| Tuesday, June 23, 2026 |
| New Starkville High School being constructed on Mississippi State campus | |
 | The Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and Mississippi State University have partnered in the construction of a new Starkville High School. Notably, the project is the first of its kind in the nation, housing all 9th through 12th grade high school students from a single district on a college campus. Dr. Mark Keenum, the President of Mississippi State University, said in a statement that by working together, they are creating new and exciting opportunities for students along every step of their educational journey. "The new Starkville High School will be a true asset and resource for not only our community, but a model for innovative teaching, learning, discovery and career and technical education for school districts around the state and across the country," Keenum said. The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees approved the proposed exterior design of the new Starkville High School in June 18. IHL approval is required for buildings constructed on public university campuses. |
| More Than $80k Approved for Catfish Research and Promotion | |
| The Arkansas catfish industry is getting a boost. The Arkansas Catfish Promotion Board recently approved more than $80,000 in funding for research and promotion projects set to support growth and market development in the sector. The board received six proposals requesting more than $154,000 in funding. Of those, three promotion projects totaling more than $50,000 and one research project totaling more than $29,000 were approved, including: A more than $29,000 project of Mississippi State University seeks to determine environmental factors that enable the proliferation of Aphanocapsa, a bacterium that can lead to fish mortality, and evaluate current monitoring and treatment strategies to help Arkansas producers better predict and manage harmful blooms. |
| PERS needs additional funding 'more in line with actuarial recommendations,' executive director tells lawmakers | |
| The executive director of the Public Employees' Retirement System told lawmakers in May that PERS needs additional funding, in some manner, more in line with actuarial recommendations. Ray Higgins' comments came upon review of the latest report from the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review, or PEER, looking at the financial soundness of the state retirement system. "As noted in the report, the actuarially determined contribution (ADC) was last calculated at 25.98% of payroll, which the PERS Board recommended to the legislature" Higgins told the lawmakers on the PEER committee. "Any assistance you all can provide in reiterating the importance of significant and/or recurring funding for PERS with your committee would be greatly appreciated." The PERS actuary recommended the 25.98% ADC for Fiscal 2025, but the Legislature mandated the employer contribution rate at 18.40% for Fiscal Year 2026. Lawmakers mandated a 0.5% increase over a five-year period, which will bring the employer contribution rate to 19.90% in Fiscal year 2029. The employee contribution rate is 9%. As a result, PEER notes in the report that it is possible that the PERS plan will require additional funding in future periods if the actuary opines that a higher ADC is required. |
| Mississippi Board of Mental Health taps new leadership | |
| The Mississippi Board of Mental Health appointed Teresa Mosley and Dr. Sara Gleason as its new chair and vice chair, respectively. They will serve in the posts for the upcoming fiscal year, starting July 1. Mosley, who was previously vice chair, is the lead psychometrist at the Mississippi College Dyslexia Education and Evaluation Center and owns TRM Educational Consulting. She represents Mississippi's 4th Congressional District on the board. Gleason is a professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and assistant vice chancellor for clinical affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She is the board's psychiatrist representative. They were named to the positions by fellow board members during last week's meeting. The nine-member board governs the state Department of Mental Health. At the same meeting, the board was also informed that Mississippi was one of 10 states selected for the 2026 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Medicaid Demonstration Program. |
| Bian named head of School of Industrial Engineering and Management | |
| Dr. Linkan Bian has been named professor and head of the School of Industrial Engineering and Management in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology at Oklahoma State University. For Bian, the opportunity to lead IEM is about more than a position; it's about possibility. "This is a school with a deep history and a strong foundation -- but also real opportunity to shape what comes next," he said. Bian brings a national perspective and a proven record of leadership in advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence and systems engineering. He currently serves as a program director and advanced manufacturing cluster lead at the National Science Foundation, where he helps guide research priorities and innovation initiatives across the country. His academic journey spans the globe, from earning his bachelor's degree in applied mathematics from Peking University in Beijing to his Ph.D. in industrial and systems engineering at Georgia Tech to building a distinguished career at Mississippi State University, where he held an endowed professorship and earned recognition for both research and teaching excellence. |
SPORTS
| ESPN's 'SportsCenter' stalwart Linda Cohn is retiring | |
 | Linda Cohn, an ESPN veteran who has anchored more episodes of "SportsCenter" than anyone in history, announced her retirement Monday. A Los Angeles resident since 2018, Cohn, 66, will make her final ESPN appearance Friday. After starting her career in radio and local TV, Cohn joined ESPN's "SportsCenter" in 1992 when women hosts on sports programming was still a rarity. In a statement, she acknowledged her trailblazer status. "What I'm most proud of is that my career lasted long enough for me to see little girls grow up watching 'SportsCenter,' enter this business, and succeed in it," she said. "If my journey helped make that path a little easier for them, then that's the achievement I'll cherish most." Cohn moved to Los Angeles in 2018. She regularly anchored the late-night edition of "SportsCenter," which originated from the city until last year. |
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