second term in March when the chief justice of the United States publicly chastised him. Roberts took the unusual step of criticizing Trump's call for impeachment of "crooked" lower-court judges who'd ruled against the administration. "Impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision," Roberts declared in a rare statement sent to reporters. The rebuke followed another public message Roberts issued weeks before Trump's inauguration, warning against "dangerous" talk of defying court orders. "Every Administration suffers defeats in the court system -- sometimes in cases with major ramifications for executive or legislative power or other consequential topics," the chief justice wrote. Yet, eight months into Trump's presidency and with the court's new term opening Monday, the flurry of extraordinarily aggressive executive actions Trump has taken has met very little resistance from the Supreme Court. Last week marked the 20th anniversary of Roberts' appointment -- by President George W. Bush -- as chief justice. |
| New Supreme Court term confronts justices with Trump's aggressive assertion of presidential power | |
| A monumental Supreme Court term begins Monday with major tests of presidential power on the agenda along with pivotal cases on voting and the rights of LGBTQ people. The court's conservative majority has so far been receptive, at least in preliminary rulings, to many of President Donald Trump's aggressive assertions of authority. Liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson invoked the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip after one such decision allowing the cut of $783 million in research funding. "This is Calvinball jurisprudence with a twist," Jackson wrote. "Calvinball has only one rule: There are no fixed rules. We seem to have two: that one, and this administration always wins." The conservative justices could be more skeptical when they conduct an in-depth examination of some Trump policies, including the president's imposition of tariffs and his desired restrictions on birthright citizenship. If the same conservative-liberal split that has marked so many of Trump's emergency appeals endures, "we are in for one of the most polarizing terms yet," said Irv Gornstein, executive director of the Supreme Court Institute at Georgetown University's law school. The justices will pass judgment in the next 10 months on some of Trump's most controversial efforts. |
| Judge gives 8-year sentence in Brett Kavanaugh assassination plot | |
 | A federal judge sentenced the attempted assassin of Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh to more than eight years in prison Friday. Judge Deborah L. Boardman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, sentenced Sophie Roske, who is transgender and referred to as Nicholas Roske in some court documents, to 97 months in prison, along with lifelong supervised release. Roske pleaded guilty to attempted assassination of a Supreme Court justice without a plea agreement earlier this year. Justice Department attorneys initially sought at least 30 years in prison for Roske, with the possibility of a life sentence. According to court documents, Roske flew from California in June 2022 and took a taxi to the Maryland neighborhood where Kavanaugh lived. Roske then walked away from the house and called 911 to self-report, telling the operator of suicidal and homicidal thoughts and intended to act on them, according to court documents. Boardman, in delivering the sentence, said that some of Roske's actions, including turning herself in, justified the departure below the 30 years to life in prison that federal sentencing guidelines suggested. "Though she got far too close to executing her plans, the fact remains that she abandoned them," Boardman said. Boardman applied the sentence after acknowledging the "real harm caused to Justice Kavanaugh and his family" by Roske's actions. |
| Animal welfare is now part of RFK Jr.'s MAHA agenda | |
| Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s making animal welfare a component of his Make America Healthy Again mission. The health secretary has asked his agencies to refine high-tech methods of testing chemicals and drugs that don't involve killing animals. He thinks phasing out animal testing and using the new methods will help figure out what's causing chronic disease. It's also got an ancillary benefit for Republicans: Animal-rights advocates like what they're hearing. That's another opportunity for President Donald Trump to co-opt a traditionally left-leaning constituency. "No one likes to see suffering," Emily Trunnell, director of science advancement and outreach at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, told POLITICO. "The animal welfare benefits are very obvious to most people." Last week, the National Institutes of Health announced it would spend $87 million on a new center researching alternatives to animal testing and permit agency-supported researchers to use grant funding to find homes for retired lab animals. Kennedy signed off because he thinks the new methods will enable scientists to more quickly and inexpensively draw conclusions about how chemicals and drugs work. |
| 'Now is the Time': FCC Commissioner Warns of Free Speech Threats | |
| FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez made the 17th stop of her nationwide First Amendment Tour on Thursday (Oct. 2) evening at the University of Mississippi, where she discussed censorship and the chilling effect it can have on free speech and free press. Gomez, one of three sitting members of the Federal Communications Commission, launched the tour earlier this year to spotlight threats to First Amendment rights for all Americans. "I've been focused on shining a light on the ways in which the FCC actions have been threatening freedom of speech and freedom of the press," she said "The First Amendment has protected our fundamental right to speak freely and to hold power to account since 1791. "It is foundational to our democracy, and today, I am here to tell you that foundation is trembling." Referencing the recent temporary removal of late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel alongside the proposed merger of media giants Paramount and Warner Bros., Gomez painted a scene of local media outlets being bought out and erased while major corporations capitulate to pressure from the FCC and other governmental bodies. |
| Bruce Levingston establishes Rowan Oak fund for Faulkner home | |
 | Internationally acclaimed concert pianist Bruce Levingston has made a substantial financial gift to establish a conservation and preservation fund dedicated to protecting and restoring Rowan Oak. In recognition of his generosity and commitment to preserving the historic home of Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner, the university, which owns and maintains the property, has named the endowment the Bruce Levingston Rowan Oak Endowed Fund. The fund will support the restoration of existing artifacts, purchase of historically significant items related to Faulkner's life and various renovation projects, including construction work, landscaping and public engagement initiatives. "Rowan Oak is a treasured part of our university, drawing in visitors from around the globe each year," Chancellor Glenn Boyce said. "We're deeply appreciative to Bruce Levingston for his generosity and commitment to establishing this endowment, which has also been enthusiastically supported by many of our friends and donors. As this endowment grows, it will ensure that we can continue to preserve Rowan Oak's history while enhancing the care and restoration of the items that were part of Faulkner's daily life." |
| Magnolia Mornings: USM celebrates private gifts totaling $22 million | |
| Southern Miss said last week that alumni and friends of the university continue to demonstrate remarkable generosity, with private gifts through the USM Foundation and USM Athletic Foundation totaling $22 million for the 2025 fiscal year. Of that total, $12.5 million was contributed through the USM Foundation and $9.5 million was given to the USM Athletic Foundation. Private giving to the USM Athletic Foundation also fueled scholarships, facilities and programs that enhance the student-athlete experience. "Private giving is one of many indicators of tangible momentum at Southern Miss. Alumni and friends of the University continue to believe in our mission and are investing in students and programs that prepare our students to be ready for life," said University President Dr. Joseph S. Paul. |
| MDCC Announces Enrollment Growth | |
| Mississippi Delta Community College recently announced a four percent overall enrollment increase for Fall 2025, marking the institution's highest reported preliminary headcount (2,134) and full-time equivalent (1,804) since 2019, prior to the pandemic. This enrollment milestone reflects broad growth across the college, including a fifty percent increase in Middle College enrollment, a twenty-four percent increase in transfer students, and a ten percent increase in dual enrollment participation. MDCC's Greenville Higher Education Center (GHEC) also saw a thirty-three percent increase, underscoring the expanding demand for educational access across the Delta. "This achievement is more than a number -- it is a reflection of the collective commitment, creativity, and strategic vision that defines who we are," says MDCC President Dr. Steven Jones. "Under the banner 'Forward Together,' MDCC continues to demonstrate what is possible when we embrace bold, innovative, and strategic approaches to recruitment and student success." |
| MGCCC hosts leadership conference for student representatives | |
| Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) gathered more than 100 student representatives from across its campuses on Wednesday for the school's annual Student Leadership Conference at the Harrison County campus. The event offered student government officers, club leaders, resident assistants, and members of the Reflections Team opportunities to connect and sharpen leadership skills through workshops and discussions with professionals. Breakout sessions gave students hands-on training in areas such as professional success, financial decision-making, communication, and workplace readiness. College officials said the conference underscores MGCCC's ongoing efforts to equip students with the skills needed to succeed in their future careers and to contribute to their communities. |
| As UNO joins LSU, students react to possible name change: 'To me it'll always be UNO' | |
 | The "UNO proud" stickers that adorn cars across the city, and the gray and blue apparel that fill the University of New Orleans bookstore could soon become collectors' items. That's because UNO could get a new name and brand identity when it joins the LSU system in the near future. "For this to really work, it's going to have to be LSU New Orleans," LSU interim president Matt Lee told the state Board of Regents last week, "because you're marrying two well-known brands." On campus, UNO students expressed mixed feelings this week about the potential name change and trading UNO's blue and gray for LSU's purple and gold. Some thought it could bring more attention to the lakefront university, which has struggled to attract students in recent years. Others worried that UNO's unique identity would be lost. Still others said they don't care either way, as long as tuition doesn't increase. "To me it'll always be UNO," said Alixx Williams, a graduate student working the front desk of the University Center. |
| U. of Tennessee ranks second in SEC for students studying abroad | |
| The University of Tennessee is second only to the University of Georgia for the largest number of students studying abroad in the SEC. One thousand, seven hundred and fifty-three UT students studied abroad in 2023-24. For UGA, that number was 4,125. UT rivals the University of Alabama's 1,472 students and the University of Florida's 1,194 students who studied abroad between 2023-24. UT offers a variety of programs abroad for all majors in various countries during the fall or spring semester, as well as during the mini-term or summer break. Students and professors say they gain valuable skills and experiences while abroad, including navigating new cultures, expanding their perspectives and gaining a better understanding of themselves. "Everybody grows as a person. You get to know yourself better and you get a different perspective on your own culture," Harriet Bowden, who is leading a UT abroad trip to Seville, Spain, said. Students also develop skills like problem-solving and the ability to work with diverse peers, which make them more marketable in the job market. |
| U. of Florida receives 'D' grade from national free speech advocacy group | |
 | The University of Florida received a "D" grade from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression's 2026 College Free Speech Rankings. UF is ranked No. 45 overall by FIRE, up from 125th in 2024. The university received an overall score of 64.1 for its "speech climate," up 0.3 points from 2024. FIRE's grades are based on an institution's overall score out of 100. The number reflects a school's speech climate based on student responses to surveys, campus policies and recent "speech related controversies." A higher score reflects a more open environment for free speech. The free speech organization surveyed more than 68,000 students at 257 colleges and universities to understand their experiences with and attitudes toward comfort of expressing ideas, disruptive conduct, openness, self-censorship, administrative support and political interference, measures that assess how students feel about free speech on campus. UF has been mired in First Amendment controversies in recent years. |
| U. of Oklahoma confirms program reviews after reported potential closure of African, African American studies department | |
| The University of Oklahoma confirmed the Clara Luper Department of African and African American Studies and the Schusterman Center for Judaic and Israel Studies have been the subject of review. Senior Vice President and Provost André-Denis Wright confirmed the reviews in an email statement to the Daily Friday morning following inquiries about a report from The Black Wall Street Times that the university would be moving to close the African and African American Studies Department. "The University of Oklahoma is not closing the Clara Luper Department of African and African American Studies or the Schusterman Center's Judaic and Israel Studies or their programs," Wright wrote in the statement. Wright wrote in a statement that both departments are under review through a routine evaluation. "Review of both degree programs was triggered by a routine, multi-step evaluation of the university's 300+ programs conducted under State Regents provisions," Wright wrote. The Daily reached out to OU Marketing and Communications for clarification on if the reviews were ongoing or if the evaluation was complete. It declined to offer clarification on that point. |
| Former state lawmaker Tommy Williams named interim president of Texas A&M | |
| The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents on Friday appointed former Republican state legislator Tommy Williams to lead Texas A&M University while they find someone to replace former president Mark A. Welsh III, who resigned last month. Williams, a 1978 Texas A&M alum, spent more than a decade in the Texas Legislature, worked as the system's top government relations official and advised Gov. Greg Abbott on fiscal matters before retiring in 2019. "Tommy was absolutely shocked when he got the phone call," Board Chair Robert L. Albritton told The Texas Tribune. "That's who you're looking for, you're looking for somebody that isn't desperately trying to go do it." In an email to students, staff and faculty, Texas A&M University System Chancellor Glenn Hegar said Williams will also begin a "listening tour" across campus and meet with university and student leaders. His appointment follows several turbulent weeks at Texas A&M. |
| U. of Missouri President Choi calls on students to adopt personal safety measures downtown | |
 | University of Missouri System President Mun Choi advised students in an email Thursday to use personal safety measures to protect themselves downtown in response to "significant crime issues." This email followed previous statements from Choi after a shooter fired into a crowd on East Broadway during the early morning hours of Sept. 27, striking three people. Stephens College student Aiyanna Williams died of her injuries the following day. In his most recent message, Choi highlighted steps the university, Columbia Police Department and city officials have taken to mitigate crime downtown. This includes increasing police patrols and announcing a set of immediate action items to improve public safety. For some students, Choi's emails address a pattern of issues they have observed in recent years. Junior Maddy Fronabarger lives downtown and walks past the shooting site and memorial every day on her way to class. She said catcalling, harassment and gang activity, in addition to the shooting, have led her to have a heightened sense of caution downtown. She has already adopted and plans to adopt some of the safety measures recommended by Choi's latest email. |
| Assistant professor fired for Charlie Kirk post sues Clemson University | |
 | One of the assistant professors who was fired from Clemson University for a post he shared in the wake of the Charlie Kirk assassination is now suing the school. Joshua Bregy, who was an assistant professor in Clemson's Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences since January 2023 when he was fired, filed the suit in federal court Friday along with the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina. Bregy, whose lawsuit says he received consistently received positive evaluations from students and his department chair, is suing to get his job back as well as back pay. Even though Bregy's Facebook account only allowed confirmed friends to view posts, the post, along with posts that appeared to mock or celebrate Kirk's death from two other Clemson staff members, was flagged by the Clemson College Republicans. It eventually led to social media backlash from Republican elected officials who called for the ousting of the three employees. "There is no question" that Bregy was fired for engaging in protected speech, the lawsuit said. Clemson "caved" to pressure, according to the lawsuit. Only hours after promising an individualized investigation, Clemson Provost Robert Jones advocated for Bregy's firing. |
| Education Department Pushes Workforce Readiness as a Priority | |
 | The U.S. Department of Education is doubling down on its emphasis on workforce development. Education Secretary Linda McMahon recently proposed adding career pathways and workforce readiness to her list of priorities for discretionary grant funding, possibly guiding how the department spends billions of dollars. "After four years of the Biden Administration pedaling [sic] divisive ideology and racial preferencing, the Trump Administration will prioritize discretionary grants to education programs that actually improve student outcomes by using evidence-based strategies for instruction and creating pathways to high-demand fields," U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement late last month. "The department looks forward to empowering states to close achievement gaps and align education with the evolving needs of the workforce." McMahon's plan would channel federal funds toward efforts to align workforce-development programs with state economic priorities. Education and workforce advocates say the new grant priority -- open for public comment until Oct. 27 -- is a welcome win for causes they've long championed, but their celebration is tempered by some questions and concerns. |
| Higher Ed Sounds Off on Proposed Compact | |
| When the Trump administration proposed a compact with nine institutions last week, requesting sweeping reforms in exchange for preferential treatment, most leaders of the impacted campuses had little to say publicly beyond acknowledging they had received the proposal and were "reviewing" it. Kevin P. Eltife, a former Republican lawmaker who now leads the University of Texas system Board of Regents, was among the few to respond positively to the proposed "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education," which asks universities to make significant changes to admissions and hiring practices, commit to institutional neutrality, cap international enrollment, and suppress criticism of conservatives. On Friday, Dartmouth president Sian Beilock became the first leader of the group to indicate she was unlikely to go along with the plan. "I am deeply committed to Dartmouth's academic mission and values and will always defend our fierce independence," she wrote in a message to the campus community. "You have often heard me say that higher education is not perfect and that we can do better. At the same time, we will never compromise our academic freedom and our ability to govern ourselves." |
| Secretary of War attacks fat generals and admirals | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: It seemed more like a Saturday Night Live skit than stark reality. Picture 800 accomplished generals and admirals, leaders who rose through the ranks over their professional lifetimes to command the world's greatest military forces, all gathered in one room. They have been summoned from strategic military posts around the world. On the stage lecturing to them is Secretary of Defense Brian "Pete" Hegseth, a former National Guard major, volunteer warrior, and Bronze Star recipient who rose to become a mouthpiece on Fox and Friends Weekend. "It's completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the country and the world, it's a bad look," Hegseth says. "So, whether you're an Airborne Ranger or a chair-borne Ranger, a brand new private or a four-star general, you need to meet the height and weight standards and pass your PT test." ... "It all starts with physical fitness and appearance," he says. "If the Secretary of War (himself) can do regular, hard PT, so can every member of our joint force." In America, the leader of our joint force is the commander-in-chief. Right after Hegseth's fitness speech out walks our protuberant, overweight Commander-in-Chief Donald J. Trump. A bad look Pete? |
| Owners of draft of President Kennedy's speech about James Meredith's integration of Ole Miss believe it has lessons for today | |
| Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison writes: Shirley Payne believes Americans should take a fresh look at the nationally televised speech that President John F. Kennedy delivered Sept. 30, 1962, as he announced he was "federalizing" a unit of the state National Guard to ensure that James Meredith, a military veteran, was enrolled as the first Black student at the University of Mississippi. Payne, who practices law in the Jackson area with her husband, Dennis Horn, said the speech should be read and admired against the political rancor occurring today, especially over President Donald Trump's apparent glee in sending National Guard troops to American cities. She said Kennedy took a different approach -- an almost apologetic approach -- as he nationalized a Mississippi unit of the National Guard to try to ensure order as Meredith enrolled. By happenstance, Payne and her longtime friend, Stephen Sheppard, a former St. Mary's University Law School dean and now professor at the school in San Antonio, have a copy of Kennedy's speech draft and they are looking for ways to share it with other Americans, particularly college students. |
SPORTS
| Cross Country Sweeps The Belhaven Invite | |
| Mississippi State cross country took home the win at the Belhaven Invite in the women's 6k this morning. "We're really happy with how the team executed today," said assistant coach Erinn Stenman-Fahey. "The team is in a good position for this time in the season as we prepare for the Pre-National Invite in two weeks. The team is excited to get back to training and racing, and we'll face some great competition in Missouri." Of the 10 competing, nine Bulldogs earned top 10 finishes in the race. The pack was led by Naomi Jeplting, who crossed the line in 20:41.2 in her first collegiate 6k race. Nelly Jemeli followed closely behind in 20:56.7 for her first collegiate 6k. The athletes finished in first and second, respectively. Both Jepleting's and Jemeli's performances fall on the MSU all-time top 20 list in the 6k. They both hold all-time spots over both the 5k and 6k for Mississippi State. State will toe the line at the Pre-National Invite, hosted by Missouri, on October 18. |
| Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson continues to lose money at alarming rate | |
 | From 2019 on, Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium has been a money pit -- one year of profit swallowed by years of losses. It's been 75 years since the stadium opened its doors, with the first game played there in 1950 and many legendary game days since. The problem isn't its storied past -- it's the future. Financial records the Clarion Ledger obtained through a public records request show the stadium brought in about $7 million in ticket sales, concessions and other revenues from 2019 through 2026. But operating costs climbed past $8.5 million, producing a net loss of nearly $1.5 million. Only once in that span -- 2019 -- did the stadium finish in the black, with every year since posting deficits. The 2026 numbers reflect year-to-date totals. JSU officials did not respond to repeated requests for comment over several weeks for this story. The Clarion Ledger contacted the university's legal department, communications department and athletics department. Communications staff directed questions to athletics, while athletics officials said they were too busy to respond. |
| If this was the last Sanderson tourney, Steven Fisk made it memorable | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: Let's go back to May 19, 1968. War was escalating in Vietnam. President Lyndon Johnson had just announced he would not run for reelection. Mickey Mantle was limping through his last season with the New York Yankees. James Eastland and John Stennis, two Democrats, were Mississippi's two U.S. senators. A promising young quarterback named Archie Manning was finishing spring training, preparing for his first varsity season at Ole Miss. Yes, and in Hattiesburg, B.R. "Mac" McClendon, a rookie playing his first professional golf tournament, won the first Magnolia Classic, defeating 53-year-old Pete Fleming in a nine-hole, sudden-death playoff at the Hattiesburg Country Club. McClendon, fresh out of LSU where he was a three-time Southeastern Conference golf champion, won a not-so-grand total of $2,800 for his efforts. He birdied the ninth hole, his 45th of the day, at dusk, as car lights shone brightly from the parking lot just behind the green. Few, if any, of us present that damp spring evening in Hattiesburg would have ever believed the little tournament with such humble beginnings would endure for 57 years, but it has. Fast-forward to Sunday's breezy, cloudy afternoon at the Country Club of Jackson in the final round of perhaps the final Sanderson Farms Championship. |
| Fox, ABC Reject Ad Accusing Conference Commissioners of Greed | |
| Fox and ABC are refusing to run a new commercial that criticizes power-conference commissioners, according to Texas Tech booster and oil billionaire Cody Campbell. A friend of President Donald Trump, Campbell has been lobbying Congress against the NCAA-backed SCORE Act. He believes a new governing body should replace the NCAA, and that the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 should be amended to allow all college football media rights to be pooled and sold together. He has said that the extra revenue generated could help pay for women's and Olympic sports. A representative for Fox did not immediately respond to requests for comment. ESPN, which shares rights with ABC under their parent company Disney, declined to comment. An ESPN source, however, said the decision reflects their standard review procedures. The network requested "more supporting documentation" regarding the ad, but because none was supplied in a timely manner, the network couldn't air it this weekend, according to the source. ESPN has run Campbell's ads in the past. Campbell has been running ads all season advocating for his lobbying efforts regarding college sports policy. His newest ad, unveiled Friday, specifically targets the power conferences commissioners. "To conference commissioners, it's all about money and control," Campbell says during the 30-second video showing him on a jumbotron and a football field. "Their greed is bankrupting all but the biggest schools -- and women's sports and Olympic programs everywhere are paying the price." |
| Big Ten Private Equity Deal Could Alter Employment, Antitrust Cases | |
| The potential $2 billion private capital deal involving the Big Ten and its 18 member schools would supply those schools with a sizable pot of money at a time when American colleges face both rising athletics costs and revenue worries tied to the "enrollment cliff." But the deal might also strengthen legal arguments that power conference athletes are employees and that, for purposes of antitrust law, those athletes partake in a labor market in which they sell their services to schools. Bottom line: The already hazy world of college sports law could get even more muddled. ESPN reports that negotiations are still in progress, but the gist of the deal would involve the creation of a new entity, Big Ten Enterprises (BTE). BTE would have 20 equity shares, with the 18 member schools, the Big Ten and an investor entity each holding one share. BTE would serve as the conference's hub for media rights, sponsorships and other revenue streams, while the Big Ten would continue to oversee scheduling, officiating and championships. Member schools would receive a "nine-figure" upfront payment. Negotiations also involve a 10-year extension of the Big Ten's grant of rights until 2046. |
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