Monday, February 25, 2019   
 
Scott Kelly encourages Mississippi State students to do things that are hard and never give up
Scott Kelly didn't start having second thoughts about his first space flight until he was already bolted into the space shuttle's cockpit. Kelly, who at one point held the record for the most time in space by an American astronaut with 520 total days, spoke at Mississippi State University on Thursday evening. During his talk, Kelly urged the audience to take up challenges. He said he was always a lackluster student and graduated in the bottom half of his high school class. In college -- he mistakenly enrolled at the University of Maryland Baltimore County after thinking he was applying to the main campus at College Park -- he was flirting with dropping out until he happened upon the book "The Right Stuff" by Tom Wolfe, detailing the work of the military pilots who ultimately became the crews of the first Mercury program flights. That sparked an interest in flight for Kelly, so he joined the Navy.
 
Mississippi State's Shackouls Honors College offers C.S. Lewis course abroad
Expanding on the success of its University of Oxford study abroad program for undergraduate students, Mississippi State University's Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College is offering a non-credit "C.S. Lewis and The Inklings of Oxford" course for professionals in secondary education. Up to 12 interested high school teachers and counselors from across the Magnolia State can participate this June in a five-day educational experience at one of the world's most prestigious universities. Serving as lead instructor and tour guide, Chris Snyder, honors college dean and professor of history, currently is affiliated with the history faculty at the University of Oxford and is participating in an Oxford research fellowship. He has published nine books -- including two in which Lewis plays a major role -- and currently is working on Lewis's papers in the Bodleian Library. "We hope that the teachers who participate not only will incorporate some of the C.S. Lewis material in their courses, but also help recruit students to come to MSU and enroll in our honors program," Snyder said.
 
'Unframed Images' exhibition at Mississippi State
Mississippi State University Libraries is partnering with Tuskegee University in Alabama and the Southern Literary Trail to host "Unframed Images," an art exhibition honoring the work of African American photographer P.H. Polk. Tuskegee University archivist Dana Chandler will open the exhibition with a lecture on Polk's work on Tuesday, Feb. 26, at 4 p.m. in the John Grisham Room in MSU's Mitchell Memorial Library. "Unframed Images" will feature 14 images that have been digitally enlarged and reproduced from Polk's original works. Polk's photographs depict early to mid-20th century African Americans such as Martin Luther King, Jr., George Washington Carver and farm workers in rural Alabama. The exhibit will be on display in MSU's Old Main Academic Center March 4-29. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
 
Wife of former Mississippi State head football coach Rockey Felker dies
Funeral services for Susan Tingle Felker will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019 at Grace Presbyterian Church in Starkville, Mississippi. A private graveside service will be held Tuesday at 9 a.m. in Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Starkville under the direction of Welch Funeral Home. Visitation will be held Monday, Feb. 25 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Grace Presbyterian Church and on Tuesday, Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. at Grace Presbyterian Church. Felker, 65, died Sunday, Feb. 24 at her home in Starkville following an extended illness. She was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi on June 5, 1953. A 1971 graduate of Philadelphia High School, Susan earned an associate's degree from East Central Community College and then earned both a Bachelor of Science degree in English Education in 1975 and a Master of Education degree in Secondary Education in 1978 from Mississippi State University.
 
Tornado tears through Columbus, Mississippi, leads to first tornado death of 2019
Stunned residents of a small Mississippi city were picking up the pieces Sunday after a violent tornado ripped through town, leaving one person dead -- and marking the first tornado death of 2019. The tornado in Columbus, which was triggered by a line of intense thunderstorms on Saturday evening, was confirmed by the National Weather Service in Jackson. The twister, part of a severe weather outbreak that battered the South, toppled trees and shattered businesses and homes in the city of 24,000 on the eastern border of the state. Ashley Glynell Pounds, 41, of Tupelo died after a building collapsed on her and three other people, the office of Columbus Mayor Robert Smith confirmed in a Facebook post. Smith said 12 other people were injured. Dax Clark, a meteorology student at Mississippi State University, told The Weather Channel he and some classmates took refuge at a gas station. "We knew from the radar on our phones that the tornado was moving north of us, but the wind was still crazy," Clark said. "It did not hit our gas station directly but it was still pretty substantial."
 
Tornado Hits Columbus, Mississippi, Causing First Tornado Death of 2019
The first tornado death of 2019 was reported Saturday after a building collapsed during a strong storm in Columbus, Mississippi during a weekend of severe rain and flooding. At least five people were hospitalized with non life-threatening injuries, according to city officials. Strong winds from the storm destroyed buildings and toppled trees over power lines, leaving thousands without power. "We saw homes without roofs and outer walls, a car flipped over into a ditch and lots of trees and power lines down," Dax Clark, a meteorology student at Mississippi State University, told Weather.com.
 
Location, Location, Location: East Mississippi the ideal place to do business
here's an adage that the three most important things in real estate are location, location, location. That idea -- that where you are can be instrumental to your success -- rings true for many companies around East Mississippi. Some of those businesses were established in Meridian and Lauderdale County decades ago, and have expanded to other parts of the United States, while others started elsewhere before coming to East Mississippi. On another level, many East Mississippi businesses thrive because of the region's strong workforce and proximity to training and educational resources. At Southern Pipe and Supply, being located in the Queen City has paid off in droves, according to Doug Kennedy, manager of the Meridian branch. "The local colleges have also proven valuable in providing educated, determined candidates to our Distribution Development Program (DDP)," Kennedy said. "These candidates come to us with a four-year degree and an ambition to prove their value. We've hired graduates from MSU Meridian, ECCC, EMCC, and others in our immediate area. Many of these individuals began their studies at Meridian Community College, then went on to finish their education at a full university. We are thankful for the effort of our area teachers and professors to cultivate and develop quality applicants who will ensure our continued growth."
 
CREATE summit shines light on low drop-out rates, early career planning efforts
Educators and business leaders met Friday for a summit hosted by the CREATE Foundation to discuss how schools in the region are addressing the needs of students and connecting them with jobs in area industries. CREATE Foundation senior vice president Lewis Whitfield said the drop-out rate for Mississippi schools has been cut by nearly 50 percent from 2006. That decrease may be the result of how school districts innovate to meet the evolving needs of students and Mississippi businesses. Kristy Luse, vice president of the Toyota Wellspring Education Endowment Fund, emphasized the importance of communities collectively pulling together resources to make partnerships happen. This year, Toyota Foundation launched the YouScience platform to help high school students discover how their aptitudes and interest could intersect with real jobs in their communities.
 
End of an era: Toyota Mississippi prepares for next-generation Corolla
At about midnight Friday, a Barcelona Red Corolla came off the final inspection line, destined for some Toyota dealership somewhere. It will be the last one of nearly 1.2 million Corollas that have been built at Toyota Mississippi, which began producing the 11th-generation compact car in October 2011. "For me, it's a little nostalgic but it's also very exciting," said Emily Lauder, the plant's vice president of administration. "We're getting ready to launch the new Corolla, the 2020 Corolla, that's absolutely gorgeous. I think all the team members are excited about the new model that rolls out next month." While there was a minor tweak in the design of the Corolla in 2013, it wasn't a major change like what's about to happen. In anticipation of the wholesale change in the Corolla, Toyota invested another $170 million and hired another 400 workers.
 
Robert Shuler Smith, Hinds DA claiming to be a 'modern day lynching' victim, confirms governor run
Robert Shuler Smith, the Hinds County district attorney and a target of multiple criminal probes by Attorney General Jim Hood in recent years, will challenge Hood for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Hood, considered the frontrunner for his party's nomination as the only statewide Democratic official, and Smith are longtime adversaries. Hood brought three cases against Smith, the top prosecutor in the state's largest county by population, in as many years on various felony and misdemeanor charges. Two juries acquitted Smith, and a third was undecided. Smith confirmed his candidacy in a text message to Mississippi Today on Saturday morning. In an earlier message, Smith demurred when asked about reports that he qualified to run for the office, instead calling for a "civil rights investigation on the modern day lynching I endured for years. Mine was definitely not a hoax!"
 
Mississippi GOP governor says 'a lot of us' would've 'screamed' if Obama pushed criminal justice reform bill
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) said Saturday that a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill that President Trump signed into law last year "couldn't" have passed if it were championed by former President Obama. "Obama couldn't have done it," Bryant said at a criminal justice reform panel during the first day of the National Governors Association winter meeting in Washington, D.C. "Because quite honestly, a lot of us probably, people probably would've screamed and hollered, 'Oh, oh my goodness, he's gonna turn them all out on our communities, and there's going to be pillaging and crime, and there they go again.'" Bryant added that Trump's endorsement of the bill likely led people to realize that they should "stop shouting and listen a little bit," before adding that the push to overhaul the nation's criminal justice system was "remarkable." The comments from Bryant came as he discussed his own experience as a law enforcement officer and how he came to understand the way jail impacts families.
 
White House to select federal scientists to reassess government climate findings, sources say
The White House plans to create an ad hoc group of select federal scientists to reassess the government's analysis of climate science and counter conclusions that the continued burning of fossil fuels is harming the planet, according to three administration officials. The National Security Council initiative would include scientists who question the severity of climate impacts and the extent to which humans contribute to the problem, according to these individuals, who asked for anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The group would not be subject to the same level of public disclosure as a formal advisory committee. The move would represent the Trump administration's most forceful effort to date to challenge the scientific consensus that greenhouse gas emissions are helping drive global warming and that the world could face dire consequences unless countries curb their carbon output over the next few decades.
 
With women in combat roles, a federal court rules the male-only draft unconstitutional
A federal judge in Texas has declared that the all-male military draft is unconstitutional, ruling that "the time has passed" for a debate on whether women belong in the military. The decision deals the biggest legal blow to the Selective Service System since the Supreme Court upheld the draft in 1981. In Rostker v. Goldberg, the court ruled that the male-only draft was "fully justified" because women were ineligible for combat roles. But U.S. District Judge Gray Miller ruled late Friday that while historical restrictions on women serving in combat "may have justified past discrimination," men and women are now equally able to fight. In 2015, the Pentagon lifted all restrictions for women in military service. The case was brought by the National Coalition For Men, a men's rights group, and two men who argued the all-male draft was unfair. The ruling comes as an 11-member commission is studying the future of the draft, including whether women should be included or whether there should continue to be draft registration at all.
 
Triplets are becoming part of the Long Blue Line at MUW
The rips at the knees of the blue jeans don't give them away. If not for the light blue surrounding the Owl logo on the gray sweatshirt, you might not be able to tell the difference between Jada, Jaylen and Jayon Granger. The sisters don't mind if you get their names mixed up. They also don't mind if you see them and are tempted to ask. Yes, they are triplets, and identical triplets are extremely rare, which explains the subtle differences in the sisters. Physical similarities aren't the only things the sisters share. The Grangers' desire to become physical therapists motivated them to come to Columbus and attend Mississippi University for Women, where they are freshmen in their second semesters. In the fall, Jaylen's grade point average earned her a spot on The W's Dean's List for having a quality-point average of 3.5 to 3.99 on a scale of 4.0. Jada and Jayon also had successful first semesters after matriculating from Greenville High School. Jaylen said the sisters selected The W because they wanted to major in kinesiology, which is the No. 4 major at the school.
 
'Why should we have to be silent?' Counterprotesters battle hate, rain on Saturday
As neo-Confederate activists arrived on campus, counter-protesters with signs began chanting, "Black presence, black power," "We will not be quiet" and "Your heritage is hate." Despite the possibility of severe weather, approximately 50 counterprotesters gathered around the Circle in the middle of the Ole Miss campus Saturday afternoon. Some were students and community members, while others made trips from across the state to attend the rally. Counterprotester and president of the Mississippi Rising Coalition Lea Campbell is no stranger to events of this kind or the members of the Confederate 901 and the Hiwaymen. Campbell made a trip from the Mississippi coast in order to attend today's protest. "I've been on the front lines here in Mississippi fighting the state flag issue for about three years, so I'm very familiar with these groups," Campbell said. "I'm familiar with what they stand for, and I'm committed to standing against what they stand for, wherever they show up, regardless of rain or shine."
 
'Oxford is more than what these individuals came to represent': Confederate rally met with counter-protests, including by athletes
The home of the University of Mississippi was again a flashpoint for a national dialogue about race as about 90 people came, in their words, to "support Confederate history and veterans" on Saturday. They were met by nearly equal sized groups of counter protesters; later Ole Miss basketball players expressed their opposition to the Confederate group's presence by kneeling during the National Anthem. The march began at the Square in downtown Oxford near the Confederate statue and ended at the Circle, where another monument honoring the unknown named Confederate soldier also stands. A Facebook page for the event states that the rally's purpose was to, "draw a line in the sand" over the actions the university has taken over the past two decades to remove or contextualize the traditions and monuments that glorified the Confederacy.
 
USM's 'Big Event' gets big turnout for volunteer projects
Hundreds of students from the University of Southern Mississippi spent their Saturday morning helping to improve the Hattiesburg community. About 530 students took part in the 8th annual "Big Event." It's organized by USM's Student Government Association and involves clean up projects and other volunteer work at more than two dozen sites across Hattiesburg. The first "Big Event" was hosted in 2010.
 
Auburn offers a taste of Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center
Martin O'Neill says that when the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center is fully operational, he expects it to be "a hive of activity." "It's going to be buzz, buzz, buzz," said O'Neill, department head of Nutrition, Dietetics and Hospitality Management at Auburn University. "Look at where that is going to be located. It's going to be right downtown, in the center of Auburn, at that wonderful intersection between Thach and College." Hans van der Reijden, managing director of The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center, said the new culinary center will be "transformational." "The Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center will allow us to instantly, upon opening the doors, compete with not just the top hospitality and culinary programs in the United States, but globally," van der Reijden told Auburn University's board of trustees earlier this month. "As we have benchmark studied over the last few years the top programs internationally, we found out that there were certain components that each program offered that was exceptional," he added. "But comprehensively, we never found anything that was built to the level of which we're starting."
 
LSU administrators accused of knowing about DKE hazing cleared after investigation
One week after LSU announced that multiple administrators had been put on leave over questions about their handling of accusations about hazing at Delta Kappa Epsilon, the university has announced that an investigation has cleared them. LSU never named the administrators on leave amid the investigation, citing their "right to privacy" under the state Constitution. But multiple people in the Greek community told The Advocate that they included Director of Greek Life Angela Guillory, Assistant Greek Life Director Donald Abels and Dean of Students Mari Fuentes-Martin. The university hired the Taylor Porter law firm to investigate the administrators' handling of the hazing allegations. When The Advocate asked late Friday to review that investigation, LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard said, "we do not have a written report on its conclusions."
 
U. of Kentucky president convenes task force on mental health after two student suicides
University of Kentucky students aren't more depressed or anxious than students around the country. The upticks in mental health issues can be found on college campuses all over the country. But in the wake of two student suicides just this semester, UK President Eli Capilouto has convened a new task force to look harder at what UK is doing to help students who are anxious, depressed, suicidal or simply overwhelmed. "We know this issue, we've had tragedy this semester, we are wounded, we are hurting," Capilouto said Friday at the UK Board of Trustees meeting. On Jan. 8, Taylor Rae Nolan, 19, died. Nolan was a member of the Chi Omega sorority and had been part of student government on campus. On Jan. 23, freshman Sean Culley, also 19, died in an incident at Jewell Hall. Coroner Gary Ginn has defined both deaths as suicides.
 
UGA fundraising campaign ahead of schedule; striving for more
The Commit to Georgia Campaign has reached an important campaign milestone: surpassing its $1.2 billion goal. The goal, which was announced in November 2016, was the most ambitious fundraising goal the University of Georgia has ever set, and it was reached 16 months ahead of schedule. The campaign will continue through June 2020 as planned, and the University of Georgia will continue fundraising for all of its campaign priorities. "I am thrilled to celebrate this milestone with our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends," said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. "However, this campaign is far from over. I look forward to seeing how much higher we can raise the bar -- and increase the campaign's transformative impact -- in the remaining 16 months." Nearly 150,000 alumni, parents and friends have already contributed to the Commit to Georgia Campaign. Significant progress has been made toward each of the campaign priorities: increasing scholarship support, enhancing the learning environment, and solving grand challenges for the state and the world.
 
U. of Florida struggles with aging buildings, deferred repairs
A walk inside McCarty Hall A on the University of Florida campus shows the wear and tear of more than 60 years. Broken tiles and cracks are on the walls along hallways. Inside cramped classrooms and labs there are mildew stains due to lack of adequate air circulation. While UF has added a number of state-of-the-art buildings and labs that serve several colleges and disciplines, it also faces the challenge of maintaining older buildings within its campus core. "It's a pressing issue to campus and to the state because these are state assets," said Jeanna Mastrodicasa, the associate vice president of operations at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. To address UF's infrastructure problems, state Rep. Chuck Clemons, R-Newberry, is introducing a $38.1 million bill this legislative session. The bill addresses some of UF's most pressing infrastructure needs, including a failing chiller that has rendered air conditioning systems inoperable for days and caused mildew in music instruments and sensitive library material in main campus buildings.
 
Arkansas colleges soar in one sector; while certificates up, degrees still low
Arkansas colleges are awarding certificates at faster rates than most other states' colleges, even while the state remains at the bottom in proportion of residents obtaining associate degrees or higher, according to data analyzed by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Educational attainment statistics don't show the whole picture of Arkansans' academic success, state educators say. Measuring the state's overall educational attainment and the associated success of its community colleges is difficult because no statistical measure of attainment factors in certificates. Nonetheless, attainment plays a key role in the state's overall higher education goals, and the state has undertaken major initiatives in recent years to improve community college outcomes. Nearly 30 years have passed since Arkansas converted 15 vocational and technical schools into accredited community colleges, eventually giving the state more community colleges per resident than almost anywhere.
 
George W. Bush to participate at Vanderbilt University lecture series
Former President George W. Bush will participate in the Vanderbilt University Chancellor's Lecture Series at Langford Auditorium on campus March 11, according to the school's communication department. The 43rd U.S. president will be joined on stage by Vanderbilt Chancellor Nick Zeppos and presidential historian Jon Meacham, an online announcement states. Meacham also wrote the biography of George H.W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States and the father of George W. Bush. The lecture is scheduled at 6:30-7:30 p.m. Admission is only available to Vanderbilt University students, faculty and staff through a random drawing. Participants must fill out an online form that will be posted on the Chancellor's Lecture Series website from noon Monday to noon Tuesday, Feb. 26, according to the announcement. There will be no admission charge.
 
Texas A&M Bush School professor: Growing federal debt poses security threat
A Bush School professor says the ever-growing U.S. federal debt is a national security threat --- and believes it will take both politicians and their constituents to address the $22 trillion problem. Raymond Robertson, director of the Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics and Public Policy at the Texas A&M Bush School of Government and Public Service, said in an interview with The Eagle last week that though the most dire implications of the debt, which grew beyond $22 trillion earlier this month, are not immediate, the problem still requires urgent action. "It's not in the news as much as you would expect, given its size and its potential implications," Robertson said of the debt. "I think part of the reason for that, honestly, is that it's so big that people are really nervous about taking the steps needed to address it."
 
U. of Missouri sexual assault advocates speak up, get pushed out
The University of Missouri's sole victim advocate was prepared to leave her post last spring but was convinced to stay. A week later Taylor Yeagle was forced out of her role after she gave a media interview criticizing how the university's Title IX appeals officials handled a client's case. Yeagle for years was on the front lines of the university's efforts to stop sexual violence as part of its Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center. Her advocacy work received praise from students she helped navigate the Title IX process for sexual assaults as well as from colleagues and university leaders. But after Yeagle was interviewed by the Columbia Daily Tribune for a series of stories about the university's handling of Title IX cases, she and her supervisor were forced out of their positions, multiple sources told the Tribune. Yeagle, along with longtime RSVP Coordinator Danica Wolf, were given the option of resigning and receiving an extra month's salary and benefits, or risk being fired and getting nothing.
 
Big XII conference on black student government kicks off at U. of Missouri
Chalana M. Scales-Ferguson didn't just graduate from the University of Missouri with a degree -- she also had a full-time job offer, a fiance and a 3-year-old daughter. Twenty years later, Scales-Ferguson, an assistant circuit attorney with the city of St. Louis, was at MU this weekend to encourage other black students to take advantage of opportunities despite whatever challenges they may face. She was one of six keynote speakers slated for the 42nd annual Big XII Conference on Black Student Government, hosted by MU's Legion of Black Collegians. The conference was held in the MU Student Center, Cornell Hall and the Holiday Inn Executive Center. Even though MU athletics formally left the Big 12 Conference in 2012, MU still remains a part of the Big XII Conference on Black Student Government. Participating campuses include MU, Baylor University, University of Colorado, Iowa State University, Kansas University, Kansas State University, University of Nebraska, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, University of Texas, Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University.
 
On Campuses, Electric Scooters Meet Speed Bumps
Colleges are under siege. And no, it's not the skeptical politicians looking to slash budgets or the conservative talk-show hosts issuing broadsides. This menace is two-wheeled. The electric scooters made by tech companies like Lime and Bird have swept into the nation's urban areas, college campuses included. Using one is easy. Download an app to your smartphone, use it to unlock a scooter near you, and hop on. That technology-enabled ease has appealed to younger people, who've long been used to nontraditional modes of transportation. What's so wrong with a fleet of zippy scooters? The backlash is partially tied to an ever-growing concerns over safety. A new study found that 249 people were admitted to two urban emergency rooms over the course of the year in connection to scooter collisions. About 92 percent were riders, but the rest weren't. About 30 percent had fractures. And 40 percent suffered head injuries. Tarak K. Trivedi, the study's lead author and a research fellow at the University of California at Los Angeles, also wrote that few people were taking any safety precautions when riding the machines.
 
Democratic senators urged to consider radical policies on college admissions
In January, several Democrats in the U.S. Senate sent out letters to higher education experts asking for ideas on how to narrow racial and ethnic gaps in student debt and access to higher education. The results that have come in include numerous ideas about Pell Grants and loan programs, as one might expect. One group, New America, is going for changes that it termed "radical" (along with plenty of other proposals that aren't). Officials at New America believe these ideas just might get more attention this year than they would have previously. The group is proposing that colleges that have a preference for alumni children lose access to federal aid programs. Ditto for colleges that have early-decision programs. And the group wants to require universities that seek federal research grants to replace admissions systems with ones in which a lottery plays a prominent role (among applicants who have made it over some bar). The ideas would involve an assertive role for the federal government, and are certain to draw strong opposition.
 
48% of Female Undergrads at Duke Say They Were Sexually Assaulted While Enrolled, Up Sharply From 2016
Nearly half of Duke University's female undergraduates say they have been sexually assaulted since enrolling at the university, a sharp increase from the proportion in 2016, according to a report released on Thursday. Complaints of both sexual assault and sexual harassment increased from 2016 to 2018. It was unclear, the report says, whether that reflected more incidents or a greater awareness of and willingness to report sexual misconduct, given the national attention the problem has received over the past few years. The report was based on confidential surveys. Duke's vice president for student affairs, Larry Moneta, said the university's numbers don't appear to be out of line with what the Association of American Universities has found at similar institutions. In 2015 the AAU conducted a multicampus survey that found that one in four female undergraduates reported being the victim of sexual assault or misconduct.
 
Wake Forest searched its yearbooks for photos linked to racism and found its admissions dean with Confederate flag
A few weeks ago, as scandals over racist images in yearbooks proliferated, Wake Forest University announced that it had found offensive images in its past yearbooks. Nathan O. Hatch, the president, said in a statement that, as a historian, he was disheartened but not surprised by what was found. "Wearing blackface is racist and offensive -- then and now," Hatch said. "The behavior in these images does not represent the inclusive university we aspire to be." On Thursday evening, minority students at Wake Forest gathered to discuss their experiences with racism, and their frustrations with how they are treated -- on campus and off. During the forum, some students said that they felt unwelcome in part because they found a photo of the dean of admissions, Martha Allman. The photo is from the 1982 edition of the yearbook, and Allman is posing with members of the Kappa Alpha fraternity, which has been known for its love of traditions of the (white) South. Allman issued an apology Thursday night for the photograph, but asked to be judged by more than that one image.
 
GOP brawl brewing with Reeves, Waller and (probably) McDaniel
Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian writes: "Governor's race just got interesting," read a text message the day after columnist Geoff Pender announced Bill Waller, Jr., will enter the race. Oh, the just retired Supreme Court Justice deciding to take on frontrunner Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves in the Republican primary stirs a lot of interest. But adding state Sen. Chris McDaniel to the mix really whips it up. Waller was one of the candidates I wrote about 18 months ago that pragmatic Republican leaders were considering as fears mounted that Reeves could not beat Democrat Jim Hood in November. Those fears only increased as early polling data showed Reeves trailing the Attorney General. ... In the aftermath of Pender's revelation, political pundits generally agreed Waller will be a credible candidate able to raise money and positioned to tap dissatisfaction with Reeves. But, it won't be easy.
 
Education is the top priority, state leaders say as funding falls further behind rest of budget
Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison writes: Since 2008, funding for public education has not kept pace with funding for other state agencies. The Mississippi's political leaders often cite education as the state's top priority. They point to funding for new programs, such as reading mentors and an investment in early childhood education in addition to a teacher pay raise as examples to boost their claim that education is their top priority. But in 2008, viewed as a high water mark for better or worse in terms of the level of state spending, $2.565 billion was spent on K-12 education, compared to $2.614 billion for fiscal year 2018. But in reality, the amount spent on K-12 education was $340.2 million less for 2018 than it was in 2008 when factoring in inflation. In other words, to accomplish the same buying power for 2018, it would have taken an additional $340 million.


SPORTS
 
Walk-off win seals series for Bulldogs
Tied 3-3 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Mississippi State's Jordan Westburg was determined to reach base by any means necessary. On a 2-2 pitch, Westburg was able to keep the inning alive by reaching on a throwing error and then scored all the way from first on Tanner Allen's double to the wall in right to give the 14th-ranked Bulldogs a walk-off 4-3 win and series victory over rival Southern Miss on Sunday. "I got the head out and busted one down the line," Allen said. "Thank God, Westburg runs probably a 4.1 40, so he got around the bases pretty good." After losing the series opener 1-0 in 10 innings on Friday, MSU bounced back with back-to-back wins to exact some revenge after being swept in Hattiesburg to start the 2018 season. MSU hosts Jackson State on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
 
Mississippi State beats Southern Miss in tightly-contested baseball series
Jordan Westburg crouched down outside the batter's box at Dudy Noble Field, writhing in pain. The sophomore shortstop took a foul tip to the leg during his ninth-inning at-bat against Southern Miss on Sunday afternoon. Mississippi State had two outs and nobody on base, deadlocked in a 3-3 tie. It looked like the ailing Westburg wouldn't reach either, which would have sent the game to extra innings for the second time in the series. But for Westburg, giving up was never an option. He took his time and stepped back to the plate. "I was going to stay in the game no matter what it took," Westburg said. He managed to put a ball in play and wound up on first base because of a throwing error by Southern Miss' shortstop. Minutes later, Westburg stomped on home plate after sophomore first baseman Tanner Allen's double. Mississippi State had just secured a 4-3 victory and a series win over an in-state rival. Head coach Chris Lemonis said he learned a lot about his Bulldogs, who improved to 6-1 this season with the win.
 
Diamond Dawgs take series with walk-off win over Southern Miss
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning of a tie game, the No. 9 Mississippi State baseball program capitalized on the third error of the game by No. 21 Southern Miss, as sophomore Tanner Allen sent the Dudy Noble Field faithful home happy with a walk-off RBI double that scored classmate Jordan Westburg from first on Sunday afternoon. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Westburg reached on a throwing error by the USM shortstop to extend the inning. Allen then ripped the first pitch he saw from reliever Ryan Och into the right-field corner and Westburg slid home safely before the throw could get to the plate. The Diamond Dawgs prepare for the final two games of the season-opening nine-game homestand. Mississippi State will host Jackson State on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 4 p.m. before welcoming Southeastern Louisiana for a 5:30 p.m. start on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at Dudy Noble Field.
 
Mississippi State wins series against USM 2-1
Fielding has not been one of the University of Southern Mississippi's strong suits so far in the early baseball season, and Sunday afternoon, it cost them not only a game but a series. USM shortstop Storme Cooper threw away a ground ball at first base with two outs in the bottom of the ninth-inning , and one pitch later, Mississippi State University first baseman Tanner Allen laced a double into the right field corner as the Bulldogs celebrated an abrupt 4-3 victory at Dudy Noble Field. "It's hard when you're giving them extra outs to win baseball games," USM coach Scott Berry said. "You better score a lot of runs if you're doing that, and we're not doing that. When it's all said and done, we didn't play well enough defensively. In that last inning, we just didn't defend like we needed to. "But hats off to Mississippi State. Very good club. Probably the best pitching staff, I feel like, that we will see in a three-game series this year."
 
No. 6 Bulldogs fight off lowly Vanderbilt
Mississippi State endured another Southeastern Conference test on Sunday, this time against the team at the bottom of the league standings. The sixth-ranked Bulldogs pulled away in the second half to beat Vanderbilt 86-70, but not before the Commodores put plenty of pressure on them. Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer is just hoping to survive the grind of the SEC schedule and learn from mistakes as the postseason approaches. "These games aren't getting any easier," Schaefer said. "I really want to commend (Vandy coach) Stephanie White and those kids. They really competed. I'm really impressed with their approach and how hard they played. I'm proud of our kids for getting through a challenging day."
 
Reggie Perry's 21 points lead Mississippi State over South Carolina
Reggie Perry fought through two defenders in the final minute to finish a layup and draw the foul, flexing his right bicep as he strolled toward the free throw line for his extra shot. After weeks of up-and-down play, Mississippi State is finally playing consistent basketball. This time it was Perry's 21 points -- including 17 in the second half -- that helped spark Mississippi State to a 76-61 comeback victory over South Carolina on Saturday night. The Bulldogs (20-7, 8-6 Southeastern Conference) have won four straight games and are now in prime position to break an NCAA Tournament drought that's lasted a decade. It's a team that's well aware of its postseason situation. "We're talking about it every day," Mississippi State coach Ben Howland said.
 
Mississippi State's second half rally spurns South Carolina
Ben Howland had a light-hearted message for his team at halftime. "Hey, we can't play any worse than we did in the first 10 minutes," Howland said. Mississippi State made only one of its first 12 shots and fell behind South Carolina by 16 in the first half but stormed all the way back in the second to win, 76-61. "That was a phenomenal comeback," Howland said. "To score six points in the first 11 minutes of the game and keep the fight, keep believing and keep trusting." The Bulldogs closed the first half on a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to 36-29 and then opened the second half by hitting eight of its first 10 shots. MSU had an 18-3 run over a six minute span to take the lead and outscored the Gamecocks 47-25 in the second half. The Bulldogs continue their homestand against Missouri on Tuesday at 6 p.m. on the SEC Network.
 
How Mississippi State came back to beat South Carolina, reach 20 wins
Mississippi State notched its 20th win of the season by beating South Carolina 76-61 at Humphrey Coliseum on Saturday evening. It wasn't easy -- the Bulldogs trailed by as many 16 in the first half, but they stormed back to collect a much-needed NCAA Tournament resume-boosting victory. Here's how they did it.
 
Second half dooms Gamecocks in road loss to Mississippi State
Reggie Perry and Alanzo Frink are equals in age and not much else. One's a reigning McDonald's All-American and a starter for Mississippi State. The other, an under-the-radar recruit and eighth man for South Carolina. But fate had the two matching up with each other in the first half of Saturday's game at Humphrey Coliseum. Perry gathered the basketball six feet from the basket, turned and started to back Frink with the intention to either get an easy bucket or draw a foul. Frink, though, wasn't adhering to Perry's plan. USC's rookie gave up four inches to MSU's, but Frink had 20 extra pounds. He stayed in front and only left his feet to block Perry's shot. It's these kind of uphill battles the Gamecocks have been mostly winning since the calendar turned to January. They dug themselves a hole because of a poor non-conference record, but they came here Saturday to continue their outside shot at an NCAA Tournament bid. They scrapped their way to an early lead, lost it and couldn't recover in a 76-61 downer to the Bulldogs.
 
Mississippi players kneel during anthem in response to rally
Eight Mississippi players kneeled during the national anthem in response to a Confederacy rally near the arena before the Rebels' 72-71 victory over Georgia on Saturday. With the teams lined up across the court at the free throw lines, six players took a knee and bowed at the start of the "The Star-Spangled Banner." Two other players later joined them. "The majority of it was just that we saw one of our teammates doing it and didn't want him to be alone," Ole Miss scoring leader Breein Tyree said. "We're just tired of these hate groups coming to our school and portraying our campus like we have these hate groups in our actual school." Tyree led Ole Miss (19-8, 9-5 Southeastern Conference) with 17 points.
 
Ole Miss AD Ross Bjork backs kneeling Ole Miss players: 'good for the players'
After eight Ole Miss men's basketball players knelt during the national anthem prior to playing Georgia Saturday, Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Ross Bjork voiced his support for the players. Bjork condemned the two pro-Confederate groups marching on campus and through Oxford, and stressed the kneeling was strictly protesting the two groups and not the anthem. He also commended the players for making a bold statement. "Our job is to teach and educate, every single day," Bjork said. "Our students, they see what's happening on our campus." "Good for the players to stand up and make a statement." He condemned the two groups marching through the city -- Confederate-901 and the Hiwaymen -- as groups that are out of state and what the university doesn't want on its campus. Bjork also stressed that the kneeling was strictly against the marching groups. He said he told the team they have his full support when he addresses them after the game in the locker room.
 
Twitter responds to Ole Miss basketball players kneeling during National Anthem
While neo-Confederate protesters were marching 1,000 feet away in the Circle, at least six Ole Miss Men's Basketball players knelt during the National Anthem at the Pavilion before the team's home game against Georgia on Saturday. Players including KJ Buffen, Devontae Shuler, Terence Davis and Bruce Stevens became the first Ole Miss athletes, and the first college basketball players at a major university, to protest during the anthem since NFL players began similar protests against police brutality and racism in 2016. Head coach Kermit Davis and guard Breein Tyree responded at a press conference following the game, which Ole Miss won 72-71. They confirmed the kneeling was a response to the Confederate protests. Meanwhile, the Twitter community has been responding throughout the afternoon to the kneeling.
 
The Uncertain Future of the Juco Football Pipeline
The NCAA's new transfer portal is the topic of the moment in college football, but to Charles Power, it's just a variation on the website he has managed with his father for the last five years. You've probably never heard of their portal, but like the NCAA's version, it supplies college football coaches with information on hundreds of available players in a neatly organized database. The difference is that Power's portal exclusively contains junior college players. "It's a very niche deal, but there was a big need for it," says Power, who with his father Chuck has operated the subscription-based scouting database JUCOInsider.com since 2015. Junior college football (or juco) remains a lifeline for players who are athletically or academically unfit for FBS football out of high school while serving as a veritable farm system for some of Division I's heavyweights. As this pipeline continues to supply the top of the college game with talent, the pipeline itself is facing its darkest hour.
 
Jemele Hill, former ESPN anchor, speaking at U. of Memphis
Jemele Hill, the Emmy Award-winning sports journalist for The Atlantic and formerly of ESPN, will give a lecture at the University of Memphis honoring freedom of speech. Hill, whom the National Association of Black Journalists named the 2018 Journalist of the Year, will be the featured speaker for the university's eighth-annual Norm Brewer First Amendment Lecture on March 12 at 6 p.m. The event will be held in the University Center Theatre and is free and open to the public. Hill was an anchor for ESPN's 6 p.m. hour of SportsCenter when she published a tweet referring to President Donald Trump as a "white supremacist." University President David Rudd posted on Twitter that he was looking forward to her speech. "Good to see you're making your way to the University of Memphis," Rudd said.
 
TV Sports Anchors' Predicament in the Age of Social Media: Their News Is Not New
Scott Van Pelt closed an episode of "SportsCenter" last month with a two-minute monologue about the 31st anniversary of his father's death. Strengthened by two friends who had recently lost their parents, Van Pelt spoke passionately about running from grief, and encouraged everyone to do the opposite -- to articulate their pain so they could overcome it. The segment went viral. It embodied the essential traits of Van Pelt's version of ESPN's flagship show----- sensitivity, nuance and the courage to be vulnerable -- that help him connect with viewers. "It's a great reminder of the power of the microphone we hold in our hands," Van Pelt said. But that power is changing -- disappearing, even -- as television viewing habits change and sports media develop new ways to bring fans what they want when they want it. (Now!) That means what was once a premier placement in TV sports -- the anchor desk -- is not the high perch it used to be. It is not clear anymore what it is at all.



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