| Friday, June 27, 2025 |
| MSU Summer Scholars prepares for 44th annual stage performance | |
 | The Mississippi State Summer Scholars on-stage program is set to hit the stage this weekend for its 44th annual performance. This year's show is called "Are You Still Watching?". This immersive, artistic camp is a writing, production, and technical camp for students in grades 7-12. The program incorporates dance, singing, acting, and technical elements. The show features 10 original songs created by the campers. "It's definitely cooler that it's our own because it's always really cool to finish a show that you previously worked on, even if it's written by somebody else. It is still a fun experience, and you always have an actor. Feel sad when it's over, but this is very important, so it's even more magical because you get to create it, and nobody else will ever play the part that you play again," said Josiah Palmer, a Summer Scholar musician. The original musical comedy will premiere on June 27 at 7 pm, and again on June 28 at 1 pm. |
| Extension releases latest book on municipal government | |
 | New and experienced municipal officials have an updated reference resource available through the Mississippi State University Extension Service. The MSU Extension Center for Government and Community Development, or GCD, published the "Municipal Government in Mississippi, Eighth Edition" in June. The book aims to enhance local governance, deepen statutory understanding and promote efficient, transparent delivery of government services across Mississippi's approximately 300 municipalities, said Jason Camp, an Extension instructor with the center who specializes in municipal government. "This edition is designed to incorporate the most recent changes in the law and introduce the reader to the powers, duties and responsibilities of Mississippi municipalities," said Camp. "While no book can provide everything there is to know about municipal government, this book provides the building blocks for elected and appointed municipal officials and other interested individuals to form a substantial knowledge base across a range of subjects." First published in 1997, the book is regarded as the definitive work on Mississippi municipal government. |
| Africanized honey bees not established in Mississippi | |
 | A Mississippi State University expert says he has no evidence that Africanized honey bees are established in Mississippi, contrary to reports from Mississippi media outlets on June 26. Jeff Harris, bee specialist with the MSU Extension Service, immediately responded to a printed news article and subsequent media reports and social media posts that incorrectly announced the bees, commonly called killer bees, were found in the state. "I have been a beekeeping specialist at MSU since 2012. There has only been one confirmed identification of Africanized honey bees in our state during the last 13 years. It was a colony found in Pass Christian, and it likely arrived via shipping at a port near the home where it was found. The bees were destroyed by the Bureau of Plant Industry," Harris said. "They [the Bureau of Plant Industry] also set up surveillance traps for swarms of honey bees in that area and monitored them for at least a year. They caught many swarms, but none were Africanized. Then, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce considered the initial colony was most likely an isolated event and not part of a migrating front of AHBs moving into our state." Harris added that no further reports of Africanized honey bees, or AHBs, in Mississippi have been received since 2012. |
| First-of-its-kind living shoreline project underway in Hancock County | |
 | A new kind of coastal restoration effort is taking shape in Hancock County, and it's the first of its kind in Mississippi. At the Logtown Boat Launch, crews are installing what's known as a "living shoreline" -- a more natural alternative to traditional erosion control. The project uses large, carbon-fiber concrete blocks called exoforms, each weighing over 500 pounds. "We're stopping the erosion with a living shoreline rather than driving sheet pile to stop it," said Robert Smith, Coastal Program Coordinator for Wildlife Mississippi. "We're putting in cutting-edge, carbon fiber, dry pour, concrete form wave brushes to slow wave energy and then backfilling and establishing native vegetation." The goal is to protect nearly 500 acres along the Pearl River, which has been steadily eroding from barge traffic, high water during floods, and military training exercises. In addition to erosion control, the project aims to improve boat access, expand fishing opportunities, and serve as a site for educational outreach and habitat restoration. Wildlife Mississippi is leading the project, with support from Mississippi State University, the Outdoor Stewardship Fund, and a range of other conservation partners. It marks the first time living shoreline technology of this scale has been used in the Gulf South. |
| Grilling with lump charcoal: Is US-grown hardwood really in that bag? | |
| Mississippi State University's Adriana Costa writes for The Conversation: People dedicated to the art of grilling often choose lump charcoal -- actual pieces of wood that have been turned into charcoal -- over briquettes, which are compressed charcoal dust with other ingredients to keep the dust together and help it burn better. The kinds of wood used to make lump charcoal affect how it burns and how the food tastes when grilled. Dedicated grillers are often willing to pay a premium for higher heat, no additives, particular flavors and the cleaner burn they get from particular wood species in lump charcoal. Buyers probably expect the label to accurately report how much charcoal they are getting, what kind of wood it is, and where the wood was grown. A spot-check I helped conduct on lump charcoal for sale in the U.S. has revealed that the information on the label does not always match what is inside the bag. Customers might not know what they are actually buying, potentially affecting their purchasing choices and even their grilling experience. |
| What is the impact of the blueberry industry in Mississippi? | |
 | Even though the blueberry became Mississippi's official fruit two years ago, its impact on the state precedes 2023. That year, a group of fourth graders from Madison County lobbied the state legislature to make the blueberry the state's official fruit. Though grapes, muscadines, blackberries and strawberries are common fruit crops statewide, they are not grown at nearly the same scale. The state's blueberry crop spans roughly 1,000 acres and its production value is nearly $13 million. Blueberries are the major fruit crop in Mississippi; they are native to the South and grow well in South Mississippi. According to the Mississippi State University (MSU) Extension Service, Rabbiteye and Southern Highbush are the blueberry varieties that grow best in Mississippi. According to Eric Stafne, fruit and nut specialist with the MSU Extension Service, blueberry acreage is significantly lower than a decade ago. The state had roughly 2,000 to 2,500 acres in the mid-to-late 2010s. Stafne cited older producers aging out, declining market prices and farm diversification for the decline. |
| MSU ends free laundry pilot program, returns to per-load charges | |
| Mississippi State University will end its free laundry pilot program for residence halls that was in effect during the 2024-2025 academic year, returning to a pay-per-load model beginning in the fall 2025 semester. Dei Allard, the executive director of Housing and Residence Life, confirmed that the laundry will cost $1.50 per load for both washers and dryers starting in August. The pilot program, which began in August 2024, allowed students to do laundry at no cost, but Allard said the rising utility expenses made the program unsustainable. "The expenses were far exceeding what was projected," Allard said. "We knew it was going to rise a little bit, but getting to the point of twice as much for electricity and water usage was too high to sustain." Allard said the university consulted peer SEC institutions and worked with its laundry provider, Caldwell & Gregory, to estimate the costs of the free laundry program before implementation. However, beginning this year, students will be able to use their available Dawg Dollars, MSU's prepaid debit account, for their laundry expenses. With the $300 students are required to have in their account at the beginning of each semester, they can also use it for select vending machines, athletic concession stands, P.O.D. markets, and other dining locations. |
| Severe storms expected in Mississippi Friday | |
 | Mississippi has seen daily isolated thunderstorms with gusty winds, heavy rain and lightning. According to the National Weather Service in Jackson, that pattern will continue for the foreseeable future with the possibility of severe storms Friday in portions of eastern and southern Mississippi. "It's really what we've been looking at for the last several days," said Alan Campbell, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jackson. "With the heat and humidity, essentially in the heat of the day, we have an unsettled air mass." The greater chance of severe storms is south of a line from Amite County northeast to eastern Noxubee County on Friday afternoon and evening. That area is under a Level 1 Risk, or Marginal Risk, of isolated severe storms. "It's looking like that part has a chance of severe weather," Campbell said. "The main threat is damaging wind gusts with those storms." And if you're planning to cut grass this weekend, doing it early in the day is your best bet to avoid rain as well as heat. "For the rest of the weekend, it's looking like the same thing," Campbell said. "Kind of getting into that typical summer pattern of hot and humid and afternoon showers and thunderstorms." |
| Howard Industries to expand Mississippi footprint with $237M investment | |
| Laurel-based electrical distribution transformer and technology products manufacturer Howard Industries is expanding operations across Mississippi. Gov. Tate Reeves announced Thursday that the homegrown company will build upon its footprint in Clarke, Jones, and Simpson counties. The project marks a $236.95 million investment and will create a total of 450 jobs. "Howard Industries' $236 million investment is yet another powerful example of the economic momentum building across Mississippi," Reeves said. "With hundreds of new high-quality jobs across Clarke, Jones, and Simpson counties, this project highlights the record-breaking private sector growth we're seeing throughout our state. Mississippi is proving once again that we're open for business -- and we're just getting started." Howard Industries' three-county expansion will enable the company to meet the U.S. Department of Energy's new requirements for electrical transformers while addressing the growing demand for power from sectors such as data centers, electric vehicles, transportation, and industry. Howard Industries is a privately held, family-owned Mississippi business established in 1968. |
| Howard Industries announces $237 million expansion in Clarke, Jones and Simpson counties | |
| It's another home run for Mississippi business. On Thursday, Howard Industries, a home-grown, family-owned Mississippi company with 5,000 employees throughout the Magnolia State, and $2 billion in revenues, announced an expansion investment of nearly $237 million in three rural Mississippi counties – Clarke, Jones, and Simpson. The electrical transformer, technology products manufacturing division of the privately held business will create 450 jobs within five years. "We're deeply committed to the growth and success of Mississippi," said Michael Howard, CEO of Howard Industries, established in 1968. "We're proud to continue our long-standing partnership with Mississippi, which has been the cornerstone of our company's success." "The expansion will add 50 percent more manufacturing (space) and they're already positioned as the No. 1 transformer manufacturer in America," said MDA executive director Bill Cork, noting that company founder Billy Howard, Sr., 98, still goes to the office daily and showed up, smiling broadly, to the press conference announcing the significant investment. In 1968, Howard left a successful career at General Electric to return home to establish Howard Industries with his wife, Linda, which now consists of four separate divisions -- Howard Technology, Howard Medical, Howard Lighting, Howard Power Solutions, plus Howard Transportation. |
| Reeves signs bill allowing military, local government cooperation | |
| Military leaders and local officials celebrated Thursday as Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill allowing local governments and military installations to work together. Senate Bill 2434, passed by The Mississippi Legislature earlier this year, authorizes counties and municipalities to enter into intergovernmental support agreements with military partners in their communities. At a ceremonial bill signing at the Mississippi Air National Guard 186th Air Refueling Wing at Key Field, Reeves said the bill will benefit the military installations, local governments and those under the purview of both. "IGSAs strengthen the bonds between installations and communities. For installations, they provide efficiency and operational effectiveness. For communities, they provide economic benefits," he said. "For instance, if an installation needs help with roadway maintenance and the county has the ability to provide that assistance, the two can enter into an IGSA for the service." Cooperative agreements and projects between local governments and military installations are not a new idea, but such efforts have traditionally been difficult to get established simply because of the amount of bureaucracy involved at both the local and federal levels, Reeves said. SB2434 makes significant steps in cutting through red tape and reducing the time it takes to get such efforts underway, Reeves said. |
| Mall at Barnes Crossing sells for $53.2M, new management company in place | |
 | The Mall at Barnes Crossing has been sold for more than $53.2 million to Miami-based Rialto Capital Advisors, who was the lender for former majority owner Brookfield Properties. Rialto offered what is called a credit bid. In a foreclosure, a lender can bid the amount of the outstanding mortgage debt, plus foreclosure costs, on the property. In this case the lender was Rialto. And since the lender's credit bid -- in this case Rialto's -- was the highest, it got the property, and the debt is partially or completely satisfied. When reached by the Daily Journal, Rialto declined to comment on what its plans are. However, some hint of what's ahead for the mall was revealed after the Daily Journal contacted mall General Manager Jeff Snyder. His new title is senior general manager with JLL, and he expects further announcements in the future. He also said the current mall staff will remain and it's business as usual. Chicago-based JLL, or Jones Lang Lasalle, is the new management company of the mall and Market Center. JLL is a Fortune 500 company with an annual revenue of more than $23 billion and is a leading global commercial real estate and investment management company. |
| SouthWay Foundation hosting free small-town preservation event in July | |
| The SouthWay Foundation is looking to move small town community development forward in the Deep South. In July, the foundation will welcome local and regional leaders to Eupora for a free event centered around discussing preservation possibilities, cultural heritage, and historic trades in small towns. The Small-Town Preservation Symposium, hosted in partnership with the Mississippi Humanities Council, is set for Saturday, July 12, at the Eupora Civic Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The symposium will include two featured discussion panels: "How to Do Preservation": Belinda Stewart, architect and founder of SouthWay, Dr. Kwesi Daniels, head of Tuskegee University's Department of Architecture, and Donald Bennett, president of Marion, Al.'s Main Street Association. "Preservation Trades": John Hankins, president of New Orleans Master Crafts Guild, Nick Conner, master woodworker, and Tommy King, Historic Preservation Graduate from Mississippi State University. |
| American Consumers Felt Better in June Than They Did in May | |
 | American households felt more optimistic about the economy in June, though confidence remains lower than it was at the start of the year. The University of Michigan said Friday its index of consumer sentiment for June was 60.7, above a May reading of 52.2. Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal had forecast a June reading of 60.5. The University of Michigan's survey period covered May 27 to June 23, a politically tumultuous period that included protests against Trump's immigration crackdown in Los Angeles and the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers, one fatal. Economists say the initial shock of Trump's aggressive tariffs announcements has worn off for consumers, particularly given the on-again, off-again nature of the White House's trade war. Earlier this year, the index fell for four months before stabilizing in May. Consumer sentiment remains 18% lower than it was in December 2024. Data released Friday from the Commerce Department showed that consumer spending declined by 0.1% in May, weaker than economists' expectations. Personal income also declined. While inflation has been muted this year, economists expect tariff-driven price increases to be felt later this summer. In the meantime, policymakers are carefully scrutinizing data such as the Michigan consumer reading, in part because consumer expectations can be self-fulfilling. |
| Ag Dept. launches 'Make Mississippi Healthy Again' initiative | |
| The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce on Thursday kicked off an initiative to make Mississippians aware of healthy eating options and the importance of the state's farming sector. During a stop at the Mississippi Farmer's Market in Jackson, Ag Commissioner Andy Gipson (R) said the initiative mirrors the Make America Healthy Again Executive Order signed by President Donald Trump (R) in February. Gipson told a crowd of shoppers and vendors that Mississippi, the second unhealthiest state in the U.S. behind West Virginia, has seen the ills of bad eating habits. It is estimated that 40 percent of Mississippians are obese. The state has a significant population with diabetes, high blood pressure, a variety of health issues and other illnesses associated with unhealthy diets. To kick off the Make Mississippi Healthy Again campaign, Gipson is visiting several of the state's 72 farmers' markets and dozens of more farms, highlighting the Magnolia State's leading industry. Farmers' markets, the Commissioner said, are win-wins for the state. Farmers can sell their products, and families are able to purchase "fresh, safe, and affordable foods." Additionally, he added, the food is locally sourced. The campaign is collaborating with the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the state's Medical Association, local hospitals and clinics, and diabetes experts to help Mississippians understand the importance of healthy eating habits. |
| Speaker White tasks members with exploring topics likely on House's 2026 legislative agenda | |
| This week, the Speaker of the Mississippi House announced Select Committees to explore four policy issues the chamber is likely to consider in the 2026 legislative session: education freedom, the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), voters' rights, and capital and metro revitalization. Speaker Jason White (R) said the Mississippi House has a strong track record of recognizing both challenges and opportunities. "We diligently study these issues, engage key stakeholders in meaningful dialogue, and cultivate widespread support to pass legislation that truly benefits Mississippians," White said in a statement announcing the Select Committees. He named members to three new Select Committees to tackle the topics of education freedom, PERS and voters' rights. The Select Committee on Capital and Metro Revitalization, which was formed last year, will return this off season to continue its work ahead of January. State Rep. Rob Roberson (R) will serve as Chair of the Education Freedom Committee, with State Rep. Jansen Owen (R) acting as Co-Chair. |
| Defendant in auditor's 'second largest' embezzlement case in history goes free | |
| Four years ago, agents from the state auditor's office arrested Tunica nonprofit operator Mardis Jones in what the office trumpeted as the second-largest embezzlement case in its history and demanded Jones return over $1 million to the state. The charges accused Jones of stealing $750,000 from a home rehabilitation program he was supposed to be administering while turning away needy rural residents living in crumbling houses. But his defense attorney attacked holes in the case, and last month, a local jury found Jones not guilty of the criminal charges. Now, the state has made no indication it will bring a civil case to try to claw back the money from him. At the core of the criminal case were "strange money transfers" and a finding that several of the people whose applications for home rehab were approved allegedly never received any repairs to their homes. Jones' lawyer Carlos Tanner explained to Mississippi Today that the program operated with an extreme backlog, and that "some of the people they were claiming didn't get their houses done actually did" by the time the trial was held this year. Tanner said the investigators gathered paltry evidence, only looking at details that fit their narrative. |
| Rush, DuPree vying for Senate District 45 in November special election | |
 | Two names will be on the Nov. 4 ballot for the new Senate District 45 representing parts of Forrest and Lamar counties. Republican Anna Rush is an attorney and prosecutor with years of experience in business and family law. "Sometimes, it can feel like fighting for your client," Rush said. "So, Hattiesburg will be my big client that I'm going up to Jackson to represent and advocate for." Democrat Johnny DuPree is back in the political ring after an eight-year break. DuPree was elected mayor of Hattiesburg in 2001 and went on to serve four consecutive terms. "I want to do that in the state," DuPree said. "I want to come back every quarter, half year or whatever, and hear from the people on what is it that we need to do." If elected, Rush said she wants to focus on economic development, healthcare and education. For DuPree, the mission is fairly similar. "They want access to education, healthcare, increased minimum wage, earned income tax credit," DuPree said. |
| GOP handed more megabill setbacks as numerous tax provisions get sidelined | |
 | Democrats say the Senate's rules keeper has nixed several tax provisions from Republicans' domestic policy megabill, including a special carveout for religious schools from a proposed hike in a college endowment tax. A separate break for private and religious schools was also dropped, as were regulations pertaining to guns. Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough is also said to be objecting to a section in the sprawling tax, energy, immigration and defense bill aimed at reducing improper payments of the Earned Income Tax Credit, a wage supplement for the working poor. She also struck plans to up penalties for leaking private taxpayer information -- a provision inspired by the leak of President Donald Trump's and other wealthy people's tax information to the news media. The deleted items are relatively small, especially compared to the health provisions MacDonough has struck in recent days that have forced Republicans to scramble to shore up the package. But the provisions nevertheless helped win support for the overall plan from individual lawmakers. The announcement comes as part of a so-called Byrd Bath, a process by which MacDonough goes through lawmakers' legislation, provision by provision, to ensure it abides by the Senate's strict rules about what may be included in the so-called reconciliation bill. |
| Supreme Court limits nationwide orders that have blocked Trump's birthright citizenship ban | |
 | The Supreme Court on Friday backed President Donald Trump's request to scale back nationwide orders that have for months blocked the administration's ban on automatic citizenship for the U.S.-born babies of undocumented immigrants and foreign visitors, a signature piece of Trump's efforts to restrict immigration. The court's three liberal justices dissented from the ruling, which sends the cases back to the lower courts to determine the practical implications of the majority's decision. (Read the ruling and dissents here.) The justices were not directly addressing the constitutionality of the president's birthright citizenship order, which opponents say conflicts with the 14th Amendment, past court rulings and the nation's history. Instead, the Trump administration had asked the justices to scale back orders imposed by three lower-court judges that blocked his policy from taking effect nationwide while its legality is tested in court. The ruling was one of six expected Friday, the final day of the Supreme Court term. Presidents in both parties, members of Congress and several Supreme Court justices have long decried such nationwide injunctions for giving outsized power to individual judges to halt a president's agenda. |
| General 'Razin' Caine Vaults Into the Top Tier of Trump Advisers | |
| As President Trump and his top aides weighed a military operation against Iran in early June, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio wanted to ensure that American troops wouldn't end up entangled indefinitely in another Middle East war. Gen. Dan Caine, the newly confirmed chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shared the concern of others in the room about putting Americans in harm's way. He pulled out a map in the Situation Room and explained how, if ordered to strike Iran's nuclear facilities, the Pentagon could protect the pilots involved in the mission and defend U.S. troops in the Middle East from any Iranian retaliation. Caine's confidence resonated with Trump. When the June 21 attack unfolded largely in line with the options Caine outlined, it magnified his influence with a president whose previous handpicked military advisers had often proved to be obstacles to his goals. In less than a week following the operation, Caine has addressed the public twice and enjoyed lavish praise from the president. The question for Caine now is whether he can navigate the difficult line between being a member of Trump's inner circle and being an apolitical senior military adviser, the chairman's usual role |
| Bill Moyers, the former White House press secretary turned acclaimed TV journalist, dead at 91 | |
 | Bill Moyers, the former White House press secretary who became one of television's most honored journalists, masterfully using a visual medium to illuminate a world of ideas, died Thursday at age 91. Moyers died in a New York City hospital, according to longtime friend Tom Johnson, the former CEO of CNN and an assistant to Moyers during Lyndon B. Johnson's administration. Moyers' son William said his father died at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York after a "long illness." Moyers' career ranged from youthful Baptist minister to deputy director of the Peace Corps, from Johnson's press secretary to newspaper publisher, senior news analyst for "The CBS Evening News" and chief correspondent for "CBS Reports." But it was for public television that Moyers produced some of TV's most cerebral and provocative series. In hundreds of hours of PBS programs, he proved at home with subjects ranging from government corruption to modern dance, from drug addiction to media consolidation, from religion to environmental abuse. Demonstrating what someone called "a soft, probing style" in the native Texas accent he never lost, Moyers was a humanist who investigated the world with a calm, reasoned perspective, whatever the subject. |
| As James Meredith turns 92, his wife says anti-DEI law harms Mississippi | |
| A new Mississippi law that restricts diversity, equity and inclusion policies in education will harm the way schools teach about important historical events and people who challenged racism and segregation, Judy Alsobrooks Meredith says. She is the wife of James Meredith, the man who faced a violent white mob when he became the first Black student to enroll in the University of Mississippi in 1962. More than 100 relatives, friends and admirers gathered Wednesday night at Hal & Mal's restaurant in Jackson to celebrate Meredith's 92nd birthday. Many posed for photos with him, and Judy Alsobrooks Meredith spoke on behalf of the family. She said the new anti-DEI law will make educators reluctant to teach about her husband or other important figures including Medgar Evers, the Mississippi NAACP leader who was assassinated in Jackson in 1963, and his wife, Myrlie Evers, who is still living and who became a civil rights leader in her own right. "Y'all better start teaching your kids and your grandkids who they are," said Alsobrooks Meredith, as the Evers' daughter, Reena Evers-Everette, stood nearby. A federal judge heard arguments Tuesday in a lawsuit that seeks to block the anti-DEI measure. |
| 'My goal was to learn': Students learn about media industry during JSU's media studies boot camp | |
| Here's something cool that's happening at Jackson State University: local students are spending part of their summer vacation in a boot camp. However, it's not just any boot camp; it's JSU's Journalism and Media Studies Boot Camp. Students are getting hands-on experience in things such as video production, marketing strategies, creative writing, interviewing techniques, and much more. WLBT caught up with the young and bright scholars, some of whom come from as far away as Virginia. They expressed that the camp gives them a chance to meet and make new friends as well as develop new skills. "My main goal was to strengthen my education," said Trinity Yates, who attended the camp. "I've always been very interested in media, whether it's been writing, photography, my goal was just to learn. My favorite experience is when we went outside to record a chase scene for my editing class. We went outside and filmed each other running around, then went got back and edited it, and it looked really cool." Professionals like our very own Howard Ballou, Quentin Smith, and LaKeisha Hinson are sharing their expertise and experience in the field of broadcast journalism. |
| Mississippi is one of first in US to allow military medics to take LPN exam | |
| In a significant step toward expanding healthcare access and supporting military service members, Governor Tate Reeves signed Mississippi House Bill 1262 into law. The new legislation authorizes U.S. Army combat medics, U.S. Navy hospital corpsmen, and U.S. Air Force aerospace medical service specialists to obtain their license to practice practical nursing (LPN) in Mississippi. "I was proud to sign House Bill 1262 into law," said Reeves. "It's a common-sense piece of legislation that will strengthen healthcare in Mississippi, while also supporting our brave service members. I'm glad we could get this done on behalf of those who sacrifice so much for our state and nation." The bill requires applicants to have a minimum of two years of clinical experience involving direct patient care, including trauma or emergency-oriented services. With this development, Mississippi becomes one of the first states in the country to allow military medics to challenge the LPN examination. The law is set to take effect on July 1, 2025. The initiative was driven by members of the 183rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, 172nd Airlift Wing in Jackson. |
| Majority of US adults support religious chaplains in public schools, a new AP-NORC poll shows | |
| Few U.S. adults support allowing religious schools to become tax-funded public charter schools, but a majority favors allowing religious chaplains to provide support services for public school students, a new poll finds. The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows the complexity of Americans' attitudes toward religious expression in schools, which varies depending on the kind of expression and sometimes crosses partisan lines. The findings also highlight tension points in the country's long-standing debate over the role of religion in public schools, which continues to drive legislation and legal action. Recent examples include a lawsuit against a new Arkansas measure that requires the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, a push by lawmakers in multiple states to allow religious chaplains to serve in student support roles in public schools, and the U.S. Supreme Court's 4-4 decision that blocked plans for a publicly funded Catholic charter school in Oklahoma. About 6 in 10 U.S. adults say that religious chaplains should be allowed to provide support services for students in public schools, but most do not think teacher-led prayer or a mandatory period during school hours for private prayer should be allowed in public schools. |
| U. of Alabama professor testifies 'very powerful person' threatened to cut funds over DEI | |
 | A University of Alabama professor and administrator Wednesday accused a member of the Alabama House of Representatives of threatening a fellowship program's budget if its curriculum was not changed to comply with a state law banning DEI programs and so-called "divisive concepts." In an evidentiary hearing in a federal lawsuit over the statute, known as SB 129, Dana Patton, director of the Witt Fellows Program and a political science professor at the University of Alabama, testified that university officials told her a "powerful person in Montgomery" was behind complaints alleging the Dr. Robert E. Witt Program, an interdisciplinary honors program at UA focused on community service, was violating the law. "Clearly, a very powerful person was behind this complaint for me to be asked to provide such extensive detail about my course," Patton said in testimony before U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor. "I did not know who she was referring to. When I hear 'very powerful person,' I generally think it's either a big donor to the university, a board of trustee member or state legislator." |
| DeSantis Announces Launch of New Accreditor | |
 | Six state university systems are going to form a new accrediting body, Florida governor Ron DeSantis announced in a Thursday morning press conference at Florida Atlantic University. At the event, DeSantis bemoaned liberal and unproductive faculty members and what he views as spineless administrators unwilling to crack down on disruptive student behavior before ultimately turning to what he saw as an "accreditation cartel" that he cast as undercutting efforts at reform, calling out past clashes with accreditors in response to actions by state universities. "Who are these accreditors? Did you elect these accreditors to anything?" DeSantis asked. After a roughly 30-minute broadside against what he saw as the failings of higher education broadly and the accreditation system in particular, the Republican governor announced that Florida was moving forward with a new accreditor, to be named the Commission for Public Higher Education. Public systems joining the State University System of Florida as partners are the University System of Georgia, University of North Carolina System, University of South Carolina, University of Tennessee System, and the Texas A&M University System. All those systems are in states that voted for Donald Trump in 2024. |
| 6 State University Systems Are Partnering to Create a New Accreditor. Most Details Are TBD | |
 | At 10:18 a.m. Thursday, Gov. Ron DeSantis walked behind a podium at Florida Atlantic University to announce that the state's university system was leading an effort to create a new accrediting agency. More than 20 minutes into the news conference, he still hadn't mentioned accreditation. Instead, the Republican governor spent that time laying out a long list of grievances about higher education. He described high prices and student debt, degrees that lead to low-paying jobs, and, in his view, an emphasis on progressive ideology and diversity, equity, and inclusion -- and how Florida had avoided or solved those challenges. Ultimately, DeSantis blamed much of the sector's ills on accreditation, describing the current system as a cartel run by "juntas," or groups of military leaders who take over countries by force. The solution, DeSantis said, is the Commission for Public Higher Education, a consortium of six public university systems that are joining in a fledgling effort to form a new accreditor. Other than that, Thursday's announcement didn't offer many specifics -- including about how the organization would work, when it might be operational, and whether the campuses in participating university systems would even seek accreditation from the new commission. |
| Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education set tuition and fee levels for upcoming school year | |
| The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education set the tuition and mandatory fee levels for Oklahoma's public colleges and universities for the 2025-26 school year. Tuition and mandatory fees for resident undergraduate students will not increase at 10 institutions in the state during the upcoming school year. However, besides those 10 universities, tuition and mandatory fees for in-state undergraduates will increase an average 1.9% statewide for the upcoming academic year. "Keeping public higher education affordable for families is a responsibility the State Regents take very seriously," said Dennis Casey, the State Regents' Chair. "As Oklahomans navigate a challenging economy, the State Regents work to balance those needs with the operating requirements of our state system institutions, which must maintain academic quality and student support services to continue building Oklahoma's educated workforce." For public regional universities, tuition and mandatory fees will increase an average of 2% annually for full-time undergraduates. Specifically for the University of Oklahoma, in-state tuition and mandatory fees will increase by 3% annually for full-time undergraduates. |
| Texas A&M system joins five others in creating accreditation consortium | |
 | The Texas A&M University System is joining with five other university systems in the south to create a new accreditation consortium called the Commission for Public Higher Education. Texas A&M would be joined by the State University System of Florida, University System of Georgia, University of North Carolina System, University of South Carolina system and the University of Tennessee System to create the CPHE. A total of 68 universities and over 1.2 million college students in those six states would be part of the CPHE footprint. "In recent legislative sessions, our top state officials have sought a more reasonable and transparent pathway toward accreditation," incoming Texas A&M University System Chancellor Glenn Hegar said in a statement. "And now, the leadership of the Texas A&M University System is pleased to announce that the System has joined an alliance of some of the nation's top university systems to provide a new, less cumbersome and more objective option for accreditation." Texas A&M and the five other systems are currently accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. If CPHE is approved as a legitimate accreditation agency then it is possible all six systems will depart the SACSCOC for the CPHE, although University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd made it appear he might leave that choice up to the four universities in his system. |
| Proposed Pell Grant cuts threaten college access for nearly 500,000 Texas college students | |
| Nearly half a million Texas students stand to get less help paying for college because of aggressive cuts federal lawmakers are considering to a critical financial aid program. The country's lowest-income students depend on the Pell Grant to get through college. It is the largest source of grant aid in Texas. But a U.S. House proposal in the massive budget package President Donald Trump is dubbing the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" would take significant chunks out of Pell. The Senate is facing pressure from the White House to vote on the bill this weekend. If it becomes law, the maximum Pell Grant award would drop by about $1,500 and be restricted to students who complete 30 credits per year, a stricter requirement than the current 24 credits. It would also eliminate eligibility for Pell for students who are enrolled less than half-time. In Texas, the proposal would affect more than 480,000 students and could lead to an estimated financial aid loss of between $353 million and $493 million. It's still unclear what Congress' final Pell Grant proposal will look like. |
| U. of Missouri System Board of Curators approve FY26 budget, new buyout plan for retirees | |
 | The University of Missouri System Board of Curators unanimously approved the system's $5.3 billion operating budget for fiscal year 2026 on Thursday. Additionally, the university plans to roll out an optional retirement plan beginning in fall 2025, similar to a buyout plan offered in 2024 for former employees with vested benefits. Across the system, $40 million in cuts and reallocations were made to support top priorities, according to meeting documents. Through the FY2026 budget process, Mizzou alone had identified more than $25 million in cuts and reallocations through the FY2026 budget process coupled with $16 million that had already been identified through earlier in FY2025. UM System President and Mizzou Chancellor Mun Choi told the Missourian the potential program cuts were due to proposed federal funding reductions. The university is planning to roll out an optional retirement plan for eligible employees that would allow them to convert their traditional pension into a defined contribution plan, beginning in fall 2025. This move follows a similar buyout offer in 2024 for former employees with vested benefits. That program had an 18% take rate and saved the university $74.4 million in liabilities, slightly improving the plan's funded status, according to meeting documents. |
| Michigan State-led research team receives $500K grant to combat herbicide-resistant weeds in soybeans | |
| A national research team led by Michigan State University has received a $500,000 grant from the United Soybean Board to develop new diagnostic tools for herbicide-resistant weeds in soybeans. The award currently covers one year but can be extended for up to three years. Eric Patterson, an assistant professor and weed geneticist in the MSU Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences (PSM), leads the project that will cover most of the soybean-growing region of the U.S. The multi-state project also brings together partners from Kansas State University, Mississippi State University, Penn State University, Purdue University, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, the University of Arkansas, the University of Illinois, the University of Missouri and the University of Wisconsin. For decades, the primary method of weed eradication has been chemical control with herbicides, but growers and researchers are seeing increased levels of resistance in several weed species. Patterson said the primary culprit is an over-reliance on a limited number of herbicides. |
| Trump Justice Dept. Pressuring U. of Virginia President to Resign | |
 | The Trump administration has privately demanded that the University of Virginia oust its president to help resolve a Justice Department investigation into the school's diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, according to three people briefed on the matter. The extraordinary condition the Justice Department has put on the school demonstrates that President Trump's bid to shift the ideological tilt of the higher education system, which he views as hostile to conservatives, is more far-reaching than previously understood. Justice Department officials have told University of Virginia officials that hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding are at risk because of what the department says is the school's disregard for civil rights law over its diversity practices, according to two of the people. The department officials have told the university that the president, James E. Ryan, has not dismantled the school's diversity, equity and inclusion programs and has misrepresented the steps taken to work toward that goal, according to two of the people. Harmeet K. Dhillon, the Justice Department's top civil rights lawyer, has also been involved in negotiations with the university. She received her law degree from the University of Virginia, where she was a student in the law school at the same time as Mr. Ryan. |
| Can UNC Build a Non-Ideological Accreditor in a Polarized Landscape? | |
| The UNC System announced Thursday that it is working with public university systems in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas to create a new accreditor called the Commission for Public Higher Education. The effort follows high-profile disputes and criticism from conservatives, and it comes after President Donald Trump issued a scathing executive order drawing attention to the process of evaluating schools. "The vision for this effort really is to offer a streamlined, non-ideological approach to accreditation," UNC System President Peter Hans told The Assembly in an exclusive interview this week. In order for students to receive federal financial aid, their institutions must be recognized by an accrediting agency that the U.S. Department of Education has approved. These agencies ensure that colleges and universities meet certain standards for academics, finances, governance, and other functions. While accreditors have long operated as a largely bureaucratic function without much public attention, they have drawn increased scrutiny in recent years from conservatives, who claim standards mandate diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and fail to sufficiently evaluate academic quality. In late April, Trump signed an executive order that allows institutions to change accreditors more easily and for new accreditors to receive federal approval faster. |
| Facing entry-level job crunch, new grads question the value of a degree | |
| Ever since she graduated a year ago with a degree in computer science, Maggie Chen, 23, has been searching for her first real job. The process has been grueling and impersonal, she said, involving a lot of ghosting and rejection, which at times has made her "a bit depressed and demotivated." Mostly, "looking on LinkedIn just makes me feel sad," said Chen, who switched to computer science from biochemistry halfway through her undergraduate studies at the University of California at Davis after she got into computers early in the pandemic. Tech appealed to her because it seemed stable and full of opportunity -- and because she wanted to be done with school after completing her bachelor's degree. "Everybody tells you, 'Just get a college degree and you'll get a job and it'll make things easier,'" Chen said. Now, "a master's is the new bachelor's, I guess." Chen is among the growing numbers of graduates facing a bumpy transition to professional life as they contend with one of the toughest job markets in years for people in their 20s. As summer heats up, grads are peppering social media with frustrated posts about the job search. In interviews, young workers said they are disillusioned with unresponsive recruiters and employers, ghost postings and AI slop on jobsites. |
| Senate Parliamentarian Nixes Workforce Pell From Megabill | |
| A plan to expand the Pell Grant to students in short-term workforce programs was cut from a budgetary megabill early Thursday morning despite immense bipartisan support. It was one of several higher education–related provisions that a Senate official struck down. Other provisions that violate Senate procedural rules included plans to consolidate student loan repayment options for current borrowers, limit grant access for noncitizens and exclude medical residents from a loan-forgiveness program. But the decision against expanding grants shocked some higher education experts who expected Congress to finally pass the proposal after years of trying. "It's been abundantly clear for years now that many low-income students don't have the finances to take advantage of the programs that would be made eligible by workforce Pell and therefore they don't have the opportunity to benefit," said David Baime, senior vice president of government relations for the American Association of Community Colleges. "There has been such strong support that a successful challenge was not necessarily something that we anticipated." However, Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat who has long supported the concept known as workforce Pell, was less confounded. "At every turn, President Trump and congressional Republicans' process for this partisan megabill has been mired by chaos and infighting," Kaine said in a statement to Inside Higher Ed. "It's no surprise that many provisions are being removed and changed." |
| Researchers 'Cautiously Optimistic' NIH Will Restore Grants | |
| Months after individual researchers, advocacy groups and a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general filed two lawsuits against the National Institutes of Health for terminating hundreds of active research grants misaligned with the Trump administration's ideologies, some scientists are hopeful that the agency will soon restore the grants and allow them to resume their research. Last week, a federal judge in Massachusetts ordered the NIH to restore the roughly 900 grants named in the lawsuits, including many focused on studying vaccine hesitancy, LGBTQ+ health and diversity, equity and inclusion in the medical field. U.S. District Judge William Young, who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan, ruled the terminations void and unlawful, stating during a hearing that in all his years on the bench he'd "never seen" discrimination by the government to this extent. Although Science reported Thursday morning that the NIH has internally communicated plans to restore those grants "as soon as practicable" -- and also cease further grant terminations -- researchers say they still don't know when they can expect to get the money they were promised. |
| AI Makes Research Easy. Maybe Too Easy. | |
| ChatGPT and other "large language models" promise to make learning easier than ever. But new research suggests that lessons learned so easily are less likely to stick. LLMs are a form of generative artificial intelligence that communicate like humans, using language. But in a series of experiments involving more than 4,500 participants at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, people who used LLMs to research everyday topics demonstrated weaker understanding of those topics afterward and produced less original insights than people who looked up the same topics using Google. The findings raise concerns about how people search and learn, says Wharton marketing professor Shiri Melumad, first author of the research. "It is like the Google Effect on steroids," she says, in a nod to earlier research suggesting people tend to remember less when information is easy to look up. With LLMs, she says, "We're shifting even further away from active learning." Daniel Oppenheimer, a professor of psychology and decision sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, says the research is resonant of what he sees in similar studies he does in his lab: Students who use AI tools to complete assignments tend to do better on homework -- but worse on tests. "They're getting the right answers, but they're not learning," he says. |
SPORTS
| 105 Bulldogs Named to 2025 Spring SEC Academic Honor Roll | |
| A total of 105 student-athletes who competed for Mississippi State during the 2024-25 academic year earned placement on the 2025 Spring Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll, as announced Thursday by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. The honor roll recognizes student-athletes competing in baseball, golf, softball, tennis and track and field who have maintained a grade point average of 3.00 or higher while meeting additional academic and participation requirements. This year's list is based on grades from the 2024 Summer, 2024 Fall and 2025 Spring terms. Mississippi State's honorees represent eight different sport programs and span a wide variety of majors, including aerospace engineering, biological sciences, psychology, business administration, and public policy. The Bulldogs' 105 honorees contribute to the SEC-wide total of 1,700 student-athletes recognized this spring. |
| Baseball: Reese Earns Fifth All-America Honor | |
| Mississippi State's Ace Reese can add another All-American accolade to his long list of accomplishments and awards from the 2025 season. D1Baseball selected Reese to its All-America second team as a designated hitter on Thursday. It is the fifth All-America honor he has received following his fantastic sophomore campaign joining the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (first team), Baseball America (second team), American Baseball Coaches Association (second team) and Perfect Game (third team). Reese started 57 games for the Bulldogs at third base where he led the team with a .352 batting average, 80 hits, 18 doubles, 21 home runs, 66 RBIs, 163 total bases and a .718 slugging percentage while ranking top seven in the Southeastern Conference in each of those categories. The sophomore from Canton, Texas was named the SEC Newcomer of the Year, a first team All-SEC performer and also produced 25 multi-hit games, 20 multi-RBI games and five multi-homer games. |
| USA Baseball Invites Third Bulldog To Training Camp | |
| Mississippi State pitcher Ryan McPherson accepted an invitation from USA Baseball to participate in its training camp. McPherson will join fellow Bulldog Ace Reese as well as incoming transfer Tomas Valincius for the Collegiate National Team Training Camp in Cary, N.C. from June 29-July 3. The elite training camp will feature 56 of the top collegiate stars that are not draft eligible. If selected to Team USA, the State trio would represent their country in the 45th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Championships Series at various venues across Japan from July 8-13. McPherson appeared in 20 games as a true freshman this past season and drew two starts on the mound. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound right-hander posted a 4-1 record and tied for the team lead with three saves. He struck out 56 through 39 1/3 innings of work and finished with a 4.12 earned run average with opposing hitters batting .190 against him. |
| International Bulldogs: Softball trio joins national teams for summer tournaments | |
 | Three Bulldogs are set to travel for international softball competitions this summer, with incoming pitcher Peja Goold representing Colombia at the Pan American Championships, MSU graduate Chloe Malau'ulu representing American Samoa at the Pacific Mini Games and assistant coach Zac Shaw joining the United States Men's National Softball Team at both the 2025 WBSC Men's Softball World Cup and World Games. In MSU history, Bulldogs have represented six nations. Nine players have represented the U.S., while current and former players have also represented American Samoa, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela. Goold, who joins the Bulldogs in the fall after transferring from Chattanooga, is the reigning Pitcher of the Year in the Southern Conference as well as a First-Team All-Region player. She will join her national team in Monteria, Colombia, today for their first matchup against Canada. They will play against Chile on Saturday and then a doubleheader of games against Argentina and Peru on Sunday. Malau'ulu graduated from MSU in 2023 after a career that included multiple individual accolades, including SEC All-Defense, All-SEC and All-Region selections. The Long Beach, Cali. native helped lead the Bulldogs to host their first-ever Super regional in 2022 after a game-winning two-RBI hit against Florida State in Tallahassee. |
| Zimmerman completes 2025 roster with German signee | |
| In the stands at the Mississippi State Soccer Field, there is a collection of flags representing the countries of every player to put on the shirt for the Bulldog women's soccer team. They decorate the main bleachers alongside the state flag of Mississippi, representing the diversity of the maroon and white team. In 2025, the German flag will return to the lineup. Defender Chiara Tappe, a native of Lemgo, Germany, signed with the Bulldogs and became the final member of the MSU roster for the 2025 season. She joins from club FSV Gutersloh, which competes in the Second Division Frauenbundesliga in Germany, where she played at the youth level, scoring nine goals in 40 matches since 2022. Tappe follows in the footsteps of former Bulldog Gwen Mummert, who was an anchor on the defensive end for the Bulldogs in 2022 and now plays for German side Carl Zeiss Jena in the Frauenbundesliga. "It's about finding the right people, people who understand what it is to put on a Mississippi State shirt, and to truly embody what it means to be here," MSU head coach Nick Zimmerman said in an interview with The Dispatch this spring. In April, Zimmerman had to make some tough decisions about roster spots moving forward. The Bulldogs added several players through the transfer portal to help replace the nine starters who departed after the 2024 SEC championship season. Among the arrivals are international players from Canada, Venezuela and now Germany. |
| ESPN to feature 2025 Neshoba County Fair in upcoming series | |
| The Worldwide Leader in Sports is coming to the Neshoba County Fair this year as a part of a 50-state tour. SportsCenter, ESPN's marquee program, is breathing new life into an old fan favorite series previously titled "SportsCenter Across America" that last aired in 2005. The modern revival titled "50 States in 50 Days" will highlight and celebrate the unique intersection of sports and community in each U.S. state. "The Neshoba County Fair will showcase the rich traditions, local pride, and unique energy that makes The Neshoba County Fair a one-of-a-kind experience," Neshoba County Fair officials said in a social media post. While many might first think of political speeches, country music concerts, or fried fair food when the Neshoba County Fair is mentioned, the annual event would not be complete without its horse races -- or the chaotic scramble by patrons for front row seats. ESPN SportsCenter anchor Shea Cornette will be live on the fairgrounds Tuesday, July 29, to shine a national spotlight on "Mississippi's Giant Houseparty." |
| MHSAA makes changes to eligibility rules | |
| The Mississippi High School Activities Association has modified some of its rules regarding student-athlete eligibility. The 2025-26 MHSAA handbook was released earlier this week, and there are two notable changes to its eligibility rules. There is also a change to the eligibility appeal process. Rule 2.28.2 deals with the eligibility of a student-athlete who transfers schools. The rule previously stated that changing residence "for the purpose of athletic eligibility shall not be considered a bona fide change of residence, unless the move is made 60 days prior to the beginning of school." The rule now simply says that the move must be made prior to the beginning of a new school year, with no 60-day proviso. Rule 2.31.3 was also changed. It previously stated, "Neither guardianship nor parents separating carries eligibility." The rule now says, "Court-ordered guardianship issued by a judge is valid for eligibility." The second half of the original rule, regarding parents separating, is still intact as Rule 2.31.4. The MHSAA also added a provision for student-athletes who are appealing an eligibility ruling (Rule 4.3.1). When going before the MHSAA executive committee for an appeal hearing, the student-athlete, parent or school lodging an appeal is now allowed to have legal representation join them at the hearing. |
| Mississippi's winningest prep basketball coach Richard Duease to retire | |
| Mississippi's all-time winningest high school basketball coach will take one more lap this upcoming season before retirement. Richard Duease, the longtime and legendary head coach of Madison-Ridgeland Academy boy's basketball, will coach his last campaign in 2025-26. The 2024 Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame inductee has compiled 1,851 wins across 50 years as a head coach at the prep level, complete with 41 state titles and 15 MAIS Overall tournament championships. Duease is the only coach in state history who has won overall titles in both boys (12 titles) and girls (three titles) basketball. "Coach Duease has been the face of boys basketball in the MAIS for so long. He's been loved by MRA fans and hopefully, at least appreciated, by fans of our rivals," MRA Athletic Director Ross Hailey said, noting that retirement celebrations for Duease will carry on throughout the entirety of his final season. The Indianola native's career began as the head girls basketball coach at Yazoo City's Manchester Academy in 1975. He coached four years at Manchester before being hired to lead both the girls and boys program at Lee Academy. In 1982, one of the most decorated coaching tenures in U.S. history began when MRA handed Duease the keys. |
| LSU will pay athletes $20.5 million over the next year. Here's how the Tigers plan to do it | |
 | The night of June 6, LSU athletic officials and staff members expected to have a casual Friday evening. Some of them relaxed at their homes. Another was on vacation, celebrating his dad's birthday. Taylor Jacobs, who oversees name, image and likeness within the department, had gone to dinner with her family at Modesto. Luckily for Jacobs, they were already paying the bill when the House settlement was approved a little after 9 p.m. ET. She headed home to take calls. NIL deals did not have to be approved by a new clearinghouse if they were finalized by midnight, so the rest of the night was spent checking on contracts with LSU's collective. "We did work up until midnight that night to just make sure everything was completely buttoned up," LSU executive deputy athletic director Keli Zinn said. "It was a late night for our folks, but really pleased where everything ended up for us." Zinn and several others involved in LSU's operations spoke to The Advocate about the school's plans. They discussed paying players, the murky future of LSU's collective, how third-party NIL could let them exceed the cap, their search for more money and why they feel confident in the future. "I think what you'll find," Zinn said, "is the House settlement being really, really favorable to LSU." |
| Why the Pac-12 is adding Texas State, how it rebuilt and next steps in realignment | |
| The Pac-12 Conference has extended an offer to Texas State to join the league in July 2026, and barring any late changes, the school is expected to officially accept the invitation on Monday, according to multiple people briefed on the Pac-12's decision. The Austin Sports Journal first reported the news. The Bobcats will become the conference's eighth football-playing full member and finally give the rebuilt league the minimum number of members to continue as an NCAA conference. After years of collapse and uncertainty, the Pac will be back. The move will come almost three years to the day that USC and UCLA announced their move to the Big Ten, which started a chain of events that led 10 of 12 Pac-12 members to depart for the Big Ten, Big 12 or ACC. It left just Oregon State and Washington State holding the mantle of a century-old league. Instead of folding and joining a Group of 5 conference, they chose to rebuild, adding five schools from the Mountain West, non-football member Gonzaga from the West Coast Conference and soon Texas State from the Sun Belt Conference. Texas State is in San Marcos, a booming college town nestled between Austin and San Antonio. Its football program moved up to FBS in 2012, and the Bobcats are coming off their first two bowl seasons in program history and have a rising coach in G.J. Kinne. |
| House Case Objectors, Class Counsel Scrap Over Legal Fees Deadline | |
| The law firm representing a key group of objectors in House v. NCAA has raised ethical concerns about the conduct of class counsel, after the latter refused to consent to an extension for the objectors to file a motion seeking court-awarded attorneys' fees. In response, class counsel has accused the objectors' lawyers of attempting to use procedural tactics to secure millions of dollars in fees -- potentially at the expense of hundreds of thousands of athletes. The dispute revives tensions between the objectors' firm, MoloLamken LP, and the attorneys representing the House plaintiffs -- Winston & Strawn's Jeffrey Kessler and Hagens Berman's Steve Berman -- over the historic antitrust settlement. In a declaration filed this week, MoloLamken partner Steven Molo alleged that class counsel refused his request for a filing extension unless he agreed to waive a potential appeal on behalf of his clients. Molo acknowledged missing the deadline to file a motion for fees, attributing the oversight to his having committed his "singular focus" to the work evaluating legal options for his clients ahead of the 30-day notice-of-appeal deadline. |
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