Tuesday, February 23, 2021   
 
Mississippi's I-20 Bridge Project On Track Despite Weather
Mississippi Department of Transportation crews are pressing on with work to replace a bridge carrying Interstate 20 through the state capital. Running across central Mississippi, I-20 is the state's primary east-west route. Specifically, the project's focus is the I-20 bridge between Terry Road and Gallatin Street in Jackson. The interstate passes between those roads for fewer than two miles in a highway configuration that includes I-55 as well as U.S. Route 49 and Route 51. MDOT spokesman Michael Flood confirmed the project remains on track despite disruptions caused by the winter weather that gripped Mississippi in mid-February. The weather event, which brought ice and freezing temperatures to the area, hampered crews' ability to work and receive deliveries, Flood said. The $42.2 million project is a major undertaking for MDOT. Isaac Howard, an engineering professor at Mississippi State University, identified the I-20 bridge as a vital corridor for travel. Howard, who also serves as director of the university's Construction Materials Research Center, said interstates 20 and 55 are key arteries for Mississippi travelers and traffic moving across the south.
 
Monday Profile: Power outage does not stop Suzanne Tribble from teaching children in China
At 3:15 a.m. Thursday, Suzanne Tribble was halfway through her first cup of coffee when a tree fell across West Main Street a few hundred feet east of her home, ripping through power lines and providing a horrifying light show of sparks flying from buzzing transformers. Then her electricity, along with much of the city's, was out and would be for the next several hours. Halfway around the world, a child in China getting ready for his English lesson had no idea how this felled tree would affect him. If Tribble had anything to say about it, it wouldn't. Tribble found her husband Mark's fully-charged iPad, a cell phone to use for a hotspot and gathered candles and flashlights to place around her work station so her face would show well enough on the iPad camera. At 4 a.m., just in time, Tribble looked into the iPad and said, "Hello, Bao Bao," offering a familiar Chinese word akin to "Sweetie." The child on the screen returned, "Hello, Teacher." Tribble spent much of the next three hours offering one-on-one tutoring sessions remotely to Chinese children, something she's done most every day for about three years. Thursday's circumstances, she said, were a first. Tribble, who holds a master's degree in technical education and a PhD in community college leadership, retired from Mississippi State University in 2017 where she helped develop curriculum for vocational-technical centers all over the state. Her "retirement" still looks a whole lot like working.
 
Mississippi State Department of Health reports 348 new COVID-19 cases, 24 deaths
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) on Tuesday reported 348 additional cases of COVID-19 and 24 deaths. Oktibbeha and Tippah counties in Northeast Mississippi each reported one additional death. The statewide total number of cases since March 11, 2020 is now 291,222 with a death toll of 6,577. As of this week, around 273,437 people are presumed recovered from the virus. The seven-day moving average for new COVID-19 cases in Mississippi is 15 per 100,000 people, as of Feb. 21. In Mississippi's 1st Congressional District, the seven-day moving average is 13 per 100,000 people. MSDH also reported 87 ongoing outbreaks in long-term care facilities. Most counties in the Daily Journal's coverage area reported new cases: Benton (1), Calhoun (1), Clay (3), Lafayette (7), Lee (7), Marshall (16), Monroe (4), Oktibbeha (3), Pontotoc (1), Prentiss (1), Tippah (5), Tishomingo (3) and Union (4).
 
Mississippi COVID-19 vaccinations drop during winter blast
Mississippi saw a steep decline in COVID-19 vaccinations last week as several drive-thru vaccination sites were closed because of freezing temperatures and icy roads. The state Department of Health said Monday that 32,540 vaccinations were given in the state during the week that ended Saturday. That is down from 106,691 the previous week, which was Mississippi's busiest week for the vaccinations so far. The department said it is automatically rescheduling appointments that had to be canceled at 21 drive-thru sites, and people are being notified by text or email. More people than usual are being scheduled for COVID-19 vaccinations in the state this week, and some appointments will be during the weekend. The Health Department is asking people to arrive at least 15 minutes before their scheduled time and to be patient.
 
Mississippi vaccinations still on track after winter weather delays
COVID-19 vaccinations at Mississippi State Health Department drive-thru vaccination sites are still on track after winter weather delays last week led to many appointments being rescheduled. "Just like the rest of the state, we managed the situation to the best of our ability, all appointments have been rescheduled and we have enough vaccines to supply our county drive-through vaccination sites," MSDH Communications Director Liz Sharlot said. A total of 487,043 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to Mississippians as of Monday -- 341,102 first doses and 145,941 second doses. Still, only 32,540 first and second doses were administered between Feb. 14 and Feb. 20, compared to 106,691 between Feb. 7 and Feb. 13 -- equivalent to just 30% of the doses administered the previous week. In nearby Shelby County, Tennessee, more than 1,300 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were wasted after they were allowed to expire during snow days last week, the Daily Memphian reported. When asked whether a similar situation had occurred at any sites in Mississippi, Sharlot said the state "did not lose any vaccination due to expiration" during the week due to winter weather closures.
 
President Biden honors covid victims amid staggering toll, signs of hope
By the light of 500 candles as "Amazing Grace" played outside the White House, President Biden bowed his head in a minute of reflection on the 500,000 American lives lost to the coronavirus, crossing himself after the music faded out. Moments earlier, the president noted that the U.S. death toll from the pandemic has exceeded both world wars and the Vietnam War combined. "The people we lost were extraordinary," Biden said in the White House's Cross Hall. "They span generations. Born in America, immigrated to America. But just like that, so many of them took their final breath alone in America." Somber reminders will endure for the rest of the week, with flags flying at half-staff at all federal buildings, parks and other properties. Although it was not reflected in the solemn sundown ceremony, Monday also brought decidedly good news on the coronavirus front. The pace of vaccinations is accelerating, deaths and new infections are sharply down, and worries about just how bad the pandemic can get are being replaced with halting questions about when, exactly, all this will be behind us.
 
Mississippi House proposes several changes to state taxes
Mississippi House leaders are pushing to decrease some state taxes and increase others. House Bill 1439 would reduce the amount people pay in the state personal income tax, and it would cut the 7% grocery sales tax in half. It would increase tax rates on a wide variety of items, including equipment for farms and machinery for ports. It would increase the sales tax on cars and trucks. It also would increase taxes on cigarettes and alcohol. The bill passed the House Ways and Means Committee on Monday. It will move to the full House for more debate by a Wednesday deadline. A group that advocates for limited government, Empower Mississippi, said the bill would "return dollars to the pockets of hardworking families" by increasing the personal income tax exemption. A group that advocates for public schools, The Parents' Campaign, said the proposed tax changes would threaten school funding and endanger the chances of increasing teachers' pay.
 
House leaders move to eliminate Mississippi income tax, raise sales and other taxes in landmark bill
The House Ways and Means Committee on Monday passed a bill that would eliminate Mississippi's personal income tax within a decade and reduce the state's highest-in-the-nation tax on groceries while raising the sales tax and other taxes. The landmark tax bill was authored by the three highest-ranking House Republicans: Speaker of the House Philip Gunn, Pro Tem Jason White and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Trey Lamar. "This is a much fairer tax structure," Lamar said, adding that the bill is essentially revenue neutral. Lamar said that the leaders drafted the bill in hopes it would garner bipartisan support. It passed the House Ways and Means Committee on Monday with no dissenting votes, including from the several Democrats on the committee. The bill would immediately eliminate the personal income tax for individuals making under $50,000 a year and for married couples making less than $100,000. It would totally phase out the state's personal income tax over a 10-year period if revenue growth standards are met. If the growth standards are not met, the tax cut for that year would be delayed. In addition, the 7% tax on groceries would, as of July 1, be reduced to 4.5% and ultimately reduced to 3.5%. Cutting the state's grocery tax has long been a top stated goal of legislative Democrats.
 
Bill to eliminate state income tax advances through Legislature
A bill that would eventually eliminate the state's personal income tax while adjusting state sales taxes could receive a vote in the House of Representatives as early as Tuesday afternoon. House Bill 1439, the Mississippi Tax Freedom Act of 2021, quietly emerged Monday and was passed by the Ways and Means Committee late in the day. The bill was authored by the three top House Republicans -- Speaker Philip Gunn, Speaker Pro Tempore Jason White and Rep. Trey Lamar. Lamar leads the Ways and Means committee. To make up for the income tax reductions, the bill proposes: Increasing the sales tax on most goods to 9.5%, up from 7%. Increasing liquor sales tax to 9.5%, up from 7%. Adjusting farm equipment sales tax: a 4% tax, including for equipment used for logging, up from 1.5%. Sales taxes on cars, trucks planes and mobile homes would increase to 5.5%, up from 3%. Sales taxes on manufacturing machinery would increase to 4%, up from 1.5%. House leadership has for years pitched eliminating the state income tax, and Gov. Tate Reeves also supports the idea. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann has voiced some concerns about the proposal.
 
'Let Mississippi Vote' continues push for another flag referendum
Some people across Mississippi are calling for another flag referendum. In June, lawmakers signed a bill to retire the Mississippi state flag that was adopted in 1894 and featured a Confederate battle emblem on it. A commission then chose the "In God We Trust" flag design to appear on the November ballot, which a majority of Mississippi voters approved. The flag now flies across the state. But an initiative is aiming to get more choices for the flag on the next statewide ballot, including the 1894 flag. "The idea here is to give the people of Mississippi a chance to vote among multiple options," Sen. Chris McDaniel said. "The legislature only placed one option on the ballot, and frankly, that's just not the way elections are supposed to be held. So the people got together, they started this ballot initiative process called Let Mississippi Vote." McDaniel said the initiative needs 100,000 signatures by Dec. 12 to get the flag choices on the 2022 ballot. He said it currently has 15,000-17,000 signatures.
 
Reducing Harsh Sentencing Goal of House Bill to Limit Maximum Sentencing Requirement
With a goal of reducing the harsh sentencing in Mississippi, the House of Representatives has passed HB Bill 796, which would restrict the mandatory maximum sentencing requirement for so-called habitual offenders. The legislation, if signed into law, would modify Section 99-19-81 of the Mississippi Constitution. It now does not permit judges during sentencing to go below the maximum sentence for a third felony. HB 796, however, only restricts that provision to a third felony conviction within 15 years. "For purposes of this section, fifteen (15) years shall be counted: (a) From the date of the conviction for the crime, if the person was not incarcerated for the crime; or (b) From the date that the person was physically released from incarceration for the crime, if the person was incarcerated for the crime," the bill states. HB 796 also proposes changes to Section 99-19-83 of the Mississippi Constitution, which mandates life imprisonment for a third felony after two previous jail terms of more than one year, with one of them for a "crime of violence." The bill, sponsored by Rep. Nick Bain, R-Corinth, says that a harsh sentence for a "habitual offender" will apply if the third offence is a felony which is a "crime of violence."
 
Since Storm, Public Service Commissioner 'Re-Evaluating' Mississippi's Energy Controller
As Mississippi recovers from the worst winter storm since the mid-1990s, Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley is calling for a re-evaluation of Mississippi's membership in its regional transmission organization, which manages the transmission, sale and conservation of power across multiple states. Presley's complaint follows a period late last Tuesday night when Mississippi was subject to rolling power outages as the deep freeze swept the South. Mississippi's experience with the outages was fortunately brief -- but the commissioner argued on social media that the state's forced outages represented a market failure. MISO, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, serves as a wholesale energy market for much of west and south Mississippi, providing for the sale of excess energy to offset costs when the state is producing a surplus -- and allows the state access to the open market when energy is needed. Presley considers Mississippi incredibly fortunate to have evaded the tragedy that unfolded in Texas last week. But he says the Magnolia State may not be so lucky next time. "Our utilities performed extraordinarily well. But we have to ask some tough questions about winterization. About forced outages ... I won't see this happening in other places and whistle past the graveyard," Presley said.
 
Thousands in Jackson, the state's largest city, are still without water following historic winter storm
Thousands of residents in Jackson, the state's largest city, are still without running water Monday after last week's historic winter storm disrupted the city's aging infrastructure. A majority of residents in south Jackson and parts of west Jackson have no water service at all, and most of the city's entire population has low water pressure. City officials have given no official timeline for service restoration, but they said on Monday they think most of the city will have running water by midweek. "We have to have a lot of things that go perfectly over the next couple of days," Charles Williams, Jackson's public works director, said on Monday. "We know we're gonna have a couple of setbacks, but that's what we are aiming for." A historic winter storm slammed the state last week, freezing and bursting many water pipes in the capital city. Jackson residents have flocked to grocery stores, making bottled water extremely difficult to come by in the metro area. In an effort to streamline the recovery and repair process going forward, the Jackson City Council voted on Monday to declare a state of local emergency. This will allow Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba to hire contractors for repairs and other services without receiving multiple bids for them.
 
State, Department of Justice attorneys close to reaching deal on mental health improvements
Attorneys representing the U.S. Department of Justice and the state of Mississippi on Monday afternoon announced they are close to agreeing on a solution to improve the services of Mississippi's beleaguered mental health system. In a status conference before U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves, attorneys with the Department of Justice and state said they have concurred on most of the substantive issues. A major sticking point, however, is who should monitor the state's progress in ensuring that it complies with whatever plan is hammered out by the attorneys. "We have all but dotted our i's and crossed our t's on the substantive components of the court's remedial order," said Deena Fox, the lead attorney from the Department of Justice. Some of those points of agreement include the services that should be offered in different parts of the state and how those services should be offered. Fox said she hoped that the department and attorneys for the state can "close the gap" as it relates to the monitoring and enforcement provisions of an agreement, but that gap as of right now remains unresolved. One option would see an external monitor update the court on the state's progress. This option has received some pushback from key statewide leaders.
 
Trump taunts don't shake Mitch McConnell's hold on Senate GOP
Sen. Rick Scott challenged the certification of Donald Trump's reelection loss, bashed Trump's second impeachment trial and recently spoke with the former president about Senate races. But don't take that as the Florida Republican siding with Trump over Mitch McConnell. In fact, the National Republican Senatorial Committee chair said he "absolutely" supports McConnell as Senate Republican leader. He gave no oxygen to Trump's trashing of McConnell as someone who "doesn't have what it takes" following the GOP leader's withering criticism of Trump's lack of leadership during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. "I'm not going to get involved in that. My job as chair of the NRSC is just to focus on recruiting candidates and raising money," Scott said on Monday afternoon. He said he told Trump he wants to win Senate races next year. The crumbled alliance between Trump and McConnell, who worked hand-in-glove on political and legislative strategy for four years, has finally brought the GOP to the reckoning that never happened after the 2016 election. Trump may take another swipe at McConnell in the coming days at the Conservative Political Action Conference. But McConnell probably won't hear it: He is not expected to speak at CPAC, according to Republican sources. McConnell still hasn't spoken to Trump in more than two months.
 
President Biden's defense secretary backs Space Command HQ process
President Biden's secretary of defense Monday publicly backed the Air Force "decision-making process" that named Alabama the best site for the permanent headquarters of the U.S. Space Command. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin "communicated to Air Force leaders that he supports their decision-making process about the preferred location of Space Command headquarters," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement. Austin's statement follows an announcement Feb. 19 that the Defense Department's inspector general will begin a probe of how Huntsville's Redstone Arsenal was picked as the best site. That probe came after political leaders in Colorado asked for a review. Colorado is site of the command's temporary headquarters and a finalist to be its permanent home. Kirby said Austin, an Alabama native, "understands they will not make a final decision until 2023, and he looks forward to staying informed as they work through those deliberations."
 
K Street eyes a return of earmarks to boost business
Congressional earmarks practically built the modern lobbying business. And though the influence sector has endured a decade without them, the likely return of member-directed federal spending has sent cautious jubilation down K Street. With earmarks poised for a likely comeback this Congress, lobbyists are eyeing new business opportunities. But they're not expecting it to be a return to K Street's high-flying days of yore, when lobbyists built empires out of the business of securing earmarks for clients. Lawmakers, if they do bring back the practice of earmarking appropriations bills with the pots of member-directed spending, are likely only to allow the federal dollars to go to nonprofit organizations and local governments. And they'd likely be publicly disclosed as a way of preventing the scandal and corruption that led to earmarks' official demise in 2011. Still, lobbyists say even limited earmarks for nonprofits could spur new public-private partnerships, with businesses queuing up to collaborate on future projects. Bringing back earmarks, even in a limited fashion, may also have other ripples on K Street. They may present more buy-in from rank-and-file lawmakers to back legislation they would otherwise oppose and may, therefore, increase bipartisan deals. It's important to note, though, some Republicans already have voiced opposition to bringing earmarks back.
 
Top church leaders say divisions, including on race and politics, are distracting Southern Baptists from core mission
Top church leaders urged Southern Baptists to stop focusing so much on the contentious issues that divide them and instead put their energy into their core mission of spreading the gospel. Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear told the denomination's executive committee assembled Monday evening in Nashville that the coronavirus crisis did not create these fissures and failures, but it did expose them. "The last year has revealed areas of weakness in our beloved convention of churches," said Greear, who is wrapping up an unexpected third term as president after the coronavirus canceled last summer's annual meeting. "But I have to believe in all of this that God is up to something because who the lord loves he chastens." Executive committee president and CEO Ronnie Floyd also pushed Southern Baptists to unite around their primary purpose. "Each of us needs to be very careful with the words we write, speak, tweet, or post. As SBC leaders and followers of Jesus, our public behavior matters. Our words matter. Our tone matters," Floyd said. "For the greater cause, our SBC executive committee members need to lead the way in helping create a Bible-based, Christ-centered and Spirit-controlled culture in the SBC." The Southern Baptist Convention is the largest Protestant denomination in America.
 
Mortgage rates creep up on inflation fears
Could the era of sub-3% mortgage rates be nearing an end? The average interest on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage climbed to 3.04% on Monday, according to Bankrate. That's up from 2.86% a week ago. Mortgage rates are loosely tied to the yield, or interest, on the 10-year Treasury note, said Bankrate analyst Greg McBride. That yield has been rising in recent weeks over worries that stronger economic growth, fueled by COVID-19 vaccines and more stimulus from Congress, will lead to inflation. "From a bond investor's perspective, inflation is their worst enemy, because it erodes the value of those fixed payments that a bond holder receives over time," McBride said. "Bond investors demand higher yields to compensate for that." To be clear, mortgage rates are still ridiculously low, historically speaking. "Even if they were 3.5, even if they were 3.8, that's still very low," said Nicole Ward, a mortgage broker with White Oak Financial in Atlanta. A decade ago, the average on a 30-year fixed was about 5% -- and a decade before that, about 7%.
 
'Remarkable outcome': Big gains are likely for the economy this year even as COVID-19 damage lingers
It was supposed to be a dark winter for the economy. But buoyed by government relief aid, falling COVID-19 cases and the vaccine rollout, growth is expanding briskly and the economy is projected to boom this year as pandemic-related restrictions ease. Some economists even predict that by late 2021 and throughout 2022, the nation's gross domestic output will be larger than it would have been if the health crisis hadn't occurred. "That's a particularly remarkable outcome, especially when you consider that (in the aftermath of the Great Recession of 2007-09), the U.S. economy never really returned to its prerecession path," Morgan Stanley Chief Economist Chetan Ahya wrote in a note to clients. Barclays, Morgan Stanley and Oxford all forecast about 6.5% growth this year, which would be the best since 1984, while Goldman Sachs is looking for a 7% advance. Other economists aren't quite so bullish, but still expect significantly stronger growth than previously anticipated.
 
$15,000 music grant awarded to Alcorn State University
On Tuesday, U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) announced the National Endowment for the Arts awarded a $15,000 music grant to Alcorn State University The award will support musical performances and educational workshops at the Alcorn State University Jazz Festival, which is multi-day festival on campus. There will also be performances by student jazz bands from across the region and an internationally acclaimed guest artist group whose members will conduct an educational workshop.
 
Meridian Community College raises new state flag
Monday was a new day at Meridian Community College as the school raised the new Mississippi state flag. "I think it's an opportunity for the campus to embrace the ideas of hope and unity that we find in a new flag," MCC President Thomas Huebner said. "I want us as an institution to be able to see the future and hope in all of our students." The new flag, which contains the magnolia blossom and the words "In God We Trust," was adopted after Mississippi voters chose it in November 2020. It replaces the 1894 flag, which contained the Confederate battle emblem. Huebner said the new flag better reflects MCC's mission because the school serves a diverse population. He hopes the flag will serve as a symbol of unity for all Mississippians. "It represents a new message we can share with the world," he said. "So now, we have the responsibility to live that new message." Campus police officer Terry Boler, who joined with Huebner in raising the flag, described taking part in the ceremony as an honor. "It was an honor to stand with the change," Boler said.
 
Legal experts: UAB professor's tweet about Rush Limbaugh protected by First Amendment
he University of Alabama-Birmingham may not like a tweet Professor Sarah Parcak sent Wednesday night about a late conservative media host, but there's little it can do to punish the professor. That's according to legal experts who study the First Amendment, which protects political speech from crackdowns by government agencies. "This is not something that was said in the classroom. It wasn't geared or designated towards a particular student or community. It's literally private thoughts about another private individual," said Tish Gotell Faulks, legal director for the ACLU of Alabama. "No matter how painful or distasteful that expression was, it's her right to partake." The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which advocates for free speech protections on college campuses, put out a statement last week asking UAB to back off from investigating Parcak's "constitutionally protected speech." "UAB is free to criticize a professor, but once they step over into reviewing or disciplining her for political speech, they are infringing upon her First Amendment rights," said Adam Steinbaugh, director of FIRE, in an interview, adding that he encourages universities to "add more speech," or explain why they find someone's statement objectionable and offer options of other ways to respond.
 
There's a 'White Rage' discussion at LSU, and one legislator says he's concerned
The Louisiana lawmaker who oversees all legislation affecting LSU raised pointed concerns about an academic panel discussion, slated to begin at 3:30 pm Tuesday, on "White Rage" against Blacks. "Members of my committee, the House, and the public are asking if the University and/or the BOR (Board of Regents) has taken an official position regarding "White Rage," wrote House Education Committee Chair Ray Garofalo Jr., R-Chalmette, to Louisiana Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter-Reed. "I've also received some questions regarding the series "Racism: Dismantling the System". In particular, what "system" are the advocates suggesting be dismantled, why does said system require dismantling, and again, is this an official position of the University and/or the BOR," Garofalo continued. Reed's staff said the commissioner forwarded the email to LSU, where it was answered by Interim LSU President Thomas Galligan. Galligan told Garofalo and House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, R-Gonzales, that this was an academic discussion, part of a series, and as such didn't represent any position taken by the university.
 
UF raises $1.7 million more than last year's Gator Giving Day
The University of Florida raised $25.3 million during its third annual Gator Giving Day fundraiser Thursday, making it the highest yielding year. This year, UF topped its goal of 20,000 individual donations with a total of 22,198 individual donations. Last year, it raised $23.6 million, topping the previous amount of $12.6 million in 2019. The College of Design, Construction and Planning got 1,233 contributors, making it the college with the most contributors this year. The College of Journalism and Communications was hoping to get the top spot for the third year in a row, but fell short with just 916 contributors. Gator Giving Day is part of a larger push to keep UF rising in the ranks of top public universities in the U.S. News and World Report. UF is currently ranked No. 6, and 3% of the annual rating is factored by alumni donations. The money will go toward funding colleges and programs across campus. UF held in-person events last year during Giving Day, but moved most online this year due to COVID-19. GNV Unite, a protest group that has spoken out against UF's Spring reopening plans, led a Giving Day boycott to bring awareness to UF's shortcomings in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
U. of South Carolina professor helped build key device for Mars Perseverance rover
If the latest Mars rover accomplishes its goal of finding evidence of life on Mars, a Midlands resident and University of South Carolina professor will have been part of one of the biggest scientific discoveries in human history. Stanley "Mike" Angel, 67, helped produce the SuperCam, which sits atop the mast of the Perseverance Rover and uses lasers to collect evidence of potential signs that life exists, or once existed, on Mars, Angel told The State. "I've been working for like 30 years on this type of instrumentation and finally got it onto a mission," said Angel, an Irmo resident who has been at USC since 1993. "Very early on in my career, I realized these remote chemistry measurements would be perfectly suited for applications like being used on spacecraft and rovers on planets like Mars." The technology was developed, in part, specifically for space, but also borrows methods honed exploring the depths of the ocean. It involves pointing a laser at a rock, soil sample, etc., and using a telescope to read data reflecting back from the laser, said Angel, a chemistry professor. Scientists can use that data to calculate what elements are in the sample, whether they contain molecules such as pigments or whether the sample contains organic compounds, which could provide clues as to whether earth's neighbor once supported life.
 
Texas A&M Galveston's Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research saves 'cold stunned' sea turtles from wintry waters
About 70 sea turtles have been saved by Texas A&M Galveston's Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research from the unprecedented winter storm that swept across Texas this past week. The effort is just one of many in the state to rescue green sea turtles, which are especially susceptible to being "cold stunned," meaning a turtle has become hypothermic due to severe cold weather, according to the National Park Service. When water temperatures are around 50 degrees or lower, the National Park Service website states that sea turtles become lethargic and unable to swim, often causing them to float up to the surface where they can be struck by boats, washed ashore or be stranded. The Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research partnered with the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network to help respond to more than 150 turtles. Seventy of those were able to be treated, while the rest were dead, said Christopher Marshall, professor in marine biology at Texas A&M-Galveston and director of the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research. The Gulf of Mexico is home to five species of sea turtles: green, loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, hawksbill and leatherback. The first three species are the most common.
 
U. of Missouri's Agriculture Building lab to be named in honor of Henry Kirklin, MU's first Black teacher
A lab in the University of Missouri's Agriculture Building will be named the Henry Kirklin Plant Sciences Learning Laboratory after the man believed to be the first Black teacher at MU, according to a news release. MU will hold a virtual dedication ceremony at 2 p.m. Wednesday. It will be open to the public and will include a special surprise announcement, according to the news release. Kirklin was born into slavery in 1858. He later became a renowned gardener and taught lab classes for the MU Horticulture Department. His namesake lab will be used to teach students in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources with hands-on experience "much as Kirklin's classes did," according to the news release. The dedication ceremony will include descendants of Kirklin, along with speakers such as Mun Choi, MU chancellor and UM System president; Christopher Daubert, vice chancellor and dean of CAFNR; Bryan Garton, senior associate dean and director of academic programs for CAFNR; and Chris Campbell, executive director of the Boone County Historical Society.
 
Pandemic forces college fundraisers to abandon tried-and-true strategies, go digital
Academics and athletics got most of the press, but the pandemic also interrupted fundraising efforts when it forced colleges and universities to temporarily close their campuses last spring. College fundraising officers, who long relied on in-person meetups and events to cultivate relationships with donors and solicit money, were forced to rethink their strategies. Travel was out of the question -- because of the health risks the pandemic posed and because departmental travel budgets were the first to go as colleges tightened their belts last spring. On-campus events where alumni could gather were canceled. Donor meetings had to take place over the phone or via video call. College advancement officers largely turned to digital outreach strategies to reach current and potential donors, but the online mediums they chose and the narratives they pushed to supporters varied. Even with advancement officers' creative solutions, it's not certain that fundraising revenue will grow through fiscal year 2021.
 
U.S. National Science Foundation could get $600 million in pandemic relief bill
The National Science Foundation (NSF) could receive an additional $600 million as part of the massive coronavirus pandemic relief bill moving through Congress this week. The money is not mentioned in the $1.9 trillion plan being taken up today by the budget committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. But ScienceInsider has learned it is expected to be added to the legislation before the full House votes on the package later this week. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) would get a one-time budget increase of $150 million. The money comes from a $750 million allocation made available to the House science committee, led by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D–TX), for programs under its jurisdiction. Under the terms of the overall relief package, the two agencies would be required to use the one-time bonanza to help the nation recover from the devastating impact of the pandemic, including damage to its science and technology enterprise. Higher education advocates have been urging Congress to pay special attention to researchers just starting their careers, citing the devastating impact of shuttered labs, hiring freezes, and travel restrictions on graduate students, postdocs, and new faculty members.
 
Colleges wield codes of conduct to enforce compliance with COVID policies
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has backed away from dismissing an international graduate student for failing to comply with the university's mandatory COVID-19 testing policy after more than 18,000 people signed a petition on the student's behalf. The high-profile case shines a spotlight on how colleges are using their disciplinary codes to punish noncompliance with COVID-related safety and testing protocols. UIUC says to date it has dismissed 51 students for periods typically ranging from one to four semesters for COVID-related violations, with grounds for dismissal including "leaving isolation or quarantine without permission," "hosting large, unsafe gatherings," "tampering with COVID systems in order to bypass requirements" and "egregious testing noncompliance." Repeat violations of less serious offenses also can be grounds for dismissal. The graduate student, Ivor Chen, was initially dismissed from the university for one year for failing to comply with the university's COVID testing requirement, according to representatives of UIUC's Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) who advocated on Chen's behalf. The policy requiring twice-weekly COVID testing for undergraduate and graduate students -- one of the more stringent student testing protocols around -- applies to students who live on campus and in the surrounding communities of Champaign, Savoy and Urbana, even if they are taking an entirely remote class schedule.
 
Young People Struggle To Keep Friends Close As Pandemic Pulls Them Apart
Emma Fritschel, 25, and Evelyn Wang, 23, met on the first day of their freshman year as roommates almost six years ago and have been inseparable ever since. But then the COVID-19 pandemic strained their relationship in ways they had never before experienced. "Things were really tense between us for reasons that we both kind of came up with in our heads," Wang says. At the heart of it, they were both struggling with communication. For Fritschel and Wang, a crucial part of their dynamic prior to the pandemic was being in each other's presence. When that element disappeared, both had to grapple with a question: What does their friendship mean now with barriers and pandemic restrictions limiting their ability to be in the same space? "Postgrad," a transitional --- and often challenging --- period that recent college graduates encounter as they enter the workforce or move on to the next step of their lives, has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Many college graduates are struggling to find jobs in the worst economic recession in modern American history. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 46.7% of young people ages 16 to 24 were employed in July 2020, a decrease from 56.2% reported during the same time in 2019. The prolonging of the transition amid a tough economy and shrinking of social interactions has its emotional toll.
 
Interest Surges in Top Colleges, While Struggling Ones Scrape for Applicants
Prestigious universities like Cornell never have a hard time attracting students. But this year, the admissions office in Ithaca, N.Y., is swimming in 17,000 more applications than it has ever received before, driven mostly by the school's decision not to require standardized test scores during the coronavirus pandemic. "We saw people that thought 'I would never get into Cornell' thinking, 'Oh, if they're not looking at a test score, maybe I've actually got a chance,'" said Jonathan Burdick, Cornell's vice provost for enrollment. But while selective universities like Cornell and its fellow Ivy League schools have seen unprecedented interest after waiving test scores, smaller and less recognizable schools are dealing with the opposite issue: empty mailboxes. In early December, applications to Cal Poly Pomona, east of Los Angeles and part of the California State University system, were down 40 percent over the previous year from would-be freshmen, and 52 percent from transfer students, most of whom started their higher education at community colleges. A drop in applications does not always translate into lower enrollment. But at a time when many colleges and universities are being squeezed financially by the pandemic and a loss of public funding, the prospect of landing fewer students -- and losing critical tuition dollars -- is a dire one at schools that have already slashed programs and laid off staff.
 
The college wealth premium is shrinking for younger Americans
A college degree, the thinking goes, is worth the cost, given a lifetime of higher earnings. But a recent phenomenon may add a more pessimistic nuance to those assumptions, with economists finding the college wealth premium -- or the assets owned by college grads compared with high school grads -- is vanishing for younger Americans. White college graduates who were born in the 1930s and 1940s, for example, enjoyed wealth that was about triple that of non-college grads -- but for successive generations, that wealth advantage has been shrinking. For White college grads born in the 1980s, or members of the millennial generation, the wealth premium has decreased to 42%, according to the analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. It's even worse for people of color, with Black college grads born in the 1980s experiencing no wealth premium at all compared with their counterparts without college degrees, the research found. To be sure, the income premium -- or the difference in earnings between college grads and those without bachelor's degrees -- remains, although that is showing signs of stagnation. But the mechanism that traditionally helped college grads translate those higher incomes into a greater share of wealth has grown increasingly shaky for younger generations. And that has implications for the financial resilience of younger households, as well as the decisions that current high school students are now making about whether to enroll in college.
 
Are Social Justice and Tenure Compatible?
With Cornel West's recent request to be considered for tenure denied, the question academics should be asking themselves is not if they are tenurable, but if they even want to be. West's case brings up recurring conversations on race, social justice, and tenure, and this discourse ranges from considerations of how to make tenure equitable to cases for the abolition of tenure. While social justice as an academic philosophy has been compatible with the tenure track, social justice as a method to challenge hierarchies of inequality has not. Garrett Felber, an assistant professor of history at the University of Mississippi whose academic and activist work on the carceral state pushes the bounds of academe, is being terminated for failing to sufficiently communicate with his department chair. Noel Wilkin, Mississippi's provost, defended Felber's chair's decision to fire him, contending that the dismissal had nothing to do with his work on the carceral state and race, but rather stemmed from a lack of communication. Right. If Wilkin's admission is correct, the message is that it is fine for Felber to write about the violence of surveillance and policing, but resistance to surveillance and policing by one's department warrants termination.


SPORTS
 
Late runs power No. 7 Mississippi State baseball to victory over No. 4 Texas Tech
Monday had a bit of everything. "Maroon! White!" chants from one side of Globe Life Field and hollers of "Raider! Power!" from the other. Hits and hit by pitches. Walks and wild pitches. Home runs and RBI hits of other varieties, including infield singles. Oh, and five Mississippi State runs in the top of the ninth. Don't forget about those. They were the determining factor in the ballgame, after all. It didn't appear victory would come easily for the No. 7 Bulldogs (2-1) against No. 4 Texas Tech (0-3) until they exploded for a handful of runs in the ninth in an 11-5 win in MSU's final game of the State Farm College Baseball Showdown. Mississippi State pitchers walked 10 Texas Tech batters and beaned four more. Freshman Jackson Fristoe did not allow any runs in three innings in his first career start, but the bullpen allowed five. But unlike Sunday's loss to TCU, the Bulldog batters made up for it. Three runs driven in by senior center fielder Rowdey Jordan, one of which came on an RBI triple to get things going in the top of the ninth, were the difference.
 
No. 7 Mississippi State outlasts No. 3 Texas Tech in final day of State Farm College Baseball Showdown
Before a once-in-a-generation global pandemic, before sports were brought to an abrupt halt and before normal life changed as we know it, Mississippi State and Texas Tech met for a two-game set in Biloxi on March 10 and 11. Those days, fans flooded MGM Park under the luminescent glow of the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino on the banks of the Gulf of Mexico to see the Bulldogs sweep the Red Raiders in emphatic fashion. On March 12, the entire 2020 college baseball season was canceled. "We really didn't get a chance for the 2020 Bulldogs to have their hugs and say their goodbyes," MSU pitching coach Scott Foxhall told The Dispatch in April. "There's going to be a lot of guys back in our program, but it'll never be the same thing as the 2020 team." Three hundred and forty-eight days later, No. 7 MSU (2-1) and No. 3 Texas Tech (0-3) met on the final day of competition at the State Farm College Baseball Showdown in Arlington, as the Bulldogs earned their third-straight win over the Red Raiders with an 11-5 victory at Globe Life Field. With a mix of faces new and old, MSU's win Monday represented its first complete weekend of baseball in almost a year and symbolized a slow-progressing return to normalcy in the sports world.
 
Aspen Wesley strong in season debut, Mia Davidson heats up as Mississippi State softball bounces back
Mississippi State softball coach Samantha Ricketts knows sophomore pitcher Aspen Wesley has always been a winner. Before Wesley even joined the Bulldogs, she came in as a four-time Mississippi Gatorade High School Player of the Year at Neshoba Central. In her time with the Rockets, she won an astounding five MHSAA Class 5A championships. So when Wesley made her first appearance of the 2021 season Monday for Mississippi State, it only stood to reason that she'd continue her winning ways. Wesley pitched five shutout innings, striking out eight, as the No. 22 Bulldogs (5-1) beat Missouri State 5-0 on Monday afternoon as part of The Snowman (Alex Wilcox Memorial) Tournament at Nusz Park. "For her to just go out there and be Aspen, that's what she's done her entire life," Ricketts said. Wesley used her top-notch spin and movement and her tricky change-up to baffle the Bears (3-1) all afternoon. She didn't allow a hit until Missouri State's Madison Hunsaker led off the fourth inning with a double, and she left five Bears stranded in the fourth and fifth innings combined. Wesley said she came in nervous for her first appearance, but the butterflies soon faded away.
 
PREVIEW: Women's Hoops vs. Auburn
With just three games left in the regular season, Mississippi State will look to build some momentum heading into the postseason, starting with a matchup against Auburn on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 5 p.m. The contest was originally scheduled for last Thursday, but inclement weather in the region forced the SEC to postpone the game. Fans planning to attend should use their original Auburn tickets. Doors will open one hour before tip. Fans who plan to attend the game are encouraged to review the Mississippi State Gameday Guidelines. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+ with Bart Gregory (play-by-play) and Charlie Winfield (analyst) on the call. The matchup can also be streamed on the TuneIn App with Jason Crowder from the MSU Radio Network. State has won eight straight meetings in the series against Auburn, including a sweep of the Tigers last season. In the most recent matchup, Rickea Jackson posted a career-high 34 points on 14-of-22 shooting to rally Mississippi State from down 14 in the third quarter to an overtime victory, 92-85.
 
How hardcore 'NCAA Football 14' fans have kept popular series alive eight years after last release
EA Sports announced on Feb. 2 that it would develop a new college football video game for the first time since "NCAA Football 14" eight years ago. But hardcore fans have already taken it upon themselves to add new life to the popular series. For years, fans have made downloadable roster updates so people could play with players such as Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence. But the group called College Football Revamped has turned the game into a new experience with redesigned uniforms, fields, updated graphics and a College Football Playoff-like system. And since EA Sports made its big reveal, the group is taking its job even more seriously to help satisfy fans' cravings for the new game. "We're gonna serve as like an appetizer until we get that full game," said Cole Winton, a 23-year-old computer science major at UCF and founder of College Football Revamped. "That's why we started this whole project in the first place. That's why we've been pouring so many hours into it. We love this franchise, and to see it being revived, it's just awesome."
 
Notre Dame won't participate in EA Sports game until NIL rules finalized
Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said Monday that the school won't provide its name, logos, and additional branding to EA Sports for its future college football video game until "rules have been finalized governing the participation of our student-athletes." "As those rules are developed, it is our strong desire that student-athletes be allowed to benefit directly from allowing their name, image and performance history to be used in the game," Swarbrick said in a statement. The NCAA has indicated that it intends to change its rules to allow college athletes the ability to make money from some type of endorsement deals. On Feb. 2, EA Sports announced the return of a college football video game. Daryl Holt, EA Sports' vice president and general manager, told ESPN's Michael Rothstein that there is no set date on when the game will return or when a specific return edition will be announced. The game will not return this year. Holt said the game is planning to move forward without rosters that include the names, images or likenesses of real college players. However, possible changes to the NIL rights for college athletes could impact those plans, and in turn, include a school like Notre Dame.
 
Kansas bill could allow college athletes to profit from names, images and likenesses
Representatives of several Kansas universities support a bill allowing collegiate student-athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness as soon as 2022. Kansas is one of about 35 states considering similar legislation to a bill passed in several states in recent years, including California and Florida. NIL rights are part of an ongoing debate across the country over proper compensation of student-athletes. The proposed bill would allow athletes at Kansas colleges and universities to sign with an agent, enter into endorsement deals and even appear in an NCAA football video game once they are at the institution. With several states acting to pass these NIL laws and Florida's measure set to take effect July 1, proponents of the bill said acting swiftly is necessary to ensure Kansas collegiate athletics are on an even playing field with other states for recruitment. If passed, this measure would serve as a buffer until the U.S. Congress takes a stance on the issue. There is a hope that Congress will act quickly, but in the event it does not, Kansas must ensure it is prepared for the new "wild, wild west" of college recruiting, said Jeff Long, athletic director for the University of Kansas. "Each state bordering Kansas already has a similar NIL bill pending," Long said.



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