| Wednesday, August 25, 2021 |
| Bulldog Bash rescheduled for Nov. 5 | |
 | Mississippi's largest free outdoor concert has changed dates. Bulldog Bash, an event sponsored by the Mississippi State University Student Association, will now be held Nov. 5 instead of its original date of Sept. 17. The event will be the night before an away football game in which the MSU Bulldogs will face the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. The location for the concert remains in downtown Starkville at the intersection of Jackson and Main streets. Bulldog Bash Director Liv Hunter said Bulldog Bash changed due to a combination of factors as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. "This decision was made largely due to the fact that the live entertainment industry is still recovering from the past year," Hunter said in a press release. "We believe this date change will lead to happier attendees and a more quality event." The event typically draws around 35,000 spectators while showcasing several bands and artists each year. Past performers include T-Pain, Jason Mraz and Eli Young Band, but no artists have been selected to perform yet for this year. |
| Bulldog Bash moved from September to November | |
 | Organizers of Bulldog Bash announced they moved the free outdoor concert in downtown Starkville from September 17 to November 6. "This decision was made largely due to the fact that the live entertainment industry is still recovering from the past year," said Liv Hunter, the event's student director. No mention was made about the coronavirus, but the state is dealing with a surge in cases of the delta variant that has stressed Mississippi's hospital system. The new date will put the concert, which attracts thousands, on the eve of the Mississippi State football game at Arkansas. The original date had it prior to the game at Memphis. |
| MSU-Meridian to offer free COVID-19 vaccines to students, staff and faculty | |
 | Mississippi State University in Meridian is offering free COVID-19 vaccines to students, staff and faculty members this week. The event will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 27 in Kahlmus Auditorium at the MSU-Meridian College Park Campus. The second dose will administered at the same location Sept. 24. The event is made possible through a partnership with EC-HealthNet Family Medicine Residency Program, a media release said. The Moderna vaccine will be distributed. |
| Gov. Tate Reeves deploys healthcare workers to Golden Triangle hospitals | |
| Medical workers may finally get a bit of relief after battling COVID-19 for over a year. This comes after Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced the deployment of over a thousand health care workers to 50 hospitals across the state. "Having these staffing needs met will help to alleviate a portion of the strain on our health care system," said Reeves, "and ensure that all Mississippians that need care will receive the quality care they deserve." All three hospitals in the Golden Triangle made the list of 50 hospitals receiving help on the front lines. The three hospitals in the Golden Triangle are Baptist Memorial Hospital in Columbus, North Mississippi Medical Center in West Point, and OCH Regional Medical Center in Starkville. WTVA spoke with health care workers at both OCH and Baptist two weeks ago about the pressures they've felt behind the hospital curtains. "It's an honor to be able to help out in a pandemic like this," explained OCH ER and ICU director Jacob Leggett. "It is frustrating at times but we're definitely trying to meet the goals and the needs of our patients." |
| Gov. Tate Reeves: More than 1,000 health care workers deploying to Mississippi | |
 | Gov. Tate Reeves announced on Tuesday that more than 1,000 health care workers have begun being deployed to hospitals across Mississippi in an effort to address staffing shortages. The governor said 808 nurses, three certified registered nurse anesthetists, 22 nurse practitioners, 193 respiratory therapist and 20 paramedics will be deployed to 50 hospitals across the state, beginning Tuesday. "We are deploying over 1,000 health care personnel within nine business days of the initial request," Reeves said. "Our top priority is to ensure that every Mississippian who can get better with quality care receives that care. We are grateful for those that are answering the call to alleviate the pressure on our health care workers." The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is contracting with four vendors, which were selected based on pricing and staffing availability, to provide medical personnel to a total of 61 hospitals statewide over the coming week. Nearly 1,000 hospital beds will open up when the contracted workers arrive and begin working -- 757 MedSurge beds and 237 ICU beds. Reeves said his top priority remains protecting the integrity of the state's health care system. |
| COVID vaccinations, testing trend upward | |
| On Monday, data from the Mississippi State Department of Health showed the COVID-19 death toll has eclipsed 8,000 in the state as the Delta variant continues to pile up record and near-record daily case numbers, largely among the unvaccinated. On the same day, the Pfizer vaccine was officially approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Meanwhile, daily COVID testing resumed at the Lowndes County Health Department. In a state that lags near the bottom in vaccination, the combination of those events may move the needle. "There's no doubt," said B.J. Cougle of BJ's Family Pharmacy in Starkville. "Every day, we're getting a dozen calls, maybe more, and we don't even do vaccinations." Cougle said his pharmacy was originally set to provide the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in January, but when the vaccine was pulled briefly for health concerns, he decided not to resume vaccinations. "It was a bad decision on our part," Cougle said. "I really wish we were vaccinating because we're big vaccination people. We get a lot of calls, a ton of them now, and we urge people to get vaccinated. I was talking to a Kroger pharmacist and he told me he gave 60 shots on Saturday. It's booming, which is a very good thing." |
| Vaccine 'conspiracy theories' prompt threats, Dr. Thomas Dobbs says | |
 | Mississippi's top health official said Tuesday that he has received threats from people who are spreading lies about his family as he urges the public to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The state has seen a rapid increase in cases since early July, driven by the highly contagious delta variant of the virus and the state's low vaccination rate. The health officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, has been imploring people for months to get vaccinated. "I have received some threatening phone calls and want to clarify any confusion there may be with some conspiracy theories going around," Dobbs wrote on Twitter. Dobbs said one lie is that his son, who is also a physician, receives a World Bank-funded kickback when Dobbs urges people to get vaccinated. "I get zero $ from promoting vaccination," Dobbs wrote. The state epidemiologist, Dr. Paul Byers, said Tuesday that vaccinations have increased in Mississippi over the past several weeks after hitting a low in early July. The Health Department reported 85,510 people received a first, second or third inoculation during the week that ended Saturday. That's the largest number in any week since mid-April. However, Mississippi still lags behind the national rate: 38% of eligible people in the state are fully vaccinated against COVID- 19, compared to 52% in the U.S. |
| MSDH reports more than 100 COVID deaths, the highest daily count ever | |
 | Mississippi announced 111 deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic on Tuesday, the highest daily number reported to date. The previous high for COVID deaths was 98 on Jan. 12, Mississippi State Department of Health records show. Tuesday's deaths include 41 from August 19-23, plus 70 from June 25-Aug 20. The high death count follows rising case numbers as the coronavirus delta variant spreads in one of the nation's least vaccinated states. Thursday also saw the lowest single-day count of new COVID-19 cases drop for the first time in a week, with 3,291 new cases reported,the lowest number since Aug. 11. The 25-39 age group accounts for the majority of new COVID cases at about 23% as of Monday. As deaths increase and younger people are hospitalized with COVID, vaccination rates are going up. MSDH records show that 38% of Mississippians are now fully vaccinated. The number is still low compared to most other states and the U.S., which has a vaccination rate of 52% "Although we have a long way to go -- we should be seeing benefits of vaccination surge soon," State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs tweeted Tuesday morning. |
| MSDH: Immunocompromised Mississippians can now receive booster shot | |
 | Immunocompromised Mississippians who received either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines can now schedule an appointment to receive a third booster dose through the University of Mississippi Medical Center's vaccine scheduler. Previously, the only way for people with weaker immune systems to get a booster shot in Mississippi was by seeking one from their own doctors. Now, a person can self-attest that they are immunocompromised and get a booster through UMMC. More than 18,000 Mississippians have already received booster shots, according to data from the Mississippi Department of Health. People who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are not eligible for boosters because the data on its use is several months behind that of the mRNA vaccines. "Johnson and Johnson is giving individuals good protection from the severe complications, but it may well be that a booster is recommended for those individuals at some point in time in the future," State Epidemiologist, Dr. Paul Byers, said during a press conference on Tuesday. The soonest anyone can receive a third dose is 28 days after receiving their second one. MSDH primarily recommends boosters for severely immunocompromised people who have certain conditions or have received treatments that suppress their immune systems. |
| Experts renew warnings of 'twindemic' as US enters flu season amid rising COVID-19 cases | |
 | Last year's influenza season turned out to be the mildest on record, but health experts have renewed warnings that a 'twindemic' -- in which flu and COVID-19 cases simultaneously rise and overwhelm hospitals -- may be possible this year, and they urge Americans to get their flu shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,675 cases of influenza from Sept. 28 to May 22, representing only .2% of specimens tested. But it's difficult to predict what this year will look like, health experts say. They worry it may resemble a more typical flu season, as students get back to in-person learning and states loosen mask and social distancing mandates amid a return to social gatherings. That is especially concerning as COVID-19 cases driven by the highly contagious delta variant rise throughout the country. A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data suggests the U.S. reported more than 1.05 million cases in the week that ended Monday, amounting to 104 cases every minute. "We were worried about the 'twindemic' last year and we face the same threat this year," said Dr. Daniel Solomon, a physician in the division of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "COVID-19 is likely to continue, and we face the threat of dual respiratory viruses that could put a strain on our health care system." |
| COVID-19 Vaccine For Children Not Likely To Be Approved Before End Of The Year | |
 | Parents and caregivers may have to wait until the end of 2021 before a COVID-19 vaccine is fully approved for young children ages 5 to 11. The news comes from Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, in an interview with NPR's Morning Edition. Collins said both Pfizer and Moderna are still collecting trial data, trying to understand -- among other things -- whether young children should receive a smaller vaccine dose than what has already been approved for adults. Pfizer could submit its data to the Food and Drug Administration for review by the end of September, Collins said. But he added, "I've got to be honest, I don't see the approval for kids -- 5 to 11 -- coming much before the end of 2021." While full FDA approval is likely several months away, Pfizer's vaccine could be cleared for emergency use earlier, possibly in October, after the submission of its trial data. The NIH director also weighed in on the heated fight in states requiring children to wear masks in schools. Collins said he's "puzzled" by the debate, saying there is ample evidence that wearing masks will help prevent COVID-19 outbreaks. It's a fight, Collins said, that is getting in the way of "what is going to be a tough enough fall as it is." |
| It's governors vs. the White House this school year. And no one is winning. | |
 | A turf war between Republican governors and the White House over masking in schools is testing the limits of local control. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is offering vouchers and federal money to schools and parents that reject face coverings. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is threatening the salaries of school officials who mandate masks. And Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is fighting both mask and vaccine mandates in court. Now President Joe Biden has stepped into the fray. The White House is facing two currents of public opinion as Biden prepares to address school reopening with Education Secretary Miguel Cardona in the coming days. Majorities of adults tend to favor mask and vaccine mandates for students and teachers, but polls show hard partisan divides continue to color how the public prefers to keep kids safe. Governors' varied approaches to Covid-19 safety protocols this school year reflect those same fractures over what it means to trust the science. Republican state executives increasingly see the fight against masking kids as one of their best chances to show off their political power -- and beat Biden on the national stage. In Mississippi, where the hospital system is collapsing and nearly 29,000 students are now quarantined because of exposure to Covid-19, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has refused to enact a mandate for schools. But -- still years from facing reelection -- he also refuses to ban mask mandates. "What we say, what we write on the page, what we do doesn't matter a flip," Reeves said during a press conference earlier this month. "What matters is how individuals act." |
| New U.S. Intelligence Report Doesn't Provide Definitive Conclusion on Covid-19 Origins | |
 | A new assessment by U.S. spy agencies of the origins of Covid-19 that was delivered to the White House Tuesday didn't yield a definitive conclusion on whether the new coronavirus jumped to humans naturally, or via a lab leak, in part because of the lack of detailed information from China, two senior U.S. officials said. The new assessment, which was ordered by President Biden 90 days ago, highlights the administration's difficult challenge to wrest more information from Beijing that would shed light on how the global pandemic began. It underscores the importance of inducing China to share lab records, genomic samples, and other data that could provide further illumination on the origins of the virus, which has killed more than four million people world-wide, current and former officials said. "It was a deep dive, but you can only go so deep as the situation allows," one U.S. official said. "If China's not going to give access to certain data sets, you're never really going to know." China has balked at U.S. and other efforts to provide that information, presenting the Biden administration with the same quandary -- how to persuade Beijing to cooperate -- that faced the Trump administration for almost a year. The extensive effort to press China for more information, some details of which haven't been previously reported, ended in bureaucratic infighting and failure. |
| Could Mississippi's income tax be repealed? Lawmakers to hold hearings | |
 | Mississippi lawmakers will hold two hearings this week to help determine whether the legislature should repeal the state's personal income tax in the 2022 legislative session. The Joint Tax Study Committee is holding hearings Wednesday and Thursday at 9 a.m. in room 216 at the state Capitol. Attempts to repeal the state's income tax laws were unsuccessful in the most recent legislative session. Top Mississippi Republicans have said they want the state to be rid of its income tax. At a press conference discussing COVID-19 Tuesday, Gov. Tate Reeves took time to thank legislators for studying the issue, and to encourage they vote to repeal the taxes. He also said he hopes they won't vote to raise taxes elsewhere to offset the cuts, because the state can afford to keep other taxes the same. House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, has also said he wants the legislature to repeal the personal income tax. In the most recent fiscal year, Mississippi collected more than $2 billion in personal income taxes, the most it had ever collected. The state collected about $6 billion total for all revenues, meaning the income tax accounted for about a third of that. |
| Lawmakers hold hearings on how, why, if Mississippi income taxes should be cut, others raised | |
| A panel of lawmakers on Wednesday and Thursday will hold hearings on how, why, or if Mississippi's individual income tax should be eliminated or cut and whether other taxes should be raised. The joint Senate and House Tax Study Committee -- eight lawmakers from each chamber -- will hear from conservative and liberal tax think tank experts, state tax, economic and budget experts and business leaders. These will include Grover Norquist, founder of Americans for Tax Reform, and Kyra Roby, a policy analyst at One Voice, a group that represents marginalized and vulnerable communities across the South. The impetus of the hearings is House Speaker Philip Gunn's proposal to eliminate the state's individual income tax, and replace revenue with a 2.5-cents on the dollar increase in the state's current 7-cent sales tax and increases in other user or "consumption" taxes. The plan would exempt most Mississippians from individual income taxes in its first year, then totally phase it out over a decade or so, dependent on revenue each year meeting a "growth trigger" of 1.5%. Annual state revenue growth has averaged about 3.2% for the last 10 years. But Gunn's plan has raised concern from numerous interests. |
| Two members of Congress fly to Kabul amid evacuation, stunning military officials | |
| Two members of Congress flew unannounced into Kabul airport in the middle of the ongoing chaotic evacuation Tuesday, stunning State Department and U.S. military personnel who had to divert resources to provide security and information to the lawmakers, U.S. officials said. Officials said Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Mich., flew in on a charter aircraft and were on the ground at the Kabul airport for several hours. That led officials to complain that they could be taking seats that would have otherwise gone to other Americans or Afghans fleeing the country, but the congressmen said in a joint statement that they made sure to leave on a flight with empty seats. "As Members of Congress, we have a duty to provide oversight on the executive branch,'" the two said in their statement. "We conducted this visit in secret, speaking about it only after our departure, to minimize the risk and disruption to the people on the ground, and because we were there to gather information, not to grandstand." Meijer, an Army veteran, served in Iraq and later did humanitarian aid-related work with a nongovernmental organization in Afghanistan, helping to deliver emergency assistance to aid workers after kidnappings and targeted killings. Moulton served in the Marine Corps in Iraq. Two officials familiar with the flight said that State Department, Defense Department and White House officials were furious about the incident because it was done without coordination with diplomats or military commanders directing the evacuation. |
| Former Ole Miss student to plead guilty to First Degree Murder in homicide of Ally Kostial | |
| A former Ole Miss student who is facing a capital murder charge for allegedly killing classmate Alexandria "Ally" Kostial is set to accept a change in plea to guilty of murder in the first degree. Attorney Tony Farese, who represents Brandon Theesfeld, informed the EAGLE of the change in agreement between his client and the State of Mississippi. The hearing is scheduled to take place at the Lafayette County Courthouse at 10 a.m. on Friday, according to court officials. "We negotiated a plea," Farese said. "Mr. (Swayze) Alford and I worked really hard on this case and we were able to reach this agreement with the State of Mississippi. The District Attorney's office has worked diligently in representing the (Kostial family) in this matter, as well." The EAGLE obtained a copy of the order, confirming the change of plea hearing with Judge Kelly Luther presiding. On the morning of July 20, 2019, Kostial's body was found by deputies with the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department while on routine patrol in Harmontown near the Buford Ridge area. Two days later, Theesfeld was arrested by officers with the LCSD and Memphis Police Department at a gas station in South Memphis. A preliminary autopsy report was released the following day, revealing Kostial died from "multiple gunshot wounds." The case has been at a standstill since with requests for a psychiatric evaluation made by Farese in 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, trial dates were delayed in Theesfeld's case. |
| U. of Mississippi Faculty Considering Vaccine Mandate For Students, Employees | |
| The University of Mississippi Faculty Senate is considering a resolution calling on administrators to mandate that all eligible students, faculty and staff get vaccinated for COVID-19. At an extraordinary UM Faculty Senate meeting tonight, which the Mississippi Free Press listened in on, members discussed a resolution that cites "an obligation to protect the life, health and wellbeing of its students, faculty, staff, and surrounding communities" in Oxford. "BE IT RESOLVED, that the faculty in the Department call on the administration of the University of Mississippi too: A. Initiate a university-wide vaccination mandate for all students, faculty, and staff; and B. Supplement it with weekly testing for individuals who cannot get vaccinated because of exemptions allowed by law; and C. Develop a vaccination campaign and incentives, such as tuition rafles [sic], to speed up the vaccination process...," the resolution reads. Among the Faculty Senate, 30 members voted to suspend the rules and allow for the resolution's adoption, while 13 voted against doing so. The resolution to suspend the rules failed to gain a three-fourths majority, however, meaning the resolution itself will not be considered until the Faculty Senate's next regular meeting on Sept. 7 when it will need a simple majority to pass. During the meeting, at least one Faculty Senate member who voted against suspending the rules and moving forward with the resolution said he was not necessarily against the resolution itself, but against moving forward without giving ample time for it to circulate among the faculty. Some members complained that they had not received a copy of the resolution before the meeting. |
| USM Pride of Mississippi set to kick off 2021 season with free concert Friday | |
 | A new year means a new season for Southern Miss' Pride of Mississippi marching band. The season will kick off this Friday, Aug. 27, as The Pride of Mississippi will be performing a free concert on Centennial Lawn at 7 p.m. "They have been working really hard throughout all of preseason which started on Aug. 15, and they have been here ever since the beginning of classes working hard for this performance and the entire season up ahead of them," said Dr. Travis Higa, the first-year Director of The Pride of Mississippi. After a COVID-ridden 2020 season, many of the students are just happy to get the band back together. "We haven't been out here in two years. Last time we had a performance was 2019 or the 2020 bowl game," said symbol line captain Julian Banks. "All these students out here now, they are killing it. It's going to be a good season." Friday's show will set the tempo for the band, to see what kind of shows they can drum up this year. It will also include a preview of their halftime show for the home opener against Grambling State, Sept. 11. The halftime show will include pieces that honor the lives of those lost 20 years ago. |
| Isabella Powell finishes two-year tenure as Miss University of Alabama | |
 | Isabella Powell competed in 23 preliminaries before she collected her first title on the Miss Alabama qualifying circuit. Now, at age 23 and as a graduate of the University of Alabama, she is finishing two years as the reigning Miss University of Alabama. Powell became the only person in the program's history to serve for two years after COVID-19 caused the cancellation of the pageant in 2020. Powell, who is from Calera, is about to cede her title to the next Miss University of Alabama, who will be crowned in a program that begins at 7 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Bama Theatre, 600 Greensboro Ave. Twenty-five young women from UA will be competing to succeed Powell. The winner will receive a full tuition scholarship for one year. It was scholarship money that induced Powell to begin competing in the teen program. "I started when I was 15 years old in the teen pageant, then I graduated to the 'Miss' pageants," Powell said, referring to the programs that serve as preliminaries to the Miss Alabama pageant. "I was not an athlete and I was never good at test-taking," Powell said. "I knew that I needed some help to fund my college education. We (she and her family) were reading up on different things that we could do and we stumbled upon information about the Miss Alabama teen program." From there, Powell began the journey that would end with her tenure as Miss University of Alabama. In June, she finished in the top 12 in the Miss Alabama Program. |
| We know about football, but does Auburn or Alabama rank higher as an organization that employs people? | |
 | Forbes magazine named Auburn University as one of Alabama's best employers in its 2021 list of America's Best-In-State Employers published Tuesday. According to Forbes' list, Auburn University ranks 13th overall in the state of Alabama -- two places above the University of Alabama. "Auburn prides itself on meeting the needs of not only its students, but also its employees," Karla McCormick, Auburn's associate vice president of Human Resources, said in a release. "This recognition by Forbes validates the hard work and dedicated service of our purpose-driven employees and speaks to what so many come to learn about Auburn – that in addition to being a great place for a top-notch education and stellar student experience it also offers an unmatched and rewarding working environment." The university said its workforce totals more than 13,800 workers, including student employees and faculty. Auburn also hires more than 500 employees every year, with the average length of employment at the university exceeding 10 years, the university said. Among the 45 companies that made the list and are present in Alabama are NASA, which was ranked first in the state; the University of Alabama, Birmingham, which ranked second; the Southern Company, which ranked third; and the state of Alabama, which ranked 42. |
| LSU students will need to present proof of COVID vaccination by Oct. 15 | |
 | LSU students will have until Oct. 15 to show proof of vaccination or present their declarations for formally opting out. University of New Orleans and University of Louisiana at Lafayette students registering in October will have to present their paperwork. And beginning Oct 1st, students wanting to continue in community colleges and vo-tech schools also will have to show proof of COVID vaccination or document their refusal and begin regular testing. About 213,000 students are enrolled in Louisiana public higher education institutions. Many private schools, including Tulane University, already have made vaccination a condition for enrollment. LSU System President William F. Tate IV wrote students and faculty Tuesday that students who choose to go unvaccinated will have to regularly test for COVID infection. The university also announced Tuesday that those attending LSU football games "will require either proof of vaccination or a recent COVID test to enter Tiger Stadium." Gov. John Bel Edwards has directed the health department to begin the rule-making process to have COVID vaccinations added to the schedule as a condition of enrollment in public schools. The addition will be submitted for legislative review and public comment in the near future, Shauna Sanford, the governor's communications director, said Tuesday. |
| UGA boosts incentives to get vaccinated for COVID-19 | |
 | Vaccine incentives offered to students, faculty and staff at the University of Georgia are working, and next week, the university will up the ante once again. UGA is already offering a $20 gift card and specially designed T-shirt to all who get vaccinated through the University Health Center and recently added an incentive to sign up for a chance to win one of 10 $100 gift cards being awarded on four successive Fridays. To date, 20 individuals have won -- most of them students. "It's a great initiative to motivate others who are not taking the vaccine to take the vaccine," said Oranti Ahmed Omi, a graduate student majoring in neuroscience. "COVID is going to be here for a long time, so I think better to be safe than sorry. It's better to get vaccinated and have some protection." Beginning next week, UGA will once again bolster vaccine incentives. Starting Wednesday, any current student, faculty or staff member who has been fully vaccinated (two doses of Pfizer or Moderna or one of Johnson & Johnson) -- whether at the University Health Center or elsewhere -- can submit their names to be in the running to win a cash prize of $1,000. A total of 100 prizes will be awarded. "At the University of Georgia, we are serious about urging our students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated, as vaccinations provide our community's best protection against COVID-19," said President Jere W. Morehead. |
| UF, West Palm and Palm Beach County in talks to bring graduate school presence to downtown | |
 | The mayors of Palm Beach County and West Palm Beach revealed Tuesday that they've been in talks with the University of Florida about the school establishing a local graduate program presence near downtown. West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James said the City Commission will discuss the topic and take a vote on the idea on Monday. County Mayor Dave Kerner said the County Commission will follow suit on Tuesday. UF President Kent Fuchs is scheduled to attend both meetings, the mayors said. The precise nature of UF's presence in Palm Beach County has not been spelled out, and both mayors said the university could consider other places for an expansion. But the mayors touted West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County as ideal partners for the Gainesville-based university. Palm Beach County is already home to several public and private universities, including Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach and Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. The county and city mayors pushed back on the idea of UF establishing a "satellite" campus in West Palm Beach and instead described what they envision as the city serving as a home for graduate programs in areas such as finance, technology, business, engineering and law. |
| U. of Tennessee time capsule ceremony at century-old Morgan Hall looks ahead 100 years | |
 | About 10 weeks after University of Tennessee officials celebrated Morgan Hall's 100 years on campus with the opening of a time capsule, they gathered again on Monday. But this time it was to look to the future. A couple dozen University of Tennessee staff members, students and descendants of building namesake Dr. Harcourt Morgan finished installing a new, state-of-the-art time capsule into the cornerstone of the iconic agriculture hall's northeast corner. They were placing a few items that they hope will be better preserved this time, and they also hope that future UT students and staff who see it -- possibly in 2121 -- will appreciate the building and the UT Institute of Agriculture's work. "We wanted to pass that along to the next generations as well to give those who follow us some idea of the solutions and technologies we developed," said Dr. Tim Cross, the UTIA vice chancellor and vice president. According to officials, various items were installed in a special container, designed by graduate students at the Tickle College of Engineering, that it's hoped will withstand time and elements. They include brochures, tie tacks, a luggage tag from the Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture, and a list of dignitaries and a program from the June ceremony. |
| U. of Missouri enrollment numbers increase for new school year | |
 | The University of Missouri welcomed back more students for the 2021-2022 school year with an overall enrollment of 31,121 -- an increase of about 1% compared to last year. Despite the pandemic, first day preliminary numbers also showed increases of 1% in enrolled undergraduate students and 1.27% in transfer students. "I'm thrilled to welcome back our returning and new Tigers to campus, and I'm so proud of the resilience demonstrated by our students and their families over the last 18 months," said University of Missouri President Mun Choi in a news release. Although overall enrollment increased, freshman enrollment fell by 4,871 students, a drop of over 9% compared to last year's freshman enrollment of 5,380 students. However, MU Spokesperson Christian Basi noted the growth of enrollment in other specific groups. Although minority enrollment stayed even, there was a 4% increase in students who belong to more than one race. There was also an increase of 3% in professional students who belong to the schools of veterinary medicine, law and medicine. "Despite the challenges of the pandemic, our enrollment numbers show students still recognize the quality education and superior experience offered here," said Kim Humphrey, vice provost for Enrollment Management. "Students and families alike understand the value of a degree from MU." Basi credited the increase of overall enrollment to three factors: a higher retention rate among all levels, an increase in transfer students and an increase in professional students. |
| Ohio State vaccine requirements: Students, staff must be vaccinated against COVID-19 | |
| As students return back to campus for fall semester, Ohio State announced Tuesday afternoon that it would require Buckeyes to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Ohio State President Kristina M. Johnson said in an email to the campus community that students, staff and faculty members are all now required to have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Oct. 15. For people receiving a two-dose vaccine, both doses must be received by Nov. 15. The university's vaccination requirement mirrors the Wexner Medical Center's policy, which announced earlier this month it would require employees to get the shot. More than 73% of Ohio State's community has had at least one shot, Johnson said. Johnson said there will be a "limited set of exemptions" for those who don't want to be vaccinated, and exemptions will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Current students who refuse to be vaccinated without an exemption by the deadline will be ineligible to participate in on-campus experiences beginning in spring semester, including in-person classes or living in residence halls. Students who intend to enroll for the first time for the spring semester will also be subject to the same vaccination requirements to participate in in-person classes, live in university housing or take part in other on-campus experiences. |
| First-year students struggled with online learning last year | |
 | When the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a sudden shift to online learning in the middle of the 2019-20 school year, a majority of first-year college students faced academic challenges, and many had trouble accessing proper resources, a new report finds. Two-thirds of first-year students struggled with online learning last year, according to a report released yesterday by ACT, the nonprofit organization that administers the college readiness exam. Additionally, one-third of first-year students reported frequent troubles with an unreliable computer and 21 percent said they had unpredictable or no access to the internet. The learning experience during a student's first year is a "critical predictor of student persistence," the report states. The move by more than 1,300 U.S. institutions to teach online in spring 2020 caused more disruption than usual for students. Access to broadband and technology is part of a digital divide that "remains a persistent barrier," the report states. Students from low-income families and first-generation college students were more likely to have limited access to technology and the internet compared to their peers, according to the report, with 49 percent of first-generation college students and 46 percent of students from low-income families reporting limited access to technology. |
| How to Adjust Your Employment Policies for the Covid Era | |
 | Academic-employment policies are designed to accommodate some level of uncertainty, but no colleges were prepared for the disruptions to our working lives caused by the global pandemic --- or the many legal issues that have come along with it. Colleges can barely use the most equivalent situation in history to help guide them. The business of higher education was scarcely a business at all during the last major pandemic over 100 years ago; the structures of modern academic employment were in their infancy at that time. Yet colleges are not in completely uncharted legal waters either. Here are some tips for institutions on how to avoid major legal pitfalls in the Covid era. The pandemic does not justify every employment decision. The American Association of University Professors has already raised concerns about some of the steps taken by colleges to eat away at shared governance. Existing employment policies and faculty handbooks deserve respect; accreditation standards embedded with longstanding principles for academic employment did not disappear. Institutions that revise academic-employment practices too aggressively are inviting lawsuits. Even laws that shield employers from Covid-related liabilities do not grant institutions license to act with impunity. |
| Mississippi separatism perpetuates King's fear | |
| Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford writes: Thirty years ago the late historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. wrote a book entitled The Disuniting of America that included this: "A cult of ethnicity has arisen ... to denounce the idea of a melting pot, to challenge the concept of 'one people' and to protect, promote, and perpetuate separate ethnic and racial communities." Hopefully you remember the phrase 'one people' from our Declaration of Independence. "When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people ...." That's what Thomas Jefferson called early Americans. From this, Francis Bellamy's notion of "indivisible" in our Pledge of Allegiance emerged. A year after Schlesinger published his book, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal invited me, a new College Board member, to submit an op-ed piece related to the U.S Supreme Court decision in Ayers vs. Fordice, Mississippi's longstanding higher education desegregation case. I built on Schlesinger's question whether American was about division or transcending division to pose the same questions regarding Mississippi. I quoted the Rev. Edwin King, a longtime state civil rights activist, who said, "My own personal fear, shared by many friends, is that America is moving toward a two tiered society ... and that is our choice and struggle here in Mississippi. Will we move forward or will we try to perpetuate separatism and segregation?" Three decades later, racial division remains. |
| Despite complex problems, Alaska remains a breathtakingly pristine wilderness jewel | |
 | Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: Leilani and I journeyed to the AK Diamond J Ranch near Homer, Alaska on Kachemak Bay on the southwest side of the Kenai Peninsula for the wedding of Rachel Klimetz to Jimmy Wingerter on August 19 -- and it was worth every moment of travel to "The Last Frontier." Rachel is the daughter of my late twin sister Sheila Salter Klimetz. Jimmy and Rachel live in Chugiak outside Anchorage, where Rachel is a kinesiologist and Jimmy is a senior construction manager for Hilcorp Energy Company. They married on the side of a mountain against the backdrop of the Grewingk Glacier at the picturesque, isolated ranch. Rachel's sister Hannah Klimetz Carpenter was the matron of honor Upon reuniting with my nieces in Alaska, Hannah told us that she and her husband are expecting their first child in February 2022. The combination of seeing one niece get married and learning that her sister is going to produce my twin sister's first grandchild made the nearly 5,000-mile trip (nine hours flying time and five hours of driving) a small price to pay for the joy of those moments. |
SPORTS
| Take it from the Chiefs and Patriots: running backs can succeed in air raid offense | |
| The Kansas City Chiefs ranked 23rd in the NFL in rushing when they won the Super Bowl in 2020. The New England Patriots ranked just five spots higher. That's not to say the run game has completely lost its value in modern football, but it's a glimpse into the way the game has changed. Mike Leach and his Air Raid offense have played a big part in this change, but he'll be the first to tell you this: there's room in his offense for running backs. Yes, Mississippi State's 360 total rushing yards last season easily ranked last in the SEC (1,728 less than league-leader Alabama). Leach's teams have traditionally been in these spots regardless of where he's coaching. But Leach and running backs coach Eric Mele know football is changing -- in college and the NFL -- with running backs still succeeding. "That's why I get a chuckle sometimes when we talk about recruiting running backs into the Air Raid," Mele said Aug. 10 of the notion that RBs can't succeed in Leach's offense. "You turn on the film and watch the Kansas City Chiefs or you're watching the New England Patriots -- these teams consistently that are playoff teams or are in the Super Bowl... "You've gotta be a three-down back. You've gotta be able to run the ball. You've got to be able to pass protect. You've got to be able to catch the ball out of the backfield." Dillon Johnson and Jo'quavious Marks return to MSU this year for their sophomore seasons aware of the role they can play for their team. |
| MSU Football Camp: Zach Arnett implores second-stringers to make their presence known | |
| Zach Arnett isn't one to sugarcoat things. When the Mississippi State defensive coordinator finalizes his team's depth chart, he's never afraid to tell the players designated as second-stringers the logic behind that status. "My message to guys on the twos, whether it be D-line, linebackers, safeties or corners, is, 'There's a reason you're a two -- because there is a dropoff,'" Arnett said Tuesday. "We need that dropoff to be as minimal as possible." Arnett, in his second year manning Mike Leach's defense with the Bulldogs, said those conversations have largely taken place. With less than two weeks to go until Mississippi State's season opener against Louisiana Tech at 3 p.m. Sept. 4, Arnett said a two-deep rotation on defense is nearly set. "I think we have a pretty good idea of who the top 22 are right now," he said. "It's probably the last week for guys to show something here with the mock game coming up this weekend, so now or never time for guys." By this point, the identity of MSU's defensive starters seems fairly clear. Jaden Crumedy and Cameron Young will join UCF transfer Randy Charlton -- stepping in for the injured Jordan Davis -- on the defensive line. Tyrus Wheat, Nathaniel Watson and Aaron Brule form the linebacker corps. Martin Emerson and Emmanuel Forbes will hold things down at corner with Jalen Green, Fred Peters and Collin Duncan starting in the three safety positions. But Arnett hopes it will be those fighting for playing time behind them who will make an impact. |
| Coaches Select Charles Cross Second Team All-SEC | |
| Mississippi State sophomore offensive lineman Charles Cross was selected second team Preseason All-SEC by the league's coaches on Tuesday. Cross started 10 games as the Bulldogs' left tackle last season and received Freshman All-SEC honors for his efforts. The 6-foot-5, 310-pounder ranked No. 4 nationally in pass blocking snaps (528) in 2020 according to Pro Football Focus (PFF) and his 720 total snaps were 630 more than any other freshman offensive lineman in the SEC. Cross was MSU's highest graded offensive lineman in five contests (Arkansas, Texas A&M, Alabama, Auburn, Tulsa). The Laurel, Mississippi, native was also named one of ESPN's top 100 players for 2021 on Monday, coming in at No. 52. |
| No immediate plans for Mississippi State, Ole Miss to require vaccines for football games | |
| LSU officials announced through the school's official Twitter account Tuesday extra steps for fans who plan to watch football on the Baton Rouge campus this fall. In its effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant, LSU was the first SEC school to say it will require proof of vaccination or negative COVID test results within a 72-hour window. While the COVID-19 landscape can change rapidly spokespersons at both Ole Miss and Mississippi State say similar announcements are not expected to follow soon. Campus requirements in both Oxford and Starkville currently call for masks to be worn indoors. |
| Country Club of Jackson preparing for Sanderson Farms Championship starting September 27 | |
| The Country Club of Jackson is in the process getting ready to again host the Sanderson Farms Championship, Mississippi's premier PGA Tour Event. The seven-day golf tournament, which draws in some of the nation's top golfers, will be held September 27-October 3, and preparations are underway. The club strives to keep their golf course at a championship level all year long, but preparations for Sanderson typically begin about a month before the tournament. "We just finished our last major agronomic maintenance for the year, so right now we are just grooming the grass in and keeping everything nice and healthy," Country Club General Manager Patrick Joyce said. "The course won't see too much of a difference until we get a little closer to the tournament; in early to mid-September they will start raising the rough." The country club has hosted the championship since 2014. The club is also monitoring the evolving Covid 19 situation to determine if any additional protocols need to be put in place. Last year's tournament was held without spectators, and Joyce is optimistic that scenario can be avoided this year. "If you asked me a month ago, I would have said we wouldn't have Covid protocols in place, but right now with what's going on with the Delta Variant I don't know," General Manager Patrick Joyce said. "The tournament officials will follow whatever advice Dr. Dobbs says they should follow." |
| SEC's Greg Sankey reacts to ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 alliance: 'Look forward to future collaborations' | |
 | Just hours after the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 announced an alliance on Tuesday, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said he looks forward to future collaborations with conference colleagues. How much collaboration the three leagues will have with the SEC has yet to be determined. The three leagues will work together "on a collaborative approach surrounding the future evolution of college athletics and scheduling." The alliance comes weeks after the SEC welcomed Texas and Oklahoma -- both Big 12 members -- into the league. However, the three commissioners re-iterated the alliance is not a result of the SEC's move, yet a way to attack the ever-changing landscape of college athletics. On Tuesday, Sankey said he believes conference commissioners remain unified. "We have respect for each of our conference colleagues and look forward to our future collaborations," Sankey told Action Network. "I believe we remain unified by our shared beliefs around the positive impact college sports has on the lives of student-athletes and throughout our communities. |
| ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 ally to 'protect the collegiate model' | |
| Facing a rapidly shifting landscape in college sports, the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten and Pac-12 have agreed to work together to create stability during volatile times. Less than a month after the Southeastern Conference made an expansion power play by inviting Texas and Oklahoma to the league, three of the SEC's Power Five peers countered with an alliance of 41 schools that span from Miami to Seattle. The commissioners of the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 on Tuesday pledged broad collaboration on myriad issues and committed to league members playing more football and basketball games against each other. After weeks of internal discussions, the alliance is still mostly conceptual and collegial. "There's no contract. There's no signed document," Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff said. "There's an agreement among three gentlemen and a commitment from 41 presidents and chancellors and 41 athletic directors to do what we say we're going to do." As for the Big 12, its future is murky at best as the eight remaining members plot their next moves and try to work out a divorce from the Longhorns and Sooners. The realignment of Texas and Oklahoma could lead the Power Five to shrink to four. |
| Here's how fans, observers reacted to LSU requiring a vaccine or COVID test for football games | |
| LSU stepped out on its own Tuesday as the first SEC program to require proof of vaccination or a negative PCR COVID test to attend football games at Tiger Stadium, and reactions on social media ranged from surprised to pleased to angry. Louisiana's vaccination rate recently hit 40 percent, a figure still well below most of the nation. In setting a new SEC standard, LSU officials are hopeful that it will help slow the spread of the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus. "As the flagship institution of the state of Louisiana, our foremost responsibility is to ensure the safety of our students, our supporters, and our community," LSU president William F. Tate IV said in a statement on Monday. LSU's season opener is set for 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 4 at UCLA, which is not yet requiring proof of vaccination to attend games. The Tigers host McNeese State at 7 p.m. on Sept. 11 in the home opener in Baton Rouge. Reports on Tuesday show that SEC rivals like Georgia and Tennessee likely won't follow LSU's lead on the matter. Reactions to the news quickly spread across social media. |
| Coach Clark Lea: Vanderbilt football over 95% vaccinated | |
 | The Vanderbilt football team is "north of 95%" vaccinated, according to Clark Lea. As the football season approaches, many SEC teams have spoken in support of getting vaccinated. Ole Miss got 100% of football players and staff vaccinated. Alabama has all but one player vaccinated, LSU is at 97% and Georgia is over 85%. As of SEC Media Days in July, six teams had over 80% vaccination rate, though that number may have increased since then. LSU recently announced that fans over the age of 12 would need to be vaccinated to attend games at Tiger Stadium. Vanderbilt has a vaccination requirement for all students, faculty and staff, including athletes, coaches and support staff. However, medical and religious exemptions are available. The school also requires media to be vaccinated in order to attend games, practices or other in-person access, however, there is no vaccine requirement for fans at this time. LSU, which announced a vaccine mandate on Tuesday, is the only other SEC school that requires vaccines for students. "The last I checked we were north of 95% (vaccinated)," Lea said Tuesday. "Obviously with the variants and the new cases we understand that that doesn't fully protect us, it still takes discipline and accountability but we're in a good place." |
| 'The gold standard': Auburn holds formal dedication for new football facility | |
| During Auburn's formal dedication for its new $92 million football facility on Saturday, executive associate athletic director Tim Jackson recalled the last time the Tigers' football program experienced a similar game-changing moment. Jackson discussed his experience in 1989 when he was a graduate assistant coach and the Tigers moved into the athletic complex they still use today. Jackson explained the coaches were mesmerized by their new work place, and based on what he's seen regarding the new facility, today's coaches will soon have the same sentiment. "At that time, it was one-of-a-kind and the first in the league. We were ahead of our peers, and that's because of the leadership of our university, our trustees, our president, our leadership," Jackson said. "[The new facility is] going to give us a chance to compete – to recruit and compete for championships." Auburn athletic director Allen Greene spent a considerable part of his time at the podium outlining all the ins and outs of the Auburn Football Performance Center, which he anticipates will be completed in the next 12-15 months. Greene said the facility is built on a 12-acre site, which is roughly the size of five football fields or approximately 50 basketball courts. The facility will have a number of features, including two full-size football fields; a 95,000 square foot indoor facility; meeting rooms and a recreation space that can hold up to 180 people. |
| Former UGA star Herschel Walker files to run for Raphael Warnock's Senate seat | |
| Herschel Walker on Tuesday filed paperwork to enter the U.S. Senate race in Georgia after months of speculation, joining other Republicans seeking to unseat Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in 2022. The 59-year-old Walker joins the race with high name recognition, known for winning a Heisman Trophy in 1982 as a University of Georgia running back. Perhaps more importantly in today's Republican Party, he carries the backing of former President Donald Trump. Walker has never run for office and will likely face scrutiny over past struggles with mental illness as well as policy stances. But if he emerges from the Republican primary, the Senate contest would feature two Black men vying for a seat in the heart of the Deep South. Walker stayed mum Tuesday, continuing a pattern of few comments even has he started taking steps to put a Senate bid in motion. He registered to vote last week, using an Atlanta residence owned by his wife, Julie Blanchard. Walker signed Federal Election Commission papers Tuesday declaring his candidacy, allowing him to raise money for a Senate run. Walker is banking on Trump's support to distinguish himself in the GOP primary. Their close relationship dates back to the 1980s, when Walker played for a Trump-owned team in the short-lived United States Football League. |
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