| Tuesday, February 20, 2024 |
| Mississippi State joins 'One Pill Can Kill' initiative to combat overdose deaths | |
 | Mississippi State University has joined an initiative to combat overdose deaths, especially ones stemming from the rising emergence of fentanyl in drugs. University officials in Starkville partnered up with the Mississippi Attorney General's office to launch the One Pill Can Kill campaign to educate, support, and empower people with information on the dangers of fentanyl, how to identify it, and what to do if a student or friend is overdosing. As part of the partnership, the AG's Office has delivered 1,000 Fentanyl Harm Prevention Kits for MSU students and provided training on how to properly use the fentanyl test strips. "At Mississippi State University, we want all of our students to study, learn, and grow in an environment that nurtures and supports them. We also want to help them understand the risks they face and give them the knowledge they need to make good decisions and to know what to do to help others," MSU President Dr. Mark Keenum said. |
| 'One Pill Can Kill' initiative kicks off on Mississippi State's campus | |
 | Fentanyl kills. That is the message Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch has begun sharing across the state. Fitch launched the "One Pill Can Kill" initiative Monday at Mississippi State University. It's a public awareness campaign informing Mississippians about the dangers associated with fentanyl and available life-saving resources. Fitch's initiative encourages everyone never to take pills that are not provided by a doctor or pharmacist and to dispose of unused or expired drugs properly. She also said the drug is killing Mississippians at an alarming rate. "In 2022 alone we lost 237 Mississippians to fentanyl overdose. ... Fentanyl is cheap. It's a synthetic opioid that can be mixed very easily into so many other drugs, but 237 Mississippians that's too many, we shouldn't have any that are being lost so again it's significant we talk about it. We talked about how to use Narcan and we were willing to talk about the knowledge and recovery into helping and powering all these individuals because it is about Mississippians and how we can be supportive of them, and again we understand it's out there, but as we work together, we make a difference," said Fitch. |
| 'One Pill Can Kill' initiative underway at Mississippi State University | |
 | On Monday, Attorney General Lynn Fitch (R-Miss.) announced Mississippi State University (MSU) has joined the One Pill Can Kill initiative. "As one of our largest universities, Mississippi State's involvement in One Pill Can Kill is crucial to combatting the fentanyl crisis," said Fitch. "By raising awareness of the dangers of fentanyl and equipping students with the knowledge and tools to stop an overdose, I am confident lives will be saved. I am grateful for all our partners who are working together to end this deadly epidemic." The One Pill Can Kill initiative is one half of a two-prong approach to fighting fentanyl. As part of the initiative, the Attorney General's Office is distributing 22,000 Fentanyl Harm Prevention Kits -- which include two fentanyl test trips, a pair of gloves for safety, a safe drug disposal bag, and a pill identification card that identifies whether the drug is legitimate -- to colleges and universities, law enforcement centers, community mental health centers, and other community groups. |
| With new solar panels, Mississippi State is taking strides towards carbon neutral goal | |
| Mississippi State University, home to the largest undergraduate student body in the state, made strides earlier this month towards its goal of being carbon neutral by 2042. The school announced on Feb. 6 that it was installing on its campus 3,420 solar panels -- which it expects to start generating power by this summer -- claiming it as the largest such project among Southeastern Conference colleges. The project also includes upgrading 54,000 lighting fixtures with LED bulbs. Officials say the additions are a major step in reaching the 2042 goal, which the school set for itself in its 2012 climate action plan. "We think renewable energy is one of our primary methods of reducing our footprint," Saunders Ramsey, executive director of MSU's Campus Services, told Mississippi Today. "We're doing all we can to be good stewards." Les Potts, MSU's interim vice president for Finance and Administration and CFO, said the college's other energy efficiency projects over the years have included a 500-car garage powered entirely by solar panels, as well as a thermal storage system that makes ice at night, when energy demand is low, and then melts it during the day for cooling needs. |
| Three MSU alums receive national Milken Educator Award | |
 | Three Mississippi State University education graduates who teach in the Magnolia State have been honored with the national Milken Educator Award. Anna Katherine Davis of Houston High School, Jennifer Hite of Pearl Upper Elementary and Kristien Long of Neshoba Central Elementary were surprised with the prestigious award during recent schoolwide assemblies at their respective schools. Known as the "Oscars of Teaching," the recognition program honors outstanding educators across the country. The award is given by the Milken Family Foundation and includes a $25,000 cash prize. Up to 75 educators are receiving the 2023-24 award during the foundation's national tour, which will culminate with the 3,000th Milken Educator. "I am thrilled to see our alumni, Anna Katherine Davis, Jennifer Hite and Kristien Long, receive the Milken Educator Award," said Teresa Jayroe, MSU College of Education dean. "Their accomplishments highlight the quality of our teacher education programs and our commitment to excellence in education. We are proud to have contributed to their professional journey and celebrate their success in enriching the lives of their students." |
| Education: 10th anniversary celebration of MSU's 'Writer-In-Residence' program heralds award-winning poet, playwright | |
 | International award-winning poet, playwright and author Kwame Dawes brings literary depth and insight to Mississippi State as writer-in-residence, an annual program hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences' Institute for the Humanities and the Department of English. This year the program celebrates its 10th anniversary. Dawes will spend Feb. 27 through March 1 engaging with students, staff and faculty, hosting a writing workshop and reading from his critically lauded published works. Dawes' public reading -- free and open to the public -- will be held Feb. 29 at 7:30 p.m. in Taylor Auditorium of MSU's McCool Hall. It also will be livestreamed on the College of Arts and Sciences Facebook page. "In addition to widening our scope of literature and poetry, the writer-in-residence program helps each of us contemplate the human condition and walk around the world in another's shoes," said Julia Osman, director of the Institute for the Humanities and an associate professor of history. "Professor Dawes' poetry and prose combine different regions, cultures and language conventions that help us contemplate what it means to be 'home.'" A Ghana native, Dawes spent much of his life in Jamaica and credits the island's "lush" environment and reggae music as an influence in his writing. |
| Community Profile: Asphalt, drainage and all that jazz | |
| In another life, Cody Burnett's career might have been in music. The Starkville city engineer has been with the department for nearly 11 years and has been its head for almost three. But the Tupelo native's first year at Mississippi State University wasn't spent in engineering courses. "I actually tell people I wasted the first year of college because I took all the music classes," he said. "Instead of calculus, physics and chemistry, I was taking jazz ensemble and playing for show choir." He primarily plays drums, guitar and keys. To this day, from time to time, you can catch him playing Sunday mornings at Pinelake Church. But rather than make music a full-time gig, he decided to separate his hobbies from his work and find a career he could love separately and equally. "To me, I've always put a huge focus on having hobbies and things I'm interested in outside of my professional career," he said. "I love my job. I love what I do. But I need things that are not that, as well." His music hobby, as well as his interests in reading and running, allow his mind to flow freely, he said. On the other hand, engineering requires him to be diligent and proactive. His interest in engineering started in high school, and after graduating from MSU, his first job out of college was as a staff engineer for Starkville. |
| New alderwoman shares goals for city of Starkville | |
| "I'm excited about the future economic development for Starkville and I am excited about giving back to the community. Not just Ward 1 but everybody in Starkville," said Kim Moreland, Alderwoman District Ward 1 Elect. Moreland was elected to the Ward 1 Starkville Board of Alderman seat after it sat vacant for three months. Now, she's learning more about the city's business. "I am the type of person who wants to know everything about everything if that makes any sense. First thing is, after I am sworn in, I want to know how every department works in Starkville. I look forward to working with the department heads, not just them, but all the city employees. I want to give back and be able to help all of the employees," said Moreland. The businesswoman has no doubt she can lead her business to success and effectively lead on the Board of Alderman. "I will get it done. I am glad that you asked that question because a lot of people ask that question because they see me working all the time and they see how busy I am. I actually just hired two new people to help out day to day with my business, but I will make the time, so that, I am not worried about it," said Moreland. She also said she is willing to help the community at anytime. She replaced Ben Carver, who was elected to the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors. |
| Spring in Mississippi: Damaging winds, tornadoes and hail expected in coming weeks | |
 | It's already feeling like spring in Mississippi and its official starting date, March 19, will be here before we know it. So, what does the spring weather forecast look like? Well, it's Mississippi, y'all and forecasters say anything could happen and probably will. "We don't see any reason that this year will be exceptional, but it's rare not to get damaging winds, tornadoes and hail," said Logan Poole, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jackson. "We're not expecting anything above average, but unfortunately, that means we're still expecting severe weather. "We live in one of the most severe weather, tornado-vulnerable areas in the nation. That just comes along with the territory." So, it should be an average spring, but what exactly is a typical spring in Mississippi? In 2023, Mississippi was in a La Niña weather pattern. That created warmer and drier conditions with an increased chance of severe weather in the South. During the months of March through June 2023, Mississippi experienced 48 tornadoes, 387 reports of wind damage and 156 reports of severe hail. During an El Niño weather pattern, which Mississippi is under now, cooler and wetter weather tends to be the trend. However, Poole said the El Niño pattern is weakening, and we will soon likely be in a neutral zone. Poole said when we're in between El Niño and La Niña, predicting the amount and intensity of severe weather in the South is a little more difficult, but even so, you can bank on it happening. |
| Drought conditions improve in Mississippi: Is it enough for farmers? | |
| Drought conditions are improving across Central Mississippi -- but is it enough to save farmers? It's been a tough few years for farmers -- two years of cold winters, two summers of extreme heat, and a drought. Months of hot, blazing sun, with little to no rain, took a toll on local produce farmers like Tim Cooper. "I actually lost about 22% on the vineyard," Cooper said. Through the summer and fall, most of Central Mississippi saw exceptional drought conditions, causing crops to wither and die quickly before the harvest. "Last year, underneath the plants we were watering them, the ground was mushy and wet and still in the heat of the day, the squash plants wilted just like it hadn't had a drop of water," Cooper explained. "The weather patterns that we've been seeing is really sort of separated the state from I-20 South and severe drought and then on I-20 North either has limited or is okay. But the producers south of I-20, it's had a huge impact on them," Mike McCormick, President of the Mississippi Farm Bureau, explained. He says the harsh conditions haven't been kind to farmers -- no matter how experienced or prepared they were. "I'm afraid you're gonna see some of the older farmers that's lost money over the last couple of years decide they can rent their land, and they don't have to have losses going into their final years. And then the other group that I'm seeing a big impact on is our young farmers, the ones that have just started. They don't have the capital built up to withstand this," McCormick explained. |
| Parkway important silent partner in economic development | |
| The quiet of a corridor a thousand feet wide and 444 miles long belies the myriad of valuable but divergent contributions the Natchez Trace Parkway brings to Lee County, and to so many other points between Natchez and greater Nashville. In many ways, the modern paved version still accomplishes much of what the original footpath historically did. Part route of modern convenience, part escape from the melee of the modern world, the Natchez Trace today serves the region in assorted disparate ways. "You don't understand the Trace unless you experience it," said Douglas Neighbor, the parkway's superintendent. He's been in charge of the Trace since the fall of 2021. "To understand what the parkway is about requires driving it several times." In 2023 alone, the parkway received 6.5 million visitors. These people spent $474 million in the communities bordering the road. These visitor numbers do not include the hundreds of thousands of commuters who use the road for a few minutes daily to and from school or work. That is a convenience for many that is unintended but appreciated nonetheless. Nonetheless, the well-traveled highway has remained commercially undeveloped for the sake of historical preservation. "Part of the mission establishing the parkway as it is, as a parkway rather than a highway, is to preserve its agrarian setting," Neighbor said. "There are no stoplights and there is a pastoral look, and that also lets us recognize and preserve the old original Natchez Trace, the 10,000-year-old route that generally parallels the parkway of today." |
| Mississippi House speaker looks to change formula for funding public schools | |
| Speaker Jason White made waves Monday when he revealed the House of Representatives will consider scrapping the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) for what he considers a better avenue for K-12 funding. White broke the news during The Gallo Show, saying the new formula will be more coherent than the MAEP, which was created in 1997 but has only been fully funded twice as lawmakers argue year in and year out over how the basics should be delivered to operating school districts. "It will scrap the MAEP formula," White said, adding that the new program should not only be easier to understand but also easier to fully fund. "It would go to a more student-based, student-weighted funding formula that you or I could understand." In the House bill -- which goes against one currently being considered in the Senate to modify and fully fund MAEP -- the new formula's funding would not be based on teacher units or what schools received in previous years. Rather, the objective is for the individual student to be prioritized based on their specific needs, according to White. "We're not going to do things simply because that's the way we have always done them," White continued. "We want to change the funding formula and get it boiled down to a more student-by-student basis with weighted measures based on all other aspects." |
| House committee hopes for statewide ban on machine gun modifying tech | |
 | It's already illegal on the federal level, but Mississippi House members have moved forward a bill for a statewide ban on machine gun modifying technology. House Bill 903 was passed unanimously by the House Judiciary B Committee Thursday. If passed, it would issue a ban on the possession, sale and manufacturing of firearm modifiers such as Glock switches and auto sears, to name a few. Violation of the proposed law would be a felony, carrying a potential jail time of up to 10 years and a fine of up to $3,000. Additional convictions could get someone 15 years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines. It would also allow for district attorneys to prosecute these cases on the state level. "We are going to follow federal law as far as the criminalization and possession of these types of devices that convert a semi-automatic firearm to a fully automatic firearm," said Rep. Jansen Owen, R-Pear River County, who presented the bill to the committee. "We're going to adopt a federal statute on this and make sure to give our local prosecutors some tools in their arsenal." The bill also received letters of support from the Mississippi Sheriffs Association, the Mississippi Police Chiefs Association and the Mississippi Prosecutors Association, among others. Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade, who supports the bill, told the Clarion Ledger Monday that since June, his officers have recovered between 20 and 30 modified firearms, and that one of those was as recent as last month. |
| Legislative outlook with State Sen. Chris Johnson | |
 | Mississippi State Sen. Chris Johnson (R) is looking for ways to incorporate the use of AI technology into schools. "AI is here," said Johnson. "It's going to be part of our future." This is part of legislation that would create a task force to study the best ways to implement AI into our education system. "Whether we like it or not, kids are going to use AI," Johnson said. Johnson acknowledges some of the challenges with AI in schools and said it wouldn't be used as a crutch for students. "There's ways to build boundaries for what AI will search for; what avenues to make it more accurate information than what it gets," Johnson said. Johnson also introduced Senate Bill 2125, which would allow state employees to create a health savings account. "A health savings account is only available to people that participate in a high deductible health plan, and having it available through the state allows you to take those dollars out pre-tax and use them for whatever health needs you have," Johnson said. The state currently offers a flex plan that Johnson said works if you can anticipate your expenses. At the end of the year, whatever funds are not used are lost. That would change with this new bill. |
| Mississippi House committee passes Purple Alert bill | |
| The Mississippi House Judiciary B Committee moved forward a bill on Thursday to establish a Purple Alert system for missing people with cognitive disabilities. Currently, Mississippi has only Amber Alerts and Silver Alerts, which report missing children, adults and elderly people. State Rep. Fabian Nelson, D-Hinds County, presented the bill to the committee. "Currently right now there is nothing to protect our people who are suffering from cognitive disorders," Nelson said. The bill, which will now be considered by the full House, would allow local law enforcement agencies to announce through the statewide Amber Alert system that someone with cognitive disabilities has gone missing and provide details of their condition and last known whereabouts. Nelson told the Clarion Ledger following the committee meeting that he and bill author, Rep. Clay Mansell, R-Hinds County, saw the need for the additional alert because of instances when law enforcement and people out looking for a missing person were not aware of a person's cognitive disability, which made helping those people more difficult. By disclosing if a missing person has a cognitive disability, it can help those looking for them to know how to best approach and help them, Nelson said. |
| Two Mississippi Museums to unveil flag exhibit on March 9 | |
| The Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson will be unveiling a new exhibit taking a closer look at Mississippi's flags over time. Flags from Mississippi: Emblems Through Time opens March 9 and will feature 20 rarely shown state, national, and military flags that have been used in the Magnolia State. The exhibit will be on display through Nov. 8 with no admission fee. "The Two Mississippi Museums are excited to share this free, special flag exhibition curated by the [Mississippi Department of Archives and History]," Two Mississippi Museums director Michael Morris said. "We invite the public to explore and examine how flags illustrate the various ways inhabitants of Mississippi have chosen to symbolize threads of culture and belief throughout time." According to Morris, one of the highlights of the exhibit will be the Magnolia Flag, which was adopted as the state's first flag in 1861. The Magnolia Flag was ousted in 1865 in favor of a confederate-emblemed flag that was put to rest in 2020 for the current "In God We Trust" flag. Visitors will also see military and battle flags captured during the Civil War. The First National Flag of the Confederacy, commonly known as the Stars and Bars, was seized by Samuel Loring Percival Ayers at Vicksburg on July 4, 1863. The original flag captured will be on display along with a reproduction of the 5th Heavy Artillery Regimental flag of the United States Colored Troops, an African American regiment formed in Vicksburg that fought in the Battle of Milliken's Bend. |
| Biden arrives in Los Angeles today for fundraiser at Israel supporter's home | |
 | President Biden is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles today for a campaign fundraiser at the home of Israeli American media mogul Haim Saban, possibly setting off protests over the U.S. role in Israel's war against Hamas. Tension has been mounting within the Democratic Party over Biden's support for Israel as it bombards the Gaza Strip in retaliation for Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The Biden administration has been a steadfast ally to Israel, preparing to send additional weapons to the nation even as the president has described the military campaign against Gaza as "over the top" and reportedly privately expressed frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The administration has called for a temporary cease-fire in a draft resolution submitted to the United Nations Security Council, according to a CNN report Monday. But the issue has divided California Democrats -- in November, their convention was shut down early after about 1,000 protesters stormed into the Sacramento venue. In December, the last time Biden visited Los Angeles to raise money, demonstrators staged major rallies in support of Palestinians. Such protests could recur today. Saban is a major Israel supporter, and other hosts of the fundraiser have deep ties to the Jewish community. This is probably Biden's last trip to California before Super Tuesday on March 5, when California and more than a dozen other states hold primary elections. |
| A family affair: Nikki Haley's kids step up for mom's presidential bid before SC primary | |
 | For most of the campaign, Nikki Haley's children have stayed off the stump. Outside of the campaign kickoff where Haley's family joined her at the end of her speech, the public role of her children in the campaign has been limited. At most Nalin Haley, a senior in college, writes weekly fundraising appeals to encourage supporters to contribute $5 at a time. Rena Haley Jackson, the presidential candidate's daughter who is an Upstate pediatric nurse, has knocked on doors for the campaign and was often in the front row of debates to support her mother. The two children have sat for a handful of interviews with their mom, but they rarely made public statements about other candidates. Both Rena and Nalin, along with Rena's husband, Joshua Jackson, have joined Nikki Haley on the campaign trail frequently in the final days before the South Carolina Republican presidential primary, where former President Donald Trump is comfortably leading in the polls. Nalin Haley, however, has been vocal on the stump and on his social media. On Feb. 10, when Haley's campaign bus tour returned to the area Haley first represented when she was elected to the State House, Nalin Haley took to the stage to be one of Nikki Haley's introductory speakers. During Nalin Haley's brief remarks, he invoked U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, who was appointed to the Senate in 2012 by Nikki Haley, but endorsed Trump ahead of the New Hampshire primary. "It feels like 2004 (and) 2010 when the establishment was up against her. We had a lot of people in New Hampshire and I saw Trump standing side-by-side next to Sen. Judas, excuse me, Sen. Scott," Nalin Haley said in a line that received laughs from the crowd. |
| How Nikki Haley -- With Help -- Made South Carolina an Economic 'Beast of the Southeast' | |
 | Nikki Haley mentions the "Beast of the Southeast" at virtually every campaign stop in her underdog effort to try to stop Donald Trump from winning the Republican presidential nomination. The phrase, which an industry trade publication used in 2013 to describe South Carolina's robust economic development during her governorship, is a badge of honor for Haley as she explains how her state's unemployment dropped from 10.8% to 4.4% under her watch. "By the time I left, we were building planes with Boeing, we were building more BMWs than any place in the world, we brought in Mercedes-Benz, we brought in Volvo," she said at a recent appearance ahead of the state's Saturday GOP primary. "They were referring to us as the 'Beast of the Southeast.'" Reminding South Carolina voters of her accomplishments as governor is important as Haley tries to avoid an electoral embarrassment in her home state. The state's rapid growth -- the number of registered voters grew roughly 587,000 between the 2016 and 2022 general elections -- means she needs to tell many new voters about the economic growth she oversaw. Even voters who remember her tenure fondly aren't necessarily on her side in the primary. An early February CBS News/YouGov poll of the state's Republicans found 60% of respondents approved of Haley's performance as governor, while 82% approved of Trump's presidential record. In the primary matchup, Trump led Haley, 65% to 30%. |
| Trump allies prepare to infuse 'Christian nationalism' in second administration | |
 | An influential think tank close to Donald Trump is developing plans to infuse Christian nationalist ideas in his administration should the former president return to power, according to documents obtained by POLITICO. Spearheading the effort is Russell Vought, who served as Trump's director of the Office of Management and Budget during his first term and has remained close to him. Vought, who is frequently cited as a potential chief of staff in a second Trump White House, is president of The Center for Renewing America think tank, a leading group in a conservative consortium preparing for a second Trump term. Christian nationalists in America believe that the country was founded as a Christian nation and that Christian values should be prioritized throughout government and public life. As the country has become less religious and more diverse, Vought has embraced the idea that Christians are under assault and has spoken of policies he might pursue in response. One document drafted by CRA staff and fellows includes a list of top priorities for CRA in a second Trump term. "Christian nationalism" is one of the bullet points. Others include invoking the Insurrection Act on Day One to quash protests and refusing to spend authorized congressional funds on unwanted projects, a practice banned by lawmakers in the Nixon era. Trump is not a devout man of faith. But Christian Nationalists have been among his most reliable campaign activists and voting blocs. |
| Alabama court rules frozen embryos are children, chilling IVF advocates | |
 | The IVF community is reeling from an Alabama court decision that embryos created during in-vitro fertilization are "extrauterine children" and legally protected like any other child. IVF advocates say the ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court could have far-reaching consequences for millions of Americans struggling to get pregnant, especially those living in states with "personhood" laws granting legal status to unborn children. The court's ruling repeatedly invoked Christian faith and the Alabama Constitution, which specifically protects unborn children, although that has typically referred to a developing baby inside a womb. IVF advocates have been warning for several years that such decisions were a potential repercussion of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and permit states to ban abortions. The federal Department of Health and Human Services estimated in 2020 that there at least 600,000 frozen embryos were in storage nationwide; the National Embryo Donation Center said the number could be 1 million. Nationally, about 2% of births year involve IVF, a process by which multiple eggs are harvested, fertilized and implanted to create a pregnancy. Alabama's ruling raises questions about what happens to those unused embryos in storage, whether authorities could order them to be implanted in unwilling parents or bring child abuse charges, and what happens if a doctor implants embryos that fail to develop. The Alabama decision heightens the stakes for both abortion-rights and anti-abortion groups during the presidential election. |
| How far can cities go to clear homeless camps? The U.S. Supreme Court will decide | |
 | In April, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a major case that could reshape how cities manage homelessness. The legal issue is whether they can fine or arrest people for sleeping outside if there's no shelter available. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has deemed this cruel and unusual punishment, and this case is a pivotal challenge to that ruling. The high court declined to take up a similar case in 2019. But since then, homelessness rates have climbed relentlessly. Street encampments have grown larger and have expanded to new places, igniting intense backlash from residents and businesses. Homelessness and the lack of affordable housing that's helping to drive it have become key issues for many voters. The case, Grants Pass v. Johnson, could have dramatic implications for the record number of people living in tents and cars across the United States. States and cities contend these rulings have contributed to the growth of tent encampments. "It's just gone too far," California Gov. Gavin Newsom said last year at a Politico event in Sacramento. "People's lives are at risk. It's unacceptable what's happening on the streets and sidewalks. Compassion is not stepping over people on the streets." Critics also say the 9th Circuit's rulings are ambiguous and have been interpreted too broadly, making them unworkable in practice. |
| 'Annihilation' author to speak at Ole Miss | |
| The University of Mississippi's Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College will welcome "Annihilation" author Jeff VanderMeer as keynote speaker for its annual Spring Convocation on Feb. 26. Free and open to the public, the event will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. "Jeff is excited about visiting the University of Mississippi for the first time and plans to discuss his career path, which had lots of obstacles and funny stories," said Ethel Scurlock, dean of the Honors College. "He will also discuss why he is proactive in environmental efforts. "We believe that audience members will leave his talk better informed about critical issues that impact our world and inspired to continue making positive changes in their environments." VanderMeer's New York Times-bestselling "Southern Reach" trilogy has been translated into more 35 languages. "Annihilation," the first novel in the series, won the Nebula and Shirley Jackson awards. The text, which was made into a movie by Paramount Pictures in 2018, follows four female scientists on an expedition into a mysterious environmental disaster zone called "Area X." "Annihilation" was selected as a core text at Ole Miss for the Hon 102 freshman seminar class, which addresses themes related to religion and the cosmos. |
| Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration to Feature Authors and Scholars from Across the Country | |
| There's something about the deep South and funerals. It's a ritual to say farewell to the dead. It's a religious rite. It's the stuff of nightmares, and it is often a subject of morbid fascination. Rites, Rituals and Religion in the Deep South will be the theme of the 35th annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration (NLCC), scheduled this year on February 22 through 24. Authors and scholars from across the country will be in Natchez to talk about voodoo, ghosts, vampires, cemeteries, along with the rituals of sitting with the dead, establishing the tradition of the American funeral, Civil War martyrs, and much more. "We are really excited about this year's lineup of speakers," says Betty Jo Harris, an instructor at Copiah-Lincoln Community College and director of the NLCC. "Death and rituals do hold a certain fascination with people, and when we talk about these topics, we demystify them." Harris says the mission of the NLCC is to educate. "You can't act if you aren't aware." The NLCC will open this year with author Todd Harra, president of the Delaware State Funeral Directors Association and author of Last Rites: The Evolution of the American Funeral, as well as Over Our Dead Bodies, Undertakers Lift the Lid, and Mortuary Confidential: Undertakers Spill the Dirt. His tongue-in-cheek style shines a light on a normally dark subject. He will be discussing his latest book, Lincoln's Obsequies: Establishing the Traditional American Funeral. |
| SC weighs bans on university diversity and equity programs | |
 | South Carolina House lawmakers are considering legislation to prevent public universities from weighing diversity, equity and inclusion in their hiring and admissions policies amid a national blitz by conservatives to ban the practice. First debated during a subcommittee of the House Education and Public Works Committee on Feb. 15, the legislation is expected to be a hybrid of two separate bills that both seek to eliminate one's race, sex and national origin from consideration in university policies, subcommittee Chairman Rep. Tim McGinnis, R-Myrtle Beach, said. At this point, it's unclear how far the bill -- which has yet to be written -- will go. One of those bills, H. 4289, is sponsored by McGinnis and has the backing of more mainstream Republicans in the House. Its scope is narrow and would apply only to college's admissions practices. The second, H. 4290, is sponsored by Rep. Josiah Magnuson, R-Campobello, and is backed by the members of the hard-line House Freedom Caucus. It is also substantially broader than McGinnis' bill, banning so-called DEI policies from being applied in every area of university policy, from their admissions and hiring practices to their ability to hold diversity trainings and apply for federal grants that emphasize DEI. Both bills come after a U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down the use of affirmative action in college admissions policy last June. |
| UVa settles lawsuit with White alumna expelled after run-in with Black protesters | |
| A White University of Virginia student who sued the school after she was expelled over a dispute at a Black Women Matter protest in 2020 has reached a settlement with UVa. In July of last year, Morgan Bettinger filed a lawsuit against UVa's governing Board of Visitors, its President Jim Ryan and its former Dean of Students Allen Groves in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. She claimed university officials did not do enough to protect her after she was accused of threatening participants at a Black Women Matter protest in downtown Charlottesville in July of 2020. Bettinger was expelled after the student-run University Judiciary Committee found her guilty of threatening other students. And even though a UVa Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights found her not guilty, the expulsion remained on her record. Bettinger said she has had to live her life in limbo ever since. Not only has the permanent mark on her record affected her career aspirations, she said, but the harassment she suffered at UVa has left her traumatized. Neither Bettinger's attorneys nor UVa would provide the terms of the settlement. "The case was resolved by a mutual and amicable agreement and dismissed following a joint motion by both parties," UVa spokesman Brian Coy told The Daily Progress. |
| The End of the Dean's List | |
 | Deans' lists have long been a staple of American higher education, each semester trumpeting the names of top-achieving students on college websites and in local newspapers. But among Ivy League institutions, that tradition appears to be ending. Last fall, both Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania stopped releasing deans' lists in an effort to reduce students' academic stress. Cornell and Penn aren't alone; Brown University hasn't had a dean's list since it moved to its current open curriculum academic model in the late 1960s. Harvard last published a dean's list in 2002. Columbia still maintains a dean's list for each of its undergraduate colleges, but it is currently re-evaluating that practice and certain other honors, according to a university official. The move to eliminate deans' lists comes at a time when some universities are working to address a culture of perfectionism on campus, where students feel pressured to earn the highest grades, participate in the most extracurriculars or land the most elite internships. Research has shown that such a culture can impact students' mental health, as they may feel inadequate if they are unable to meet their lofty goals. That was a key reason why the associate deans' council at Cornell initially recommended removing the lists, according to Lisa Nishii, the institution's vice president for undergraduate education. Students' responses to the demise of deans' lists have been mixed. Some see such policy changes as attacks on meritocracy, likening them to handing out participation trophies. "The war against individual achievement continues unabated," one Penn alum wrote on a forum regarding the decision. |
| Pandemic learning loss could create another enrollment hurdle. What can higher ed do? | |
| Declining student populations have plagued the higher ed sector in recent years, and college enrollment has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, colleges are preparing for an expected dropoff in high school graduates beginning next year due to declining birth rates. Now, the sector is grappling with its latest hurdle -- a cohort of high schoolers who are increasingly missing benchmarks that signify college readiness. "Even if enrollments appear to stabilize after pandemic lows, declines in elementary and secondary school learning and proficiency may present additional future challenges for postsecondary education," WICHE said. From 2020 to 2023, the math and reading test scores of fourth and either graders declined. Lower-performing students experienced the most dramatic drops, especially in math. "Learning proficiency declines had already preceded the pandemic," WICHE said. "It appears that the pandemic-related disruptions then deepened and amplified these existing declines." The nonprofit advised colleges to go into their recruitment processes with a clear understanding of learning loss challenges and "a recognition that the student populations who are historically more disadvantaged also experienced some of the greatest pandemic learning impacts." |
| Attorney General Lynn Fitch wants campaign finance reform and more enforcement -- wait, what? | |
| Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender writes: Attorney General Lynn Fitch's reluctance to investigate or prosecute campaign finance violations last year prompted other state leaders to call for reform and more enforcement. Now Fitch is calling for -- wait for it -- campaign finance reform and more enforcement. This appears to be at least in part political damage control, trying to get out front in an area where she's drawn slings and arrows. Fitch, whose own campaign is largely funded by out-of-state special interests, in a brief media tour with conservative media outlets said she wants to put a halt to "out of state influencers" with deep pockets meddling in Mississippi elections. But oddly, in announcing this crusade, Fitch offered an open call to out-of-state influencers to dump unlimited amounts of money into Mississippi elections. Fitch, in her press release announcing her call for reform, said -- contrary to more than 30 years of legal interpretation and practice -- there is no limit to the amount of money out-of-state corporations can donate to a Mississippi candidate. She even put it in italics, for emphasis on her attempted nullification of one of the few stringent campaign donation rules Mississippi has. This goes against at least 30 years of legal interpretation and practice. Mississippi candidates and campaigns, bless their hearts, have operated under the assumption that out-of-state corporations face the same $1,000 a year donation limit as in-state corporations. |
| Two Big Medicaid Expansion Ideas, One Big Problem | |
| The Magnolia Tribune's Russ Latino writes: When Obamacare passed in 2010, one of its primary components was an expansion of Medicaid to cover able-bodied adults without dependents. It also increased income thresholds to 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Fourteen years later, the Mississippi Legislature is considering whether to enact that expansion. Opponents of Medicaid expansion have argued expansion will: (1) be costly to taxpayers; (2) primarily benefit adults who choose either not to work, or not to work full-time; (3) make it harder for already vulnerable populations to access healthcare by crowding out a physician-depleted marketplace; and (4) force people with private health insurance onto the welfare program. Perhaps recognizing the truth of those criticisms, two "narrowing" proposals have emerged. The first is to include a work requirement for people made eligible for Medicaid under expansion. The second is to prevent people with private insurance from dropping their coverage for a period of twelve months. On their face, these may sound like pragmatic compromises. The problem is that neither is realistically possible. |
SPORTS
| Diamond Dawgs Host Austin Peay in Midweek Action | |
| The Mississippi State Bulldogs return to action on Tuesday and Wednesday when they host Austin Peay in midweek action at Dudy Noble Field. First pitch for each contests are set for 4 p.m. Both contests will be broadcast on SEC Network+. The series will also be carried on the Mississippi State Sports Network powered by Learfield along with a live audio stream via HailState.com/OnDemand. Austin Peay enters the midweek series with the Dawgs with a record of 2-1. The Govs swept a doubleheader with Western Illinois on Sunday. Last season, Austin Peay went 26-32. Austin Peay returns nearly all the regulars off an offense that posted one of the best seasons in program history. Of the nine hitters with 100 or more at-bats last season, only one will not return. Outfielder Garrett Martin is the Govs' lone departure after graduation and signing as a free agent with the New York Yankees. While the offense returns the bulk of its output, the situation on the mound will be drastically different. Austin Peay saw 10 letterwinners depart from last season's pitching staff, leaving only six returnees. Each of those six returnees supplied 27 or more innings in 2023. Eleven newcomers bolster the Govs' bullpen, including five transfers from other Division I programs. Mississippi State last met Austin Peay in Starkville in 2013 where the Diamond Dawgs won the game 13-5. Mississippi State leads the all-time series 5-2. The Diamond Dawgs have won the last four meetings. |
| Weekend notebook: Mississippi State has found a viable weekend rotation | |
| If there was something that was missing from Mississippi State baseball last season, it was pitching. The Bulldogs posted a 7.01 team ERA in 2023, a season where nothing seemed to work out on the mound, from the starters to the bullpen. However, three games into the 2024 season, a newfound confidence in the starting rotation has already arrived thanks to a trio of solid starts against Air Force. "There's a little bit of an attitude," head coach Chris Lemonis said. "There's a lot of strike-throwing. That's the big piece, just being aggressive and being in the zone. ... I thought they really showed out this weekend." It was a new-look weekend rotation with familiar faces for Mississippi State as Nate Dohm slotted in on Friday, Purdue transfer Khal Stephen followed on Saturday and switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje rounded things out on Sunday. Both Cijntje and Dohm come into this season looking to build off their 2023 seasons at MSU while Stephen is looking to parlay an All-Big Ten campaign last year into the Southeastern Conference. Like clockwork, the trio delivered. |
| Mississippi State basketball vs. Ole Miss: Score prediction, scouting report for rematch | |
| Mississippi State basketball coach Chris Jans often uses metrics when examining his team's play. For example, he'll often cite turnover rates rather than simply pointing to the number of times the Bulldogs gave the ball away in a contest. However, advanced analytics aren't needed when reexamining Mississippi State's loss at Ole Miss on Jan. 30. The Bulldogs allowed the Rebels to score 86 points. It's as simple as that to Jans. Playing on the road, 82 points should have been enough for MSU (17-8, 6-6 SEC) to pick up a rivalry win. "We just didn't defend well enough," Jans said Monday. "... We just had some breakdowns and have got to try to clean them up." The numbers suggest MSU should find improved play on that end of the floor Wednesday (8 p.m., ESPN2) when Ole Miss (19-6, 6-6) comes to Humphrey Coliseum. Mississippi State ranks No. 13 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. The Bulldogs rank in the top 30 in effective field goal percentage allowed and fourth in 3-point percentage allowed. Even with forward D.J. Jeffries -- who Jans considers the team's top perimeter defender -- sidelined with an injury, Mississippi State has held teams to an average of 60 points per game during its three game winning streak. |
| Men's Basketball: Jones adjusting to starting role with Jeffries still nursing injury | |
| D.J. Jeffries tried to give it a go Saturday against Arkansas, but his knee simply would not let him. Mississippi State's fifth-year senior forward had missed the Bulldogs' previous two games, wins against Georgia and Missouri, after banging up his knee on Feb. 3 at Alabama. He returned to the floor after the first television timeout against the Razorbacks, but after playing roughly three and a half minutes and not registering any statistics, Jeffries told head coach Chris Jans that he still was not up to competing and sat out the rest of the game. Sophomore guard Shawn Jones Jr. has started the last three games in Jeffries' place and is beginning to settle into his new role. Jones had averaged between 17 and 18 minutes per game in Southeastern Conference play prior to Jeffries' injury, but is now called upon to defend some of the SEC's best scorers and rebounders, almost as a bridge between MSU's smaller guards and defensive stalwart forward Cameron Matthews. "He's consistently shielding his man from getting offensive rebounds," Jans said. "With Shawn, just driving in that lane and playing off two feet and making others better and understanding that if he doesn't have a clear path to the goal, there's other people who are open. ... He's doing much better when it comes to that. Before, he kind of had a one-track mind when he drove the ball, he was trying to score each and every opportunity, and he's really improved." The Bulldogs (17-8, 6-6 SEC) pulled ahead in the final minute to defeat Arkansas and move back to the right side of the bubble for the time being, thanks in large part to their success at Humphrey Coliseum. |
| Hubbard ties school history with fourth SEC Freshman weekly honor | |
| For the fourth time this season, Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard has been named SEC Freshman of the Week. The phenom out of Madison-Ridgeland Academy catapulted the Bulldogs to a 71-67 victory over Arkansas on Saturday with a go-ahead three pointer in the final minute. Hubbard scored 14 of his 19 points after halftime while adding three rebounds and three assists with no turnovers. On the season, Hubbard leads all SEC freshmen with 15 points per game. He ranks thirteenth in the conference out of all scorers. The latest accolade for Hubbard makes him the second Mississippi State player in history to earn a quartet of SEC Freshman weekly honors, joining Jamont Gordon who did it during the 2005-06 season. Hubbard will look to have another big performance when the Bulldogs (17-8, 6-6 SEC) host rival Ole Miss (19-6, 6-6) on Wednesday night in Starkville. |
| Mississippi State knocks off two top-15 teams at Puerto Vallarta College Challenge | |
| That motivation and focus Mississippi State head coach Samantha Ricketts kept talking about in the preseason? The Bulldogs have translated it to the field in a big way early on. MSU defeated No. 8 Clemson and No. 13 Utah on Saturday at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge in Mexico, running its winning streak against ranked teams to four, before dropping its first game of the season Sunday morning against UC Davis. The Bulldogs entered the Softball America and D1Softball Top 25 rankings at No. 18 and No. 21, respectively, and could find themselves ranked in the NFCA Coaches poll as well on Tuesday. Facing reigning National Player of the Year Valerie Cagle, MSU jumped out to an early lead against the Tigers when Madisyn Kennedy opened the scoring in the second inning with a two-run home run. Kennedy later drove in another run with a double in the sixth, and the Bulldogs also took advantage of four Clemson errors to score two unearned runs in a 6-3 victory. Fifth-year pitcher Aspen Wesley was outstanding in the circle, limiting the Tigers to six hits and just one earned run in a complete-game effort and throwing exactly 100 pitches. She struck out eight and walked just one, and after also defeating then-No. 23 Louisiana on Tuesday, was named Southeastern Conference Co-Pitcher of the Week. The Bulldogs (8-1) are next in action at the prestigious Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, Calif. this weekend, where they will face a demanding slate that includes No. 1 Oklahoma as well as UCF, Notre Dame, Cal State Fullerton and Fresno State. |
| With few other options, football is hope for families in rural Mississippi | |
 | A winter sun is setting over the brown, patchy field where Ronald Redmond's kids have been playing football since they were 5. The goalposts are rusting and the fence is ripped. But Redmond knows what kids who played on this field have gone on to achieve: high school stardom, college scholarships and even NFL glory. "Stay on that football field," Redmond recalls telling his 11-year-old son, R.J., a center and linebacker on the Lexington Colts youth football team. "You can go somewhere with that. ... If you dedicate yourself to this football and your education, then you can go wherever you want." Tackle football is among the only recreational activities available to kids in Lexington and surrounding Holmes County, the second-poorest county in the nation's poorest state. "The opportunity for kids is at a bare minimum," Redmond said. Parents have good reason to believe in what football offers. According to an analysis by The Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism and the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland, three players on 2023 Power Five college football rosters were from Lexington, where the population is 1,154. Put another way: One out of every 385 people from this majority-Black town in central Mississippi played for an elite college program. It's the best per capita rate of any town with at least 250 people in the state -- and among the top rates in the nation. In Lexington, youth tackle football at minimum is a structured activity that teaches discipline and keeps kids out of trouble. At best, it's a path to college, a chance at a better life and a way out. |
| Missouri athletic director leaves for alma mater Arizona | |
 | Missouri athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois is leaving the school for the University of Arizona, the school announced Monday afternoon. ESPN's Pete Thamel originally reported late Monday morning that Reed-Francois could be leaving and The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach first reported her official hiring. On its website, Arizona announced that, pending approval by the school's Board of Regents, Reed-Francois will get a five-year contract at Arizona, where she received her law degree. Her deal at Arizona, as reported by The Athletic, starts with an annual base salary of $1 million, with an additional $250,000 contribution from the university's foundation and other opportunities for incentives based on the Wildcats' success in athletics and academics. The contract has a base salary elevator to $1.2 million in the fifth year. Reed-Francois is scheduled to begin with Arizona on March 3. "Leaving behind such an amazing fan base is not easy, but as I embark on this new chapter back to my alma mater, I carry with me cherished memories of our time together," Reed-Francois said. Reed-Francois was hired as Missouri's AD in August 2021 after spending four years at UNLV. She oversaw the hire of current Missouri basketball coach Dennis Gates and the extension of football coach Eli Drinkwitz. |
| Nick Saban would beat Tommy Tuberville in hypothetical 2026 Alabama Senate race, poll finds | |
 | Tommy Tuberville is one of the few past and present college football coaches with a winning record against Nick Saban. But a new poll finds the recently retired legendary University of Alabama football coach could erase his losing record against Tuberville, the former Auburn football coach and Alabama's current senior U.S. senator -- in a matchup off the field. Saban, who went 3-4 against Tuberville on the gridiron, would defeat Tuberville for the Senate seat if Saban runs as a Democrat in 2026, 42 percent to 39 percent, according to a YouGov poll shared with Slate. The late January survey of 537 registered Alabama voters showed Saban in a better position than other potential Tuberville challengers. Ex-Sen. Doug Jones, who lost his seat to Tuberville in 2020, would lose in a hypothetical matchup by an even bigger margin in 2026, according to the poll. Jones trailed the incumbent 52 percent to 27 percent, a larger margin than the 20-percentage point deficit he faced in 2020. Meanwhile, Saban has not expressed any interest in entering politics. |
| As CFP meetings resume with ESPN TV deal on table, the battle for control of the future rages | |
| College football's future could receive some needed clarity this week. At least, that is the hope of many involved in planning the sport's much-anticipated expanded postseason. ESPN has agreed to terms with representatives for the College Football Playoff on a six-year, $7.8 billion extension to televise the event through 2031-32. But the commissioners and the presidents that run the CFP have not yet agreed on any aspects of the format beyond the 12-team model in place for the next two seasons, setting up a pivotal few days of meetings. The Board of Managers, the university presidents and chancellors who make up the organization's highest governing body, will meet virtually on Tuesday. The commissioners (and Notre Dame leadership) who make up the CFP's Management Committee will meet in person in Dallas on Wednesday. Can they reach a consensus on the details for 2026 and beyond that have held up forward progress so far? And if not, what happens? One possible alternative is what many across college sports feared when the SEC and Big Ten announced their new joint advisory group: An eventual breakaway of the richest and most powerful leagues in college athletics. Even if only serving as an implied threat, it could give the two conferences significant leverage in negotiations that will determine the future of college athletics. Some commissioners in the room acknowledge that the mighty Big Ten and SEC have the leverage to chart a course forward, but have yet to throw it around. Those commissioners also say they don't know what, exactly, the Big Ten and SEC want out of the remaining debates. The hope is more clarity at the meetings Tuesday and Wednesday. |
| As college football's elite is engulfed in a power struggle, G5 left just trying to survive: 'We are a farm system' | |
| This offseason, Will Hall will be a football coach for just a few hours a day. He'll attend morning winter workouts and, once spring practice starts, lead his Southern Miss football team on the field. Aside from those instances, Hall is a fundraiser. On a random Wednesday in February, Hall, the coach, starts his day at 7 a.m. observing workouts. By 10 a.m., Hall, the fundraiser, is meeting with donors in his office. At 11, he jumps in his car for the 90-minute drive to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where more donor meetings are held at 1:30 and then 3. His goal is to meet with 12 donors a week. "I do zero football anymore. Zero football in my life right now," Hall said. "I do culture and recruiting. "Most of my day is spent all across the southern United States raising money," he said before pausing, "for NIL." Hall's offseason is a window into life these days at the Group of Five level -- the lower-resourced bottom half of FBS where tight budgets and small staffs have coaches pushing aside football for fundraising. Gathering donor dollars for name, image and likeness (NIL) deals gives schools the ability to recruit players and, more importantly at this level, retain them. Plenty of Power Five coaches are operating in a similar capacity as Hall. But in the Group of Five, NIL fundraising isn't only more arduous -- smaller donor bases, fewer school resources -- but it is much more urgent. G5 coaches are scrambling to amass enough dollars to ward off Power Five poachers. |
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