| Wednesday, August 6, 2025 |
| Mississippi State recognized for high transfer student success | |
 | Mississippi's educational institutions continue to collect accolades, as Mississippi State University (MSU) was recognized by a national honor society for transfer students. MSU was selected to the 2025 Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Honor Roll, marking their eighth consecutive year on the list. This comes after Mississippi State accepted 1,912 new transfer students into the university for the 2024 fall semester, accounting for almost 35% of the students at MSU. "As the leading institution for transfer students, we are proud to partner with our community college colleagues to help ensure these students become a significant part of our campus community. I commend our admissions staff, faculty, academic advisors, student affairs team and so many more for fostering an environment meant for student support and success," said John Dickerson, MSU associate vice president for enrollment services. |
| Beef demand faces headwinds | |
 | An ag economist says strong demand for beef continues despite headwinds. Josh Maples with Mississippi State University Extension says there are multiple areas that are cause for concern. "What is domestic beef demand going to look like at the price levels that we're seeing and as we see some kind of macroeconomic changes, if we see those," he says. He tells Brownfield that ongoing trade negotiations and questions about labor availability are adding pressure to the wholesale beef market. "These are really big things that are having impacts on that boxed beef cutout value and on the amount of beef that we're able to process and move and where it goes," he says. Looking ahead, Maples says risk management will be crucial because market volatility is likely. "We've got really good information on the supply side," he says. "We don't know exactly where it's at or where it's going, but we've got pretty good information on really tight supplies. We're not expanding. It's the demand side. That's really the question mark as to where we go from here." |
| Jacob Dykes named MSU Extension wildlife specialist | |
| The Mississippi State University Extension Service named Jacob Dykes the new wildlife specialist and co-director of the MSU Deer Lab. Dykes specializes in white-tailed deer and has held a similar position at Texas A&M University since 2022. He was appointed to the MSU position in March, replacing Bronson Strickland, who retired on June 30, 2025, after serving in that position for several years. "As an Extension wildlife specialist, my goal is to bridge the gap between wildlife research and management," Dykes said. "I work directly with landowners, land managers, hunters and the public to ensure they have the latest science-based information to implement practices on their properties that benefit wildlife." Dykes earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture at MSU. He worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services National Training Academy at MSU before moving to Texas to work on his Ph.D. at Texas A&M University-Kingsville and the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. |
| Compass centers max out city permit software | |
 | The true size of a $10 billion data campus project from Compass Data Centers has city officials working through one small snag: Meridian's permitting software doesn't count that high. Building Inspector Scott Sollie told the City Council last week that the current software used to calculate permits has a maximum limit of $99 million for the cost of projects. While that has never been an issue before, he said, each of the eight data centers planned for the data campus comes in at $300 million to $500 million. Sollie said the plan his department developed is to accept the $99 million maximum limit for projects above $100 million or more, with the understanding that the projects' true cost is much higher. His department also recommends a cap of $25,000 each for plumbing, mechanical and electrical permits. With all the costs tallied up, each building is expected to bring in approximately $300,000 in permitting fees alone, Sollie said. For eight buildings, that comes out to $2.4 million. |
| Iconic Jackson restaurant among 11 in area that get approval to open by state | |
 | An iconic Mississippi restaurant has received permission from the state to re-open under new ownership and now it is rolling along, much as it has for more than 75 years. It is among 11 restaurants and dining options that have been approved to open this month by the Mississippi Department of Health for the month of August Now, Joe Cravens gets to live out his dream. As of July 1, the young chef and entrepreneur became the owner of the iconic Walker's Drive-In in the Fondren district of Jackson. That came after weekend of good byes in late June from the previous owner Derek Emerson, who spent three days celebrating the restaurant by hosting invitation-only reservations as a way to say thank you to patrons who had been loyal for the past 24 years. Emerson and wife, Jennifer, had owned the anchor of the business district since 2001, but the restaurant has been in the same location since the 1940s when it served burgers, fries and milkshakes. Emerson, 56, who owns and operates the new Sacred Ground Barbecue in Pocohontas, as well as Caet Seafood in Ridgeland and Local 463 in Ridgeland, is working on a new project, and he said the opportunity to hand over responsibility of Walker's to someone he trusted came at the perfect time. |
| South Mississippi shipbuilder has added jobs and now lands contract worth billions | |
 | Bollinger Shipyards pledged it would keep the 900 jobs when it bought VT Halter Marine in November 2022, and since then, it has added more workers and just landed a huge government contract. Earlier this year, Bollinger received a $951.6 million contract modification to advance construction of a U.S. Coast Guard's Polar Security Cutter, the first American-built heavy icebreaker in nearly 50 years. The company announced Tuesday the funding is in place to build all three vessels, with $4.3 billion for the advanced procurement and construction of vessels two and three included in the recently enacted "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." "This is more than a funding milestone -- it's a vote of confidence in American industrial capability and in Bollinger's proven ability to deliver," said Ben Bordelon, president and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards. Bollinger acquired the PSC program from Singapore-based ST Engineering when it bought VT Halter Marine, and the program faced schedule delays, cost overruns, and incomplete concept design. "We took on a troubled program knowing the stakes were high," he said. "Since day one, our team has been laser-focused on restoring momentum, rebuilding trust and delivering results." Most of the work will be done at Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding in Jackson County. |
| PEER report finds promise in changes made to PERS, but obstacles remain | |
| Changes made to the state employee retirement system, or PERS, during the last two legislative sessions show promise in reducing in the plan's liabilities in coming years, a legislative report says. However, research shows more needs to be done to improve PERS' long-term stability. Those were the findings outlined in a report issued by the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) Committee titled "2024 Update on Financial Soundness of the Public Employees' Retirement System" released this week. "This update reinforces the critical importance of creating Tier 5 during the past legislative session to gradually reduce PERS liabilities and ensure payment to retirees." Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann (R) told Magnolia Tribune. "We've taken positive steps by increasing the employer contribution rate and establishing the Fifth Tier." That new tier will go into effect March 2026 for all new hires and will be a hybrid retirement plan. The additional tier will not impact those currently in PERS. Changes were also made for lawmakers related to the Supplemental Legislative Retirement Plan (SLRP) and those who are employed with institutions of higher learning and are part of the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP). |
| Karriem retains District 41 seat, beating Beard by wide margin | |
 | Rep. Kabir Karriem will retain his seat in the Mississippi House of Representatives after winning Tuesday's special primary election for House District 41. Karriem, who was first elected to the seat in 2015, earned 1,309 votes (83.8%) to defeat former Columbus councilman Pierre Beard, who received 248 votes (15.87%) in the primary, according to unofficial results. With no Republican running for the seat, Karriem will run unopposed for the general special election in November. "I had some really, really good supporters and help, and I could not have made this victory possible without them," Karriem said. "It's a true testament of what the community thinks about their representative." Karriem said he looks forward to continuing his work as the chairman of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus while also prioritizing the issues that matter to District 41 citizens. "We're going to continue to work on criminal justice reform, on our health care here in Mississippi," he said. "We're going to go back to the drawing board and make sure our teachers get more money as they continue to teach our children. ... And I'm going to continue to work on economic development, as we always have, and continue the work that we do for the people of District 41." |
| Thompson secures new term in special election | |
 | Incumbent Democrat Rickey Thompson has defeated his opponent and will continue to represent District 16 in the Mississippi House of Representatives following a special election that saw low turnout across four counties. Thompson defeated his challenger, Brady Davis, during Tuesday's primary election. Following a redistricting that mandated the election, District 16 covers portions of Chickasaw, Lee, Monroe and Pontotoc counties. "I'm feeling like it is time to make things happen for Northeast Mississippi and we are already on the way," Thompson said. "I want to thank from the bottom of my heart the people of District 16. I am deeply honored. This victory does not belong to me. It belongs to the neighbors who opened up their door for me. It is about the people." District-wide, Thompson secured 1,325 votes (79%) to Davis' 348 votes (21%) according to unofficial results provided by circuit court clerks in Lee, Chickasaw, Monroe and Pontotoc counties. With no Republican or third-party challengers, Thompson secured his seat for a new term. This will be Thompson's third term. His second was cut short by this special election, which was forced by the redistricting. |
| Mississippi special legislative primaries: Only one incumbent ousted Tuesday | |
| With complete but unofficial numbers, it appeared incumbent Sens. Michael McLendon of Hernando, Chris Johnson of Hattiesburg and Reginald Jackson of Marks, and incumbent Reps. Kabir Karriem of Columbus and Rickey Thompson of Shannon all won their special primaries on Tuesday night. But incumbent Sen. Robin Robinson of Laurel was soundly defeated in the election, ending her brief tenure in the Senate. Donald Hartness, a retired Ellisville resident backed by former longtime state Sen. Chris McDaniel, captured the GOP nomination with more than 70% of the vote. Robinson's Brother, R.J. Robinson also ran, finishing a very distant third with less than 2%. The winner of the primary will take the seat because no Democrat qualified to run. A federal three-judge panel ordered Mississippi to conduct special elections for 14 legislative seats this year because the court determined the Legislature diluted Black voting strength when lawmakers redrew legislative districts. |
| Governor Reeves: Voters rejected Medicaid expansion in Tuesday's GOP Senate primaries | |
| Governor Tate Reeves (R) took to social media to opine on the results of Tuesday's special legislative elections. From his perspective, the Mississippi Governor said, "Obamacare Medicaid Expansion was on the ballot yesterday in Republican primaries across Mississippi." Reeves has remained staunchly opposed to any effort to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. He said the results in the three Republican Primaries for the Senate showed voters backed conservative policies and not Medicaid expansion. "Senator McLendon and Senator Johnson both voted NO on Obamacare expansion and they both won their primaries yesterday. Congratulations to both of them," the governor wrote. "Senator Parker and Senator Robinson both voted to expand Obamacare in MS and neither of them will be returning to the Senate. (Note: I do believe Senator Robinson would have voted to sustain a veto but she never got that chance.)" Senator Michael McLendon (R) held off a robust challenge in DeSoto County where city officials and other prominent area leaders sought to unseat him in the District 1 race claiming he was ineffective at the state Capitol. Senator Chris Johnson (R) was also able to come out victorious in the District 44 primary despite a healthy dose of mudslinging and personal attacks in the Pine Belt. As for Reeves' reference to Senator David Parker (R), the three-term DeSoto County senator was redistricted and chose not to seek re-election in the new District 2, leaving it as an open seat this cycle. |
| New Army Corps leader has Mississippi ties | |
| A Mississippi State graduate and former Senate staffer will now be at the helm of the Army Corps of Engineers. Adam Telle has been confirmed as the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. His responsibilities will include oversight of the Army Corps of Engineers. "Enabling commerce, mitigating floods, responding to disasters," noted Telle as responsibilities of the job during a May hearing. We reached out to some of those involved in the push to see the completion of the Yazoo Pumps. South Delta resident Clay Adcock said this about having someone familiar with the state taking the helm at the Corps. "We in Mississippi welcome out Adam as a powerful force within the administration to help not only the state where he was schooled in Mississippi, but also the nation," noted Clay Adcock. Funding is now allocated for the pumps with pre-construction engineering, design, and mitigation moving forward. So, Adcock thinks this confirmation is a positive step. "With Adam coming on, in my mind, I think it'll help," added Adcock. "The understanding and speeding up the process that we're going through to build the pumps, because it's a massive undertaking and it's not a small project, and having a local person that understands the dynamics of all that will be a big plus for us and for the project of the pumps." |
| Sen. Marsha Blackburn announces she is running for Tennessee governor | |
| U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn announced she is running for Tennessee governor, ending months of speculation. The senior senator, who lives in Brentwood, said Aug. 6 she's in the race. "I'm running for governor to ensure Tennessee is America's conservative leader for this generation and the next," she said. The primary election to replace term-limited Gov. Bill Lee is Aug. 6, 2026, and U.S. Rep. John Rose is the only declared candidate. Blackburn is already the recipient of endorsements from across the state even without having announced she's running, including from once-gubernatorial hopeful Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs and U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann. Blackburn became the first woman elected to represent Tennessee in the U.S. Senate when she won in 2018. If she were elected governor, she would be the first woman to serve in that role, too. She was reelected to the U.S. Senate in 2024 with 89.5% of the Republican primary vote. In the general election, she received 63.8%. |
| Furious voters are flooding lawmakers' town halls. Republicans aren't worried. | |
 | Republicans went home for the summer with a plan to sell President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" to their constituents. Some are starting to find that voters aren't buying it. In the latest display of backlash, audience members jeered Nebraska Rep. Mike Flood at a Monday town hall, shouting "Liar!" and "You don't care about us!" over the two-term lawmaker as he made the case for the megabill, which Trump signed into law last month. By the end, chants of "Vote him out!" threatened to drown out his closing comments. Such scenes of angry constituents confronting lawmakers are nothing new. They were commonplace in 2009 as Democrats pressed forward with a health care overhaul and in 2017 when Republicans sought to undo it. This time around, there is a fierce debate underway about whether the town hall explosions are part of a genuine backlash to GOP governance in Washington -- one that could presage another wave election as seen in 2010 and 2018 -- or just another reflection of America's political polarization. Many Republicans are dismissing the outbursts, concluding they have been choreographed by Democrats and groups aligned with them and do not reflect genuine voter sentiment. But left-of-center activists say the GOP dismisses voters' outrage at their peril. Groups might be helping to publicize and organize protests around lawmakers' events, they say, but that is merely harnessing a real grass-roots backlash to what Republicans are pursuing in Washington. |
| Drones delivering coffee? Trump administration wants more companies using UAVs | |
 | The Trump administration wants to make it easier for companies to use drones for business -- from delivering coffee to inspecting power lines to working on farms. On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a proposal to lay out the process by which companies could be approved to use drones in U.S. airspace and the rules they would have to follow. In the past, commercial drone users operating beyond their line of sight had to apply for a waiver or exemption, which was awarded on a case-by-case basis, Duffy said. "And because of that complication, I don't think we saw the innovation that we should have in America." The proposal comes about two months after President Trump signed an executive order on drones, in part to speed up the use of unmanned aerial vehicles by businesses in the United States. Duffy's announcement was welcomed by commercial drone operators, who said advancements in drone technology have outpaced the government's ability to regulate the aircraft. The proposed rule will be open for public comment for 60 days. |
| The Tariff Effect: Billions in Revenue but No Economic Earthquake | |
 | President Trump -- and his critics -- have described his tariffs as an earthquake that would transform the U.S. economy. So far, the impact has been mostly a series of tremors. In recent months, the president pledged that a new tariff regime would slash the trade deficit and force manufacturers to move production back to the U.S. His detractors warned that the tariffs would spark sharp inflation and even shortages in stores as soon as this summer. Six months into the experiment, with more tariff announcements likely in the coming days, the economy hasn't crashed. Inflation has ticked up but not soared. Consumers aren't finding empty shelves. As Trump promised, the tariffs have brought tens of billions in extra revenue to federal coffers. That is a significant sum of money, but not enough to replace income taxes in the way Trump has suggested. New data Tuesday showed the trade deficit narrowing in June, to the lowest level since September 2023. Economists said that appeared to be mostly a reversal of the huge import surge before tariffs hit, rather than a sign of a sustained downward trend in the trade deficit. Some of Trump's other pledges aren't materializing, either. Companies aren't broadly rushing to reshore, partly because the chaotic and ever-changing tariff policy has paralyzed decision-making. |
| Trump vowed to make D.C. 'safe and beautiful.' Here's what's happened. | |
 | When a young man pulled out a marijuana joint in Logan Circle park and proceeded to smoke it on a bench one evening last month, three law enforcement officers quickly appeared, handcuffed him and took him away. The officers were with the U.S. Park Police. And they were there to enforce one of President Donald Trump's executive orders: "Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful." The man was one of four people arrested that evening in Logan and Dupont Circle parks -- both of which are federal land. The other three were charged with possession of open containers of alcohol. The arrests, which generated outrage from some residents, were among the latest operations that White House officials say are part of an effort to improve the quality of life in the nation's capital --- a city Trump has derided as a "dirty, crime-ridden death trap" and pledged to turn around. Trump amplified his campaign Tuesday, sharing a photo of a bloodied young man who he said had been beaten by "local thugs." People familiar with the incident identified the victim as Edward Coristine, a protégé of Elon Musk and a former U.S. DOGE Service staffer. Trump wrote on Truth Social that "if D.C. doesn't get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the city." |
| Hiroshima survivors fear rising nuclear threat on the 80th anniversary of atomic bombing | |
 | Hiroshima on Wednesday marked the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japanese city, with many aging survivors expressing frustration about the growing support of global leaders for nuclear weapons as a deterrence. With the number of survivors rapidly declining and their average age now exceeding 86, the anniversary is considered the last milestone event for many of them. "There will be nobody left to pass on this sad and painful experience in 10 years or 20 years," Minoru Suzuto, a 94-year-old survivor, said after he kneeled down to pray at the cenotaph. "That's why I want to share (my story) as much as I can." The bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, destroyed the city and killed 140,000 people. A second bomb dropped three days later on Nagasaki killed 70,000. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, ending World War II and Japan's nearly half-century of aggression in Asia. Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui warned against a growing acceptance of military buildups and of using nuclear weapons for national security during Russia's war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Mideast, with the United States and Russia possessing most of the world's nuclear warheads. "These developments flagrantly disregard the lessons the international community should have learned from the tragedies of history," he said. "They threaten to topple the peacebuilding frameworks so many have worked so hard to construct." |
| MSMS juniors move in for new school year | |
 | It is August, and that means high school students are getting ready to go back to school, and that is exactly what juniors from the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science spent their Saturday doing. Saturday was move-in day for MSMS juniors. Over 100 juniors spent their Saturday moving into their dorms and preparing for the upcoming school year. "It is a good time. A lot of the students, this is their first time away from home, so it is a good opportunity to experience that before freshman year," said Stacey Holmes, Director of Student Affairs. "A lot of our students are getting an opportunity to hit some of those milestones that a lot of people do not get until their first year of college. They are joining a wonderful community, a wonderful faculty, and staff. We have been working hard to make sure everything is ready for them. They are going to love it, we have a wonderful alumni base, and they are eager to welcome them to the community of MSMS." |
| Giant hole near U. of Mississippi Medical Center raises concerns | |
| A giant hole discovered outside the University of Mississippi Medical Center is causing concern. Crews from Cleanup Jackson found the hole while working on a creek in the area. One of the crew members jumped into the hole and shared a photo on Facebook, showing that the hole reached up to his chest. "That's a huge hole," said Locke Ward, the founder of Cleanup Jackson. "We were just out here cleaning up this creek today and I saw this and put it on Facebook, so hopefully Public Works will come out and address this." Cleanup Jackson officials are unsure how long the hole has been there. Apart from the opening, the group said there are other potentially dangerous things in the area that need to be repaired. |
| USM receives $1.9M grant to boost STEM student success | |
| The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) was awarded a $1.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) program. According to officials, the initiative aims to increase retention and graduation rates for high-achieving, underprivileged students pursuing STEM degrees that require Calculus I. Over its six-year duration, the project will provide scholarships to 60 full-time undergraduate students across disciplines including chemistry, computer science, computer engineering, forensics, geology, marine science, mathematics, ocean engineering, physics and polymer engineering. Titled Calculus to Careers: Scholarships Targeting Academically Rising Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Students (STARSS), the program offers faculty mentoring, targeted tutoring through TRIO Student Support Services, graduate school advising via the McNair Scholars Program and professional development opportunities through the Center for Pathways Experiences. Students can also earn a graduation cord by completing and reflecting on career-focused experiences. |
| Delta State awarded grants to boost music and art programs | |
| Delta State University has received two grants from the King's Daughters and Sons Circle Number Two of Greenville to help fund programs that will expand access to music and the performing arts across the region. The charitable organization has long supported education, health, and cultural initiatives, awarding the grants to the university's Delta Music Institute (DMI) and Bologna Performing Arts Center (BPAC). University leaders say the funding will have a direct impact not only on the students but also on the surrounding community. The grant will benefit the DMI's annual summer music camp, a weeklong program for high school students interested in music and related entertainment industries. Participants receive hands-on training in audio engineering, songwriting, live performance, and music business skills. The DMI is part of Delta State's College of Business and Aviation and offers a Bachelor of Science in Entertainment Industry Studies, with an emphasis on real-world industry engagement. The second grant will support BPAC's School-Time Matinee Series, which brings live theater performances to students in grades Pre-K through 12. |
| William Carey University creates curriculum 'tailor-made' for local tech company | |
| Howard Technology Solutions is one of the largest employers in Mississippi's Pine Belt region, being headquartered in Laurel and serving as a worldwide leader in tech products. To address a growing number of jobs within the company, leaders made public Tuesday a new partnership with William Carey University. According to a news release, WCU will soon offer curriculum at its Hattiesburg and Traditions campuses that is "tailor-made" for students who may want to work at Howard. Through the Carey Institute for Excellence, the goal is to provide professional development training responsive to the needs of the local business community -- especially at Howard. David Perkins, executive vice president of sales for Howard Technology Solutions, believes the partnership will not only give students a leg up upon graduation but also result in better, more-prepared employees working for Howard. "Our career people got with the curriculum people at William Carey and created a program to train their students in the areas we need, as far as hiring people for different job classifications," he explained. Similar announcements are expected to be made by WCU in the future with university officials currently working with the city of Hattiesburg and local military units to develop learning modules that fit their specific needs. |
| Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College unveils major defense industry training initiative | |
| Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative to train the future workforce for careers in the defense sector. Officials with the community college, along with industry leaders and U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, gathered Tuesday at the school's Harrison County campus to celebrate the beginning of the Defense Industry Training Accelerated Courses program. This initiative will serve as the unified brand for a variety of accelerated, skills-based training programs offered through MGCCC's advanced facilities and industry-aligned curricula. Programs are delivered through assets such as: The AiM UP Lab at the Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center in Gulfport. The Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense on the Harrison County Campus. MGCCC's leadership in statewide artificial intelligence and cybersecurity education. "Our defense-training programs are designed to meet the growing demand for fast, effective workforce training that leads to well-paying careers," MGCCC President Dr. Mary S. Graham said. "Whether students are pursuing traditional skilled trades or emerging technologies, these programs offer hands-on learning and real-world experience to help them succeed from day one." |
| LSU presidential search committee sets first meeting later this month | |
 | LSU's presidential search committee set its first meeting for later this month to help determine the next leader of the university system. The meeting is set to occur at 9 a.m. Aug. 19 in the board room of the LSU Foundation Building on Nicholson Drive, according to a news release Tuesday. Health care executives, business leaders, several members of LSU's Board of Supervisors, professors and a student make up the 20-member committee, which was announced June 20. Gov. Jeff Landry appointed five of the seven LSU board members on the committee. The committee was formed following the departure of former President William Tate IV, who left in June to lead Rutgers University in New Jersey. The next president will oversee a system that includes campuses in Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Eunice and Shreveport, along with an agriculture center, biomedical research center and medical schools in New Orleans and Shreveport. Scott Ballard, the LSU board chair, previously said the group will use the help of a consulting firm in selecting someone. Additional details about the firm and the timeline for the search remain unclear. |
| Panel discusses New World screwworm's advance toward Texas | |
 | Dr. Alberto Banuet has been on the frontlines of the fight against the New World screwworm and he knows the challenge faced by both the United States and Mexico in the fight to stop the spread of the parasite that attacks healthy tissue in mammals and occasionally birds. Banuet brought his knowledge of the New World screwworm to the 71st annual Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course this week, taking part in a panel discussion on the screwworm in Rudder Theater on Monday afternoon and then presenting on the screwworm in a smaller setting in Rudder Tower. On both occasions, Banuet stressed that communication and formulating a plan was the best way to eradicate the screwworm as was done in the United States in 1966 and in Mexico in 1991. Screwworm is a problem that both countries will have to work together on just as they did in the past, he said. "The [United States Department of Agriculture] does not have a plan, they have a policy. It's kind of in the air," Banuet said during the panel discussion. "The last time we had a perfectly detailed plan. Let's go back to the [plan] we had 30 years ago that worked fine. What we really need is to get on the USDA's back and say show us your plan or pay the plan, and if you don't have one now let's go back to the one [from 30 years ago]." Texas A&M graduate Brooke Rollins is the Secretary of Agriculture. |
| DOJ sues Oklahoma over in-state tuition access for undocumented immigrants | |
| The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday sued Oklahoma over a state law giving undocumented immigrants access to in-state tuition and financial aid at colleges and universities. President Donald Trump's administration argued that Oklahoma state law violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution and asked the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma to find the statute invalid. Oklahoma Attorney Gentner Drummond, a Republican, whose office represents the state and public officials in litigation, filed a motion Tuesday in support of the lawsuit. Attorneys for the Department of Justice argued that the law extends eligibility for in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants while not extending that treatment to U.S. citizens in other states. Oklahoma is one of 23 states and Washington D.C. that provides in-state tuition and financial aid benefits to undocumented students, according to an analysis by the Higher Education Portal, which is a platform for data, resources and policy analysis regarding immigrant student populations. Angela Caddell, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, said in a statement Tuesday that the Regents are in the process of determining how many students will be impacted. |
| FSA Launches Beta Version of FAFSA Ahead of Schedule | |
 | The Office for Federal Student Aid made history this week, launching the test version of this year's Free Application for Federal Student Aid earlier than ever before, Aaron Lemon-Strauss, executive director of the FAFSA program, announced in a LinkedIn post Monday. It marks the beginning of "the next chapter in making higher ed more accessible," he wrote. This comes less than two years after the botched rollout of what was supposed to be a simpler FAFSA form for the 2024–25 academic year. The opening of that year's application platform, which typically occurs in October, was delayed until the very end of the year. And even when it launched in late December 2023, it had a myriad of glitches, significantly delaying financial aid award processing for colleges and students. For the next FAFSA cycle, the Education Department revamped its planning processing, bringing in an outsider to lead the effort. The launch of the 2025–26 FAFSA was slightly delayed, but the agency spent months testing the form before opening it up to all students. Now, for the 2026–27 FAFSA, the application is set to open on time on Oct. 1. To meet that deadline, the department kicked off several weeks of selective beta testing this week, starting with a small number of students and families. The plan is for the beta version to become public in early September. |
| So long, study guides? The AI industry is going after students | |
| Students are using ChatGPT more than ever -- and ChatGPT knows it. Last week, OpenAI launched "study mode" in its chatbot, aimed directly at the student market. It's meant to behave more like a tutor than a machine that spits out answers; it uses the Socratic method, builds quizzes and creates study plans. The same day, Google announced a suite of study-oriented tools. So, how does generative AI compare to old-school tools like textbooks and online homework helpers like Chegg and Quizlet? Do they still have a place? Chegg sells textbooks and offers a slate of digital services, such as generating flash cards and practice questions. In May, the company laid off about 250 employees, or 22% of its workforce, partly due to students turning to generative AI, it confirmed to NPR. But rather than trying to expand its reach, it's zooming in. Macmillan Learning sells textbooks and e-books, and it offers quizzes and study guides. Like Chegg, it has incorporated an AI tool into its paid plan and began rolling it out late last year. Some students are mixing and matching AI and traditional tools. Bryan Wheatley combined ChatGPT with Quizlet and Socratic (another AI tool) to study. A recent graduate of Prairie View A&M University in Texas, he initially approached ChatGPT with trepidation. |
| Why College Deferred Maintenance Is a Growing Risk | |
| Declining student numbers, funding reductions, rising personnel costs and policy changes at the state and federal level pose the biggest financial risks to institutions, according to Inside Higher Ed's recent annual survey of chief business officers with Hanover Research. Those issues are consistent with an overall threat to higher education: that federal policy and economic uncertainty are stressing a sector already teetering on enrollment and demand cliffs. Yet underneath those challenges lies another, less headline-grabbing danger: delayed upkeep and repairs to infrastructure and assets. One in three surveyed CBOs (36 percent) identified infrastructure/deferred maintenance costs as a top financial risk to their institution, just behind state and/or federal policy changes -- and ahead of options such as technology investment requirements, increased market competition (including from alternative credential providers), potential changes to international student enrollment and changes in student athletics revenue and name, image and likeness deals. Across higher education, deferred maintenance needs span aging HVAC systems, roofs and dorms; buildings in need of rewiring; and more. Technical deferred maintenance, such as addressing choppy Wi-Fi, is another concern. These aren't the flashy projects that attract donors or drive capital campaigns (exceptions notwithstanding). But they matter in terms of curb appeal and functionality. |
| The College That's Thriving Under Trump | |
 | As Linda McMahon was raising her right hand to be sworn in as education secretary, the majority of Arizona's congressional delegation was putting the finishing touches on a letter that would land on her desk two days later. In it, the group called on the U.S. Department of Education to reverse an earlier decision that refused to recognize one of the nation's largest private schools as a nonprofit organization. The letter carried a blunt message beyond technicalities and classifications: Take Grand Canyon University off the federal government's hit list. Eleven days after the letter was written, the department withdrew a $37.7-million fine the Biden administration had levied against the private Christian university. Two months later, the Trump administration is poised to finally recognize Grand Canyon as a nonprofit, and the Federal Trade Commission may soon drop a lawsuit in which it accused the university of deceptive marketing. While much of higher education buckles under what it sees as a senseless targeting of colleges by McMahon and President Trump, there are no such complaints coming from Grand Canyon's Phoenix campus. Grand Canyon officials chafed at what they felt was unfair prejudice, triggered by its previous for-profit status, under the Biden administration --- and even the first Trump administration --- which was a rare sap on the institution's runaway growth. Now that check has been lifted, and the same year it celebrated its 75th birthday, Grand Canyon has achieved a coronation as one of America's most successful, and unlikely, mega-universities. |
| College applications rise outside US as Trump cracks down on international students | |
| In China, wait times for U.S. visa interviews are so long that some students have given up. Universities in Hong Kong are fielding transfer inquiries from foreign students in the U.S., and international applications for British undergraduate programs have surged. President Donald Trump's administration has been pressuring U.S. colleges to reduce their dependence on international enrollment while adding new layers of scrutiny for foreign students as part of its crackdown on immigration. The U.S. government has sought to deport foreign students for participating in pro-Palestinian activism. In the spring, it abruptly revoked the legal status of thousands of international students, including some whose only brush with law enforcement was a traffic ticket. After reversing course, the government paused new appointments for student visas while rolling out a process for screening applicants' social media accounts. The U.S. remains the first choice for many international students, but institutions elsewhere are recognizing opportunity in the upheaval, and applicants are considering destinations they might have otherwise overlooked. The impact on U.S. universities -- and the nation's economy -- may be significant. |
| Humanities Endowment Funds Trump's Priorities After Ending Old Grants | |
 | The National Endowment for the Humanities abruptly canceled virtually all of its existing grants in April, citing a desire to pivot to "the president's agenda." Now it has announced its first round of grants since, $34.8 million in funding for 97 projects across the country that helps show what that means. The grants include many focused on presidents, statesmen and canonical authors, including $10 million to the University of Virginia -- which the agency said was the largest grant in its history -- that will support the "expedited completion" of editorial work on papers relating to the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution and the Founding era. That grant will include work on the papers of George Washington and James Madison. Other grants will support work on the papers of other presidents including John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore. The agency said the awards, which build on decades of funding for such projects, were also a response to President Trump's call for a "grand celebration" of the 250th anniversary of American independence next July. The grant announcement comes as Mr. Trump has continued his efforts to reshape federal cultural institutions like the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress, where he has ousted some leaders and called for an end to what he has called "divisive, race-centered ideology." |
| Budget maneuvers expected to reduce NIH funding opportunities | |
 | The National Institutes of Health will be able to fund fewer research grants in fiscal 2026, even if Congress provides increased funding for the agency, due to Trump administration budget maneuvers. The administration's moves to front-load new grants, while possibly clawing back unspent funds and limiting facility and administration costs, all could suppress the NIH's opportunities to fund research, according to members of Congress and supporters of the nation's health research efforts. These budget maneuvers come in addition to the harsh eye the second Trump administration has cast on the health research agency in its first year, including a proposed 40 percent budget cut for fiscal 2026, which Congress appears unwilling to abide. "I am puzzled by it," Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, said last week when asked about the requested budget cuts for the NIH. "Biomedical research leads to longer, healthier lives for American families, and it also helps us retain our edge in innovation in the world. And why would we want China, for example, to get the jump on new cures or effective treatments?" The agency has wide bipartisan support across Congress, as many members laud its investments in lifesaving cures and therapies. On Thursday, Senate Republican appropriators brushed aside the White House's request for a 40 percent cut; House appropriators are expected to do the same. |
| GAO Report: Trump Violated Federal Statute by Withholding NIH Funds | |
| The Trump administration has violated federal statute by withholding pre-appropriated grants from the National Institutes of Health, according to a report released by the Government Accountability Office Tuesday. As a nonpartisan legislative agency, the GAO's findings reinforce what higher education institutions, academic associations and Democrats in Congress have been arguing for months. The report cites the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which "allows the President to withhold funds from obligation, but only under strictly limited circumstances and only in a manner consistent with that Act." "The ICA was enacted to ensure that legislation passed by Congress and signed by the President is faithfully executed," the report reads. "Unless Congress has enacted a law providing otherwise, executive branch officials must take care to ensure that they prudently obligate appropriations during their period of availability." According to the GAO, the Trump administration was in violation of the ICA when the NIH terminated more than 1,800 grants and, from February to June, committed almost $8 billion less to research than the government had during the same time period the year before. Trump officials argue the cuts are an effort to align federal investment with the president's priorities. Multiple higher education groups have sued the NIH over the funding freeze, and so far both district and appellate courts have ruled in their favor. |
| Kennedy Cancels Nearly $500 Million in mRNA Vaccine Contracts | |
| Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has canceled nearly $500 million of grants and contracts for developing mRNA vaccines, the Department of Health and Human Services announced on Tuesday. It is the latest blow to research on this technology. In May, the Department of Health and Human Services revoked a nearly $600 million contract to the drugmaker Moderna to develop a vaccine against bird flu. The new cancellations dismayed scientists, many of whom regard mRNA shots as the best option for protecting Americans in a pandemic. "This is a bad day for science," said Scott Hensley, an immunologist at the University of Pennsylvania who has been working to develop an mRNA vaccine against influenza. First used during the Covid-19 pandemic by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, mRNA shots instruct the body to produce a fragment of a virus, which then sets off the body's immune response. Unlike traditional vaccines, which can take years to develop and test, mRNA shots can be made within months and quickly altered as the virus changes. The technology won a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023. But it has long been distrusted by vaccine skeptics. |
| Will moving Neshoba stump speeches to June in 2026 lessen the fair's political impact? | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: Since 1896, when Mississippi Gov. Anselm Joseph McLaurin of Brandon traveled by train from Jackson to Newton and then closed the distance to the fairgrounds by horse and buggy, every politician who held that office has attended at least one session of the historic campground fair. ... From McLaurin to present Gov. Tate Reeves, 65 Mississippi governors have spoken at Neshoba. While there are other notable political whistlestops around the state like the Jacinto Courthouse, the Neshoba County Fair has remained Mississippi's premier political stump. In modern times, Fair rules offer political speaking opportunities for state, district and Neshoba County/local candidates and public officials. U.S. presidential candidates have spoken there over the years, including Ronald Reagan, Michael Dukakis, Jack Kemp and John Glenn. Donald Trump Jr. spoke there in 2016 on behalf of his father, as did Neil Bush in 1988 on behalf of his father. When the Neshoba County Fair Association announced its intention to move the institution's dates from the traditional last week of July back to the final week in June, there was quite the "disturbance in the force" for native Neshoba Countians and longtime patrons of the event. |
SPORTS
| Football: Jalen Smith Looking To Make Noise In Maroon | |
| Take a look at Jalen Smith's online bio. You'll notice the Mississippi State linebacker is a Georgia native who played the last two seasons at Tennessee. What the words on the screen won't tell you is this: his Mississippi roots are strong. "This is kind of like a second home for me," Smith explained. "I was over here a bunch growing up, seeing relatives. I even got some training sessions in on some back roads and running up hills. It was fun." In a way, it's as though Smith was meant to wear Maroon. His father is from Tylertown. Smith has also had grandparents and other relatives -- from both sides of his family -- that call or called Mississippi home. "I enjoy representing them and I'm enjoying myself here," Smith said. "I'm loving it." For Bulldogs everywhere, the feeling should soon be mutual as Smith shows what he can do in Starkville. He's young, but experienced. He's learning, but also proven. Smith has already made a splash in the Southeastern Conference and is eyeing making even more noise now that he's at State. Others certainly believe it can happen. He was recently named to the Butkus Award watch list. The accolade is given annually to the nation's top linebacker. |
| These 10 Mississippi State football freshmen will have the biggest impact on the 2025 season | |
| Mississippi State football coach Jeff Lebby showed in his first season that he's not afraid to play freshmen. When starting quarterback Blake Shapen suffered a season-ending injury last season, freshman Michael Van Buren Jr. started the remaining eight games. Freshman wide receiver Mario Craver was second on the Bulldogs in receiving yards per game. Luke Work, also a freshman, started seven games on the offensive line. Kai McClendon was a five-game starter as a freshman defensive lineman. That likely means freshmen from the 2025 recruiting class could be factors as soon as the season starts at Southern Miss on Aug. 30 (11 a.m., ESPN). Here are our predictions on who will be the 10 most impactful MSU freshmen in the 2025 season. |
| Bulldogs blank Mercer in preseason exhibition | |
| Mississippi State women's soccer is back in action, preparing for the 2025 season with a pair of exhibition matches. The Bulldogs defeated Mercer 4-0 at the MSU Soccer Field on Saturday, picking up goals from Zoe Main, Ally Perry, Laila Murillo and Lauryn Taylor. Main and Perry are two primary returning forwards for the Bulldogs from the 2024 SEC championship-winning team, while Murillo and Taylor are two underclassmen looking to make an impact early in their careers. "I think the girls were just excited to finally play someone else," Zimmerman said after the game. "We were working hard this week in training, trying to implement some ideas, you know from that side of it. Happy to come away healthy, you know for the most part, and then obviously to score some good goals. It's a start. There's a long way to go, but it's a start." The exhibition featured three periods of 30 minutes, and saw the Bulldogs rotate through experienced players as well as those competing for bigger roles this season. All three goalkeepers were given a period of action to show their stuff as Zimmerman looks for a permanent No. 1 option, though the Bulldogs only faced two shots throughout the game. |
| Men's Golf: Mississippi State Named PLATFORM Golf Team Academic Award Recipient | |
| Mississippi State men's golf has been named a recipient of the PLATFORM Golf Team Academic Award by the Golf Coaches Association of America. The Bulldogs earned the Presidents Special Recognition for having a team GPA of 3.50 or higher. Last week, the GCAA announced its Cobalt All-America Scholars. MSU broke a school record with six selections, which was tied for the most in the nation. The six Bulldog scholars included Harrison Davis, Garrett Endicott, Ugo Malcor, Dain Richie, Josep Serra and Drew Wilson. State earned its seventh-consecutive NCAA Tournament berth in 2025, extending a program-record streak. The Bulldogs compiled 10 top-10 team finishes this past season, including a victory at the Desert Mountain Collegiate. The 2025-26 season begins on Aug. 29 at the Carmel Cup in Pebble Beach, Calif. |
| Nick Saban calls for changes to College Football Playoff selection process | |
 | Alabama didn't make the College Football Playoff as a three-loss team last season. Months later, those affiliated with the Crimson Tide and the SEC are still talking about it. Former UA head coach Nick Saban wasn't asked about the snub on Tuesday, while speaking to reporters at a luncheon for the Nick's Kids Foundation in Tuscaloosa. Still, when answering a question about which teams had a chance to win the SEC, Saban got a reference in. "It gets to be a little bit of a disadvantage, because you get penalized for losses more in college football than you (are rewarded) for strength of schedule," Saban said. "Which was unfortunate for Alabama last year in terms of getting in the playoffs. But hopefully we'll get that fixed and work together to try to do it in the future, so that strength of schedule becomes an important part of how you get selected to get in the playoffs. And you shouldn't get penalized for playing in a championship. So hopefully all those things will come to fruition." |
| In NCAA streamlining, the big conferences get more power, but not everything they wanted | |
| Major decisions by the NCAA's top decision-making body will need approval from all four major conferences -- or help from a smaller conference -- to pass under a set of rules approved Tuesday that are designed to streamline the way business is done by the nation's largest overseer of college athletics. The Southeastern Conference had been pushing for it and the other three power conferences to receive a 17% voting share on the newly reshaped Division I Board of Directors, so that if one of the four conferences disagreed with a proposal the others could still band together to pass it with 51% of the vote. But the legislation only increased their voting share to 16.1% each, which gives each conference power to waylay a policy it doesn't like. The D-I board deals with finances, litigation and infractions unrelated to conditions set in the $2.8 billion antitrust settlement that allows schools to pay players as of July 1. Though the NCAA plays virtually no role in overseeing Bowl Subdivision football, which is run by the College Football Playoff, this is the latest in an ongoing push to give the biggest, football-playing schools more autonomy in making decisions across the college landscape. The vote also won't directly impact the future of March Madness, where expansion has been on the docket but won't come this year. |
| With One Colossal Mistake, the NCAA Lost Control of College Football | |
| Ever since it was founded over a century ago to organize college football, the NCAA has grown into the central authority for running -- and policing -- all of college sports. And for most of that time, despite bumps in the road, it has kept that authority. But a radical shift is under way. A handful of athletic conferences, built around football giants, is in the process of seizing power. On Tuesday, the NCAA gave the four richest conferences -- the Big Ten, Big 12, ACC and SEC -- 65% weighted voting across all Division-I committees. That means they can now muscle through many changes even if dozens of other conferences oppose them. Those four had been quietly growing their influence for years. But Tuesday's move elevates them far above their peers and gives them unprecedented sway over the future of the game -- and the billions of dollars it generates. This group of conferences, not the NCAA, sells its own football broadcast rights and keeps the billions in annual proceeds. This group, not the NCAA, controls colleges' most valuable postseason, the College Football Playoff. And most significantly, this group recently launched its own enforcement arm, the College Sports Commission---a for-profit organization led by the former top lawyer at Major League Baseball. |
| Trump dives into the turbulent waters of pay for college athletes | |
 | The issue of compensation for college athletes is a minefield that President Trump has decided to run straight through. In recent years, university sports has already gone through major changes from litigation and the world of name, image and likeness (NIL) deals, but the president has signaled he wants to reshape the already fragile system. His most recent action on the subject was an executive order that, though it has little legal force, could drive the conversation going forward. In the order, which boldly proclaims it "saves college sports," Trump seeks to ban "pay-for-play" deals with third parties, as well as calling on schools to dedicate scholarships and money to women's and Olympic sports. Trump also wants the secretary of labor and the National Labor Relations Board to clarify the employment status of student athletes and the attorney general and Federal Trade Commission to examine relevant antitrust laws. "It's very clear that President Trump is very interested in the sports issues, and it's very clear that he has inserted himself into this debate, and that's really the background of that executive order," said Mark Conrad, director of the Sports Business Concentration and a professor of law and ethics at Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business. |
| Trump names himself chair of L.A. Olympics task force, sees role for military during Games | |
 | In past Olympic Games held on American soil, sitting presidents have served in passive, ceremonial roles. President Trump may have other plans. An executive order signed by Trump on Tuesday names him chair of a White House task force on the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, viewed by the president as "a premier opportunity to showcase American exceptionalism," according to a White House statement. Trump, the administration said, "is taking every opportunity to showcase American greatness on the world stage." At the White House, speaking in front of banners adding the presidential seal to the logo for LA28, Trump said he would send the military back to Los Angeles if he so chose in order to protect the Games. In June, Trump sent the National Guard and U.S. Marines to the city amid widespread immigration enforcement actions, despite widespread condemnation from Mayor Karen Bass and other local officials. There is ample precedent for military and National Guard forces providing security support during U.S.-hosted Olympic Games. But coming on the heels of the recent military deployment to Los Angeles, Trump's comments may prove contentious. Presidents have long played a role in the Games. In 1984, Ronald Reagan formally opened the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, becoming the first American president to do so. Reagan attended several Olympic events, but repeatedly emphasized the federal government's role was focused on security, according to the White House Historical Assn. |
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