| Wednesday, October 8, 2025 |
| Complete annotated edition of Sherman's memoirs by Mississippi State Civil War scholars published at 150th anniversary | |
 | A new edition of Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman's memoirs has been annotated by some of the nation's leading Civil War scholars at Mississippi State University -- an effort marking 150 years since the work's original publication. "The Memoirs of General William Tecumseh Sherman: The Complete Annotated Edition" is a Harvard University Press publication edited by MSU's John F. Marszalek 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. Gallo is managing editor for the Grant Presidential Library, which is housed within MSU Libraries. MSU is one of only six universities in the U.S. to house a presidential library. "Our edition of Sherman's memoirs is coming out 150 years after its original publication in 1875, making this project long overdue," Gallo said. "None of our work would be possible without the amazing support of the university and President [Mark] Keenum. His dedication to preserving and advancing the study of American history is commendable." |
| Second MSN cohort moves through rite of passage in White Coat Ceremony | |
 | Sources from MSU Press Release say that as graduated Master of Science in Nursing students move to fill critical industry roles, Mississippi State University-Meridian has ushered its second cohort through a nursing rite of passage, the White Coat Ceremony. The recent event signifies that the newest 37 students, who entered the program in August, are ready to enter the clinical phase of their education. "We believe in this community, Mississippi State University, and the power of nursing," said Mary Stewart, dean of MSU's School of Nursing, who thanked the students for "bringing a rich diversity and your best selves to this challenge." "At the core of nursing is a willingness to suffer with those who are suffering," she added. "Tangible health consequences result from being cared for and from caring for others." Before reciting the Pledge of Professionalism in front of a crowd of about 300 onlookers, students were given Nightingale Lanterns, symbolizing the work of Florence Nightingale, a Crimean War nurse who carried a lamp on her rounds. |
| Beef Cattle Field Day is set for October 30 in Raymond | |
| According to an MSU press release, cattle producers, industry professionals, and others interested in beef cattle production are invited to the Beef Cattle Field Day Event at Mississippi State University's Brown Loam Branch Experiment Station in Raymond on Oct. 30. The event begins at 12:30 p.m. with a come-and-see expo and tour of the station's facilities and pastures. Educational sessions begin at 2 p.m. Speakers include MSU Extension Service specialists, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station researchers, and Mississippi Board of Animal Health veterinarians. Attendees will learn about current beef cattle and forage research at the station, how to prepare herds and pastures for winter, and get updates on New World screwworm, foot and mouth disease and the Secure Beef Supply Plan program, which helps producers prepare for biosecurity issues. |
| MSU Extension Head Start holding job fair ahead of opening | |
 | Mississippi State University Extension Service is holding a job fair for individuals interested in working at Hancock County's new Head Start, which is not yet open. MSU Extension is looking to hire an assistant program director, teachers, assistant teachers, a center operations coordinator, an educational leader, a disabilities coordinator, a maintenance manager, cafeteria staff, an office associate and a custodian. The job fair will take place at the Hancock County Performing Arts Center, located at 7140 Stennis Airport Road in the Kiln. Those interested are advised to bring a resume, transcript and copy of their degree or diploma. The Head Start will integrate four pre-K classrooms at three different elementary schools across the county. In addition to the four classrooms in the Hancock County School District, a standalone center will be added in Bay Waveland. Altogether, 80 slots will be available for the head start program each year. For more information about the job fair or the Head Start program, call 662-418-8713 or email msuheadstart@ext.msstate.edu . |
| Residents back towing reform in Starkville | |
 | Christine Williams has long been aware of the frustrations of Mississippi State University parents and students when it comes to towing services in Starkville, often following along through social media. "I've watched it, I've paid attention, and it wasn't until recently when it became my own child who was towed that I realized now it's personal," Williams told aldermen on Tuesday. "But also, it really is an unfavorable practice and it does target the students." Williams was one of three residents who spoke in favor of the city's proposed towing ordinance during the board's regular meeting at City Hall. The proposed ordinance would establish strict regulations for all towing companies operating within Starkville to prevent "predatory towing," particularly in apartment complexes, Mayor Lynn Spruill previously told The Dispatch. Under the proposal, towing fees would be capped at $250 with storage fees limited to $45 per day. Companies would be required to maintain standard hours for vehicle release seven days a week. The ordinance also would also require visible signage in private parking lots where towing is enforced. Ben Shurden, owner of Apex Towing, spoke on both what he sees as the proposal's merits and his concerns. While he agreed that clearer rules are necessary, he emphasized that private property owners, like apartment complexes, set their own parking regulations. "I do believe that the people need to be protected to a certain extent," Shurden said. "In regard to private property towing, there needs to be clear rules and outlines that all the companies need to follow." Tuesday's session marked the first of the two public hearings on the measure. |
| America250 Airstream stopping Friday in Columbus | |
| The "Our American Story" initiative will stop in the city this week as part of its cross-country tour collecting testimonials on what it means to be an American. Part of the America250 initiative celebrating the nation's semiquincentennial, the America250 Airstream trailer will be parked in the lawn of the Tennessee Williams Home and Welcome Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, inviting the public to take photos and record their own American story. "We've taken an Airstream Trailer and we've converted it into a studio," Nancy Carpenter, executive director for the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation and development director for America250 Mississippi, told the city council during its Tuesday meeting at the Municipal Complex. Walk-up kiosks will be available for any citizen to record their unique American story, which will be archived with portions preserved at the Library of Congress. Some will be invited into the Airstream studio for conversations with trained interviewers, Carpenter said. After leaving Columbus, it will travel Saturday to the state fair and the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson. |
| Ohio-based manufacturer takes over Mississippi steel company | |
 | An Ohio-based manufacturing company is taking over a steel fabrication business headquartered in Mississippi. Officials with Accelevation, which designs the interiors of data centers, among other functions, announced that the company has taken over operations at SteelPro in Houston and its site in Memphis. The 42,000-square-foot SteelPro facility in Houston boasts a capacity of nearly 40,000 shop hours annually and will be used as part of Accelevation's mission to deliver pre-manufactured data center infrastructure to its buyers rapidly. "Speed and scale are the new currency in today's data center market," Accelevation CEO Michael Rubiera said. "With SteelPro, we are now vertically integrated in critical steel fabrication, ensuring faster execution, greater capacity, and the ability to scale at the pace our hyperscale and colocation customers require." SteelPro is also known for creating generator platforms, external steel structures, and cooling tower systems, along with its data center applications. The company's founder, Jeremy Harrell, is hopping on board as part of Accelevation's leadership team for his expertise in the field. |
| A tiny protest in front of a Mississippi U.S. senator's new office draws curiosity and confusion | |
 | U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith's has moved her office from downtown Jackson to nearby Madison County. The new space is located at the Renaissance Colony Park in Ridgeland, a sprawling, high-end campus. The previous office was at the Pinnacle building on Capitol Street in Jackson. At least nine grassroots organizers rallied in front of Hyde-Smith's new office space Friday. Some were there to protest the move. Others were excited to see how the new space worked for their demonstrations. Almost immediately, security officers from the building housing Hyde-Smith's office told protesters they would need to move away from the building. Phones came out as the demonstrators checked to see what rights they had in this new location. Although these protesters have been demonstrating outside the Senator's former downtown Jackson location since February, it was obvious Ridgeland property is different. The demonstrators quickly researched noise ordinances for the area. Curious passersby looked genuinely perplexed to see protest signs and a small drum. One bystander asked MPB News why the protest was happening, saying demonstrations "don't happen" in this area. A rally aiming to speak out against the Trump administration will be held at the state capitol building in Jackson, October 18. |
| America's Soybean Farmers Are Panicking Over the Loss of Chinese Buyers | |
 | American soybean farmers are in panic mode as they harvest what is expected to be a bumper crop without their biggest customer: China. "We'll see the bottom drop out if we don't get a deal with China soon," said Ron Kindred, who farms 1,700 acres of corn and soybeans in central Illinois. "There doesn't seem to be any urgency on China's side, and more urgency coming from the farm community in the U.S." Kindred is about halfway through harvesting this year's soybean crop. He has a contract to sell about 40% of his harvest, but the other 60% is a gamble. Prices in his area are already dropping, he said. Rising costs for equipment and fertilizer, and a glut of corn and soybeans, were already squeezing farmers' balance sheets. Congress in December passed a $10 billion bailout for farmers. The Trump administration is considering allocating $10 billion to $14 billion more to farmers to help mitigate fallout from this year's trade battles, The Wall Street Journal has reported. President Trump said at the White House on Monday that he was "going to do some farm stuff this week" to help growers cope with the loss of exports to China. Trump is expected to meet later this week with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to make a final determination of where the money for a farmer bailout should come from, according to a White House official. The president and his team are considering the use of tariff revenue to fund much of the aid. |
| Trump administration's farm aid plans delayed by shutdown | |
 | The Trump administration has pushed back its plans to roll out economic aid for farmers this week due to the government shutdown, according to four people familiar with the talks. The Office of Management and Budget has readied between $12 billion and $13 billion to be allocated from an internal USDA account, some of which could be used to fund the bailouts for farmers hurt by President Donald Trump's tariffs and other economic headwinds, according to the four people with knowledge of the decision, all granted anonymity to share private details. No final decision has been made on just how much of the money will go toward farm aid, the people said, and the package won't be coming out any time soon. The timeline has been further delayed because some USDA political appointees have been furloughed during the shutdown. Officials have been weighing using tariff revenue, USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation fund and other alternative methods to alleviate farmers' financial stress. There's precedent: Trump tapped USDA's internal fund to dole out $28 billion worth of bailouts during his first-term trade war with China. |
| Federal government shutdown grinds into a second week, but quiet talks emerging | |
 | ours at the Capitol have come to a standstill. The House is keeping its doors closed, while the Senate is stuck in a loop of failed votes on a rejected plan to reopen the government. President Donald Trump is threatening to mass fire federal workers and refuse back pay for the rest. As the government shutdown enters a second week, there's no discernible endgame in sight. "You have to negotiate," Sen. Bernie Sanders, the independent from Vermont, argued late into the evening on the Senate floor. "That's the way it works." But no negotiations, at least publicly, are underway. The Republicans who have majority control in Congress believe they have the upper hand politically, as they fend off Democratic demands to quickly fund health insurance subsidies as part of any plan to end the shutdown. But so have Democrats dug in, convinced that Americans are on their side in the fight to prevent the looming health care price spikes and blaming Trump for the shutdown. Behind the scenes, though, signs of discomfort are apparent. |
| No civility in a shutdown? For Congress, security fears and rhetoric collide | |
 | The calls came swiftly and from all across the political spectrum after the assassination of Charlie Kirk. "We need every political figure, we need everyone who has a platform, to say this loudly and clearly: We can settle disagreements and disputes in a civil manner, and political violence must be called out. And it has to stop," Speaker Mike Johnson said soon after Kirk was shot. For a brief period last month, just like in the days after the June murder of Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, widespread calls for civility were paired with a focus in the halls of Congress on tightening member security. A glimmer of consensus appeared to emerge on the potential dangers of escalating political rhetoric, as it often does after similar tragedies -- if only fleetingly. But just weeks later, as the deadline for funding the government approached and then passed, a messaging war ensued. As both political sides now attempt to pin the blame of the shutdown on their opponents, questions about inflammatory rhetoric and safety seem like an afterthought. "A shutdown distracts from a lot of things, and could clearly distract from a mission like trying to dial down the rhetoric," said Rodney Davis, an Illinois Republican who joined more than 100 other former members of Congress last year in urging elected officials to rein in the vitriol. "Shutdowns of the past didn't cause the heated political rhetoric. But frankly, it just adds to the constant barrage of news where Republicans and Democrats seemingly can't get along." |
| GOP senators increasingly anxious about Trump's aggressive use of National Guard | |
 | Republican senators are increasingly uneasy about President Trump's standoff with Democratic governors over deploying National Guard troops from other states to Portland, Ore., and Chicago. The conflict between federal and state authorities escalated dramatically over the weekend when Trump moved to send National Guard soldiers to Oregon and Illinois despite opposition from their respective governors, Tina Kotek and JB Pritzker. Trump's use of military forces was all the more controversial because a Trump-appointed federal judge for the District of Oregon ruled Saturday that the administration could not federalize Oregon's National Guard to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Portland. Senate Republicans want to support Trump's efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, but they said the president's actions are raising alarming questions about states' rights, presidential authority and the precedent of deploying National Guard troops across state lines. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters Monday that he was briefed on the deployment of California and Texas guard troops. But Thune said he expects the Trump administration to follow judges' rulings, noting that district court rulings will be appealed to the appellate courts and perhaps the Supreme Court. |
| 'Liar,' 'failed lawyer.' Attorney General Pam Bondi insults Democrats in Senate hearing | |
 | Attorney General Pam Bondi battled with Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Oct. 7, refusing to answer their questions and launching personal attacks against some of them when they accused her of stonewalling. She was received very differently by Republicans, who praised Bondi throughout the marathon hearing, saying she's made good on her -- and President Donald Trump's -- pledges to rid the Justice Department of partisan politics, cut crime and help deport immigrants in the country illegally. "I took office with two main goals; to end the weaponization of justice and return the department to its core mission of fighting violent crime," Bondi said. "While there is more work to do, I believe in eight short months, we have made tremendous progress towards those ends." But Democrats, one by one, accused the nation's top law enforcement official of doing exactly the opposite. They said the former personal Trump lawyer and Florida attorney general gutted key elements of the Justice Department, including its public corruption unit. In response to Democrats' questions on a broad range of issues, a combative Bondi often hurled insults and counter-accusations. She called Sen. Adam Schiff "a failed lawyer" and "a liar." A Reuters photographer captured some of Bondi's preplanned attacks on the inside of a manila folder that Bondi occasionally opened during her testimony. |
| President Trump nominates former Mississippi Coast mayor to federal position | |
 | President Donald Trump has nominated former Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes to serve on the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a federal agency that regulates the safety of products sold to customers across the country. The nomination of Hewes, a Republican and former state Senator who most recently served three terms as mayor, comes when the agency is in disarray. In May, Trump fired three of the five commissioners. Hewes would replace Douglas Dziak, who resigned in August. His resignation leaves only one commissioner, acting chairman Peter Feldman. A draft memo from the Office of Management and Budget, widely reported in May, suggested doing away with the agency charged with protecting consumers from dangerous products. Some of its duties, according to media reports, would be transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services. The fired commissioners, all Democrats, filed a lawsuit over their dismissal and are locked in a court battle with the administration. An appellate court is set to decide whether Trump wrongly fired the commissioners from an agency that Congress designed as independent. The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to let the dismissals stand until the case is decided. |
| Supreme Court seems highly doubtful of limits on conversion therapy for minors | |
 | The Supreme Court seemed ready on Tuesday to side with an Evangelical Christian therapist who objects to a Colorado law that she maintains violates her free speech rights. If the court rules in her favor, the decision could invalidate laws in some two dozen states that bar therapists from practicing a version of talk therapy that seeks to change a teenager's sexual orientation or gender identity. The case involves a new wrinkle on an old therapy. Specifically, something called "conversion therapy." It's generally defined as a treatment used to change a person's attraction for same-sex individuals and to similarly cure gender dysphoria. In whatever form, the therapy has been forcefully repudiated by every major medical organization in the country on the grounds that it doesn't work and often leads to depression and suicidal thoughts in minors. But at Tuesday's Supreme Court argument, lawyer James Campbell, representing therapist Kaley Chiles, told the justices that the way his client wishes to practice conversion therapy involves no physical restraints or coercion of any kind. Rather, he said her practice involves only talk therapy, and the state's ban on what Chiles does prevents voluntary conversations with minors seeking her help. After reading excerpts of the law out loud, conservative Justice Samuel Alito chimed in that the Colorado law "looks like blatant viewpoint discrimination." |
| Supreme Court to Consider Illinois Mail-In Balloting Lawsuit | |
 | The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Wednesday in a case dealing with rules allowing mail-in ballots in Illinois to be counted even if received after Election Day, a practice permitted in many Democratic-led states that has been repeatedly challenged by Republicans. At issue in the case is the narrow question of whether a federal elected official can sue to stop a state from counting such ballots. Representative Mike Bost, a six-term Republican who represents a district in downstate Illinois, and two electors filed a lawsuit in May 2022 arguing that the late-ballot rule is superseded by laws enacted by Congress setting the time for federal elections. The lawsuit was one of several challenges brought by allies of President Trump to question the guidelines around mail-in ballots, which he has long attacked and falsely blamed for his 2020 election loss as more people voted by mail during the pandemic. It is also the first of several voting rights and election-related disputes the justices are scheduled to hear this term, setting up an important year for the court and the mechanics of democracy. Although the question presented in Mr. Bost's case is narrow, a victory for him could clear the way for other such challenges, including a Mississippi case pending before the court testing whether a five-day post-election grace period for late mail-in ballots violates federal law. |
| UMMC shares updates on Batson Tower, Clarke Center projects | |
 | Officials with the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) provided project updates for the Blair E. Batson Tower and the Alyce G. Clarke Center for Medically Fragile Children. According to UMMC, renovations at the Batson Tower will include updates to match the aesthetics and amenities of the Kathy and Joe Sanderson Tower at Children's of Mississippi. Work on the tower's third floor, which will be devoted to cardiac care, is nearing an end. Updates will move to other medical surgical units in 2026. "The Batson Tower was state-of-the-art when it opened, and so many families and caregivers have memories of the colorful 1990s decor, which was popular at the time. While the furnishings of the tower have been well cared-for, after 28 years, it is time for an update," said Dr. Guy Giesecke, CEO of children's and women's hospitals at UMMC. Patients in the Batson Tower are treated for many diseases and injuries, including cancer, neurological disorders, congenital heart disease, orthopedic surgical conditions, trauma, respiratory concerns and many other conditions. |
| Delta State students are supporting each other through grief after a classmate was found dead on campus | |
| One text message in a group chat. That's all it took for Mtume Matthews to gather hundreds of Delta State University students, faculty, staff and neighbors to a candlelight vigil on the night of Sept. 18. There they mourned 21-year-old Demartravion "Trey" Reed, the first-year student who took his life earlier that week. The death of the Black student jolted the city of Cleveland, a small college town in northwest Mississippi with a roughly 2,700-student population, into national headlines. A flurry of social media posts with conflicting information on Reed's death led to confusion about campus safety. There was also public outcry -- prompting a response informed by Mississippi's history of racism and violence -- where many disputed his death twice ruled as a suicide by state and county authorities. Reed's body was found hanging from a tree on campus Sept. 15. Results of a second independent autopsy commissioned on behalf of Reed's family have not been released. But Matthews said that moment of solemnity and stillness on the campus quadrangle that night gave him an idea. "In those first few days, students just wanted answers. That was the biggest thing," said Matthews, a junior studying flight operations. "But now, it's like, 'OK, where do we go next?' How do we hold each other accountable and build a family?" |
| U. of Alabama Million Dollar Band to march in Macy's 2026 Thanksgiving Day Parade | |
 | The 400 members of the Crimson Tide's Million Dollar Band raised joyful noise Tuesday morning, Oct. 7, with voices in place of drums, brass and woodwinds resounding throughout Bryant-Denny Stadium's North End Zone, thrilled by news they'd be performing in the 2026 Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. It will be the 100th edition for the iconic holiday event, with an estimated audience of 44 million annually, most on broadcasts and streaming with about 3.5 million people experiencing it live along the streets of Manhattan. The students knew something was up, obviously, as they'd been instructed to gather before the 9 a.m. announcement, wearing matching gear: T-shirts, and coordinated dresses for Crimsonettes and color guard. Rumors had run rampant. "We had so many guesses," said Allison Tarpley, a senior Million Dollar Band member who'll get to make the trip next year, as she's extending her UA stay via graduate studies. "My dad made me text him at 9:02." Joined by Big Al, University of Alabama School of Music faculty, media and others, the students broke into joyous applause, punctuated with repeated shouts of "Roll Tide," as Kenneth Ozzello, director of the Million Dollar Band for more than 20 years, announced that a roughly year-and-a-half-long process had come to fruition. |
| Bill would make Florida colleges, universities name streets after Charlie Kirk | |
| A Republican state lawmaker has filed a bill requiring all of Florida's public state universities and colleges to rename one roadway on their campuses after the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. And if they don't, the legislation proposes holding back "state funds" that go to the institutions. State Rep. Kevin Steele, R–Dade City, filed the bill (HB 113) in the Florida House on Oct. 7. There's no Senate companion yet. Steele wasn't immediately available for comment. The bill, if passed, would make "each institution's "board of trustees ... redesignate the following roadways or portions of roadways, as applicable." It then lists each roadway to be renamed, including: The University of Florida shall redesignate Stadium Road as Charlie James Kirk Road. Florida previously has renamed sections of roadways for other conservative icons, most recently for the late radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh. |
| U. of Oklahoma president speaks on strategic plan updates, university responses to federal directives | |
| University of Oklahoma President Joseph Harroz Jr. sat down with OU Daily news editors Tuesday afternoon to discuss strategic plan updates, on-campus housing changes and university responses to federal directives. In 2020, OU launched "Lead On, University," originally an eight-year strategic plan centered around five pillars to represent significant goals set by the university. The university announced a refresh of the strategic plan in spring 2024. A primary goal of the strategic plan was for OU to become a member of the Association of American Universities, an invitation-only organization of America's leading research universities credited for life changing education, research and innovation. Member universities earn the majority of federal funding for research. "It's going really well," Harroz said. "All the things we hope to accomplish macro really are exciting. Just seeing the new McCasland Hall ... we hoped five years ago, would we be in a position where reaching excellence as identified by AAU status (be) in our sights and something we could attain. We knew five years ago that was a stretch. Now we see that it is attainable." As college enrollment decreases across the nation, Harroz said OU's enrollment has gone up 31.4%, another key aspect of the strategic plan. He said dealing with the unprecedented growth is a challenge, but it is a good challenge to face. |
| Mizzou's President Has Succeeded by Staying Out of Trouble | |
 | The Missouri Tigers had tied the Kansas Jayhawks going into the half. It was the first installment in 14 years of the "Border War," a football rivalry that had fallen victim to reshuffling among athletic conferences. At a suite high up in Mizzou's sold-out stadium, a crowd of state lawmakers, board members, and campus administrators milled about. A man in a gold mesh jacket and matching sneakers walked in and made the rounds. He embraced a couple. He took a photo with the mayor of Kansas City. He floated a film recommendation: a recent documentary featuring a prominent Mizzou donor. Then, almost as quickly as he had arrived at the University of Missouri system's suite, Mun Y. Choi, the system president and flagship chancellor, was off again. "He is everywhere," gushed State Rep. Bill Irwin, a Republican, wearing a tiger tail at a tailgate earlier that day. "He shows up at so many events, and he has such a phenomenal memory to go back, and he remembers who you are, your name, and the things you've done." Choi had arrived in Missouri eight years prior with a mandate to turn around the University of Missouri's misfortunes, which largely stemmed from a poor leadership response to racial-justice protests on the Columbia campus. The system president and campus chancellor both resigned, negative headlines proliferated, and enrollment nosedived. Today, donors, lawmakers, and board members say Mizzou is in the best shape it has ever been in. They credit Choi, hired as the system president and now also the leader of the Mizzou flagship, with that success. |
| Trump's H-1B Visa Fee Could Strain Universities and Schools | |
| President Trump's $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas will have major consequences for tech companies and financial firms. But the effects of the new fee will also ripple across the education system and show up in classrooms across the country. Higher education leaders and public-school superintendents say the steep fee will hurt schools that depend on foreign workers to fill critical teaching roles. Some university and college presidents said it would impede their ability to hire faculty members through the visa program, which allows educated foreign citizens to work in "specialty occupations." Others said their school districts could not afford the fee, making it harder for them to find math and special education teachers. The change is yet another blow to colleges and universities that have been squeezed by the Trump administration's barrage of attacks on higher education. Federal officials have frozen billions in research funds, demanded hefty payments from top schools, intensified vetting of student visas and pursued civil rights investigations into dozens of universities. "It's not as if this is done on a whim because we're trying to replace American workers," said Lynn Pasquerella, the president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities. "It is done based on what the Trump administration is calling for -- on merit and who's the most qualified." |
| With Compact, Universities Weigh Whether to Give Up Freedoms for Unknown Payout | |
 | The nine universities that were sent the Trump administration's new deal for higher ed are under increasing pressure to reject the compact. Multiple major associations representing institutions and faculty have urged them not to sign it. California governor Gavin Newsom has said the University of Southern California and any other university in his state that signs will "instantly" lose billions of state dollars. Faculty groups at the University of Virginia, another institution presented with the compact, overwhelmingly urged university leaders to reject it. A group of progressive student and higher ed worker organizations is circulating a petition that calls on university presidents and boards to "reject the Trump administration's attempt to cajole universities into compliance through explicit bribery." So far, the universities at the center of the fight are remaining mostly mum, saying they'll review the proposal. Some leaders are hinting they have reservations about signing. But other higher ed leaders and observers say that no matter beyond what those institutions do, the nine-page document represents another escalation in the White House's precedent-shattering crusade to overhaul postsecondary ed---one that could restrict freedoms at colleges across the nation. They expect the compact will likely serve as a blueprint for the administration's dealings with other colleges. |
| Researchers say religion declines globally, but Mississippi still the 'most religious state' | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: Several places across the country have claimed the mythical title as "the gold buckle of the Bible Belt" in asserting their faith or piety. From areas in the Southwest east to Florida and up through the Carolinas, cities and states have at various times claimed the title. ... Without question, the term "Bible Belt" was intended by some as a term of derision. But many who lived in those areas embraced the term. And while researchers from a Pew Research Center global study determined that from 2010 to 2020, the U.S. saw a 13% drop in religious affiliation, Mississippi actually remains the authentic "gold buckle of the Bible Belt" in America. Or, stated more simply, the Pew Research Center study showed Mississippi to be the most religious state overall. The research showed that 50% in Mississippi (the highest in the nation) are "highly religious" based on an overall scale of religiousness. The data shows that 61% of Mississippians say religion is vital in their lives, 54% say they attend church at least monthly, 62% say they pray daily, and 74% say they believe in God or a universal spirit with "absolute certainty." |
SPORTS
| Jeff Lebby delivers positive status update on Mississippi State running back Fluff Bothwell | |
| Mississippi State football fans were in shock Saturday as star running back Fluff Bothwell was carted off the field late in the fourth quarter of Saturday's 31-9 loss at now-No. 5 Texas A&M. The South Alabama transfer, after being tackled by Aggie linebacker Jordan Lockhart, did not get up and was carried out of Kyle Field. What appeared to be a season-ending injury may well not be the case, at least according to Bulldog head coach Jeff Lebby. During his weekly press conference Tuesday, the second-year Mississippi State frontman confirmed that he had received "good news" about Bothwell's status, though he didn't provide an expected return date for the sophomore. "We got, we feel like, good news back on Fluff. As we move forward, there's not this hard timeline for us right now," Lebby said. "All the pictures came back, and they were positive, so I feel really good about that. We'll continue to evaluate that. It's going to be a 'day-to-day' deal. But it's really fortunate that the images came back the way they did." Bothwell's injury was especially devastating for Bulldog faithful, given that he was one of the brightest lights of the maroon and white's offense. Through six games, the running back had amassed 465 yards and six touchdowns on the ground, while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. His breakout game occurred at Davis Wade Stadium in a 41-34 loss against top-15 Tennessee, where he logged 134 rushing yards and two scores. |
| Lebby speaks on offensive struggles and regrouping in midseason open week | |
| Mississippi State returned from a difficult trip out west last weekend, licking its wounds after another conference defeat to a Top 15 opponent. The Bulldogs (4-2, 0-2 SEC) are still looking for their first conference win since the 2023 season, but they have the chance to catch their breath during an open week in the schedule. Head coach Jeff Lebby covered several topics in his address to the media on Tuesday, starting with a critical self-evaluation after a disappointing offensive display in College Station. Lebby was as clear in his evaluation on Tuesday as he was after the game on Saturday -- the offense has to be better. "Offensively for us, we couldn't get out of our own way," he said. "The negative plays on first and second down, we averaged third and 11 on third downs, and you got no chance to go win a football game offensively when you put yourself in those situations." The Bulldogs were 1-10 on third downs and crossed the 50-yard line just three times against the Aggies. The defense produced a goalline stand and an interception in the first half, and kept the game within reach until the fourth quarter. The special teams unit was clean as well, with several booming punts from Ethan Pulliam and sharp coverage tackles putting the Aggies in difficult starting positions. |
| Men's Golf: Mississippi State Wins Cullan Brown Collegiate | |
| Mississippi State men's golf took home the victory at the Cullan Brown Collegiate this week. This marks the seventh victory under Dusty Smith and the program's fifth win since the 2022-23 season. The Bulldogs completed round one on Monday before round two was suspended because of darkness. The second round was completed this morning with the final round being canceled because of inclement weather. "I am really proud of the effort we showed this week," head coach Dusty Smith said. "We knew after the practice round that we needed to be disciplined and patient out there. We did that this week. It was a complete team effort, and I couldn't be happier for the guys. "We were able to have great intentions for the week and a great playing focus. Like I said earlier this week, this event was much more than just a tournament to us, and I'm happy we were able to come out on top." State compiled a two-round total of 11-under 557, besting host Kentucky by one shot. The Bulldogs' round-one score of 275 was the fourth-best first round in program history. MSU finished the event with a second round of 282. State will be back in action on October 18-20, as they co-host the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational at Fallen Oak Golf Club in Saucier, Mississippi. State joins Southern Miss and Ole Miss as tournament hosts. |
| Auburn Mayor Ron Anders expresses disappointment with university moving football game to Atlanta | |
 | Auburn Mayor Ron Anders concluded the Auburn City Council meeting Tuesday by making a personal statement expressing his disappointment in the university moving the Baylor game next season from Jordan-Hare Stadium to Atlanta. A city councilman agreed with him saying the move is "very disappointing" and another councilman said, "Shame on the university." Anders said local businesses will be hurt significantly by the move, saying his own family's business once relied "largely" on the business it did on home game weekends. Anders said he has expressed his concerns with the Auburn athletics director and school president. Auburn-Opelika Tourism has estimated that one home football game last season brought in over $8.7 million in revenue to the area. Auburn athletics announced Monday that the 2026 season opener with Baylor would be moved to Atlanta, with designs to earn players more money in name, image and likeness deals, though the university has been vague about how much the players will earn through the deal. "Look ... it's a new day we have to work in. The rules have changed for everyone," Anders acquiesced after reading his statement. "And I certainly understand that the rules have changed for Auburn University and the athletic department too, but the people who work with us every single day need to know that we support them and believe in them. "If y'all want to do something to help them, shop with them." |
| NCAA adopts Jan. 2-16 transfer portal window for FBS, FCS in '26 | |
| The NCAA is officially moving transfer portal season in college football from December to January. The Division I Administrative Committee voted Tuesday to adopt the proposed dates of Jan. 2-16 as the new transfer portal window for all FBS and FCS players in 2026. College football players, including graduate transfers, now must wait until Jan. 2 to officially enter their names in the NCAA transfer portal and initiate contact with other schools. The reform is expected to be finalized at the conclusion of the Administrative Committee's meetings on Wednesday. The new 15-day transfer portal windows opens one day after College Football Playoff quarterfinals conclude. Players on the two teams competing in the CFP national championship game on Jan. 19 will get an additional five-day period from Jan. 20 to 24 to enter the portal after their season ends. The Division I Administrative Committee also approved a reform around the transfer window exception granted to football players after a head coaching change. Effective immediately, starting five days after a new head coach is hired or announced, players will have a 15-day window to enter their names in the portal. |
| College Football Playoff expansion discussions on deadline: Where will the debate go next? | |
| Less than two months before a Dec. 1 deadline to decide on a format for the 2026 College Football Playoff, the realistic options are limited, and some leaders are looking to bring in more opinions. Really, not much has changed since the summer on the issue of CFP expansion. The administrators who oversee the Playoff have been plenty busy with the launch of the newly formed College Sports Commission, the implementation of the House v. NCAA settlement and revenue sharing, changes to the NCAA governance structure and lots of activity in Washington, D.C. A far-from-fleshed-out Big Ten plan for a super-sized field of 24 or 28 teams went public through media reports in August, but there have been no serious discussions about it. The most notable development from a short meeting of the CFP management committee -- made up of 11 conference commissioners and Notre Dame's athletic director -- in Chicago two weeks ago was the Big Ten's Tony Petitti suggesting to his Power 4 peers that a working group of athletic directors from the conferences be formed to dig into some new format ideas. "Tony is hoping his guys can convince (SEC commissioner Greg Sankey's) guys," a person involved in the discussions told The Athletic. Sankey did not seem particularly fired up about getting another large group of people involved in the process when asked about it a few days after the meeting in Chicago. |
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