| Monday, March 2, 2026 |
| Supply and demand drive beef prices higher. When will beef prices go down? | |
 | A trip to a grocery store is a bigger financial commitment than it was a few years ago as prices have climbed steeply, but the product that seems to get more attention than others is beef. Even at advertised sale prices, you'll pay more than you paid for beef at regular prices just a few years ago. Beef prices are so high, President Donald J. Trump mentioned them in his Feb. 24 State of the Union Speech. Trump claimed beef prices are coming down, but that doesn't appear to be entirely true. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, some categories of beef slightly dropped in January 2026 from December 2025, but all categories of beef were higher in January 2026 than they were in January 2025. So, why does it cost so much to grill hamburgers these days? The simple answer is that it's a case of low supply and high demand, but how the situation got to this point isn't quite so straightforward, and it may take several years to change it. "One of the key things to think about is production cycles and lags in production," said Josh Maples, associate professor of agriculture economics with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. "There's a disconnect between beef on people's plates and cattle in a pasture. We're talking two to three years from the time a producer decides to expand before that decision leads to more beef." |
| Vineyard workshop draws grape growers to Perkinston | |
 | Vineyard owners and aspiring grape growers gathered Friday morning for the second annual Vineyard Establishment Workshop at Deaux Run Vineyard and Venue in Perkinston. The free event, hosted in partnership with the Mississippi State Extension Service, ran from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at 80 Deaux Run Lane. The workshop covered pre-planting considerations, cultivar selection, disease management and pest management. Participants also took part in a hands-on pruning demonstration, with some bringing their own tools to practice in the vineyard. Greg Dedeaux, owner of Deaux Run Vineyard and Venue, said Mississippi State University presented information on a range of vine varieties that can be grown in the state. "We focus on muscadines here, and again, we have two varieties. Lake Fry and Lane are our two types, but Mississippi State University is telling all of the participants about various types of vines that can be grown," Dedeaux said. "The folks that are coming in are learning more. It's just a good education for them to learn more about grapes and harvesting and production and maintaining a vineyard." MSU research associate Haley Williams said the goal is to help participants avoid costly mistakes. |
| Sulfur's ability to boost Midsouth corn yields remains unclear | |
 | As sulfur increases in popularity as a potential yield booster in high-yield corn environments, researchers are hard-pressed to address why sometimes sulfur applications work and sometimes they don't. A collaborative first-year study in 2025 with research trials hosted by Oklahoma State University, University of Arkansas and Mississippi State University set out to discover the costs and benefits of sulfur in corn systems and found mixed results. At the Delta region test site in Marianna, Ark., treatments with and without sulfur were nearly identical, with no statistical differences between the applications. In Verona, Miss., trials, sulfur applications performed exactly opposite of previously recorded datasets, with low nitrogen levels seeing a yield bump with sulfur and high levels seeing drag. After just one year of testing, researchers are facing more questions about sulfur than answers, especially relating to what factors allow sulfur to have positive impacts for corn production. Whether the specific production systems, field conditions or regional challenges contribute to sulfur not performing in the Midsouth, anecdotal evidence suggests it performs elsewhere. |
| Starkville Based Business Camgian is Leading Way in Defense Technology | |
| Camgian, one of the only key defense companies based in Mississippi, has been providing innovative AI and machine learning defense technology solutions to the military for nearly 20 years. The company specializes in AI-driven kill chain automation across multi-domain warfighting functions, from air and missile defense and counter-unmanned aerial systems to space, delivering faster, more precise engagements ensuring rapid threat detection, informed decision-making and decisive action when it matters most. Camgian Founder and CEO, Dr. Gary Butler, said kill chain automation serves as a "copilot" for command-and-control systems, empowering air defense operators to dramatically enhance mission effectiveness in contested environments characterized by hypersonic weapons, drone swarms and advanced missile threats. Recently, Camgian reached another major milestone by being awarded a position on a contract to develop the proposed Golden Dome missile defense project. Butler said the Systems, Hardware, Integration, Enhanced Logistics, and Development (SHIELD) Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle provides the Missile Defense Agency with access to a broad pool of industry partners capable of delivering engineering, integration, cybersecurity, IT modernization and mission support solutions. "We are very excited about our recent selection for the SHIELD program," said Butler. |
| Starkville considers ban on Kratom sales, use | |
 | Citizens could see Kratom, a product commonly sold in convenience stores as a pain relief or energy supplement, criminalized in Starkville as the city considers an ordinance that would ban the use and sale of the product in city limits. Mayor Lynn Spruill said discussion of a possible ordinance follows recent concerns raised by citizens. "There are people who swear by it and there are people who say it's highly addictive and that kids are getting into it," Spruill told The Dispatch following the board of aldermen work session Friday at City Hall. "... It seems to be a growing chorus of people being concerned about its impact on the community, so I figure we can take it up and if there's a human cry, then we'll do something about it. And if not, we may let it ride and do it if it continues to develop. But I expect to have some feedback from some of our citizens." Available in the form of tablets, powders, bottled liquids similar to energy shots and e-cigarette cartridges, Kratom is derived from a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia and is alleged to treat ailments ranging from minor pain to anxiety, depression and drug withdrawal symptoms, though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved kratom for any medical use. The Drug Enforcement Administration has listed kratom as a chemical of concern, citing its addictive properties and reported side effects that can include hallucinations, seizures and weight loss. |
| Whataburger to be built near Target site in Tupelo | |
 | Whataburger is building its first location in Northeast Mississippi, and it will be opening near the highly anticipated Target currently under construction in Tupelo. The city's Development Services department has received a commercial construction application for the burger chain, which calls for a nearly 3,000-square foot store. The estimated cost of construction is $750,000, and while there is no official word on when the restaurant will open, it should be noted that Target has said it plans to open in October. Whataburger currently has 14 locations in Mississippi: Brandon, D'Iberville, Flowood, Gulfport, Hernando, Horn Lake, Jackson, Madison, Ocean Springs, Richland, Ridgeland, Southaven and Vicksburg. Whataburger is headquartered and based in San Antonio, Texas, that specializes in hamburgers. Founded by Harmon Dobson and Paul Burton, it opened its first restaurant in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1950. In 2019, Chicago private equity firm BDT Capital Partners became the owner. |
| MDA director urges Gulf Coast leaders to pursue large-scale investment with restoration funds | |
| Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Bill Cork visited the Gulf Coast to urge regional business leaders to pursue larger-scale economic development projects, particularly through the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund. Cork met with members of the Business Council to discuss the state's economic development activity and outline what he described as a shift toward attracting higher-paying, higher-skilled jobs to the region. Cork acknowledged a letter he sent to Gulf Coast leaders in December that some received as a reprimand. He said the intent was to serve as a call to action. "What we're trying to just propose with the Gulf Coast Restoration Funds is think really aspirationally," Cork said. "What it really means is how do we take the assets that are in play across the Coast and really double down on large-scale investment to attract new and diverse industrial jobs and tax base for the region." Cork said all projects submitted through the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund process have merit, but that he and Gov. Tate Reeves are focused on elevating the quality of jobs coming to the region. "When you have those jobs in your region, you can solve a lot of the other problems that come to the community, including a lot of the local development, community development projects," Cork said. |
| Mississippi online campaign finance push likely to die again in Legislature | |
| An effort to require Mississippi candidates to file their campaign finance reports online appears, once again, likely to fail in the state Legislature. The House Elections Committee on Thursday voted to pause debate on SB 2589, with the option to resume debate in the future. But if the committee does not pass the bill by Tuesday, the legislation will die. Similar measures have died in the past. The bill would require county, municipal and state candidates to file their campaign finance reports online with the secretary of state's office. This is an effort to provide the public with searchable, legible campaign finance data, as most states, including all those surrounding Mississippi have. But some House members expressed concerns about requiring candidates, especially in rural areas, to file reports online. "I'm not trying to make an 80-something-year-old try to figure out how to file something online," House Elections Chairman Noah Sanford said. |
| Sen. Chassaniol says she is likely to kill prison health care reforms | |
| A state senator says she is unlikely to advance bills aimed at improving medical care in Mississippi prisons and redirecting control of the state prison health care contract. Corrections Committee Vice Chairwoman Lydia Chassaniol, a Republican from Winona, called a committee meeting on Thursday and advanced only two House bills. She told Mississippi Today that she was unlikely to call another meeting ahead of Tuesday's deadline for committees to pass general bills from the other chamber. Chassaniol is running the committee while Corrections Chairman Juan Barnett, a Democrat from Heidelberg, is out with an illness. She said Barnett only requested two bills be passed, and that she planned to honor his wishes even if it meant the House proposals, which passed that chamber 120-0, would die. "Well, too bad. Too bad. I mean, I was trying to, it's very important to me to show respect for our chairman, and that's what he asked us to bring forward, so I'm basically a stand-in for Chairman Barnett, who was unable to be here today because he's ill," Chassaniol said. Those bills, which follow an ongoing investigative series from Mississippi Today on the alleged denial of care in state prisons, are part of a reform package spearheaded by Rep. Becky Currie, the Republican House Corrections chairwoman from Brookhaven. |
| House bill exempting food pantries from paying sales tax on food heads to Senate | |
 | A bill to exempt food pantries from paying state sales tax when buying food has passed the House of Representatives and is awaiting action in the Senate. Currently, food pantries have an exemption for buying non-perishable food only. But House Bill 715 would exempt all food purchased by food banks from sales tax. Hattiesburg representative Missy McGee introduced the bill, which passed the House this week. Last year, a similar bill also made it through the House, but died in the Senate. "I think it's a good idea," said Representative Noah Sanford, a Republican from District 90. "There are a lot of food banks that churches and community groups have set up and certainly, there's no reason to only have the exemption on non-perishable items." "I'm certainly hopeful," said Senator Joey Fillingane, a Republican from District 41. "It sounds like a very good idea and would certainly benefit those that are trying to help the most needy and vulnerable among us, so I would have no problem with that whatsoever." |
| Mississippi officials react after U.S. and Israel launch major attack on Iran | |
| Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker is among Mississippi Republicans lauding President Donald Trump's decision to launch a joint attack with Israel on Iran on Saturday as the president is urging the Iranian public to "seize control of your destiny" and rise up against the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979. "Today, our commander-in-chief took decisive action against the threat posed by the world's leading proliferator of terrorism, the Iranian regime," Wicker said in a statement. "This is a pivotal and necessary operation to protect Americans and American interests. The President has stated the operation's goals clearly: thwart permanently the ayatollahs' desire to create a nuclear weapon, degrade their ballistic missile force and their production capacity, and destroy their naval and terrorism capabilities." Wicker, who has served in Congress for over two decades and has become one of the most powerful defense voices in Washington, added that the Iranian regime "has never been weaker," and without military force, the regime would "continue to grow their ability to threaten Americans and our interests" working alongside China, Russia, and North Korea. |
| US stocks slip and oil prices leap with worries that war in the Middle East will worsen inflation | |
 | U.S. stocks are slipping Monday, while oil prices leap on worries that war in the Middle East will slow the global flow of crude and make inflation even worse. Crude prices jumped 6%, which will likely mean higher prices soon at gasoline pumps. That would hurt not only U.S. households, whose spending makes up the bulk of the U.S. economy, but also businesses with big fuel bills. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3%, with some of the sharpest losses hitting cruise lines and airlines. It had sunk as much as 1.2% in the morning before trimming its loss. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 199 points, or 0.4%, as of 10:45 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.1% lower. Prices climbed for natural gas, meanwhile, which could mean higher heating bills for the remainder of the winter, after a major supplier of liquefied natural gas to Europe said it would stop production because of the war. Gold climbed 2.1% as investors looked for safer things to own and as U.S. officials tried to persuade the world that this war will not last forever. Typically, Treasury yields also fall when investors are feeling nervous. But yields instead climbed, in part because higher oil prices will put upward pressure on inflation, which is already worse than what nearly everyone would like. That could tie the Federal Reserve's hands and keep it from cutting interest rates. |
| War widens as Israeli and US planes pound Iran and Tehran and its proxies hit back | |
| he war in the Middle East spiraled further Monday as Israel and the U.S. pounded Iran. Tehran and its allies hit back against Israel, neighboring Gulf states, and targets critical to the world's production of oil and natural gas. The intensity of the attacks, the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the lack of any apparent exit plan indicated the conflict would not end anytime soon. It was already having far-reaching consequences: Safe havens in the Mideast like Dubai have seen incoming fire; hundreds of thousands of airline passengers are stranded around the globe; oil prices shot up; and U.S. allies pledged to help stop Iranian missiles and drones. Iran has long threatened, if attacked, to drag the region into total war, including targeting Israel, the Gulf Arab states and the flow of crude oil crucial for global energy markets. All of these came under attack on Monday. The chaos of the conflict became apparent when the U.S. military said Kuwait had "mistakenly shot down" three American F-15E Strike Eagles while attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones were underway. U.S. Central Command said all six pilots ejected safely and are in stable condition. |
| Trump Spent Years Denouncing U.S. Intervention. Now He's Toppling Foreign Leaders. | |
 | In front of a packed chamber of Arab leaders last May, President Trump declared that the era of American-led regime change was over. "In the end, the so-called nation builders wrecked far more nations than they built," he said in Riyadh, deriding the "Western interventionalists giving you lectures on how to live and how to govern your own affairs." Nine months later, he launched the largest U.S. military operation the region had seen in two decades and urged Iranians to "take over" their government, backed by U.S. force. Four American troops have been killed in the operation as of Monday morning, the military said. It marked a jarring reversal for a man whose political rise was fueled in part by American fatigue with large-scale military interventions. For years, Trump denounced Washington's "forever wars" and warned against toppling foreign regimes by force, a message that formed the foundation of the "America First" movement that won him the presidency twice. Trump's decision to launch Operation Epic Fury was driven by frustration that Iran wouldn't cut a deal to constrain its nuclear program, his longtime personal grievances against Tehran, and a new conviction among the president and his top advisers after January's operation in Venezuela that regime change didn't have to mean another Iraq, according to administration officials and others familiar with Trump's thinking. |
| Republicans Cite Iran Attacks to Pressure Democrats on Shutdown | |
 | Federal agencies are starting to show signs of strain as the Department of Homeland Security's shutdown enters its third week and the U.S. assault on Iran raises concerns about a heightened risk of terrorist threats domestically. The department is continuing what it calls "essential" missions amid a partisan standoff in which Democrats have refused to fund the department without measures to rein in immigration officers. The funding lapse has had few implications for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, however, in large part because of the billions of dollars in funding Republicans in Congress approved for the agency last summer. But funding delays and discontent among federal employees could threaten crucial government services and national security if the shutdown drags on. And cracks are already showing in some corners of the department, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Federal officials say money for disaster recovery is draining away, and organizers for cities set to host World Cup matches this summer are waiting for funding to ramp up security. Over the weekend, Republican lawmakers maintained that President Trump's military assault on Iran makes it even more critical that federal employees who help keep the country safe, including airport security officers, should not go without pay. |
| War powers votes unlikely to rein in Trump after Iran strikes | |
 | Lawmakers who oppose President Donald Trump's military campaign against Iran will have a chance to weigh in next week, but they may not be able to successfully rein him in. Both chambers of Congress were already expected to vote next week on war powers resolutions aimed at constricting Trump's ability to launch military strikes against Iran. The start of the military operation early Saturday morning added more urgency to the votes. "The Senate should immediately return to session and vote on my War Powers Resolution to block the use of U.S. forces in hostilities against Iran," Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., the lead sponsor of the Senate resolution, said in a statement Saturday. "Every single senator needs to go on the record about this dangerous, unnecessary and idiotic action." Kaine's resolution, which he introduced with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., last month, would mandate the president "remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force." A procedural vote on the resolution could happen as soon as Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the situation. Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, Kaine can force a vote on a motion to discharge the measure from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which only needs a simple majority to advance. But it's unclear if his resolution can meet that threshold. |
| OpenAI announces Pentagon deal after Trump bans Anthropic | |
 | President Trump ordered the U.S. government to stop using the artificial intelligence company Anthropic's products and the Pentagon moved to designate the company a national security risk on Friday, in a sharp escalation of a high-stakes fight over the military's use of AI. Hours after the president's announcement, rival company OpenAI said it had struck a deal with the Defense Department to provide its own AI technology for classified networks. The administration's decisions cap an acrimonious dispute between Anthropic and the Pentagon over whether the company could prohibit its tools from being used in mass surveillance of American citizens or to power autonomous weapon systems, as part of a military contract worth up to $200 million. Trump's announcement came about an hour before a deadline set by the Pentagon, which had called on Anthropic to back down. Shortly after the deadline passed, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he was labeling Anthropic a supply chain risk to national security, blacklisting it from working with the U.S. military or contractors. Anthropic said it would challenge the supply chain risk designation in court. Anthropic also challenged Hegseth's comments that anyone who does business with the U.S. military would have to cut off all business with Anthropic. "The Secretary does not have the statutory authority to back up this statement," the company said. |
| Iran's exiled prince tells Europe to get off the fence and back the war | |
| The exiled "crown prince" of Iran is calling on Europe's leaders to back Donald Trump's military campaign and support efforts to replace the religious dictatorship with democracy. Reza Pahlavi, whose father, the last shah, was overthrown in the 1979 revolution, said the ayatollah's regime is "collapsing" after two days of bombardment from Israeli and American forces, which killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his top commanders. But the initial European response to the attacks was divided, cautious and muted in any support for the airstrikes. In comments to POLITICO, Pahlavi welcomed recent EU moves to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization but called for more active backing for the U.S.-led assault on the regime. "The military operation is a humanitarian rescue mission and will save many lives," Pahlavi said. "Europe's decision to proscribe the IRGC is welcome but it now needs to go further and support our transition plan to rebuild Iran. Europe has too long sat on the fence. This is the moment of decision. Stand with the Iranian people." His comments came after European governments first urged restraint, raising concerns about the risks of war spreading through the region and questioning the legitimacy of the action under international law. There were signs that leading European powers were shifting their positions on Sunday to support limited involvement in the conflict in response to growing threats from Iranian retaliation. |
| Trump expects his Fed pick and AI to deliver a replay of the '90s boom. Economists have doubts | |
| President Donald Trump, his Treasury secretary and his choice to lead the Federal Reserve believe they can coax the U.S. economy into partying like it's 1999. They are putting their faith in artificial intelligence to duplicate what happened when another technology arrived in the 1990s: the internet. Back then, the American economy surged as businesses became more productive, unemployment tumbled and inflation remained in check. Trump is confident that his nominee to become Fed chair, Kevin Warsh, can unleash an even greater economic bonanza by jettisoning what the president sees as the central bank's hidebound reluctance to slash interest rates. Many economists are skeptical. The world looks a lot different today than it did when the Spice Girls ruled radio and "Titanic'' dominated the box office. And the story the Trump team is telling -- that a visionary Fed chair, Alan Greenspan, fueled the '90s boom by keeping interest rates low -- is incomplete at best. "The administration is offering a rather distorted version of what actually happened in the 1990s,'' economist Dario Perkins of TS Lombard said in a commentary. Nonetheless, the Trump administration believes history can repeat itself. All that's been missing, in the president's view, is a Fed chair with Greenspan's foresightedness. |
| Music by Women Festival returns to Mississippi University for Women for its 10th year | |
| Mississippi University for Women will host its International Music by Women festival Thursday through Saturday on campus, marking the event's 10th year. Founded in 2017 by Julia Mortyakova, chair of the Department of Music, the festival highlights music composed by women, both historically and today. The three-day event includes 15 concerts, academic presentations and performances by faculty, students and visiting musicians from institutions across the U.S. and around the world. "I am really excited to celebrate 10 years of the International Annual Music by Women Festival," Mortyakova said. "It has been an honor and a joy to provide a platform where colleagues from all around the world share music written by women composers. We are the largest festival of its kind, and our advocacy efforts to include more women composers are making a difference on concert stages and in academic classrooms." Performers represent a variety of institutions, including the University of Southern Mississippi, Florida State University, Auburn University, the University of Memphis, Texas A&M-San Antonio, and internationally from the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Krakow and the Music Academy in Bydgoszcz, Poland. |
| UMMC clinics to reopen Monday, begin rescheduling missed appointments after cyberattack | |
| University of Mississippi Medical Center clinics will resume normal operations and appointment schedules on Monday as it continues recovery efforts following a cyberattack on Feb. 19. Also, on Monday, UMMC will begin rescheduling patient appointments that were cancelled. Clinics will operate extended hours and days to quickly accommodate as many impacted patient appointments as possible. "It will take some time to fully recover and to investigate this criminal attack on our network systems. This was not just an attack on UMMC; it was also an attack on our patients, students, faculty and staff," said Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs. "Thank you to our patients and their families for their patience as we worked diligently to restore access to the services that they need." Patients will have access to their MyChart accounts when the electronic health record comes online Saturday. With phone lines and internet working, UMMC will resume regular patient call center operations. The UMMC Triage Line will remain open for a few days next week but will transfer to the staffed call center. |
| DSU's Delta Center Receives $190,000 Grant from NEH | |
| Delta State University's Delta Center for Culture and Learning has received a $190,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to host two national residential workshops for K-12 educators. The program, titled The Most Southern Place on Earth: Music, History, and Culture of the Mississippi Delta, will bring seventy-two teachers from across the country to Cleveland. Participants will take part in an immersive experience focused on the Delta's traditions, heritage, and cultural legacy. Project Director Lee Aylward and Delta Center Director Dr. Mandy Truman will lead the workshops. The program is part of NEH's Landmarks of American History and Culture initiative. This initiative supports professional development for teachers through place-based learning. Educators will explore how the rich heritage of the Mississippi Delta has shaped American history and culture. The workshops will focus on the history of the Civil Rights Movement, the region's agricultural and economic legacy, and the global influence of Delta blues music. "This is a life-changing and transformative workshop," says Dr. Heather Miller, Executive Director of Sponsored Programs and Projects. "Educators return to their classrooms with a deeply meaningful experience to share with their students." |
| Steven J. Jones: President of Mississippi Delta Community College | |
| Steven J. Jones, Ph.D., was only thirty-nine years old when he was appointed as the tenth president of Mississippi Delta Community College (MDCC) on Jan. 1 of last year. Jones is still the youngest community college president in the state and, most likely, any of the state colleges and universities. Jones was chosen in part because he is a forward thinker, said Tonya Short, Ph.D., Chair of the MDCC Board of Trustees. "He uses his experiences, knowledge, data, and current trends to propel MDCC forward," says Short. "I've learned that he cares deeply about the students, faculty, staff, and communities we serve. I love that he is a lifelong learner. He is constantly expanding his knowledge base through reading, attending conferences, and listening to the MDCC Board of Trustees' needs and concerns. He has surrounded himself with a great leadership team that shares his vision and is helping him make MDCC the premier community college in Mississippi." Jones' predecessor, Tyrone Jackson, Ed.D., President of Southeast Arkansas College, says that since Jones began serving as a graduate assistant under Jackson, he has found him to be a consummate professional. "During my more than thirty years in higher education, at both two-year and four-year institutions, Dr. Jones ranks in the top one percent of the hardest-working leaders I have encountered in the profession," says Jackson. |
| LSU to post Ten Commandments in classrooms, president says | |
| LSU President Wade Rousse said the university will comply with a state law that requires posting displays of the Ten Commandments in each classroom, but he is waiting for posters to be donated. "Personally, I think shining a light on God is never a negative thing, but that's just a personal statement of mine," Rousse said. "We're going to move as quickly as we need to to stay in compliance with the law." Louisiana lawmakers passed a law in 2024 requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in every K-12, college and university classroom at schools that accept state money. The law was mired in a legal battle until last week, when the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled it could go into effect. Though the law requires the Ten Commandments to be posted in classrooms, it has no enforcement mechanism or penalties for schools or teachers that do not comply. The statue requires a specific version of the Ten Commandments, one that's popular among evangelical denominations, to be printed on 11-inch by 14-inch posters, at minimum, and up to 18 inches by 24 inches to ensure readability, according to guidance from Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill. The posters should only be put up if they are donated or privately funded, according to her guidance. Gov. Jeff Landry, whose support for Rousse helped him clinch the job last year, praised the LSU president's announcement in a social media post Friday. |
| UA System president says Arkansas 'should be proud' of universities' work | |
| After a year as president of the University of Arkansas System -- during which time he's traveled to all the system's various campuses -- Jay B. Silveria has been most impressed by the many ways the system is changing lives across Arkansas. That includes traditional four-year degrees, but also two-year degrees, credentials and certificates, community education and state service from the likes of the UA Division of Agriculture, the Arkansas Archeological Institute, Criminal Justice Institute and the Clinton School of Public Service, said Silveria, a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force who began his presidency in January 2025. "Arkansas should be proud of the UA System, because this is all so important to the state -- we need all those professionals and services," he said. Silveria has pledged to visit each campus at least once per semester, and on his tours he's noticed how enmeshed schools are with their communities, especially smaller institutions. The schools have done a commendable job of inviting the community onto campus and making individuals feel "like they can see themselves there," Silveria said. "Our community colleges really take seriously the first word being 'community,' which is neat," he said. |
| UGA faculty evaluates coursework updates following AI pilot program | |
| The University of Georgia's artificial intelligence (AI) pilot program is prompting faculty across departments to rethink how they structure future coursework. The university now offers a limited number of students free access to OpenAI's ChatGPT Edu or Google's Gemini Pro for Education as part of ongoing efforts to integrate AI into the learning space. Unlike free versions, these premium models offer many advanced features, and the student-issued accounts do not use students' data to train the large language learning models, according to university officials. This raises the question: how will AI impact professors' approaches to student learning? Professors say expanded AI access is influencing classroom conversations in marketing, science and communications courses alike. Jennifer Osbon, a marketing professor in the Terry College of Business, said her approach focuses on applying AI as a strategic tool rather than avoiding it completely. Last semester, she experimented by adding an AI-enhanced media plan at the end of her analytics class. Osbon makes sure her students know how to do everything the long way -- by hand -- before letting them use AI. "[AI] can give you the wrong answers, or it can lead you in the wrong direction if you don't know enough about it," Osbon said. |
| UT Uber partnership launches first-year rideshare program | |
| First-year undergraduate students might be eligible to participate in a new rideshare program this semester through a partnership with Uber. University of Tennessee Parking and Transportation announced the partnership on Feb. 27 in an email to first-year students. "Through the program, up to 2,000 eligible students who register to participate will receive up to 10 individual $10 ride vouchers for the spring 2026 semester that can be applied to trips originating within Knox County or to and from McGhee Tyson Airport," the email said. These vouchers can be used 24/7 by students, are nontransferable and will expire at the end of the semester. There is also a one-voucher-per-trip policy, and any charge over $10 will be the responsibility of the student. The email announced that this program is being conducted as a research study in partnership with the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research and the Center for Transportation Research. In order to participate, students must consent to this study and complete a survey attached to the email. Although this program currently only extends to 2,000 students, UT said there is a possibility of future development. |
| U. of Tennessee ready to buy Cherokee Mills and redevelop dorms | |
| UT System Board of Trustees approval means the Knoxville campus will buy a large office complex on Sutherland Avenue and campus leaders have the option to continue transforming student housing. The flagship Knoxville campus received approval Feb. 27 from the board to pursue a $25 million loan from Regions Bank and purchase the Cherokee Mills office suites. Additionally, the board approved a list of capital projects at various UT System campuses as an amendment request to Gov. Bill Lee's upcoming state budget. The list includes a $253.38 million student housing redevelopment project for Knoxville. The project would use public-private partnerships -- like UT used to build the three newest dormitories on campus -- to quickly build new residence halls to accommodate more than 1,300 students and replace three older dormitories: North and South Carrick halls, as well as Reese Hall. The request for expanded housing comes amid a push to enroll more and more students. UT aims to have 41,000 students enrolled on campus in 2030, with another 14,000 online. The on-campus student population for the fall 2025 semester was 37,028. |
| Three dead, including suspect, and 14 injured after shooting at Austin bar | |
| At least three people -- including the suspected gunman -- are dead following a shooting early Sunday in downtown Austin, officials said. Fourteen others were injured. The suspected shooter has been identified as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, Austin police said Sunday night. Diagne, who was originally from Senegal, entered the U.S. in 2000 on a tourist visa, according to the Department of Homeland Security. He then became a lawful permanent resident in 2006 through a marriage to a U.S. citizen before becoming a naturalized citizen in 2013. The motive of the suspected gunman is still unclear. But Alex Doran, acting special agent in charge of FBI San Antonio, said Sunday morning that there were "indicators" of a "potential nexus to terrorism." He added that the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force as well as its other specialty teams are involved in the investigation. During the shooting, Diagne wore a sweatshirt with "Property of Allah" written across the front and a shirt with an Iranian flag design, according to The Associated Press. Although officials have not released the names of the victims, Jim Davis, president of the University of Texas at Austin, said the campus community is feeling the impact of the shooting. "Our prayers are with the victims and all those impacted, including members of our Longhorn family, and my heart goes out to their families, friends, classmates, professors, and loved ones," Davis said in a statement. |
| Nearly half of MU's $40 million federal funding appropriation going to unspecified programs | |
 | The University of Missouri is receiving nearly $40 million in funding, as outlined in the FY 2026 federal appropriations bills. Approximately $19.5 million of this funding is unspecified, with multiple national defense initiatives being announced, according to a University of Missouri System news release. The release summarizes UM System partnerships supporting national defense, including continued support of the Critical Hybrid Advanced Materials Processing initiative. The program, which brings together universities and manufacturers across several states, aims to localize manufacturing capabilities for materials used in Army systems and next-generation combat vehicles. It also denotes a new partnership, joining Mizzou and University of Missouri-Kansas City with national partners on electromagnetic spectrum and electronic warfare research. This research targets the enhancement of military capabilities and advanced strategy "in contested and increasingly complex operational environments," according to the release. Of the federal funding, $11.1 million is going toward various initiatives supporting Missouri agriculture, water resources and rural health. The biggest chunk of that funding is the $5 million in support of the construction of a Mizzou weather radar station in northeast Missouri. The station will improve real-time forecasting accuracy and weather alerts with an emphasis on locations that are frequently impacted by severe storms. |
| Overburdened Research Offices Request Extension on Admissions Survey | |
 | Eighty-seven percent of institutional research officials say they'd benefit from more time to compile the seven years of admissions data that the federal government plans to use to look for unlawful race-based admissions practices. Citing those and other findings from a survey of 390 institutional research and data professionals published Thursday, the Association for Institutional Research asked the Education Department to extend the deadline for the newly created Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS) survey by three months -- from March 18 to June 18. That extension would "support the accuracy, integrity, and usability of the resulting data," the association wrote in a letter Wednesday to the department. The Education Department did not respond to Inside Higher Ed's questions about the ACTS survey, including if it plans to extend the deadline. So far, implementing ACTS has been a heavy lift for most institutional resource offices, which are also on the hook to submit additional IPEDS data and other end-of-term data this spring. |
| White House stalls release of approved US science budgets | |
| Weeks after the US Congress rejected unprecedented cuts to science budgets that the administration of US President Donald Trump had sought for 2026, funding to several agencies that award research grants is still not freely flowing. One reason is that the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has been slow to authorize its release. The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has so far not received approval to spend any of the research funding allocated in a budget bill signed into law on 3 February. The US National Science Foundation (NSF) was authorized to spend its funding just last week. And NASA has had its full funding authorized for release, but with an unusual restriction that limits spending on ten specific programmes -- many of which the Trump team had tried to cancel last year. OMB director Russell Vought has said in the past that the office's role in doling out government funding can be an "indispensable statutory tool" to ensure that agencies are not wasting public funds and are adhering to White House priorities. Vought has also said that the OMB can provide less funding than what Congress has appropriated. "This is a drastic departure from historical practice," Rosa DeLauro, the ranking member of a US House of Representatives committee that drafts government spending bills, told Nature. |
| Pell Grant funding shortfall on the horizon as nearly 2 million more students qualify | |
 | Pell Grants, the federal financial aid program that helps low-income Americans afford college and has enjoyed broad bipartisan support, are projected to have big funding shortfalls that could jeopardize the education of thousands of students. The grants, which have recently seen expanded eligibility, give low-income students a chance to go to college without incurring debt. But the program itself is in financial difficulties with a projected shortfall of billions of dollars that could lead to trouble for students as soon as 2028. By the end of this fiscal year, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects the Pell Grant program will be $5 billion in debt. Over the next 10 years, that number jumps to between $104 billion and $132 billion if nothing is done about the issue. The projections come even after lawmakers gave the program a one-time boost of $10.5 billion in President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year. Lawmakers also added new short-term workforce Pell Grants, which the CBO projects could cost an additional $2 billion over the next decade. |
| Judge dismisses Trump officials' bid to end student loan repayment plan used by millions of borrowers | |
| A federal judge on Friday dismissed the Trump administration's request to eliminate a student loan repayment plan that lowered monthly bills for millions of borrowers. Judge John Ross of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri issued an order dismissing the multistate lawsuit blocking the enactment of the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, federal student loan repayment plan. The Trump administration's failed bid to block the SAVE plan means that borrowers should have access to the program's benefits, at least for now, consumer advocates said. Those include lower monthly payments and a faster timeline to forgiveness. "As of today, not only is there no legal barrier to delivering those rights through the SAVE plan, but the secretary has a legal obligation to do so," said Winston Berkman-Breen, the legal director at Protect Borrowers. The court order may be a temporary reprieve, and it's unclear how the Trump administration will respond. President Donald Trump's "big beautiful bill" phases out the SAVE plan as of July 1, 2028. |
| Pentagon to Curb Ties With Top Universities and Think Tanks | |
| The Defense Department has decided to curb academic ties with nearly two dozen top universities and think tanks as part of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's campaign against what he calls anti-American values and "wokeness." In a video published to social media on Friday hours before the United States and Israel attacked Iran, Mr. Hegseth denounced the institutions in blistering language, calling them politically liberal institutions with "wicked ideologies" that were indoctrinating U.S. service members. Beginning in the new school year in September, a Defense Department memo shows, the military will ban service members from attending certain graduate-level programs and fellowships at those universities. In addition to Harvard, which was banned earlier this month, the Defense Department said the banned institutions would include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton, Yale, Brown, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, George Washington, Tufts, St. Louis and Carnegie Mellon, as well as the College of William & Mary, Middlebury College and Queen's University in Ontario. |
| Education Department hangs banner of Charlie Kirk | |
| The Department of Education hung a banner of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk outside its headquarters as the country prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday. Kirk was publicly assassinated on the campus of Utah Valley University last year by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who was charged with multiple crimes, including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice and witness tampering. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in their case against Robinson. Kirk founded Turning Point USA to promote conservative values on college campuses across the country. President Trump and Vice President Vance have credited him for helping them win the 2024 election. Kirk's image hangs alongside separate banners honoring Catharine Beecher and Booker T. Washington. A banner next to them reads "Empowering our States to tell the Stories of our Heroes in American Education." "We are proud to honor visionary leaders whose contributions have shaped the future of education for generations. Their work reflects Benjamin Franklin's timeless belief that 'an investment in knowledge pays the best interest,'" Savannah Newhouse, press secretary for the Department of Education, told The Hill in a statement. |
SPORTS
| Baseball: No. 4 MSU Falls To Top-Ranked UCLA In 10 innings | |
| Fourth-ranked Mississippi State went toe-to-toe with No. 1 UCLA for 10 innings Sunday afternoon at Globe Life Field, but the Diamond Dawgs came up just short in an 8-7 thriller at the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series. MSU (11-1) pounded out 14 hits and erased a had a 5-3 lead with two outs in the top of the ninth against the top-ranked Bruins (9-2) only to see UCLA tie things up with a two-run homer. The Bruins pushed across three runs in the top of the 10th and were able to hold off a two-run rally by the Bulldogs in the bottom half to prevail. MSU starter Duke Stone allowed three runs over 3 2/3 innings before turning it over to a bullpen that largely contained the nation's top-ranked lineup until late. Ben Davis (0-1) took the loss, while Easton Hawk earned the win for UCLA in relief. The Diamond Dawgs head to Hattiesburg on Tuesday to take on No. 12 Southern Miss at 6 p.m. streaming on ESPN+. |
| CBSB: Southern Miss sweeps again, Mississippi State shines in Texas, Ole Miss struggles | |
| Southern Miss earned its second consecutive sweep, rounding out a mostly successful weekend of college baseball for Mississippi's major programs. The No. 12 Golden Eagles (10-1), fresh off a mercy-rule victory over Alabama, exited a hostile Louisiana Tech environment with three straight wins versus a former conference counterpart. Christian Ostrander's crew won 8-3 on Friday, cruised to an 11-0 run-rule victory through seven innings on Saturday, and was on the good side of a 6-2 scoreboard in Sunday's finale. The No. 4 Bulldogs (11-1) had a solid weekend in the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series. Brian O'Connor's club handled the weekend test with an 8-4 win over Arizona State, a 15-8 victory over Virginia Tech, and a heartbreaking 8-7 extra-innings loss to No. 1 UCLA. Sunday's finale was a battle between two teams vying for bragging rights as the nation's best. In a series of neutral-site tests, the No. 25 Rebels (10-2) struggled mightily, dropping two of three outings in the Bruce Bolt College Classic. Mike Bianco's club fell to Baylor 6-5 in extra innings on Friday before bouncing back on Saturday in an 8-0 win over Ohio State and suffering a 9-2 loss to No. 9 Coastal Carolina in Sunday's finale. Ole Miss was a combined 0-18 at the plate with runners in scoring position in the two losses. |
| Softball: No. 12 Bulldogs Win Tiger Invitational With Run-Rule Over No. 25 Clemson | |
| For the third time this weekend, No. 12 Mississippi State won in run-rule fashion on Sunday, defeating No. 25 Clemson, 9-1, in six innings to win the Tiger Invitational. The Bulldogs improved to 18-2, their best 20-game start in school history, and State has followed up both of its losses by defeating the same team the next day. "I really love the response from the team. I thought they took yesterday as a challenge, and the energy was completely different," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "The fight today, I just thought we played Mississippi State softball. We set the tone. We controlled the momentum on both sides of the ball, and it was just a really well-rounded game for us and a good answer back from yesterday's loss." The Bulldogs remain on the road with trips to Birmingham and Mobile. State will play at UAB on Wednesday before traveling to South Alabama for the Jaguar Invitational on March 6-8. First pitch in Birmingham is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT with the game airing on ESPN+. |
| Men's Tennis: Mississippi State Dominant in First SEC Road Win of the Season | |
| No. 5 Mississippi State men's tennis earned a 5-2 road victory over No. 18 Auburn on Saturday at the Yarbrough Tennis Center, extending their winning streak to 13 over the Tigers. The Bulldogs improved to 12-2 overall and 2-1 in SEC play with the ranked win. Mississippi State set the tone early in doubles action. Bryan Hernandez Cortes and Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes won quickly with a 6-2 victory on court three followed by the No. 4 tandem of Petar Jovanovic and Benito Sanchez Martinez defeating No. 20 Billy Blaydes and Freddy Blaydes, 6-2 to clinch the doubles point and give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. In singles, No. 43 Mario Martinez Serrano delivered a dominant 6-1, 6-3 win, while No. 10 Jovanovic earned a ranked victory over No. 86 Billy Blaydes, 6-2, 6-3. Raphael Vaksmann clinched the match for State with a 6-3, 7-6(5) win over Freddy Blaydes, sealing another statement road performance for the Bulldogs. After clinching, the bulldogs added another point via Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes after he battled back to defeat No. 84 Manel Lazaro in three sets, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.No. 47 Benito Sanchez Martinez and No 55 Bryan Hernandez Cortes dropped their matches in three sets. |
| Women's Tennis: No. 37 Mississippi State Claims First SEC Win of The Season | |
| Mississippi State women's tennis collects their first SEC win over Kentucky in the 2026 season, 4-1. MSU wins its first SEC match since beating Missouri, 4-1 in 2024. The last time State handed a loss to Kentucky was in 2022, beating them 4-1 in Lexington. The Bulldogs opened the day against Kentucky by claiming the doubles point with dominate wins on courts one and three. Athina Pitta/ Mia Robinson started us off by taking court three over Ellie Myers/ Marina Fuduric, 6-3. Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz and Chiara Di Genova finishes us off by clinching the doubles point on court one against Julia Zhu/ Zoe Hammond, 7-5. In singles, Carolina Troiano claimed the first singles court over Kentucky's Asuncion Jadue, 6-2, 6-4. Freshman, Robinson took care of business on court five earning her first career conference singles win and her eighth of the season. She defeated Elena Molla, 6-1, 6-2. Di Genova clinches the match for the Bulldogs in three sets by defeating Kentucky's Reese Sager, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. |
| Student athletes won't be taxed on NIL deals, House bill says | |
| Student athletes inking multimillion dollar name, image and likeness deals in Mississippi could see their income become tax-exempt as early as next year. The Mississippi House passed a bill to exclude NIL earnings from the state's income tax, which will be eliminated for all Mississippians in about a decade. The provision, said Rep. Trey Lamar, R-Senatobia, would make Mississippi an attractive destination for top athletes and give college coaches another recruiting perk. "NIL is taking the country and coming by storm," he said. "Other states are doing it, and I believe it's time that Mississippi starts doing this as well." While acknowledging that the bill could attract athletes to Mississippi schools, Rep. Dan Eubanks, R-Walls, said he didn't understand why they should receive any special treatment under the law. "Why would they not be taxed like any other employee?" he asked Lamar in the House. "Is the only incentive for us doing this because other states are doing it? I just don't know why they're being treated different than anyone else in the world." |
| Mississippi House moves to exempt NIL compensation from state income tax | |
| In this new era of college football so heavily focused on the almighty dollar, schools in states with no income tax have sought to use that to their benefit when recruiting players. The University of Central Florida, University of Houston and others promoted the lack of a state income tax across their social media platforms in January. The unique marketing was done in hopes of distinguishing themselves from other universities competing to land coveted transfer portal players in states that do require an income tax. Nine states do not have an income tax. They are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Then there's Arkansas, where in 2025 lawmakers voted to exempt name, image and likeness (NIL) earnings paid to college athletes directly from their universities from the state's income tax. Mississippi is now considering legislation that would do the same for college athletes receiving NIL benefits, even as the state gradually eliminates the state income tax for all earners over the next decade, assuming certain economic triggers are met. First-term State Rep. Jonathan McMillan (R) authored HB 4014, which seeks to exempt NIL compensation from the state's income tax. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration, where its chances of passage are unclear. |
| Meet Pirates' Konnor Griffin, MLB's next teenage superstar | |
| The first time Konnor Griffin visited Maven Baseball Lab in Atlanta, he did something no one there had ever seen. Since opening in 2022, Maven has assessed thousands of baseball players with force plates that use sensors to measure the amount of energy being transferred into the ground during a swing. Griffin was the top-ranked 16-year-old in the country, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound specimen, and the plate was no match for him. "You're looking at a Ferrari," said Tyler Krieger, the co-owner of Maven and a former Cleveland minor leaguer. "You're not looking at a little Fiat." This spring, the Pittsburgh Pirates are endeavoring to figure out whether they're ready to take their F40 for a spin. Now 19 years old -- and the No. 1 prospect in the game after a tour de force 2025 in which he dominated three levels and was the consensus Minor League Player of the Year -- Griffin entered camp with an opportunity to win Pittsburgh's every-day shortstop job. Regardless of whether he secures an Opening Day roster spot, Griffin will debut at some point this season and join Paul Skenes as the best pair of young players on any team in baseball. "There's nothing bad you can say about him," said Pirates outfielder Jake Mangum, who graduated from Jackson Prep a decade before Griffin. "Genuinely, he is an amazing dude that works really hard and does everything the right way. Mix that together with the talent he has, it's going to be something special. He works like he has no talent at all, and it's a really cool combo." |
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