| Wednesday, October 28, 2026 |
| 'Hail, Dear Old' State!' meant something quite special to the late Dr. Richard E. Holmes | |
 | Columnist Sid Salter writes: Richard Holmes did not choose to integrate Mississippi State University on July 19, 1965, lightly; he seriously reflected on the fates of those who had gone before him at previously all-white Mississippi universities. But he came anyway. Holmes, MSU's first African American student, died Oct. 16 at age 82. A Starkville native, Holmes earned two MSU degrees: a liberal arts degree in 1969 and a master's degree in microbiology in 1973. In 1977, he earned his medical degree from Michigan State University and later served as an emergency room physician in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Holmes returned to Mississippi and joined MSU's Longest Student Health Center in 2003 as a staff physician, later receiving an honorary Doctor of Science degree from his alma mater. In 2006, MSU named him National Alumnus of the Year. ... In August, MSU President Mark Keenum led MSU's dedication and ribbon-cutting for the Dr. Richard E. Holmes Plaza, which Keenum described as "a place where everyone can find opportunity and belonging" and as a space for "community, conversation, connection and friendship." The Holmes Plaza sits between the Colvard Student Union and the historic YMCA Building, ensuring that his story as a trailblazer will always be remembered. |
| MSU Behavioral Health secures $14M to expand services | |
 | Mississippi State University is expanding its behavioral health services after receiving seven grants totalling more than $14 million. The grants, awarded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Mississippi Department of Mental Health, will allow the behavioral health department to hire new staff and expand clinic services through initiatives focused on youth trauma, substance abuse and first responder training. Michael Nadorff, director of MSU Behavioral Health, the university's community behavioral health clinic, said it is the most funding the department has ever received at once. "(The grant) increases access in general, which is fantastic," Nadorff said. "... I'd encourage people to reach out to our clinic to see if they fit one of our grants because we have so many at this point." Nadorff brought in two grants designed to lower the access barrier for young people struggling with substance abuse. |
| Mississippi State expands housing for upperclassmen | |
| Upperclassmen at Mississippi State University will have more on-campus housing options after state higher education officials approved a $63.9 million dormitory expansion that would add 527 beds in two years. The expansion would increase the College View housing capacity from 656 beds to 1,183 beds, reviving plans for the second phase of the project that was postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning board of trustees unanimously approved the project expansion plans on Monday. A private developer will finance the project through a partnership with the university, IHL spokesperson John Sewell said. The estimated construction completion date is August 2028. The university needs more modern housing for upperclassmen that is close to campus and connected to campus life, MSU spokesman Sid Salter said. |
| College of Integrative Studies adds new tourism major | |
| The College of Integrative Studies added a Bachelor of Science in Tourism and Destination Development degree to its course offerings this semester following a successful launch of a similar minor last semester. The major is the second bachelor's degree offered by the college, and the program will teach students real-world skills that they can apply in tourism and hospitality fields such as hotel and entertainment venue management, visitor experience and destination operations. Rachael Carter, the program director and an extension specialist for MSU, said that the program covers a wide variety of applicable skills that students can use in future careers. "That can range anything from working in a hotel, to working in economic development, to advertising, to even working with elected officials, like, in policy and advocacy," Carter said. "We cover a lot of things that would really help students, I feel like, look at communities from a different standpoint." |
| Holiday Handcrafts Bazaar set for Friday | |
| Starkville First United Methodist Church will feature more than 35 artists and craftspeople at its 17th Holiday Handcrafts Bazaar. The free event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday in the church's Christian Life Center, at 200 W. Lampkin St. in Starkville. Lunch will be available from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and will include chicken salad and pimento cheese sandwich plates, white bean chicken chili and cookies. "We are excited about the variety of vendors participating. Our vendors' items will appeal to all tastes and ages," said Sarah Everitt, vendor coordinator. "We are glad to have some previous vendors returning and will enjoy seeing the work of our first-time participants." The bazaar's vendors will offer handcrafted items such as jewelry, paintings, hand-sewn textiles, pottery, woodwork and home décor. Frozen casseroles and baked goods will be sold from the church's booths to support its missions. Proceeds from church-operated booths will go to local outreach missions such as Backpack Meals, which serves schoolchildren who would otherwise not have meals available on weekends. Other beneficiaries include the community food pantry and the International Thanksgiving Dinner. |
| Halloween fun returns this week with costume parties, trick-or-treating | |
| When Ryan Handran and his wife Margaret Handran, co-owners of Rick's Cafe, saw that Halloween fell on a Saturday this year, they were immediately excited. The spooky season is one of the couple's favorite times of the year, and with the date falling on a weekend, it made for the perfect time to schedule a five-day celebration at Rick's Cafe. "My wife and I, we love Halloween," Ryan Handran told The Dispatch. "We love to dress up, and so it's fun to host a party where everybody does it too." Rick's will host a Friday performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show by Mississippi State University's Blackfriars Drama Society at 8 p.m. before wrapping up its five days of fun Saturday with a Halloween Costume party, which will be judged by the audience alongside a panel of judges. Rick's Cafe isn't the only one bringing the spook to the Golden Triangle this week. ... On Saturday from 10-11 a.m., the T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disabilities will be hosting its 14th annual fun run and fundraiser for the center in Starkville. The event at 326 Hardy Road will feature children's activities and the race, which will open registration at 9 a.m. with $15 entry for individuals or $30 for families of up to five. |
| Mississippi lawmakers consider requests for stricter distracted driving laws, portable benefits | |
| The Mississippi Senate Insurance Committee is preparing for the potential introduction of several bills as the 2027 legislative session nears. Two days of hearings this week covered topics such as vision plans, distracted driving, ambulance services, and how insurance companies pay claims. For more than a decade, smartphone use has increased the instances of distracted driving and the associated collisions that occur. Mississippi has had distracted driving laws in place since 2015, with those laws amended over the years to prohibit the drivers from sending texts and emails as well as using social media. Enforcement, however, is not consistent. Today, lawmakers were told that motorists see the eyes of too many oncoming drivers focused on a screen instead of the road. ... Claim denials are negatively affecting the medical practices in the state, lawmakers were told. Warren Herring, President and CEO of TrustCare Health, told the Senate committee that denials have increased over the past three years. He said about 41% of physicians today are seeing a 10% or more rate of claim denials on the backend, a 30% increase since 2022. |
| Columbus presents $25M wishlist to legislative delegation | |
| Columbus city officials threw a wishlist for state funding totaling as much as $25 million to the local legislative delegation Tuesday without providing a clear vision on how the projects ranked priority-wise. Possibly the biggest-ticket item on the city's litany of requests during a special-call council meeting at City Hall was funding for a bridge that would connect the west end of the Island to Old Macon Road. "A bridge like that is not going to be cheap," said City Engineer Kevin Stafford, estimating it could cost in the neighborhood of $10 million. However, it could serve a variety of purposes, including creating two-way traffic and spurring commercial development along the corridor, and directing truck traffic using the east bank of Lowndes County Port away from downtown Columbus. Republicans Andy Boyd and Dana McLean, representatives for House Districts 37 and 39, respectively, District 41 Rep. Kabir Karriem and District 16 Sen. Angela Turner-Ford, both Democrats, attended the meeting to hear the requests and provide feedback. Karriem, particularly, saw the value in the Island bridge, noting it would "change the whole dynamic" of the largely dilapidated corridor. |
| Starkville's district consolidation is called the state's most successful. County residents feel differently | |
| In marbled rooms at the State Capitol, conversations about school consolidation often lead to Oktibbeha County. Many state leaders consider the 2015 consolidation of the Starkville city public schools and Oktibbeha County schools a success story. That's because the consolidation -- which married a failing district in the county to one that was middling in the city -- resulted in more money, a temporary enrollment bump, a new state-of-the-art school with expanded academic offerings and what is now an A-rated district. But some locals might argue that account leaves out another part of its legacy: Every school that closed belonged to the county district, where 90% of students enrolled were Black. By comparison, the city schools were 30% white. Jackie Ellis, 70, attended county schools and graduated from B.L. Moor High School, which later became East Oktibbeha High School. Now the old school is home to an events venue and a boutique motel. When the consolidation was first introduced -- by lawmakers from Hattiesburg, no less -- Starkville residents grumbled, Haley Montgomery recalls. Families wanted a seat at the table and asked the Legislature to let locals take the lead. Lawmakers formed a committee of Oktibbeha County residents to recommend ways to improve education in their community. |
| Buffington says he requires "zero on-the-job training" to be Mississippi's next State Auditor | |
| For over 30 years, Phil Bufffington advised community banks, businesses, and organizations across Mississippi on complex financial transactions, risk management, and governance. Now, he wants to be the Magnolia State's next State Auditor. Buffington recently announced his bid for the statewide office, running for what will be an open seat in the 2027 election cycle. Current State Auditor Shad White (R) does not plan to seek re-election, instead presumably running for governor. White has said an announcement on his political future will come after the November midterm election. Buffington enters the race with two other Republicans who have already stepped into the ring for the Auditor's post -- State Senator Daniel Sparks and former State Rep. Nick Bain. None of the contenders have run a statewide campaign and will need to endear themselves to voters ahead of the GOP Primary next year. In an interview with Magnolia Tribune, Buffington said he chose to run for State Auditor because Mississippians deserve an independent leader who brings real-world financial experience to the table, not political ambition. |
| What are some of the issues driving Mississippians to the polls on election day? | |
 | Mississippians are weighing several key issues as they plan their trip to the polls on November 3. Issues like access to healthcare, civil rights, and infrastructure are top of mind. Young people are a critical voting bloc in today's elections. Bailey Conrad, a student at Jackson State University from Arkansas, is voting in Mississippi for the first time this year. She said the voting landscape in the two states has been an adjustment. "Living in a new state for the last two years, things are very different where I'm from. People listen to us where I'm from. They listen [to] the oppressed," Conrad said. "They listen [to] people who have been ignored for hundreds and hundreds of years. And down here, I feel like it's kind of been stuck." Conrad said that after listening to student voices on campus, she was inspired to become informed about Mississippi issues and vote this year. Now, she is working to stay informed and bring others with her to the polls. Another Jackson State University student, Keshawn Brown, is a member of Men of Excellence. The student organization hosts events to encourage students to register to vote throughout the semester and supported a Blackout Rally on Oct. 7th. Brown said for him, this year's election is about holding Mississippi accountable and finding clarity in what goes on in the state. |
| Pinkins urged to drop out of Mississippi's U.S. Senate race. The Independent says he won't withdraw | |
| Independent U.S. Senate candidate Ty Pinkins, a former Democrat, emphatically said Tuesday that he is not withdrawing from the race ahead of the General Election next week. "TO THOSE CALLING ON ME TO DROP OUT OF THE U.S. SENATE RACE: NO. I WILL NOT WITHDRAW," Pinkins posted on his Facebook page. Democrat Scott Colom's campaign continues to claim he is within striking distance of toppling incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith next Tuesday, causing many Colom supporters to openly lament Pinkins' continued candidacy fearing it will cause the Democrat to lose. The Delta-based attorney left the Democratic Party in July 2025 after he had announced his second run for U.S. Senate just months earlier. Pinkins lost his first run for U.S. Senate in November 2024 to U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R), only able to muster just over 37% of the vote. |
| Scott Colom Wants to Make a Difference for Mississippi in the US Senate | |
| It was 2005 when Scott Colom was working as the only English teacher at a school in a small, impoverished village in Guyana, South America, when one of his students' mothers passed away while giving birth to another child. Fresh out of Millsaps College, Colom saw firsthand how her death and poor healthcare in the country affected the kindergarten student in his class, who was orphaned and missed class for a long time while grappling with the loss of his mother. "It was during that whole experience in Guyana that I decided to move back to Mississippi," Colom told the Mississippi Free Press on Oct. 5 during an interview in Jackson. The Democrat said being a teacher for 16 months in Guyana was the "toughest job" he had ever had. Inspired by his time in Guyana, Colom is now running to represent Mississippi as a Democrat in the U.S. Senate after an extensive career in the legal field, including a 10-year run as the first Black elected district attorney for the 16th Judicial District of Mississippi. |
| Pete Buttigieg calls for Mississippi to elect Scott Colom to US Senate, send 'shockwaves' | |
| Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Tuesday pleaded for Mississippi voters to "send shockwaves" by voting for Democratic nominee Scott Colom and rejecting Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith next week. Buttigieg was the latest national political figure to campaign in Mississippi in the homestretch before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The Senate race has also attracted a last-minute barrage of spending as Democrats see an opening and Republicans worry that reliably conservative Mississippi could become a casualty of President Donald Trump's sinking popularity nationwide. Trump hosted a rally for Hyde-Smith in Corinth on Monday, days after former Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned for Colom in Columbus last week. Speaking to hundreds of people at a community center, the Biden administration transportation secretary said Trump and Hyde-Smith are directly responsible for soaring gasoline and grocery prices because of the president's tariffs and other policies and the Iran war. |
| Republicans emphasize transgender ads, putting cultural issues over voters' economic anxiety | |
 | Republicans have spent an estimated $183 million on television ads focused on transgender-related attacks against Democrats in the final phase of this year's midterm elections, betting that struggling GOP candidates can leverage the divisive cultural issue to overcome voters' concerns about President Donald Trump's leadership and the state of the economy. The massive investment through Oct. 25 produced about 217,000 TV spots nationwide and exceeds the amount Republicans spent on similar ads in 2024, a presidential election year, at the same point before Election Day, according to tallies provided to The Associated Press by data firm AdImpact. The spending campaign matched messaging from other Republicans on the campaign trail, led by Trump, who has played down surging gasoline prices and other rising costs, but highlighted what he described as an urgent threat to America's children from Democratic policies. Barely five minutes into his speech during Monday night's rally in Corinth, Mississippi, Trump said that Democrats "promote the transgender mutilization of your children." Having shifted away from abortion, few cultural issues reflect the Republican Party's evolution on social issues in the age of Trump more than transgender rights. |
| As GOP braces for a blue wave, New England might provide some pops of red | |
 | As the scion of a Republican dynasty and a former U.S. House and Senate member, John E. Sununu doesn't need much introduction in New Hampshire. Most voters already know him and his family, with their long line of federal lawmakers, governors, and White House officials. Mr. Sununu, who lost his Senate seat in the 2008 Obama wave, knows what it's like to face an unfavorable political environment. But the headwinds he's facing in this election may be even worse. So in his run for his old seat, he's trying to convince voters that he's a different kind of Republican. Not that kind of Republican. Not a MAGA Republican. Donald Trump? "I've never even met the man," he says in a TV ad, pushing back against efforts by Rep. Chris Pappas, his Democratic opponent, to tie him to the unpopular president. It's an example of the hoops that many GOP midterm candidates are jumping through to overcome widespread Trump fatigue. But it's also very much on brand for a politician who is a throwback to the decorous, buttoned-down type of Republican -- fiscally conservative, temperamentally moderate, civic-minded -- that once could be found across New England, but has become a vanishing breed in the Trump era. |
| The race the House GOP can't stop talking about: Jim Jordan vs. Steve Scalise | |
 | Donald Trump is facing his worst-ever approval ratings as president, GOP candidates in deep-red districts are scrambling for political cover, and Jim Jordan would like his fellow House Republicans to know he's here to help. "We are helping anybody, everybody," the veteran Ohio lawmaker said in an interview on the sidelines of a get-out-the-vote rally in South Carolina, a typically red state that is suddenly a midterm battleground. The differences between Republicans "are pretty darn small compared to the differences in Republicans and the radicals who control the other party," Jordan added, "so let's stick together." To the outside ear, that might sound like generic campaign-trail hokum. But to Jordan's colleagues, his comments essentially renouncing the factional warfare that made him a proto-MAGA star is emblematic of the shadow election battle that is now quietly underway -- to lead what is expected to be a diminished House Republican Conference. Interviews with three dozen GOP lawmakers and senior Republican aides revealed the widespread expectation that their House majority is coming to an end and that many are skeptical Speaker Mike Johnson would run for minority leader in that scenario. |
| What is the Cook Political Report, and why is Washington so obsessed with it? | |
 | The supplicants trickled in slowly, gradually filling the rows of the dimly lit auditorium in Foggy Bottom. It was 13 days before the midterm elections, and this group had come to hear from Washington's favorite political oracle. Onstage at the front of the room sat their high priest, Amy Walter, flanked by her team of deputies from the Cook Political Report. The experts had come with the goods: new polls, color-coded charts, fresh analyses of Democrats' likely gains in the House (big) and Republicans' chances of holding the Senate (dicey). The audience, made up of the report's loyal subscribers and a handful of journalists, eagerly absorbed the pronouncements, scribbling notes in their Cook-branded notebooks. For 42 years, the report has been serving up insights to anxious political obsessives and information-starved politicos in the months before voters head to the polls. The company offers a range of election-related analyses, but its marquee product remains its proprietary race ratings, a seven-point system for ranking upcoming elections based on their likely outcome. Come late October, Cook's ratings -- which sort races into "Solid," "Likely," "Lean" or "Toss Up" categories -- assume a mystical, even quasi-prophetic status in Washington. |
| Trump Administration Backs Down on an Opioid Ban After Kratom Industry Lobbying | |
 | Three months ago, federal health officials announced that the government planned to ban a potent opioid that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said "put American lives at risk." The substance was a highly addictive compound derived from the kratom leaf, a plant from Southeast Asia that is in powders and tinctures sold as energy boosters and pain relievers in convenience stores and vape shops across the United States. The ban was crucial, the officials said, "to avoid an imminent hazard to public safety." This month, the government reversed course. The policy U-turn came after a number of kratom companies discovered the substance in products marketed as "natural" in recent months. The manager of a large kratom distribution company, faced with evidence of the compound in products at the center of several wrongful death lawsuits against him, mounted a concerted lobbying push. Then Mr. Kennedy and officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration announced that the opioid, called mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, or MGPI, would be allowed at certain levels, reasoning that "trace" amounts appear in otherwise natural products. The Trump administration says it is targeting items that are manufactured and formulated to be highly potent. They include items like the pills discovered near two University of Mississippi students found dead in September. |
| MUW determined to 'toot our own horn' under Tollison's leadership | |
| Since starting his stint as interim president for Mississippi University for Women in July, Scott Tollison said much of his work has focused on empowering The W team to build on momentum the university has gained in recent years. That momentum spans enrollment growth, strong licensure exam pass rates, successful job placements after graduation and even tuition dollars saved by local high school students taking dual enrollment courses through The W -- roughly $1.5 million, to be exact. "I think it's easy to argue that we are a standard by which others could measure themselves in terms of public education doing the job that it was intended to do," Tollison told the Rotary Club of Columbus during a Tuesday meeting at Lion Hills Center. Tollison said he's not "particularly concerned" about the upcoming legislative session, but The W is going in with a clear mindset of telling the university's story. That strategy, he believes, is already starting to pay off. |
| Ole Miss researchers study why some trees thrive far from home | |
 | In a study spanning 192 sites and four continents, researchers have discovered that conifers planted in the Southern Hemisphere grow up to four times faster and are more drought-resistant than those growing in their native ranges. This expedited growth and resilience could make conifers a strong candidate for carbon storage, but there may also be drawbacks to planting trees outside their home turf. University of Mississippi ecologist Stephen Brewer was among more than two dozen researchers across multiple continents who studied the growth rate of pines, spruces, firs, cedars and other conifers in their native and nonnative habitats. The group published its findings in Nature. While the exact cause for the trees increased resilience needs more study, the researchers found that Northern Hemisphere conifers planted in the Southern Hemisphere had higher concentrations of carbohydrates, such as sugars and starches, that could be used to store energy during stressful seasons. |
| Summit examines how Mississippi transformed reading scores | |
| Mississippi's rise from 49th to ninth in the nation in fourth-grade reading was the focus of a three-hour Mississippi Literacy Summit Tuesday at the Inn at Ole Miss, where state leaders and educators examined the policies, teacher training and classroom practices behind the improvement. Known as the Mississippi Miracle, the state's literacy turnaround has drawn national attention because Mississippi made significant gains despite having one of the nation's highest poverty rates. The effort centered on a statewide commitment to evidence-based reading instruction, early identification of struggling readers and targeted support for students who needed additional help. The summit explored how those changes were implemented and what other states could learn from Mississippi's experience. Former Gov. Phil Bryant, who signed the literacy law in April 2013, and Laurie Todd-Smith, his education and workforce adviser at the time, discussed the legislation and the work required to put it into practice. |
| Sonny Thee Tiger and Mississippi mascots join wildfire safety campaign | |
| Jackson State University's (JSU) beloved mascot Sonny Thee Tiger joins "Team Firewise" for the Mississippi Forestry Commission (MFC) wildfire safety campaign. The statewide campaign brings together some of Mississippi's favorite mascots for an engaging public service announcement that mixes the excitement of sports with the importance of wildfire prevention. "Jackson State University is pleased to support the Mississippi Forestry Commission's Firewise campaign and its important mission of helping Mississippians better prepare for and prevent wildfires," said Jackson State University President Denise Jones Gregory. "We are proud of the role Sonny the Tiger and other university mascots will play in promoting awareness, preparedness, and community responsibility throughout Mississippi." Alongside Sonny, institutions and mascots on "Team Firewise" include Seymour d'Campus of Southern Miss, Bully the Bulldog of Mississippi State and the Fighting Okra of Delta State. Most notably, the ambassador for wildfire prevention, Smokey Bear, also makes a special appearance. |
| ICC's Allen receives statewide Champion Award for educational attainment | |
| Itawamba Community College President Jay Allen received the 2026 Champion Award for Ascent to Educational Attainment Oct. 22 during the Ascent to 55% Convening at the Trade Mart Center in Jackson. The award recognizes sustained leadership, collaboration and impact in advancing postsecondary attainment in Mississippi. Allen served for several years as chairman of the Mississippi Education Achievement Council, including through the COVID-19 pandemic, and helped lead the development and adoption of the state's initial postsecondary attainment goal. He remains an active member of its successor, the Mississippi Postsecondary Attainment Council. Under Allen's chairmanship, the council adopted a resolution in October 2020 establishing goals to increase the share of Mississippi's working-age population with a postsecondary degree, certificate or workforce credential to 55% by 2030 and 60% by 2035. Those targets established a shared direction for education, business and government partners working to strengthen the state's workforce and expand economic opportunity. |
| The Baby Bust Is Forcing a Reckoning at Public Schools | |
 | Worries about rolling back school clubs and laying off teachers in this middle-class city reached a fever pitch earlier this year. Budget strains in Methuen, a city of about 55,000 near the New Hampshire border, spurred a debate about putting cherished programs like middle-school band and elementary-school science on the chopping block. Also at risk: more than 100 positions, from custodians to teacher specialists. By May, teachers and parents packed a city council meeting. Class sizes would balloon, they argued. Parent Anney Barrett said she worried her then-fifth-grade son, who plays trombone, would lose the opportunity to perform in a band. "Cutting fine arts feels like a red line to me," she said. Similar scenes are playing out across the U.S. as K-12 student enrollment falls, putting pressure on government funding. A major culprit of falling enrollment is families having fewer children. "We definitely have too many schools for how many kids we have," said Marguerite Roza, a Georgetown professor who studies education finance. |
| Tuberville says some college students should 'quit going to' Auburn, Alabama, Troy | |
 | U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville suggested Monday that more students should leave Alabama's four-year colleges and get jobs. Tuberville name-checked the state's major universities and said he wants more young people to pursue short-term workforce development credentials, which might appeal to major manufacturing employers he wants to bring to Alabama. "We've got to get our kids to quit going to some of these four-year universities, Auburn, Alabama, Troy," he said. In his playbook of policy ideas, Tuberville said he wants to approve more programs to qualify for the expanded Workforce Pell and wants to make sure that local credential programs actually lead to a good-paying job. Alabama community college enrollment recently hit 100,415 students, nearing record highs. Many four-year colleges, including the University of Alabama, Auburn, Samford and the University of South Alabama, also are reporting high or record-breaking enrollments. |
| South Korean ambassador talks $5.8B Hyundai steel mill investment during LSU visit | |
| South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kyung-wha Kang visited Louisiana State University on Tuesday to highlight growing economic and technological ties between South Korea and Louisiana, focusing on advanced manufacturing, innovation and direct foreign investment. Her visit to the LSU Student Union follows the September groundbreaking of Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel's $5.8 billion facility in nearby Donaldsonville. The joint venture project in Ascension Parish is projected by state economic officials to generate more than 1,300 direct jobs with an average annual salary of $95,000, along with roughly 4,100 indirect jobs ahead of its planned 2029 operational launch. Tuesday's morning panel at LSU, co-hosted with the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) and the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, brought together university leadership, foreign diplomats and economic researchers to explore research collaborations and workforce pipelines supporting the state's industrial expansion. |
| UT Press releases first children's picture book 'My Magic Tux' | |
| During the 1998 Fiesta Bowl national championship game, one fan in particular stood out from the Neyland crowd. J.R. Greene, a graduate student, sported a white tuxedo colored with orange marker, orange gloves and an orange top hat. When ESPN's College GameDay's Chris Fowler invited him onto the field, Greene introduced himself with an iconic message that would kickstart his legacy. "I'm J.R. Greene, the Big Orange Tux Guy, and I'm here to show that Tennessee has class," Greene said. Nearly 30 years later, Greene has turned his superfan story into "My Magic Tux," the University of Tennessee Press's first children's picture book. He says that initial message is something he still stands by. "That's what I stood for," Greene said. "It was authentic. It was original. It was true." |
| One Race in Texas Has Become a Referendum on Bigotry in the G.O.P. | |
| One of the most closely watched midterm races will not determine who will lead an important swing state. It will not decide the balance of power in Congress. But it could be a bellwether for the future of the Republican Party, and set the contours for acceptable discourse in mainstream politics. It is the race for the Texas Railroad Commission. The Republican nominee for the statewide regulatory post is Bo French, who has a history of making racist and bigoted comments. Mr. French recently sparked a national firestorm when he referred to University of Texas students at a football game as a "problem" -- simply because they appeared to be of South Asian descent. Suddenly, an election that is about regulating oil and gas and would normally be a cakewalk for Texas Republicans has divided the party. It has also become a test of whether views once considered extreme within the Republican Party are now acceptable to the state's voters. After his post on the students at the football game went viral, Mr. French explained that his post was "not about race, it's about policy," specifically what he believed to be an admissions policy that favored international students over Americans. By state law, 90 percent of first-year students at the University of Texas at Austin must be in-state residents, and at least several of the students in the image he posted were American citizens. |
| Colleges Turn to Streaming to Recruit Prospective Students | |
 | History doesn't happen quietly." So began a commercial for Sweet Briar College, a small women's institution in Virginia, that aired on TV and video streaming services during the 2024–25 admission cycle. The 30-second ad featured shots of students dancing onstage, working in labs and riding horses, as well as a sweeping vista of the campus. It encouraged students to apply, emphasizing that only 225 first-year spots were available. That rallying call seemed to work; the ad, which was targeted at Virginia households with 16- to 18-year-olds -- as well as those with an interest in horses, given the college's storied equestrian program -- preceded a robust recruitment season. After it aired, applications increased 14 percent and deposits rose 22 percent, according to AmbioEdu, the marketing firm behind the campaign. Sweet Briar isn't the only institution turning to good, old-fashioned commercials as part of their marketing and recruitment campaigns. Jennifer Lonchar, co-founder of AmbioEdu, which specializes in TV and streaming advertisements for higher education, said that an increasing number of institutions are especially turning toward advertising on streaming as a new platform for attracting prospective students. |
| The Brutal Harvard Class That Suddenly Everyone Wants to Take | |
| Those who see the humanities, heavy coursework and value of a Harvard education as gravely imperiled can take heart in the phenomenon that is Humanities 10. On a Tuesday morning in October, Samantha Matherne paced as she marked up on a white board explaining the philosophical underpinnings of Jane Austen's "Emma," with segues into Adam Smith and Immanuel Kant. The philosophy professor posed big questions to the 90 students gathered in Boylston Hall: "Why did Austen create such an unlikable heroine?" she asked. "Why read novels at all?" And finally, as the 75-minute lecture ended, "What will become of Emma -- and what will become of you?" The students burst into applause. Hum 10, as it's commonly known, has become the surprise hit of Harvard's academic lineup and something of a campus institution. Demand to get into the class has surged, fueled by word-of-mouth from "Hum Alums" who talk it up on social media. Applications (essays required) shot up 40% this fall with 180 incoming freshmen vying for 90 spots. It's a fever that even the professors are struggling to explain. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State QB Kamario Taylor out for the season with a foot injury that requires surgery | |
| Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor will miss the rest of the season because of a foot injury that requires surgery, the school said in a statement on Tuesday. Taylor was one of the best players in the country during the first month of the season but injured a toe on Sept. 26 in a win over Missouri and couldn't get back to full health. The school said he's expected to make a full recovery. "Over the last few weeks, I've worked every day with our medical staff and done everything possible to be out there with my teammates," Taylor said in a statement. "Missing the rest of the season is hard to accept, but I know God has a plan." The 6-foot-4, 230-pound sophomore threw for 1,460 yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions over six games. "Kamario is one of the most dynamic players in college football, and he will remain an important part of our team as he begins his recovery," the school's statement said. |
| Kamario Taylor, one of college football's breakout stars, will miss rest of season | |
| Kamario Taylor, who emerged as one of the nation's best young quarterbacks in September, has seen his season end early with a right foot injury. Mississippi State confirmed Tuesday that Taylor will have season-ending surgery. A sophomore from Macon, Miss., Taylor was a four-star recruit and the Bulldogs' backup most of last season before starting the final two games and immediately generating buzz entering 2026. He backed up the hype at the season's start. Taylor's play led to speculation over whether other schools would pursue him after the season. But he and his uncle, former Mississippi State quarterback Omarr Conner, have vowed that he is happy in Starkville, having grown up near campus. "Kamario had opportunities to go in the portal last year if he wanted to," Conner told The Athletic recently. "Kamario loves Mississippi State. Kamario doesn't want to leave Mississippi State." |
| Mississippi State QB Kamario Taylor out for season - | |
| Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor, college football's breakout star this season, needs surgery on his injured toe and will miss the remainder of the season it was announced Tuesday. He is expected to make a full recovery, the university said in a release. Taylor injured the toe against Missouri on Sept. 26. He attempted to play in two subsequent games -- Alabama on Oct. 3 and Oklahoma on Saturday. (He missed the game at LSU on Oct. 17.) He clearly wasn't 100% in both of the games he played after the injury and left both early. Taylor pushed hard to play after the injury, sources told ESPN, but it became clear that time and rest weren't going to get to him to a point where he could be effective. He appeared to aggravate the toe in the first quarter of the Oklahoma game, limped to the injury tent and did not return. "Nobody wants to be on that field more than Kamario," coach Jeff Lebby said. "I know how much this team means to him, and how much he means to this team. We'll be right there with him throughout his recovery." |
| 'He'll be ready to go': Who is Bulldogs quarterback AJ Swann? | |
| AJ Swann was cool with being the backup. Swann's career had taken him to three different stops: Vanderbilt, LSU and Appalachian State. He wanted to finish his college career back in the SEC, even if he wasn't going to start. "We all knew that Kamario (Taylor) was a freak. So AJ was like, 'I'm good with that role, and I know there's a playing opportunity if he gets injured,'" Swann's father, Alan, told The Dispatch. "They wanted him to come in and be the older guy in the room, be kind of a mentor." Swann's role might grow this weekend. Taylor, who's been dealing with a toe injury for the better part of a month, is officially out for the season, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Tuesday. Head coach Jeff Lebby said after the Oklahoma game that it would be Swann and Billy Puckett battling to take the field Saturday against Texas. |
| Southern Miss plans $25 million renovation and expansion of 42-year-old Pete Taylor baseball park | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: Southern Miss on Tuesday announced a plan to renovate the 42-year-old home of its nationally renowned baseball program, the only Division I program in the U.S. to boast 10 straight 40-victory seasons and 10 straight NCAA Tournament bids. The school plans to raise approximately $25 million through private and corporate funding to complete a renovation and expansion of Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field. Jackson-based Weir Boerner Allin Architecture, which has designed numerous athletic facilities across the South including Dudy Noble Field at Mississippi State, partnered with Southern Miss to do master planning for the project. Seating capacity would increase to approximately 6,500. The largest crowd to date was 6,346, which included more than 2,000 standing room only. Southern Miss has sold out its season tickets of approximately 4,600 tickets for four straight seasons. Fund-raising will include naming rights to the performance center, as well as different enhanced seating areas in the ballpark. |
| Clemson, UNC support PCSA, ask for realignment flexibility | |
| With just two weeks remaining until Congress returns from recess and a renewed push for passage of the Protect College Sports Act is set to begin, officials from both Clemson and North Carolina are actively working with local legislators in an effort to get the bill across the finish line while pushing for a change to a section of the law that would require schools that change conferences to spend three years as an independent. Clemson and North Carolina, two schools that have been portrayed as potential impediments to the passage of the PCSA, insisted in separate conversations with ESPN that they are "not seeking to delay or derail" the bill, according to Clemson AD Graham Neff. However, they want to ensure schools have "the ability to adapt, compete and succeed" in a rapidly changing environment for college sports by tweaking the language in Section 205, which relates to conference affiliation. "We're working with our representatives to help them understand why the bill is so important for the industry, but why the narrow issue of the expansion provision is not necessary," Neff told ESPN. "We don't believe Section 205 is critical to achieving the important protections that the rest of the bill provides. We think institutions should be able to decide how to strategically position their departments for long-term success." |
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