| Tuesday, November 5, 2019 |
| Starkville/MSU Symphony presents 'Sing, Dance, Clap, Draw!' Friday | |
 | The Starkville/MSU Symphony presents the "Sing, Dance, Clap, Draw!" concert on Friday [Nov. 8] at 7:30 p.m. in Lee Hall's Bettersworth Auditorium. The concert marks the third installment of this year's 51st season. Admission is free and open to the public. Performed by the Symphony Orchestra, the annual family concert will culminate the Symphony Association's month-long "Programs for Children," a multidisciplinary music education program designed to introduce area school children to symphonic music. On Friday [the 8th], more than 3,000 area K-5 children/teachers will attend three concerts in Bettersworth Auditorium. The evening concert features a selection of folk and children's songs, as well as Symphony #1 by Prokofiev, and the famous "Farandole" from Georges Bizet's L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2. "The Programs for Children initiative is truly a community effort," said SMSA Board President Eric Hill. |
| MSU Extension Service office moves to Lauderdale County Agri-Center | |
 | The MSU Extension Service office in Lauderdale County has a new location. It held a ceremony Monday to celebrate. The extension has been in Meridian for almost 100 years, most recently in the Courthouse Annex downtown. "It's just a historical moment for us to move to where we should be which is the Lauderdale County Agri-Center. It just makes sense and we couldn't be more proud and thrilled to have new facilities to help us reach the public," said extension agent Shani Hay. The Agri-Center is located at 1022 Hwy. 19 South in Meridian. |
| Warning signs abound in today's farm economy | |
 | Farm economists point to an almost perfect storm of warning signs that signaled a rocky farm economy in 2019. The Farm Foundation, Oct. 22, hosted its monthly forum, titled, "Farm Economy: Issues and Impacts." The forum's slate of economic experts included: John Newton, chief economist of the American Farm Bureau Federation; Seth Meyer, associate director and research professor, Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute, University of Missouri; and Keith Coble, professor and head of the Mississippi State University department of agricultural economics. Coble said that considering the pressures from climate change to federal policy to even farm transitions and more, farmers are going to have to catch up with their management skills to survive. "Those farms at the cutting edge of management are going to be the ones that survive, will be able to lease land from other people," Coble said. And while we're poised for a period of transitioning from one generation to the next, he doesn't see that land going out of production. Rather, there will be more pressure in the coming years to see large farms managing more and more acres with the best tools. |
| Polls open for state, county races | |
 | Vote y'all. The candidates have worn out their shoes. Campaign consultants have racked up consulting fees. Donors have written checks large and small. Commercials featuring well-worn slogans have aired on heavy rotation. Then, the voters get a say. And sometimes, just sometimes, those voters have their own ideas and a surprise or two in store. Voting precincts across the state open at 7 a.m. today and remain open until 7 p.m. for statewide, regional and county level races. Anyone standing in line when polls close may still vote. he governor's race between Democrat Jim Hood and Republican Tate Reeves is the most high profile race on the ballot and Northeast Mississippi voters will be needed if Hood is to remain competitive against the well-funded Reeves. There are also contested races for most statewide races, including lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer and agriculture commissioner. In north Mississippi, there are also contested races for the Transportation Commission and in a number of legislative seats. Some of these legislative districts are open seats following the retirement of longtime incumbents. In Northeast Mississippi, two of these seats were largely rural districts represented by white Democrats, and Republicans are eager to move them over into the column of the GOP majority. |
| Absentee numbers reported prior to election, high turnout expected | |
 | Mississippians will go to the polls today to decide several county, district and statewide offices, including the state's next governor, with some of the votes being cast ahead of time on absentee ballots. Across the Golden Triangle, absentee numbers have been reported. In Oktibbeha County, 819 of the county's 28,217 registered voters cast their ballots early. Deputy Circuit Clerk for Elections Sheryl Elmore said the figure was approximately 100 more voted absentee voters than in the last statewide election four years ago. Elmore said the increase possibly was related to an increase in population in the county. Several Oktibbeha County races remain contested including all but one seat on the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors. Elmore said there was a possibility of a high turnout, with many high-profile races on the ballot. "People are talking about like a 40% turnout tomorrow," Elmore said Monday. "Some of the commissioners are saying a 40-45% is what they're predicting." |
| Hood, Reeves spend Election Day eve trying to fire up their bases | |
| Both major party gubernatorial candidates -- Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood and Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves -- spent election eve trying to fire up their respective bases in advance of Tuesday's election. Reeves, on the heels of his Friday night rally in Tupelo with President Donald Trump, held an event Monday afternoon in Biloxi with Vice President Mike Pence. The Mississippi Gulf Coast proved to be Reeves' bulwark in a surprisingly competitive Republican Party primary this summer. Reeves won all three populous Gulf Coast counties by commanding margins over former Mississippi Supreme Court chief justice Bill Waller Jr. In one of his last stops before voting begins, Hood visited Greenwood on Monday. Hood has come through the Delta several times while on the campaign trail, including when introducing his education plan in Greenville and discussing cutting the sales tax in Indianola. |
| Mike Pence, GOP pull out all stops for Tate Reeves in Biloxi | |
 | Republicans pulled out all the stops Monday when Vice President Mike Pence visited Biloxi to rally support for gubernatorial candidate Tate Reeves ahead of Tuesday's statewide election. Pence stirred up hundreds of residents who came to hear him speak Monday in a large convention room at the Coast Coliseum & Convention Center. Republican Lt. Gov. Reeves and Attorney General Jim Hood, the only Democrat serving in statewide office, are locked in a tight race, although most polls show Reeves ahead. "Enough is enough, enough is enough," the crowd stood and chanted, waving Tate Reeves signs as Pence derided Democrats over the right to abortion, support for gun control, illegal immigration and other issues. Pence said he hopes Coast residents will get out and vote for Reeves and in 2020 re-elect Donald Trump as president. |
| Mississippi's surprisingly close race for governor, explained | |
| On November 5, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood has a good shot at becoming the state's first Democratic governor in 16 years -- as long as a Jim Crow-era electoral system doesn't get in his way. Neither Hood nor his Republican opponent, current Mississippi Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves, has ever lost a statewide election -- Hood was first elected as Mississippi's attorney general in 2003; in that same election, Reeves became the state's treasurer. Reeves claims, "The Democrats are out-of-control and Jim Hood is completely with them." Hood, on the other hand, has rejected any ties to progressives in DC, saying, "The crazies on both extremes of our parties have been driving the agenda, and people are sick of it." The specter of these politicians -- particularly Trump -- looms large, and Dallas Breen, executive director of the Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University believes the national attention the race has received in recent weeks could be behind the polling shift in Reeve's favor, especially "the attention that the president is giving to the state." |
| Mississippi chairmaker gifts President Trump with rocking chair | |
| Greg Harkins described his lifetime of being able to do what he loves, which is making high quality rocking chairs, as simply a "good life," but that may be underselling it a little bit. After being able to gift his iconic rocking chairs to six presidents, with the most recent being President Donald Trump during his rally in Tupelo last Friday, Harkins has lived a life that stretches far beyond his hometown of Canton. "It (is) humbling, is what it is," Harkins said. Harkins, 67, has built chairs for 47 years and owns Harkins Chairs. He first learned the craft under the apprenticeship of Tom Bell, whom he described as a "master of the craft" who worked until he was 90. Harkins credits both Bell and his ancestors who came from Ireland. "The fact that we're seventh generation Mississippi Irish Catholics to me is huge. There were no Catholics in central Mississippi, and we landed in New Orleans and worked our way up to Jackson digging ditches. Then being Irish Catholic, we weren't welcome on either front," Harkins said. |
| Decline of local journalism is likely increasing voter polarization | |
 | In May 2017, former Republican Rep. Leonard Lance crossed party lines and voted against the GOP health care repeal, a proposal deeply unpopular with voters in New Jersey's 7th District, which he had represented in Washington for nearly a decade. A year later, Lance again joined Democrats to oppose the Republican tax cut bill. Although he supported portions of the bill and its overall intent, he decided to vote against it because it would hurt the ability of his wealthiest constituents to deduct the value of their state and local taxes. Put simply, Lance was doing what a member of Congress is supposed to do: look out for the individual needs of the people who live in his district. Then he lost his reelection bid. The 2018 election cycle was particularly brutal for moderate Republicans like Lance who, despite efforts to distance themselves from the agenda and rhetoric of President Donald Trump, could not overcome their affiliation with the party he now leads. "The results were based, I believe in large measure, on the president," he said in a recent interview. "I would hope, moving forward, that voters could pick and choose based on the views of individual candidates." But that may be a pipe dream because voters -- with fewer sources of local news and greater access to national media outlets and social media sites, whose algorithms focus on divisive national topics -- are becoming more polarized. |
| Auburn's Leach Science Center adds telescopes to rooftop terrace | |
| For most, the first image that comes to mind when thinking of a telescope is a long, gold tube with a lens at one end and a viewing piece at the other. The new technology on the all-new astronomy terrace of the Leach Science Center couldn't be further from that idea. Sitting squarely on the terrace is a squat metal cylinder mounted on a large base, equipped with a heavy counterweight and a second, smaller viewing telescope that is used to track smaller objects across the sky. Over the summer, the physics department was consolidated in the Leach Science Center and its $24 million extension. The extension included a group study area, nine new labs and the 18 telescopes on the terrace. These brand new 10-inch telescopes can be stored outside on the terrace under a weatherproof covering, thereby eliminating the long and tedious set-up process that students in an astronomy course had to go through in the past. |
| Spotlight on the Arts returns to UGA | |
 | The University of Georgia's annual Spotlight on the Arts festival returns for its eighth year with dozens of exhibitions and performances in the visual, literary and performing arts from Nov. 6-17. The creative work presented over the 12-day festival highlights the breadth of arts offerings on campus, and it includes performances and exhibitions by UGA faculty and students as well as visiting artists from around the world. Many of the events are free or discounted for UGA students, and the annual Spotlight on the Arts Family Day will be presented free of charge Nov. 16. "Spotlight on the Arts provides students, faculty, staff and community members with dozens of opportunities to become more engaged with the outstanding arts programs the University of Georgia offers," said S. Jack Hu, the university's senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. "The creativity and dedication of the members of the UGA Arts Council, faculty and performing artists will be on display throughout the festival." |
| In the era of social influencers, U. of Missouri students are finding their niche | |
 | Before Sydni Miller gets out of bed, she grabs her phone to check her Instagram analytics. The Instagram tool calculates content activity and audience data from the over 30 thousand followers of her account, @SydniLayne. The Oct. 15-22 analytics report shows that Miller's following was 62% men and 38% women, most between the ages of 18 to 24. Not only does the report disclose location, gender and age demographics, it also highlights when her followers are most active during the week. As one of a new breed of social influencers, Miller can use the results to tailor and schedule content for maximum engagement. "I've always wanted to be famous," said Miller, a University of Missouri freshman who works with brands to influence consumer buying habits. MU students are capitalizing on the trend to get recognition, boost future careers and help pay for college tuition. |
| Institutions introduce undergraduate degree programs in esports | |
 | Ohio State University, home of an 80-seat esports arena and four competitive video-gaming teams, is taking its investment in esports to the next level. It is becoming the first state university to introduce a formal degree program focused on the growing job market in the $1 billion esports industry. The university plans to start offering a bachelor of science program in game studies and esports in fall 2020. OSU's full-throttle embrace of the academic potential of gaming is part of a growing national trend in higher ed as colleges and universities increasingly seek new students, and new revenue streams, at a time of declining enrollment. The University of Kentucky is considering launching a certificate program in esports. But some academics and other higher education experts are questioning the wisdom of developing such programs and their legitimacy as academic disciplines. The opponents are skeptical of the young esports industry and worry universities are developing substandard programs as an "enrollment gimmick," with little guarantee of future success. |
| Report examines disparities in rural and nonrural students | |
| Students in rural areas have lower average rates of college enrollment and degree completion compared to nonrural students, according to findings in a new study by researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. The findings, published in the American Journal of Education, show that while the divide has narrowed since the 1990s and 2000s, it still exists. The researchers examined how disparities changed from the 1990s to the 2000s and also how predictors of enrollment and completion for the two demographics, rural and nonrural, changed over the same period of time. In the study the researchers noted that there are different opportunities when it comes to rural and nonrural students' college trajectories, such as rural students having stronger connections to their home communities. |
| East Tennessee State University president 'disgusted' by racist flyers | |
 | East Tennessee State University's president said on Monday he is "disgusted" by the placement of "It's Okay To Be White" signs throughout the campus, including to cover a memorial dedicated to the school's first black students. ETSU President Brian Noland said in a statement Monday to students, faculty and staff that the school is investigating the early Friday morning incident and is seeking tips that could lead to the identification and prosecution of those that placed the signs throughout numerous areas of the campus. "It is clear that the posting and placement of these flyers was an attempt to create division in our community and I am disgusted by this act," Noland said. The racist flyers at the school are one of several similar incidents that have occurred recently at colleges throughout the nation. Colleges throughout the country have sporadically experienced similar incidents in the last three years. |
| USDA Selects SDSU President to Deliver Hatch Memorial Lecture | |
| Dr. J. Scott Angle, Director of USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), announced today that Dr. Barry Dunn, President of South Dakota State University (SDSU), was selected to deliver the 2019 William H. Hatch Memorial Lecture on Nov. 10 in San Diego, Calf., at the annual meeting of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). The lecture is one of three rotating lectures presented by NIFA and APLU, which honor three historic Land-Grant University (LGU) figures: Justin Smith Morrill, William Henry Hatch, and Seamen A. Knapp. Nominations for this prestigious award are submitted by the LGU system, stakeholders, foundations, public interest groups, and international organizations. Dunn's lecture, titled "Wokini -- A Morrill Obligation to Create a New Beginning" focuses on his Wokini Initiative. He launched this program to increase programming and support to enrolled members of the state's nine tribal nations. |
| Building Civic Engagement Capacity From The Ground: Voter Registration On College Campuses | |
| Thessalia Merivaki, an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Mississippi State University, writes: The 2018 midterm election saw record breaking voter participation rates, particularly among young voters, with 31 percent of 18-29 year old voters turned out to vote in 2018, an impressive increase compared to the 2014 midterm elections. College student turnout rates also doubled in 2018 compared to 2014, indicating that young voters are paying attention and are likely to show up in increased numbers at the polls in 2020. Increasing voter participation on college campuses is becoming a priority within higher education institutions. Advocacy groups, academics, as well as students encourage higher education institutions to invest in civic capacity in order to foster norms of civic engagement and participation as part of an institution's culture. |
SPORTS
| Jessika Carter, Bulldogs down Lubbock Christian in final tune-up before regular season | |
 | Mississippi State women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer couldn't watch. Schaefer rubbed his temples in frustration as his squad slogged through a 78-57 win over defending Division II national champion Lubbock Christian Monday at the Humphrey Coliseum. "They came in here with a really good mindset and I thought that was exactly what we needed," Schaefer said. "Disappointed in our defensive effort in the first half and in general. Just didn't think we played very hard. I think it was a great wake up call for us." Lubbock Christian jumped out to a quick 9-4 lead 3:53 into the game courtesy of backdoor cuts-to-finishes from Maddi Chitsey and Allie Schulte -- who combined for 24 of Lubbock Christian's 25 first quarter points. With Schaefer remaining rather mellow on the sideline as he rotated his entire bench, sophomore center Jessika Carter took charge -- adding 10 of her game-high 27 points in the opening quarter. |
| Bulldogs tested early in tuneup victory | |
| Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer got exactly what he was searching for in an exhibition opponent for his 10th-ranked Bulldogs. Defending Division II national champion Lubbock Christian gave MSU a run for its money in the first half but the Bulldogs settled in for the second to prevail, 78-57. "They came in here with a really good mindset and I thought that was exactly what we needed," Schaefer said. "I was disappointed in our defensive effort in the first half and effort in general. I didn't think we played very hard and it was a great wakeup call for us. I thought the second half was much better." The second half was a completely different story for the Bulldogs. Mississippi State limited LCU to just 6 of 26 shooting and only eight points in both the third and fourth quarters. The Bulldogs finished the evening shooting 38.1 percent including a 7 of 20 showing from the 3-point arc. |
| 3 takeaways from Mississippi State women's basketball exhibition game | |
 | Vic Schaefer sat slumped on the bench at Humphrey Coliseum with his hand on his chin and a disappointed look on his face. At the time, Schaefer's Mississippi State women's basketball team trailed, 27-22, to defending Division II national champion Lubbock Christian in Monday night's exhibition game. The Lady Chaparrals made 61.1% of their shots in the first quarter. All Schaefer could do was sit and watch with his signature frustrated expression. The Bulldogs eventually got their game going in a 78-57 victory. The second half was much different and much more dominant defensively for the Dawgs, but overall they were tested in their final tuneup before Saturday's season-opener against Southern Miss. "I think it was a great wake-up call for us," Schaefer said. |
| Mississippi State men's basketball hoping to keep pace with up-tempo FIU | |
| Mississippi State's season opener promises to be a fast-paced affair. When the Bulldogs begin the 2019-2020 men's basketball season hosting Florida International at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Humphrey Coliseum, they'll clash with the team that played at the fastest adjusted tempo in the nation a season ago, according to KenPom.com. "We've been doing a lot of running," MSU sophomore forward Robert Woodard II said of the team's preparation. "There's a lot of transition defense and a lot of transition work we've been doing. We're just preparing for an up and down pace." In FIU coach Jeremy Ballad's first season in 2018-2019, the Panthers went 20-14. Redshirt senior Devon Andrews was named to the All-Conference USA preseason team after leading the team in scoring with 15.3 points per game while grabbing 5.1 rebounds a night in his junior season. FIU was picked to finish 10th in Conference USA in the league's preseason poll. "It's not an easy opener," MSU coach Ben Howland said. "They're a very difficult team to play. They force a lot of turnovers with their style of play." |
| Bulldogs look to build off last season's success | |
| Mississippi State's men's basketball program has shown gradual improvement each season with Ben Howland at the helm. Tonight, they'll begin to take the next step. The Bulldogs went 14-17 in Howland's first year, 2015-16, and broke even the next at 16-16. His third year saw MSU finish with its first winning season since 2011-12 with a 25-12 record and a berth in the National Invitation Tournament. Last year, though, was a breakthrough season with the Bulldogs finishing 23-11 and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade. "After being out for 10 years, it was a great accomplishment to get the program back into the NCAA Tournament," Howland said. "So the next big achievement for us as a program is to get back into the tournament and win in the tournament." |
| Mississippi State basketball aimed at another NCAA Tournament season | |
| The Bulldogs tasted it. Now they want more. Mississippi State made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 10 years last season. It was a foreign feeling for the program. The Dawgs had an NCAA Selection Show watch party. They got to hop on a plane and head to San Jose, California, to play at an SAP Center decked out in March Madness decor. For the first time in a decade and the first time in the careers of every player present, Mississippi State took part in the festivities. They didn't have to watch from home. But they didn't win. The 12th-seeded Liberty Flames upset fifth-seeded Mississippi State, 80-76, in the first round of the tourney. Ecstatic emotions faded as dejection and despondence set in. Eight months later, head coach Ben Howland's team has reloaded, refocused and locked in on taking the 2019-20 season a step further than the last. The journey begins against Florida International at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Humphrey Coliseum. |
| Alabama-Mississippi State set for early morning start | |
| Mississippi State's showdown with Twin State rival Alabama has been scheduled for an 11 a.m. kickoff on Nov. 16 and will be televised by ESPN. It marks the fifth time the Bulldogs have kicked off at 11 a.m. this season. Alabama has dominated the all-time series 82-18-3 overall and owns a 19-4 lead in games played in Starkville. The Crimson Tide have won 11 straight in the series and claimed a 24-0 victory in Tuscaloosa last year. MSU's last win the series was a 17-12 victory in Starkville in 2007. |
| Mississippi State's Kylin Hill named SEC Offensive Player of the Week | |
| Mississippi State junior running back Kylin Hill ran for a career-high 234 yards and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 54-24 win at Arkansas Saturday en route to being named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week. The SEC weekly honor is Hill's second of his career and first this season. Hill previously earned the league's offensive player of the week award last season after rushing 17 times for 211 yards and two touchdowns and also catching a 16-yard score at Kansas State. Hill is MSU's first SEC Offensive Player of the Week since quarterback Nick Fitzgerald last season following State's 28-13 win against No. 16 Texas A&M. He is the third running back in school history to earn the honor multiple times in a career, joining Jerious Norwood (2002-05) and Anthony Dixon (2006-09). Hill's 234 yards helped MSU set school records in a conference game for rushing yards (460) and total yards (640). |
| Kylin Hill named SEC Offensive Player of the Week | |
| Mississippi State junior running back Kylin Hill was tabbed the SEC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Bulldogs' 54-24 victory at Arkansas. Hill ran for a career-high 234 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries, averaging 11.1 yards per carry. The 5-foot-11, 215-pounder from Columbus had 198 yards and all three of his scores in the first half. It is the first SEC honor for Hill this season and second of his career. Hill continues to led the league with 1,027 yards and nine TDs and is averaging 114.1 yards per game. |
| Alabama making plans for President Trump to attend LSU game | |
 | The University of Alabama is making preparations for President Donald Trump to attend Saturday's Alabama-LSU game at Bryant-Denny Stadium according to a Sports Illustrated report. Officials at the Alabama athletics department, reached for comment by The Tuscaloosa News, would neither confirm nor deny the reports. Any presidential visit complicates the logistics involving traffic and security, compounding -- if it occurs -- what was already expected to be a record crowd in town for the crucial game between No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama. As UA has yet to confirm the visit, no logistical updates have been released but Trump's visit to Atlanta for the 2018 title game caused street closings and lengthy waits at many entrances to accommodate enhanced security measures. ESPN's "College GameDay" and the SEC Network's "SEC Nation" will also be on campus on Saturday. UA has issued a release regarding the logistics of those broadcast locations. |
| Tuberville to Trump: 'Alabama will give you a heroes' welcome' | |
 | Worlds collided Monday afternoon, a fascinating crossing of President Trump, perhaps the game of the year in college football and a football coach turned U.S. Senate candidate. And the backdrop, of course, is Alabama. Alabama football, of course, in particular. As word leaked that Trump is planning to attend the showdown in Tuscaloosa on Saturday between No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama, former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville couldn't hold back his excitement. Tuberville, perhaps regarded as the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate held by Doug Jones that's up for election next year, tweeted his thoughts before any official announcement concerning Trump had been made. "The state of Alabama will give you a heroes welcome, unlike some of the liberals up north!" Tuberville tweeted Monday. And that sentence, in short, perhaps sums up why Trump would drop in to perhaps his friendliest state in the country. Alabama backed Trump with 63 percent of its vote in 2016 and is widely considered the most Republican state in the country. |
| Mizzou Arena will have alcohol sales, Lion's Choice this season | |
| Not long after Lion's Choice announced Monday afternoon that it would have new concession locations this upcoming basketball season at Mizzou Arena, word came on a move that most expected but had not yet been announced: There will be beer and wine, too. "Alcohol will be sold," MU Deputy Athletics Director Nick Joos confirmed in a text when asked to clarify a statement from Lion's Choice that the St. Louis roast beef favorite would be "the only new addition to the concession offerings in Mizzou Arena for the 2019-2020 basketball season." Turns out, that referred to food only. This is the first season the Southeastern Conference is allowing schools to decide whether they want to sell alcohol during their sporting events. In August, Missouri announced that it would have alcohol sales during football games, with the athletic department waiting to see how that went before coming to a decision on the basketball season. |
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