| Wednesday, August 4, 2021 |
| Mississippi State, ERDC partner on $7.8 million research project to advance military engineering | |
 | Mississippi State University is leading a $7.8 million U.S. Department of Defense project to advance military engineering capabilities. The multidisciplinary project is led by MSU's Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems and funded through the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg. Utilizing a wide range of university research expertise, the three-year project focuses on remote sensing, developing the next generation of materials for force protection, force projection technologies and mobility modeling and simulation. "MSU is proud to once again partner with ERDC on impactful research that will pay dividends for the U.S. military," said MSU Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan. "CAVS and the center's collaborators across campus have a strong track record of cutting-edge research in the areas of remote sensing, modeling and simulation, off-road autonomous vehicles and advanced materials, all of which will help make this project a success." The research conducted at MSU aims to develop new technologies to enhance ERDC's military engineering and force protection capabilities in support of national defense. "Our researchers really excel in developing the models and algorithms necessary to determine how different materials, objects and systems will respond in any given situation, which is a vital part of military engineering and planning," said CAVS Executive Director Clay Walden. |
| Oktibbeha County still weighs building new headquarters | |
 | Columbus architectural firm Major Design Studio presented an assessment of county facilities to Oktibbeha County Supervisors on Monday that spurred a discussion about a future that may involve building a new administrative complex along with upgrades and renovations to the county courthouse and other buildings. Supervisors are planning a work session to begin the planning process of deciding what needs will be met and how. A date for that meeting is still to be determined. MDS' study cost $12,000 to review the county-owned facilities in terms of age, size, insurance and utility costs, usage and functionality. This study will assist the board in knowing which steps to take next, whether that be creating a new building or updating the current ones. The MDS report rated county facilities from replace or renovate to superior. For example, the Felix Long Building, built in 1949, scored poorly in the report, which recommends that structure be replaced. Constructed in 2010, the county's Emergency Management-911/Education facility received a high score indicating that the building does not need any major renovations. |
| Higher electricity sales push TVA revenue higher | |
 | The Tennessee Valley Authority is reporting significant growth in electricity sales over the first five months of the fiscal year. On Tuesday, the company reported $7.4 billion in total operating revenue on 113.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity sales for the first nine months of its fiscal year. This represents a 5% increase in electricity sales for the nine-month span than ended June 30, 2021, over the same period a year ago. TVA cites the pandemic as the reason for the lower energy sales. "TVA continues to serve our communities as they recover from the pandemic and as businesses and industries ramp production back up," said Jeff Lyash, TVA president and CEO. "Through systematic planning and investment in our system, we are meeting strong summer power demand with 99.999 percent reliability and delivering some of the nation's cleanest, most economical energy." As of Aug. 2, 2021, 143 local power companies have long-term partnerships with TVA, including the recent addition of Cullman Electric Cooperative. Bill credits to partners totaled $133 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2021. According to TVA, its economic development efforts resulted in more than $7.8 billion in investments and more than 65,300 jobs created or retained through the third quarter of 2021. |
| Investment report for PERS shows massive gains for retirement fund in U.S. and international stock markets | |
| According to the investment report from Mississippi's defined benefit pension system, the plan's investments earned an astounding 32.71 percent in gross returns in fiscal 2021. The Public Employees' Retirement System of Mississippi -- which is the retirement fund for most state, city and county employees -- released the report after the end of the fiscal year on June 30. PERS holdings ($35.6 billion) as of June 30 add up to 27.42 percent in U.S. stocks and 33.88 percent in non-U.S. stocks. PERS has been investing in the stock markets since August 1980, which promised larger returns than the treasury bonds that represented most pension fund investments up to that point. PERS and most other pension funds nationwide did this at the cost of increased volatility. For the final quarter of fiscal 2021, PERS' investment returns earned a return of 6.71 percent. For the year, PERS investments earned 46.83 percent in the U.S. stock market and more than 40 percent globally. Private equities (non-publicly traded source of capital) earned a 58.87 percent return during the fiscal year. Some of PERS biggest holdings in the U.S. include: Microsoft, $414 million; Apple, $339 million; Amazon, $309 million; and Facebook, $207 million. PERS also owns $82 million in Tesla stock. |
| State leaders meet at local hemp farm to discuss the plant's economic potential in Mississippi | |
| State leaders met at Singletary Hemp Farm in Florence Tuesday to talk about expanding the hemp industry in Mississippi. Hemp contains tiny amounts of THC and large amounts of CBD. People can cultivate it in Mississippi, but once you do, there's not a whole lot you can do with it. "Once I grow the plants, they've got to go somewhere," Singletary's Hemp Farm Owner David Singletary said. "They got to be processed somewhere, and that's what's lacking in this industry." That's why the owner of Singletary's Hemp Farm, David Singletary, brought together representatives from the USDA, Department of Agriculture, and other state leaders to talk about crafting the framework for hemp production. "We are educating people here today and showing them what is possible," he said. "Now, with my hemp growing behind me, the soil is not optimum. But you can see that we can grow good quality hemp here in Mississippi." Representative De'Keither Stamps said he hopes to get more of his colleagues from the house, senate, and governor's office out to local hemp farms so that they too can get educated. He said the plant has major economic potential for the state. |
| More than 2,800 new COVID-19 cases reported in Mississippi Wednesday, the highest daily total since January | |
 | COVID-19 cases in Mississippi continue to climb, with Wednesday's daily total of 2,821 new cases the highest the state's seen since Jan. 15 when the state had 3,029 cases, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported. There were seven coronavirus-related deaths reported on Wednesday. The seven deaths occurred between Sunday and Tuesday, as identified from death certificate reports. Since the virus hit the state in March 2020, a total of 352,891 cases and 7,597 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported. Residents between the ages of 25 and 39 represent the largest portion of the infected population in the state, with 79,341 cases reported Tuesday, the latest figure available. Among patients under 18, children between the ages of 11 and 17 have the highest infection rate, with 27,944 cases identified. The 65 and older age group has the highest total number of deaths with 5,734 reported. According to health department data, 1,222,653 people have begun the vaccination process in Mississippi, as of Monday morning. Since December, about 1,038,185 people are fully immunized against COVID-19. |
| Mississippi COVID-19 vaccinations increase as virus surges | |
 | Albert Wilson Sr. was unsure whether to trust the COVID-19 vaccine when it came out. He told his family he wanted to wait a few months to see how it affected other people before making a decision about himself. That was before the 58-year-old maintenance technician from Utica was hospitalized with the virus in June. During his two weeks at St. Dominic's in Jackson -- the last weeks of his life -- he was begging his wife and four children to get it. "He told us to come get the vaccine before he died," said Eric Wilson, Albert's 20-year-old son. "He said if he ever made it out, he was going to get that vaccine. He said he wished he would have." Eric Wilson, a student at Jackson State University, was one of dozens of people lining up to get the COVID-19 vaccine at the historically Black university Tuesday. He said he was nervous at first, but he had to do it for his dad. "I had to -- I promised I would," he said, sitting in the auditorium stands afterward with a Band-Aid on his arm. The number of people receiving doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Mississippi, one of the country's least vaccinated states, is increasing slightly as infections surge in the state. |
| COVID-related emergency room visits higher than any point as virus rips through Mississippi | |
| The peak of 1,077 visits seen during the first week of January was eclipsed last week with 1,218 visits. The number of weekly COVID-related ER visits has increased 150% over the past month alone. This surge in emergency room visits is being caused by the Delta variant of the coronavirus, which is up to two times as infectious as the original strain of COVID-19. Unvaccinated Mississippians are driving this surge in cases, deaths, hospitalizations and emergency room visits the state is experiencing. Between June 1 and August 1, 97% of COVID-19 cases, 89% of hospitalizations and 85% of deaths were among the unvaccinated. In some areas of the state, patients who would normally be in an ICU are having to receive care in an emergency room because there are no ICU beds available, according to Jim Craig, director of health protection for the Mississippi State Department of Health. As scientists continue to collect data on the newest variant that is spreading rapidly, medical experts continue to reiterate that vaccination remains the best protection against contracting the Delta variant. Though Mississippi is no longer last in the nation for the share of its population that has been vaccinated, it still trails 48 other states. |
| Coast nurses hit 'compassion fatigue' with the unvaccinated as COVID's 4th wave surges | |
 | The hum of exhaust systems sucking air out of contaminated rooms filled an ICU at Ocean Springs Hospital on a recent Tuesday. Health care workers changed in and out of personal protective equipment in a continuous loop, entering rooms only long enough to flip COVID-19 patients from their backs to their bellies; a process called proning that helps them breathe. The bodies that lay unconscious were not elderly, they appeared middle-aged. Mississippi health care workers are in the midst of what one Singing River ICU nurse called a bout of PTSD and another called a bad dream: the fourth wave of COVID-19. But it's different than previous surges. This round, compassion is running dry. Ninety-five percent of the hospitalized patients at Singing River hospitals are unvaccinated. Singing River Health Systems CEO Lee Bond teared up as he described the effect of the current COVID surge on his health care staff, especially the nurses. "While the world is going on about its business, there are places here and throughout Mississippi and this region where a nurse is having to have the unbearable pain of not knowing how badly COVID might affect their patient," Bond said. "I would want the public to know that nurses and clinicians are suffering greatly right now, and I think the world has sort of lost sight of that." |
| Delta's peak is difficult to project, but could come this month | |
 | The delta variant surging through the United States could peak later this month, but experts say projections are difficult and much will depend on an unpredictable factor: human behavior. The U.S. is expected to endure a rough next few weeks no matter what. The seven-day average for COVID-19 has risen in recent weeks to 85,866 cases per day as of Monday, the highest point since Valentine's Day, according to data from The New York Times. The boost in cases is higher than last summer's peak of almost 67,000 cases but much lower than the winter highpoint of nearly 260,000 cases. A lot of what happens in the next few weeks will depend on the population, which Nicholas Reich, an associate professor of biostatistics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, noted is "really hard to predict and really hard to control." The delta variant has spread so quickly it appears to have almost spooked some who have worked on modeling projections. Justin Lessler, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, said so far the contagious variant has increased faster than any of their models, calling it "a little bit scary." "Given the rate is going up, it's either going to peak earlier than we anticipated or peak much, much higher than we anticipated," Lessler said. "I think probably both are going to be true." |
| Analysis: Delta variant upends politicians' COVID calculus | |
| President Joe Biden's administration drew up a strategy to contain one coronavirus strain, then another showed up that's much more contagious. This week -- a month late -- Biden met his goal of 70% of U.S. adults having received at least one COVID-19 shot. Originally conceived as an affirmation of American resiliency to coincide with Independence Day, the belated milestone offered little to celebrate. Driven by the delta variant, new cases are averaging more than 70,000 a day, above the peak last summer when no vaccines were available. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is drawing criticism from experts in the medical and scientific community for its off-and-on masking recommendations. But the delta variant makes no distinctions when it comes to politics. If Biden's pandemic response is found wanting, Republican governors opposed to pandemic mandates also face an accounting. They, too, were counting on a backdrop of declining cases. Instead unvaccinated patients are crowding their hospitals. |
| As Virus Cases Spike in Arkansas, the Governor Backtracks on Masks | |
 | In March, with the number of new coronavirus cases plummeting in Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson let expire the statewide mask mandate that some of his fellow Republicans had opposed from the beginning. Soon thereafter, Mr. Hutchinson went a step further, signing legislation that blocked most government entities in the state from instituting any future mask mandates. The bill's sponsor, State Senator Trent Garner, would later write on Twitter that it was "one of the most important laws we passed." "The left wants more control over YOU and your children's lives," he continued. "Masking is now about power, not public safety." Mr. Hutchinson, a relatively moderate Republican, did not see much harm in it at the time. "Our cases were at a very low point," he recalled in a news conference on Tuesday. However, he added, "In hindsight, I wish that it had not become law." In recent days, as coronavirus cases fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant have skyrocketed in Arkansas, Mr. Hutchinson has backtracked, and is now urging state legislators to undo part of the law so school districts may adopt mask mandates before students return to their classrooms en masse. In so doing, he has incensed the most conservative members of his base, underscoring a broader dilemma facing Republican governors across the South, where new coronavirus infections are once again spiking, but where hard-line conservatives remain adamant that many regulations seeking to contain the spread of the virus are a threat to personal freedom. |
| Chaos and confusion: Back to school turns ugly as Delta rages | |
 | School boards are at war with governors over masks. Superintendents are developing contingency plans on the fly. And schools that only just opened have had to shut down. Welcome to sophomore year for Covid-19. The Delta variant, which few had heard of when classes ended in the spring, is upending reopening plans across the country, threatening President Joe Biden's promise of a more normal school year and sustained economic recovery. Nearly 18 months into the pandemic, there's no consensus on how to keep students and staff safe. Local school leaders, whipsawed by changing federal guidance, find themselves building a patchwork of protections based as much on local politics as public health. "It's a terrible position to be in," Dan Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators, said in an interview. "We have a huge crisis and nobody wants to make a decision ... You're leaving superintendents wide open to fall to pressure from their community." Viral videos of parents shouting obscenities during school board meetings, recall votes for board members -- even death threats -- underscore the pressure school leaders face as they contend with a virus far more contagious than what circulated last year. |
| USM call for entries: 2021 National Juried Painting Exhibition | |
| The Museum of Art in The University of Southern Mississippi's School of Performing and Visual Arts has announced a call for entries for its 2021 National Juried Painting Exhibition. Artists from across the country are invited to submit original works created within the past five years. Works in any painting medium -- including oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache and all forms of representational and non-representational paintings -- are eligible. The 2021 National Juried Painting Exhibition will include a gallery exhibition, an awards ceremony and a juror's lecture. The exhibition is presented in part by the generous support of Partners for the Arts. "The 2019 National Juried Painting Exhibition, juried by Philadelphia painter Bill Scott, was one of our blockbuster events, as it featured a stunning array of paintings by 46 artists selected from entries from across the country," said Mark Rigsby, Museum Director and associate professor of Art and Design. "This year, as we celebrate the vitality and breadth of practice within contemporary painting across the country, we are thrilled to welcome renowned juror and visiting artist Susan Palmisano," he added. |
| USM Physical Plant, Residence Life holding job fair Wednesday | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi's Physical Plant and Residence Life departments are set to host a job fair for open positions Wednesday. The job fair will be held at the Trent Lott Center on USM's Hattiesburg campus from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. "This job fair is critical for the success of our department," said Directo of the Physical Plan Neil Bohn. "We have open positions that have been vacant for quite a few weeks, and so we're trying to find the people willing to work, that are driven, that are looking for a healthy and stable work environment." Those who are interested in participating are encouraged to view the full job descriptions and apply online before the fair at jobs.usm.edu. Applicants are asked to bring a resume or work history and references to the fair. Application assistance will also be available at the fair. |
| Ole Miss unveils new license plate for Mississippi motorists | |
 | Ole Miss has unveiled its new specialty license plate for Mississippi motorists. Starting this week, fans who live in Mississippi can purchase the updated plate. The new plate features "Hotty Toddy" along the bottom and an updated Ole Miss script logo along the left side of the plate. Mississippians can purchase the new plate for an additional $51. For every purchase, $32.50 returns to the university to fund the Herb Dewees Alumni Scholarship and beautification efforts in the Grove and University Circle. The previously-used plate displayed the university's crest which features the front façade of the Lyceum. |
| White House names Mississippi HBCU students to annual achievement list | |
 | Several people with ties to Mississippi were announced Tuesday as Historically Black College and University Scholars, part of a White House program that recognizes students for academic achievements. Those in the White House Initiative for Historically Black Colleges and Universities' eighth class will represent their institutions as ambassadors while spending the next year networking and working to achieve their educational and career potential, according to a United States Department of Education news release. Of the more than 200 applicants, the 86 selected will represent 54 of the nation's HBCUs, including Alcorn State University, Mississippi Valley State University and Jackson State University, all located in Mississippi. Students will also participate in monthly classes with program coordinators and other professionals. The participants will also attend the 2021 HBCU Week National Annual Conference, from Sept. 7 to 10, where they will participate in sessions about entrepreneurship, innovation, and personal and professional development, the news release said. The theme for the conference is "Exploring Equity." |
| State Board of Education asks Gov. Reeves to pave way for state takeover of Holmes County schools | |
| The fate of the Holmes County Consolidated School District now rests in the hands of Gov. Tate Reeves. The State Board of Education voted unanimously on Tuesday to request that Reeves immediately declare a state of extreme emergency in the district which would place it under state control. The current school superintendent would be replaced and the local school board would be abolished. The state board would serve in its place. The State Board of Education also recommended Jennifer Wilson, the former superintendent of Greenwood School District, serve as interim superintendent for the district should a state of emergency be declared. The results of a nearly 400-page audit conducted by the Mississippi Department of Education include allegations of a dysfunctional school board and administration, improper spending, inaccurate record keeping and unlicensed teachers in the classroom. The audit, which took place over the course of three months, also repeatedly refers to a lack of accurate data provided by the district, making it impossible to assess some standards or to determine the degree to which the district was noncompliant in others. |
| Auburn University trustees to vote on additional $3 million for dorm renovations | |
| The Auburn University Board of Trustees will hold a specially called meeting on Friday to vote on a $3 million budget increase to meet construction costs for a project to renovate two Quad residence halls. At its June 11 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved a $13.5 million budget to renovate Broun Residence Hall and Harper Residence Hall. Trustees will vote to increase the budget for renovating the two Quad residence halls to $16.5 million during their meeting held over telephone at 9 a.m. Friday. Broun and Harper are just the first two buildings to be renovated as part of the Quad Residence Halls Renovation, which is made up of five phases with two Quad residence halls being renovated each year. Five construction companies made offers for the project after it went to bid on July 20, all of which were above the allotted construction budget. The lowest bidder, Carlisle Construction, submitted a bid $3 million more than the construction budget, bringing the total cost for the project to $16.5 million. Gov. Kay Ivey called the special Board of Trustees meeting on July 26. Getting approval for the increase soon is crucial to the project's success, according to materials for the upcoming meeting. |
| After Political Opposition, U. of South Carolina Backs Off Mask Mandate | |
 | Four days after mandating mask-wearing indoors in light of high rates of Covid-19 transmission locally, the University of South Carolina has stepped back from the requirement. In a note to the campus on Tuesday, Interim President Harris Pastides said the college had received a legal opinion from State Attorney General Alan Wilson, a Republican, stating that the legislature intended to prevent public institutions from mandating mask-wearing in their buildings. "In light of this opinion, the university will not require anyone to wear face coverings in our buildings, except when in university health care facilities and when utilizing campus public transportation," Pastides' statement said. The change took effect on Tuesday. In his statement, Pastides encouraged people on campus to get vaccinated and mask up indoors, noting that because public colleges in South Carolina cannot mandate vaccines, he "felt that face coverings would go a long way in preventing the spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19, which is highly contagious, on campus." Case numbers have skyrocketed in South Carolina during recent weeks as the Delta variant has spread rapidly. Getting the vaccine reduces the likelihood of having severe symptoms. |
| COVID-19 pandemic exposes digital divide for Black families and online education, U. of Missouri study finds | |
 | The pivot to online education for schoolchildren during the pandemic resulted in stress for Black families with inadequate internet service and unfamiliarity with technology, a new University of Missouri study found. "What we found was parents felt disempowered to engage in their children's education," said the study's lead author, Adaobi Anakwe, an MU post-doctoral fellow. Wilson Majee, an associate professor in the MU School of Health Professions, was a co-author. Columbia Public Schools was online a large part of the 2020-21 school year and most of the last half of the 2019-20 school year. Students are scheduled to return in-person on Aug. 24. The MU study was conducted in an unnamed rural area in the Midwest. The peer-reviewed "Sink or Swim: Virtual Life Challenges among African-American Famiiles during COVID-19 Lockdown" was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The phrase "sink or swim" in the study title was one used by a study participant in describing how she felt, Anakwe said. |
| Penn State digs in on plan to recommend, not require, vaccines | |
 | Pennsylvania State University is holding firm on its plans to recommend but not require vaccination against COVID-19 on campus this fall, despite a growing chorus of calls from faculty and students for a mandate. "While we are not currently requiring vaccinations, Penn State is not impartial when it comes to getting vaccinated," Penn State president Eric Barron said Tuesday during a virtual town hall on fall COVID protocols. "The university's stance is that everyone who can get a vaccine should do so as soon as possible to attain very high vaccination rates on all Penn State campuses." Penn State officials also announced Tuesday that the university would follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and require masking indoors for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, on Penn State campuses that are located in counties with substantial or high rates of viral transmission, as defined by the CDC. The town hall occurred days after a Penn State student died from complications of the virus. The Centre Daily Times reported that 20-year-old undergraduate student Neil Patel died over the weekend following a months-long battle with COVID-19. Patel is the second known Penn State student to have died from the virus, following the death of Juan Garcia, a 21-year-old student, last summer. Many of Penn State's peer universities in the Big 10 have mandated COVID-19 vaccines, including the Universities of Illinois, Indiana, Maryland and Michigan, as well as Michigan State, Northwestern and Rutgers Universities. A federal appeals court upheld the legality of Indiana University's vaccination requirement in a ruling Monday. |
| Endowments post strong returns in fiscal 2021, early data show | |
| College and university endowments posted their strongest annual performance in 35 years, according to new data from Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service reported by Bloomberg. The median return before fees was 27 percent in the 2021 fiscal year, which ended on June 30. By comparison, U.S. college and university endowments saw a 2.6 percent median return in fiscal year 2020 and a 6 percent median return in fiscal year 2019. College endowments of at least $500 million -- of which there are about 200 -- reported a median return of 34 percent in fiscal 2021, higher than the overall average. "Especially coming out of challenging years, it is a big deal for schools from a balance sheet strength perspective," said Jessica Wood, a credit analyst at the ratings agency S&P Global. "If over the next year we don't see some dramatic swing in the opposite direction, it's a very positive credit factor for institutions." The boom in U.S. stock prices drove the high returns. "Whenever the stock market does well, endowments -- just like other institutional investors -- tend to do very well. So last fiscal year -- the year that ended June 30 -- the stock market as measured by the S&P 500 did about 40.8 percent, which is astounding," said Ken Redd, director of research and policy analysis at the National Association of College and University Business Officers. "So whenever you get a major stock index like that rising, we tend to get very high endowment returns." |
| U.S. College Endowments Post Best Annual Performance Since 1986 | |
| U.S. college endowments posted their strongest performance since 1986 as stocks and alternative investments surged. The median return before fees was 27% for the 12 months through June, according to data to be published Tuesday by Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service. The biggest funds, those with assets of at least $500 million, did even better, with a median gain of 34%. The investment results, on top of an infusion of federal stimulus funds, are a welcome financial balm for schools that have grappled with revenue declines as the pandemic curtailed enrollment. U.S. stocks were a key driver, with the S&P 500 returning 41%, including reinvested dividends, for the fiscal year ended June 30. Alternative assets, such as venture capital, private-equity funds and hedge funds, also boosted performance. "Risk-takers were rewarded," said Robert Waid, managing director at Wilshire. "Endowments are more likely to be bigger risk-takers than other types of plans." Still, the one-year gains may not have much of an impact on university budgets. That's because spending plans are typically determined by longer-term average investment returns of three to five years, said Don Heller, vice president of operations at the University of San Francisco, who studies higher-education finance. |
| Return to the Neshoba County Fair after the COVID shutdown wonderful, yet strange | |
 | Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: With no active political races and a fairgrounds population returning after a 2020 hiatus caused by the global COVID pandemic, this summer's return to the Neshoba County Fairgrounds was wonderful but there was an underlying tone that things had not quite returned to normal. The largest crowd of the week was undeniably the Tuesday night grandstand concert presented by rising Nashville country music singer/songwriter Hardy – but Michael Hardy is after all a Philadelphia native son whose family owns one of the cabins. He's the son of Mike and Sarah Hardy and the grandson of Bobby and Joyce Hardy. While Hardy and veteran Nashville star Trace Adkins packed the racetrack grandstand, it was college football -- not politics -- that packed this year's Founder's Square Pavilion as University of Southern Mississippi Head Coach Will Hall, Ole Miss Head Coach Lane Kiffin, and Mississippi State Head Coach Mike Leach participated in a first-ever fairgrounds roundtable to talk about their upcoming seasons. ... On the political front, the rise of the COVID "Delta Variant" and accompanying debates over mask requirements, vaccines, and the prospects of possible returns to some form of societal closures or interruptions were active and lively. I left the fairgrounds convinced that the next month to six weeks will determine the answers to those questions and concerns. Will folks, even the vaccinated, return to wearing masks as a deterrent to the Delta Variant? Will concern over rising Delta Variant numbers fuel an uptick in voluntary vaccinations? Without question, there is a public health stream and there is a political stream. |
SPORTS
| Three Mississippi State position battles to watch in fall camp | |
| Grab a lawn chair, head over to your local college football practice facility, take a seat outside those chain link fences and listen closely. With fall camp fast approaching, the echo of "iron sharpens iron" will rise from practice fields across the nation as coaches prepare for the competitions that come and go in these crucial weeks leading up to the season opener. Mike Leach's crew is no exception as Mississippi State prepares for a second season under the new coaching staff. Coming off a 4-7 season, Leach made it clear he wants his players to prove they deserve a starting spot. Not only should the fall clarify some things for the Week 1 roster, but when coaches repeat that phrase they love so much, they hope that even those that don't earn a starting spot will better themselves as a result of competition. Here are three position battles to track in camp: Quarterback. Right tackle. Safety. |
| Mississippi State football: The QB battle, and 3 other storylines to follow this fall camp | |
| Heading into Year 2 of the Mike Leach era in Starkville, Mississippi State football has more answers than questions. Still, the questions are pretty big. The Bulldogs begin fall practices Friday, kicking off the month-long march to the season opener against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 4. Leach's squad has experience, returning 16 players who started six or more games on last year's team that went 4-7 and won the Armed Forces Bowl. But as with any team trying to get back above .500, Mississippi State has some questions that need to be addressed in fall camp. Here's a look at four storylines to pay attention to this fall: The quarterback battle, obviously. Who steps up on the defensive line? What type of depth is there at receiver? What does the safety room look like? |
| Mississippi State's Valeria Mendizabal Among Leaders At U.S. Women's Amateur | |
| A tough course at the U.S. Women's Amateur challenged a trio of Mississippi State women's golfers on Monday and Tuesday. Valeria Mendizabal made the cut and will advance to match play after shooting even par through two rounds. On the first day of competition, just 13 players shot below par, and Mendizabal kept herself within striking distance, shooting 2-over 74 to tie for 34th. She climbed 22 spots on the leaderboard on Tuesday with a 2-under round to advance. Blair Stockett made a five-stroke improvement in the second round, but she finished with a 36-hole total of 151 and came up one stroke shy of the cutline. Lauren Miller battled back after a tough first day. The Niceville, Florida, native cut her score down by eight strokes in the second round. Mendizabal will match up with Laney Frye in the Round of 64 on Wednesday, Aug. 4. The pair will tee off at 8:20 a.m. CT. |
| Dak Prescott among best-selling NFL players | |
| Dak Prescott will forever be one of the most beloved figures to ever come through Starkville. The former Mississippi State and current Dallas Cowboys quarterback's popularity continues to soar nationwide as well, as evidenced by the recently-released NFL Players Association (NFLPA) Top 50 Player Sales List. Prescott ranks third among all NFL players in officially licensed products sold from March 1 through May 31 of this year. Only Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and Kansas City Chiefs signal caller Patrick Mahomes II sat ahead of Prescott. The rankings were compiled looking at NFL player products sold from online and traditional retail outlets as reported by over 75 NFLPA licensees. Licensed products sold and tracked included items such as jerseys, T-shirts, hoodies, bobbleheads, figurines, wall decals, photos, pennants and much, much more. Prescott products should continue to be in high demand throughout 2021. It'll be his sixth season with the Cowboys and first since signing a four-year, $160 million contract with Dallas back in March. Along with becoming one of the NFL's highest-paid players, Prescott has also already amassed numerous other career achievements, including being the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year back in 2016 and getting selected to the Pro Bowl on two separate occasions. |
| Alabama AD Greg Byrne concerned about pandemic, praises Nick Saban | |
 | It has been a good couple of weeks for Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne from one point of view. The UA Board of Trustees approved his contract recommendations for coaches, including an extension for football coach Nick Saban on Monday. Alabama has had good visibility and medal success at the Tokyo Olympics, including silver medals for current swimmer Rhyan White and softball alumna Haylie McCleney. The Southeastern Conference is expanding with two strong new members in Texas and Oklahoma coming about sooner or later, but bringing more media rights money along with them. However, Byrne spent Tuesday working on a major concern: the rise in new COVID-19 cases in the city and state as football season approaches. In a Q&A session with The Tuscaloosa News, Byrne talked about the options ahead for UA. |
| New deal to help Ohio State players profit off jersey sales | |
| Ohio State fans will soon be able to buy Buckeye jerseys with the name and number of current players. Ohio State's trademark and licensing services office has signed a group licensing agreement with a Florida-based company, The Brandr Group, that will allow players to use their new name, image and likeness rights to profit from jersey sales. Eventually, the plan is to expand into video games, other apparel, trading cards and bobbleheads. Athletes from all of Ohio State's 36 varsity sports teams will be eligible to opt in. "This is a unique opportunity for our student-athletes," senior associate athletic director Carey Hoyt said in a statement. "We are passionate about educating and providing opportunities for student-athletes to take advantage of their Name, Image and Likeness, and co-branding them with Ohio State's official trademarks and logos is going to be an exciting new way for them to monetize on their NIL." Ohio State will not be involved in making business deals or representing Buckeye athletes regarding jersey sales. The extent of the university's involvement will be to approve or disapprove of trademarks on items. |
| Report: N.C.A.A. Prioritized Men's Basketball 'Over Everything Else' | |
| The N.C.A.A.'s financial dependence on its Division I men's basketball tournament has long fueled gender inequity in college sports, investigators said in a report on Tuesday, when they challenged the association to overhaul its approach to two of the most celebrated events in American athletics. "The N.C.A.A.'s broadcast agreements, corporate sponsorship contracts, distribution of revenue, organizational structure and culture all prioritize Division I men's basketball over everything else in ways that create, normalize and perpetuate gender inequities," the report, which exceeded 100 pages, said. "At the same time, the N.C.A.A. does not have structures or systems in place to identify, prevent or address those inequities." The review, prepared by the civil rights litigator Roberta A. Kaplan and her law firm, also suggested that the N.C.A.A. was earning far less than it should for television rights to the women's basketball tournament. An analysis, conducted as a part of the review, predicted that the contract to broadcast the women's basketball tournament would be worth at least $85 million a year in 2025. Under a contract that last went to market 20 years ago and has not been "materially renegotiated" since its renewal a decade ago, the N.C.A.A. currently values the television rights for the women's tournament at less than $6 million a year. Tuesday's report was a footnoted, detailed and widely anticipated reckoning for the N.C.A.A., which has spent years extolling its commitment to women's athletics. But the report detailed one slight after another, and, more crucially for the future of the association, how the contracts that make the N.C.A.A. a financial force contributed to a pattern of inequities. |
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