| Wednesday, May 3, 2017 |
| Lynn Spruill, Johnny Moore advance to runoff in mayoral race | |
 | The Democratic Primary for Starkville's highest office saw one candidate knocked from contention as attorney Johnny Moore and local property owner Lynn Spruill garnered enough votes to advance to a runoff. The unofficial results show Moore, 56, pulled in 45 percent of the vote, while Spruill, 64, finished atop the three-candidate race with 47 percent, or 1682 total votes. Political newcomer Damion Poe, 26, finished with 7.7 percent. Spruill said she is grateful the voters turned out and supported her during the primary and hopes to galvanize voters again in two weeks for the runoff. Moore said going into the runoff that he will continue to work hard to make sure citizens get more from the city. The runoff is scheduled for May 16. |
| Patrick Miller defeats Kayla Gilmore for open Ward 5 seat | |
| Ward 5 Planning and Zoning Commissioner Patrick Miller won the Starkville Ward 5 Alderman seat on Tuesday night, defeating fellow Democrat Kayla Gilmore in the Democratic Primary Tuesday. Miller won by 294 votes, with the final unofficial tally being 395 votes for him and 101 for Gilmore. Miller, 26, has lived in Starkville for 10 years, and also works as an instructor for the MSU Center for Government and Community Development. He holds two degrees from MSU, and is active in various local athletic and academic organizations. Miller's term on the Board will begin July 1, replacing current Ward 5 Alderman Scott Maynard, who did not seek re-election. A third candidate, Republican Chase Neal dropped out of the race on April 24. |
| Henry Vaughn looks to claim third term after primary win in Ward 7 | |
| Incumbent Henry N. Vaughn, Sr. claimed victory against Margareta Ann Moore in the Democratic Primary for Ward 7 on Tuesday and will now face off against Republican candidate Roben Dawkins in the June 6 General Election. Unofficial results say Vaughn won the election by 65 percent of the vote in Ward 7. In all, 394 votes were cast. After the final votes were tallied, Vaughn said he believed he has done a good job so far, then said his reaction to the victory underscored the need to focus harder in the General Election. "I have to get out and play a better ball game," Vaughn said. "I want to accomplish one thing -- I want to gain trust in the people's eyes, but most of all, I trust in God." Republican and MSU senior pilot Roben Dawkins did not face opposition in the primary. Dawkins said he believes Ward 7 has been overlooked in the last eight years and, if elected, he hopes to be able to change that. |
| Ward 1 GOP Primary to be decided Wednesday | |
| One vote proved the difference in the Republican Primary for Starkville Board of Aldermen Ward 1 Tuesday night, and one vote could make the difference on Wednesday. Ward 1 incumbent Ben Carver lost 104-103 to Republican challenger and MSU Extension instructor Jason Camp in the Republican Primary on Tuesday. Election commissioners will tally affidavits at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday. If the affidavits are challenged, it will go to the Oktibbeha County Republican Party Executive Committee to be decided. Carver said the outcome seems to be decided already, but that he has enjoyed the last eight years on the Board. "Win, lose or draw, I've enjoyed everything we've done for the city," Carver said. f affidavits confirm Camp on Wednesday morning as the winner, the 29-year-old will face Democrat Christine Williams in the June 6 General Election. |
| Oktibbeha now actively seeking OCH Regional Medical Center bids | |
 | Oktibbeha County supervisors could begin reviewing sealed bids for an OCH Regional Medical Center purchase in about two months. On Monday, supervisors approved a request for proposals for a transaction of the 96-bed, county-owned health care facility. The document outlines the process in which potential suitors can submit bids for OCH, the minimum requirements for such a bidder and a number of issues a purchaser must address with their proposals, including maintaining and growing medical services, satisfying long-term debt, plans for long-term capital investment, commitments to community involvement and the security of current employees' jobs. District 2 Supervisor Orlando Trainer, District 4 Supervisor Bricklee Miller and District 5 Supervisor Joe Williams supported the RFP's issuance, while District 1 Supervisor John Montgomery and District 3 Supervisor Marvell Howard opposed. |
| Appellate court upholds conviction in sexual battery case | |
 | The Mississippi Court of Appeals has upheld the sexual battery conviction of a former MSU faculty member. Yoginder Dandass, 49, was convicted of sexual battery of a minor during a trial in 2015 and ordered to serve 20 years in prison. Dandass appealed claiming the court was wrong to allow hearsay testimony of a witness who was a friend of the minor. He also challenged jury instructions pointing to the friend's testimony and challenging rebuttal testimony of a forensic examiner who said Dandass deleted 50 computer files the night he was notified of the allegations against him. On Tuesday, the appellate panel upheld the conviction saying it found no fault with the trial courts ruling. |
| Court of Appeals orders new trial for Oktibbeha man | |
 | Because a trial court did not say where the crime took place, an Oktibbeha County man will get a new trial. James Wordlaw was stopped Christmas Eve 2013 as he drove through Starkville. He consented to a search of the vehicle, which uncovered crack cocaine. During his July 2015 trial in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court, Wordlaw was found guilty of possession of a controlled substance and sentenced as a habitual offender to six years in prison. On appeal, he argued that the state failed to mention where the crime took place, which is considered a reversible error. |
| Tornado count rises to 24 in Mississippi Sunday storms | |
 | The National Weather Service says it has confirmed that at least 24 tornadoes hit Mississippi during storms on Sunday. Surveyors are expected to continue examining damage Wednesday. So far, meteorologists have confirmed twisters in Adams, Attala, Calhoun, Carroll, Claiborne, Copiah, Hinds, Holmes, Jefferson, Lowndes, Montgomery, Neshoba, Scott, Warren and Webster counties. The storms injured others, left thousands without power and damaged dozens of buildings statewide. Among locations with the most severe damage are Durant and Kilmichael. |
| Credit rater warns on Mississippi, citing economy and taxes | |
| Another credit rating agency is warning that the financial outlook for Mississippi government finances is weakening. Standard & Poor's Financial Services on Tuesday downgraded its outlook for state government credit rating to negative from stable. S&P didn't actually cut Mississippi's debt ratings, but warned that it could later, saying it expects a budget squeeze to continue because of slow economic growth while tax cuts eat into state revenue. |
| How much have tax cuts cost Mississippi? $577M since 2012 | |
 | Then-State Treasurer Tate Reeves stood in the Florence Middle School gymnasium in February 2011 and made a promise to the crowd gathered there in his hometown: If they elected him lieutenant governor, he would be "the state's fiscal watchdog." Many candidates for statewide office have run on the same principles, but few have delivered quite like Reeves. While Gov. Phil Bryant and House Speaker Philip Gunn have strongly supported the tax cuts since 2012, Reeves has led the Republican leadership's charge in passing and implementing them. Since he took office in 2012, Reeves has spearheaded 51 tax cuts or breaks for corporations and individuals, totaling at least $577 million. Democratic leaders in the state have continually said those tax cuts essentially give away millions of dollars that could be spent on general fund budget needs like education, infrastructure or health care. Reeves dismissed that logic in an interview with Mississippi Today. |
| Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton easily captures re-election | |
| Incumbent Mayor Jason Shelton decisively won a second term Tuesday, thwarting a challenger's efforts to oust him. In a primary race with tepid turnout, Shelton, 40, captured about 85 percent of Democratic primary votes over challenger Candice Knowles, 34. The incumbent earned a broad base of support, winning the majority of ballots in 12 of the city's 13 precincts and capturing a lead across all seven of the city's wards. n remarks delivered to a boisterous, upbeat crowd of supporters Tuesday at Tupelo's The Ice House, Shelton highlighted his wide margin of victory by way of pressing a message of unity. "The numbers mean so much," Shelton said. "They mean we're not a divided city. We're the same Tupelo we've always been." |
| Chokwe Antar Lumumba wins primary, likely next Jackson mayor | |
 | Chokwe Antar Lumumba took the ballroom stage just after 10 p.m. Tuesday night at the King Edward, the same hotel Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber celebrated his election just three years earlier. Lumumba came out singing, "Victory, today, is mine," as a crowd of hundreds chanted along. The 34-year-old local attorney and son of Jackson's late-Mayor Chokwe Lumumba will almost certainly be Jackson's next mayor, despite Republican, independent and third-party opposition in this heavily Democratic city in the June 6 general election. He won the Democratic primary for mayor without a runoff, receiving over 55 percent of the vote against eight other candidates. In 2014, he ran to replace his father, who died after less than eight months in office. |
| Mayor Johnny DuPree advances to general election in Hattiesburg | |
 | Mayor Johnny DuPree has moved one step closer to a fifth term in that position, as he defeated Democratic challengers Tom Garmon and Catherine M. Starr in Tuesday's primary. After absentee ballots were counted, DuPree received 2,309 votes, while Garmon pulled in 386 votes and Starr garnered 143 votes. The incumbent mayor advances to the June 6 general election, where he will face independent challengers state Rep. Toby Barker and Shawn O'Hara. Hattiesburg, which has 26,455 registered voters, saw 4,332 votes cast, or 16.37 percent voter turnout. |
| Black lawmakers to protest over Confederate emblem on flag | |
| In part of a sweeping debate about the public display of Confederate symbols across the South, some black legislators in Mississippi say they are boycotting a regional meeting that their own state is hosting this summer, to protest the rebel emblem on the state flag. The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus is asking the Southern Legislative Conference to push Mississippi to lose its status as the last state with a flag featuring the Confederate battle emblem. The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus chairwoman, Democratic Rep. Sonya Williams-Barnes of Gulfport, said Tuesday that the boycott is designed to put pressure on state House Speaker Philip Gunn. Soon after the Charleston shootings, Republican Gunn, who is white, said his Christian faith led him to see the Confederate symbol as "a point of offense that needs to be removed" from the Mississippi flag. But, he has not rounded up the votes to make a change. |
| Autism diagnoses surge; access to treatment can't keep pace | |
| With one in 68 Mississippi children -- almost 11,000 individuals -- diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, the state's educators, analysts and advocates are working to decrease barriers to early treatment. Last month, the advocacy group Autism Speaks held a press conference at the Capitol to highlight the effectiveness of applied behavior analysis in treating those with autism and the struggle some patients have endured in trying to receive such treatment. Dr. Kasee Stratton, a Mississippi licensed psychologist, operates the Bulldog CHARGE Syndrome Research Laboratory as well as serving as co-director of Mississippi State University's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic. Though her qualifications exceed that of a Mississippi Autism Board certified applied behavior analyst, she practices applied behavior analysis with her patients. In order to improve access to treatments like applied behavior analysis, the University of Southern Mississippi is offering Mississippi's first autism therapy degree program. |
| Students earn class credit in lieu of paid internships | |
 | With the end of the semester approaching, students are planning to spend their summers in a variety of ways. Some will spend it working to pick up office experience instead of a pay check through an unpaid internship. For many college students, however, gaining experience through an internship can be attached to a heavy price tag if they're not compensated for their time. The U.S. Department of Labor uses a list of specific criteria for allowing unpaid internships. The department requires that the internship benefits the intern, does not displace regular employees and ensures the employer does not derive immediate advantage from the activities of the intern. These requirements were put in place to differentiate employees from interns, in hopes of protecting students from being overworked without compensation. Even with that legislation in place, some interns feel a gray area has formed between students and their employers. |
| Jay Allen to be next Itawamba Community College president | |
| The Itawamba Community College board of trustees selected Jay Allen as the college's next leader Tuesday. Allen will replace current president Mike Eaton, who announced his retirement in February. Eaton, who has served as president at ICC since 2013, will officially step down in June. Allen was one of three finalists for the position, all of whom were interviewed by the board on Monday. Currently the president and CEO of Hopkinsville Community College in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Allen leads a student body of more than 3,000 students and a satellite center at the Fort Campbell Army Post and Todd County Career Path Institute. Allen earned an associate of arts degree in May 1991 from Hinds Community College. He then went on to earn a bachelor of science degree in 1993 and a master's degree in 1995, both from Mississippi State University. He received his doctorate, which is in higher education administration, from the University of Mississippi in 2009. |
| 11 Base Camp coding graduates secure jobs with regional employers in Water Valley | |
| Base Camp Coding Academy, located in Water Valley, has successfully placed all 11 members of its inaugural graduating class in information technology-related jobs. The non-profit charity, which provides under-advantaged youth with fast-paced, focused vocational training in computer programming to support the technology needs of local and regional employers, announced Monday that its entire 2017 graduating class received job offers. FedEx Services has hired six of the graduating students as IT support associates at the FedEx World Technology Center in Collierville, Tenn. C Spire, a Ridgeland, Miss.-based telecommunications and technology company, hired four Base Camp graduates in full-time, paid summer internships with the potential to convert into full-time permanent jobs at the end of the internship period. After hosting a shadowing week for students, Oxford-based mTrade made a full-time job offer to one student. |
| Auburn University to present more than 3,600 degrees at spring commencement ceremonies | |
 | Auburn University will confer 3,653 degrees to its new graduates during spring commencement ceremonies over four days, starting Saturday. Five main ceremonies will be held May 6-8 in Auburn Arena -- the most ceremonies for the university in one semester -- in addition to separate ceremonies May 9 for its two professional schools. Auburn will award 97 doctoral degrees, 631 master's degrees, two educational specialist degrees, 151 pharmacy degrees, 118 veterinary medicine degrees and 2,654 bachelor's degrees. The bachelor's degrees by college and school are: Raymond J. Harbert College of Business, 601; Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, 493; College of Liberal Arts, 474; College of Sciences and Mathematics, 292; College of Education, 263; College of Agriculture, 131; College of Architecture, Design and Construction, 128; College of Human Sciences, 117; School of Nursing, 89; School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, 42; and University College, 24. |
| Auburn summer camps to host thousands in more than 100 programs | |
| Before freshmen settle into new homes on the plains in the fall, a younger crowd will fill the dorms and dining halls of Auburn University this summer as they explore options for their futures. Registration for scores of Auburn Youth Programs is under way. With more than 100 camps to choose from, incoming campers are invited to test their interests and get a peek into the world of higher education. "It's one of the best ways for a student to find that path and confirm before they start in college," said Jeff Dyal, assistant director of Auburn's Office of Professional and Continuing Education. "What that equates to is a higher success rate for a student." Fifteen new camps were added for 2017 with selections for youth ages 4-18. Outdoor Adventure camp was also added, combining the Auburn University Challenge Course, kayaking, white water rafting and mountain biking for one of the more "fun" camps. |
| Louisiana State takes disagreement with Elsevier to court | |
 | Louisiana State University is suing Elsevier for breach of contract as part of an ongoing disagreement about whom on campus the university library's contract with the publisher covers. Universities often grumble about the rising costs of journal subscriptions, and Elsevier, due to its position as a major science, technology and medicine publisher, is a popular target of criticism. In this case, LSU could end the dispute by paying Elsevier an additional $165,000, but the university argues it doesn't owe the publisher anything beyond what it has already agreed to pay. LSU's School of Veterinary Medicine Library is at the center of the disagreement. |
| Campus free speech bill advances in Louisiana House | |
| A Louisiana House GOP leader said he's so worried about university decisions to jettison appearances from controversial speakers that he wants to enact a new free speech law for his state's campuses. Alexandria Rep. Lance Harris, chairman of the House Republican Delegation, cited Berkeley's canceling of conservative commentator Ann Coulter's on-campus speech as one example why he's proposed to enact a "policy on free expression" for Louisiana public colleges. He said he's gotten calls from students concerned about "their ability to speak freely on campus." "It's not just Berkeley. It's not just California. It's happening all over the United States," Harris said. "What idea are they coming after next?" |
| U. of Missouri taps provost Garnett Stokes to become interim chancellor | |
 | Garnett Stokes, provost of the University of Missouri since February 2015, will be interim chancellor until a permanent selection is made in a few weeks. Stokes will take over from Hank Foley, who has been interim chancellor since November 2015 and is leaving to become president of New York Institute of Technology. Stokes was appointed Tuesday during a special closed session of the University of Missouri Board of Curators. Foley took over as chancellor when campus unrest over racial issues and administrative infighting forced former UM System President Tim Wolfe and former Columbia campus Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin to resign on the same day. After a year-long search ended with Choi being hired in November, a search committee to find a chancellor for the Columbia campus was formed. MU Vice Chancellor for Operations Gary Ward has been named as interim vice chancellor for student affairs, replacing Cathy Scroggs, who is retiring. |
| Northwestern, Berkeley journalism schools drop accreditor, echoing broader criticism | |
| Accrediting agencies are facing intense scrutiny from academics, policy makers and the general public, with the latest salvo being the decision by Northwestern University's school of journalism and communications to ditch its accreditor. The Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications used some fiery words in explaining the move to voluntarily drop its specialized accreditor, the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC), which was reported Tuesday by the Chicago Tribune. Medill is one of the nation's most selective media industry schools, with programs for both undergraduates and graduate students. Northwestern retains its regional accreditation, so Medill students will continue to be eligible to receive federal financial aid. Medill is not alone in leaving ACEJMC. The Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, also recently opted to drop the accreditor. |
| As Stabbing Attack Unfolded, U. of Texas Officials Strained to Curb Misinformation | |
 | The 30 minutes between the time violence erupted on Monday at the University of Texas at Austin and the time an emergency alert went out to students seemed like an eternity to people who are accustomed to minute-by-minute updates on their phones. As is often the case when tragedy strikes and the police are rushing to respond, social media quickly filled the void. By the time official word got out that four students had been stabbed -- one fatally -- and a suspect was in custody, rumors had been flying about a coordinated attack on fraternity and sorority members, some of whom quickly turned their Greek shirts inside out. The killer, some tweets suggested, might have been connected with an anarchist group agitated by a raucous immigration protest that was underway nearby. Neither rumor was true. The suspect, the police said on Tuesday, was a 21-year-old student, Kendrex J. White, who may have had mental-health problems but, as far as they knew, no vendetta against anyone. |
| Baylor frat holds 'Cinco de Drinko' party; students reportedly dressed as maids, construction workers | |
 | When a friend in Skye Thomas's dorm invited her to check out a fraternity party Saturday night, she had no idea there would be a theme. Thomas, a freshman at Baylor University in Waco, Tex., arrived at the Kappa Sigma party to find attendees dressed in sombreros, ponchos and flower crowns. A bartender had painted his face brown, and two male students were dancing on tables dressed in bright orange and neon green construction vests. She asked a partygoer about the outfits, and soon learned it was a "Mexican" theme. Others would later say the theme was advertised as "Cinco de Mayo," or even "Drinko de Mayo," and "Cinco de Drinko." Some students would report seeing attendees dressed as maids. The fraternity party drew outrage from students, demonstrations on campus and calls for disciplinary action against the fraternity. Baylor University responded by enacting an interim suspension of Kappa Sigma's chapter operations. |
| Casinos help fund state government, but on limited level | |
| The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Bobby Harrison writes: "A lot of people complain that casino gambling revenue is not directed solely to fund education as was promised when the Mississippi Legislature approved gaming in 1990. That argument might have some merit, but by the same token it would not be true to say Mississippi casinos have not helped fund the state's education system. The issue is pertinent because of the growing chorus, led by Republican Gov. Phi Bryant, for Mississippi to enact a lottery. Mississippi is one of only six states without a lottery. ...The bottom line is that casinos help fund the state of Mississippi government, but are not a major revenue source. The lottery will not be either." |
SPORTS
| Auburn's Butch Thompson praises Andy Cannizaro's effect on Mississippi State | |
| The Cannizaro family of baseball made its first impression on Auburn coach Butch Thompson almost a decade ago. Thompson's first exposure to the Cannizaros came in 2008 when he was an assistant coach at Auburn trying to recruit Andy's younger brother, Garrett, who ultimately decided to follow in his brother's footsteps and stayed close to home to play for Tulane, but the impression was made. "What a baseball family," Thompson said. Andy Cannizaro's positive impression on Thompson has only grown since then. It peaking last weekend after Thompson's Tigers swept Cannizaro's Bulldogs in a doubleheader Saturday to take the three-game Southeastern Conference series at Dudy Noble Field. "It's incredible, and I think our whole league knows it," Thompson said. "It's incredible how many boys I recruited love him as their head coach." |
| No. 17 Aggie baseball team stays hot with win over Houston Baptist | |
 | The 17th-ranked Texas A&M baseball team's convincing 8-2 win over Houston Baptist on Tuesday at Blue Bell Park came on the heels of three solid victories over Missouri last weekend and continued what has been the Aggies' best stretch of the season. "We played a very solid game tonight, pitching, defense, offensively," A&M coach Rob Childress said. "We were very good in every phase, and it just carried on from what we did at Missouri last weekend." A&M will host Mississippi State (30-16, 14-7) at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, 6:30 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday. Mississippi State is tied with Auburn (32-14, 14-7) atop the Southeastern Conference West standings, while A&M is ited with Arkansas (34-12, 13-8) and LSU (30-15, 13-8) for third. |
| Five Mississippi State redshirt freshmen who made a move this spring | |
| Spring football served as an opportunity to reintroduce several members of Mississippi State's 2016 signing class. Jeffery Simmons, the jewel of the group, made an immediate impact while Jamal Couch, Marquiss Spencer and Lashard Durr were among those that contributed, but there were a few big names that redshirted. The spring was an important time for those who had to wait their turn. The Clarion-Ledger takes a look at five redshirt freshmen who made a move this spring. |
| Bulldogs, Rebels continue NCAA Tournament runs | |
| Mississippi State and Ole Miss are sending both its men's and women's tennis teams as No. 2 seeds to the NCAA Tournament. After finishing as the runner up at the SEC Championship over the weekend, the Bulldogs' 18th-ranked men's squad will take on SMU on May 12 in Norman, Oklahoma. "It's the coolest and most fun part of the year," said MSU coach Matt Roberts. "Just being a part of the tournament is a great time to celebrate your team and what you've put together as a unit. We're happy to be in it and be pushed. We've got a great challenge ahead of us." The Bulldogs' 18th-ranked women went 15-8 on the year and take on No. 37 Northwestern in the Atlanta region on May 13 at 10 a.m. "We don't have to fly so it's an easy trip over there," said MSU women's coach Daryl Greenan. "We've played in Atlanta once this year and travel well there. We'll hopefully have some alumni and fans there." |
| LB Richie Brown hopes to call Tampa a more permanent home this time | |
| Linebacker Richie Brown joins the Bucs this week as an undrafted rookie free agent, which means that despite leading Mississippi State in tackles each of the past two years, he faces tough odds to make Tampa Bay's final 53-man roster. But if that seems like adversity, consider the last time he called the Tampa Bay area home. Brown was 11, in the sixth grade, when Hurricane Katrina destroyed his family's home in Long Beach, Miss., forcing them to relocate to live with family in Florida. At first they stayed in Cocoa Beach, then they spent five months in Wesley Chapel before returning home, where they've lived since. Brown will return to Tampa for this week's rookie minicamp, the first step toward training camp and preseason games as one of three undrafted linebackers, each trying to make their stay here last as long as possible. |
| Twitter in line to be top broadcasting platform for Southern Miss, C-USA football | |
| In the race for exposure, Southern Miss and other Group of 5 football teams appear to be in line for a spike. Late Monday, 120 Sports announced it will merge with Sinclair Broadcast Group (which owns American Sports Network) and Silver Chalice (Campus Insiders' parent company) to form STADIUM, a network aimed at providing live coverage of collegiate sports as well as highlights and daily live studio programming. As part of the agreement, STADIUM and all of its live programming will be accessible for free on Twitter. That means those Southern Miss games STADIUM will carry in 2017 will be available, free of charge, live on Twitter. In 2017's first quarter, Twitter streamed more than 800 hours of live content, more than half of which was sports-related, and reached more than 45 million viewers. The financial parameters are not yet known, although the new deal is unlikely to immediately result in any sort of uptick for Conference USA or its members. |
| U. of Alabama to pay Nick Saban $11 million in 2017 | |
 | Nick Saban will earn $11.15 million in 2017 per the terms of his newly-extended contract. Saban's pact was one of 12 new or extended contracts approved by the University of Alabama board of trustees' compensation committee on Tuesday morning. New Director of Athletics Greg Byrne had his five-year contract approved. Nine football assistant coaches and a key staffer also had new or extended contracts approved. The UA board of trustees' compensation committee approved all 12 contracts via conference call. Saban's contract extension was Byrne's first official personnel act as Alabama's director of athletics. He began the job March 1. On the day he was hired, Byrne met with reporters and clearly articulated his awareness that keeping a healthy football program is the top job. |
| Kroger Field approved despite opposition by U. of Kentucky student and faculty trustees | |
 | Commonwealth Stadium is now officially Kroger Field, but two members of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees voted Tuesday against the 12-year, $22.2 million name-change deal with the grocery chain. The deal was opposed by representatives for faculty and students on the board of trustees. Former Student Government Association President Rowan Reid, who was at her last trustees' meeting, said she had heard too much opposition from students and others about the "commercialization" of a long UK tradition that recognized UK's role in the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky. Trustee David Hawpe said that while he wished "commonwealth" could have been incorporated in the new name, he supported Kroger's corporate philanthropy throughout Kentucky. |
| Documents: Title IX investigation found ex-Auburn football player 'responsible' for sexual assault | |
 | Auburn University's Title IX investigation of former football player Landon Rice found he was responsible for sexual assault stemming from an incident in April 2016, resulting in him being barred from stepping foot on the campus until the fall of 2024, according to documents provided to AL.com. Rice, whose appeal of the decision was denied in a Notice of Final Outcome on Dec. 2, 2016, was found in violation of Auburn University's Policy on Sexual and Gender-based Misconduct based on the preponderance of evidence in the investigation. He left the school in September and was suspended immediately "with eligibility to return under disciplinary probation in Fall semester 2024" and prohibited from being on campus, attending any university events or taking any courses on campus or through "distance education," the Notice of Outcome states. |
| South Carolina football coach Will Muschamp buys a second Midlands home | |
 | University of South Carolina football coach Will Muschamp is going to be a part-time resident of the Cross Hill neighborhood off Devine Street. The Muschamps have purchased a second Midlands home, the latest one in a middle-class neighborhood a short punt from the Cross Hill Whole Foods shopping complex. "Having a place in town makes it easier to keep up with his kids' schedule during the week if he has to work late," said USC athletics department spokesman Steve Fink. Muschamp's children attend Hammond School, near the Dorn Veterans Hospital. One son plays football and lacrosse for the Skyhawks. In 2016, the 45-year-old Muschamp purchased a 9,417-square-foot executive home on a Lake Murray island, connected to the mainland by a short causeway. The purchase price was $1.85 million. |
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