| Friday, May 10, 2019 |
| FAA to Debut Remote ID Rule in July | |
 | The FAA plans to release its remote identification ruling for UAS in July, UAS Integration Office Executive Director Jay Merkle said in front of Congress Wednesday. The remote ID rules -- often compared to license plates for drones -- would allow the FAA, police officers and other public officials to look up a UAS by a broadcast unique identifier and find out information about the operator. This would go hand-in-hand with registration rules to prevent uncooperative flights around airports or other illegal uses from going unpunished. There is more work to do though, according to Dallas Brooks, director of Mississippi State University's Raspet Flight Research Laboratory and associate director of the FAA's co-located Center of Excellence for UAS Research. Despite Merkle's claims of having learned, Brooks said that recent changes have actually slowed down innovation. "Due to a recent policy change mandating department-level review [of funding requests for proposed projects], it now takes up to six times longer to approve UAS Center of Excellence research," Brooks said. |
| Poultry industry awards research grants | |
| The U.S. Poultry & Egg Assn. (USPOULTRY) and the USPOULTRY Foundation have approved approximately $415,000 for six new research grants at six institutions through the comprehensive research program. "Research is an important part of USPOULTRY's and the foundation's service to the industry. The Foundation Research Advisory Committee is the core of the research program, with committee members volunteering countless hours reviewing and evaluating research proposals before making recommendations for funding. We sincerely appreciate and value their excellent work," said USPOULTRY chairman John Prestage of Prestage Farms. The new research grants for each institution include: Mississippi State University -- "Effect of Protease Enzyme on Corn & Soybean Meal-Based Laying Hen Diet to Reduce Feed Cost, Improve Egg Quality & Egg Solids in Post-Peak & Late Lay." |
| Starkville couple buys antebellum home for bed and breakfast | |
 | One of the oldest houses in Starkville will find new life when it opens as a bed and breakfast this fall. Lee Carson and his wife, Jennifer, have purchased the Cedars -- more commonly known as the Montgomery House -- an antebellum home on Old West Point Road. The house is one of two remaining antebellum homes in Starkville, along with the Gillespie-Jackson house at the corner of Louisville Street and Highway 12. The home has four bedrooms, which Jennifer said can sleep up to four people each. The Carsons have work still to go to install bathrooms in the home and parking on the property. They're both alumni of Mississippi State University's College of Architecture, and Jennifer said they hope to retain as much of the building's original character as possible while they work. Ward 4 Alderman Jason Walker said he was impressed with the plan and the care shown to the property, such as how the planned parking works around the existing trees instead of removing them. |
| Kayla Gilmore joins Ward 5 race | |
| Three candidates are now running for Starkville's Ward 5 alderman seat after Kayla Gilmore entered the race. Gilmore, owner of KMG Creations Dance, Fitness and Productions, qualified to run on Wednesday, which was the deadline. Gilmore ran for the seat in 2017 but lost with 101 votes to former alderman Patrick Miller's 395 in the May 2017 Democratic primary. Miller resigned from his seat on the board last month to take a job in Biloxi. The Ward 5 special election is set for May 30. Gilmore works at Habitat for Humanity's Restore, and has hosted the annual Dancing in the Park event, which is held on the fourth Saturday in July. Gilmore also initiated Starkville's Veterans Day parade last year, which was the first in the city's history. She's also served two terms on Starkville's election commission. The three-candidate field is set with Gilmore, Hamp Beatty and John Michael VanHorn. |
| Severe Weather And Storms Pummel Southern States | |
 | A new round of powerful storms is causing more flooding in multiple states, with parts of the Deep South likely on the receiving end of some of the most severe weather through the end of the week that will impact about 40 million Americans. The National Weather Service cautioned residents of southeastern Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi to brace for a multiday barrage of dangerous heavy rain and flash flooding. Along the Mississippi River Valley, which has already endured more than a month at dangerous levels, more than 30 river gauges are reporting major flooding, Paula Cognitore, a service coordination hydrologist for the National Water Center told NPR. In addition to Missouri, Kansas and Texas, Cognitore said, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Mississippi have been experiencing major flooding since March when snow melt began entering waterways. |
| Officials seek to open major spillway on Mississippi River | |
 | Army Corps of Engineers officials in Louisiana aim to open a historic flood control structure above New Orleans on Tuesday for an unprecedented second time in one year. "It's an unprecedented amount of water that's coming down," David Ramirez, chief of water management for the Corps' New Orleans District, told reporters Thursday. The request for authorization from the Corps' Mississippi Valley Division comes as floods across the Midwest have caused billions of dollars in damage to homes, farms and businesses. The Bonnet Carre Spillway gets opened to relieve stress on New Orleans levees when the Mississippi flows at 1.25 million cubic feet (35,400 cubic meters) per second -- fast enough to fill the Empire State Building in 30 seconds. "The risks in not operating the spillway as it is designed ... would be potentially catastrophic," corps spokesman Ricky Boyett said. Moby Solangi, director of the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport, Mississippi, said he's concerned about the spillway opening, because it means that polluted fresh water will flow into the Sound, a nursery for dolphins and endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtles. |
| Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith: '...residents of Mississippi's Eagle Lake are basically on an island' | |
| In her maiden speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith addressed a number of topics including the ongoing flood in the Mississippi Delta, highlighting the hardships being felt by area farmers and those residents in the Eagle Lake area: "The residents of Mississippi's Eagle Lake are basically on an island. If someone needs emergency health care, it's virtually impossible for an ambulance to get to them. Further, hundreds of thousands of acres of prime agriculture and timberland will suffer significant damage or simply go unplanted this season. The economic impact on agriculture alone will be in the hundreds of millions of dollars." |
| James Williams named executive director of Manufacturing Extension Partnership | |
 | The Mississippi Manufacturers Association has named James Williams as executive director of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. He replaced Dr. John "Jay" Tice IV, who retired Jan. 31. The MMA-MEP is one of 51 centers that provides services to assist manufacturers in being globally competitive and is sponsored in Mississippi by the MMA. "I am pleased to welcome James to the association. He brings years of workforce development and federal program management, and work with Mississippi's manufacturers. I have no doubt he will represent our state's manufacturing community in this new role," said MMA President and CEO Jay C. Moon. Williams is the former executive director of the Governor's State Workforce Investment Board. Prior to his SWIB appointment, Williams was the vice president of economic and community services at Itawamba Community College. |
| Local districts won't pay for state's mistake that left some teachers out of pay raise | |
| Local school districts will not have to find a way to pay for teachers accidentally left out of a $1,500 pay raise, state officials said Thursday. The Legislature appropriated $58 million for the pay raises earlier this year, and the Mississippi Department of Education will use those funds to pay for all teachers to receive their raises until lawmakers can make up the budget gap in the 2020 legislative session. When asked if districts would be expected to shore up the shortfall, Wright told reporters, "Lord no, they're not gonna have to." "There is sufficient money to cover the teacher pay raises until the Legislature meets. We're very comfortable with that," she said. Gov. Phil Bryant and Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves both suggested the additional funds can be provided as a deficit appropriation during the 2020 legislative session, which starts in early January. |
| Bill Waller Exceeds Fundraising Expectations in GOP Race | |
| Republican Bill Waller raised more than half a million dollars in his first two months in the race for governor, his campaign announced in a press release on Tuesday. Waller, the former Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice, surpassed his initial fundraising goal, bringing in more than $580,000 from 700 donors since he joined the race. Other campaigns will not release their fundraising totals until tomorrow, but Waller's top opponent, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, boasted a $6.7 million cash war chest at the start of 2019. In 2018 alone, he pulled in $1.7 million. Still, Waller only joined the race on March 1, and unlike Reeves, he has not had the benefit of years of fundraising. Waller and Reeves' other opponent, state Rep. Robert Foster, is a 36-year-old farmer from DeSoto County with a millennial knack for social media. On Thursday morning, though, he told the Jackson Free Press that he sees his social-media platform as his secret weapon. "In 2019, I believe social media, along with a heavy grassroots ground game, can compete with TV, direct mail and other sources of paid media to level the playing field in politics," Foster said. |
| Trump looks to project calm as trade war heats up | |
 | President Donald Trump on Friday sought to ease concerns about his administration's failure so far to reach a trade deal with China, writing on Twitter that despite a new round of tariffs that went into effect overnight, there is "no need to rush" negotiations with Beijing. "Talks with China continue in a very congenial manner -- there is absolutely no need to rush," he wrote on Twitter, repeating his false claim "massive payments" from China would be deposited "directly to the Treasury of the U.S." In reality, tariffs are taxes paid by importers, such as U.S. companies, which bring in products from China. Those costs are typically passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices, which can drive down demand for Chinese imports. He said that his administration would offer support for U.S. farmers whose businesses have been crippled by Trump's trade war with China, proclaiming that the government "will buy ... agricultural products from our Great Farmers, in larger amounts than China ever did, and ship it to poor & starving countries in the form of humanitarian assistance." |
| Mississippi's Public Universities Working to Make College More Affordable | |
 | Starting in the fall at Mississippi University for Women, full time tuition and fees for the fall and spring semester together will be $7,525. Nora Miller is president of Mississippi University for Women. She says to help make college more affordable, the institution now has a free tuition program for students in the National Guard, which also extends to full-time army members. "There's some assistance that's provided from the federal government and from the state government for their tuition," said Miller. "And we will apply those first and apply any other aid. And then pick up whatever the difference is so that the guardsman can attend tuition free." Warren Johnson is associate vice president and dean for enrollment management at Jackson State University. He says the cost of tuition will increase about five percent to $4,135 this fall, not including the mandatory fees or room and board. Johnson says to lure and retain more out of state students, the institution is reducing its out of state fee from about $11,000 to $1,000 for the academic year. |
| MUW's Mag Chain to feature retired command chief master sergeant | |
| The first African-American female to serve as command chief master sergeant for the 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus Air Force Base, will address Mississippi University for Women graduates at one of the university's most treasured traditions. Mag Chain is set for Saturday, May 11 at 8 a.m. in the Pohl Gym. Dr. Rita Felton, who retired from the United States Air Force with more than 30 years of honorable service, reported directly to the wing commander as one of his top advisers. In this role, she advised the wing commander in the areas of mission effectiveness, professional development, military readiness, training, utilization, health, morale and welfare. Mag Chain has taken place in some form at The W since 1890. During this event, the magnolia chain is carried by seniors singing the "Magnolia Chain Song" from the front of Columbus Hall to Callaway lawn where the ceremony is held. |
| Inclement weather plans announced for Ole Miss' Commencement ceremony | |
| With the chance of inclement weather for the Oxford area this weekend, University of Mississippi officials have put backup plans in place for Saturday's Commencement ceremony. If Mother Nature forces the University to move the morning Commencement ceremony from its usual location in The Grove, it will take place at The Pavilion. A decision will be made by University officials by Saturday at 7 a.m. Oxford has a 40 percent chance of rain beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, according to weather.com. The percentage increases to 60 percent at 10 a.m. and reaches 75 percent at 12 p.m. Graduates should sit with their families and be seated on The Pavilion floor. Once the floor seating is filled, graduates and their families will be allowed to sit in the remaining available seating in the arena. |
| U. of Southern Mississippi awarding degrees to nearly 1,800 | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi is saluting nearly 1,800 graduates. Spokesman Michael Arnold says the university doesn't have an outside keynote speaker this year, but longtime Dean of Students Eddie Holloway is speaking to graduates. Holloway will retire from the university in June after 40 years. The ceremony for students earning graduate degrees on the Hattiesburg campus is Thursday evening at Reed Green Coliseum. Two ceremonies for undergraduates are being held at Reed Green on Friday morning and afternoon. A Saturday morning commencement is presenting degrees to all graduate and undergraduate students at Southern Mississippi's Gulf Park campus in Long Beach. |
| MBJ Honors Jackson State University's Maxine Greenleaf | |
| Mississippi Business Journal recently named Maxine Greenleaf, Jackson State University's executive director for communications and marketing, to its Top 50 Under 40 list, which honors individuals for significant contributions to the state's overall economic progress. Greenleaf has also served as president of the College Public Relations Association of Mississippi since July 1, 2018. CPRAM is a group made up of public-relations professionals who work at colleges and universities around the state. Greenleaf joined the organization in 2008. Her one-year term ends later this year. Originally from Itta Bena, Miss., Greenleaf graduated from Leflore County High School in 1999 before attending Mississippi Valley State University, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a focus on broadcasting in 2007. She also earned a master's degree in public relations from Kent State University in 2013 and is currently enrolled at the University of Mississippi, where she is set to graduate in 2020 with a doctorate in education. |
| Blue Mountain College holds its 146th commencement | |
| Blue Mountain College held its 146th commencement on Saturday, May 4. The class of 2019 was represented by seven states and three foreign countries. The majority of the 134 graduates were from Alcorn, Lee, Pontotoc, Tippah and Union counties. Dr. Douglas Bain, professor of Biblical Studies, was recognized for his 44 years of service to the BMC faculty, staff, students and community at large. The commencement speaker for the 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. services was Gen. Harold Cross, a native of Falkner. He attended Blue Mountain College and Northeast Mississippi Community College and earned his bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University and his master's degree from Mississippi College. He was an outstanding graduate of the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. |
| MGCCC graduation ceremonies feature almost 2,500 students | |
 | It's a big two-day celebration for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College with nearly 2,500 students graduating. The college reports 2,303 candidates receiving 3,577 credentials and degrees. Of those, 800 students are projected to graduate with honors distinction. Earlier in the day, 206 students of the college's allied health program received their associate of arts degrees. It has not been easy getting to this point. Nursing student Latoya Christian knows that well. "I've been a patient before. I have lupus," she said. "So, coming from both sides of it, it lets me know that empathy and sympathy is greatly needed in the nursing field." The ceremony included students in six disciplines in addition to nursing. About 35 of the graduates decided to start their higher education at the same time as their high school years were ending. "There are so many more people, we had about 20 people in my fifth grade graduation it was just my little class," aid Samantha Holland, a Collegiate Academy graduate. |
| LSU frat member charged hazing death erased hundreds of phone files; officials hope to recover | |
 | Prosecutors are hoping to recover hundreds of files deleted from the phone of the former LSU fraternity member accused in the 2017 hazing death of Max Gruver. In a search warrant filed Wednesday, prosecutors are requesting that Google turn over account information and content, as well as all deleted data, from two Google accounts associated with Matthew Naquin's phone from August through December 2017. Gruver died on Sept. 14, 2017. Officials believe Naquin, 21, erased much of his phone's content during the criminal investigation of Gruver's death, but hope he used the two Google accounts to back up his phone's files and data, according to the search warrant. In March, the FBI unlocked Naquin's phone after a long legal battle over privacy rights and after addressing technological roadblocks. Naquin, of Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas, is set to stand trial July 8 on negligent homicide, a charge that can carry up to five years in prison. |
| U. of South Carolina paid firm $137,000 to find its next president, then rejected all finalists | |
 | After seven months and more than $130,000, the University of South Carolina is back where it started -- trying to finding its next president. The university's educational foundation has paid Atlanta-based firm Parker Executive Search $137,060 since October -- when President Harris Pastides announced his retirement -- according to Jason Caskey, USC Foundations president. But the search for a presidential replacement has been fruitless so far. The board met Thursday, but did not deliver any updates on the presidential search, USC spokesman Jeff Stensland said. USC's Educational Foundation, which paid for the search, funds research, scholarships, salary supplements and assists with fundraising, according to its most recent financial statement. The money for the presidential search came from the foundation's general revenue fund, Caskey said, and no donor money was used. |
| UGA student speaker succeeded outside his comfort zone | |
 | For Josh Clifford, the key to success at the University of Georgia was stepping outside his comfort zone and getting involved. It's the message he'll give graduates May 10 when he delivers the undergraduate Commencement address. He's both excited and nervous about the speech, but said he looks forward to urging others to help change the world. "UGA encourages you to take steps outside of your comfort zone, and it provides such a loving atmosphere that you're able to succeed, not just in the classroom but outside as well. I feel like I am happy as I am today with my college career because of that," Clifford said. At UGA, Clifford was a member of the Redcoat Marching Band. Last fall, he was named one of the band's drum majors. "Which was really one of the highest honors I've had here," he said. "Leading a group of 400-plus musicians is incredible. Every time I stand in front of the band to conduct I am absolutely in awe at the sound they produce and the joy that it gives for so many UGA students and fans. |
| U. of Kentucky choir that planned to sing in Notre Dame serenades the charred cathedral instead | |
 | They sang anyway. Just in a different spot. The University of Kentucky Chorale was planning to perform in Notre Dame on May 10 but a massive fire on April 15 that destroyed the historic Paris cathedral's spire and roof forced them to change plans. Video posted by Michael Rintamaa, director of music at Central Christian Church, shows the UK Chorale serenading the still-closed cathedral from beside the Seine River in France. As the choir sang, a crowd gathered on the budge above to watch, listen and applaud. The 37-student chorale, conducted by Jefferson Johnson, had to submit recordings and a resume to be accepted to perform in the 12th-century cathedral. After the fire, Johnson said to perform in Notre Dame was "the dream of every choir" and the fire was "devastating." But the group made the trip anyway, also singing the National Anthem at the American Cemetery in Normandy overlooking Omaha Beach on May 8 in honor of the upcoming 75th anniversary of D-Day. |
| Newest Texas A&M graduates recognized at semester's first commencement events | |
 | Thursday's commencement exercises at Reed Arena were the first of eight Texas A&M spring ceremonies in College Station, which -- when combined with seven additional graduation events throughout the state and in Qatar -- will result in more than 10,000 new Aggie grads. "We graduate you today to do extraordinary things. That's what you've been prepared to do, and that's indeed what Aggies have done for many, many years. Aggies are making our state, our nation, indeed our world, a better place every day," Texas A&M President Michael K. Young said to conclude Thursday's 2 p.m. ceremony. He noted Aggies can be found exploring the depths of the oceans and the farthest reaches of space; in the jungles, deserts and mountains studying the environment and the planet; helping others in classrooms, hospitals and farms; working in some of the most successful businesses; and serving in the country's armed forces. |
| U. of Missouri to celebrate ROTC, unveil updated Veterans Center on Friday | |
 | The University of Missouri ROTC will hold its annual Joint Services "pass in review" ceremony at 9 a.m. Friday on Francis Quadrangle. Immediately following the ceremony, MU will celebrate the expansion of the campus Veterans Center in Memorial Union, according to an MU news release. The "pass in review" celebrates more than 150 years of military officer training at MU. During the event, cadets and midshipmen from the Army, Air Force, Navy and the Marine Corps ROTC programs will be inspected by a newly assigned commander and sabers will be awarded to top cadets from each ROTC program. Provost Latha Ramchand will be in attendance at the ceremony and will serve as this year's reviewing official and guest speaker. At 10 a.m., the recently expanded MU Veterans Center will host a ribbon-cutting, plaque-unveiling and open house. |
| 'Fight if You Must': Students Take a Front-Line Role in School Shootings | |
 | The two shootings were separated by seven days and more than 1,500 miles, but the details seemed eerily familiar: When a gunman charged into a classroom, a student went barreling toward him, preventing more bloodshed while sacrificing his life. At the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, it was Riley Howell, 21. At the STEM School in Highlands Ranch, Colo., it was Kendrick Castillo, 18. The two young men were hailed as heroes for assuming the unimaginable role of emergency responder to a school shooting. Their actions, credited by the authorities with saving the lives of classmates, suggest that some members of America's mass-shooting generation have learned to act -- by instinct or intention -- as professionals would in the face of deadly tragedy. Drills for what to do during a shooting have become routine in schools across the nation. Some young people, however, appear to have closely followed past massacres and concluded that they cannot wait for a teacher or security officer to protect them. |
| Judge demands Michigan president appear for sexual misconduct lawsuit hearing | |
 | A federal judge has demanded that the University of Michigan's president appear in his courtroom to address a lawsuit by a student accused of sexual assault. The order, a highly unusual step, underscores the increased national attention around campus rape investigations and fairness for accused students in the court system. Experts said that they expect judges and lawyers to employ similar legal strategies in the future. "This is a highly unusual case," said Laura Dunn, a lawyer and founder of advocacy group SurvJustice. Michigan officials argued Mark Schlissel, the president, should not have to attend a hearing in June, saying that such duties have historically been delegated to other administrators, that Schlissel is not primarily responsible for the university's sexual assault rules and that his time was better spent running the state's flagship institution. The judge, Arthur J. Tarnow, disagreed. |
| Without mothers sacrificing, world growth will stall | |
| Mississippi newspaper publisher and columnist Wyatt Emmerich writes: One of the greatest blessings to us all is the love of our mothers. I lost my mother seven years ago. It is still painful to think of that day. There has been a big hole in my heart ever since. I lost the one person in the world who loved me unconditionally. I also lost a fundamental connection to the world. I came from her body. Now her body is gone. For those who still have their mothers, take Mother's Day seriously. Their sacrifice is beyond measure. Let them know how much it means to you. ...Mother's Day is also an opportunity to point out a rather monumental demographic development occurring in our state, country and world: There are fewer and fewer mothers. In the U.S. births are exceeding deaths by a mere million births a year. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State looking to lock down national seed | |
| With two weekends remaining in the regular season, No. 5 Mississippi State wants to remain in contention to be a national seed once postseason play begins. Both Baseball America and D1Baseball.com have the Bulldogs projected as the No. 4 national seed in the NCAA Tournament and they can help bolster those standings with a strong showing at rival Ole Miss this weekend. "We need to win a couple more ballgames to solidify ourselves for a national seed," said MSU's Jake Mangum. "I told the guys that 2016 was the last time we've had a regional or super regional (in Starkville) and there was home field advantage to that." The 11th-ranked Rebels have an RPI of 18 and a few victories could potentially elevate MSU's RPI ranking, which sits at fourth nationally. "This is the best state in America for college baseball and I don't think there's a close second," Mangum said. "People care about baseball in the state of Mississippi so everyone is going to be locked in on this series and if we play well, good things will happen." |
| Dawgs, Ole Miss ready for rivalry weekend | |
| It's been just under a year since Mississippi State coach Chris Lemonis was hired away from Indiana University. In that time, Lemonis and the Bulldogs have faced No. 11 Ole Miss once -- an 8-1 MSU victory in the Governor's Cup April 23 in Pearl. But even with the small sample size, he has a firm handle on the importance of the rivalry. "It's going to be a war," Lemonis said Wednesday. "There's a lot at stake. It's a really good team and we're a really good team and it's a rivalry game so I think it's going to be a lot of fun." Friday, the Bulldogs and Rebels will begin a three-game set in Oxford. This weekend's series will be the final regular-season meeting between the two teams. MSU enters game one having won seven of its last eight games and five of its past six Southeastern Conference contests. It will also mark the 11th game in the last 12 the Bulldogs will face a team ranked in the Baseball America Top 25. |
| 3 things Mississippi State baseball must do to beat Ole Miss this weekend | |
 | Every weekend in Southeastern Conference baseball is a big one. For No. 6 Mississippi State and No. 14 Ole Miss, this one feels a bit bigger than most. The Bulldogs are vying for a national seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would allow them to host both a regional and a super regional. The Rebels are a few wins away from hosting a regional at Swayze Field, this site of this weekend's three-game series between the bitter rivals. On top of it all, State and Ole Miss are tied in the SEC standings. Both teams are 15-9, two games behind Arkansas. The Razorbacks still have to play No. 17 LSU and No. 18 Texas A&M. Whichever team takes two or three from the other this weekend could catch Arkansas by the end of next week. For it to be Mississippi State, these are the three things the Bulldogs must do in Oxford. |
| What the players from Oxford are saying about playing in the Ole Miss, Mississippi State rivalry | |
| It's Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State weekend. There's always heat, always raucous crowds and usually competitive baseball, but this year might bring even a little bit extra. When the Rebels and Bulldogs presumably kick-off their three-game series on Friday night, all will be square in the SEC standings. Both Ole Miss (32-17) and Mississippi State (38-10) sit tied for second place in the SEC West at 15-9 with just two conference series remaining. The first meeting between the two schools notwithstanding -- the Governor's Cup doesn't count towards conference records -- this weekend's series will be the first experience in the rivalry for a handful of young Rebel players. "You just have to take it for what it's worth," said Ole Miss junior and Oxford native Thomas Dillard, talking about his advice to the freshman. "There's a little bit extra there, but just go out there and play, really. It's going to be fun -- the fans will be a little more into it. There will be more State fans here than you'd expect, definitely more than any other opposing team fans. But just don't let your emotions take a hold of you." |
| Ole Miss hopes momentum leads to big night against Ethan Small | |
| It's no small task that awaits Ole Miss hitters tonight as they begin their final regular-season home series at Swayze Field. No. 11 Ole Miss and No. 5 Mississippi State will start at 6:30 p.m. if weather permits. The Rebels have won back-to-back SEC series, getting timely offense and going 5-1 in the process. MSU right-hander Ethan Small, with a 1.85 ERA that ranks third in the SEC and a league-leading 122 strikeouts, is a road block that could keep the Rebels (32-17) from getting off to a good start. Both teams are 15-9 in SEC play, tied for second in the West Division. As MSU (39-10) pushes for what it hopes will be a national seed, both teams are trying to position themselves for a double-bye in the SEC tournament and regional host status. These goals remain in play for Ole Miss after an emotional 10-inning 19-15 win at LSU on Sunday that clinched the Rebels' first series there since 1982. |
| How a Derek Jeter quote helped Mississippi State's Elijah MacNamee be 'Big Hit Mac' again | |
| Elijah MacNamee needed something -- anything -- to help pull him out of his recent slump. Mississippi State's senior right fielder was 4-for-35 in his last 10 games heading into Wednesday night against Memphis. He went 2-for-9 in front of family and friends in his home state of Texas last weekend when the Bulldogs played the Texas A&M Aggies. Some hitters spend hours in the batting cage to break those types of streaks. Some go out of their way to consult the team's hitting coach for extra guidance. Of course, MacNamee has been doing both of those things. He showed up hours early with MSU sophomore first baseman Tanner Allen to get extra swings in before the Memphis game. But he needed more. He needed something other than physical adjustments to get him going again. |
| Mississippi State men face TCU in NCAAs | |
| Mississippi State men's tennis coach Matt Roberts and seniors Nuno Borges and Trevor Foshey wandered through the underbelly of Humphrey Coliseum on Thursday morning. As they made their way through the winding halls beneath the basketball arena, they strode into the Babe McCarthy Media Room. The trio took their seats atop a podium in front of a maroon MSU backdrop. Roberts joked he hadn't been in the room since his introductory press conference five years ago. Neither Borges nor Foshey had been there before. But for a program that has now made the NCAA round of 16 three times in four years thanks to a senior class that has brought Roberts' vision to fruition, there's reason for upgraded scenery. After defeating Alabama State and South Alabama in the opening rounds of the NCAA Championships last week, MSU takes on Texas Christian University at 1 p.m. Saturday at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre in Starkville with a quarterfinal berth on the line. |
| Mississippi State men's golf previews NCAA Louisville Regional | |
 | Mississippi State men's golf coach Dusty Smith met with the media Thursday to preview the upcoming NCAA Louisville Regional. Smith was accompanied by a pair of student-athletes, senior Austin Rose and junior Garrett Johnson. The Golf Dawgs are set for their second consecutive regional appearance, as Smith has now led the team to regional play in both seasons at the helm. Play begins Monday, May 13, with 18 holes from the University of Louisville Golf Club. The field will play the second round Tuesday, and the decisive final round on Wednesday. The top five teams will advance to NCAA Championship play, as well as the best individual competitor. Live results will be available via Golfstat.com. |
| Mississippi State's #JavU Corps Sweeps SEC Podium | |
| Anderson Peters led from his very first throw. The defending SEC javelin champion took control early on his way to breaking his own meet record for a second straight conference title. Mississippi State's javelin group stole the show on the first day of the SEC Championships as the Bulldogs swept the podium behind Peters' championship. The St. Andrews, Grenada, native threw 83.35m (273-5) to become the first MSU man to successfully defend a conference championship since Garry Frank (shot put) did so in 1987. His performance landed him at No. 8 on the collegiate all-time list. Peters has now thrown the Nos. 3, 4, 7 and 8 marks in NCAA history this season alone. Along the way he also broke the John McDonnell Field record that had stood since 2009 and extended his winning streak in collegiate meets to seven straight. Curtis Thompson followed Peters with a 77.88m (255-6) throw to place second, and Tyriq Horsford placed third. |
| Mississippi State safety Brian Cole believes his time is now | |
| After waiting around for a year after transferring in from junior college, 2018 was supposed to be the season Brian Cole could finally show what he was made of at Mississippi State. Things certainly started well enough for Cole as he stacked up 11 tackles, three stops for loss, one sack and snagged an interception through the first five games. But it was in that fifth game against Florida that the talented safety tore his right pectoral muscle while making a tackle. Cole waited two weeks before having surgery hoping to regain strength in his right shoulder but ultimately had to miss the remainder of the season. "It was real frustrating and it took me a while to get over that," Cole said. "But I just had to think about it and say that it was God's timing. It just wasn't my time." When Cole went down, Johnathan Abram moved into Cole's starting spot at 'star' and ended up being drafted in the first round by the Oakland Raiders two weeks ago. |
| How did Titans decide on Jeffery Simmons? Research, calculated risk and a lot of faith | |
 | They could have traded down. They could have traded up. They could have drafted someone else, someone without significant red flags on his resume or someone who wouldn't have had general manager Jon Robinson almost immediately going on the defensive in his explanation of the pick. But the Titans couldn't resist. They selected Jeffery Simmons. Big and athletic. Strong and agile. Mississippi State-forged and SEC-tested. The ultra-talented, do-it-all defensive tackle. But yes, there was a reason the 6-foot-4, 301-pounder was still on the board when the Titans were on the clock with the 19th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Two, actually: a reprehensible incident in high school and a recently torn ACL. So how did the Titans arrive at the controversial decision to draft the 21-year-old native of LaSalle Parish, La.? There's a ton to unpack, but once you do, it's really quite simple. They have faith in his talent. They have faith in his comeback from injury. They have faith in him. |
| Father Burke Masters' returns for Journey of Hope in Tupelo | |
| Almost 300 people attended a Journey of Hope Luncheon in Tupelo to benefit Catholic Charities Vardaman Service Center on Friday, April 26. The guest speaker was Father Burke Masters, former Mississippi State Baseball standout and chaplain for the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Father Masters spoke at the Jackson Journey of Hope last year. When Catholic Charities organizers heard he would be back in Starkville for a Hall of Fame event, they took a chance and invited him to travel to Tupelo for another event. "We can't thank Father Burke and the people of St. James in Tupelo enough for their generosity and all they did to support Catholic Charities," said Michael Thomas, development director for Catholic Charities. "We could not have hosted this event without their help," he added. |
| No. 4 Razorbacks club 5 homeruns in rout of Tigers | |
| The University of Arkansas' heavy hitters teed off on LSU with a home-run barrage in the early innings, and ace right-hander Isaiah Campbell overcame a shaky start to power a Razorback rout in an SEC West series opener on Thursday. The No. 4 Razorbacks hit a season-high tying five home runs, including Jack Kenley's fourth inning grand slam, as Arkansas smoked the Tigers 14-4 before a festive announced crowd of 7,283 at Baum-Walker Stadium. Arkansas (38-12, 18-7) improved its lead to 2 1/2 games in the SEC West over Ole Miss and Mississippi State, who start a three-game series tonight in Oxford, Miss., and four games over the Tigers (30-20, 14-11). LSU has dropped its last four games and has allowed 45 runs in the last three losses. |
| Avalanche of home runs buries LSU in series-opening loss to Arkansas | |
| The avalanche at Baum Stadium started slowly. A home run to tie the game. Another one to take the lead. It picked up speed, gaining force every inning. Another home run. It accelerated, catching LSU in its path. Then a grand slam. The avalanche eventually stopped, but when it did, Arkansas had hit five home runs. The No. 5 Razorbacks buried LSU with a nine-run lead. LSU, down to No. 18 in the latest rankings, lost to Arkansas 14-4 on Thursday night. The Tigers (30-20, 14-11 Southeastern Conference) came here feeling the weight of their position. Their freshman ace remained out with an arm injury. They teetered on the edge of hosting an NCAA regional. Now, they trail Arkansas (38-12, 18-7) by four games in the SEC Western Division. |
| Mizzou baseball closes in on NCAA Regional | |
 | Missouri baseball is closing in on its first NCAA Regional appearance since 2012 and since moving to the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers leaped to No. 20 nationally in Baseball America's most recent poll after taking two of three from Tennessee on the road last weekend, giving MU a 1 1/2 game lead for third place in the SEC East. "Making the regional would be pretty special," Tigers pitcher TJ Sikkema said. "We know the history and we know we haven't been there in a while. We wanted to be the team that breaks the streak. We've talked ever since (MU coach Steve) Bieser started here, we're going to be the class that gets it done." But the Tigers aren't a lock for the national tournament just yet. The good news is, Missouri has already clinched a spot in the SEC Tournament, two weekends ahead of schedule from a season ago. Yet, future opponents don't get any easier. The Tigers face No. 2 Vanderbilt in Nashville this weekend in a three-game series, then close out the regular season with a home series against Florida. |
| What direction is Texas A&M headed in its search for a new AD? | |
| Ben Baby, Texas A&M beat writer for SportsDayDFW.com and The Dallas Morning News, answered your questions about the team and the SEC. Here are some highlights: Any insight on athletic director favorites? Baby: I still think the frontrunner is Oregon's Rob Mullens. The tricky part is getting Mullens to leave Oregon for College Station. He's been in that role for several years and has done well at the Pac-12 school. I'm not sure who the Aggies will target after that and at what point they will start using a search firm. Right now, A&M president Michael Young and Jimbo Fisher are spearheading the search. |
| Peyton Manning is opening a Western-themed restaurant in Knoxville | |
 | Peyton Manning and Graduate Hotels will open a restaurant in Knoxville as part of a hotel renovation and acquisition across from the University of Tennessee. Saloon 16 will be located in what is right now the Hilton Garden Inn on Cumberland Avenue, which will be rebranded. The restaurant will be a western-inspired, high-end "watering hole." The name is inspired by the former NFL quarterback's nickname, "The Sheriff," and his University of Tennessee football jersey number. AJ Capital Partners acquired the Hilton Garden Inn. Prior to and during renovations, it will be operated as an independent brand, The Volunteer Hotel. Renovations will begin in December 2019 and are estimated to be completed in Spring 2020. Once renovations are complete, the 112-room hotel will join the Graduate Hotels collection and will be rebranded as Graduate Knoxville. |
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