| Tuesday, August 25, 2026 |
| 'Jetsons phase one': Raspet exploring future of unmanned flight | |
 | Starting next week, Bryan Farrell, director of Mississippi State University's Raspet Flight Laboratory, said a multi-state research project is looking to improve air taxi services to where travelers are no longer tied to using commercial airlines. The goal is to eventually automate an air taxi's takeoff, flight and landing without a pilot on board, Farrell said. "If everybody remembers 'The Jetsons,' this is Jetsons phase one," Farrell said to Rotarians during Monday's meeting at Hilton Garden Inn. Raspet, as part of a bid to the Federal Aviation Administration selected in March representing Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, was approved to assist a project to test and improve cargo and personnel transportation capabilities for unmanned aircraft. The goal is to improve flights over high seas into the Gulf of Mexico and to better supply oil rigs off the coast, Farrell said. Farrell spoke with Rotarians about other major projects Raspet has seen significant progress in over the last year. |
| Mississippi State unveils monument honoring first Black student | |
 | Mississippi State University is permanently honoring its first Black student with an on-campus monument. University officials held a ceremonial ribbon cutting Aug. 21 to unveil the special landmark enshrining Dr. Richard Holmes' name on the school's grounds. The monument is in the school's former YMCA plaza, and the student-focused mall has been named after Holmes. Holmes was born in Chicago and raised in the Starkville area. After graduating from Mississippi State and going through medical school at Michigan State, Holmes went on to be a physician who served communities and families in Alabama, Mississippi, and in Mississippi State's Longest Health Center for three decades. "Holmes Plaza and the monument we are dedicating today ensures that Dr. Holmes' story is always remembered on our campus. And what an incredible story it is," Mississippi State President Dr. Mark Keenum said. |
| Education: Legacy of MSU's first African American student marked with Holmes Plaza dedication | |
| The legacy of Mississippi State's first African American student, Dr. Richard E. Holmes, now is marked permanently on the campus of the 148-year-old land-grant institution. University officials cut a ribbon today Friday on a monument in the former YMCA Plaza, renaming the student-focused mall in honor of the longtime physician who served communities and families in Alabama, Mississippi and in the MSU Longest Health Center for three decades. Mississippi State President Mark E. Keenum spoke to the significance of the occasion. "Holmes Plaza and the monument we are dedicating today ensures that Dr. Holmes' story is always remembered on our campus. And what an incredible story it is," he said. "He was a true pioneer and courageous trailblazer when he became Mississippi State's first African American student on July 19, 1965." Keenum went on to describe the Holmes Plaza as "a place where everyone can find opportunity and belonging" and called it a space for "community, conversation, connection and friendship." |
| Mississippi State professor, student to study methane on seafloor | |
| A Mississippi State geology professor and a Ph.D. student are joining three other universities to investigate methane emissions on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. Alongside experts from the University of Georgia, Texas A&M University, and the University of Delaware, MSU professor Adam Skarke and his student Ramon Kalski will soon descend nearly a mile beneath the ocean's surface to find and study methane -- a colorless, odorless greenhouse gas that can alter the chemistry of seawater and influence deep-sea ecosystems. The two will join an expedition aboard the U.S. Navy's research vessel, Atlantis, funded by the National Science Foundation on a $3 million project through late September to identify and study the effects of these large pockets of methane gas on the Gulf and its ecosystems. They will aim to determine its origins, what controls its movements, how much enters the ocean, and how long the emissions have occurred. "The results of this work will give us information that helps us better understand our shared ocean and atmosphere, including things that impact our lives like fisheries, energy resources and climate," Skarke said. |
| Mississippi Soybean, Corn Crops May Set Yield Records | |
| August would typically be too early to accurately forecast Mississippi's soybean crop, but this year, it is a month ahead of schedule -- far enough along to predict a promising harvest. Mississippi State University Extension soybean specialist Justin Calhoun anticipates a state record-breaking yield in 2026. The previous record, 57 bushels per acre, was last reached in 2023. Calhoun's update was one of several shared by specialists and researchers with MSU Extension and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station during the annual Row Crop Field Day at the MSU R.R. Foil Plant Science Research Center Aug. 17. The event gave producers, agricultural professionals and MSU graduate students an opportunity to tour research plots at the facility known commonly as "North Farm." Participants heard the latest observations from agricultural specialists and researchers on crop progress, insect and disease management, and ongoing research projects. |
| MSU alumni chapter encourages new students through send-off party | |
 | From inspirational messages to the ringing of cowbells, 13 new Mississippi State University students from Monroe County were the guests of honor for a recent send-off party hosted by the Monroe County MS State Alumni Chapter. Dr. John Helton is chapter president, Bubba Jurney is vice president, Courtney Boatright is reporter, and Shawn Helton is treasurer. For the send-off party, John spoke about lesser-known facts about MSU, and Okolona High School graduate and MSU mechanical engineering major Jayden Stephen, along with MSU alumni J.J. Jernighan and Reese Griffith, both of Amory, gave their recollections of attending college. Additionally, MSU professor Dr. Joe Brennan of Amory provided inspirational words for the new MSU students. "When you go to orientation, the president of the university says the first thing you've got to do is go to class. These three students and professor said the same thing -- go to class, get involved, don't just go to school and sit in your room because you will not thrive that way. All four of them, along with John, did a great job in hyping them up," she said. |
| Trending sport leads to new indoor facility | |
 | A new sporting facility has opened in Starkville. PKL Row is a 12-court facility designed to keep pickleball going year-round, rain or shine. It's already attracting players from across northeast Mississippi and the Golden Triangle. PKL Row offers open play, clinics, competitive ladders, and social events, giving both casual and serious players a place to stay active. "PKL Row has been great because it's indoors," said Staley Lebby. "It's really hot. Probably here three or four times a week. It's a great community." "I think you can always see when you come to our place; it's kind of the showcase of the whole world," said PKL Row owner Sean Owens. "You have people old and young. You have athletes too. I'm just beginning." PKL Row can be found at 100 Airport Road in Starkville. |
| Education: Reimagining the classroom: Sparks fly at the SHS welding lab | |
| First-year students in the welding career technical education program at Starkville High School are beginning the semester with sparks flying. They are already getting hands-on rotations and practice in welding basics using quality equipment and the newly revamped welding booths that have been built and outfitted by students in the program. In addition to practicing skills, students are also engaging in practical beginning welding projects to create custom hooks and hangers to house the lab's welding materials. The Welding program is one of 13 CTE programs available at SHS through the Millsaps Career and Technology Center. Mississippi offers a special CTE diploma endorsement for students who graduate high school having completed a 2-year CTE program. The welding program, now in its fourth year, has seen a steady stream of students becoming two-year completers with an interest in pursuing the trade at community college. It has also attracted some female students, which follows the state's emphasis on attracting non-conventional students to CTE programs. |
| Science scores climb, but fifth grade struggles on state tests | |
| Science scores climbed across most grades in the Golden Triangle last year, and high school students fared well on end-of-course exams. English-language arts and math scores, however, decreased across the board among area fifth-graders. Mississippi Department of Education released the scores Thursday for 2025-2026 Mississippi Academic Assessment Program testing, which measures students' performance in English-language arts and mathematics in grades 3-8, science in grades 5 and 8 and English II, Algebra I and Biology in high school. In the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District, more fourth- and third-graders passed the ELA assessment this year, with 74.3% and 76.7% of students passing, respectively. The English II pass rate also saw an increase, rising from 73.9% last year to 76.9%. Grades 5-8 all saw lower passing rates on the ELA test, with seventh grade seeing the highest drop of 7 percentage points, falling to 69.6%. The pass rate for sixth grade dropped from 74.4% to 69.5%, and the fifth grade rate saw a decrease from 77.1% to 80.7%. Only grades 3, 4 and 8 saw increases in math assessments this year, with eighth-grade seeing the largest jump from 79% of students passing last year to 86.5% of students this year. In science, pass rates rose among fifth- and eighth-graders, sitting at 86.4% and 82.5%, respectively. The Biology pass rate, however, fell from 71.1% to 70.5% this year. |
| Mississippi Cattlemen, Farm Bureau Federation have beef with Trump | |
| The Mississippi Cattlemen's Association and the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation are pushing back on President Donald Trump's plan to allow 300,000 metric tons of government-subsidized ground beef into the U.S. supply chain. However, soon after the announcement, the Mississippi Cattlemen's Association released a statement questioning the move, saying that flooding the U.S. market with government-subsidized foreign beef is not the way to rebuild the American cow herd or strengthen our domestic cattle industry. Further, the Cattlemen's Association said cattle producers are already facing higher input costs, particularly for fuel and fertilizer, and are now looking at the prospect of lower cattle prices. The Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation agreed. Mike McCormick, president of the federation, said his federation was highly disappointed in the President's announced plan. "This announcement is certainly not a move that we would consider aligned with the Trump Administration's 'America First' agenda. It will have a major impact on cattle prices in Mississippi at exactly the time many producers are marketing their cattle," McCormick said. |
| Economists don't expect reopening the US to Mexican cattle imports to reduce high beef prices | |
 | The U.S. reopened a border crossing in Arizona to cattle from Mexico on Monday as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reduce record-high beef prices, though economists doubt the move will mean much to grocery store shoppers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has said concerns about the New World screwworm's spread lessened enough to allow the movement of cattle from Mexico at a crossing in Douglas, Arizona, about 230 miles (370 kilometers) southeast of Phoenix. Over time, it hopes to reopen other crossings in New Mexico and Texas. "Today, the border in Sonora is open for livestock," Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said during a Monday morning news conference in Mexico City, referring to the Mexican state bordering Arizona. Cattle were coming across the border by mid-afternoon Monday. "The administration obviously has a lot of incentive to try to be able to say that they're doing something about high beef prices in particular," said Derrell Peel, a professor of agribusiness at Oklahoma State University. "Beef has been singled out because it is an expensive product and because it's just high profile." "I don't expect to see any measurable impact on cattle prices or beef prices soon," Peel said. |
| U.S. Senate candidate touching base with Pine Belt cattlemen | |
 | The White House recently announced that the U.S. will temporarily import 600 million pounds of beef. In response, Senate candidate Scott Colom paid a visit to Pine Belt cattlemen Monday at Southeast Mississippi Livestock. Colom says he's travelled to every county in the state and has listened to the needs of all possible constituents. He says farmers are already in a tight spot and this recent announcement is adding to the pressure. "The president just announced that he's going to import a bunch of beef, which is a terrible time for Mississippi cattlemen, and they've already been dealing with high fertilizer costs, and farmers all across Mississippi have been dealing with tariffs that have hurt them," Colom said. "And at some point we've got to put Mississippi farmers first." In November, Colom will face incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith and Independent Ty Pinkins in the general election. |
| How will Trump beef import impact Mississippi farmers? | |
 | Up to 300,000 tons of beef will flood the United States over the next three months. The shipments aren't subject to tariffs, and President Donald Trump confirmed on social media that the meat will undercut market prices by approximately 25%. In Mississippi, according to beef industry advocates, it leaves cattle farmers in a bad place. Trump's announcement drew the ire of politicians and advocacy groups throughout the nation, including several Republicans who have otherwise been in lockstep with the president on economic policy. One such legislator is Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who touted her family's long history in the cattle business. "Mississippi and American cattle producers are weathering drought, high input costs, and a shrinking herd," Hyde-Smith wrote in an Aug. 24 post on X. "They shouldn't be asked to absorb the cost of cheaper imports too. You'd be hard-pressed to find another member of the U.S. Senate more knowledgeable about this issue than me." Hyde-Smith didn't mention Trump by name or push back against his policy directly, but she said she would "promote policies that help farmers and ranchers grow our domestic herd without leaning on foreign beef to paper over the problem." |
| Squeezed by tariffs and Iran war, farmers say they face a new crisis | |
 | For nearly 16 years, Wendy Johnson has tried to build an Iowa farm that could survive the kinds of economic shocks that drove farmers out of business when she was growing up in the 1980s. She diversified her operations, growing corn, small grains and soybeans while also raising sheep, cattle, pigs and chickens. She opted to sell directly to consumers and transitioned a portion of her 1,200 acres to organic production. She avoided debt and even planted trees to protect her soil and livestock. But the latest crisis has defied her careful planning: President Donald Trump's tariffs and his war with Iran have driven up the cost of fertilizer, fuel and machinery just as weak crop prices have made it harder to cover those rising expenses. "I am afraid that we're looking into the barrel of another farm crisis," said Johnson, a fourth-generation farmer, who estimates her profits are down by as much as 50 percent. "And we all know historically what that did to our ... rural communities." Johnson is among American farmers who say they are desperate for relief from Washington as Trump administration policies raise costs and slash profits. Meanwhile, the federal farm bill -- the traditional source of agricultural subsidies, crop insurance and other support for farmers -- is hopelessly out of date, and a divided Congress is far from agreement on how to replace it. To tide over rural America, Republican leaders are trying to pass $12 billion in emergency aid. But their plan would pair that money with billions of dollars for the war with Iran, the very conflict that has helped drive up fuel costs and added to the squeeze on farmers in the first place. |
| Farmers Struggle to Get Basic Services From Depleted Agriculture Dept. | |
 | Across the country, farmers and rural residents describe struggling to obtain the basic services the Agriculture Department is meant to offer, including loans and grants, technical assistance and financing for housing and utilities. Sharp attrition under the Trump administration, largely through voluntary resignations and dismissals by the Department of Government Efficiency, have left many of the Agriculture Department's local offices with skeletal staffing -- and, in some counties, with no one at all. The ripple effects of the Agriculture Department's depleted work force illustrate how the Trump administration's mission of shrinking the federal bureaucracy has undercut a competing priority: delivering for farmers, a core political constituency. Strained government resources also risk posing additional challenges for a farm economy that administration officials have described as "dire." Trump administration officials have defended the staffing cuts as voluntary and necessary to trim a bloated agency. Some of the steepest cuts have fallen on a part of the Agriculture Department responsible for improving the economy and infrastructure in rural communities, leading to long delays in aid for residents and charities alike. |
| Tindell preparing to leave public safety post by year's end for AG campaign | |
| Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell will soon step down from his current office. Tindell, who launched a bid for attorney general at the state level last week, announced on Monday's episode of Mornings with Richard Cross that he is working with Gov. Tate Reeves on a plan to resign as commissioner. Though he did not provide a specific timeline for that decision, Tindell said an announcement will likely come toward the end of the calendar year, giving Reeves some time to mull prospective replacements. "We're coordinating with the governor on an exit strategy. I imagine by the end of the year, I will have stepped down as commissioner," Tindell said. "We've made that known [to the governor]. We're giving him a little time to figure out who that next commissioner should be." In Mississippi, the governor appoints the public safety commissioner. Tindell was appointed by Reeves to oversee the Mississippi Department of Public Safety in May 2020. Before that, Tindell held multiple titles, including state senator, assistant district attorney, and private lawyer. |
| New bridge could transform LeFleur's Bluff into a regional destination | |
| Federal, state and local officials gathered Wednesday, Aug. 19, to break ground on a new pedestrian and biking bridge that will connect parks, museums and outdoor attractions on both sides of Lakeland Drive in Jackson. The bridge will span Lakeland Drive between LeFleur's Bluff State Park and Jamie Fowler Boyll Park, creating a safer route for pedestrians and cyclists traveling through the LeFleur Museum District. Officials said the project will connect some of Mississippi's most-visited cultural attractions, including the Mississippi Children's Museum, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum and Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. Among those participating in the groundbreaking ceremony, according to a press release from the Mississippi Department of Transportation, were U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Transportation Commission Chairman Willie Simmons and Jackson Mayor John Horhn. The bridge is a centerpiece of the broader redevelopment effort underway at LeFleur's Bluff State Park. Earlier this year, the Mississippi Legislature approved $13 million for infrastructure improvements in the approximately 104 acres of the park, including lighting, security upgrades and repairs intended to prepare the property for future development. Gov. Tate Reeves signed the legislation in April. |
| 'Rethink that decision': Bike shop warning against e-bikes for kids | |
 | There are rules of the road for drivers, pedestrians and your usual bikers. Now, bike shop owners are sounding the alarm on an unregulated way to get around: e-bikes. "Other states are beginning to clamp down on regulations," James Moore, owner of Moore's Bike Shop, said. "Right now in Mississippi, it's the wild, wild west. Anybody can buy one of these. They can ride it anywhere pretty much with no restrictions." A 2021 Mississippi law treats e-bikes like regular bicycles, free to use the same lanes and paths. Moore says his biggest concern is right outside his front door. He says kids are riding e-bikes in heavily trafficked areas like Hardy Street. "For reference, put yourself on the hood of your car. Have someone drive you down Hardy Street at 28 miles an hour with oncoming traffic coming towards you," Moore said. "And realize that if a kid going 28 miles an hour runs into a car going 35 miles an hour, it's like running into a brick wall over 60 miles an hour." "I can understand why parents would look at something like this e-bike and think, oh that's cute, you know, my kid would enjoy that," Moore said. However, he says it's not worth the risks for kids who don't understand the roads. |
| Can a Democrat become Mississippi's next senator? Pete Buttigieg thinks so. | |
| Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg waded into an unlikely contest on Tuesday, endorsing District Attorney Scott Colom in his attempt to unseat Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi's Senate contest. In his endorsement, he called on Democrats to expand their ambitions ahead of the 2026 midterms to include the historically ruby-red state -- even as party leaders focus their resources elsewhere. "There is no such thing as a permanently red state. We need more people in Washington who know that the status quo isn't working and that keeping our communities safe is non-negotiable: Scott will be one of them," Buttigieg wrote in a statement. Buttigieg told MS NOW in a phone interview Monday that if there were a candidate with the background to pull off the unthinkable and flip Mississippi, he would put his money on Colom. It's unclear whether Buttigieg plans to travel to Mississippi to campaign for Colom or whether his affiliated PAC, Win the Era, plans to financially back Colom's campaign. |
| Trump's fight with GOP senators over trade intensifies | |
 | President Trump is headed for a clash with Senate Republicans over his decision to pause tariffs on beef imports while ratcheting up tariffs on key Canadian goods. Trump's plan to exempt 300,000 tons of product for ground beef from out-of-quota tariffs to address Americans' concerns about high food prices while simultaneously threatening Canada with 50 percent tariffs on imports that could impact auto and housing prices has sparked a furious response from GOP senators across the party's political spectrum. "I think it's a mistake. It's what happens when he has advisers trying to micromanage things. They're skating where the puck is versus where it needs to be. If you think that providing subsidized beef for some period of time is going to make farmers happy and prices go down on systemic basis, you're wrong. It doesn't happen," Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said at the Capitol Monday. "Every time the government micromanages the economy, consumers suffer," Tillis warned. The criticism from GOP senators of Trump's decision to pause tariffs on beef imports comes as other Republican senators are pushing back against Trump's 50 percent tariffs on an array of Canadian imports and his threat to impose equally high fees on even more. |
| Supreme Court lifts one block on Trump mail-in voting plan | |
 | The Supreme Court on Monday lifted a block on President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at limiting mail-in voting but left uncertain whether it will allow him to implement major changes to those procedures before the midterms. The justices voted, 6 to 3 along the usual ideological lines, to overturn an injunction a judge placed on Trump's order in June. The lower-court ruling concluded that the president's plan to use the Postal Service to limit the delivery of ballots likely exceeded his authority and had the potential to disenfranchise legitimate voters. More than 20 blue states sued to block Trump's order, saying it threatens to upend their planning for the midterms in November and intrudes on their authority to administer elections. The Supreme Court's conservative majority said those states lacked standing in part because it's unclear just how the administration will implement the order, although the administration on Friday released a final Postal Service rule addressing more details. |
| The Warnings That Came Before a War Now Reaching the Six-Month Mark | |
 | Days before going to war with Iran in February, President Trump summoned his intelligence chief to the Oval Office to ask whether a full-on assault was a good idea. Iran was at its weakest point in decades, senior aides and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told him, providing Trump the rare opportunity to dismantle Iran's nuclear program and bolster his legacy as a peacemaker. The question was whether a large-scale attack would work and possibly topple the regime. Then-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard outlined assessments from America's intelligence apparatus. According to people familiar with the meeting, she told Trump that killing Iran's supreme leader would likely usher in a more hard-line regime open to acquiring nuclear weapons. Tehran would rush to close the Strait of Hormuz, destabilizing the global energy market. And it would strike U.S. forces and partners in the Middle East, prompting questions about American resolve and reliability with allies. The notes of caution echoed warnings Trump was receiving from all corners. Top military leaders told the president that a war would lead to casualties, concerns about the weapons stockpile and readiness problems for an overstretched force, The Wall Street Journal reported. Now Trump is relying on sanctions and a perpetual blockade wearing down U.S. forces to crush Iran's economy, a wait-and-see strategy he argues will send the regime crawling to his feet. "This was all predictable and predicted," said Eric Brewer, a deputy vice president at the Nuclear Threat Initiative who worked in Democratic and Republican administrations. "You can draw a straight line from the fact that the war was launched without any clear political objective to the mishandled diplomacy in trying to end it." |
| J.D. Vance Is Rattling the GOP's Old Guard | |
| Vice President JD Vance has attacked several conservative icons in recent weeks, unnerving many in the Republican Party's old guard ahead of the 2028 presidential primary. Last month, Vance criticized British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, an ally of Republican President Ronald Reagan, for economic policies that he said moved the country "further away" from prosperity and Christianity. Vance said it was "obviously a good thing" that the American right was distancing itself from Milton Friedman, long regarded as the intellectual godfather of modern conservative economics. And at an event Friday in Ohio, Vance intensified this battle, calling The Wall Street Journal's editorial board "the voice of big business" that wanted "to ship your jobs overseas" and "let anybody who wants to come into the United States of America with no vetting and no care." These broadsides have provoked fresh resistance among the Republican Party's orthodox economic conservatives, many of whom had long hoped to reassert their free market agenda after the departure of President Donald Trump. Even some Trump supporters now see Vance's alleged ideological heresies as disqualifying. The Republican base might not be interested in going back to the traditional conservative views, though. Voters without a college degree comprise a far higher share of the Republican Party under Trump than they did several decades ago, and it is unclear whether they would support a candidate who bucks Trump's economic views. |
| Trump Administration Aims to Revoke Visas of Foreign Citizens Applying for Asylum | |
| The Trump administration plans to revoke the visas of foreign citizens who came to the United States temporarily for tourism or business but have sought to stay in the country longer by applying for asylum. The State Department has begun reviewing such visas, and cancellations are expected to occur in waves. The move could affect as many as 200,000 U.S. visa holders and asylum applicants. "Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio's leadership, we are making clear that a visa is a privilege -- not a right," Tommy Pigott, a State Department spokesman, said in a statement. He added that the agency was coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security "to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently." "These types of visas are issued with the clear understanding that they are for those who intend to return home," Mr. Pigott said. The foreign citizens the State Department is targeting in these cases came to the United States on what are known as B1 or B2 visas, issued for short-term stays for tourism or for business and work. The threat to revoke visas for asylum seekers was only the latest change in how the government is handling visas. |
| Garden club kicks off MUW semester with floral arranging | |
| Starkville Town and Country Garden Club partnered with the Women's College at Mississippi University for Women (MUW) to kick off the semester with a floral-arranging workshop for students, faculty and staff on Monday, Aug. 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. in Thad and Rose Cochran Hall on campus. Last fall, Women's College Director Jill Druillard said the students specifically asked for a floral-arranging workshop with alums. Therefore, the MUW Women's College reached out to Beverly Koch Jones, a 1957 MUW alum and a Starkville Town and Country Garden Club (STCGC) member, to conduct a workshop for students. At first, 30 participants had signed up, but then it ballooned to 60. "I panicked when Bridgette told me there were now 60 workshop participants because that was going to require a lot more flowers, greenery, clippers and people to help with the workshop," said Jones. "Thank heavens my daughter, Christie Jones Lawrence, reached out to our garden club members for help." "Helping with a floral-arranging workshop fit perfectly with the Garden Clubs of Mississippi Inc.'s theme of 'Sow, Grow, EDUCATE, and Show,'" said Lawrence, a 1981 MUW alum and garden club member. |
| Ole Miss students return for fall semester | |
| Students returned to the University of Mississippi on Monday for the first day of classes of the fall semester. The Oxford Square was busy with students shopping, and construction continued on campus. "I'm really excited to meet new people," said Isabella Ponder. "I kind of grew up in a small town, you know everyone, so it's super exciting to meet all these people from different places. I met a girl from Alaska the other day, and I think that's way cool," said Nora Mestayer. Students also said they are looking forward to football season. "Definitely the football games. I've grown up as an Ole Miss fan, so I've always been to the football games, but it's going to be a complete new experience being a student," Ponder said. |
| AI policies are no longer one-size-fits-all across UM departments | |
 | Each academic department at the University of Mississippi will introduce its individual artificial intelligence policy this semester. AI policies are expected to be included in every course syllabus. All departments were tasked by the university in May to create department-specific AI policies. The university's AI Task Force gave departments guidance on what, specifically, each AI policy should aim to address. The guidelines emphasized addressing student and faculty usage and the renewal of any AI policies on an annual basis to keep up with technological changes. "Each academic department or program is responsible for developing artificial intelligence guidelines that: address student use of generative AI in course components," the AI Guidelines for Teaching and Learning said. "Address student use of agentic AI in course components; address student use of assistive AI in course components; and hold students accountable for infractions." Robert Cummings, the chair of the university's AI Task Force, met with administrators, deans and chairs throughout the summer to ensure that all departments had a clear understanding of the principles behind their AI policies. |
| Gertrude Ford sidewalk to close for Ole Miss construction project | |
| The Oxford Board of Aldermen has approved a request from the University of Mississippi to close a portion of the sidewalk along the west side of Gertrude Ford Boulevard for construction of the university's new School of Accountancy. The sidewalk closure is expected to last about 24 months. City Engineer John Crawley said the preferred plan would reroute pedestrians into the east-side bike lane. Jersey barriers would separate the bike lane from vehicle traffic. The detour would extend from the crosswalk near the entrance to the Ole Miss Inn to the mechanical building, where the existing sidewalk ends. On Friday, Crawley said his office is working with the university to advance a multi-use path on the west side of the roadway during construction so it can all be done at once, in hopes of not having to keep the sidewalk closed for the full 24 months. |
| Ole Miss Greek life gains over 3,000 new members | |
| The fall 2026 primary recruitment cycle ended with 2,207 women and 1,073 men accepting invitations to join University of Mississippi fraternities and sororities. Students and families celebrated across campus College Panhellenic Council bid day on Saturday, Aug. 22 and Interfraternity Council bid day on Sunday, Aug. 23. Of the 2,302 women registered for recruitment, 2,207 received bids to join one of the 11 National Panhellenic Conference sororities, revealing a 96% placement rate. New members opened bid cards at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion, then ran to their sorority houses on Rebel Drive and Sorority Row, which were blocked off from traffic. Fraternity bid day concluded on Sunday at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion following a presentation about safety and ethics. 1,300 men registered for Interfraternity Council primary recruitment this year and 1,073 received bids, resulting in an 83% placement rate. Over 10,700 students were actively involved in a Greek life organization at the University of Mississippi in 2025. |
| Bama Dining takes waste off the menu | |
| Over the summer, Bama Dining ditched one-time-use to-go containers in all dining halls, partnering with ReusePass to introduce the new system. In the past, Bama Dining charged $0.77 for a to-go container at the register in exchange for a ticket. Students handed the ticket to dining employees for them to box up meals. When a student dropped a used container in the trash, the dining employee at the register gave the student a new ticket. "I like the new system better with it being free -- having three days to return it instead of keeping the ticket," said Mauricio Soto, a sophomore majoring in accounting. The new system, ReusePass, is included in every meal plan. Students can visit Lakeside Dining, Burke Dining Hall or The Fresh Food Company, scan their personal ReusePass and get a to-go container at any register. Each dining hall also has QR codes at the registers for students to track the containers they have checked out. |
| From parking to pizza, here are nine additions to LSU campus | |
| With Free Speech Alley once again bustling and Highland Road traffic building up, one thing is clear: school is back in session. To welcome students into the new school year, LSU has planned the addition of several businesses, ranging from cafes to upcoming parking accommodations. Many students know that living on campus has its downsides at times, and while laundry rooms can be convenient for those residing in dorms, the communal space can sometimes cause students to spin out. This fall, Kean's Fine Dry Cleaning will iron out some of these problems with laundry and dry cleaning lockers on the first floor of the Student Union. Here, customers can drop off their items to be professionally cleaned, including wash-and-fold laundry and dry cleaning. This fall, LSU Auxiliary Services is helping students get through the day on easy mode. Arcadia, an old-school game room, created with the hope of helping students decompress, will open on the second floor of the Student Union. From arcade games to foosball tables, this room will be a one-stop shop for all things fun. Also new to the Union is Death Valley Pizza, which is located on the second floor. Here, students can choose from a variety of wraps, salads, pizzas and shareables, including mozzarella sticks and fried churros. |
| Reaching Higher: U. of Arkansas Fully Activates 150 Forward with Transformational Goals | |
| The University of Arkansas officially launched the third phase of its 150 Forward Reaching Higher Strategic Plan this week, setting transformational goals for increasing graduation rates and research expenditures while also sharing a roadmap for achieving those goals, and details about a new transformation management team to support the effort. Chancellor Charles Robinson led a group of university leaders in introducing the activation plan to campus at a kickoff event at the Jim and Joyce Faulkner Center for the Performing Arts. The 150 Forward Reaching Higher activation is a continuation of the 150 Forward Strategic Plan to advance the U of A's land-grant mission by increasing student success including growing support for students across Arkansas, expanding the university's impact by increasing the annual research expenditures and working to enhance the university's status as an employer of choice. The Transformational Goals are achieving an 80% graduation rate and reaching $500 million in annual research conducted by 2032. |
| U. of Tennessee Research Foundation files patent infringement lawsuit against AI giant Anthropic | |
| As University of Tennessee administrators strive to recruit new rockstar researchers, three of the university's past and present faculty members are fighting to reclaim their decade-old project. In mid-July, the University of Tennessee Research Foundation filed the first ever patent infringement lawsuit against Anthropic, an artificial intelligence company known for creating the popular language model, Claude. The lawsuit alleges that the AI enterprise utilized machine-learning technology created by UT researchers J. Douglas Birdwell, Mark E. Dean and Catherine Schuman, infringing upon two patents the researchers filed in 2014. The patents-in-suit are the property of the UTRF, a nonprofit that supports university research efforts. UTRF is responsible for protecting UT intellectual property and promoting its commercialization. The patents cover neural network technology, a machine learning model inspired by the structure and functions of the human brain. UTRF claims Anthropic used this patented technology in Claude Code and basic software without authorization, but it is unclear how the company gained access to the technology. |
| U. of South Carolina governing board elects first chairwoman | |
| The University of South Carolina's governing board unanimously elected its first ever chairwoman. Rose Newton, wife of Republican state House Judiciary Chariman Weston Newton, on Friday became the first woman in the school's nearly 225-year history to lead its board. Newton succeeds Thad Westbrook, who was chairman from 2022 through 2026. Other elected female members sitting on the board include Dr. Coleman Floyd Buckhouse of Florence, the daughter of former longtime board member Dr. Eddie Floyd; Leah Moody, a Rock Hill lawyer and daughter of the late Rep. Bessie Moody-Lawrence; and Emma Morris, a lawyer in Seneca. While Newton is USC's first chairwoman, she's far from the only woman leading a college board in the state. The governing boards of Clemson University, College of Charleston and Coastal Carolina University are all led by women. "We have a lot of women doing a lot of great things in the state so I'm just glad to be a part of that team moving higher ed forward in the state of South Carolina," Newton told reporters Friday. |
| Students fought to create these U. of Texas departments. Now they're gone | |
| As Longhorns return to campus Monday, decades-old ethnic and gender studies departments will no longer exist. Six months ago, University of Texas President Jim Davis announced that the university would consolidate ethnic and gender studies programs in the College of Liberal Arts into the new Department of Social and Cultural Analysis. This summer, the department names were scraped from their glass doors, chairs lost their titles and supporting staff were relocated or let go. The consolidation angered some faculty and students who believe the shift ignores the decades-long history of the departments and the value they offer students and the city of Austin. The four closed departments -- Mexican American and Latina/o Studies; African and African Diaspora Studies; Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies; and American Studies -- encompassed 62 professors, six majors, four graduate programs, and eight minors and certificates. Last year, the departments had a combined 307 students enrolled in undergraduate majors, according to UT data. Dozens more pursued minor, graduate and doctoral programs, according to records used by the consolidation committee. |
| Texas A&M welcomes 70,000 Aggie students back to campus for the first day of class | |
| The fall semester is underway at Texas A&M University, with 70,000 Aggies returning to campus Monday for the first day of class. Thousands of freshmen are learning to navigate campus for the first time, while returning students are settling back into Aggieland. Sophomore Natan Cruz said the start of a new year brings a familiar kind of excitement. "I have class later today and I'm looking forward to it and I have class for the rest of the week and it should be a fun exciting week for me to start my sophomore year of college so," Cruz said. Returning Aggies had plenty of advice for incoming freshmen. Rebecca Rodriguez with Texas A&M Student Activities encouraged new students to embrace everything the university has to offer. "Just really soak in the traditions, almost be a sponge is the advice I'd give and get involved," Rodriguez said. |
| U. of Oklahoma welcomes sixth consecutive record-breaking class | |
| The University of Oklahoma's incoming class of 2030 is the sixth consecutive largest first-year class in state and university history with 6,437 students. According to a Sunday press release from the university, 28% of the 6,437 are first-generation students, setting a university record. Of in-state students, 37% are first-generation. Enrollment has increased by 2.9% from the class of 2029, which had 6,251 first-year students. Over the past six years, enrollment has experienced 45% growth. "At a time when universities across the country are struggling, OU is experiencing remarkable momentum," OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. wrote in the release. The release states the incoming class has an average unweighted GPA of 3.63, with 702 students earning a 4.0 high school GPA, 299 students ranking first in their high school graduating class and 137 Oklahoma State Regents' Scholars, a 17% increase since last year. There was also about a 19% increase in Oklahoma's Promise recipients, with 917 students qualifying. To accommodate growing class sizes, OU recently opened South Hall, a new residence hall for first-year students with approximately 580 beds. This follows last year's opening of McCasland Hall, a 560-bed residence hall for first-year students. |
| Mizzou kicks off fall semester with high enrollment, bustling campus | |
 | The University of Missouri's first day of the fall semester was bustling with energy from new faces, faculty and students alike. This semester, Mizzou expects to reach a total enrollment of 31,650 students, according to a university news release. This number includes: 6,078 first-time college students; 1,211 transfer students; and 1,849 graduate and professional students. In addition to new students, Mizzou also welcomed 135 new faculty members over the past year, according to a news release. Junior Lucia DeLisa noticed how lively the university was on the first day of classes. "Everyone's been active," DeLisa said. "I've seen a lot of different clubs doing 'first day of class' booths to get their names out there. It's just great to see all the different things students are involved in on campus." |
| U. of Chicago's Social-Sciences Division Bans Tech, AI in Core Courses | |
 | The University of Chicago's undergraduate social-sciences division will go "analog" this fall, implementing a blanket policy banning technology in class and AI assistance on coursework across the division's core courses. New restrictions apply to students and faculty members in required social-sciences core sequences, which students typically complete in three phases during their sophomore year. The university's law school announced earlier this summer a similar ban in required first-year core courses. While many professors across the country have taken to banning tech in their classrooms and adding AI policies to their syllabi amid students' increasing use of large language models, or LLMs, on coursework, the new policy at Chicago is among the first to articulate a coordinated prohibition. The university provides free Claude subscriptions to all students and faculty members through a contract with Anthropic, which has spurred debate over the role of AI and tech in learning. The new policy is a welcome change for faculty members who have grown frustrated with AI's looming presence in the classroom. Aaron Jakes, an associate professor of history who teaches a core social-sciences course each winter, said his initial reaction to the memo was "relief and jubilation." |
| Why colleges are cutting Black studies departments, majors and classes | |
| U.S. colleges are increasingly slashing their African American studies and related programs, citing low enrollment and limited funding, at a time when the federal government is exerting intense pressure to end racial diversity efforts. Some academics blame politics, pointing out that Republicans and the Trump administration have taken aim at scholarships, admissions policies and other efforts to boost diversity. At least a dozen schools, including private colleges and public flagship universities, have scaled back Black, African or African American studies programs since Trump signed an executive order targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs, a Washington Post review found. Low enrollment has made the programs a target for cuts at some schools. To be sure, some cuts may be temporary. The University of Louisville in Kentucky paused admissions to three graduate programs, including its Pan-African studies PhD, because of tight funding. But a spokesman said it is likely that admissions will reopen when more funding is available. And some universities said they are continuing to offer classes and fund research in the field, despite consolidation and other administrative cuts. |
| College Applications Are Changing Again, Thanks to A.I. and Politics | |
| A new era of college admissions is unfolding after years of turmoil. Standardized testing requirements are being revived, or are under consideration, from coast to coast. Admissions officers at both big public schools, like the University of Georgia, and top-tier private institutions, like Washington University in St. Louis, are shedding some application essays. Administrators everywhere are fretting about what role artificial intelligence may play in applications. The Covid pandemic led many schools to loosen their processes and, in many cases, rely more on components like essays. But A.I.'s rise, questions about student preparation, the end of affirmative action and the Trump administration's campaign to prioritize "merit" in admissions are driving a swing back. College applications were up during the last admissions cycle, after a more diverse pool of students applied and students applied to more schools on average. But demographic shifts are expected to send enrollments diving in the coming years. At the same time, higher education is wrestling with public mistrust and concerns about the value of college, especially as A.I. starts to reshape the work force. As schools prepare for a future with fewer students and more A.I., approaches that make applying to college simpler -- and more attractive to families -- could help them cushion the impact. |
| Agencies Move to Implement OMB's Proposed Takeover of Grant Making | |
 | The Education Department published a familiar-looking proposed rule Monday. If finalized, it would let the education secretary terminate ED grants -- meant to help students access college, workforce training programs and more -- simply "for convenience," and allow her to prioritize grant applicants who promise to charge the government lower, or zero, overhead cost rates. States and subgrantees that receive grants would have to comply with the president's numerous executive orders, which aren't supposed to carry the force of law. The National Science Foundation ended a public comment period Monday on its own familiar proposal, which includes lines such as "Reminder: NSF may act immediately to suspend or terminate [grants] if needed to protect government interests." Critics of these proposals note that they echo the controversial rule that the White House Office of Management and Budget proposed earlier this year. That rule, which would give political appointees sweeping control over grant making across the government, hasn't been finalized or implemented yet. Association of Public and Land-grant Universities President Waded Cruzado submitted a comment Sunday on the NSF rule calling for parts of it to take effect only after the OMB uniform guidance is finalized -- though APLU opposes that proposal, too. |
SPORTS
| State 1878 Announces Men's Hoops Exhibition Tilt Against Memphis | |
| Announced by State 1878 on Tuesday, the Mississippi State men's basketball program will host an exhibition matchup with Memphis powered by State 1878 on Friday, October 23 at Humphrey Coliseum. Tip time will be announced at a later date. The Memphis exhibition game will be a separate ticket from State's season ticket package. Tickets go on sale later this week starting with a premium seating presale on Wednesday, a season ticket holder presale on Thursday and public on sale on Friday. Mississippi State is now selling 2026-27 basketball season tickets in addition to showcase concert events featuring Hardy: One Night In Starkville on Friday, October 2 and Nate Bargatze: Big Dumb Eyes Goes to College on Thursday, October 15 at www.HailState.com/tickets. The Bulldogs are slated to face Tennessee Tech on November 2 for the 2026-27 season opener at Humphrey Coliseum. |
| Not throwing away his shot: Hamilton returns to MSU through portal | |
| A familiar face is making his way back to Starkville. Forward Kimani Hamilton committed to Mississippi State through the transfer portal on Friday. He spent his freshman year in Starkville, playing in 12 games off the bench before transferring to High Point. Hamilton spent last season at UNLV. He started 30 games for the Rebels, averaging 12.8 points and five rebounds in his lone season in Las Vegas. Hamilton gained a fifth year of eligibility through a California injunction, according to State 1878's Robbie Faulk. Hamilton looks to be a part of a bounceback year for Chris Jans and company. The Bulldogs finished last season 13-19. |
| Shepherd, Murillo pave way for dominant 4-0 victory over USM | |
| Kati Anne Shepherd is already making a strong impression in her first season as a Bulldog. The freshman from Birmingham became the youngest scorer in Mississippi State soccer history in the season opener against South Alabama. She added to her strong start Sunday evening, finding the net twice and assisting once in MSU's dominant 4-0 win over Southern Miss. Shepherd recorded the first five-point night by an MSU freshman since 2013. "It's just been incredible," Shepherd said of her strong start to the season. "Just figuring out how to play has been big, when we get opportunities to play at home, it's incredible." Shepherd wasn't alone at the peak of the score sheet. Sophomore Laila Murillo scored twice for her second-career brace. Murillo and Shepherd tallied 10 of the Bulldogs' 21 shots in the game. They became the first pair of multi-goal scorers for MSU since 2017. MSU controlled every aspect of the game. The Bulldogs outshot the Golden Eagles 21-3, 8-1 for shots on goal, and controlled possession most of the night. |
| SEC: Pro athletes should not 'return to college competition' | |
| The SEC on Monday issued a statement emphasizing its belief that athletes who choose to leave college athletics and sign professional contracts "should not then be permitted to return to college competition." The fundamental principle of NCAA eligibility has been called into question again in recent days following a flurry of news about former Ole Miss tight end Dae'Quan Wright, who hopes to clear waivers with the Cleveland Browns so he can return to college and play for LSU in what would be his fifth season of eligibility. Wright's highly publicized situation is unprecedented, but it could become part of a trend this year because of an ongoing legal fight between the NCAA and athletes who are pursuing a fifth year of eligibility. The SEC presidents and chancellors will meet in Birmingham, Alabama, with their conference athletic directors and commissioner Greg Sankey on Tuesday and Wednesday in meetings that had been previously scheduled. Most of the discussion is expected to focus on the overall future of college athletics, the latest eligibility issue, and the SEC's options for creating its own rules if federal legislation isn't passed. |
| College Football Morphing Into the NFL Has Big Legal Implications | |
| A milestone in the fading line between college and pro football occurred over the weekend, and it's one that could shape legal arguments regarding college athletes in the years ahead. The Cleveland Browns waived tight end Dae'Quan Wright so he could sign with LSU in a transaction coordinated by the two teams and Wright's agents, Drew Rosenhaus and Kyle Lincoln. Wright, whom the Browns claimed on waivers after he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent, becomes the first known player to leave an NFL team for the purpose of signing with a college program. Wright has already played four seasons at Virginia Tech and Ole Miss. Two years ago, this kind of fact pattern would have seemed implausible, even farcical. Not only were NFL and other professional players barred by NCAA eligibility rules from returning, but it also would have seemed head-scratching for a player who advanced from college football to the NFL to seek a return to a lesser level of football. But two years ago is a lifetime ago in college sports -- especially college sports and the law. |
| Pete Golding explains FBI sweeping for bugs after Lane Kiffin left for LSU | |
 | Pete Golding assured the media Monday he didn't call the FBI and have a team come in to sweep for audio devices that may or may not have been planted by former coach Lane Kiffin. "Any bowl game, playoff system, obviously, you're going to up security," Golding, the Ole Miss coach, told reporters. "I'm not sure that there was a hiring process of, 'Here we go with the FBI.' I do think we probably have a current player whose dad just so happens to work for the FBI that lives in town, from that standpoint." The comments came after Walker Jones of the Grove Collective told the "Assorted Crackers" podcast that FBI officials searched for bugs in the football offices at the Manning Center after Kiffin took the LSU job. Jones said on the podcast, "We actually had the FBI come through and walk the building for bugs and for everything. We knew kind of what was in Baton Rouge, and we knew how they operated. I remember getting on my knees and looking underneath the desk, like checking for, 'Is there some sort of bug in my office?' |
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