| Thursday, May 27, 2021 |
| JMAA works with Mississippi State to fly unmanned planes at Jackson airport | |
 | The Jackson Municipal Airport Authority has teamed up with Mississippi State University's Raspet Flight Research Laboratory to advance unmanned aviation technology. The world's most technologically-advanced large unmanned aircraft will take flight at Mississippi's busiest airport, Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport. Raspet and the Authority have worked together to obtain authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration for today's first flight in JAN's controlled airspace. Paul A. Brown, JMAA CEO, stated, " It's a unique opportunity to be a part of cutting-edge advancements for the enhancement of aviation." Brown also stated that the research gained from this flight will help in a long-term campaign for the use of UAS at JAN. "Today's flight represents a significant milestone," stated Tom Brooks, director of MSU's Raspet Flight Lab. Brooks believes that this is initiative is necessary in the advancement of UAS. Complete integration of UAS would enable them to safely and regularly operate along with manned aircraft, as well as aiding in evacuation decisions and flood assessments. |
| Mississippi researchers make history in unmanned aviation at the state's busiest airport | |
 | On the runway of the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, researchers from Mississippi State University are flying their Tiger Shark unmanned aircraft. It has a wingspan of 22 feet and can carry a variety of small payloads. This is the first time a non-military drone has flown in class c controlled airspace. Tom Brooks is Director of the Raspet Flight Research Lab at MSU. He says the flight demonstrates how unmanned aircraft and passenger aircraft can one day operate on the same runways. "It's really moving the needle in terms of not just symbolic of what can be done, but also a practical demonstration of how it can be done every day," says Brooks. Brooks says the drone can be equipped with cameras, radar, and other imaging technologies, and can be used to survey damage during emergencies. Matthew Hering is Chief Operations Officer with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. He says the agency mostly uses smaller drones, but early tests with these larger unmanned aircrafts have been able to capture more data in a single flight. The University of Mississippi Medical Center is also interested in how drones can one day help deliver medicine during extreme weather, says Chief Administrative Officer Jonathan Wilson. "There're some situations where you're just not gonna put a flight crew in peril," says Wilson. |
| JMAA partners with Mississippi State to advance unmanned aircraft systems | |
 | On Wednesday, the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority (JMAA) partnered with Mississippi State University's (MSU's) Raspet Flight Research Laboratory to accomplish another aviation milestone for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Through the collaborative efforts of Raspet and the Authority, they obtained Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization for Wednesday's first flight in JAN's controlled airspace, known as Class C. Class C airspace is a designation of up to 4,000 feet above ground level at airports with control towers, radar approach control and a certain level of activity. "Today is monumental," stated Paul A. Brown, JMAA CEO. "It's a unique opportunity to be a part of cutting-edge advancements for the enhancement of aviation. We are eager to learn the results from today's unique flight, as research will aid in our potentially long-term campaign for the future use of UAS here at JAN. We're grateful for our partnership with MSU and are looking forward to continued collaboration and the success of this project." While unmanned aircraft systems already aid emergency officials with evacuation decisions and flood assessments, a complete integration into the national airspace system would enable them to safely and regularly operate in conjunction with manned aircraft during both emergency and non-emergency operations, while using many of the same air traffic management systems and procedures. |
| Local universities take different approach to mask policies | |
 | Mississippi State University is easing some of its mask restrictions. Beginning June second, employees and students will no longer be required to wear a mask indoors if they are fully vaccinated. Those who have not received both shots should wear a mask inside all buildings. MSU is reminding the campus community that COVID-19 vaccines are readily available but not required by the Institutions of Higher Learning. The university also requested everyone to support employees or students that still want or choose to wear a mask. Mississippi University for Women employees and students must continue to wear a mask inside all buildings. There is an exception if you are alone in your office space. Masks are not required if a person is outdoors on campus. |
| Meridian Freedom Project plans busy summer | |
 | The Meridian Freedom Project is getting ready to kick off its summer program, which starts on Friday, May 28 and ends on July 2. The non-profit opened its doors in 2013 with a focus on empowering young people and developing future leaders while exposing them to new experiences. "We're looking for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders who are learning how to be leaders," said MFP Executive Director Adrian Cross. "We want them to leave this program knowing they can become leaders." The theme for the program, "Freedom Summer of 1964" honors civil rights workers who came to Meridian and other parts of the South during the summer of 1964. Students from Harvard University, Millsaps College and Meridian Community College will serve as interns during the program, Cross said. After classes in Meridian end on July 2, the sixth and seventh graders will travel to Alabama while the older students will travel to Jackson and Memphis, Cross said. The trips will focus on the civil rights movement. Students will then spend a week at Mississippi State University, where they will learn about the college experience. |
| PEER recommends changes to employer contribution rate in PERS | |
 | The Mississippi Legislative PEER Committee releasing its report titled 2020 Update on Financial Soundness of the Public Employees' Retirement System on Thursday. According to the report, "Financial soundness" should be defined not as a point-in-time comparison of assets and liabilities but as a multifaceted construct. The PERS Board, with assistance from its staff and other contractual advisers, endeavors to maintain the financial soundness of the plan. PEER notes that over the past 5- and 10-year periods, the PERS actual average annual payroll increase has continued to remain below the actuarial model's projected rate of salary increase (currently assumed at 3.00%). From FY 2010 through FY 2020, the ratio of active members to retired members decreased by approximately 33%, driven by the increasing number of retirees and the decreasing number of active members. The reports states that the PERS Board has implemented a policy to reduce the PERS plan's investment return assumption from its current rate of 7.75% to the actuary's recommended rate of 7.5%, using future investment gains above the plan's assumed returns. Based on the results of the evaluation metrics in the plan's funding policy, the actuarially determined contribution metric is "red" meaning that the PERS Board must consider making changes to the employer contribution rate. As of June 30, 2020, the PERS funding ratio was 58.8%, a decrease from 61.3% as of June 30, 2019. |
| Mississippi Lottery Corporation names new president | |
| The Mississippi Lottery Corporation is hiring from within for outgoing President Tom Shaheen's replacement. The Board of Directors has announced its selection of Senior VP of Sales and Marketing Jeffrey L. Hewitt to serve as the MLC's next leader after Shaheen announced his retirement earlier this year. "Jeff brings a lifetime of lottery experience and has been an integral part of MLC's senior leadership during the startup phase," MLC Board of Directors Chairman Mike McGrevey, said. "I know the lottery will be well led as it enters its next chapter." Hewitt joined the MLC in June 2019 after previously serving in senior leadership roles with the Georgia Lottery Corporation, as well as Scientific Games, Intralot and IGT Global Services -- described by the MLC as three of the major technology vendors in the lottery industry. He began his career in 1987 with the Florida Lottery. Created by the Legislature and launched in November 2019, the lottery delivered $70.7 million to the state during its first seven months of operations. For the current fiscal year, the MLC has transferred nearly $115 million to the state with the first $80 million going to infrastructure and the remainder is placed into the Education Enhancement Fund. |
| Mississippi is testing the fewest residents per capita for COVID-19 | |
| For better or for worse, all COVID-related numbers in Mississippi are falling: infections, hospitalizations, deaths, vaccinations and tests. As with its vaccination rate, Mississippi is lagging behind in COVID testing. Testing rates have plummeted nationally, but no other state is testing fewer residents per capita, and most are leagues ahead. This is a problem in a state where so many residents are declining to get vaccinated, even as health experts insist that wide-scale testing can help facilitate a return to normalcy that guards against large virus outbreaks in the absence of herd immunity protections. One reason for the severe decline in testing is it being an at-will affair. Most people avoid getting tested unless they know for a fact they've come into contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, Even if getting vaccinated is looked upon more favorably than getting tested, it can't be by much. COVID-19 vaccinations had fallen for seven straight weeks in Mississippi before seeing a slight uptick last week. That higher number still represents a nearly 71% decrease since the state's February peak. Mississippi continues to rank last in the nation in the share of its population that has been vaccinated. |
| President Biden to Propose $6 Trillion Budget to Make U.S. More Competitive | |
 | President Biden will propose a $6 trillion budget on Friday that would take the United States to its highest sustained levels of federal spending since World War II, while running deficits above $1.3 trillion throughout the next decade. Documents obtained by The New York Times show that Mr. Biden's first budget request as president calls for the federal government to spend $6 trillion in the 2022 fiscal year, and for total spending to rise to $8.2 trillion by 2031. The growth is driven by Mr. Biden's two-part agenda to upgrade the nation's infrastructure and substantially expand the social safety net, contained in his American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan, along with other planned increases in discretionary spending. The proposal shows the sweep of Mr. Biden's ambitions to wield government power to help more Americans attain the comforts of a middle-class life and to lift U.S. industry to better compete globally in an economy the administration believes will be dominated by a race to reduce energy emissions and combat climate change. Mr. Biden's plan to fund his agenda by raising taxes on corporations and high earners would begin to shrink budget deficits in the 2030s. Administration officials have said the jobs and families plans would be fully offset by tax increases over the course of 15 years, which the budget request backs up. |
| Senate Republicans Unveil $928 Billion Infrastructure Offer | |
 | Senate Republicans presented a $928 billion infrastructure plan to the White House, closing the gap with the White House's latest $1.7 trillion offer as the two sides attempt to break an impasse over the scope of an infrastructure package and how to pay for it. The $928 billion plan is an increase from the GOP's original, five-year $568 billion proposal, dedicating funding to roads, bridges, rail, and transit systems over eight years. The GOP negotiators have said they would seek to pay for the offer by redirecting federal Covid-19 aid, an idea that Democrats on Capitol Hill are set to oppose. President Biden has set a Memorial Day target for making progress in the bipartisan talks, which have lasted for months. Republicans panned the White House's $1.7 trillion offer last week, itself a decrease from the Biden administration's original $2.3 trillion plan, arguing that the White House hadn't narrowed its proposal enough. If talks fail, Democrats could try to advance an infrastructure bill without GOP support. To avoid the 60-vote threshold required for most legislation in the Senate, Democrats would need to use a budget maneuver called reconciliation to approve the bill. Democratic Senate aides have started early conversations on how to advance a package through reconciliation, according to people familiar with the conversations. |
| President Biden prepared to extend infrastructure talks | |
 | White House officials and other Democrats close to the bipartisan infrastructure talks are willing to let the negotiations stretch past their Memorial Day deadline -- but not too far. Senate Republicans are slated to bring forward their latest proposal on Thursday, a plan that is unlikely to approach $1 trillion in new spending -- making it far less palatable to the White House. There also are deepening doubts about an agreement on how to pay for the infrastructure spending package. Democrats are resistant to tapping leftover Covid-relief money, which the White House argues isn't sufficient to cover the plan, anyway. White House aides and Democrats say they're giving Republicans ample time to put forward their offers on "hard" infrastructure -- money to build roads, repair aging bridges and expand broadband. Barring breakthroughs on a long list of sticking points, Biden advisers and Democrats are preparing to wind down talks within a week or possibly two, three people familiar with the discussions told POLITICO. At that point, they will start shifting their focus to what it will take to pass a bill on a party-line vote. |
| APLU Urges Congress to Restore Research Investment in Infrastructure Negotiations | |
| Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) President Peter McPherson today sent a letter to congressional leadership urging lawmakers to include research investment in infrastructure negotiations. "APLU was disheartened to see that the White House offered to recede their initial proposal to invest in research and development (R&D) as a component of infrastructure package discussions. The Administration's initial proposal to invest $40 billion to upgrade research infrastructure in laboratories across the country, including brick-and-mortar facilities and computing capabilities and networks is worthy of pursuit and much needed. Similarly, the Administration's plan outlined worthwhile investments to support infrastructure across a broad spectrum of institutions, including Minority Serving Institutions and Historically Black Colleges and Universities." |
| GOP ire imperils bipartisan plan to confront China | |
| Last-minute Senate drama is threatening to upend what many in Washington see as the last major bipartisan victory the chamber can get this year. Republicans are indicating that they may derail debate on a massive Senate bill confronting China's growing economic and geopolitical influence before the Senate leaves town for a recess later this week. Some in the GOP are pressing for more votes on their amendments to the China legislation, a top priority of Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) said he was particularly frustrated by what he described as Democratic leadership's refusal to consider a trade amendment he's crafted with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). "As of right now there's been an absolute refusal to let me have a vote," Crapo said Wednesday afternoon. "We've been trying for days." Crapo spoke up about his objections during the GOP lunch on Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the exchange, and urged his colleagues to vote against cutting off debate on the bill, which requires 60 votes. He and Wyden are their party's leaders on the influential Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over trade. It's unclear if Republicans have the votes to block the bill, the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, S. 1260 (117), from advancing on Thursday. Senators and aides said they were optimistic that the issues would be worked out. But the latest Republican resistance imperils Schumer's plans for a final vote on the bill, which allocates billions in new funding for scientific research and technology to counter China's economic rise. |
| John Warner's death reminds Washington what it's missing | |
 | John W. Warner, a towering senator for three decades, was a man of principle and patriotism, of charm and wit -- qualities that have been wanting in American public life since his retirement in 2009. The Virginia Republican once told this reporter that, at the end of life, the only thing left is one's integrity. By all accounts, Warner's integrity was firmly intact when he died this week of a heart ailment at the age of 94. "Not having John Warner to go to for advice leaves a big hole in my life," Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said in a statement Wednesday. Warner left a big hole in Washington when he retired, and it has yet to be filled. He fought in two wars, served as Navy secretary and later chaired the Senate Armed Services Committee. He was known as a military affairs maven. But whether the topic was warfare or climate change or abortion or anything else, the patrician Warner, though not a perfect man and not above hard-knuckled politics, was a pragmatic compromiser, who put what he thought was good for his country first. That sometimes irked his fellow Republicans and endeared him to Democrats. But his primary aim, he said, was to get results and do the right thing. "When I began serving in 1979, three-quarters of my colleagues were military veterans," Warner wrote in an article for the Pew Charitable Trusts' Trend magazine in 2018. "We had political disagreements and often fought on the Senate floor, our battlefield. But at day's end, we shared a drink, talked as friendly rivals and even friends, and we found common cause, solving problems and serving the American public." |
| Deep-rooted racism, discrimination permeate US military | |
 | In interviews with The Associated Press, current and former enlistees and officers in nearly every branch of the armed services described a deep-rooted culture of racism and discrimination that stubbornly festers, despite repeated efforts to eradicate it. The AP found that the military's judicial system has no explicit category for hate crimes, making it difficult to quantify crimes motivated by prejudice. The Defense Department also has no way to track the number of troops ousted for extremist views, despite its repeated pledges to root them out. More than 20 people linked to the Jan. 6 siege of the U.S. Capitol were found to have military ties. The AP also found that the Uniform Code of Military Justice does not adequately address discriminatory incidents and that rank-and-file people of color commonly face courts-martial panels made up of all-white service members, which some experts argue can lead to harsher outcomes. And racial discrimination doesn't exist just within the military rank-and-file. Every year, civilians working in the financial, technical and support sectors of the Army, Air Force and Navy file hundreds of complaints alleging race and skin color discrimination, according to an AP analysis of U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission data. |
| Director of Student Financial Aid gives tips on the application process | |
 | Applying for financial aid for college isn't a quick process. Lamar County School District Counselor Supervisor, Julie Clinton said she helps parents and students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, every year. "It is a long and overwhelming process, but it is the only way that our students have to receive federal, state, and sometimes even private scholarships," Clinton said. The basics of applying are the same, but a policy change from the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid could add extra work. "This change is just the authority to request supporting documents for students who fall into a very specific category of students who have provided information on the FAFSA or MAPP that doesn't match," said Jennifer Rogers, director of Student Financial Aid for the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning. Rogers said if an applicant states they live in a home with one parent on the FAFSA then put two parents on the MAAPP application, it will flag the change and ask for proof. Rogers added some tips to avoid red flags when it comes to household and financial changes when filing out both the FAFSA and MAPP. "Do both of the applications at the same time. While the FAFSA may take a while to complete, the MAAPP is easy. It takes less than 10 minutes to complete," Rogers said. That's because Rogers said you can link and transfer your FAFSA data to the MAAPP application which will help eliminate those flags. |
| Jackson State Providing Free Vaccines For Students, Community Members | |
| A Jackson State University program is currently offering Pfizer and Moderna vaccinations to eligible students and Jackson residents. The historically Black public university is administering the free program in conjunction with the Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center. JSU is offering Pfizer vaccinations for any eligible person over age 12. It is offering the Moderna vaccine to those 16 and older, though the university expects to soon be able to vaccinate children aged 12 and up. The Jackson State University Health Center is answering questions concerning program availability at 601-979-2260. Despite the vaccine availability, children are notably absent from the program. Data from the Mississippi State Department of Health show just over 4,000 children aged 12 through 15 have received vaccinations in the two weeks since MSDH cleared Pfizer for use among that age group. MSDH notes, however, that vaccinations among children whose ages were not explicitly reported are not noted in the report. In addition to JSU's vaccination program, the Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center is holding a vaccine-themed event at Fondren After 5 on June 3. The event will include food, games and prizes, as well as vaccinations and related information. |
| Christian group sues U. of Alabama over campus speaking permits | |
 | A conservative Christian group has filed suit against the University of Alabama, challenging rules that require students to obtain a permit to speak on campus days in advance. Filed by the campus chapter of Alliance Defending Freedom and two student members in state court on Friday, the civil lawsuit claims the rule violates a state law which requires public college and universities to respect students' rights to free speech. A campus rule requires students to request permission to speak on campus at least five days in advance, according to the complaint. The requirement prevents members from engaging fellow students on important topics including gun control and federalism, said a statement from the organization. "Universities are supposed to be the very places where students are free to explore diverse ideas and engage in civil and meaningful debate, but the University of Alabama is shutting down this debate with its burdensome speech policies," said Michael Ross, a lawyer for the group. The school hadn't responded to the lawsuit on Tuesday, court records show, and university spokeswoman Deidre Stalnaker said officials would not comment on a pending lawsuit. Alabama "remains committed to freedom of speech and expression for members of its campus community." she said. |
| Whataburger restaurant planned on the Strip near U. of Alabama campus | |
 | The University of Alabama System board of trustees has approved commercial lease agreements that will bring Texas-based Whataburger and Mobile-based Mediterranean Sandwich Co. to UA-owned properties on the Strip. The new restaurants will occupy suites on either end of the former site of Holler and Dash Biscuit House at 1130 University Blvd. Whataburger will be in Suite A5 and the Mediterranean Sandwich Co. will be in Suite A1. This will mark Tuscaloosa's third Whataburger: the area's first Whataburger opened in 2017 at 1301 McFarland Blvd. E, followed by the 2018 opening of the second location at 820 Skyland Blvd. Whataburger serves fresh, made-to-order burgers in more than 810 locations. Its menu features burgers made with 100 percent pure beef and fresh-cut vegetables, along with chicken strips, French fries and milkshakes. Right now, the Mediterranean Sandwich Co. operates four restaurants, three in Mobile and one in Daphne. According to its website, the Mediterranean Sandwich Co.'s menu includes handcrafted gyros, stone-toasted flatbread paninis, signature wraps, fresh-cut salads, homemade soups and orzo pastas. The UA System trustees approved the five-year commercial lease agreements for Whataburger and the Mediterranean Sandwich Co. at its April 9 meeting. |
| Auburn University modifies mask policy | |
| Auburn University announced in an email to students and faculty on Wednesday afternoon it is further altering its campus mask policy following changes in public health recommendations. The University said the decision is in accordance with the latest guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC determined that those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can resume regular activities without face coverings or social distancing. Those who are not fully vaccinated should continue to abide by social distancing suggestions and wear the appropriate face coverings to product themselves against COVID-19, the University said. However, Auburn University will not require vaccinated individuals to provide proof of their vaccination status. Effective June 1, the University will additionally no longer limit the number of attendees permitted at campus events. "COVID-19 vaccines have made a powerful impact on individual and public health, and the University strongly encourages all students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated," the University said in the email |
| In note to U. of Arkansas trustees, U.S. Sen. J. William Fulbright's kin defend legacy | |
| A group letter sent last week from 34 family members of former U.S. Sen. J. William Fulbright to the University of Arkansas board of trustees defended him as "an honorable man, great statesman and visionary educator." In an introductory email memo and the more formal letter, family members addressed the criticisms of Fulbright's record on civil rights. Fulbright is renowned for introducing legislation in 1945 that created the international education exchange program named after him, but his legacy on the UA campus is being reconsidered given his legislative record supporting segregation and opposing civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s. No action has been taken by university officials since a campus committee recommended last month that a statue of Fulbright be removed from its place on campus outside the Old Main building and that his name be stripped from the university's arts and sciences college. "To a person we condemn racial oppression and inequality," states the Fulbright family letter dated May 18. "While we in no way invalidate the feelings of the individuals who have voiced their desire to have his statue and name removed from the Fayetteville campus, we urge you to resist the emotion of the moment and to move with serious, thoughtful deliberation before rendering your decisions. The Senator has earned this right." |
| UF Blueberry Lab aims to create a better berry | |
| Firm, plump, smooth-skinned, juicy and sweet: the perfect blueberry. Great in smoothies, muffins and cobblers. But not everyone knows the unassuming fruit on their plate has been meticulously researched and cultivated before it even made it to the grocery store shelves. The UF/IFAS Blueberry Breeding and Genomics Lab is responsible for breeding and cultivating many varieties of the beloved blueberry. Patricio Muñoz, an assistant professor at the University of Florida's Horticultural Science Department, is the principal investigator at the lab. He said the lab has two main goals. "One of them is to develop new varieties for the state, in the southeast market of blueberries. The second one is to perform genetics, genomics and molecular research to do better the first goal," Munoz said. The Blueberry Breeding and Genomics Lab is one of many plant breeding programs affiliated with UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Science. Others include the Citrus Research and Education Center, located at Lake Alfred, and a peanut-breeding program. The lab began in the 1940s when blueberries could not be grown in Florida because of the heat and humidity. Plant breeders at UF worked with the Department of Agriculture to find a solution and create a hybrid berry that could thrive in the harsh southern weather, the Sharpblue and Flordablue varieties. |
| UL Lafayette president promises reforms after USA TODAY sexual misconduct investigation | |
 | The president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette promised to improve the school's response to sexual assault allegations just hours after a USA TODAY investigation revealed what he called "critical communication gaps that need to be addressed." Published Wednesday morning, the investigation chronicled how one student transferred three times to three of Louisiana's largest public universities, each time within months of the latest accusation of sexual misconduct, before graduating from UL Lafayette in August 2020. Six women reported the student for sexual misconduct during his six years in college, the investigation found, but university and police officials repeatedly failed to share the allegations with each other, despite a 2015 law that required it. In a letter to students, faculty and staff early Wednesday, UL Lafayette President Joseph Savoie called the article "troubling." Students, faculty and Louisiana lawmakers, meanwhile, expressed outrage on social media over the handling of the allegations against Victor Daniel Silva by UL Lafayette, Louisiana State University and Louisiana Tech University, the Lafayette Police Department and the 15th Judicial District Attorney's Office, which serves Lafayette Parish. Each institution failed to share information they had about Silva with each other, leaving the campuses without warning. |
| Former Penn State President Graham Spanier To Go To Jail For Child Abuse Scandal | |
 | A Pennsylvania judge has ordered former Penn State President Graham Spanier to report to jail on July 9 for charges related to the child abuse scandal that embroiled the university a decade ago. A Daulphin County Court judge ordered Spanier to serve two months in a Centre County correctional facility followed by two months of house arrest for charges of endangering the welfare of children. Spanier was convicted four years ago for failing to report to authorities claims shared with him that former football coach Jerry Sandusky abused a boy at the school. Sandusky is serving a 30- to 60-year prison term following his 2012 conviction for sexual abuse of boys over a 15-year time span. Spanier was originally found guilty by a jury of misdemeanor child endangerment, along with former Penn State athletic director Tim Curley, and vice president Gary Schultz. Spanier later appealed his conviction and had it overturned, but a federal appeals court last month overturned that decision. This week, Spanier's attorneys unsuccessfully asked a judge to allow the former college president to serve only house arrest due to health problem. The 72-year-old had heart surgery in 2019 and has advanced prostate cancer, according to his attorneys. Prosecutors have said they would support work releases and medical furloughs from jail given his health issues. |
| Student parents struggle with mental health | |
 | Lesley Del Rio wasn't sure she would complete her studies this year and get her associate's degree in business administration. She and her 10-year-old son were cramped together in their small Denver apartment during the pandemic, and the normal boundaries between her roles as a single mother, college student and working adult came "crashing down." "For a little bit there, I felt like there was no escape," she said. "And I still have to turn around and make things happy and comfortable and make sure that I wasn't oozing fear onto my kiddo so he could feel safe and so he could feel like there was a sense of fun and normalcy in his life still." Appointments with her mental health therapist started to feel like a chore, just another thing on her to-do list as a working mother in college. Mental health care can feel like "an unobtainable luxury" for parents like herself, she said. Many students parents who need such help struggle to get it, according to a new study on their mental health outcomes. The report was released Wednesday by the JED Foundation, a nonprofit that conducts research on the mental health of young adults, and Ascend, a policy advocacy program at the Aspen Institute focused on social mobility of families. Del Rio is a parent adviser for the program. |
| For Native Americans, Harvard and other colleges fall short | |
| When Samantha Maltais steps onto Harvard's campus this fall, she'll become the first member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe to attend its prestigious law school. It's a "full-circle moment" for the university and the Martha's Vineyard tribe, she says. More than 350 years ago, Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, an Aquinnah Wampanoag man, became the first Native American to graduate from the Cambridge, Massachusetts, university -- the product of its 1650 charter calling for the education of "English and Indian youth of this country." "Coming from a tribal community in its backyard, I'm hyper aware of Harvard's impact," said Maltais, the 24-year-old daughter of her tribe's chairwoman. "It's a symbol of New England's colonial past, this tool of assimilation that pushed Native Americans into the background in their own homelands." Maltais will arrive on campus at a time when Native American tribes, students and faculty are pushing the Ivy League institution and other colleges to do more for Indigenous communities to atone for past wrongs, much in the way states, municipalities and universities are weighing and, in some cases, already providing reparations for slavery and discrimination against Black people. In Minnesota, 11 tribes have called on the state university system to return some of the lands taken from tribes, provide tuition waivers to Native American students and increase the number of Native American faculty, among other demands. |
| President Biden's pick to lead Department of Energy science signals focus on climate and diversity | |
| Sometimes a new presidential administration signals where it's headed through whom it selects to lead a federal research agency. That appears to be the case with President Joe Biden's choice to lead the Department of Energy's (DOE's) basic research wing, the Office of Science. Last month Biden tapped Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, a soil scientist at the University of California (UC), Merced, to lead the office, which has a $7 billion annual budget and is best known for funding physics, running national laboratories, and building atom smashers and other scientific megamachines. The nomination of Berhe, 46, suggests the office will increasingly emphasize research related to climate change, scientists say. Berhe currently studies how factors such as erosion, fire, and temperature affect whether soil soaks up carbon dioxide or releases more of it into the air. She was born and raised in Eritrea and, if confirmed by the U.S. Senate, would be the first person of color to direct the office. (As usual for nominees awaiting confirmation, Berhe declined to be interviewed.) Announced on 22 April, Berhe's nomination delighted many environmental researchers. |
SPORTS
| Record-Breaking GPA for Mississippi State Student-Athletes | |
| Mississippi State student-athletes enjoyed academic success in the classroom again during the spring, posting the highest department GPA for a semester ever at 3.2. This was the eighth consecutive semester with a 3.0 GPA or higher for the department. Four programs (baseball, men's basketball, football and women's golf) recorded their highest-ever spring GPA, while football's GPA marked its highest ever. An impressive 67 Bulldogs finished a perfect 4.0 for the semester, and a total of 249 student-athletes earned a spot on the Bulldog Honor Roll (3.0 or higher). Women's golf had the highest overall GPA of any program at 3.79, and men's tennis (3.63) notched the highest by a men's team. Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on Mississippi State Athletics. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by searching "HailState" on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. |
| Dawgs Drop SEC Tournament Opener | |
| The No. 3 Mississippi State baseball program dropped its opening game at the SEC Tournament to No. 11 Florida, 13-1, on Wednesday (May 26) morning at the Hoover Met. The team's exchanged single runs in the first inning, before Florida (37-19) scored three in the second and five in the third to stake an early lead. A four-run seventh inning pushed the game to 13-1 and the game was final after the seventh inning, due to the SEC Tournament's run rule. For Mississippi State (40-14), Tanner Allen extended his career-long hitting streak to 17 games with his 57tth career double in the first inning. The hit also extended his reached base streak to 20 games, as he finished the day with one hit and one run scored. Luke Hancock added his 52nd RBI of the season with his base hit in the first inning and Logan Tanner moved his reached base streak to 17 games with his fourth inning single. Mississippi State will play the loser of No. 3 Tennessee and Alabama at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 27 in an elimination game at the SEC Tournament. The game will be carried on the Mississippi State Radio Network and on SEC Network+ via the ESPN App. |
| Florida routs Mississippi State to advance at SEC tourney | |
| Not many knew what to expect when Florida took the field against third seed Mississippi State on Wednesday morning in the second round of the SEC Baseball Tournament. The sixth-seeded Gators squeaked past 11th-seeded Kentucky 4-1 Tuesday to face the third-seeded Bulldogs for the first time in 2021. What the fans at Hoover Met. Stadium and the ones watching at home witnessed was an ambush, as UF demolished MSU 13-1 in a seven-inning run-rule game to advance to the third round. The Gators (37-19), ranked No. 13 in the nation, will play 10 seed Alabama (31-22) at 5:30 p.m. ET Thursday. The Crimson Tide defeated two seed Tennessee 3-2 in 11 innings later Wednesday. Florida coach Kevin O'Sullivan stayed with his rotation, going with big lefty Hunter Barco, who attempted to recover from his loss to Arkansas over the weekend, his first in nearly two months. "I think it was probably our most-complete game that we played in a while, obviously," O'Sullivan said. "We got production from everybody up and down the lineup. I thought we played pretty good defense for the most part. Hunter Barco was outstanding against a really good lineup." |
| Explaining Tennessee baseball's ninth-inning interference call in Alabama loss | |
 | Tony Vitello described Tennessee baseball's SEC Tournament opener Wednesday against Alabama as a "blood and guts game." But an apparent hit to the groin dictated the ending. Vols second baseman Max Ferguson was called for interference as he slid into second base in the ninth inning, resulting in an inning-ending double play instead of a walk-off fielder's choice for Jake Rucker. "We want to play ball hard," Vitello said. "There are teams here with more talent than us. We want to play hard. We anticipate and expect our guys to run as fast as they can from point A to point B. In my opinion, that is what Rucker and Fergie did in that situation." No. 2 seed Tennessee lost 3-2 to No. 10-seeded Alabama in 11 innings after the interference call. The Vols face No. 3 seed Mississippi State (40-14) in an elimination game Thursday (10:30 a.m. ET, SEC Network). Tennessee has lost seven straight games in Hoover, Alabama. "I am not OK with it," Vitello said when he asked if he wanted clarification from the SEC or was OK with the ruling. "I am not OK with losing either. You either win or you learn. We talked about some things we can learn in the outfield. I didn't need to explain it to them." |
| How Dominic Keegan lifted Vanderbilt baseball with walk-off hit vs. Ole Miss | |
 | Dominic Keegan didn't play in the 2019 SEC Tournament, the one Vanderbilt baseball ultimately won over Ole Miss on a walk-off single. On Wednesday night, it was Keegan's time to create an SEC Tournament moment of his own, hitting the walk-off single to give the Commodores the 5-4 victory over the Rebels. After a strong start from 17-year-old Christian Little, Vanderbilt (40-13) ran into bullpen struggles when Little exited with arm spasms. Ole Miss designated hitter Tim Elko hit a three-run home run to tie the game in the sixth. After the Commodores came back to tie in the bottom of the inning, Elko hit another long ball in the eighth to give the Rebels the advantage. After a quiet bottom of the eighth, it was up to Vanderbilt's young players to come through on offense in the ninth. "I think ... you absorb the opponent's rushes or offensive moments or punches," Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said. "And then as a team you gotta counter-punch, you gotta do something in response to them and that all boils down to competition and competing and if you can't compete within this league, then you're probably not gonna last very long." The Rebels, seeded No. 5 in the SEC Tournament, were a tough out for the No. 4-seeded Commodores. On Thursday, Vanderbilt will face an even tougher challenge: No. 1 seed Arkansas. |
| Report: Texas Tech extended Tim Tadlock's contract after A&M interest | |
 | Interest from Texas A&M to possible hire Texas Tech head baseball coach Tim Tadlock spurred Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt to offer Tadlock a "lifetime" contract extension, according to a report by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. According to the report, A&M reached out to Hocutt to inform him of an interest in Tadlock, 52, as Rob Childress' possible replacement and Hocutt said he would match a pitch of $1.2 million given by A&M. Hocutt had been in discussions with Tadlock prior to the Aggies' interest. "Kirby shared with me that A&M had reached out to inform him, I guess as a matter of courtesy, of their intense interest in coach Tadlock," Tech president Lawrence Schovanec told the Avalanche-Journal. "We responded to those overtures. ... Kirby had begun discussions with coach Tadlock several weeks ago, and it was just unacceptable to us that we would lose the best coach in the state of Texas." The new contract is a rolling seven-year contract, intended to keep Tadlock, a Tech alumnus, in Lubbock for the remainder of his career. "There's a ton of interest in this job and we have great candidates for Texas A&M baseball," A&M athletics director Ross Bjork told The Eagle. Other possible targets for A&M could be TCU's Jim Schlossnagle, Tennessee's Tony Vitello and Louisville's Dan McDonnell. |
| Kentucky preparing for full capacity at Kroger Field for 2021 SEC football season | |
| Kroger Field is expected to look closer to normal this fall. Just less than two weeks after Gov. Andy Beshear announced the state's COVID-19 restrictions would end on June 11, allowing venues to resume 100% capacity, the University of Kentucky confirmed Wednesday it was planning for a "return to its traditional gameday environment" for the 2021 football season. That plan includes full capacity at Kroger Field. "Coming off three straight bowl wins and the enthusiasm for the team that Coach (Mark) Stoops is putting together, we couldn't be more eager for the upcoming season," UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart said in a news release. "With an exciting lineup of opponents, and anticipating the return of bands, cheerleaders, tailgating and everything that goes along with college football Saturdays, we're planning for great times at Kroger Field this fall." Kroger Field's normal capacity is listed at approximately 61,000 but was limited to 12,000 during the 2020 season. UK also banned tailgating in the parking lots last season. In announcing its plan for full capacity, UK issued a reminder for fans that season tickets are available for purchase. |
| 'Your actions speak louder than your words': Transgender and non-binary athletes call out NCAA | |
| Transgender and non-binary athletes across the country are taking a stand against the NCAA. Fifty current and former college athletes sent a letter to the governing body Wednesday asking it to take action in response to a wave of states' anti-transgender athlete bills. "We, the undersigned, are deeply disappointed and hurt by the NCAA's choice to host Division I softball championship games in states with transgender athlete bans," Athlete Ally Policy and Program Manager Emet Marwell wrote in the letter on behalf of the group. "We are a group of transgender and non-binary current and former NCAA student-athletes, the community you claimed to 'firmly and unequivocally support' in your statement released on April 12th, 2021." In May, three states with legislation banning transgender athletes from interscholastic competition were named as hosts for the 2021 college softball tournament, which concludes in June. This decision came shortly after the NCAA Board of Governors warned state lawmakers in April that actions against the support and inclusion of transgender athletes could result in the loss of championship games and events. |
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