| Monday, March 23, 2026 |
| MSU College of Veterinary Medicine to host annual open house | |
 | Mississippi State's College of Veterinary Medicine will host its annual open house Saturday. Free and open to the public from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., the family-friendly event offers a behind-the-scenes look at veterinary medicine and showcases the college's cutting-edge teaching, service and research. This year's open house includes a petting zoo and activities highlighting a wide range of veterinary specialties, from pathology to surgery. Guests will get an inside look at how vet students learn and where they spend their time, including both equine and bovine stations. Founded by an act of the Mississippi Legislature in 1974 and with its first classes beginning in 1977, the CVM has produced the world's foremost veterinary professionals for nearly 50 years. The college is a leader in areas including toxicology, aquatic animal health, infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance, providing exceptional research opportunities with collaboration between research faculty and faculty clinicians. |
| MSU's Department of Music announces lineup of spring events | |
 | Mississippi State's Department of Music presents a variety of concerts this spring, ranging from jazz and percussion ensembles to choirs and musical theater. Select events are ticketed to support programming, specific honorariums and technical and academic services. For box office information for each event, visit www.music.msstate.edu/events. Among more, the remaining spring lineup includes: March 23, 7:30 p.m., Faculty Recital, "Simple Songs, Rich Traditions: Russian Songs for Young Singers" featuring Jeanette Fontaine, mezzo-soprano, and Anne Katherine Ragsdale, piano, Recital Hall, MSU Music Building, free. March 24, 7:30 p.m., Faculty Recital, "Echoes of France" featuring Olivia Boatman, flute; Jessica Haislip, oboe; Matthew Haislip, French horn; Bret Pimentel, clarinet; Denise Rowan, bassoon; and Rosângela Sebba, piano; Recital Hall, Music Building, free. March 28, 2 p.m., Starkville-MSU Symphony Orchestra's "Echoes of Elegance" featuring Nicholaus Cummins, MSU Choirs and the symphony chorus, Bettersworth Auditorium, Lee Hall, ticketed. |
| MSU International Fiesta participant deadline quickly approaching | |
| It's less than one month until Mississippi State's signature global celebration, International Fiesta, and there's still time to sign up as a participant. Set for April 11 at 11 a.m. on the Drill Field, the fiesta organizers say that there will be an expansion on the activities available, including photo booths, inflatables, scavenger hunts, games and more. "This year, we're adding a big screen in the food court to project the main stage entertainment in that area for the large crowd," said Kylie Forrester, center director. "We're planning for a big turnout with other universities and local schools planning to attend, along with our own students and community." The festival has grown over the past 30 years to become Mississippi's leading international festival and one of MSU's biggest weekend events, attracting hundreds from across the state and region. Those interested in hosting a community or organization booth with traditional arts and crafts, food, entertainment or cultural information at International Fiesta can register through March 25 by contacting MSU's Center for Student Activities. |
| Mississippi landowners urged to monitor for bark beetles post ice storm | |
 | Officials with the Mississippi State University (MSU) Extension Service said landowners, who had timber damage from the January ice storm, should watch for bark beetles and disease. Butch Bailey, forestry specialist with the MSU Extension Service, said people should be vigilant in looking for the symptoms that indicate beetles are active. "All of these beetles are very tiny -- smaller than a grain of rice," Bailey said. "That's important because many people assume a critter than can kill an entire forest must be big. The beetles themselves are small, the holes they dig through the bark are small, and the galleries they dig right under the bark are small." Landowners who observe issues throughout a stand should call their local MSU Extension agent or a registered forester. |
| Child advocate program expanding to Golden Triangle | |
| In two years working as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate volunteer, Cathy Chapman has seen the extremes of a childhood in crisis, from 10 children crammed into beds in a home with holes in the roof to parents fighting for custody while unwilling or unable to give up drugs. Through her work with CASA, a national organization that pairs volunteers with children navigating the youth court system, Chapman has watched homes stabilize, families reunite and children find safe places to grow, learn and begin to break cycles of poverty and foster care. We knock around different ideas of what's the best way to try to help the family and the children," she told The Dispatch on Friday. "Each advocate only gets one case, so that allows somebody to work with the child more. ... It takes time to build a relationship, but just to have someone there consistently ... that's the one person that they know will be there for them and will stand up for them in court." Now, people in the Golden Triangle will have the opportunity to make that same impact. CASA of the Golden Triangle is training its first group of volunteers to serve children who have been remanded to Child Protective Services custody in Oktibbeha and Clay counties. |
| Divided council taps external candidate for Columbus fire chief | |
| Following a nearly 90-minute executive session Friday characterized by raised voices and one councilman storming out of the meeting, the Columbus city council voted 3-2 to hire Charles Yarbrough as the next fire chief. The council had narrowed the search to two candidates ahead of Friday's special-call meeting, with Yarbrough, former Starkville fire chief, and Alan Lewis, the current training officer for Columbus Fire and Rescue, as the final contenders. During the executive session, tensions escalated as council members debated hiring an external candidate over an internal one. Voices were loud enough to be heard outside of the City Hall boardroom, and at one point, Ward 3 Councilman Rusty Greene warned that hiring from outside could lead to a "mass exodus" of CFR employees. After a few more minutes of debate, Green told the rest of the board, "Y'all can have it" before storming out of the meeting. Noting that he would have been happy with either candidate, Mayor Stephen Jones defended the city's hiring process. He said there is a set process used for evaluating which candidates are most qualified. |
| US workers aren't saving nearly enough for their future | |
| To enjoy retirement, Americans say they'll need about $1.5 million in savings. But the typical worker has less than $1,000 saved, according to a recent report by the National Institute on Retirement Security. Compounding the problem is that nearly half of private-sector employees ages 18 to 64, or 57 million Americans, don't take part in a retirement plan at work. For the workers who do have retirement savings, the median balance of their retirement accounts total $40,000. Another sobering statistic: Social Security is a primary income source for most U.S. seniors, with roughly two-thirds (67%) relying on it for over half their income. About 27% of older Americans rely on it entirely, with roughly 7.3 million surviving on less than $1,000 a month. In total, Social Security constitutes over 90% of total income for about 25% of beneficiaries. But a crisis looms: The Social Security Board of Trustees projects that the combined Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance trust funds will become insolvent by 2033. If Congress does not act, this means that by 2033, the system will only be able to pay approximately 77% to 81% of promised benefits from ongoing tax revenue. |
| International Paper announces plans for $225M packaging plant in Rankin County | |
 | International Paper announced plans Friday to build a $225 million facility in Rankin County, with Gov. Tate Reeves touting it as a "great way to end the week." Reeves, who has secured more economic development than any other governor in Mississippi history, was included in the paper company's announcement to construct a 468,000-square-foot sustainable packaging facility in Brandon. The facility will be built on an 80-acre site less than 10 miles from the company's existing plant in Richland. The new plant is designed to strengthen International Paper's cost position, improve reliability and product quality, and enhance service capabilities across the Mid-South region. Company leaders said the investment will replace older infrastructure with a modern, more efficient facility aimed at reducing long-term costs and supporting growth in key markets. Updated equipment is also expected to improve workplace safety and efficiency. Construction is expected to begin in June 2026, with operations anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2027. Employees at the existing Richland facility will transition to the new plant once it is complete. |
| $105M Coast downtown development kicks off with new name, promise of big impacts | |
 | The working name of Gulfport Town Center turned over during Friday's groundbreaking at the corner of U.S. 90 and 49. The $105 million development now is called Channel South. "Channel" pays tribute to the manmade channel in Gulfport and "South" honors the Great Southern Hotel that once stood at the site. It was more than a ceremonial groundbreaking at one of the busiest corners in South Mississippi --- it's the launch of a plan to create a mixed-use district in downtown Gulfport, all within walking distance of the beach, the Amtrak station, Mississippi Aquarium and Jones Park. Led by Bellamare Development and Gulfport-based AnderCorp LLC, the project layout shows a mix of 136 apartments designed for young professionals, families and retirees, with shopping, dining and a 114-room Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel, operated by McKibbon Hospitality, with a ballroom, rooftop bar and meeting space. A nearly 300-space parking garage will be available to residents, visitors and to the public, along with surface parking. "I think this is going to be a great catalyst for the downtown area," said state Sen. Scott DeLano. The addition of a hotel to the project is exactly what the downtown restaurants need, he said, since there will be a turnover of people every night. |
| Vicksburg Military Park: A Civil War site that helped reunite America | |
 | America is about to celebrate its 250th anniversary, but there was a time when the nation was divided. The Civil War tore the nation apart, but a battle in Mississippi was a key to restoring the country and you can visit the site at the Vicksburg National Military Park. The park is located in Vicksburg on a bluff near the Mississippi River. It includes more than 1,800 acres where visitors can tour. Visitors can see nearly 1,300 monuments and memorials. Cannons and fortifications are also on the grounds. It's also a popular destination for bird watchers. The park includes the Vicksburg National Cemetery. Established in 1866, it's among the first national cemeteries and more than 17,000 troops are buried there. It's the largest Union cemetery in the nation and has a significant number of Civil War Black troops. Visitors can also see the USS Cairo, a Union iron-clad gunboat that sank in the Yazoo River in 1862. |
| Legislation to hold landlords accountable for paying utility bills heads to governor | |
| Legislation to ensure utilities are paid that are included in a person's rent or lease has cleared its final hurdle in the Mississippi Legislature and is now on its way to the governor's desk. The measure seeks to hold landlords criminally responsible for collecting utility fees but not paying the bill. HB 1404 outlines the penalties that property owners face for not paying those utilities. If the misappropriated funds are $25,000 or more, the penalties include upwards of 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. For $5,000 but less than $25,000, the penalties could include 10 years in prison and $10,000 fines. A landlord who has misappropriated more than $1,000 but less than $5,000 could spend 5 years in prison and pay a $3,000 fine. For a property owner who has misappropriated less than $1,000, the penalty would be $1,000 and six months in jail. Courts could also levy additional penalties against the landlord, including compensation for costs linked to the disruption of services, such as food and medical expenses, House bill reads. The bill's author, State Rep. Shanda Yates (I), described the bill as a "great piece of legislation," saying this is an issue across the Magnolia State. |
| MDAC to Commemorate National Ag Day with Agricultural Competitions | |
| In recognition of National Agriculture Day, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce will host a press conference and cow milking contests at Galloway Memorial Methodist Church across the street from the Mississippi Capitol in downtown Jackson on Tuesday, March 24, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Ag Day festivities will include two cow milking competitions featuring state legislators and local news celebrities; complimentary ice cream and milk for guests, while supplies last; brief remarks from Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson; and more. National Ag Day was established in 1973 by the Agriculture Council of America as an effort to encourage every American to understand how food and fiber products are produced; appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products; value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy; and acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry. |
| Supreme Court hears arguments Monday over late-arriving ballots, a Trump target | |
 | The Supreme Court is hearing arguments Monday in a case from Mississippi over whether states can count late-arriving mail ballots, a target of President Donald Trump. The outcome of the case could affect voters in 14 states and the District of Columbia, which have grace periods for ballots cast by mail, provided they are postmarked by Election Day. An additional 15 states that have more forgiving deadlines for ballots from military and overseas voters also could be impacted. A ruling is expected by late June, early enough to govern the counting of ballots in the 2026 midterm congressional elections. Forcing states to change their practices just a few months before the election risks "confusion and disenfranchisement," especially in places that have had relaxed deadlines for years, state and big-city election officials told the court in a written filing. In striking down Mississippi's grace period, Judge Andrew Oldham of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wrote that the state law allowing the late-arriving ballots to be counted violated federal law. |
| GOP cracks in Senate begin to show in DHS shutdown fight | |
 | Cracks are beginning to show in the Senate GOP's unity as the Department of Homeland Security shutdown stretches into its 38th day, as some Republicans worry trying to pin the blame on Democrats won't produce a deal, and could politically boomerang back on their own party. Images of huge chaotic lines at major airports in Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans and New York City caused by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers calling in sick is rattling Republican senators who don't see an end in sight given the hard lines taken by both the White House and Senate Democrats during the funding stalemate. While Republicans feel the shutdown was forced by Democrats, they also know their party owns the White House and both majorities in Congress, and could suffer the blame -- particularly amid the war with Iran that is already stoking political controversy. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a prominent conservative and an influential voice in the Senate GOP conference, has pushed colleagues to consider breaking up the Homeland Security appropriations bill to fund and reopen TSA and other critical agencies immediately and use the budget reconciliation process later to increase funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). |
| White House AI framework calls for preemption of state laws | |
 | The White House on Friday proposed its framework for a national artificial intelligence policy, pushing for broad preemption of state AI laws and against "open-ended liability" for AI firms. The proposal urges Congress to take some steps to protect kids, energy costs and copyright holders, while also requesting streamlined permitting for data centers, regulatory "sandboxes" to allow exemptions to federal regulations and no new regulatory body to oversee the fast-spreading technology. The four-page document fulfilled a request from President Donald Trump's December executive order on state AI laws, which directed White House science and technology adviser Michael Kratsios, along with Special Adviser for AI and Crypto David Sacks, to develop a national policy to preempt state laws. House leadership immediately offered their support for the proposal. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., released a statement, along with key committee leaders Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., who heads the Energy and Commerce panel; Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, chair of the Judiciary Committee; and Brian Babin, R-Texas, who leads the Science, Space and Technology Committee, urging Congress to "take action" in order to "ensure we continue to harness [AI's] potential and beat China in the global AI race." Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who released her own sweeping draft AI legislation earlier this week, emphasized focusing on legislation that can pass both chambers. |
| If Mike Johnson Goes, Who Runs House GOP? | |
 | House Republicans are publicly projecting optimism about keeping their majority after the midterms. Privately, many acknowledge a harder reality: It's possible the GOP loses the House. And in that scenario, they say, the party might look to a new leader. Losing the majority would open the door to fresh jockeying among senior Republicans to push aside current House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) to lead the party in the minority, according to conversations with more than half a dozen House Republicans. That scenario has put the spotlight back on Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota and Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Those three lawmakers lost out in the chaotic party fight back in 2023 to succeed ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.), when Johnson emerged as the compromise pick -- and are considered the potential front-runners again. All three are building bridges with colleagues and raising money for candidates, members said. At the same time, the potential candidates are rejecting the idea that they are focused on anything but winning the midterms. Republicans currently have a narrow 218-214 edge---including an independent who caucuses with them -- and the president's party has lost House seats in every midterm since World War II, except for 1998 and 2002. |
| Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Daniel Edney, a Vaccine Proponent, Is Under Consideration to Lead the CDC | |
| Dr. Daniel P. Edney, Mississippi's state health officer and head of the Mississippi State Department of Health, is now under serious consideration to lead the U.S. Centers for Disease Control as its new director, The Washington Post reported Sunday morning. Edney has served in the role of MSDH chief since 2022, when he replaced Dr. Thomas Dobbs at the head of the agency. The Post reported that the deadline for the search is rapidly approaching, with current director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya's interim appointment expiring on Thursday. Other candidates reported as front-runners in the leadership search include former Kentucky governor Dr. Ernie Fletcher and Dr. Joseph Marine, vice-director of operations, division of cardiology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Edney, formerly the president of the Mississippi State Medical Association and one of the key health leaders for Mississippi during the COVID-19 pandemic, stepped into the role as state health officer as the agency transitioned from its focus away from the public health crisis and back toward Mississippi's overall health outcomes -- traditionally some of the worst in the nation. |
| The Quiet American: How Pope Leo Is Pushing Back Against Trump | |
| "War is back in vogue." So said Pope Leo XIV to ambassadors from around the world in a marbled hall above the main entrance to St. Peter's Basilica in January. He didn't name names, or have to. President Trump was flexing America's military might in Venezuela and the Caribbean, threatening to take over the Danish territory of Greenland, and assembling an armada for a looming war with Iran. Russia's invasion of Ukraine was grinding on. The way Pope Leo saw it, powers were seeking to impose dominion through arms and undermining the taboo since World War II on changing borders by force. "This gravely threatens the rule of law," he said, "which is the foundation of all peaceful civil coexistence." His words were the latest salvo in a growing effort to insert himself into a world of spiraling conflicts. The 70-year-old pope, born as Robert Prevost in Chicago and known for most of his life as "Bob," has had a quiet start to his pontificate. But with the world facing crisis after crisis, the first-ever American pope is stepping up his efforts at moral suasion in defense of a fading international order that the American president, among other leaders, is rapidly dismantling. The papacy has always been political. But now, some of the biggest challenges to its vision of society are coming from the U.S. -- just as the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church is led by an American for the first time in its 2,000-year history. Complicating his task is the fact that millions of American Catholics voted for Trump. |
| War's Attacks on Energy Could Turn Economic Shock Into Long-Term Damage | |
 | The game has changed. From the moment the United States and Israel attacked Iran, the nightmare scenario for the global economy that most people talked about was the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, the most important choke point for oil on the planet. But a different and more disturbing nightmare began to unfold with direct attacks on the backbone of the Persian Gulf region's energy production: the prospect of millions of dollars' worth of long-term damage to facilities that supply a critical portion of the world's natural gas. Now, instead of wondering if the war would last for days or weeks, officials and economists are speculating about effects that could last for months and years. "We're still in a place where if the strait were to open tomorrow, most energy production in the region could come back online reasonably quickly," taking a couple of months, said Jason Bordoff, founding director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. But the situation could change at any moment if attacks continue, he added. What is clear is that the damage from this pressure on the world's energy supply and shipping industry has the potential to put the global economy on a different and more dangerous trajectory. |
| Trump says strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure paused for 5 days amid US-Iran talks | |
 | President Donald Trump said Monday the United States would pause "any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure" for five days as Tehran and Washington engage in diplomatic negotiations. In a social media post, Trump wrote in all caps that the U.S. and Iran have had "very good and productive conversations" in the past two days and that the pause on planned strikes against energy infrastructure came as a direct result of the "in depth, detailed, and constructive conversations." Trump added that the talks "will continue throughout the week." Trump later said that Iran had reached out to the U.S. to make a deal and that the countries were discussing the U.S.'s requests for Iran not to have nuclear weapons and not to have enriched uranium -- though the president also said he couldn't "guarantee" a deal would materialize. Trump said his son-in-law Jared Kushner and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff were leading the talks. The move indicates that a diplomatic off-ramp to the conflict between the U.S. and Iran could be in reach. It also followed increasing unease from the U.S.'s allies in the Middle East and Europe over the conflict continuing to spiral. Iran was quick to deny that talks were taking place. |
| Trump continues to target Robert Mueller after his death | |
 | resident Donald Trump on Saturday cheered the death of Robert S. Mueller III, a towering figure in federal law enforcement whom the president viewed as a leading antagonist and the face of efforts to undermine his presidency. "Robert S. Mueller III just died. Good, I'm glad he's dead," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. "He can no longer hurt innocent people." The comments, quickly amplified by a White House social media account on X, underscored how enduring -- and personal -- Trump's grievance remained long after the investigation that clouded his first term. The open celebration of Mueller's demise fits a pattern for the president, whose instinct for bombast does not yield, even in death. Mueller, who earned widespread respect for his stewardship of the FBI in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, became a defining figure in Trump's presidency as the special counsel who investigated Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible ties to Trump's campaign. As one of the longest-serving heads of the FBI, Mueller was known as a steward of nonpartisanship who transformed the bureau into a global intelligence organization equipped to face the threats of terrorism while maintaining civil liberties. Trump has sought to reduce Mueller in public memory to his last major role -- and worked to discredit him. |
| IHL adopts financial literacy policy, discusses effort to create new funding model for state universities | |
| As the Legislature is considering a bill that would mandate all post-secondary institutions in the state provide some sort of financial literacy education, the Board of Trustees for the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning has adopted a policy to that effect. The new financial literacy policy was adopted as part of the discussion of academic affairs during Thursday's meeting. At the IHL meeting on Thursday, the Board also heard an update on the process of creating a new performance-based funding formula. The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems is working to create a new funding model for the state's public universities. NCHEMS Vice President Sara Pingel said the process so far has gathered feedback from stakeholders, which include legislators, university presidents, IHL Board members and Accelerate MS since October of last year. That information was used to create an objective statement that focuses on the creation of an allocation model based on data that ensures student success, includes performance aspects, and focuses on completion metrics. "Everybody has told us they would really like to see a significant focus on performance," Pingel added, saying the process will also take other aspects into consideration. |
| UMMC revenue tumbled after February cyberattack | |
| University of Mississippi Medical Center revenue fell roughly 20% below budget in February, the month a cyberattack struck the hospital system and led it to cancel all elective surgeries and appointments for nine days. The medical center was about $34.2 million short of its expected $194.1 million in operating revenue in February, according to budget reports. But hospital leaders say they anticipate revenue will rebound as patient care charges logged on paper during the attack are input into the hospital's computer system and as the medical center reschedules postponed surgeries. "We really think that we won't see the true catch-up picture, until maybe even, you know, March, April, the end of the fiscal year," said Dr. LouAnn Woodward, UMMC's vice chancellor for health affairs, at an Institutions of Higher Learning committee meeting Wednesday. The state's fiscal year ends June 30. For nine days, medical staff cared for patients using paper charts -- some for the first time in their careers -- and without access to Wi-Fi or phone lines. The hospital resumed normal operations on March 2. |
| Mississippi stories in stitches: Lecture at MUW blends art, history and activism through quiltwork | |
| It began with a song – adapted words from Stevie Wonder's "Living in the City." "A girl was born in hard-times Mississippi, surrounded by four walls that weren't so pretty. Her parents, Jim and Ella Townsend, gave her love and affection to keep her strong, moving in the right direction. She was living just enough for Ruleville, Mississippi, and for the greater Mississippi Delta. That girl was Fannie Lou Hamer." The musical adaptation was half-spoken, half-sung by J. Janice Coleman, a quilter, storyteller and English professor at Alcorn State. Coleman was visiting the Mississippi University for Women on behalf of the Women's College, and the Gail P. Gunter Multi-Purpose Room was crowded with faculty, students and sewing enthusiasts. Coleman gave the lecture, titled "Three Years in the Life of Fannie Lou Hamer," on Hamer and her work as a quilter as part of the Women's College Colloquium Speaker Series. Coleman, a native of Mound Bayou, sews mainly from scraps and remnants to reflect the past and present life and culture of the Mississippi Delta. Offering questions for the event was sophomore communications major Merry MacLellan. |
| The Apprenticeship (R)Evolution | |
 | "Apprenticeships are advanced, they are high-tech. They are a very viable strategy for employers to find the right talent that they keep complaining they can't find," said Steve Jurch, associate vice president of the Association of Community College Trustees' Center for Policy and Practice. Nontraditional apprenticeships are also changing lives, said Jamelia Lawrence, who recently completed a 16-month licensed practical nursing program at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) and its employer partner, Singing River Health System. "It's giving you the opportunity to be what you have always wanted to be but not lose everything you've built before getting here," Lawrence said of apprenticeship, which allowed her to keep working full-time -- initially as a registered medical assistant---while pursuing her dream of becoming a nurse. "I wasn't going to be able to live and take care of my son, my home, if I worked part-time and tried to go to school." "These opportunities are once-in-a-lifetime," she said. |
| What Young Workers Are Doing to AI-Proof Themselves | |
| Jackson Curtis planned to spend his career in insurance, where he's worked the last 3 1/2 years. Instead, the 28-year-old is now pursuing an abrupt shift: becoming a full-time firefighter. Curtis, who lives outside Tacoma, Wash., fears that artificial intelligence is coming for his office job, which mostly involves data entry. And he thinks rising up the career ladder would still leave him vulnerable. "Even if they can come up with a way to utilize AI to fight fires, people are always going to want that empathy from an actual human who actually cares during a moment of crisis," Curtis said. AI's workplace impact, including its potential to help careers, remains more the subject of economics papers than hard evidence. But young people, especially those just launching into long working lives ahead of them, are starting to navigate their future career choices with AI in mind. Some are pivoting to blue-collar work or starting their own businesses that may insulate them from the impacts of AI. Others are actively embracing it to try to take advantage of an AI boom and stay ahead of the curve. A recent Harvard survey of Americans between ages 18 and 29 showed that 59% said they saw AI as a threat to their job prospects, with college graduates in particular sharing such concerns. A further 41% said they thought that AI would make work less meaningful. |
| LSU student government campaigns post videos of Shaq, Coco Gauff supporting them | |
 | Campaigns for LSU student government president and vice president are drawing on star power, posting endorsements from former LSU basketball player and NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal and professional tennis player Coco Gauff. The Frazier-Miceli: Together campaign posted a video to Instagram Wednesday with the caption: The Frazier-Miceli Campaign is #BACKEDBYSHAQ." "I've seen leaders," O'Neal said in the video. "I've seen winners. Darion Frazier and Bellamia Miceli are both. You want leadership that shows up and puts the students first? Do not wait." Reached by Instagram direct message, student body presidential candidate Darion Frazier, who is a great-nephew of NBA player Walt "Clyde" Frazier, said O'Neal is a family friend. On Thursday, the Holliway-Gonzalez HEART campaign posted its own endorsement video with an appearance from star tennis player and two-time major winner Coco Gauff. "Don't forget to vote for Tyhlar Holliway for student body president and Gabreyela Gonzalez for vice president," Gauff said in the video. "They are committed to serving your campus with heart and commitment. Be sure to cast your vote." |
| Lawmaker, students push back on U. of Arkansas athletics funding plan | |
| Back in January, the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees passed a resolution that the university would begin feeding money to the school's athletics department. This has left many involved parties concerned. That includes Jaxon Hatfield, a freshman at the University of Arkansas who serves as a senator with the Associated Student Government. Hatfield's a sixth-generation Arkansan. "I've always loved Arkansas. Growing up watching Razorback football and sports, I always wanted to be a Razorback. I had dreams of going out of state for college but that ended up not working. I just got a lot of opportunities to come to the U of A, and I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to get to learn the state and see the people, and just to be an Arkansan and stay in Arkansas." The in-state undergraduate tuition, fees and expenses at the University of Arkansas for this school year is just under $32,000. Hatfield says this decision by the board of trustees and a potential hike in tuition or other expenses will hurt Arkansans looking to attend their state's flagship university. |
| U. of Tennessee partners with Uber for freshman transportation needs | |
| University of Tennessee Parking and Transportation has teamed up with Uber as a part of their ongoing initiative to reduce on-campus parking needs for first-year students. The partnership allows 2,000 first-year residential students to receive up to 10 individual $10 ride vouchers, which can be applied to trips originating within Knox County or to and from McGhee Tyson Airport. The experimental program aims to mitigate the impact of Parking and Transportation's increase in restriction on first-year student parking accessibility, primarily limited to accommodate for campus construction. "We did not want to disallow students the ability to be able to get to or from certain places ... so we felt like we needed to enlist some car share (and/or) ride share opportunities as part of that process," Tamara Teal-Tate, the executive director of Parking and Transportation, said. First-year student Kami Glover is one of many freshmen who did not receive a parking pass and has resorted to services like Uber as a result. "These costs have definitely added up," Glover said. "Especially since the price set on these websites are by demand or limited by the number of drivers available -- it can make using these methods of transport an unreliable and ridiculous cost." |
| Ron Mittler receives the 2026 SEC Faculty Achievement Award | |
 | Ron Mittler, a University of Missouri Curators' Distinguished Professor, has been selected as a Southeastern Conference Faculty Achievement Award winner. Since 2012, the SEC Faculty Achievement Award has annually recognized one faculty member from each respective institution. Recipients also become their institution's nominee for the SEC Professor of the Year award. Provost Matt Martens, who played a role in the selection process, said "Dr. Mittler's critical contributions to his field in plant sciences, as well as to human disease and drug development, is a testament to a career whose influence will endure for years to come." Mittler joined the university in 2018 as a professor in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. In 2022, he was recognized as Curators' Distinguished Professor of Plant Science and Technology. In 2024, he was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and received the Frederick B. Mumford Award for Distinguished Faculty. Mittler will be recognized at a reception on May 5, 2026, during Faculty Excellence Week. The SEC Professor of the Year will be announced later this spring. |
| U. of Kansas Faculty and Students Voted No Confidence in the Chancellor. Or Did They? | |
 | Faculty members and students at the University of Kansas recently voted no confidence in the institution's chancellor, Douglas A. Girod, by an overwhelming margin --- but the university is sharply disputing the vote's validity. The results of an online survey were largely critical of Girod, with nearly 80 percent of respondents saying they didn't have faith in his leadership. But Kansas administrators are calling the survey an "entirely unscientific, informal straw poll" created by two rogue faculty leaders and "shared only with a small subset of the university population -- specifically a subset the authors knew would support their narrative." The survey results, and the university's denunciation, arrive at a tumultuous time for Kansas. Changes in nationwide rules governing payments to athletes and a $450-million renovation to the football stadium have prompted questions about the university's sports spending. And while the poll was live, the university was negotiating its first contract with the faculty union. While the parties have since come to a tentative agreement, a university spokesman characterized the vote as a "pressure tactic" designed to influence the process. |
| Canvas Unrolls AI Teaching Agent | |
| Weeks after an outside agentic artificial intelligence tool called Einstein caused an uproar over its ability to complete entire courses in the learning management system Canvas, Canvas has unveiled an agentic AI tool of its own. But instead of helping students cheat -- or automating instruction -- its creators say it's designed to enhance teaching and learning. Earlier this month, Instructure, the company that owns Canvas -- which is used by more than 40 percent of higher education institutions across North America---announced the launch of its IgniteAI Agent. The new technology, which can automate "low-value" tasks for faculty such as rubric generation, content alignment and discussion reviews, "frees educators to focus more on mentoring, feedback and meaningful learning experiences," Instructure said in a news release. Powered by Amazon Web Services, the IgniteAI Agent will be free for the U.S. Canvas customers through June 30; after that it will be available for purchase as part of Canvas's premium offerings. Its rollout comes amid growing buzz about the power of agentic AI to automate workflows across industries -- and fears that it could move higher education closer to fulfilling the "dead classroom" theory, a scenario in which computers teach and grade other computers. |
| States Are Demanding Curricular Changes. How Are Colleges Responding? | |
| The University of Wyoming's president recently faced an ambiguous demand: expel "institutional discrimination" from the curriculum. The state's House Bill 147, which took effect last summer, targets diversity, equity, and inclusion -- not only in offices and programs, but in courses. In Wyoming, faculty are no longer able to teach that meritocracy is racist; that fault or bias should be assigned to a specific race or gender; or that a person should accept or acknowledge a sense of guilt or complicity because of their race, sex, or gender. "Legislation that delves into UW's curriculum is a relatively new development and is something we're taking very seriously," Ed Seidel, the president, wrote in a letter to the UW community. It could have been worse, Seidel added: Similar state laws cropping up elsewhere "are considerably more restrictive and punitive." Colleges and universities -- sometimes within a single state -- have approached the interpretation of and compliance with those laws in vastly different ways, even though many of them are based on the same model legislation. Over the last year, laws in Alabama and Mississippi have faced legal pushback from advocates and faculty members. In Mississippi, a judge blocked House Bill 1193 -- which also banned public colleges from endorsing certain “divisive concepts” about race and gender -- from taking effect, stating that the legislation was “unconstitutionally vague” and a threat to academic freedom. |
| Trump's voter crackdown reaches college campuses | |
| College campuses are already getting a taste of President Donald Trump's effort to impose broad, new voting restrictions across the country. While Trump's push for a partisan elections bill faces several bottlenecks on Capitol Hill, his administration has spent months quietly chipping away at programs designed to boost turnout among a voting bloc Republicans say lean Democratic. Colleges play a critical role in helping students vote in what is often their first chance to cast a ballot. But the Trump administration is barring colleges from using a federal program that employs low-income students to register voters and threatening to investigate schools if they use data from a nonpartisan student voting study to help boost turnout. The Education Department has also warned colleges not to violate election laws -- and told schools to limit who they share voter registration information with -- even though there is no evidence of widespread fraud on campuses. The actions by Trump, who continues to make false claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, could dampen student participation in a midterm election where control of Congress may be decided by small margins. |
| Buyer beware: false advertising running rampant | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: It's hard to read or watch anything online without running into false and misleading advertising. My favorites are ads that promise a common food or simple household product can reverse aging, end Alzheimer's, and cure dementia. None attain FDA approval, of course, and often claim powerful interests want their ingredients kept secret. Somehow us older folks get exposed to lots of these ads. Believe it or not (with apologies to Ripley's), Truth in Advertising remains a federal law applicable to ads wherever they appear. Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act prohibits "unfair or deceptive acts or practices." Advertisers are supposed to make sure their claims are truthful, not misleading, and can be substantiated. Enforcement is a duty of the Federal Trade Commission. So, why do so many false and misleading ads still appear? |
| Republicans feuding is no different than what Democrats used to do. Remember Billy McCoy and Ronnie Musgrove | |
| Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison writes: As Republicans surged to take control of state government in the 1990s and 2000s, no two Democratic Mississippi politicians were more despised by members of the upstart party than Ronnie Musgrove and Billy McCoy. McCoy served from 2004 until 2012 as the last Democratic speaker of the Mississippi House while Musgrove served from 1996 until 2000 as the state's last Democratic lieutenant governor and from 2000 until 2004 as Mississippi's last Democratic governor. They also served together in the Mississippi Legislature -- for a time with Musgrove as chair of the Senate Education Committee and McCoy as head of House Education. In more recent times, observers of the Mississippi Legislature have been perplexed with the ongoing feud that seems to be occurring between the Republican leadership of the House and Senate. That tension appears particularly intense between Senate Education Chair Dennis DeBar of Leakesville and his House counterpart, Rob Roberson of Starkville. ... The actions were just the latest of the ongoing tensions between House and Senate Republicans. How could fellow Republicans be at such odds with each other? "All things old are new again." |
| Could Mississippi's conservative, business donors stop giving to Republican incumbents? | |
| The Magnolia Tribune's Russ Latino writes: Earlier this year, a group of one hundred prominent businessmen and women, representing some of the largest, most successful employers in the state, asked the Legislature to pass a comprehensive universal school choice plan backed by President Donald Trump. Among the group were some of the perennially largest donors to Republican politicians in the state. In a letter sent to the Legislature, they argued that continuing to improve the education available to every student in Mississippi would pay dividends long-term in preparing the workforce. In an 84-second Senate Education Committee meeting, one with no questions or debate, the Senate voted to kill the plan for which these leaders had advocated. No amendments. No strike all. No discussion of pain points that could be improved upon. Just killed. ... In the last two weeks, business leaders from around the state have been unified in opposition to the creation of a "dispensing fee" of $11.29 on every prescription written in Mississippi. Projections are that the Senate's changes to HB 1665, which morphed the bill from PBM reform to a de facto tax increase, will cost Mississippi employers and Mississippi workers nine-figures a year. ... Magnolia Tribune spoke to eight regular Republican donors, including both business leaders and more ideological donors, on Thursday. All eight said they were reconsidering their political giving. One shared that there are less than 5 members of the Mississippi Senate they consider worthy of support and that they are evangelizing others to turn off their spigots, too. |
SPORTS
| Baseball: No. 6 Bulldogs Break Out The Brooms Vs. Vandy | |
| No. 6 Mississippi State delivered an emphatic statement to close out the weekend, erupting for 17 runs on 19 hits to run-rule Vanderbilt 17-7 in seven innings Sunday at Dudy Noble Field, completing the program's first series sweep of the Commodores since March 11-12, 2000. The Diamond Dawgs wasted no time setting the tone with a six-run first inning that immediately put Vanderbilt on its heels. Kevin Milewski's three-run homer to left capped a frame that featured four hits. MSU continued to pour it on from there. The Bulldogs added two more runs in the second on a towering two-run shot from Reed Stallman, then broke the game open in the third with four additional runs behind RBI knocks from Noah Sullivan and Stallman. By the time the dust settled, State had scored in every inning, showcasing relentless offensive depth. Sullivan finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs, while Stallman turned in a dominant 4-for-5 performance with four RBIs, including a homer and two doubles. Bryce Chance added four hits and three RBIs – including the walk-off game-winner in the bottom of the seventh. Ryder Woodson chipped in a double and solo homer as part of a three-hit afternoon. |
| No. 6 Bulldogs record first sweep of Vanderbilt in 26 years | |
| A historic weekend for Mississippi State baseball brought the first SEC series win of 2026. The No. 6 Bulldogs improved to 20-4, 4-2 in SEC play, with a sweep of Vanderbilt at Dudy Noble Field, doing so in front of Friday and Saturday crowds that saw the program take control of every spot on the list of top 25 on-campus attendances in NCAA baseball history. The series did not come without hiccups, but head coach Brian O'Connor saw his side overcome everything that came their way to clinch its first home series win over the Commodores since 2014. "Three huge wins," O'Connor said after a 17-7 Game Three win on Sunday. "They were all a little bit different, but today with the wind blowing, a hitters type day, and our offensive approach was just relentless. Very opportunistic, but there's a lot of two-strike RBI hits." The Bulldogs wrapped up the weekend with a 19-hit performance against a Vandy bullpen that was pushed to the limit. Yet another two-out hit from Bryce Chance finished the game by run-rule in the seventh inning, but it was still a nearly three-hour contest where MSU kept swinging and connecting, scoring at least one run in every single inning. It was a reflection of the team's competitive spirit, and a desire to finish the job before turning the page. |
| Bulldogs sweep Vanderbilt in slugfest | |
| Power was not in short supply on Sunday at Dudy Noble Field. Mississippi State's offense overwhelmed Vanderbilt to score a 17-7 win in seven innings and sweep the series. The Bulldogs scored in every inning, including 12 in the first three combined, and had 19 hits. "Three huge wins," Mississippi State head coach Brian O'Connor said. "They were all a little bit different. But today, with the wind blowing out, hitter's type day, our offensive approach was just relentless. Very opportunistic, relentless, a lot of two-strike RBI hits." Mississippi State's first two batters reached base. The Bulldogs followed that up with three straight RBI singles to take a 3-0 lead and chase Vanderbilt starter Tyler Baird before he could even record an out. Three batters later, Kevin Milewski blasted a three-run home run to push the Mississippi State advantage to 6-0 after just one inning. "It feels great," Milewski said. "I was going out there, doing whatever I can to help put one on the board." That wasn't even Milewski's only timely home run of the weekend. MSU's four runs in a 4-2 win on Friday came from a solo Milewski shot and a three-run long ball from Ryder Woodson. |
| Mississippi State receives $1M gift to State Excellence Fund | |
| Mississippi State University (MSU) announced the McPherson family gifted $1 million to the State Excellence Fund. The fund helps support the athletic department and its programs, while providing improved student-athlete resources and key athletic benefits. "People like Bill McPherson and his sons, Will and Jones, are what make this place so special," MSU Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said. "The McPhersons bleed Maroon, and that comes across with this generous contribution. At MSU, we are committed to having sustained success and we are so thankful to have the McPhersons fully behind us. We're incredibly grateful for their partnership." Bill, Will and Jones are all Mississippi State graduates. “We want MSU succeeding on a national level,” the McPhersons said. “For that to happen, it takes support and backing from Bulldogs everywhere. We are excited to be able to give this gift to help ensure Mississippi State continues to have the resources needed to compete with the best.” |
| President Trump issues executive order aimed at protecting Army-Navy Game's solo time slot | |
| President Donald Trump on Friday issued an executive order meant to keep the Army-Navy Game in its exclusive time window in December, though the enforceability of such a move is uncertain. The Army-Navy Game window has come into focus over the past year around the discussion of College Football Playoff expansion. Conference leaders support growing the postseason, but any expansion would likely create an additional round of games to be played the second weekend of December, which for years has featured the Army-Navy Game in the afternoon and the Heisman Trophy ceremony later that night. The conflict remains a logistical hurdle. It's also the final weekend protected for college football by the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 before the NFL is allowed to play on Saturdays. It's unclear how legal or enforceable such an order is, as executive orders are only directives for federal agencies and the executive branch. This order states that the Federal Communications Commission will work with the CFP committee, the NCAA and media partners to protect the Army-Navy window. |
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