| Thursday, July 27, 2023 |
| Google invests in Madison countian's startup | |
 | A business two Madison County natives launched in Mississippi State's Entrepreneurship Center is receiving $250,000 and widespread recognition as one of only 24 companies across North America selected for the award from the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund. Buzzbassador's CEO and co-founder Calvin Waddy, a 2018 MSU College of Business alumnus, has been identified by Google as a top emerging tech founder, selected from thousands of founders and tech companies evaluated for the award. Buzzbassador is a software-as-a-service application that automates influencer marketing for growing consumer brands. It is the flagship product of Rocketing Systems, Inc., a software company -- founded in 2020 by business students working under the guidance of MSU's E-Center -- that creates automated e-commerce and marketing solutions. Waddy and Shelby Baldwin have been growing their Buzzbassador business. On July 13, Buzzbassador was selected by Google as one of 24 companies in the country to join the fourth annual Google for Startups Black Founders Fund program. The $250,000 from Google includes $150,000 in non-dilutive capital and $100,000 worth of Google Cloud credits. Baldwin, who serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Buzzbassador, is a Ridgeland native and has claimed top honors along with Waddy in numerous business pitch competitions. Waddy and Baldwin were both raised in Madison County and attended Madison County Schools before heading to Mississippi State to earn their undergrad degrees. |
| Mississippi student featured in 'Barbie' advocating for human trafficking awareness | |
| One Mississippi State University student has begun advocating for human trafficking awareness after serving as a movie extra during the making of Barbie. Brandon native Bébé Rayborn, a junior currently studying communication and philosophy at MSU, has announced plans to use her experience in education and modeling to help give those around the world a voice. "I hope to use any skill set I possess to advocate for those that do not have a voice, especially those victims caught up in human trafficking," Rayborn said. "People caught in trafficking are voiceless. I hope to use the voice I am so fortunate to have to speak for those that are silenced. I hope this is the one way I can show gratitude for the life I have -- to speak for and advocate for the people who have had that option taken from them." Rayborn explained that her modeling experience with international companies such as Maybelline, Elle UL, Giorgio Armani, and Burberry has helped in building her platform for more awareness of what matters to her. "I am gaining much knowledge on the anti-trafficking task force and how to advocate in a way to bring awareness to specific problems in our state. These methods often include encouraging people to speak out if they see something unusual and to say something about it, which is also why it is important to know signs of trafficking," Rayborn stated. |
| Tips for staying safe in extreme heat | |
| Around the world, communities have been contending with record-breaking heat waves and the life-threatening dangers that go along with them. With long-term average temperatures on the rise, and summers getting progressively hotter in many places, the challenge of keeping people safe under extreme heat -- and its comparably nefarious cousin, high humidity -- will only grow more dire. Heat stroke, heat exhaustion and heat cramps all fall under the category of heat-related illnesses. In some cases -- and always in the case of heat stroke -- these conditions require emergency medical attention. According to the National Weather Service, extreme heat is the top weather-related cause of death in the U.S. As warm-blooded mammals, our bodies must maintain a constant temperature, said Chris Uejio, an associate professor of geography at Florida State University. That temperature typically hovers somewhere between 97 and 99 degrees Fahrenheit. If the brain senses too much heat in the body's core, a couple different systems can kick in to cool it down. The heart can speed up to pump blood out to the extremities in an effort to transfer heat away from the core, and blood vessels can carry more blood near the skin's surface for the same reason, Uejio explained. That allows some of that excess heat to be released into the environment. Good old-fashioned sweating is even more effective. When the body generates sweat, that liquid coats the skin and eventually evaporates, a process that cools us down. Uejio noted that it's the same reason that we feel cooler after stepping out of a shower. But when humidity is high, the air holds more water, making it more difficult for that sweat to evaporate. And when the air fails to efficiently wick sweat from the skin, it can't take the heat with it, JohnEric Smith, an associate professor of exercise physiology at Mississippi State University. |
| Goings on with Grant: The Joint brings Texas barbeque to Starkville Tuesday | |
 | Well, folks, nothing hits the spot like some classic Texas-style Barbeque, and Craig and Michele Fant, owners of Bluto's Tavern, plan to deliver just that. Fant told me she and her crew are nearly finished renovating the former Breakfast Club building at 105 Eckford Drive and will open The Joint, a Texas barbeque restaurant, Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. "We took a little bit more time opening this one," Fant said. "I'm obviously very excited about it because it's Texas barbecue. It's something we don't have in town and we try to provide something we don't usually get." Before they can turn the open sign on, though, Fant said they still need to take care of the landscaping in front and install a cover for the smokers located out back. Hours for the restaurant will be Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until they run out of food. So, the earlier you come, the better chance you get to try those beef ribs I am so keen to get my hands on. |
| New Starkville high school? Study will assess | |
| The Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District board will soon begin a facilities study to determine upgrade needs at its campuses and whether to build a new high school. In a special-call meeting Tuesday, the district's board voted to borrow $1 million to hire an architect and fund the study. "Part of this is looking at a serious study for a new high school," Superintendent Tony McGee said. "Some of that will be ... looking at the bones, the structure of (the current) building, the usability of that building; then also start looking at available space that the district may already have or may need to have in case we decide to build a new high school on a separate location." The board on June 29 approved a resolution of intent to borrow up to $87 million for improving or building school facilities. Board President Jamilla Taylor said the board can still borrow the rest later, but the $1 million is a starting point in the process. The study, she said, should be finished later this year. "We are just making sure that we're utilizing those funds the way they are intended and not requesting too much money before we really know how much money is actually needed," Taylor said. |
| Two in custody for murder after teen fatally shot | |
| Two suspects are in custody following the fatal shooting of a teenager Wednesday at a residence on Finley Drive west of Starkville. Tatiyana Brooks, 24, of Starkville, and a juvenile are both charged with first-degree murder, Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Office Capt. Brett Watson told The Dispatch. While the sheriff's office intends to push to have the juvenile charged as an adult, Watson said he would not release the underage suspect's identity before consulting Oktibbeha County Youth Court. Deputies responded at about 10 a.m. to a call of a gunshot victim at the residence, Watson said. When they arrived they found the male victim still alive. He was taken to OCH Regional Medical Center, where he later died. Coroner Michael Hunt identified the victim as Tristianiz Calmes, 17, of Starkville. Watson said the sheriff's office is still investigating, and more arrests are possible. |
| Mississippi candidates give stump speeches amid sawdust and sweat at the Neshoba County Fair | |
 | Mississippi candidates are speaking at the Neshoba County Fair, an annual gathering that draws large crowds to the red clay hills in the eastern part of the state. Hundreds of colorful cabins fill the fairgrounds and some extended groups of friends and families stay for several days in the hottest part of the year for an event that's been made considerably easier by air-conditioning in recent decades. Politicians speak under a tin-roofed pavilion as spectators sit on long wooden benches, shuffling their feet in sawdust and fanning themselves in the summer heat. Party primaries are Aug. 8, with runoffs Aug. 29 and the general election Nov. 7. Andy Gipson, the Republican incumbent, said the state has increased agricultural exports since he has been commissioner. He also touted a state program that allows people to track and kill "sorry, good-for-nothing" wild hogs that can destroy crops. Gipson called on legislators to invest in agriculture by producing three food hubs in the state -- north, central and south. He said he wants to expand farmers' markets and upgrade livestock facilities. He said ports and harbors need new cold-storage facilities for crops. |
| Hosemann goes on counterattack at Neshoba with rowdy McDaniel crowd | |
 | Less than two weeks before election day in a GOP primary increasingly dominated by personal attacks, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann forcefully accused challenger Sen. Chris McDaniel of exploiting negativity, lobbing unfounded allegations and using dark money to distract voters from his lack of achievements. McDaniel in turn claimed Hosemann made the race personal by responding to McDaniel's long list of attacks with ads casting the state senator as ineffective and making statements calling McDaniel a "pathological liar." The candidates spoke back-to-back as the main attraction of Wednesday morning's political speaking at the Founder's Square pavilion of the Neshoba County Fair, an annual tradition featuring highly anticipated traditional stump speeches by state and regional office-seekers up and down the ballot. The crowd was its biggest and most vocal for the lieutenant governor candidates. McDaniel, speaking first, was booed when he repeated his allegation that Hosemann was vice president of an abortion clinic in Jackson from 1976-1999. "That's a lie!" some shouted. Hosemann, an anti-abortion Catholic with endorsements from the state and national Right to Life organizations, vigorously denies the attack. "I have respect for Delbert," McDaniel told the crowd. "It's not personal." "If he respects me, he'll pull his ads," Hosemann told the press when asked about the remark after the speeches. He accused McDaniel of using dark money groups to run TV ads pushing the abortion clinic claim to avoid organizing a campaign around substantive positions. |
| GOP candidates for Mississippi lieutenant governor clash in speeches ahead of primary | |
| Mississippi's Republican lieutenant governor and a state senator who's trying to unseat him traded insults Wednesday in back-to-back speeches at one of the state's largest -- and sweatiest -- political gatherings of the year. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and state Sen. Chris McDaniel spoke at the Neshoba County Fair, an annual event that draws tens of thousands to the red clay hills of east central Mississippi. Extended groups of families and friends live in cabins on the campgrounds for more than a week, and politicians flock to the fairgrounds for two days of speeches in humid summer conditions. As Hosemann and McDaniel barrel toward the Aug. 8 primary, they rehashed mutual accusations of dishonesty and ineffectiveness over a range of issues, from abortion to tax policy to legislative appointments. Hosemann is seeking a second term as lieutenant governor after serving three terms as secretary of state. He said the state has never been in better financial shape. He touted a teacher pay raise, millions in new funding for public education, and a budget surplus. Hosemann also called McDaniel "pathological" and accused his campaign of "despicable" behavior. "He has nothing to say and no accomplishments," Hosemann said. |
| Attacks from Hosemann and McDaniel take center stage at Neshoba County Fair on Wednesday | |
 | The political mudslinging match between Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and state Sen. Chris McDaniel, the two leading Republican candidates for lieutenant governor, made a much-anticipated stop amidst the red clay, woodchips and eccentric cabins of the Neshoba County Fair on Wednesday. The legendary weeklong event kicked off its political speeches Tuesday with local races, before turning to the upcoming statewide elections Wednesday and Thursday. McDaniel and Hosemann's speeches closed the Wednesday slate, which also featured candidates for attorney general and agriculture commissioner, among others. McDaniel made clear the dire straits he believes the nation is facing, saying Democrats are the enemy and moderate Republicans willing to work with them are putting its future at risk. Hosemann, lamenting the negative turn the campaign has taken in recent days and weeks, said after his speech that McDaniel has to be negative because he has no accomplishments from his more than 15 years in the state senate. "There is no discussion about the issues, the real issues. Did we do a big enough tax cut? Did we spend enough on education? What about our roads? I mean, those are things to discuss in the public domain, but instead he's 100% negative because he has nothing to stand on and he has no accomplishments," Hosemann. |
| Hosemann, McDaniel don't mince words under the pavilion at Neshoba | |
| On Wednesday at the 2023 Neshoba County Fair, incumbents and challengers running for Central District Public Service Commissioner, Agriculture Commissioner, Insurance Commissioner, Attorney General, and Lieutenant Governor took to the stump at Founders Square, treating attendees to political speeches under the pavilion. The main political event of the day came from the two Republican candidates running for Lt. Governor, perhaps the highest profile statewide primary election this cycle. Current Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann and State Senator Chris McDaniel have been back and forth for months, as the tension has risen. They wasted little time getting direct with either other prior to the August 8th Primary Election. Both Hosemann and McDaniel made pointed remarks toward each other before a crowd that looked to be evenly split in their support for the campaigns. One of the most controversial claims made in recent days surrounds the time Hosemann was involved with a Jackson health clinic in the late 1970's and early 1980's. He has been accused of being on the board of what later became an abortion clinic, an accusation McDaniel reiterated on Wednesday. Hosemann denied the allegation, saying he had no involvement with the clinic after 1981. He says he represented the clinic in 1976 on tax matters and they failed to remove his name on their reports until the late 1980's. A former director of the clinic came out in the 1990's explaining that Hosemann was not involved when abortions were taking place. When asked by the press if he was Vice President of the abortion clinic at that time, Hosemann said, "Absolutely not. It is just false; it is totally false." He added that the Right to Life, a pro-life organization, has endorsed him since 1998. At one point in his speech, Hosemann said he was pro-life while McDaniel was "pro-lie." |
| Delbert Hosemann, Chris McDaniel trade blows in Neshoba stump speeches | |
| Incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and his main primary opponent state Sen. Chris McDaniel had little nice to say about each other in their Neshoba County Fair stump speeches Wednesday, as their large crowds of campaign T-shirt-clad supporters cheered and booed. McDaniel, as he did with Republican opponents in his past failed bids for U.S. Senate, continued his attack on Hosemann as not conservative enough, or a RINO -- Republican-in-name-only. His speech rehashed lines from previous speeches during U.S. Senate runs and focused more on national partisan themes than state legislative issues. "My opponent has moved us to the left," McDaniel said. "He's helping those people ... He's done absolutely nothing, nothing to push back against Joe Biden, the most incompetent and corrupt president in our history ... (Democrats) are here to tear down our foundations ... Everything they touch fails ... Why would you ever reach across the aisle with these people? Why would you ever compromise with these people?" Hosemann opened by listing accomplishments of his first term, including the largest teacher pay raise in state history; the largest income tax cut in state history; paying down state debt; and unprecedented spending on infrastructure. Then, he fired back at McDaniel. After Hosemann spoke at the pavilion in Founder's Square on Wednesday, McDaniel waited backstage trying to corner him and again challenge Hosemann to a debate. But Hosemann, surrounded by staff, supporters and media, bypassed McDaniel and went to a nearby cabin to have a brief press conference. He has declined McDaniel's requests for a debate ahead of the Aug. 8 primary. |
| Tensions rise between lieutenant governor candidates during showdown at Neshoba County Fair | |
| To no one's surprise, tensions have elevated in Mississippi's race to see who will represent the Republican Party for lieutenant governor. A mud-slinging match between incumbent Delbert Hosemann and challenge Sen. Chris McDaniel capped off Wednesday's round of speeches at the Neshoba County Fair. McDaniel, who has been adamant in criticizing the lieutenant governor as a "RINO," or "Republican In Name Only," came out swinging, accusing Hosemann of giving preferential treatment to Democratic senators when it comes to committee assignments. Hosemann, who had refrained from attacking McDaniel until recently, disputed his opponent's claim that he has been catering to Democratic members of the Senate and strapped on the boxing gloves with a counterpunch at McDaniel's performance in the capitol. "There are 45 committees in the Mississippi Senate. I only have 36 Republicans. Send me more Republicans," Hosemann responded. "I did have one Republican chairman that I was really disappointed in. That was my opponent... He didn't hold one hearing. He didn't pass one bill. He's not a smoke-and-mirrors politician. He's a fake one. He doesn't work at all and he doesn't show up for work." |
| AG Lynn Fitch offers no new details on Chris McDaniel campaign finance complaints | |
| Weeks after Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann's campaign filed a complaint over discrepancies with his main opponent's campaign donations, the state's chief law enforcement official is still largely silent over what her office is doing about the allegation. Republican Attorney General Lynn Fitch said very little to reporters at the Neshoba County Fair on Wednesday about what her agency is doing with ongoing questions about how state Sen. Chris McDaniel is funding his campaign for lieutenant governor. "We're certainly reviewing everything, and everything is under investigation," Fitch said. "We're certainly looking at any violations that have been brought to us." When pressed if she meant her agency is actively investigating the GOP state senator, Fitch walked her comment back and clarified that neither McDaniel nor his campaign representatives were under active investigation. The allegations against the Jones County legislator, in part, stem from a political action committee McDaniel created. A secretive Virginia dark-money nonprofit corporation sent $475,000 to the PAC, and the PAC funneled $465,000 of those funds to his campaign account. McDaniel outright denied to the press on Wednesday that he violated any of the state's campaign finance laws and rejected any notion that any campaign donations were unaccounted for. "I'm not the treasurer, but that's not accurate," McDaniel told reporters about unaccounted money. However, he appeared to tacitly acknowledge his campaign skirted the state law on accepting more than the legal limit from a corporation, but he believes the state law is unconstitutional. |
| AG candidate Greta Kemp Martin challenges incumbent Lynn Fitch's record | |
| The race for attorney general in Mississippi heated up during Wednesday's round of speeches at the Neshoba County Fair with Democratic candidate Greta Kemp Martin challenging incumbent Lynn Fitch's track record. Of the concerns raised by Martin, the Jackson attorney attacked Fitch on a plethora of issues, including the current AG's alleged lack of enforcement of campaign finance laws as well as seeking out information on Mississippi women who have traveled out of state for abortions. "Her calendar is just too full as she seeks permission to track Mississippians' health records across state lines," Martin said during her 10 minutes at the podium. "She's got way too much going on as she fights to rip away healthcare freedom and privacy. She's just got too much going on while she inserts herself into elections of other states without concerning herself with what's going on right here, right now in this election cycle." Martin went on to assert that Fitch has purposefully distanced herself from affairs concerning the state's $77 million public welfare scandal. In the ongoing case, Fitch has approved two different law firms to try and recover the lost money. Martin said, if elected, she would transition the case back from private attorneys to the attorney general's office. |
| GOP women hosting Fair events | |
| The Neshoba County Republican Women are encouraging all women to take part in several big events at the Neshoba County Fair this year, and President Rachel Kiepe says it is well worth the time. "The NCRW are taking part in all of these events this week, and people attending these events can be more informed of the political process, learn more about lawmakers and their platforms, and be more involved in the community," Kiepe said. "We're having fun at the Fair while trying our best to improve the quality of life in Neshoba County." Kiepe said Thursday morning is the main event, which is a VIP breakfast honoring the Mississippi Federation of Republican Women. This breakfast will have two special guest speakers: Mississippi Speaker of the House Phillip Gunn, and Matt Sharp, Senior Counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, which is a movement to protect Constitutional and religious freedoms. The breakfast begins at 8 a.m. in the Golden Moon Casino VIP Room and will have a huge breakfast buffet. "The group will then travel back to the Fairgrounds and attend the political speeches from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Founder's Square," Kiepe said. "After the speeches, lunch will be provided by Commissioner Andy Gipson at the Breazeale Cabin 44, and at 12:30 p.m., everyone will go to the Simmons Cabin 39 by the Race Track, where desserts will be provided by State Treasurer David McRae." Kiepe added that after this, the ladies will have the rest of the day to enjoy Fair activities and the concerts that evening. "While this does have political involvement, it's a fun event," she said. "The NCRW are trying their best to improve the quality of life in Neshoba County and we're doing our best to be more involved." |
| Leaked Reeves poll shows big lead, but came before Presley's first TV ads | |
| An internal poll for Republican Gov. Tate Reeves' reelection campaign showed Reeves with a comfortable lead over Democratic challenger Brandon Presley early this month, but it was conducted before Presley began airing TV ads in the race. Meanwhile, Presley's campaign maintains the race is still competitive, pointing to new independent polling from Morning Consult released Tuesday showing Reeves as one of the nation's least popular governors and the least popular in the South. The Reeves polling, dated July 7, had Reeves winning a hypothetical ballot contest by 17 points, with 49% of voters for Reeves, 32% for Presley, and 20% undecided. Presley faces low name ID outside his home district and will need to build awareness among voters across the state to win, the Reeves poll indicated. The internal Reeves polls shows him up even higher than a Magnolia Tribune/Mason-Dixon poll released in March, which showed Reeves with 46% of support to Presley's 39%. The internal poll puts the incumbent governor equal to his showing in a Mississippi Today/Siena College poll released in April. That April poll showed Reeves at 49% and Presley at 38%. The Presley campaign announced its first ad buy July 11, several days after the Reeves polling memo was written. |
| Brandon Presley says he would not change Mississippi trans athletes and health care laws | |
| Democratic gubernatorial candidate Brandon Presley said if he is elected this year, he would not work to reverse state laws placing restrictions on transgender Mississippians. "Tate Reeves knows that I won't work to overturn these laws, and this issue is settled in Mississippi, but he's busy pushing the same old false political attacks to cover up his career of corruption," Presley told Mississippi Today this week. "As a man of faith who is pro-life, I've never once had an issue disagreeing with my party when they're wrong, so I'll be clear: I don't think boys should be playing against girls, and girls shouldn't be playing against boys. I don't think minors should be getting surgery to change their gender." Reeves has signed bills into law in recent years to ban trans women and girls from competing in women's sports and to prohibit gender affirming health care for trans minors. The Republican governor has blistered his Democratic opponent this year for not addressing trans issues, which Reeves has made a focal point of his campaign. "So far in Mississippi, my opponent -- he won't say a word," Reeves told journalists in June. "Y'all spilled a lot of ink over the legislation when I signed it." Presley's recent comments to Mississippi Today are an expansion of what he had said earlier in the campaign when asked about a Mississippi law that bans gender affirming health care for minors. |
| Mississippi can't restrict absentee voting assistance this year, US judge says as he blocks law | |
| A federal judge blocked a new Mississippi law that would set criminal penalties for some people who help others with absentee voting -- a ruling that comes as absentee ballots are already available in party primaries for governor and other state offices. U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate wrote in his order Tuesday that Mississippi cannot enforce the law during this year's primaries or general election. "The voting polls are expected to extend outstretched hands of welcome and provide unfettered access to conscientious citizens anxious to enjoy 'participatory democracy,' whether those citizens be among the vulnerable and the disabled," Wingate wrote. He wrote that the state law violates the Voting Rights Act, a federal law that says any voter who is blind, disabled or unable to read may receive assistance "by a person of the voter's choice," other than the voter's employer or union. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said when he signed the law in March that it would ban political operatives from collecting and handling large numbers of ballots. Reeves described the practice as "ballot harvesting," a pejorative term for dropping off completed ballots for other people. Wingate wrote that under questioning in court, state defendants "were unable to provide any data illustrating whether Mississippi has a widespread ballot harvesting problem." |
| Court-appointed manager of Mississippi capital water system gets task of fixing sewage problems | |
| The independent manager working to fix the long-troubled water system in Mississippi's capital city will also be assigned to oversee repairs to the city's deteriorating sewer system, under an order filed Wednesday by a federal judge. Officials from the U.S. Justice Department, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and the city of Jackson all agreed to give the extra duties to Ted Henifin. Henifin had decades of experience running water systems in other states before U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate appointed him late last year to run the Jackson system. Wingate had said during a hearing in May that he was considering putting Henifin in charge of the sewer system, as well. Todd Kim, assistant attorney general in the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division, said in a statement Wednesday that the new agreement will lead to faster steps to improve problems, including "sewage discharges that threaten public health and the environment." "This action shows the continuing commitment of the Justice Department to seek justice, health and safety for the residents of Jackson, Mississippi, and to prioritize enforcement in the communities most burdened by environmental harm," Kim said. |
| Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates to 22-Year High | |
 | The Federal Reserve resumed lifting interest rates Wednesday with a quarter-percentage-point increase that will bring them to a 22-year high. The unanimous decision to raise the benchmark federal-funds rate to a range between 5.25% and 5.5% ended a brief pause in rate increases last month as officials debate whether they have done enough to combat inflation. It is the 11th increase since March 2022, when they lifted rates from near zero. The Fed made minimal changes to its postmeeting statement, offering no new guidance about its future policy plans. At a news conference after the meeting, Fed Chair Jerome Powell didn't rule out another rate rise at the central bank's next meeting, but he emphasized how much the central bank had already done and the amount of time it can take for monetary policy to cool inflation. "We can afford to be a little patient, as well as resolute, as we let this unfold," he said. "We think we're going to need to hold, certainly, policy at restrictive levels for some time, and we'd be prepared to raise further if we think that's appropriate." Inflation has retreated from a 40-year high hit last summer, with the consumer-price index climbing 3% in June from a year earlier. That is well below the June 2022 peak of 9.1%, when gasoline prices reached a U.S. record average of $5 a gallon. |
| Agriculture appropriations bill in jeopardy amid GOP divisions | |
 | Plans to move an appropriations bill funding agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration to the House floor were brought to a halt amid internal GOP division over whether to further slash spending and a provision related to abortion. The House Rules Committee -- the last stop before a bill hits the House floor -- had started consideration of the bill on Wednesday. But as hard line conservatives continue to negotiate with GOP leaders on spending cut demands, the committee is not expected to return to consider the bill on Wednesday evening, according to Rules Committee aides. The bill was also not listed on Thursday's schedule, which was released Wednesday night by the office of Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.). One House Republican told The Hill that they do not expect the bill to come to the floor at all this week as scheduled, punting its consideration until when the House returns in mid-September. "We're not bringing the bill up. We're not gonna be here Friday to vote on the ag approps," said the GOP lawmaker, who requested anonymity to discuss the internal deliberations. A main point of contention on the measure is a provision that would nullify a Biden administration rule allowing the abortion pill mifepristone to be sold in retail pharmacies and by mail with prescriptions from a certified health care provider. |
| Top Republican: We don't talk about Hunter Biden back at home | |
 | Donald Trump keeps flogging the Hunter Biden saga to cast President Joe Biden as the head of a crime family. Earlier this week, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy floated the idea of moving forward with impeachment proceedings over the matter. But as the Hunter Biden case came to a head in recent days -- with Biden pleading not guilty to tax and gun charges on Wednesday as a plea deal fell apart -- some prominent Republicans were questioning the effectiveness of going after the president's son on the issue, at all. McCarthy himself tempered comments the day before that suggested an imminent impeachment inquiry, clarifying that Republicans merely "could" move forward with one. And Republicans seeking the presidential nomination are mostly shying away from the younger Biden's legal and personal issues, commenting on them in passing, but opting instead to hit Biden on the economy and foreign policy. "I think when we get home, the focus is the economy, the border, crime," said Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee. "These are the issues that matter and these are the issues we're talking about." Hunter Biden, he said, is a "focus in D.C.," not everywhere else. |
| McConnell says he's 'fine' after freeze at Senate GOP stakeout | |
 | Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he was feeling "fine" Wednesday after what appeared to be an alarming moment earlier at the weekly Senate leadership stakeout. The 81 year-old Republican from Kentucky -- who suffered a concussion earlier this year -- needed to step away after halting his opening remarks at a regular media availability in the Ohio Clock Corridor. McConnell stood silently for a moment, then was approached by Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso, who is a medical doctor. Barrasso asked him if he had more to say or wanted to return to his office, and then he was led away. An aide to the minority leader said that McConnell had felt light-headed, and he returned a few minutes later, as the other members of the Senate GOP leadership team were finishing their opening comments. At that point, McConnell engaged with journalists in attendance and continued with his regular question-and-answer session. Barrasso, R-Wyo., said an hour later he believes McConnell will be "fine." "As he said, he's fine. He came out he answered questions," Barrasso said. Asked if the minority leader might have been feeling the effects of intense heat and humidity in Washington, Barrasso replied: "It could be." |
| Mitch Daniels scoffs at heading a No Labels' presidential bid | |
| Mitch Daniels said that he has had informal conversations with backers of the centrist group No Labels about their efforts to run a third-party presidential ticket. But the former Indiana Republican governor scoffed at the idea that he would be a candidate for such a unity campaign. "They're too smart to ask, and I'm too smart to say 'yes,'" Daniels told POLITICO in an interview when asked whether he was weighing a third-party bid on behalf of the organization. That Daniels, who famously eschews political labels like "conservative" or "liberal," would sidestep entreaties from a political outfit that calls itself No Labels as a potential candidate is another sign of the difficulty the group might have in fielding credible candidates. As a Republican who once proposed the idea of a social truce as he explored a 2012 presidential run, he cuts the profile of the kind of less-rancor, more substance candidate the group hopes to attract. As for the conversations he's had with the group, Daniels said it was not "any direct engagement" but, rather, conversations roughly a month ago with a few of the organization's backers. But the idea of a marriage between him and No Labels has been the topic of some buzz. In a recent column, Nate Feltman, the publisher of the Indianapolis Business Journal and Daniels' former state commerce secretary, floated Daniels as the group's presidential candidate. Daniels, a meticulous writer who is at work on his second book -- a collection of his commencement speeches as former president of Purdue University and his Washington Post columns expected out later this fall -- did say that he told the group's backers that he had some notes about their name. |
| On America's farms, foreign workers solve one problem but raise others | |
 | From the road, the FairBridge Inn & Suites on North First Street looks like any other no-frills hotel. Not so long ago, it was routinely getting 1-star Yelp reviews. "Oi. Is all I can say," reads one. But location is everything. Strategically situated in a valley bursting with cherries, apples and hops, with the snow-capped Mount Rainier looming in the distance, the property is now bustling with activity and nearing full capacity. That's because the FairBridge Inn is now a dormitory. Gone are the king and queen beds, replaced with several bunkbeds in each of its 206 rooms. The guests are no longer road trippers or conferencegoers, but farmworkers brought to the U.S. from other countries. They stay for weeks and sometimes months. What's happening at the FairBridge Inn is a symbol of the exponential growth in seasonal foreign workers on U.S. farms. The number of guest worker visas issued each year has more than quadrupled over the past decade. But the program is rife with labor rights violations, and farmers who have come to depend on it don't love it, either. For decades, a predominantly Mexican workforce migrated around the U.S., often starting in Texas and following the harvest through California and eventually to Washington state. But that has changed due to a constellation of factors -- including a tightening of the southern border, aging out of the migrant labor force and competition from other industries. Now, many farm owners say their top concern is finding enough workers to get their crops picked before it's too late. Enter the H-2A visa program |
| 'Love Comes First' authors Jenna Hager, Barbara Bush will make a stop in Hattiesburg | |
 | Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush are coming to Hattiesburg in support of their newest book, "Love Comes First." "Love Comes First" is a companion book to their 2017 release, "Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life." The twins also wrote "The Superpower Sisterhood," published in 2022. "Love Comes First" is a story of two sisters who wish for a younger sibling after watching their friends' families grow, according to the book's publisher, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Their wish comes true as a younger brother and a baby cousin are welcomed into the family, but the new family members aren't exactly what the sisters expected. Hager is a TV personality, journalist and author. She is a co-host of "Today with Hoda and Jenna" alongside Hoda Kotbe. Bush is an activist and co-founder of Global Health Corps, which "works with young leaders to solve the world's most pressing global health issues," according to the GHC website. This isn't Bush and Hager's first trip to Hattiesburg. The daughters of former President George W. Bush were keynote speakers in 2012 at Forrest Health's annual Spirit of Women spring event. Their mother, former first lady Laura Bush, was keynote speaker at the 2011 Spirit of Women spring event. Grandmother Barbara Bush, also a former first lady, spoke at the Spirit of Women spring event in 2007. |
| USM initiative expands education, career opportunities for persons with disabilities | |
 | A collaborative effort at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) aims to open doors to higher education and job training for persons with intellectual disabilities. The Reaching, Including, Supporting and Educating (RISE) To The Top! Certificate is a four-year, eight-semester inclusive college program incorporating academics and employment preparation, leading to a certificate upon completion, for persons with intellectual disabilities. As part of the certificate format, participants enroll in a minimum of one class each semester; are matched with peer mentors; take part in employment-focused internships and service-involvement activities; and are anticipated to participate in spring commencement. The certificate was approved earlier this year by the State Institutions for Higher Learning (IHL). It follows a pilot program previously administered at USM, known as the Higher Education for All program. |
| The Nature Conservancy moves south Mississippi office to USM research lab in Ocean Springs | |
| The Nature Conservancy has moved its south Mississippi office to the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs. The nonprofit conservation organization's office was originally located in Vancleave. The move took place at the beginning of June. Kelly Darnell, director of the research laboratory, said she is thrilled with the physical move and partnership. "Since GCRL was founded in 1948, its sites in Ocean Springs have hosted scientists and students from many organizations and universities," Darnell said. "We are thrilled that The Nature Conservancy has been added to that list. We look forward to strengthened and expanded collaborations between GCRL researchers and TNC staff in our collective work to understand our coastal lands and water." The conservancy works in all 50 states and in more than 70 countries. The group has been focused on conservation work along the Mississippi Gulf Coast since 1965. Thomas Mohrman is a USM graduate who has been with TNC for 12 years. He serves as the director of the Mississippi Marine Program. His current project includes establishing an oyster shell recycling program and building a 20-acre-high vertical relief oyster reef in Bay St. Louis. "We have some large projects moving forward, and it makes a lot of sense to be closer to the coast. This puts us in a better position to be closer to our partners," Mohrman said. |
| Ole Miss music professor to direct top California high school musicians | |
| The California Orchestra Directors Association has invited Selim Giray, associate professor of music and director of orchestral studies at the University of Mississippi, to conduct the top-tier California All-State High School String Orchestra next year. The invitation coincides with the California All-State Music Education Conference in Sacramento, which is slated for Jan. 31 to Feb. 4, 2024. "I was completely surprised when the California Orchestra Directors Association, who sponsors the event, reached out to me," Giray said. "I did not apply for the opportunity, so I am extremely honored that they selected me." Giray has served as director of orchestral studies at Ole Miss since 2015. In this role, he directs and conducts the Lafayette-Oxford-University Symphony Orchestra and teaches courses on conducting and applied violin and viola. He also conducts the Memphis Youth Symphony Program's string orchestra. He has recently served as cover conductor for the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Ballet Memphis ballets "The Nutcracker" and "Cinderella." |
| WCU to start new direct admission program for medical school | |
 | William Carey University is starting a new program which could help more students become doctors. WCU's College of Osteopathic Medicine and its School of Natural & Behavioral Sciences have partnered on a direct admission program for the medical school. "Mississippi is in dire need of physicians and doctors and we want to start at home and we think this program will provide the guidance for these students," said Italo Subbarao, College of Osteopathic Medicine dean. Qualified students will enter the program as freshmen undergraduates and will take science and medical course through the School of Natural & Behavioral Sciences. They must maintain a high grade-point average and will have to get their bachelor's degree from WCU. "It's going to open some doors to get into medical school, but they're going to have to come here and take some very rigorous courses," said Thomas Rauch, WCU biological sciences chair. "Then, we get more of them to be successful and go out and finish medical school and be doctors." The program will begin this fall. |
| Built by Bama: A look at the U. of Alabama's construction projects | |
 | Students returning to the University of Alabama campus this fall will experience new facilities, building upgrades and other improvements. Orange cones filled the Tuscaloosa campus this summer as several construction projects were in various stages of completion before students start fall semester classes on Aug. 23. "We have a large campus with buildings of varying ages, so we're always in renewal of some of these older buildings, to make sure they're up to current standard and support the mission appropriately," said Tim Leopard senior vice president of campus development. The Greek Assembly Hall is a nearly 12,671-square-foot multipurpose facility. Its primary use and purpose is a tornado safe shelter. The National Pan-Hellenic Council and Alabama United Greek Council chapters Greek Assembly Hall will have priority use of the hall during non-storm periods for meetings, events, study groups and other uses. The Greek Assembly Hall can accommodate 1,000 occupants during severe weather events and is designed to be flexible for a range of group sizes. The building will include spaces with operable partitions, which can be adjusted to fit events, meetings or study groups. The budget for this project is around $9 million. |
| Ukrainian student addresses war and democracy at U. of Arkansas, Fayetteville | |
| Anna Kovalchuk awoke at 5 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2022, to the sound of explosions, her parents speaking atypically loudly, and the television blaring "emergency" warnings. The phrase "the war has started" changed her life forever, launching Kovalchuk -- then living in Odesa, Ukraine -- into a new phase of "fear and panic," she said. Her family tried to flee. They ended up in a border town, where Kovalchuk spent weeks sleeping on the floor because it was the safest area of the building. She, her mother, and sister then spent three months in Bulgaria but realized it was "even more painful" to live in another land than their home, even if their home was under attack. They returned to Odesa. Kovalchuk did volunteer work for refugees -- "volunteering has a special place in my heart" -- before she departed for a semester abroad in Austria, as education is nearly impossible in Ukraine due to the war, she said. Her family -- who maintain a "war storage" of rations like canned goods and bottled water -- remains in Odesa, which has come under renewed heavy fire recently. Kovalchuk, a student of international economic relations at Odesa National Mechnikov University, shared her perspective on the war, democracy, and freedom Wednesday night during a presentation on the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville campus, "Global Series: The Universal Struggle for Freedom and Unity -- Ukraine's Fight." She arrived in Arkansas at the end of May and has spent much of the summer studying at UA through the Institute of International Education's Global Democracy Ambassador Scholarship, a program that began after Russia's invasion of Ukraine to help Ukrainian students continue their studies and raise awareness of the fragility and importance of democracy. |
| After Another Controversy, Texas A&M Faculty Wants Answers From University Leaders | |
 | The Faculty Senate at Texas A&M University at College Station is demanding answers from university leaders after a series of bombshell revelations that have raised concerns about possible outside influence in faculty affairs. The latest controversy involves Joy Alonzo, a clinical assistant professor in the pharmacy-practice department who was suspended earlier this year after a student with "ties" to Texas A&M leadership reported her, according to an investigation published on Tuesday by The Texas Tribune. The student's complaint reportedly alleged that Alonzo had criticized Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, in a guest lecture in March at the University of Texas Medical Branch, in Galveston. In a letter on Tuesday, Tracy A. Hammond, speaker of the Faculty Senate, wrote that Alonzo's case is not just "the appearance, but actual evidence, of interference by outside political forces" that aim to "erode" academic freedom. Hammond's letter, sent on behalf of the Faculty Senate's Executive Committee, was addressed to the Texas A&M system's chancellor, John Sharp, and to Mark A. Welsh III, acting president of the College Station flagship. "This is not only having a chilling effect on our faculty but is further damaging the national reputation of our university," wrote Hammond, a professor of computer science and engineering. "And it will make it even more difficult to recruit and retain the best and brightest talent." |
| Acting A&M president pens letter to students, faculty amid fallout of Banks' resignation | |
 | Texas A&M's acting president, Mark Welsh III, sent his first letter to students and faculty and staff members on Wednesday after taking over last Thursday for M. Katherine Banks, who resigned in wake of the fallout from the botched hiring of Kathleen McElroy. Welsh said he was stunned and honored when A&M Chancellor John Sharp called him last Thursday evening to ask if he would lead the university while a national search was conducted for Banks' successor. Welsh has served as dean of A&M's Bush School since August 2016 after he retired as a general from the Air Force. "Texas A&M has been in the news lately, and not for the reasons we would like," Welsh wrote in the letter. "But recent events and the accompanying commentary do not define us as an institution, nor do they undo the great work we see across this university every day. They should, however, remind us that living up to our core values is an ongoing commitment, as even esteemed institutions like ours must consistently confront and resolve challenges to uphold our status as a great university. Just to be clear on where I stand, I believe diversity in all its forms is a strength. I believe every Aggie must have a voice, that each of you is critically important to our success and that you deserve to be treated with respect. I think you also believe those things." |
| College students rank wellness activities, campus dining priorities | |
 | The spring Student Voice survey on health and wellness found that college students see room for improvement when it comes to campus dining and wellness programs. A little over half of students agree they have access to campus dining halls when they need and want food, but a quarter of respondents say their college or university is getting dining food hall options right, and just 15 percent are enthusiastic about their campus's wellness class selection. But what, precisely, do students mean when they say they want healthier, higher-quality food, and more access to it? Likewise, what are students' preferred wellness activities, and what would boost their use of these resources? Student Voice, a partnership between Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse, conducted another nationally representative survey of 1,200 four- and two-year college students this month to gain more insight into students' views on these particular issues. Results are below. But first, a consideration: certain campus amenities have historically been considered luxuries, and whether and how the flashiest of these amenities contribute to student success remain debated. Amid the collegiate mental health crisis, however, college and university leaders all over are now rethinking their campus environments and student well-being programs in order to get "upstream" of the problem (to quote Kevin Kruger, president of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators). That is to say, food options and offerings like wellness classes may be a bigger part of the student success puzzle than long thought. |
| Affirmative Action Ruling Shakes Universities Over More Than Race | |
 | The Supreme Court's decision to effectively end race-conscious admissions in higher education last month was historic in its own right, removing a tool that the nation's colleges have used for decades to increase racial diversity on their campuses. But what started with affirmative action has morphed into a far broader reconsideration of fairness and privilege in college admissions and what it means for American higher education. On Tuesday, the Education Department announced that it had opened a civil rights investigation into Harvard University's admissions preferences for the relatives of alumni and wealthy donors. And at what the department billed as a "National Summit on Equal Opportunity in Higher Education" in Washington on Wednesday, more than 100 academics, government officials and education administrators focused on how much is now up for grabs well beyond affirmative action. "We come together today at a turning point in higher education -- perhaps in all of education," the education secretary, Miguel Cardona, said in his keynote address. "We didn't ask for this moment, but as leaders we must answer." On July 12, Students for Fair Admissions, the plaintiff in the Supreme Court cases, sent a letter to 150 public and private colleges essentially warning that the organization would be watching them for signs that they were skirting or violating the court's decision. But at Wednesday's summit, two federal officials and interpreters of the court's decision fired back, saying that they, not a private group, were the enforcers. |
| Student loan interest crisis? New bill could eliminate rates for many borrowers | |
 | Tens of millions of Americans who have student loan debt are slated to resume making payments in the fall. The interest that comes with that debt will kick in again, too. For many borrowers, that interest has been the obstacle to paying off their loans. Advocates say the return to payments, which the Education Department is now preparing for after the Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden's sweeping debt forgiveness plan, could be catastrophic financially. But new legislation aims to get rid of that interest for current borrowers while capping it based on a sliding scale for future ones. The bill, unveiled and shared exclusively Thursday with USA TODAY, would also devise a means of paying for the lost interest -- one that wouldn't leave taxpayers covering those costs. Other legislation has been introduced to tackle interest, too. But this, the bill's sponsors say, would be the first bill to address the interest issue as a whole -- and to create a mechanism for covering the resulting costs. That mechanism: a trust fund that would be created with borrowers' principal payments and then invested in various bonds. This trust fund approach is "a very novel," said Connecticut Democratic Rep. Joe Courtney, who co-sponsored the bill. "The beauty of this bill is that it gets rid of the added burden of borrowing, which in really bad instances can metastasize and increase people's debt levels to even above their initial principal balance," Courtney said. "And it does it in a way that does not add to the deficit and does not shift the burden to taxpayers." |
| Restart of student loans clouds White House 'Bidenomics' push | |
| Joe Biden has shielded more than 40 million Americans from having to repay any of their student loans for his entire presidency -- so far. But as that hiatus nears its end, tens of millions of households are bracing for the resumption of student loan payments this fall, just as the White House ramps up its effort to sell Americans on the economy's resilience. A range of economists and Wall Street analysts are predicting that consumer spending could take a hit as payments return for the first time since the pandemic reprieve began more than three and a half years ago. "This will be a significant additional obligation that could lead to broader credit distress among the household sector, and potentially change some spending patterns in certain segments of the population," Rohit Chopra, the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, said in an interview. Millions of borrowers who are set to resume repaying were hoping to have their debts significantly reduced or eliminated completely by Biden's student debt relief plan before it was struck down by the Supreme Court last month. That disappointment -- and the financial sting of new payments -- could undercut the president's ability to convince voters that they're doing better under his stewardship of the economy. The full economic picture of restarting student loan payments remains unclear, but most economists and analysts don't see the added stress on household finances translating into a major risk to the broader U.S. economy. |
| Bryant was not bluffing Mississippi Today | |
| The Magnolia Tribune's Russ Latino writes: While Mississippi's current crop of political leaders went on the offensive from behind the podium at the Neshoba County Fair, a veteran leader took his offensive to court. On Wednesday, former Governor Phil Bryant sued Mississippi Today's parent company, Deep South Today, along with its Chief Executive Officer, Mary Margaret White, for defamation in Madison County Circuit Court. ... Much idle speculation occurred when Bryant sent the May letter that it was a bluff. His lawsuit, filed by attorney Billy Quinn, makes abundantly clear that it was not. Bryant plainly feels aggrieved and has decided not to take it lying down. The suit, however, creates real risk for both parties. Truth is an absolute defense to defamation and Bryant will now be potentially open to discovery attempting to establish that the alleged defamatory statements are true. At least with respect to White's comments on embezzlement, discovery might be limited since she's acknowledged she misspoke and those comments were inappropriate. Bryant may feel like everything pertaining to him is already public information since his emails and texts have already been made public, but the crucible of a civil suit carries with it the risk that some piece of evidence turns a prosecutor's eyes toward the case. Up until now, he's not been the subject of any real investigation and has not been charged with any crime. There are obvious and not so obvious risks to Mississippi Today, as well. |
SPORTS
| KLLM to unveil college football trucks at M-Braves game Thursday | |
| While players and coaches across the state are gearing up for another football season, so is KLLM Transport Services. On Thursday night at Trustmark Park in Pearl, the Mississippi-based company will unveil tractor-trailers for the Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Southern Miss, and Jackson State football teams. The event, which will take place from 5-7 p.m., will mark the 14th year KLLM has provided equipment trucks to at least one of the state's major programs. Each school will receive the truck free of charge, with KLLM also covering the costs of fuel and drivers throughout the year. Those in attendance will be able to pick up University-specific grab-and-go items, take pictures inside and outside the cabs, and interact with the schools' mascots and cheerleaders. Any tickets to the Mississippi Braves matchup against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos -- first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. -- will grant patrons access to the trucks. "SportsTalk Mississippi" will also be live from Trustmark Park from 3-6 p.m. |
| Connor Hujsak's hot summer reduces pressure on Mississippi State baseball's 2024 outfielder search | |
| With Kellum Clark and Colton Ledbetter departing for pro careers, the transfer portal has become a focus for Mississippi State baseball to revamp its outfield. However a potential replacement already on MSU's roster has emerged from summer ball. Connor Hujsak, who transferred from VCU to Mississippi State last offseason, leads the Florida Collegiate Summer League with five home runs, tied for ninth in batting average (.319) and tied for 11th in RBIs (16) -- eye-popping numbers for someone who started just six games for the Bulldogs as a senior. The key to Hujsak's success with the Sanford River Rats has been his approach at the plate. With each pitcher he faces, he's looking for a specific pitch to drive. "This summer has been really big for me," Hujsak told the Clarion Ledger on Tuesday. "I'm excited to go back and use it at school." |
| Triathletes brave thunderstorms | |
| Jay McCurdy of Starkville won the 43rd Heart O' Dixie Triathlon on a rainy Saturday morning at the Neshoba County Fair with a time of 1:53.44. Lightning and heavy rains delayed the start of the race by about 25 minutes. There was a break in the weather and participants were allowed to start. The rain followed the competitors to the finish line and the awards ceremony at the Neshoba County Fair. "I've done a lot of summertime races and have never done one that was this rainy, wet with lightning and thunder," said McCurdy, who was competing in his first Heart O' Dixie. "It was run well. I have been racing triathlons for 20 years, I took about nine years off. Last year, I got the bug to start racing again." The Heart O' Dixie is the longest-running triathlon in the United States. The triathlon begins with the .5 mile swim at Lake Tiak-O'Khata. That's followed by the 27.5 mile bike race which progresses through the rolling red clay hills down Highway 25 to Philadelphia. It concludes with a seven-mile run to the Fairgrounds. |
| Officiating head John McDaid: Coaches 'undecided' on college football's new clock rules | |
 | John McDaid, head of football officiating for the SEC and Sun Belt Conference, said Wednesday coaches are "undecided" about the new rules for 2023 designed to shorten games. The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel in April approved three major changes for football's clock rules beginning with this season: Teams may no longer call consecutive timeouts, as they have often done when trying to "ice" an opposing kicker who is set to attempt an important field goal or extra point. Penalties that occur on the finally play of the first or third quarter will now carry over to the following quarter. This means no more "untimed downs" with no time on the clock. The game clock will no longer stop after first downs in order to reset the chains, except in the final two minutes of a half. The NFL has a similar rule in regards to its game clock The first two rules are largely non-controversial, but the third is going to affect how college football is played. Not only will it shave some "real" time off the action, thus limiting the number of plays each team runs. The proliferation of high-tempo spread offenses -- which focus on rushing to the line of scrimmage and getting the snap off with as much time left on the play clock possible -- in the last decade has caused games to last at three hours in almost all cases. The average game time in the FBS was 3 hours, 27 minutes in 2022, up an average of nine minutes from a decade ago. elevision, of course, is partly to blame for the time inflation, with higher broadcast fees leading to a need (or at least a perceived need) for more advertising breaks. And then there are instant replay reviews, some of which can seemingly last an eternity. |
| 'How do we improve the landscape?' -- With NIL headaches aplenty, NCAA group meets on fact-finding mission | |
| During a meeting here this week, members of an NCAA working group identified issues around name, image and likeness with a goal of strengthening the association's interim NIL policy as it pertains to transparency and protections for athletes. The two-day, fact-finding meeting ended, as expected, without definitive decisions or specific proposals. However, with NCAA president Charlie Baker in attendance, administrators discussed ways to provide more transparency in the NIL space. That may include the creation of a database for NIL deals, a more uniform contract for such deals and a registry for those participating in NIL with athletes, such as agents and collective representatives. "The question is, 'What can we do to help improve and foster NIL activity for student-athletes?'" said meeting chair Lynda Tealer, the executive associate athletic director at Florida. "There is no conversation about stunting what is happening in the NIL space or walking anything back. "How do we improve the landscape?" she continued. "Some of that is to continue to push congressional action, but what can we do on the NCAA front to add stability, reliability and transparency? There is a need for Congressional intervention, but it won't solve all the problems." The NIL working group, made up mostly of school administrators, will meet again Monday to formulate more of a proposal to present later to the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, where the group could expound on its interim NIL policy. |
| Jimmy Pitaro: ESPN shift to DTC streaming won't upend linear TV | |
| Appearing at CNBC's Game Plan sports business conference on Tuesday, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro reiterated the company's long-standing plan to shift its networks towards direct-to-consumer streaming but made sure to say that he doesn't see it impacting the traditional TV model that has served them so well. Pitaro said "It's not if, it's when" when asked about the network's plans for streaming but made it clear that Disney and ESPN do not intend to leave their 74 million cable subscribers in the lurch. "The [traditional TV] model has been very good to Disney," Pitaro said. The ESPN chairman said he wants to debunk "a perception in the industry" that when ESPN eventually offers its channels a la carte via streaming to consumers, it will mean that they'll immediately turn off the traditional TV bundle. Meanwhile, one of the biggest questions surrounding Disney right now is whether or not they'll take on "strategic partners" to run ESPN, as Disney CEO Bob Iger alluded to recently. Assumptions have run the gamut from private equity firms to media conglomerates to professional sports leagues like the NFL or NBA. Pitaro deflected on specifics but did confirm that ESPN sees potential partners that can improve their content offering. |
| Why Tennessee football star Joshua Dobbs of Browns became Vols alumni board president | |
 | Joshua Dobbs was the youngest member of the Tennessee Alumni Board of Directors when he was elected in 2017 at 22 years old. And he still is as the former Vols football quarterback takes on his new role as president in his seventh year on the board. When Dobbs was initially elected, he had just graduated with a degree in aerospace engineering and been selected in the 2017 NFL Draft. But he jumped at the opportunity to be on the board, which he called a tremendous honor. Dobbs, who now plays for the Cleveland Browns, will serve as Alumni Board of Directors president for the 2023-24 year. His responsibilities as president include running meetings and attending alumni events throughout the year, the Big Orange Give and support first-generation students through the UT LEAD Vols Pay-It-Forward Alumni Speaker Series. He also wants to increase student-athlete engagement in alumni events while they're at Tennessee so they'll continue being involved post graduation. When it's all said and done and his playing career is over one day, Dobbs plans on putting his aerospace engineering degree to use. He stays involved in the field, completing an externship with NASA through the NFLPA during the 2019 season and working at the Kennedy Space Center. He even took his Cleveland teammates to the NASA Glenn Research Center this summer. |
| Leaving the Pac-12? Colorado calls meeting, AP source says Big 12 has already voted to let Buffs in | |
| If Colorado is ready to leave the Pac-12, the Big 12 is ready to welcome the Buffaloes back to the conference they left 12 years ago. Big 12 presidents and chancellors voted unanimously Wednesday night to accept Colorado as a new member, clearing the way for the school to leave the Pac-12 and rejoin its former league, a person with knowledge of the meeting told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Big 12 was not making its expansion plans public. ESPN first reported the vote. Colorado still needs to go through a formal process on its campus in Boulder and officially apply for membership. The university's board of regents has a special meeting scheduled for Thursday afternoon with athletics operations on the agenda. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark has spoken for months about his desire to expand the conference and add schools in the Mountain and Pacific time zones. A second person familiar with the Big 12's expansion aspirations, also speaking on condition of anonymity, told AP the school and league have been in contact for more than a month about a potential departure from the Pac-12; the person said it was unclear if CU had come to a decision. |
| For Pac-12 and Big 12, one league knows when it has good bird in hand | |
| Two conferences, two distinct strategies over the past year. Now one is on the cusp of a recruiting coup. The other may be fighting for its very survival. The Big 12 Conference is expected to lure Colorado back to its more natural home. All the while, the Pac-12 Conference's pursuit of a new media rights deal drags on interminably and concerns have reached a fever pitch over exactly who will pay how much for the opportunity to broadcast the distressed Conference of Champions' inventory after July 1, 2024. And now this: Will another school follow Colorado out the door, and how soon? The Pac-12's George Kliavkoff and the Big 12's Brett Yormark are both new to this oft-times perplexing world of college athletics. They are both stewarding leagues left diminished in the wake of big-brand departures. The Pac-12's USC and UCLA will head to the Big Ten Conference next summer, as the Big 12's Texas and Oklahoma head to the SEC. But only one commissioner is thriving. The contrast in approaches by Kliavkoff and Yormark has been striking and revealing. At Big 12 media days, Yormark projected a forward-thinking, innovative and opportunistic fervor. He told On3 that he'd be "a little disappointed" if he wasn't able to add two teams by 2025. (The way things are going, he may snare two before summer's out.) His aggressive business savvy distinguishes him in a college sports industry laden with many leaders who react only when forced, who do things one way because they've always been done that way, and who are allergic to innovation. On the other hand, yes, Kliavkoff should be credited with fielding every question at Pac-12 media day. But his media rights update was a non-update -- again -- more than five months after the league itself said it would secure a deal in the "very near future." |
| At Northwestern, Leaders Scramble to Contain Crisis Over Hazing Allegations | |
| Northwestern University's athletic director didn't make the decision to fire Pat Fitzgerald, the football coach, after a bombshell report of hazing in the program. But he got the job of telling the team the news. And he had a problem. As the crisis swelled, Derrick Gragg, the AD, was on a family vacation outside the country. So he was given a choice: He could have one of his assistant athletic directors announce the news to the team, or he could Zoom into a scheduled meeting and make the announcement himself. "I certainly needed to tell them myself," Gragg told The Chronicle in an exclusive phone interview on Wednesday. After the Zoom call, Gragg took a red-eye flight back from his vacation and was on campus by 8:30 a.m. the next day. He met with athletic-department staff; met with the football-coaching staff; and, with President Michael H. Schill of Northwestern, met in person with any football players on campus. Gragg said he hadn't jumped on a plane immediately because university administrators -- including Schill -- didn't want him to be in the air if new information broke. The sudden and improvised response is emblematic of the crisis engulfing Northwestern: an alleged culture of hazing and misconduct in the athletic department that largely predates the leadership of the two figures now under the public's withering gaze: Gragg and Schill. |
| Cardiac Arrest Isn't Increasing Among Athletes Despite Incidents Like Bronny James's Collapse | |
| When 18-year-old LeBron "Bronny" James, Jr. suffered cardiac arrest on Monday during a basketball workout at the University of Southern California, whose basketball team he committed to in May, he joined a lengthening list of prominent athletes who have done so in recent years. Then-University of Florida basketball player Keyontae Johnson collapsed during a game in 2020, and James's current USC teammate, Vince Iwuchukwu, did the same during an informal team practice last summer. Most jarringly, given the context of a nationally televised Monday Night Football broadcast, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was rushed from the field early in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in January. Despite the clustering of headline-grabbing cases, experts say there has been no statistically significant rise in cardiac events of young athletes. What has changed is the high profile of the athletes involved -- and the preparedness to respond to those emergencies. "Among the collegiate ranks, this is a rare event; it's around one in 50,000 for all NCAA athletes," said Dr. Meagan Wasfy, a sports cardiologist at Mass General Brigham. "And no contemporary data suggests that that rate has risen over time." After recent emergencies -- most notably in the cases of Hamlin and James, the son of NBA superstar LeBron James -- vaccine skeptics have flooded social media with assertions that the Covid-19 vaccine made athletes susceptible to cardiac arrest. Dr. Michael Ackerman, a genetic cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. said that no such connection has been demonstrated. "There is a tremendously irresponsible effort out there to be linking everything, including these SCAs, to either COVID-19 or the vaccines for COVID-19," Ackerman wrote in a text message, referring to sudden cardiac arrests. "My practice has been filled with these exact same SCA survivor stories long before the arrival of either the virus or the vaccine." |
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