| Tuesday, April 29, 2025 |
| GSDP works to leverage numbers of growing college town economy | |
 | When it comes to the local business scene in any city, there is strength in numbers. The Greater Starkville Development Partnership is working to leverage those numbers to grow the economy of "Mississippi's College Town." The GSDP is steadily adding to those numbers, too. In the past 24 months, it has welcomed 10 new retailers and 11 new restaurants. The partnership is focused on the future of local businesses and helping them thrive in a competitive marketplace, but some area residents are interested in attracting larger national names. GSDP President Mike Tagert said that it will take more growth on a couple of fronts. "While our community is definitely growing, we've seen dramatic increases in median household income; our population is growing here in Starkville and Oktibbeha County. We're still, you know, as far as some of those larger brands, we still struggle sometimes to meet the basic metrics. Some of those big box stores require hundreds of thousands of people in population. They require a certain kind of median household income that is far above where we are, so that makes it hard sometimes to recruit those. But what we can do, and we continually, you know, on retail and restaurant recruitment. We're continually trying to make sure that entrepreneurs have an opportunity in our community to be successful," said Tagert. |
| MSU-Meridian nursing students step up to sponsor Alzheimer's research | |
 | When Olivia Adams was 12 years old, she watched her grandmother succumb to Alzheimer's. Now a Mississippi State University-Meridian Master of Science in Nursing student, Adams and her cohort sprang into action when a call rang out to help fund a cure for the chronic neurodegenerative disease that causes dementia. "I saw the effect it had on my papaw and my family," the Philadelphia native said. "It has personally affected a lot of us, so we wanted to be a small part of doing something we thought could help." After receiving special dementia-related training and listening to visiting speaker Dan Donnelly share in class his personal experience with the disease, the nursing cohort quickly maneuvered to sponsor Paint the Plaza Purple, an annual downtown Meridian event organized by Donnelly to raise awareness and money for Alzheimer's research. Together, the cohort of 34 raised $500 in sponsorship funds in the 10 minutes following his presentation, texting one another to encourage donations, said Donnelly, who spoke to the nursing students on behalf of the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. Donnelly, a physical therapist whose mother and father both were struck with the disease, said he cried upon receiving the gift. "What this tells me is that Mississippi State University did very well with their selection process for the inaugural nursing class," he said. "This has given me fuel to do this again next year and punch it even harder." |
| New study highlights global aridification, threat to agriculture | |
 | A long-term shift toward drier conditions is reshaping landscapes and livelihoods across the globe. Known as aridification, this gradual drying trend now affects 2.3 billion people and 40% of Earth's land, with serious implications for agriculture and water systems -- especially in the U.S. From California's Central Valley to the Great Plains, often called the world's breadbasket, farmers are facing tough decisions about what to plant, how to irrigate, and how to adapt to a future where water is no longer guaranteed. These findings appear in the Nature Water article "Increasing aridification calls for urgent global adaptive solutions and policy action," led by Mississippi State University Associate Vice President and Professor Narcisa Pricope in collaboration with a team of international scientists. "This research has real implications for Mississippi," said Pricope. "When our lands dry out, it's not just farmers who suffer. Water becomes harder to manage, ecosystems get stressed, and rural communities -- already stretched thin -- face even greater challenges." |
| Starkville-MSU Community Band wraps Spring season | |
| Music fills the Kent Sills Band Hall as the Starkville-MSU Community Band performs its final show of the Spring. The band's director, Johnny Folsom, said the diverse makeup of the band is what makes it special. "Play what you can, not what you can't," Folsom said. "And if you see some things that you don't feel comfortable with let it go by, and it works. We've got enough folks that can cover the parts that we laugh, we have fun." A couple of those people who have a place in the band are Jed Smart and his daughter. Smart said playing with his daughter is something special. "I've always enjoyed playing in the band," Smart said. "But now I get to play with her, and that's something I didn't really think I'd ever have the opportunity to do. So, it's special to me. She may think it's not a big deal, but it's a pretty big deal to me." Folsom said the band is a place for people who thought they may never play in a band again. "Sometimes you have to twist people's arms, but once they come, they come back," Folsom said. "They are hooked." |
| Ask The Dispatch: What should you do when a sidewalk is broken? | |
 | Sidewalks are a convenient place to walk beside roads and get from place to place. But when a sidewalk gets damaged, those designated paths can become an inconvenience. State law gives cities the right to install and maintain sidewalks within their municipal boundaries. But some cities across the country require property owners to assist in maintaining sidewalks adjacent to their properties. When it comes to maintenance, Mayor Lynn Spruill said the city is responsible for public sidewalks on streets that are platted and accepted into city maps. Spruill encouraged city residents to report problems either to her or to City Engineer Cody Burnett, as she said the city keeps a running list of locations "in need of upgrade." "We have sidewalks all over the city that have some compromised areas, like areas that need to be smoothed back out again, but pretty much, it's all over," Spruill said. "So we're trying to find places where they're the worst and make some remediation efforts. But it just depends on what it is, where it is, and if it's on our radar at this point in time." |
| Cadence to acquire another Texas-based bank | |
 | Cadence Bank has announced its coming acquisition of Texas-based Industry Bancshares in a merger agreement valued between $20 million and $60 million. Founded in 1911, Industry Bancshares is the bank holding company for 27 full-service branches across central and southeast Texas, comprising the Bank of Brenham, Citizens State Bank, Fayetteville Bank, Industry State Bank, The First National Bank of Bellville and The First National Bank of Shiner. Cadence said the merger will "meaningfully expand" its presence in attractive, growing markets within the Lone Star State. As of March 31, 2025, Industry Bancshares reported total assets of $4.4 billion, total loans of $1.1 billion and total deposits of $4.5 billion. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Cadence Bank will, based upon Industry Bancshares' equity capital at the closing of the transaction, pay between $20 million and $60 million in cash for all of Industry Bancshares' outstanding common stock, subject to certain conditions and potential adjustments. "What makes this alliance so impactful is that Cadence Bank's community banking foundation aligns well with the community focus of Industry Bancshares' six bank subsidiaries," said Dan Rollins, chair and CEO of Cadence Bank. |
| Big change shows Army Corps hears Mississippi's alarm over Bonnet Carré flooding | |
 | If the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opens the Bonnet Carré Spillway later this week to relieve the threat of Mississippi River flooding in and around New Orleans, at least one aspect of a century-old flood protocol will be different. The Army Corps will, for the first time, measure the river water's impact on areas of the Mississippi Sound east of Pass Christian all the way to Biloxi, with 11 water quality stations added. The change comes after records were set for the length and number of spillway openings from 2018-2020, causing major damage in the Sound. Mississippi's productive oyster beds were decimated, as was the brown shrimp population. Dolphins and sea turtles died in record numbers. Algae blooms from the fertilizer-laden river water closed the Mississippi Sound to fishing and swimming in 2019, and frightened off seafood lovers. Scientists and environmental advocates in South Mississippi hope any 2025 spillway opening is limited and brief, as the Corps has indicated. Oysters, juvenile shrimp, dolphins and other aquatic life thrive in the Sound's balance of fresh and salt water. They can even adjust to surges of fresh water over short time periods. Oysters, for example, will close up when the Pearl River floods into the Sound. But Pearl River floods are short-lived when compared to flooding from the massive Mississippi, said Paul Mickle, co-director of the Northern Gulf Institute at Mississippi State University. Opening the Bonnet Carré is like turning on a fire hose, Mickle said. |
| Mississippi's U-Pick Farms: A trend that's growing | |
| The concept of U-pick flower farms in Mississippi is on the rise as people desire to grow their own flowers or gardens for various reasons, including outdoor aesthetics, cost, knowledge, and even business opportunities. Several U-pick flower farms all over the Magnolia State offer a wide variety of colorful and beautiful flowers to pick. Going to a flower farm has become a popular family outing, homeschool activity, social activity with friends, and even a popular date idea. Don't forget about all the possible photo opportunities there are at a flower farm! Donna Yowell owns the Madison Flower Farmette and Flower Farm and Cottage, which provide quality locally grown cut flowers and producer training. With a degree in horticulture from Mississippi State University and years of experience as a flower shop owner, Yowell took her knowledge and passion and began the "Flowers Growers of Mississippi" group over five years ago. It is now a USDA-sponsored non-profit organization with over 19,000 people in the group. "We have people from Mississippi and all over the country who have joined the group," Yowell shared. |
| Where will U.S. farmers sell pork, cotton during trade war? | |
| Overseas sales of U.S. farm commodities are already taking a hit. The latest batch of export data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that in the week after steep tariffs between the U.S. and China went into effect, sales of U.S. cotton and soybeans were down 50% over the week before. Sales of U.S. pork tanked 72%. President Trump has said farmers affected by his trade policies should start selling their crops and livestock here in the U.S. But it's not that simple. Picture, if you will, 12,000 metric tons of U.S.-raised pork. That's the volume of orders canceled by Chinese customers in the first full week of the president's trade war. "Yeah, we gotta find a home for that pork," said Karl Setzer, a partner at Consus Ag Consulting. Then there are crops like U.S. cotton --- some 85% of which is exported. "We've developed to supply foreign markets," said John Robinson, an agricultural economist at Texas A&M. He said the infrastructure needed to process cotton into fabric doesn't really exist here. So American farmers would have to attract new international markets. |
| Trump is giving automakers a break on tariffs | |
 | President Trump has decided to give automakers a break on some of his tariffs, the latest retreat from a get-tough policy he has said is aimed at bringing manufacturing jobs to America and driving up government revenues. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump would sign an executive order on the tariffs on Tuesday. The formal announcement comes as Trump heads to Michigan for a rally marking his 100 days in office. Trump's on-again, off-again tariffs have sparked whipsaw moves in financial markets, and most polls show Americans are concerned about Trump's handling of the economy. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters that Trump had made the decision after meeting with domestic and foreign automakers. Trump's goal is to bring more auto manufacturing to the United States, Bessent said. "So we want to give the automakers a path to do that quickly, efficiently and create as many jobs as possible," he said. |
| Bryant appointed to FEMA Review Council by President Trump | |
| President Donald Trump has appointed 20 members to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Review Council, a bipartisan group tasked with reforming and streamlining the nation's emergency management and disaster response system. Trump wrote on social media that those named to the Council are "Top Experts in their fields" and "Highly Respected by their peers." Among those appointed is former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant. "Honored to receive this appointment by President Donald J. Trump! Unfortunately, we've earned a lot of experience with natural disasters and recovery in Mississippi," Bryant shared on social media Monday afternoon. "Let's Make America Safe Again!" Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will co-chair the council. According to the administration, the FEMA Review Council is charged with streamlining operations and ensuring FEMA delivers rapid, efficient, and mission-focused relief to Americans in need. |
| Trump appoints former Gov. Phil Bryant to FEMA Review Council as state awaits ruling on tornadoes | |
| President Donald Trump has appointed former Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant to the FEMA Review Council, which Trump has tasked to "fix a terribly broken system" and shift disaster response and recovery from federal to state government. The appointment comes as Mississippi awaits a response from the Trump administration on whether it will approve Gov. Tate Reeves' request for a federal disaster declaration for deadly tornadoes in mid-March. The federal declaration, which Reeves requested April 1, would allow families and local governments devastated by the storms to receive federal assistance. Trump recently denied a similar request for Arkansas. Trump has said states should shoulder more of the burden for disaster response and recovery, and he and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have threatened to shut down the Federal Emergency Management Agency altogether. The Trump administration's FEMA has denied federal assistance for flooding in West Virginia, tornadoes in Arkansas and a storm in Washington state, and refused North Carolina's request for extending relief after Hurricane Helene. |
| Head Start cut would put Mississippi's new status as early education national leader at risk | |
 | The Trump administration is considering a budget that would eliminate early education federal funding including Head Start, a program that helps nearly 15,000 pre-K 3 and pre-K 4 children in Mississippi. The National Institute for Early Education Research's 2024 State of Preschool Yearbook, released on Tuesday, April 29, shows Mississippi becoming a national leader in expanding access to high-quality early education. This success is directly linked to the support provided by Head Start and other federal and state-funded programs. With Head Start at risk of closure, experts at NIEER predict access to public pre-K will decline drastically, especially in states such as Mississippi which rely heavily on federal funding. Nearly 15,000 children aged 3 and 4 in Mississippi rely on Head Start to access early education. In 2024, Gov. Tate Reeves signed a proclamation deeming October as Head Start Awareness Month, following in the footsteps of past President Ronald Reagan who declared October as National Head Start Awareness Month in 1982. Mississippi is currently seeing massive improvements when it comes to early education. Now, with Head Start at risk of closure, Mississippi's pre-K success may start to trend downward. |
| Trump's first 100 days offer blueprint for future presidents to evade Congress | |
 | As he marks the first 100 days of his second term, President Donald Trump and his team have taken an unprecedented approach on using executive power to craft and alter federal policy -- essentially concocting a road map for future administrations to orchestrate end runs around Congress. And by exploiting a Republican-controlled legislative branch's disinterest in and unwillingness to enforce its authority, the 47th president has set precedents that future chief executives could use to yank even more power from Congress. That would be especially true, as is the case now, when a president's party controls both chambers of Congress. From moves such as instituting tariffs, attempting to scuttle multiple federal agencies, refusing to spend congressionally appropriated funds and arresting a Wisconsin judge who objected to his administration's immigration policies, Trump 2.0 has been rewriting the rules that long policed the intersection of the White House and Congress. But Trump has rejected claims by Democrats and legal experts that his actions have amounted to a power grab, saying he's been acting within the legal bounds of the Executive Office of the President. |
| Trump Floats Improbable Income-Tax Cut Tied to Tariffs | |
 | President Trump keeps suggesting that tariffs can replace income taxes for most Americans. One big problem: The math doesn't work. Trump has repeatedly teased the notion of linking his tariffs with major income-tax cuts, floating a huge change in how the government raises revenue and offering voters worried about tariffs a promise of future benefits. This would expand his agenda beyond extending his expiring 2017 tax cuts and ideas such as "no tax on tips," which have broad support within the GOP and will be central parts of the "big, beautiful bill" being crafted in Congress now. "When Tariffs cut in, many people's Income Taxes will be substantially reduced, maybe even completely eliminated," he posted on Truth Social. "Focus will be on people making less than $200,000 a year." Trump's statements point to a central riddle of his trade agenda -- whether the point of higher tariffs is raising money or gaining leverage to strike better deals with trading partners, as some administration officials and congressional Republicans insist. But even if Trump left high tariffs in place, the revenue wouldn't come close to the amount raised by income taxes for people making under $200,000. |
| Financial anxiety turns the political tide against Trump | |
 | On his first day back in power, President Donald Trump promised Americans that he'd soon deliver on their central demand: Lower prices and greater economic stability. Ninety-nine days later, the voters are still waiting -- and starting to flash their anger. Trump's chaotic first months have tipped the U.S. into turmoil, shaking the foundations of its financial system and feeding fears that the man who pledged to pilot the nation into a prosperous "golden age" is instead driving it toward an economic ditch. Americans' faith in Trump's stewardship of the economy is faltering, with most now saying his changes to the country's political and economic systems have gone "too far." The president's trade war is testing the resilience of global markets and businesses. And among his allies, there is growing concern that Trump is squandering his political mandate by pursuing policies almost certain to push prices even higher. "He's all in on the tariffs, and that's a really big bet for him," said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the conservative think tank American Action Forum and a former White House economic adviser under George H.W. Bush. "I'm going to be honest: I don't think it's a good bet." |
| Trump: 'I run the country and the world' | |
 | President Trump shared his thoughts on how his two terms as president have differed, saying in a new interview with The Atlantic that this time around he's leading "the country and the world." "The first time, I had two things to do -- run the country and survive; I had all these crooked guys," Trump said in the interview published Monday. "And the second time, I run the country and the world." Trump has taken broad executive action on a range of issues since returning to office in January, with his moves on immigration and trade drawing the most attention and producing intense pushback in courts and among global leaders, respectively. While speaking with The Atlantic, the president also commented on the possibility of a third bid for the White House, something he has previously flirted with but which GOP lawmakers have largely dismissed as joking. "It's not something that I'm looking to do. And I think it would be a very hard thing to do," Trump said in the interview. |
| Amazon listing tariff prices is a 'hostile and political act,' White House says | |
 | The White House on Tuesday slammed Amazon's reported plans to list the prices of President Donald Trump's tariffs next to products the mega retailer sells online. "I just got off the phone with the president about the Amazon announcement. This is a hostile and political act by Amazon," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at an April 29 briefing with reporters. "Why did Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in four years?" she said, adding that "it's not really a surprise" because "Amazon has partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm." Amazon's decision to single out the cost of Trump's tariffs on consumers, first reported by Punchbowl News, has set up a clash between Trump and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who has sought to curry favor with the new administration and met with Trump multiple times since his election win. |
| A Canadian Technocrat's New Mission: A Radical Breakup With Trump's U.S. | |
| After his promises to protect Canadian voters from U.S. President Trump, Prime Minister Mark Carney must make quick work of a radical plan: decoupling Canada's economy from its biggest trading partner and, lately, its biggest threat. Carney, a technocrat who ran the Bank of Canada during the financial crisis and the Bank of England during Brexit, won Canada's national election on Monday on the strength of his assertion that he is the right leader to take on Trump. Success means unwinding a Canadian foreign policy that since World War II has centered on building a closer union with the U.S. Still, he appeared short of a majority in parliament on Tuesday morning, which could force him to seek help from rival politicians to push through his economic agenda. Speaking to supporters after his victory early on Tuesday morning, Carney said Canada was entering into a new, uncertain era. "Our old relationship with the United States, a relationship based on steadily increasing integration, is over," he said. "The system of open global trade anchored by the United States, a system that Canada has relied on since the Second World War, a system that while not perfect, has helped deliver prosperity for our country for decades, is over," he said. "These are tragedies, but it's also our new reality." |
| MPower sets on a new path amid low attendance | |
 | MPower, an extended orientation program at the University of Mississippi, is planning to change its content offerings for the upcoming fall semester due to decreasing enrollment in the program and poor retention rates. Founded in 2015, MPower provides incoming first-year students with a broader orientation experience, prioritizing leadership development skills. The program is coordinated by the Division of Student Affairs' Ole Miss Student Union staff. Bradley Baker, director of the Ole Miss Student Union, said MPower's decreasing retention rates and funds sparked the decision to take a different approach in programming. "Over the past several years, participation in the MPower program has dwindled among incoming freshman students," Baker said. "In 2023, 326 students registered for this program. Last year, 261 students registered with 217 students checking in for the program. Additionally, retention of those students throughout the program has been a challenge. By the final day of MPower programming last year, less than 100 student participants attended sessions of the 217 that were registered and checked in." |
| Duff brothers encourage young entrepreneurs to stay in Mississippi | |
| The University of Mississippi Entrepreneurship Society hosted a talk with businessmen Thomas and James Duff in the Duff Center on Thursday, April 24. The Duff brothers, owners of Duff Capital Investors and Southern Tire Mart, have been the only members of the Forbes 400 Richest Americans list from Mississippi since 2009. The pair funded the construction of the Jim and Thomas Duff Center for Technology and Innovation, which opened on campus this year. The brothers began their talk by discussing their success in business and their entrepreneurial journey, which began with Southern Tire Mart. The business was originally owned by their father, Ernest Duff, until it was sold in 1998. The brothers bought it back in 2003, turning it into America's largest truck tire dealer and retread manufacturer. Revenue exceeded $3.5 million in 2023, the Duffs said. Beyond the informational value of the insights provided by the talk, the Duff brothers' campus visit piqued interest in the political arena. Thomas Duff formed a political action committee last December to help elect Mississippi Republicans this year, raising speculation about his political future. Thomas Duff has publicly mulled over a possible 2027 gubernatorial run. However, Thomas Duff was not interested in commenting on the subject on Thursday. |
| USM students advised to begin apartment search early due to limits | |
 | As the 2024-2025 school year comes to an end, students who are planning to live off campus next year may want to start looking for one now. While apartment searching, students may start to be confused if not knowing what to do or not having guidance. Ashley Dills, a regional property manager for a student apartment company, explains a way students can go about when applying for a student apartment. Students can pay for a security deposit or if they have someone over the age of 18, they can have a guarantor. A guarantor is someone who can vouch for the student with a proof of income and credit. "Once they fill out that process, then they just go to sign the lease," said Dills. "From there they can decide whether or not they want to pay a security deposit or if they have a parental guarantor or anybody that can be their guarantor that's over the age of 18." Senior Meghan Harris has lived in student apartments since her sophomore year. She said that so far in her experience she enjoys it. She said that in her experience maintenance responds to issue quickly, she has everything she needs there, and she gets that's independent lifestyle. |
| Alcorn alumni celebrate 50 years of local chapter | |
| Alcorn alumni and supporters packed into the MSU Riley Center on Friday as the Meridian/Lauderdale County Alumni Chapter held its annual Purple and Gold Scholarship Gala. The annual fundraising event is held both to support the university and award scholarships to local students planning to attend Alcorn in the fall. This year's gala held special significance as it marked the 50th year since the local alumni chapter's founding in 1975. Hargie Crenshaw, a 1964 graduate of Alcorn and first chapter president, said the Meridian/Lauderdale County group was founded to support the university and help younger generations through awarding scholarships. "To date, thousands of students, thousands of students have experienced and completed their education at Alcorn State University as a result of scholarships provided by this chapter," she said. "It is the intent of this chapter to further support and participate in local, state and national activities and interests to support and provide scholarships to students attending Alcorn State University and continue to support and strengthen the viability of our dear Alcorn State University." In addition to the scholarship, the Meridian/Lauderdale County chapter presented a check to the Alcorn State University Foundation to support academics at the university. |
| U. of Alabama faces a lawsuit after a scholarship for Black students is challenged as discriminatory | |
| The University of Alabama is a facing a civil lawsuit from a national organization, who is accusing a scholarship for African American students for being discriminatory. The Equal Protection Project, who is a national organization that opposes race-based affirmative action initiatives, is the group who is accusing the university that their Norton-Textra Endowed scholarship for minority students in English is discriminatory. The group filed the suit with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights last week. As of April 26th, the scholarship only lists enrollment and GPA requirements for the award. Also, The Trump administration is reviewing the University of Alabama at Birmingham over their alleged race-based scholarships. Other schools around Alabama recently closed their DEI offices and buildings in response to a recent state law banning DEI programs. |
| 'Tide Against Tyranny:' Petition against Trump visiting Tuscaloosa gains nearly 25,000 signatures | |
 | Days after a protest against President Donald Trump appearing in Tuscaloosa went online, it has gained nearly 25,000 signatures as of April 28. In a move that seemed to take many by surprise, as it had not been listed on any of the University of Alabama's materials, Trump announced on April 21 he'd be speaking at commencements for both UA and the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. A statement came from UA later, amending that to Trump speaking in a ticketed, not-required event for spring 2025 graduates, at Coleman Coliseum on May 1. That's the day before UA's spring 2025 commencement weekend, which will be May 2-4. Headed "Tide Against Tyranny: Say No to Trump at Graduation," the change.org petition reads: "As students and alumni of the University of Alabama, we respectfully express our strong opposition to President Donald Trump being selected as the speaker for the 2025 Commencement Ceremony. Given the current political climate and the contentious legacy of the Trump administration, we believe that his presence would draw unnecessary controversy and negative attention to our university. Commencement is a time to honor the hard work, dedication, and achievements of our graduating students -- not to serve as a platform for political polarization." |
| Grace Valentine encourages Auburn women to lead with faith | |
| On Tuesday, April 22, Auburn University Panhellenic women filled the Student Activities Center for an evening of encouragement with author and speaker Grace Valentine. Hosted by Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, the event aimed to unite women across campus through faith based guidance and practical advice for navigating life as a college student. The evening began with a welcome from Zeta Tau Alpha's Vice President Anna Scott Wieler and Chaplain Jada Deitrick. Deitrick led the crowd in prayer before introducing Valentine to the stage. The first 200 attendees received a free copy of Valentine's newly released book, The Better Friend. Students came interested in hearing in what Valentine had to say. "I know Grace from social media and Instagram," said Jennifer Hale, junior in health services administration. "She's well known for that, and I was most interested to see how she brings her writing into her speeches." Valentine, known for her work including "Am I Enough?" and "What Will They Think?", began her talk by reflecting on her own college experiences and the pressures many young women face today. |
| An LSU astrophysics professor invented a tool to find parking. It just sold in a major deal. | |
 | ParkZen, a Baton Rouge tech startup that helps drivers find parking spots, has found a permanent space of its own. Last week, Houston-based Parking Guidance Systems announced that it has purchased ParkZen in a deal that combines an undisclosed amount of cash and equity. The transaction follows two years of collaboration between the two companies. "This is a huge opportunity for us," ParkZen co-founder Manos Chatzopoulos said Tuesday by phone while attending an industry trade show. "I've been getting congratulations from people in the industry all morning." Citing a nondisclosure agreement, Chatzopoulos said he was unable to share details of the acquisition, but industry insiders estimate the deal was worth several million dollars. Co-founded in 2020 by Chatzopoulos, an LSU associate professor of astrophysics, and real estate financier George Triarchou, ParkZen uses smartphone data to help drivers hunt for parking spaces in the same way that Waze or Apple's maps help them avoid traffic snarls. The company's customers include universities, airports and other businesses around the country. ParkZen is used by about a dozen schools, including the University of Alabama and the University of Tennessee. |
| 'Seize the airwaves': New generation of UGA students continue alternative legacy of WUOG | |
 | Sometime last year, Rissa Rogus and Elizabeth Kim found a cardboard box in the WUOG music room. There wasn't anything particularly odd about that. WUOG, the University of Georgia's student-run radio station, collects boxes like old paper clips. But something about this box stood out, so the two music directors opened it. They found treasure. The neatly filed records and CDs inside included a first pressing of Substance, a classic two-record compilation from New Order. Additional rarities from Blondie, David Bowie, Fugazi, and others -- all legends of alternative music -- were mixed in. So was a handwritten note. Written in cursive on a piece of notebook paper, Lars Gotrich introduced himself as a former WUOG staffer. In 2008, when WUOG was clearing out its studio atop Memorial Hall and preparing to move into its current location in the Tate Student Center, stacks of records and CDs were being thrown out. There was no room in the new archive. Gotrich, who now works for NPR Music, was horrified. He filled a box with rescued music from the trash bin and took it home. In 2023, he mailed it back. Gotrich felt bad about taking everything without permission, and while none of the artists in the box would make today's WUOG playlist -- they're too mainstream for college radio these days -- he wanted the station to have its music back. |
| Immigration statuses restored for nine international students at U. of Tennessee | |
 | The immigration statuses of nine University of Tennessee at Knoxville international students have been restored after the Trump administration terminated them without warning earlier this month. UT's International Student and Scholar Serivces office has confirmed the students' updated status in a federal database that track them, according to an April 28 email from UT Provost John Zomchick to students, faculty and staff members. The office, part of UT's Center for Global Engagement, is working with students and UT departments on next steps. A Trump administration lawyer said April 25 the reversal was going to happen. But international students aren't immune from losing their study visas in the future as the administration works to craft a new policy for authorizing foreign students. UT's Center for Global Engagement monitors SEVIS, the Student Exchange Visitor System database and alerted the campus community April 11 when it discovered people's status, including a former student working on campus, had been deleted from the system. UT was not notified of the changes. |
| Academic freedom, DEI: Texas colleges face major overhaul this legislative session | |
| Texas' public colleges face a major overhaul that would shift more power over what's taught and who's hired to politically connected regents, furthering Republican leaders' efforts to exert control over universities they see as overtaken by liberal bias. Governor-appointed regents could veto nearly any campus-based decision, cut core classes they determine not "foundational and fundamental" and have more oversight across public universities in the state under Senate Bill 37. The priority bill would reduce professors' influence and create a state office to ensure schools are complying with new state laws, such as the ban on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts that passed in 2023. Many see SB 37 as an expansion of the state's DEI ban -- aiming to limit what's taught in classrooms. The proposal is a major shift from how the state universities have historically operated. Faculty members see SB 37 as a push by the state GOP to infringe upon freedom of speech on campuses and to weaken higher education, which would make it difficult for Texas to attract the best talent. The bill is a "political invasion" of higher education, said Leonard Bright, a professor at Texas A&M University's Bush School of Government and Public Service. It's "wasteful and needlessly vindictive," Bright said. "Ultimately, the goal of the bill is to intimidate faculty, quiet our voices and to punish us for having the courage to speak truth to power." |
| RFK Jr., Agriculture Secretary Rollins to tour A&M facilities Tuesday | |
 | U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be in College Station on Tuesday to discuss food security and America's farmers. Rollins, a 1994 Texas A&M graduate, returns to her alma mater to visit the Texas A&M Beef Center at 8:30 a.m. and deliver an update on New World Screwworm. Rollins said Monday that the U.S. and Mexico had reached an agreement on the handling of the parasite, which can infect livestock, wildlife and, in rare cases, even people. "It came to a good resolution," Rollins said Monday while touring an Ohio egg facility. Maggots from screwworm flies cause trouble by burrowing into the skin of living animals, with an often-fatal result. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had threatened to halt imports from Mexico starting Wednesday if that country did not address the matter. Later in the morning, Rollins and Secretary Kennedy will visit Texas A&M's Norman E. Borlaug Building to receive a briefing on the Grand Nutrition Challenge at the Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture. They also are expected to tour the AgriLife Phenotyping Greenhouse. |
| What's behind the new but recognizable name at U. of Missouri's Newman Center parish | |
 | A well-known Catholic parish church located at the University of Missouri will take a new name while retaining a key, recognizable aspect of its identity. What's been known as the St. Thomas More Newman Center will be called the St. John Henry Newman Catholic Church, after the 18th-century British theologian. Officially, the renaming shifts the moniker from Saint Thomas More, Martyr, to Saint John Henry Newman, Priest, according to a news release. A 2021 petition from Shawn McKnight, filed as bishop of the Diocese of Jefferson City, has been approved by the "Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments at the Vatican," the news release said. "While canon law generally prohibits altering the title of a church after dedication ... the Vatican has acknowledged the unique pastoral and historical circumstances of this case," the release noted. A March visit to the Vatican from the Newman Center's senior pastor, Father Daniel Merz, preceded news of the change. The parish was established in 1963 and has been a haven for MU, Stephens College and Columbia College students in addition to the greater community. |
| University employees voice concerns over Executive Order 51 | |
 | Amid changes to federal immigration polices, frustrations surrounding Executive Order 51 have some faculty, staff and union leaders representing employees at the University of Missouri questioning the safety and legality of the mandates. This comes following the university's recent update to its Collected Rules and Regulations Section 110.110 outlining requirements for full compliance with law enforcement investigations that may involve agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the U.S. Department of Education. The language causing the most criticism falls in Section 1.a.6 which calls for employees not to interfere, even if no Office of General Counsel consultation has occurred with the student. MU spokesperson Christopher Ave said the executive order is meant to clarify existing policy. "CRR 110.110.C.1.a.6 simply directs employees not to attempt to interfere with law enforcement officials. It does not require employees to actively assist law enforcement officials in a situation in which the official refuses to wait for supervisor / OGC consultation to occur," Ave said. |
| Clemson University stands to lose millions in research grants as financial headwinds persist | |
 | As it eyes the budget for the upcoming fiscal year already facing financial headwinds, Clemson University is preparing for slowed revenue growth and the loss of millions in research income because of federal funding cuts. Given the "uncertain funding environment" for federal research dollars, there's a need for the institution to support its research, said Rick Petillo, the university's newly named chief financial officer. Research expenditures for this fiscal year are projected to outpace the university's strategic plan -- Clemson Elevate -- at an annualized rate by about $80 million, Petillo told the Board of Trustees recently. If the White House's proposed 15-percent cap goes through for "indirect costs" of research, Clemson stands to lose $1.6 million this year and more than $50 million over the life of its current research projects. Research numbers can fluctuate quickly as some projects, like the U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded Climate Smart, were cut entirely as of April 13, according to Tanju Karanfil, Senior Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors. That's a total loss of $52.5 million, but over the life of the grant. Revenue growth is still projected at approximately 6 percent, above the sector-wide average, but with "anticipated headwinds." |
| Gen Z says AI has made their college degrees irrelevant | |
| Younger job seekers are more concerned than their older counterparts about AI's effect on their skill sets and education, according to an Indeed report published Monday. The job site commissioned a Harris Poll survey of 772 U.S. adult workers and job seekers with an associate's degree or higher for the report. Businesses show no signs of slowing AI adoption, and already almost half of Gen Z job seekers say the technology's adoption has made their college education irrelevant, compared with about one-third of Millennials. About 1 in 5 Gen Z and baby boomer survey takers say the same of their college education. The ongoing push to deemphasize college degree requirements in job postings has led half of Gen Z job seekers to view their degrees as a waste of time and money, according to the report. The deluge of AI adoption in the workplace has influenced in-demand roles, salary trends and even the C-suite's purview. The effect is far from over, with younger generations grappling with the potential for additional disruptions ahead. One way CIOs have responded to the wave of change is by creating upskilling programs. Technology vendors, eager to remove the obstacles toward enterprise adoption, have also deployed training programs open to the general public. |
| Will US science survive Trump 2.0? | |
| In just the first three months of his second term, US President Donald Trump has destabilized eight decades of government support for science. His administration has fired thousands of government scientists, bringing large swathes of the country's research to a standstill and halting many clinical trials. It has threatened to slash billions in funding from US research universities and has terminated more than 1,000 grants in areas such as climate change, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and HIV prevention. This looks likely to be just the beginning. Congress approved a budget bill on 10 April that could lay the groundwork for massive spending cuts over the coming decade. The dismantling of scientific institutions and of much of the research ecosystem has led increasing numbers of people inside and outside research to wonder how science will survive Trump. In March, some 1,900 members of the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which represent the country's leading scientists, published an open letter, declaring: "We are sending this SOS to sound a clear warning: the nation's scientific enterprise is being decimated." The United States became the pre-eminent science superpower in the wake of the Second World War through sustained federal investments in research and development. This led to innovations and technology that are integral to modern life, such as the Internet, Google's search engine, GPS and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In 2024, the federal government spent about US$200 billion on research and development, with roughly half of that going to defence-related work. |
| Ex-NIH Director Says Trump Silenced Him, Others | |
 | A former director of the National Institutes of Health -- who resigned in February -- told CBS's 60 Minutes that working at the agency became "untenable" after President Donald Trump started his second term Jan. 20. Like "every other scientist, I was not allowed to speak in any kind of scientific meeting or public setting," Francis Collins, a geneticist who had worked for the biomedical research agency since the 1990s, said during an episode that aired Sunday. He believed staying at the agency wouldn't have helped. "I would have been pretty much in the circumstance of not being able to speak about it." Over the past few months, the Trump administration has announced sweeping budget cuts and ideologically driven policy changes at numerous agencies across the federal government, including at the $47 billion NIH. The NIH is the largest funder of biomedical research in the world, sending about 80 percent of its budget to universities, medical colleges and other institutes in the form of extramural grants that support research on fatal diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes. But scientists and medical research advocates say the work of the NIH -- and the millions of patients it supports -- is in jeopardy. |
| International students are rethinking U.S. study plans amid visa policy shifts, experts say | |
| The Department of Homeland Security restored the legal status of thousands of international students who had their visas revoked, according to reports Friday. College experts largely applauded the move, which was prompted by court challenges and lawsuits filed by affected students and their lawyers, as a win for students and higher education overall, but the gains could be short lived. The Trump Administration's sudden change in policy, however, is causing some international college applicants to rethink their plans for next year and whether they want to study in the U.S. at all, college experts now say. "Overall, this is a very positive development," according to Robert Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. It provides needed clarity for international students who have until Thursday, May 1, which is National College Decision Day -- the deadline most schools set to choose which institution they will attend in the fall, he said. For colleges and universities, "international enrollment is an incredible value in the classroom," Franek said. To that end, college administrators remain highly focused on "having students with different experiences and a number of different voices represented," he said. But international student enrollment is also an important source of revenue for U.S. colleges and universities, which is why schools need a contingent of foreign students, who typically pay full tuition, Franek added. This financial reliance makes them a critical component of the higher education system, experts say. |
| Inside the little-used foreign policy provision cited for student deportations | |
 | The Trump administration's efforts to deport some pro-Palestinian student protesters rest on a power granted to the secretary of state to determine whether an individual is a threat to U.S. foreign policy interests -- a provision that has been used just 15 times since its addition more than three decades ago, according to an analysis conducted by legal and political experts. Section 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(4)(C)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act -- invoked in the cases of Columbia University students Mahmoud Khalil, Yunseo Chung and Mohsen Mahdawi, and Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk -- stipulates that a person is deportable if the secretary of state has "reasonable grounds" to believe their presence or activities in the United States "would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences" for the country. But the provision has been used sparingly since its addition in 1990 as part of an overhaul of immigration law. Publicly available data reveals just 15 known cases in which it was used before March 2025, according to an analysis of 11.7 million immigration cases that was submitted as an amicus brief in legal proceedings in support of Khalil, Chung and Mahdawi. "My takeaway is that the administration is looking for ways to deport people whose views they don't agree with. And this was a creative idea that they came up with," Graeme Blair, associate professor of political science at UCLA, said. |
| House Bill Calls for Risk-Sharing, Sweeping Changes to Student Loan Program | |
| House Republicans are planning to upend how students and families pay for college in order to cut $330 billion in federal spending, according to draft legislation released Monday. Lawmakers and supporters of the sweeping plan, which includes cutting off subsidized loans to undergraduates next year, capping loans for existing borrowers and ending the graduate student loan program, say the changes are necessary to address the student debt crisis and hold colleges accountable. But student advocates fear it will make college inaccessible. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce will mark up the legislation Tuesday. Among other changes, the bill would put colleges partially on the hook for unpaid student loans, consolidate income-driven repayment plans, repeal Biden-era regulations and make changes to which students and programs are eligible for the Pell Grant. Many of the provisions are pulled from the College Cost Reduction Act, a sweeping plan to reform higher education that House Republicans introduced last year but that didn't move forward. Multiple student advocacy groups, including the Institute for College Access and Success, have consistently criticized those proposals. |
| Under Trump, Punishing Before Investigating Becomes the Norm | |
 | On March 3, the Trump administration notified Columbia University that it had launched a "comprehensive review" of more than $5 billion of the university's federal grants and contracts in light of "ongoing investigations" into its alleged failure to police antisemitism. On March 7, the hammer fell. The administration canceled about $400 million in research funding to the Ivy League university. In four days, the administration had accelerated a highly codified process designed to take weeks or months. Over the next month and a half, it would turn to the same playbook to wrest billions of dollars from universities it accused of antisemitism and other forms of discrimination, ignoring legal and procedural safeguards that had been set up to ensure due process. President Trump's willingness to break norms and bend the rule of law has sparked confusion and alarm on college campuses. Many are trying to avert similar sanctions by rapidly dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and rushing through disciplinary cases against pro-Palestinian protesters. The escalating threats and funding freezes have upended a decades-long agreement between the federal government and campus administrators over how to handle often messy and complicated complaints of discrimination. Former attorneys with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) say the agency is wielding investigations and funding freezes to compel colleges to comply with Trump's priorities. But what colleges need, they say, is a guide, not a cudgel. |
| There's Only 1 Historical Precedent for the IRS vs. Harvard Battle. It Carries a Warning for Trump. | |
| After Harvard University stood up to reportedly unauthorized demands from the Trump administration that it cede control to the government over everything from hiring to admissions to curriculum design -- including engineering "viewpoint diversity" among students and faculty -- the president targeted its pocketbook. Much like it had done with other universities, the White House froze over $2 billion in federal funding, most of which supports medical and scientific research. That's on top of a potential funding freeze of $8 billion unless Harvard agrees to eliminate "DEI" from its curriculum and ban the use of masks. In response to the funding cuts, Harvard has filed a lawsuit. But President Donald Trump took it a step further, calling the university's tax-exempt status into question. It may seem like an unprecedented situation -- and in a lot of ways, it is. Never before has an administration used the power of federal funding to attempt a wholesale takeover of a university. But there is some historical precedent for stripping a school of its tax-exempt status -- a measure that would have crippling effects, making the university's endowment income taxable and disallowing donors from claiming charitable exemptions on their gifts. |
| Trump's Campus Crackdown Reaches Far Beyond Ivy League Schools | |
| President Trump's high-profile fights with universities have so far centered on the Ivy League. But the wider conservative effort to reshape America's campuses, largely under the banner of fighting antisemitism, extends to colleges from coast to coast and ones that aren't household names. At least 60 universities across the country, some of them state schools like Eastern Washington University and Ohio State, are under investigation by the Education Department for alleged antisemitism. The task force that's taken on Harvard and Columbia has publicly named eight other targets. And additional schools are being singled out by Republicans aligned with White House priorities. "This is very much a widespread issue," said Audra McGeorge, a spokeswoman for a House committee holding a May hearing over campus antisemitism concerns, featuring the presidents of Haverford College, DePaul University and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. McGeorge said they sought schools not already on the radar by the federal administration, with a mix of size and geographies. Trump's attacks on elite schools like Harvard and Columbia -- using cuts to federal funding as a lever -- are part of a larger campaign. The pressure is building from across the administration. |
| More and More Faculty Groups Want Their Colleges to Stand Together Against Trump | |
| Faculty senates across the nation are endorsing the idea of standing collectively against the actions of the Trump administration. Ten of the Big Ten's 18 member institutions have adopted resolutions in recent weeks calling for an alliance among that group's members, and on Saturday the State University of New York's University Faculty Senate also endorsed a mutual-defense compact. In total, at least a dozen resolutions have been approved in the past month, with the latest among Big Ten institutions occurring at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Michigan State University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, the University of Washington, Ohio State University, the University of Maryland, and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. They join Rutgers University, whose University Senate was the first to endorse the mutual-defense pact in late March, and was followed by the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and Indiana University at Bloomington. Many of the resolutions use similar language, noting that the Trump administration poses a "significant threat to the foundational principles of American higher education," including shared governance, research integrity, and free speech. |
| The Resistance Is Here | |
| Amid federal funding cuts and freezes, broad anti-DEI directives and sweeping antisemitism investigations, colleges and universities have put up little resistance to President Trump's multipronged onslaught on higher ed -- until now. What started as a trickle of campus leaders speaking out against the Trump administration has gathered force after the Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism hit Harvard University with a detailed list of demands that called for major changes to its admissions process, audits of academic programs and a review of the ideological composition of its faculty and students. Harvard promptly refused to comply and sued the administration, which claimed the demand letter was sent in error but nonetheless stood by it. Since then, a group of more than 500 higher ed leaders signed a statement, released by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, opposing "undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses." Presidents of highly selective universities, threatened by some of the most severe federal funding cuts, have reportedly developed a network to agree on shared boundaries and talk strategy. And faculty members at the Big Ten universities are ramping up pressure on their institutions to collaborate and defend one another against threats from the administration. |
| Feeling Political Heat, Colleges Pump Up Their Lobbying | |
 | Top colleges in the cross hairs of President Trump have sharply increased their spending on lobbying, according to an analysis by The New York Times. Ten universities that have been singled out by the administration for scrutiny spent a combined $2.8 million lobbying the federal government in the first three months of 2025, which is more than those institutions spent in any quarter at least since 2008, according to the analysis. A federal task force that says it is devoted to rooting out antisemitism on campuses targeted those schools in February for investigation. Colleges that have been accused by the Trump administration of being bastions of leftism are seeking the help of firms that are in tune with conservative sensibilities. Much of the new spending on lobbying is flowing to firms with Republican bona fides. The amount the schools spent on contracted lobbying firms increased nearly 150 percent from the first quarter of 2024 to this year. The analysis found that these schools were far more reliant on lobbyists with Republican ties than a year before. The lobbying efforts are one of several ways universities have braced for attacks by the federal government. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State Announces Change In Baseball Leadership | |
| Mississippi State Director of Athletics Zac Selmon announced Monday that Chris Lemonis has been relieved of his duties as head baseball coach effective immediately. Lemonis was in his seventh season as the Bulldogs' head coach. A national search to identify the program's next head coach is underway. Assistant coach Justin Parker will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. "A change in leadership is what's best for the future of Mississippi State Baseball," Selmon said. "We have not consistently met the standard of success that our university, fans and student-athletes expect and deserve. I want to thank Coach Lemonis for his work and the time he gave to our program, including a national championship in 2021. We appreciate his efforts and wish him and his family all the best moving forward. In a team meeting moments ago, I expressed to our student-athletes the confidence we have in their abilities and the potential they have for the remainder of the season. I encouraged them to compete with pride, resilience, and intensity. With the hard work, preparation, and talent already within this group, we are committed to putting them in the best position to finish the season competing at the highest level." |
| Diamond Dawgs Host Memphis In Midweek | |
| For the second time this season, Mississippi State will meet Memphis in midweek action on the diamond. Tuesday's contest is slated for a 6 p.m. start at Dudy Noble Field and will be streamed on SEC Network+. The Bulldogs got the better end of a 5-3 matchup earlier this month in Memphis on April 1. Noah Sullivan and Hunter Hines both homered in that game with Ryan McPherson picking up the win on the mound following four scoreless innings of relief with eight strikeouts and only surrendered one hit. Stone Simmons came on to close out the game and recorded his first save in 1,431 days. MSU has won its last five meetings against the Tigers and lead 59-27 in the all-time series that dates back to 1950. Just as he did in the previous game against Memphis, Sullivan will get the start on the mound. The junior right-hander has made six midweek starts and sports a 2.35 earned run average, 10 strikeouts and three walks across 15 1/3 innings but has not factored into a decision. State enters Tuesday's game at 25-19 overall and coming off a series loss at now 10th-ranked Auburn. The Diamond Dawgs have won eight of their last nine midweek matchups. |
| What we learned from Mississippi State softball's series win at Kentucky | |
| The last image of Raelin Chaffin in the pitcher's circle was not a pretty sight, with Mississippi State's ace grabbing her throwing shoulder after making a play to first base on Apr. 20 at Oklahoma. Chaffin was removed from the game and did not pitch in the series finale as the Bulldogs were swept. But based on her performances this past weekend at Kentucky, it was impossible to tell that she had been injured at all. With the weather forcing No. 17 MSU to play its fifth doubleheader in seven weekends in Southeastern Conference play, including four of them on the road, Chaffin tossed complete games on back-to-back days, firing a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and no walks on Sunday to lead the Bulldogs to a series win over the Wildcats. "This week looked really different for me," Chaffin said. "Just getting a lot of treatment, whatever I had to do. The whole goal out here was to compete for my team, and I'm really glad I got to do that." MSU (35-15, 11-10 SEC) missed out on the sweep by losing Saturday's second game but is still in contention to host an NCAA regional heading into the final series of the regular season against rival Ole Miss. |
| Men's Tennis Set to Host NCAA Tournament for Third-Straight Season | |
| For the seventh time in program history, the first and second rounds of the NCAA Men's Tennis Championships will run through Starkville. No. 12 Mississippi State will be top seed in the Starkville Regional and takes on fourth-seeded New Orleans on Friday at 1 p.m. It marks the third-straight year that the Bulldogs have hosted the opening rounds of the NCAA Championships. No. 2 seed Michigan State opens the Starkville Regional against third-seeded North Alabama on Friday at 10 a.m. The winners of Friday's matches will square off on Saturday at 1 p.m. for a shot to advance onward to the Sweet 16. MSU is making its 14th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championships and 33rd overall. The Bulldogs have at least reached the Round of 16 in five of their last six NCAA bids, including last season. Mississippi State is 22-5 on the year and finished second in the Southeastern Conference standings with a 11-3 record. MSU is 3-0 all-time against New Orleans and outscored the Privateers 18-2 in those matches. The Bulldogs also sport a 5-0 mark against Michigan State with the last meeting coming 13 years ago in 2012. Mississippi State has never played against North Alabama in its storied history, so it will be our first time ever playing the Lions if both teams advance to the second round. |
| Three Mississippi State players sign with NFL teams as undrafted free agents | |
| For the first time since 2009, no Mississippi State players were selected in the NFL Draft --- although former Bulldogs running back Jo'Quavious "Woody" Marks was picked in the fourth round by the Houston Texans after spending his final year at USC. But that doesn't mean nobody from the 2024 MSU roster will get a shot to play at the next level. Wide receiver Kelly Akharaiyi and linebacker Stone Blanton signed with pro teams as undrafted free agents, and center Ethan Miner received a rookie minicamp invite from the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers also signed Jimmy Bell Jr. as an undrafted free agent to play offensive tackle. Bell never played football for the Bulldogs, or at all in college, with his last game experience on the gridiron coming as a high school sophomore in Saginaw, Michigan. Since then, Bell has been a basketball player, playing on the hardwood for Saint Louis, Moberly Area Community College, West Virginia and MSU. |
| It's Bear Week in Mississippi. Here's why and where to celebrate it | |
| Mississippi has a growing population of black bears with sightings and encounters becoming more common each year. To celebrate the return of black bears and help people learn to live alongside them, prevent conflicts and have fun along the way, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks is having Bear Week this week. "It's a way to explain some things our program does and bring some educational content about black bears in Mississippi," said Anthony Ballard, Black Bear Program coordinator for MDWFP. "Black bears are making a comeback in Mississippi and it's important to bring awareness to that and explain how to live with black bears and avoid conflict." By the 1930s, habitat loss and unregulated hunting had reduced the population to an estimated 12 individuals and bear hunting was banned in the state in 1932. The population slowly gained numbers through the years and not long ago the population was estimated to be between 150 and 300 bears, but that number is now outdated. "We know it's more than that," Ballard said. How many there are isn't known, yet. Ballard, along with researchers at Mississippi State University, has been working to develop a scientific estimate of the population and expect to have results soon. "We're hoping to have an estimate for at least part of the state by fall," Ballard said. |
| Alberto Osuna files new motion in pursuit of NCAA eligibility with Tennessee baseball | |
| Alberto Osuna is trying again to gain eligibility with Tennessee baseball. Osuna filed a motion in federal court asking it to reverse the decision in his case following a ruling in the District Court of New Jersey that awarded Rutgers football player Jett Elad a preliminary injunction that granted him eligibility for the 2025 season. The rule in Elad's case mirrored the decision in the case of Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, which is the basis of Osuna's case. "Osuna has presented substantially the same evidence as Elad and Pavia (a case which the NCAA concedes is no different than Osuna's), and there is no compelling justification for the difference in treatment," the filing declared April 28. "There is no fairness or justice in allowing Pavia and Elad to play, while requiring Osuna to remain sidelined." His motion for a temporary restraining order was denied on Feb. 13, which led to a Feb. 26 hearing in the case that started with filing a complaint against the NCAA on Feb. 12. His motion for a preliminary injunction was denied on March 3. Monday's motion is the first attempt to gain eligibility in court since the March 3 ruling. |
| College sports leaders adamant House settlement's roster limit issues will be resolved | |
| An ultimatum from a federal judge has lawyers for the NCAA and major college conferences hustling to preserve the landmark House v. NCAA settlement. Judge Claudia Wilken issued an order last week stating that if the settlement parties cannot revise terms in a way that will prevent college athletes from losing roster spots due to the implementation of new roster limits, the $2.8 billion agreement, which resolves a trio of antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA and power conferences, will be denied approval. Wilken gave the settlement parties two weeks to respond. "This settlement is not going to blow up over this," an athletic director at a Power 4 school told The Athletic. Several athletic directors and administrators were granted anonymity to speak freely about this latest bump in the road for the settlement, and all agreed that adjustments to the roster limits should not be a deal breaker. But they also expressed a level of frustration that it took a scolding from Wilken for changes to be made. The judge had been raising a red flag over roster limits since the preliminary approval hearing in September. After hearing from objectors to the settlement on April 7 -- including two athletes who were facing cuts -- Wilken advised defendants from the bench to address the concerns. She suggested either phasing or "grandfathering" any athletes with existing roster spots. |
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