| Thursday, March 12, 2026 |
| Starkville encourages reduced mowing to support wildflowers | |
 | City officials are encouraging residents to mow less this spring as part of a strategy aimed at supporting wildflower growth and helping pollinators thrive. The City of Starkville announced it will implement a reduced mowing approach in select areas this season, allowing naturally occurring wildflowers to grow and provide food for bees, butterflies, birds and other wildlife emerging after winter. Experts say protecting wildflowers can play an important role in supporting pollinators, which have experienced significant population declines in recent decades due to habitat loss, pesticide use and invasive species. Research suggests about 40% of invertebrate pollinators could face extinction in the coming decades. Bob Brzuszek, professor emeritus in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Mississippi State University, said even small changes in mowing habits can help. "It's not a lack of care if you don't mow -- you're actually caring about pollinators," Brzuszek said, suggesting homeowners delay mowing for a week or two to see what wildflowers naturally emerge. |
| MSU's food science, culinology students cooking up success at national competition | |
 | Two student teams from Mississippi State's Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion have advanced to the finals of the Research Chefs Association's National Innovation Competition, set this week in Westminster, Colorado. MSU offers one of only 17 culinology programs worldwide. Wes Schilling, Reed Family Endowed Professor and director of MSU's Food Science Innovation Hub, said opportunities like this strengthen students' career prospects. "The food science and culinology programs have a 100% job placement rate for graduates," the 2024 Giles Distinguished Professor said. "By exposing students to educational sessions and networking opportunities with potential employers, we're helping ensure their continued success." Team members include: captains Clark Dobbs, food science master's student, Hernando; and Luke Perez, culinology sophomore, Murfreesboro, Tennessee; and James Genna, culinology freshman, Atlanta, Georgia; Sydney Harris, culinology freshman, Burleson, Texas; Lily Skelton, food science, nutrition and health promotion senior, Ocean Springs; and Caroline Lowe, biochemistry junior, Amory. |
| New center in Raymond helps young minds grow | |
| The Mississippi State University Extension Service and the Mississippi Department of Human Services celebrated the new Mississippi LIFT Resource and Referral Center in Raymond, with a ribbon cutting Wednesday for a facility that has already served 2,600 visitors. The center, located at 126 West Main Street, provides learning resources for children in every stage of early development, covering subjects ranging from shapes and colors to English and math. The center also provides teachers with learning materials and offers ideas and resources for parents. "It's an amazing place for our childcare providers, our teachers. Our children come down from the daycare and they get to come and just to see their face light up, that's what it's all about," Kayla McDavid, extension program associate said. The facility features toys, books, and activities designed to support children's educational and social development. In addition to the Raymond location and other centers, the network also operates mobile units. "These R&R centers are about preparing that next generation to lead Mississippi," Bob Anderson, MDHS Executive Director said. |
| Charlestowne expands national footprint with 8 in pipeline | |
| Charlestowne Hotels announces a new slate of development projects across the Midwest, Southeast and Mountain West. Charlestowne's development pipeline features a diverse mix of projects, including an ultra-luxury boutique hotel in Milwaukee, a technology-forward, staffless hospitality concept in Florida, and the opening of a new adaptive reuse property in Santa Fe, N.M. The company is also expanding its soft-branded portfolio, with two Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotels slated to open over the next two years. "This pipeline represents a very deliberate evolution of Charlestowne Hotels," Charlestowne Hotels CEO Kyle Hughey said. The company continues to advance its stronghold in the development of collegiate hotels with Hotel Madelon, a Tribute Portfolio project at Mississippi State University named in honor of the university's original fight song. The 122-key hotel will anchor the new Crossroads District, a multi-phase development that includes residential housing, restaurants, retail, and entertainment venues. Guests will enjoy a full-service restaurant, cafe & creamery as well as a rooftop bar with seamless pedestrian access connecting the campus and the Cotton District. |
| Mary Means Business: Starkville Warehouse Market opens March 17 | |
 | Saint Patrick's Day is bringing some luck our way. Opening 10 a.m. on March 17 is Starkville's latest vendor mall: The Warehouse Market, located at 1010 Lynn Lane in the former Aspen Bay location. The 16,000 square-foot building is packed with more than 80 vendors selling everything from laser engraving and locally sourced honey to antiques, home decor and handmade crafts. Co-owners Joe Robertson and Starkville Flower Company's Whitney Wofford, along with Sullivan's Office Supply's Langston Family, announced the new vendor mall in October. The Warehouse Market isn't just a place to shop. According to its website, the space will also host several community events each month, including Easter cookie decorating classes, barre and wellness sessions, artist meet-and-greets and more. Starting in May, the market will expand its offerings even further with a free afternoon farmers market featuring fresh produce, meats, dairy, baked goods and plants. |
| PACCAR cuts ribbon on new facility, plant upgrades | |
| Just two years ago, a grassy lot sat vacant on the south end of PACCAR Engine Company's campus on Frontage Road. On Wednesday, at that same space, a 50,000-square-foot remanufacturing facility buzzed with more than 100 community leaders, residents and employees gathered to celebrate the plant's completion. Gov. Tate Reeves stood shoulder-to-shoulder with PACCAR officials, golden scissors in hand, during Wednesday's ribbon-cutting ceremony, hosted by the Golden Triangle Development LINK. The facility, part of a $209.4 million investment across the company's campus, is expected to bring 100 new jobs to the area. "Events like today don't just happen by accident," Reeves said during the ceremony. "... They happen because people across this community are committed to building a stronger future for all of Mississippi. ... PACCAR's expansion represents ... the creation of another 100 good-paying jobs for the good people of the Golden Triangle. Those are not just numbers on a page, that's families supported, that's careers built and that's more opportunities created right here in the great state of Mississippi." Local leaders said the expansion signals continued confidence in the Golden Triangle and its workforce. |
| Entergy: Customers in Mississippi saving $2 billion due to construction of data centers | |
| Electric power distribution company Entergy has announced that customers in Mississippi will save more than $2 billion on power bills due to data center projects in its service range. Entergy Mississippi customers join those in Louisiana and Arkansas as the largest recipients of a broader $5 billion in savings. The company's announcement comes after Amazon Web Services announced plans to build a pair of multi-billion-dollar data centers in Madison County and another in Warren County, along with AVAIO Digital settling on Rankin County as a data center destination. While ratepayers in the areas where data centers are being constructed voiced concerns of bill hikes, Entergy Mississippi President and CEO Haley Fisackerly has maintained that the projects will have the opposite effect on the wallets of utility customers. Fisackerly added that having a big customer --- like Amazon --- helps offset the rising cost of powering homes, small businesses, and even healthcare facilities. "When you don't have growth, and 25% of your customers are below the national poverty level, affordability becomes a big concern," Fisackerly said on MidDays with Gerard Gibert. "Just like any business or community, you need growth. You need economies of scale. By bringing in a large customer like AWS, they are bringing the volume we need, but they also bring in additional revenues that are going to allow us to invest more to improve reliability." |
| 'They Won't Understand That': First Responders Say Lt. Gov. Dismissed Their Retirement Concern | |
| Mississippi law enforcement leaders say changes to the state's public employee retirement system have put first responders at a disadvantage and are worsening recruitment and retention challenges across the state. Andy "Ski" Matuszewski, Mississippi division president of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association, said a task force of first responder representatives formed in July 2025 following the passage of House Bill 1 during that year's legislative session. The measure made significant changes to the Public Employees' Retirement System, or PERS, including the Tier 5 retirement structure for newer employees placing first responders in a 35 year plan with less benefits than under the previous retirement tier. Matuszewski said the group, made up largely of presidents and representatives of public safety organizations, began meeting to develop a response to the legislation and advocate for Tier 5 reforms in the face of evidence of a growing disconnect between legislators and the men and women who protect and serve Mississippians. "We felt we had no choice other than to organize a response," Matuszewski said, noting that a study conducted by the Stennis Institute supported concerns that Mississippi's new Tier 5 retirement benefits for first responders now lag behind neighboring states. |
| Senate counters House $5,000 teacher pay raise with $2,000 increases over 3 years | |
| The Mississippi Senate is countering the House's $5,000 teacher pay raise with a $2,000 scaled approach over 3 years. Through a strike-all amendment to HB 1395, the Senate now proposes to provide $2,000 pay raises to teachers each year for three years, for a total pay increase of $6,000. Senate Education Committee Chair State Senator Dennis DeBar (R) brought the amendment forward as it was proposed by State Senator David Blount (D)Wednesday. Blount's amendment to the House bill extended the time a charter school would have for last right of refusal on purchasing a shuttered public school building. His strike-all increased that time from the House's language of 90 days to the Senate's preferred 12 months. Debar's amendment included the $2,000 teacher pay raises over 3 years. It also included raises for special education teachers and teacher assistants. Special education teachers would receive an additional $3,000 increase over three years, for a total additional raise of $9,000 above the general teacher pay raise. The House had proposed a one-time $3,000 annual raise for special education teachers. Under the Senate amendment, assistant teachers, community college instructors, and university professors would see a one-time $2,000 raise. |
| 'A good day for teachers': Senate revives pay raise, ups House's proposal to $6,000 | |
| After the House and Senate killed each other's teacher pay raise bills last week, they've revived them by amending other bills, with the Senate upping the ante on Wednesday. The Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed a $6,000 teacher pay raise with an extra $3,000 for special education teachers. The House has proposed a $5,000 raise, with an extra $3,000 for special education teachers. The Senate had initially passed only a $2,000 teacher raise before the chambers killed each other's bills. But the new Senate plan would spread its proposed $6,000 a year raise over three years, at $2,000 a year, plus $1,000 a year more for special ed teachers. The Senate vote comes after the House revived its own teacher pay raise on Friday by amending a Senate bill. "Today is a good day for teachers, teacher assistants, professors and special education teachers," Senate Education Committee Chairman Dennis DeBar, a Republican from Leakesville, said after Wednesday's vote. "This is a big step moving forward." The bill would over three years bring starting Mississippi teacher pay to $47,500. It would cost taxpayers $109.5 million extra a year, for a total of $328.5 million a year once fully implemented, according to legislative budget analysts. |
| $6,000 Teacher Pay Raise Gains Mississippi Senate's Approval | |
| A surprise $6,000 teacher pay raise gained approval in the Mississippi Senate on Wednesday after the chamber amended a bill that originally dealt with the sale or lease of unused school property. Senate Education Committee Chairman Sen. Dennis DeBar, R-Leakesville, presented an amendment to House Bill 1395 that adds language to raise salaries over the next three years by $6,000 for regular teachers, $2,000 for assistant teachers, $6,000 for licensed special education educators teaching special education classes -- plus an additional $3,000 supplement -- and $2,000 for college and university professors. The Senate's proposal comes on a deadline day less than a week after the House revived talks of a teacher pay raise by striking the existing language of Senate Bill 2103 and replacing it with the House's pay proposals. The Senate's amendment of H.B. 1395 on Wednesday went further by offering a teacher pay raise $1,000 higher than the House's proposal while also giving a raise to professors. Full-time professors, associate professors, assistant professors and course instructors at colleges and universities would receive their $2,000 after the law goes into effect on July 1, 2026, if H.B. 1395 makes it to the governor's desk. DeBar said that raising professor pay alongside K-12 teacher pay was important because professors' salaries have not increased as recently as K-12 teachers' salaries have. He noted that causes some professors to move to K-12 schools to obtain better pay, which widens the professor shortage in the state. |
| Mississippi Senate advances $6,000 teacher raise as House pushes competing plan | |
| The Mississippi House and Senate are trying to reach a consensus on how much of a pay raise to give teachers after killing each other's bills that would have done just that earlier in the session. While the spirit of both pieces of legislation remains the same, with K-12 teacher pay at the forefront, the Senate kept its simpler but also added community college and university professors for a $2,000 raise. Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann has been adamant that both K-12 and postsecondary educators deserve raises. A notable difference between the House and Senate's proposals for teacher pay raises is that the Senate's would be phased in over three years – $2,000 a year for three years to reach the $6,000 total for K-12 teachers. The House wants to see raises immediately. Both would cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars, but it's a matter of keeping the state's budget balanced, according to Hosemann. "On day two of this legislative session, the very first bill the Senate passed was a standalone teacher pay raise. Now, we are once again advancing a clean teacher pay raise for the educators who are shaping our future," Hosemann stated after Wednesday's vote. "This phased implementation is critical to balance the budget as the Constitution requires us to do. Further, a teacher pay raise must not be held hostage by multiple other political issues." |
| Senate Tourism chair isn't giving up on creating a standalone Dept. of Tourism just yet | |
| The chairwoman of the Mississippi Senate Tourism Committee said Wednesday morning that a standalone state Department of Tourism could still become a reality even after two bills seeking to create the new state agency died in the House. "It's not sine die yet," State Senator Lydia Chassaniol (R), referring to the Legislature's last day of session, which is slated for April 5. "We haven't got to the sausage-making process yet." She said language to establish the tourism department could be tucked into another bill. The two bills that aimed to create a standalone state Department of Tourism -- HB 1118 and SB 2016 -- both died in the House State Affairs Committee. The Mississippi Legislature has tried to create a separate tourism department for a number of years, but proposals have died for one reason or another. Currently, tourism falls under the Mississippi Development Authority. Visit Mississippi shared in October 2025 that the state welcomed a record 44.2 million visitors in 2024, and those visitors generated $18.1 billion for the Magnolia State's economy. Tourism's total economic impact sustained 136,094 jobs, translating to 1-in-13 jobs in the state, while providing $4.6 billion in labor income for Mississippians, the 2024 Tourism Economic Contribution Report conducted by Tourism Economics stated. |
| Lawmakers move to create Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Panel | |
| Amid high emotions Wednesday, the Mississippi Senate passed a strike-all amendment to a bill that would create a medical panel to review the state's high fetal and infant mortality rate. The panel would be multidisciplinary and composed of such members as deemed appropriate by the State Department of Health. HB 1637, originally authored by State Rep. Missy McGee (R), would establish the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Panel to examine deaths of infants up to one year of age. The panel would also develop strategies to prevent deaths. The measure provides legal immunity for review panel members in civil and criminal proceedings. Additionally, the review panel would be allowed to hold closed meetings. However, votes, rules, and regulations must be taken during an opening meeting. "The operation of this panel, just like other panels in almost all states, for years and years and years, are not subject to public access. They are intentionally held in private. The procedure and the individual participating cannot be called to testify," said State Senator Hob Bryan (D), chairman of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee. "All to make sure there is open and robust discussion of what is taking place." What started as a heated debate over two amendments offered by State Senator Angela Hill (R) quickly turned to silence when State Senator Michael McLendon (R) spoke about the heartbreak of losing two grandsons just days before they were to be born. |
| Mississippi leads the nation in gun deaths among those who are pregnant and postpartum | |
| Before dawn one warm Sunday in June 2021, Renata Flot-Patterson and her husband turned a street corner in their Biloxi neighborhood to a scene she remembers as "lit up like Las Vegas." Police officers crouched on neighbors' roofs. Dogs sniffed the yard outside the house where her daughter, Keli Mornay, lived. Immediately, Flot-Patterson suspected the worst. Nine days earlier, on May 28, Mornay filed a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend, Byrain Johnson, after more than a year of physical and verbal abuse, according to documents obtained by Mississippi Today. Mornay wrote in her petition for the restraining order that she was "in complete fear for my life, our infant son and my two other children." On June 6, Mornay and her 7-month-old son were shot to death and became part of a grim statistic: Pregnant and postpartum women die by homicide more than any obstetric-related cause nationwide. Most of these homicides are linked to firearms. Mississippi leads the nation in pregnancy-related gun deaths, according to an analysis of 28 states with available data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted by The Trace, a nonprofit news outlet that examines the nation's gun violence crisis. For every 100,000 births in Mississippi, roughly 15 people who either were pregnant or had been pregnant in the previous year died as a result of gun violence. "We have women in Mississippi who are dying during pregnancy -- not because they have medical problems, but because they are being beaten to death or shot and killed in their own home," said Stacey Riley, chief executive officer of the Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence in Biloxi. |
| RFK Jr.'s department is revealing its thoughts about women's health | |
 | Republicans are hoping Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the moms who find his Make America Healthy Again message appealing will narrow the Democrats' edge among women voters in this year's midterm elections. Kennedy's health department is honing its message -- that a combination of mainstream and alternative health practices can enhance and extend women's lives -- at its inaugural National Conference on Women's Health in Washington this week. Democrats have long been the choice of women voters for prioritizing research specific to women's health and for making it easier for women to control when and how they have children by protecting abortion rights and access to contraception. Former President Joe Biden signed an executive order 2 years ago announcing new actions to improve women's health research, ahead of that year's presidential election. Kennedy, a former Democrat, has made inroads by telling women that powerful interests, food and pharmaceutical companies, and experts in those industries' pockets, have misled them about what makes for a healthy life. Conference presenters are pitching diet and lifestyle changes Kennedy believes mainstream medicine has ignored. Aides to President Donald Trump believe Kennedy and his MAHA moms will help Republicans retain control of Congress and have, therefore, been willing to embrace Kennedy's broadsides against traditional Republican supporters in industry. |
| Momentum builds for a federal office of men's health focused on disease prevention | |
| The early 1990s were a watershed moment for female health. In 1990, the Office of Research on Women's Health was founded within the National Institutes of Health to ensure women were included in medical research. A year later, an Office on Women's Health was established within the Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate research, education, and resources. The Women's Health Initiative -- one of the largest studies of women's health -- was launched. And in 1994, the Food and Drug Administration established its own Office of Women's Health to test the safety of FDA-approved medications, which until then had no specific requirements for including women in studies. From increasing uptake of screening mammograms to conducting research that led to the Violence Against Women Act, the impact of these programs on women's health and wellness is hard to overstate, though disparities in funding and research continue; substantial NIH funding was not specifically allocated to women's health research until 2024. Nobody seems more aware of this than men's health advocates. "The Office of Women's Health has done spectacular things for women on so many levels," said Paul Turek, director of the Turek Clinic and a longtime men's health advocate. This could finally be their moment. |
| Food Stamp Recipients Sue Over Bans on Sugary Drinks | |
 | Food stamp recipients sued the Agriculture Department on Wednesday over restrictions barring them from using their benefits to buy sugary drinks and candy, arguing that the limits are unlawful, create confusion and add to their difficulties in managing their health. Since May, the department has approved waivers in 22 states that allow them to bar participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program from using their benefits to buy soda, energy drinks, candy or other prepared desserts. Top officials have hailed the restrictions as an achievement of the Make America Healthy Again movement, even as they have caused confusion among recipients and retailers alike. Brooke Rollins and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretaries of agriculture and health, have characterized the waivers as a step in tackling chronic disease and steering taxpayer dollars toward wholesome foods. But in suing to halt the waivers in five states -- Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia -- the five plaintiffs who receive SNAP benefits argue that the Trump administration violated laws authorizing SNAP and governing changes in policies. |
| Broadband program uncertainty has lawmakers, states on watch | |
 | The Trump administration has asserted for months that its "bargain" version of the federal $42.5 billion grant program to expand access to broadband internet would save taxpayers money. That made states and their representatives in Congress nervous that funds left over after deployment proposals would be clawed back. Under pressure from senators at an appropriations hearing, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick last month sought to calm fears when he said that so-called "non-deployment" funds under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment, or BEAD, program would not be rescinded. But with no guidance so far from the department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which was expected but delayed this week, lawmakers and others are pushing to have their voice heard on exactly how states will be able to use the $21 billion pot of money. Concern over the unallocated funds has been bipartisan. Senators on both sides of the aisle pressed Lutnick at the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee hearing -- which was overshadowed by questions on his interactions with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein -- mentioning connectivity needs in their states that could be filled by the funds in areas such as remote health care and farming. |
| Trump touts economic agenda on tour as Iran war stirs prices, GOP dissent | |
 | As the war in Iran sends gas prices climbing and rattles markets, President Donald Trump traveled here to defend his economic record and urge voters to unseat one of the Republican Party's most outspoken critics of the conflict. Trump labeled Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) a "nut job" and "disaster for our party" at the stop in Massie's own district, escalating tensions with the libertarian who is among the president's chief antagonists in his own party. Trump's attacks fed off a crowd of enthusiastic supporters, who filled the logistics center with chants of "USA" when Trump referenced the "excursion" in Iran. Trump's push to defend his economic record and assert himself as party leader comes at a delicate moment for Republicans. Even before the conflict with Iran rattled energy markets this week, polls showed voters increasingly uneasy about the economy, with concerns about affordability and the cost of living emerging as a central vulnerability for the party ahead of the midterm elections. The war-induced turmoil this week only added to GOP anxieties as the Trump administration has issued conflicting messages about how long the strikes will last. Trump on Wednesday sought to boost Massie's primary challenger, farmer and former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, in a contest that will provide a referendum on Republicans' opinions on the Iran war. |
| Iran's New Leader Vows to Fight On as Ship Attacks Surge | |
 | Iran's new supreme leader, in his first official message since he took over from his slain father, said his country would keep the Strait of Hormuz closed as shipping on the crucial oil route and nearby waters suffered a sharp uptick in attacks over the past day. Mojtaba Khamenei also raised the possibility of opening new fronts in a war that the International Energy Agency said is causing the biggest-ever disruption to oil supply, according to a written statement attributed to him. The U.S. military has turned down requests to escort tankers or other civilian ships through the strait, with defense officials saying it won't do so until the threat of Iranian fire has eased. The head of U.S. Central Command said its focus remains on destroying Iran's missiles and drones. Oil futures spiked above $100 in response to trouble in and around the Strait of Hormuz, even as the U.S. Energy Department said it would release 172 million barrels of oil from emergency stockpiles, part of a broader global effort. Several vessels in the Persian Gulf came under attack from Wednesday into Thursday, including two foreign tankers that were hit in Iraqi waters, catching fire and leaking oil. Bahrain said Iran had targeted fuel tanks at one of its facilities. Israel carried out fresh airstrikes on Hezbollah targets after the Lebanese militia launched dozens of rockets at Israel. |
| Cuba is 'ready' for talks with U.S. amid growing pressure from Trump | |
 | Cuba's top diplomat in Washington says Havana is prepared to enter diplomatic talks with the United States, reiterating the country's willingness to engage even as tensions escalate with President Trump asserting that the island nation's government could soon collapse. "We are ready to engage with the U.S. on the issues that are important for the bilateral relation, and to talk about those in which we have differences," Ambassador Lianys Torres Rivera, who leads Cuba's mission in Washington, told The Times on Wednesday. Any dialogue would need to respect Cuba's sovereignty and its "right to self-determination," the ambassador said. "We are sure that it is possible to find a solution," she said. Her comments in a wide-ranging interview come at a particularly volatile moment for Cuba, which is under mounting economic pressure after the Trump administration imposed an oil blockade that has choked off the island's energy supplies. The situation in Cuba worsened after U.S. forces removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January, allowing Washington to later cut off oil shipments from Venezuela to its longtime ally. The Trump administration later pressured other suppliers, including Mexico, to reduce deliveries. |
| The Hottest Job in Tech Isn't Very Glamorous | |
| A once-rare engineering role has taken over Silicon Valley, promising to bridge the gap between cutting-edge artificial intelligence and the less tech-savvy customers who want to deploy it. But not everyone is pumped about it. Tech companies are gaga for the idea of "forward deployed engineers," who they say play a critical role in ensuring customers can actually use their sometimes complex AI offerings. Job postings on Indeed grew more than 10-fold in 2025 compared with 2024. The number of public company transcripts mentioning the role jumped to 50 from eight over the same period, according to data from AlphaSense. The only problem? Few engineers want the job, which has historically been seen as demanding, undesirable and less prestigious than product-focused engineering roles. Forward deployed engineers, or FDEs, work on-site with a specific customer for a certain length of time, helping to customize and deploy the company's technology based on the customer's needs. The nuanced customization that AI agents and other tools require has fueled the recent trendiness of the job title, which was popularized by data-analysis firm Palantir. "It means spending a lot of time on planes, sleeping in three-star hotels, somewhere in middle America, and working out of a dimly lit windowless conference room where there's not enough charging ports," said Barry McCardel, who worked as an FDE at Palantir for about five years before founding AI analytics platform Hex. "It's not glamorous," he said. |
| Ole Miss student, Southaven native selected as Truman Finalist | |
| The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation has named University of Mississippi junior Aminata Ba as a finalist for the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship. If selected, the public policy leadership and economics major from Southaven will become the university's 21st Truman scholar and the sixth in five years. The first-generation college student was selected from a pool of more than 780 applicants from 305 institutions nationwide. "To have even gotten to this point is truly a testament to the village I have around me at the university," she said. "I have been privileged to gain an incomparable network of peers, educators and mentors through organizations like the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, the Trent Lott Leadership Institute, the Columns Society and various registered student organizations that I am involved in." The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation offers the merit-based award as a memorial to the 33rd U.S. president. The scholarship committee looks for students who are committed to careers in government or public service. |
| Children's of Mississippi to renovate psych unit with $1.5 million gift | |
| Mississippi's lone children's hospital is set to receive $1.5 million to renovate its inpatient psychiatric unit. Officials with Children's of Mississippi in Jackson say the money will go toward transforming psychiatric services with the goal of creating an environment that better supports the mental health and wellbeing of youth statewide. The financial commitment was made by Friends of Children's Hospital, a nonprofit that raises funds to support the hospital. Renovating the unit, per officials, will support both physical and therapeutic needs of children by creating a more healing-oriented environment that promotes comfort, dignity, and recovery. Hospital leadership adds that the facelift will help better equip staff to serve children and families at some of their most vulnerable moments. "Mississippi continues to see a growing need for pediatric psychiatric services," said Dr. Mark Ladner, University of Mississippi Medical Center chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior. "Our current hospital based unit has been supporting this continued need for child inpatient psychiatric care. The renovation strengthens our capacity to provide safe, high-quality treatment at a time when families need it most. It will also provide an improved environment for training of our students, residents and fellows." |
| Hit rapper Waka Flocka Flame headlining Delta State SpringFest | |
| Hit rapper Waka Flocka Flame will headline Delta State University's SpringFest this year. University officials announced in a release that the concert will take place on Thursday, March 19, in Sillers Coliseum. Waka Flocka Flame will take the stage at 9 p.m. after DJ Bigg V opens. Known for explosive live performances and crowd anthems, he rose to national prominence with major hits including the platinum single "No Hands," one of the defining hip hop tracks of the early 2010s. The concert caps an evening that begins at 4 p.m. with SpringFest in the basketball arena's front parking lot. Designed for current Delta State students, SpringFest features music, food, and other activities. At 5 p.m., a performance will be led by members of Delta State's National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations, showcasing step routines and coordinated performances. "SpringFest represents the energy, creativity, and leadership of our students," Delta State Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Eddie Lovin said. SpringFest, the Yard Show, and Thursday night's concert serve as the official kickoff to the university's "Go Green Weekend" celebration, which includes a full slate of athletic competitions, alumni events, and campus activities from March 19-22. |
| ICC, Saltillo Historical Society partner for student research opportunity | |
| Itawamba Community College students pursuing studies in the humanities will soon have the opportunity to take part in hands-on historical research and preservation through a new partnership with the Saltillo Historical Society. The agreement establishes a project-based learning collaboration designed to provide ICC students with experiential learning opportunities while supporting the Historical Society's mission to preserve and share the rich history of Saltillo and its surrounding communities. "This partnership reflects the type of meaningful learning experiences we want for our students," said Dr. Jay Allen, president of ICC. "By working alongside members of the Saltillo Historical Society, our students will not only study history but actively participate in preserving it. Opportunities like this connect the classroom to the community while giving students valuable real-world experience." |
| Storm rips through Southwest Mississippi Community College, five trees hit library | |
| Southwest Mississippi Community College sustained significant storm damage after strong winds toppled large trees and downed power lines across the campus. Police say the full extent of the damage is still unclear. The college posted on its Facebook page that five trees fell on the library and urged the public to avoid driving on campus until roads are cleared and cleanup is complete. The post added that all students and staff on campus are safe. Cleanup and damage assessment are ongoing. Campus officials ask anyone with business on campus to stay away while crews work to remove debris and restore safe access. |
| Experts warn parents, educators to get ahead on Iran war conversations | |
 | Parents and educators are navigating difficult conversations about the war with Iran as students of all ages see disturbing news and images online from the conflict. From the deaths of U.S. service members to a strike on an Iranian school killing more than 150 people, the horrors of war are getting harder to avoid for children. Experts warn it is a complicated balance not to shy away from these conversations while also keeping them age-appropriate. But the amount of time parents have to game that out is minimal in the age of the internet, with older students consuming online misinformation faster than parents expect. "I would say starting with a listening mindset and letting the conversation go from there," said Scott Woitaszewski, chair of the school safety and crisis response committee for the National Association of School Psychologists, instead of thinking an adult has to have "all the right answers, so to speak." The U.S.-Iran war has taken over social media and news headlines as gas prices rise and the Trump administration embraces a bellicose press strategy, sharing images of the conflict including posting a video of the U.S. Navy sinking an Iranian warship, killing dozens. But the war has also led to a flood of AI-generated fake images and videos, and distinguishing fact from fiction can be difficult for adults, let alone children. |
| Sanders calls on all Arkansas high schools, colleges to open Turning Point USA chapters | |
| Calling its late founder an inspiration to the state's youth, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a proclamation Wednesday calling on every high school and college in the state to open a chapter of Turning Point USA. Sanders signed the proclamation at the Governor's Mansion alongside Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, who spoke about her late husband's faith and passion for promoting political conservatism. The proclamation, signed in front of a packed crowd of supporters in the Janet Huckabee Grand Hall, states its aim is to "Encourage all high schools and colleges to accept students' reasonable participation in clubs or political or religious speech." Outside the mansion, a protest took place. There was an altercation between protesters and those attending the event that resulted in a trooper being injured and three people being arrested, according to the Arkansas State Police. Particularly, Sanders said Arkansas students should look to their local Turning Point USA or its high school level affiliate organization, Club America, in an effort to promote conservatism throughout the state. "It's the exact type of civic engagement that we want to see at schools across our state," Sanders said. "It's never too early to learn the values of faith and freedom that power our country." |
| AI, health care expert discusses future of AI-assisted care at Mizzou event | |
 | The University of Missouri's Four Deans' Lecture Series featured a keynote lecture "AI at the Nexus: Reimagining Health in a Rapidly Changing World" from Szczepan Baran, a veterinarian-scientist who works to develop AI systems in health care. The lecture took place in Stotler Lounge of Memorial Student Union on Wednesday afternoon. Baran opened the lecture with an overarching question: What if progress in medicine and research and care is not primarily a technology problem? Baran's lecture focused on identifying problems before they even enter the room. Baran explained that one example of AI use in health care is identifying sepsis in around 600,000 patients. He said sepsis is a leading cause of death in hospitals and is notoriously difficult to identify before it occurs. Baran said the technology sends alerts to nurses when it identifies that a person is at risk of going into sepsis, and the nurses have three hours to decide to act. When the nurses chose to act, the hospital mortality rate decreased by 18.7%, he said. "In this case, AI didn't save the patients -- it's the nurse that did," Baran said. "So AI is not replacing the nurse. It's bridging the knowledge that we're having and our ability to act in a timely fashion to help our patients." |
| Ohio State University picks new president. Who is Ravi Bellamkonda? | |
| Provost Ravi V. Bellamkonda will lead Ohio State University following former President Ted Carter's resignation, a university source confirmed March 11. The expected March 12 decision by the Board of Trustees comes less than a week after Carter disclosed an "inappropriate relationship," leading to the board accepting his departure. Just two months away from spring graduation, Bellamkonda is taking on the position permanently. Bellamkonda began as provost and executive vice president of OSU in 2025 after the university spent nearly a year searching to fill the position. Carter once called Bellamkonda's position the "most important" hire he was making in his university presidency and called him "everything he was looking for" in a provost. "I believe deeply in the noble mission of higher education and the excellence of higher education in the United States, especially its impact on research, shaping the future through the education of our students, and our responsibility to engagement in our communities," Bellamkonda said in a 2024 press release announcing his hire. In his short time as provost, he's brought that emphasis on integrating AI to OSU. The Office of Academic Affairs is pushing "bold, groundbreaking initiative" ensure "every Ohio State student will graduate being AI fluent," according to the university. Efforts include embedding AI into undergraduate curriculums, training faculty and AI education partnerships outside the university. |
| The Big Ten's Revolving Door | |
 | When Ohio State University president Ted Carter stepped down last week, he became the eighth president or chancellor in the 18-member Big Ten conference to exit in a little over a year. A ninth campus leader plans to depart later this year for a job in the Ivy League. After the Ohio State Board of Trustees was tipped off, Carter admitted to an "inappropriate relationship" with a woman who wanted to use public resources to benefit her private business. A former U.S. Navy pilot who graduated from and later led the U.S. Naval Academy, Carter had been recruited from the University of Nebraska system, which he led from 2020 until early 2023. Though details of the incident remain limited, media outlets later reported that the woman in question listed an address on the Ohio State campus for her business, which was incorporated in December 2025, according to a public filing. University officials have said they are looking into the matter. Carter's exit comes after his predecessor, Kristina Johnson, who led Ohio State from 2020 through early 2023, also stepped down abruptly under mysterious circumstances. Among the four major athletic conferences, none has had higher leadership turnover at their member institutions than the Big Ten, an Inside Higher Ed analysis shows. Of its 18 members, six lost their presidents or chancellors last year for various reasons. Two others -- the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and Ohio State -- saw their leaders depart this year. The University of Wisconsin at Madison will soon join those ranks when Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin leaves at the end of the academic year to take the top job at Columbia University. |
| After ICE Surge, Colleges in Minnesota Saw Enrollment Drop and Disengagement Spike | |
 | Cho hasn't had the freshman year she expected at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Afraid to leave home during the federal immigration crackdown known as Operation Metro Surge, the Somali American student spent weeks mostly attending classes online, only going to campus for required chemistry and physics labs. (Cho asked to be identified by her middle name because she fears being targeted by federal agents, who have detained dozens of American citizens.) When she did go to campus, the environment felt emptier. Cho said she noticed far fewer Hispanic and Somali students in particular. Hallways usually crowded between classes were quiet. Students often kept to themselves, arriving for class and leaving soon afterward rather than lingering in libraries or coffee shops. "I just saw a lot less of my friends," Cho said. "And I don't think I've seen a lot of people that I usually see, acquaintances, people that I know are taking these classes." What happened in Minnesota this semester demonstrates how President Trump's immigration-enforcement surge can ripple far beyond detention centers and border crossings and onto college campuses. Some students have skipped classes, stayed home, or avoided campus spaces as federal agents increased their presence across the region. College leaders say the disruptions hit their enrollments and harmed attendance and engagement during the early weeks of the semester. And even though the operation began winding down last month, some leaders say their students are still struggling to get back on track. |
| Want to Attract Students? Try Improving the Weather. | |
| As if the list of factors that go into a student's college decision wasn't already long enough, researchers at Amherst College have added yet another: weather. Not the general weather of the area where the college is located -- though, famously, many students enroll at Southern colleges at least in part in hopes of enjoying sunnier climes. Rather, in a working paper published this month by the National Bureau of Economic Research, the researchers used data from an unnamed Northeast college to investigate whether weather conditions on the day a student toured the campus can affect their choice to apply. They found that students who toured on a rainy or excessively hot day were 8.3 percent and 10.1 percent less likely to apply, respectively, than someone who toured on a moderate day. Cloudy and cold conditions also lessened the likelihood that a tour participant would apply. Robert Massa, a longtime enrollment dean, said he isn't surprised that weather appears to have a measurable impact on students' college choice. If a prospective student is "uncertain about the institution, any small thing can turn them off. It doesn't have to be the weather -- it could be a student they met in the cafeteria that they thought was arrogant. It could be a staff member or a professor that gave them what they interpreted to be a flippant answer," he said. |
| Faster, thinner: Colleges are swiftly trimming a B.A. degree to three years | |
| Quinn McDonald planned to spend the typical four years working toward a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. Then he heard about a place where he could get the same degree in three. "It was the idea of being able to save a year" that grabbed his attention, said McDonald -- a savings of not only time, but tuition. And he could start earning a salary faster than if he spent four years in college. So, last fall, McDonald joined the inaugural class of one of the nation's first in-person programs approved to award bachelor's degrees with fewer than the usual 120 credits, at Johnson & Wales University. He'll need only 90 credits, putting him on track to graduate in 2028, after three years instead of the usual four or more. That's an option being made available by colleges and universities with astonishing speed -- especially in the notoriously slow-moving world of higher education: an entirely new kind of bachelor's degree muscling into the space between the traditional four-year version and the two-year associate degree. Three-year degrees have existed, but they simply jammed those 120 credits into fewer semesters. |
| States sue the Trump administration to challenge policy requiring colleges to collect race data | |
 | A coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit Wednesday challenging a Trump administration policy that requires higher education institutions to collect data showing they aren't considering race in admissions. President Donald Trump ordered the new policy in August after he raised concerns that colleges and universities were using personal statements and other proxies to consider race, which he views as illegal discrimination. In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled against the use of affirmative action in admissions but said colleges may still consider how race has shaped students' lives if applicants share that information in their admissions essays. "This Administration's unlawful and haphazard actions are threatening the well-being of Massachusetts students and the prosperity of our colleges and universities," Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell said in a statement. "There is no way for institutions to reasonably deliver accurate data in the federal government's rushed and arbitrary time frame, and it is unfair for schools to be threatened with fines, potential losses of funding, and baseless investigations should they not fulfill the Administration's request." |
| Federal Grant Makers May Lose Job Protections | |
| The U.S. Office of Personnel Management's controversial policy creating a new federal employee category with fewer job protections took effect this week. The Trump administration is set to transfer an unknown number of workers into this classification. Research advocates worry federal grant-making employees will be among them, making them easier to pressure and fire. The policy, released for public comment last spring, has prompted vocal pushback. By the OPM's own count, 94 percent of the more than 40,500 public comments it received opposed the plan. Federally funded researchers and groups advocating for them raised concerns about the category, called Schedule Policy/Career. It's better known as Schedule F, the name the first Trump administration used for the policy, which President Biden rescinded. Employees in this new category are easier to fire, lacking due process and appeal rights. The rule is part of the administration's sweeping effort to reshape the federal workforce -- an effort that has included mass layoffs of civil servants at agencies such as the Education Department and the National Institutes of Health. |
| Colleges have an obligation to ensure their students pay off their loans | |
| U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon writes in The Washington Post: Since taking office, the Trump administration has tackled the exploitative behavior of institutions burdening everyday Americans -- from big banks in housing to health care companies driving up costs. Yet one of the least recognized contributors to consumer debt has produced one of the largest debt portfolios in America: colleges and universities. Today, nearly 43 million Americans have accrued roughly $1.7 trillion in federal student loans. That's almost as much as the entire gross domestic product of Australia. It is about twice the size of all university endowments combined and a larger balance than either the nation's cumulative credit card or auto debt. All told, that means the Education Department would be the nation's fifth-largest bank by assets. Higher education is, of course, an investment in one of the nation's greatest strengths: its people. But investment without accountability is reckless. .... As a beneficiary of federal student loan funding, institutions have a moral and legal obligation to support the students whose borrowing sustains their operations. To remain eligible for federal student loans, institutions must counsel borrowers on repayment. Those with cohort default rates above 40 percent risk losing access to federal student loans -- a threshold more than 1,100 schools are above or approaching. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State baseball's biggest unanswered questions before SEC opener vs Arkansas | |
 | Mississippi State baseball got through its nonconference schedule without any bad losses. The No. 3 Bulldogs (14-2) begin SEC play with only losses to No. 1 UCLA on a neutral field and at No. 7 Southern Miss. Both of those losses were by one run. MSU is one of only three SEC teams, with Texas and Texas A&M, that doesn't have a loss to an unranked opponent. MSU's first SEC series with new coach Brian O'Connor starts at No. 6 Arkansas (12-5) on March 13 (6 p.m., SEC Network+). Mississippi State has not won a series at Arkansas since 2007. Mississippi State has yet to score under six runs. The Bulldogs lead the SEC in batting average (.354) and doubles (50) and are third in runs (183). There have been some games with slow offensive starts, but getting through the batting order a third time has proven very difficult for opposing teams. That's what unfolded against Tulane when MSU scored seven runs in the seventh inning to overcome a 7-2 deficit. Ace Reese kickstarted it with a grand slam. Six players who've started at least seven games are batting above .400: Reed Stallman, Bryce Chance, Drew Wyers, Vytas Valincius, Blake Bevis and Chone James. Reese (.397) and Noah Sullivan (.391) are just a sliver below .400. Stallman is tied for fourth in the SEC in batting average (.458) and fifth in OPS (1.416) after notching two more hits against Tulane. |
| Bulldogs bounced from SEC Tournament in first-round loss to Auburn | |
| Mississippi State men's basketball likely saw its 2025-26 season come to a close in Nashville on Wednesday with a 77-61 loss to Auburn in the SEC Tournament. Junior guard Josh Hubbard didn't quite have the career-best performance he did against the Tigers last month, but led the team with 22 points and helped them stay alive in the second half against a resurgent Auburn team that was hungry to play its way back into the NCAA Tournament conversation. The Tigers set the tone early with seven straight points out of the gate from former Bulldog KeShawn Murphy, who also picked up a pair of quick fouls after a technical for exchanging words with the MSU bench. Hubbard had 13 points in the first half as the Bulldogs took a 33-30 lead into the halftime interval. They scored five quick points out of the break to lead 38-30, but the Tigers responded with a 21-2 run to take control of the game. Kevin Overton hit four shots from beyond the arc during the stretch to set the pace for the second half and MSU's shooters struggled to keep pace. Ja'Borri McGhee and Achor Achor hit back-to-back treys and Hubbard got going again with his first points of the half to pull within three, but Overton and the Tigers would pull away again in the final minutes to ice the game. |
| What Josh Hubbard said about his Mississippi State basketball future after season ends | |
| The Mississippi State basketball season ended in a first-round loss to Auburn in the SEC Tournament on March 11, meaning all eyes will turn to Josh Hubbard once again. The star guard has one more year of eligibility after setting more MSU records in his junior season. He'll have to decide whether he'll return to Mississippi State, which finished the season 13-19 and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022. Hubbard said after the 79-61 loss against the Tigers (17-15) he hasn't made any decisions yet. "Not at all," Hubbard said. "I was just focused on the 40 minutes today trying to get a win and survive and advance. I just love competing with these guys every day, especially this guy to my right (Jayden Epps). We've been competing every day since the summer and it's just all been love. I'm sad it had to end like this. It's heartbreaking but these guys have a bright future. I feel like we bonded so much this year to create something special forever that will just never end." If Hubbard, a Madison native, comes back, he'll likely break Mississippi State's career scoring record held by Jeff Malone. He finished the season with 1,947 career points, fourth in program history and 195 points shy of Malone's record set in 1983. |
| Men's Tennis: Mississippi State Opens Four-Match Road Swing at South Carolina, Florida | |
| No. 7 Mississippi State begins a two-match SEC road swing this weekend, starting Friday against No. 14 South Carolina before traveling to face the No. 22 Florida Gators on Sunday. Mississippi State holds a 26-14 advantage in the all-time series with South Carolina and has found success in Columbia with a 9-7 record on the road. Under head coach Matt Roberts, the Bulldogs have gone 10-4 against the Gamecocks and will look to continue that momentum in Friday's matchup. South Carolina enters the contest with a 10-3 overall record and a 3-2 mark in SEC play. Following Friday's match, the Bulldogs will travel to Gainesville to face Florida. Mississippi State defeated the Gators 4-1 earlier this season in the opening round of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships and has won the last four meetings in the series. Florida enters the weekend with a 7-8 overall record and a 1-4 mark in SEC play, with its lone conference victory coming against Kentucky. |
| Big Ten asks NCAA to pause tampering inquiries, revamp rules | |
| The Big Ten sent a letter to the NCAA this week asking the organization to put a halt to "investigations and infractions proceedings" related to tampering, according to a copy of the letter obtained by ESPN. The letter states that the "current framework" for tampering rules "cannot be credibly or equitably enforced," pointing out the rules for tampering were designed before a modern era that includes paying athletes and essentially unlimited transfers. "These rules were not designed for a world in which student-athletes are compensated market participants making annual decisions with significant economic consequences," the letter reads. "The collision between the old rules and new reality is producing outcomes that harm the population that the rules were designed to protect." The letter comes in the wake of a flurry of recent tampering headlines. That included the NCAA seeking to impose significant penalties against tampering offenders. The case of linebacker Luke Ferrelli, who transferred to Ole Miss after enrolling at Clemson, has also put the issue in the forefront. The prevalence of tampering in the current landscape is so great that numerous officials told ESPN's Max Olson that it's essentially a competitive disadvantage to not tamper. "If you're not doing that, you're so far behind in the game," an SEC general manager told Olson. |
| U. of South Carolina legal challenge denied against lifetime Gamecock ticket holder | |
 | The South Carolina Supreme Court denied taking up a case between the University of South Carolina and a long-time Gamecock fan under original jurisdiction. In December 2025, the university asked the South Carolina Supreme Court to rule on whether George M. Lee III, who holds a Lifetime Membership to the Gamecock Club, is entitled to buy seats inside new luxury suites coming to the Williams-Brice Stadium. The court blocked USC's petition for original jurisdiction and Lee's subsequent request for sanctions, according to court documents. The university was seeking a "declaratory judgment" against Lee, a Columbia commercial real estate attorney, and wanted the state's highest court to decide whether Lifetime Members like Lee are able to buy into the suites without paying premium pricing or making a capital contribution, according to court filings. "We thank the court for its review, and we are currently exploring next steps to resolve the issue," university spokesman, Jeff Stensland told The State. Lee -- who in 1990 took out a $100,000 life insurance policy and named the Gamecock club as the sole beneficiary in exchange for a lifetime membership -- signed a contract entitling him to purchase four, "best available" season football tickets. His family has enjoyed tickets on the 50-yard line for 60 years. But the stadium overhaul, which includes the construction of 12 "Founders" suites and 30 "luxury" suites, could've resulted in him and roughly 200 lifetime members having to repurchase their seats. |
| Kessler Airs CSC Concerns but Lauds 'Fantastic' Post-House NCAA Era | |
| Lawyers representing the parties in the House v. NCAA settlement plan to hold a conference call Thursday to discuss ongoing issues in the implementation of the settlement. These have been highlighted this week following the College Sports Commission's latest announcement and a report that 18 Nebraska athletes plan to pursue the first arbitration over NIL money the CSC denied. The scheduled discussion follows letters sent in recent weeks by the class counsel to the NCAA and the power conferences regarding its concerns about the pace at which the CSC has been processing NIL deals and its jurisdiction over so-called "associated entities." On Tuesday, the CSC released its latest "NIL Deal Flow Report," showing that it had approved a total of 21,025 deals worth $166.5 million via its NIL Go platform through Feb. 28. But in responding to growing criticism about the pace of the process, the CSC said deals involving either self-admitted or apparent "associated entities" had gummed up the system. According to the commission, such entities accounted for 78% of total deal volume during the first two months of 2026 -- something CSC CEO Bryan Seeley said the organization had not been built to handle. However, attorneys representing the House class believe that the definition of "associated entities" has been improperly stretched well beyond the NIL collectives that it was meant to cover. "One of the pillars of the House settlement was there would be no restrictions on third-party NIL payments not by the schools," Jeffrey Kessler, co-counsel for the athletes, told Sportico in a phone call. |
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