| Thursday, February 19, 2026 |
| Mississippi State student from Ocean Springs awarded Gilman Scholarship | |
 | A Mississippi State student from Ocean Springs was named a Gilman Scholarship recipient on Wednesday. A junior software engineering major, Ricky Nguyen, is one of three recipients of the competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. Nguyen, a graduate of St. Martin High School, was also recently named to Mississippi State's fall 2025 President's List. A senior computer science major, A'mya Hoskins of Senatobia, and a senior anthropology major, Amanda Whitehead of Pickens, were also chosen for the honor. These students will have a portion of their tuition, travel and living expenses covered as they engage in educational opportunities abroad this year. MSU Study Abroad Coordinator Dominique Brown, whose office connects students to a wide range of global learning opportunities, including the Gilman Scholarship, said the Gilman Scholarship is bigger than just funding. "I've seen the Gilman Scholarship transform more than just a student's finances -- it transforms identities," Brown said. "It is a scholarship that empowers students who never thought they would have the chance to study abroad to take a seat at the global table. If you are receiving a Pell Grant and have a dream, then the Gilman Scholarship is your greatest ally." |
| Sales tax revenue tracks ahead of projections | |
 | Columbus and Starkville's sales tax collections fell slightly compared to February 2025, though both cities saw an increase in month-to-month collections, with an 8.52% increase in Columbus and a 4.99% increase in Starkville compared to January. Sales tax diversions run on a three-month window. Taxes are collected by retailers in the first month, sent to Mississippi Department of Revenue the next and then disbursed to cities and counties the third. Therefore, February reported collections reflect sales from December. Starkville collected $890,612 this month, up 4.99% from January's collections of $848,270. This marks a 0.93% decrease from February 2025 collections of $898,996. Year-to-date, the city has collected about $4,450,109 in sales taxes, marking a 3.34% increase from this time last year ($4,305,941). At its current pace, the city is on track to exceed its $10.3 million projected budget by more than $380,000. Starkville saw a decrease in month-to-month collections of both its restaurant sales tax diversions, which assist in funding for economic development and tourism, as well as its tourism sales tax, which funds the parks. |
| Mary Means Business: Columbus gets new halal, gyro and deli options | |
| Columbus folks are getting another cafe and deli within the next month. Manager Summer Cutrer confirmed that Dark Oak Cafe and Deli will open at 1920 Hwy. 45 N., Suite A within the next two months. That's between Exotic Smokerz and Apothecary Green in Northgate Plaza. "We are super excited to open up and let our community try everything we have to offer," she said. "We will have the best halal menu in GTA along with lots of surprises coming soon after our grand opening." Not far away, Gyro Guys food truck has opened at 1906 Hwy. 45 N., bringing New York City-style halal Mediterranean eats to town. They've got tons of options for New York City Halal Mediterranean food, including lamb, chicken, falafel, shawarma, kofta wraps, hot dogs, chicken wings and kebabs. ... Moving over to Starkville, a new place to get your next cup of coffee. Whole Bean Coffee Co. 113 C Dr. MLK Dr. W., is having its grand opening Friday. The mobile coffee shop will open 6 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Get out here early, because the first 50 customers on Friday and Saturday will be entered to win a week of free lates. Owner Mallory Halfacre said the crew serves various coffee drinks, dirty Alanis, Red Bull refreshers, homemade muffins, bagels, toast and more. |
| Firehawk Aerospace bringing $16.5 million manufacturing facility to Crawford | |
 | Defense technology company Firehawk Aerospace is locating manufacturing operations in Lowndes County with a $16.5 million corporate investment being announced Wednesday. Firehawk is a U.S. defense technology company that uses advanced additive manufacturing to produce scalable rocket motors, 3D-printed propellant, and other propulsion systems, replacing outdated World War II-era manufacturing methods to modernize and strengthen the defense supply chain, per the company's website. It recently acquired a 636-acre facility in Crawford, which will be home to its first Mississippi manufacturing facility and serve as its rocket system integration site. The investment is expected to create 100 jobs. Bill Cork, the executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority, said Firehawk's decision to locate in Crawford showcases the state's ability to host aerospace and defense companies anywhere – not just in the coastal region, where NASA and others are set up. |
| Firehawk Aerospace establishing manufacturing operations in Crawford | |
| The Mississippi Development Authority announced Wednesday that Firehawk Aerospace, a defense technology company, is establishing manufacturing operations in Crawford. According to MDA, Firehawk is an end-to-end energetics company that produces munitions, rockets and motors powered by its proprietary 3D-printed propellant, which enables faster, safer and more cost-efficient production. The company has acquired a 636-acre facility in Crawford that will support expanded manufacturing capacity and serve as its rocket system integration site. Governor Tate Reeves said Firehawk Aerospace chose Mississippi "because we're built for companies that refuse to wait." "We move faster and deliver the workforce and infrastructure innovative aerospace companies demand -- without red tape," Reeves said. "Lowndes County and the Golden Triangle are proving once again that Mississippi isn't watching the future take shape; we're building it. The state of Mississippi is proud to support Firehawk as it brings high-paying, high-tech jobs to the people of Lowndes County." |
| Threefoot Brewing combines passion for beer with community spirit | |
 | Threefoot Brewing Owner John Purdy and Brewer Jonathan Crabtree didn't see their lives leading toward operating a thriving microbrewery in downtown Meridian. They come from different backgrounds and have vastly different experiences, but their passion for beer and a shared community spirit have brought them together. Purdy, an architect by trade, started his career in Atlanta believing growing up in the Queen City was the last of Meridian he would see. Settling in the city with his family, he said he was ready to leave Meridian and Mississippi in the past. "The world and life has a funny way of dragging you back to things to where you say, 'never, never say ever,'" he said. An opportunity to work with an architect in Meridian presented itself, and it was too good to pass up, Purdy said. As time wore on, however, the work became dragging and got to the point where he began looking for a way out of the field. "I'll say now I'm very proud that I stuck with it, but I thought brewing would be my next career and my passion, so it was a way out of architecture for me, at least at the time," he said. Threefoot Brewing started on paper with contract brewing beginning in 2017. From there, a second contract was added and the business continued to grow. |
| Alcohol crisis: Mississippi liquor stores, bars run dry from ABC problems | |
| Just a few months ago, shelves at Levure Bottle Shop in Jackson were full of wines that can be hard to find in Mississippi. Now, shelves are empty and customers come in asking if the store is closing. Owners put a sign outside that says, "Not going out of business ... still waiting for the ABC to deliver." Mississippi's alcohol industry is in crisis due to operating changes and delays at the state-run Alcoholic Beverage Control warehouse through which most alcohol in the state has to pass. Over the last month, package stores and restaurants have struggled to fill their shelves and owners are worried. It's not just impacting small businesses such as Levure. Casinos and restaurants across the state are also waiting for orders. With officials saying the warehouse expects to clear half its backlog by March, some businesses are worried about staying afloat. Some are waiting on tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of orders that are weeks late. When orders do come, they often contain only part of what the businesses paid for. But business owners say issues go beyond delayed deliveries. "We may order five cases of an item. It'll be marked as out of stock but we will get them," said Jamie Farris, owner of Lincoln Road Package Store in Hattiesburg and a leader of the Mississippi Independent Package Store Association. Farris said that while it's normal for orders to get mixed up, what's happening now is "bonkers." |
| Shy of special session, Mississippi school choice appears dead | |
| The House Education Committee, in a five-minute meeting on Wednesday, passed two Senate education bills before its leader announced that the panel would not meet again this session. That means that the last school choice measure standing before the Legislature, a bill that would make it easier for students to transfer between public school districts, would be dead. "This is our only meeting that we will be having, from what I am understanding," said House Education Committee Chairman Rob Roberson, a Republican from Starkville, at the conclusion of the meeting. The move, and Roberson's wording, could indicate the House leadership is striking back at the Senate, which killed Speaker Jason White's school choice bill. The Senate Education Committee killed White's omnibus education policy change bill -- which included a program that would have allowed parents to spend public dollars on private school tuition -- earlier this month. Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar, a Republican from Leakesville, said the House's actions wouldn't interrupt his committee's priorities, and that he appreciated the House Education Committee passed two Senate bills at its Wednesday meeting. Roberson could change his mind, but if the House Education Committee doesn't meet again, more than a dozen Senate bills are poised to die. |
| House Education Committee kills all but two Senate education bills | |
| During a House Education Committee meeting held Wednesday afternoon, Chairman State Rep. Rob Roberson (R) announced it would be their "last meeting." "This is our only meeting that we will be having, from what I am understanding, just to give you all a heads up," Roberson said during the brief five-minute committee meeting. "These two bills are what we are bringing out. Hopefully we're able to work with the Senate and get things moving in a good direction." When reached by Magnolia Tribune to clarify if Roberson meant it would be the last meeting of that committee for the remainder of the 2026 Legislative session, Roberson responded with "That's the plan now... that's subject to change." Only two bills were passed by out of the committee: SB 2103 and SB 2294. Neither of the bills dealt with school transfers or other aspects related to education freedom. SB 2103 seeks to delete the requirement of school counselors to abide by the American School Counselor Association Code of Ethics, essentially allowing the Mississippi Department of Education to create its own code of ethics instead of relying on "the ever-changing code." SB 2294, the Mississippi Future Innovators Act, which is similar to HB 1035, was also amended to only include the House's version of their math initiative, reading initiative and financial literacy. |
| Committee sends MDOT Executive Director reappointment to full Senate | |
| Lawmakers on the Senate Highway and Transportation Committee approved the reappointment of Mississippi Department of Transportation Executive Director Brad White on Wednesday. Prior to receiving the vote of confidence from the Senate committee, White was asked about MDOT's response to the January winter storm and what could be done to improve the department's response in the future. White began by thanking the Legislature for its financial support in the department's effort to maintain and improve the state's interstates and highways. "We have stopped the bleeding of our employees thanks to SEC Squared in cooperation with the personnel board," he explained. "We've been able to begin the process of rebuilding our workforce, both on the maintenance side as well as the engineering staff." Close to $1 billion in additional supplemental funding from the Legislature has also allowed the state's capacity program to restart construction projects, he added. |
| State lawmakers explore funding solutions for ice storm cleanup costs | |
| State lawmakers held a joint hearing Wednesday on ice storm recovery, hearing testimony that cities are struggling with massive cleanup costs from January's winter storm. Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill told legislators her city is prepared to borrow what's needed, but they didn't budget for this level of unexpected costs. "We've already gotten a bill for over $1,000,000 and it's due in 45 days, and so I just urge you to move quickly," Tannehill said. Tannehill expressed concern about carrying debt while waiting for federal reimbursement, noting the lengthy timeline for FEMA payments. "I've heard horror stories from other communities on the coast and others that say sometimes it can be two years before you get a check from FEMA," she said. Rep. Jody Steverson represents Alcorn and Tippah Counties and is already getting a lot of calls and questions. "We're being blamed, the legislature here, being blamed for this not moving any faster. It's not our deal," Steverson said while explaining that decisions will come from the federal level. Sen. Scott Delano, who authored the bill, explained how it would work. "It is a loan so we're throwing money out at the local jurisdictions and we're saying, whenever you get reimbursed by FEMA, then that money would come back into this fund and would go right back out again," Delano said. |
| Governors arrive in Washington eager to push past Trump's partisan grip | |
 | In another era, the scene would have been unremarkable. But in President Donald Trump's Washington, it's become increasingly rare. Sitting side by side on stage were Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat. They traded jokes and compliments instead of insults and accusations, a brief interlude of cordiality in a cacophony of conflict. Stitt and Moore are the leaders of the National Governors Association, one of a vanishing few bipartisan institutions left in American politics. But it may be hard for the organization, which is holding its annual conference this week, to maintain its reputation as a refuge from polarization. Trump has broken with custom by declining to invite all governors to the traditional White House meeting and dinner. He has called Stitt, the NGA's chair, a "RINO," short for Republican in name only, and continued to feud with Moore, the group's vice chair, by blaming him for a sewage spill involving a federally regulated pipeline. With the Republican-controlled Congress unwilling to limit Trump's ambitions, several governors have increasingly cast themselves as a counterweight to the White House. "Presidents aren't supposed to do this stuff," Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said about the expansion of executive power in recent administrations. "Congress needs to get their act together. And stop performing for TikTok and actually start doing stuff. That's the flaw we're dealing with right now." |
| U.S. Gathers the Most Air Power in the Mideast Since the 2003 Iraq Invasion | |
 | The U.S. is sending significant numbers of jet fighters and support aircraft to the Middle East, assembling the greatest amount of air power in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The U.S. is ready to take action against Iran, but President Trump hasn't decided whether to order strikes or -- if he does order them -- whether the aim would be to halt Iran's already-battered nuclear program, wipe out its missile force or try to topple the regime. Over the past few days, the U.S. has continued to move cutting-edge F-35 and F-22 jet fighters toward the Middle East, according to flight-tracking data and a U.S. official. A second aircraft carrier loaded with attack and electronic-warfare planes is on the way. Command-and-control aircraft, which are vital for orchestrating large air campaigns, are inbound. And critical air defenses have been deployed to the region in recent weeks. The firepower will give the U.S. the option of carrying out a sustained, weekslong air war against Iran instead of the one-and-done "Midnight Hammer" strike the U.S. carried out in June against three Iranian nuclear sites, U.S. officials said. Iran has some cards to play in a sustained campaign, including a still-sizable missile arsenal that could be directed at U.S. bases and allies in the region, and military forces that could try to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital sea lane for oil tankers. Given the uncertainties, some former military officers said a diplomatic agreement could be preferable to war. |
| Trump, weeks after backlash over racist post, hosts Black History Month reception | |
| President Donald Trump hosted a White House reception for Black History Month on Wednesday, less than two weeks after he sparked a bipartisan outcry by posting a racist video on social media that depicted former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as primates in a jungle. Trump on Wednesday didn't reference the video, which he deleted after a widespread backlash but said he won't apologize for posting. He also did not reference Barack Obama, the nation's first Black president, but spoke of other history-making Black Americans. "We celebrate Black History Month. We honor the memory of those who came before us by continuing their legacy," he said. Trump name-checked prominent Black Americans among his supporters, including boxer Mike Tyson, whom Trump praised for defending him against accusations of racism, and rapper Nicki Minaj, whose skin he praised as "so beautiful" while commenting on how long her fingernails were. Trump has targeted the diversity, equity and inclusion programs that helped many Black Americans find jobs in both the federal government and a variety of private industries over the last several decades. At the same time, Trump has painted himself as champion of historically Black colleges and universities. |
| As ICE Buys Up Warehouses, Even Some Trump Voters Say No | |
 | Stacy Bradley voted for President Trump because of his border policies, and she likes that he has restored "law and order." But she is unsettled by one aspect of his immigration agenda. Last month, the federal government bought a warehouse next to her cheerleading gym in Surprise, Ariz., which the administration plans to convert into a detention center for up to 1,500 immigrants. Ms. Bradley, the co-owner of Woodlands Elite Cheer, said she worried that a detainee could escape, or that protests could break out. The children who train at her gym are as young as 3 and could see "people in shackles" next door, she said. "That's a scary thing for a little kid to process," Ms. Bradley said. Across the country, the Department of Homeland Security's plans to buy industrial warehouses and turn them into detention centers for immigrants are running into local resistance, including in communities like Surprise that voted for Mr. Trump in the last presidential election. The pushback is complicating efforts to expand detention capacity to accommodate the tens of thousands of additional immigrants the administration expects to confine, to deliver on its mass deportation drive. Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi, said in a social media post this month that a planned facility in Marshall County would not move forward after he spoke with Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary. "I appreciate her for agreeing to look elsewhere," Mr. Wicker said in the post. |
| Trump would like the government he leads to pay him billions | |
 | Of all the ways President Trump has pushed the boundaries of executive power, one stands out to lawyers and watchdogs. The president wants the government he leads to pay him billions of dollars. Trump has filed multiple claims arguing he's been hurt by Justice Department investigations and the leak of his tax returns years ago. Now it's up to his own political appointees to determine whether to settle with their boss -- and for how much taxpayer money. "There is a glaring conflict of interest with Trump being on both sides of the claim," said Edward Whelan, a former lawyer at the Justice Department and a political conservative who once clerked for the late Justice Antonin Scalia. "It is outrageous that he and those answering to him would be deciding how the government responds to these extravagant claims." For Trump, filing lawsuits, including those that are frivolous or where he has little chance of success, has long been standard operating procedure, a way of communicating displeasure. A White House official, speaking on background because he was not authorized to speak on the record, said these claims amount to unfinished business for the president. There's a process in place at the Justice Department for people who say they've been harmed by the federal government. In the normal course of business, those claims get evaluated by career lawyers. They rarely involve high profile criminal investigations like Trump's. |
| Bernie Sanders kicks off California billionaires tax campaign with choice words for the 'oligarchs' | |
 | Populist Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday formally kicked off the campaign to place a billionaires tax on the November ballot, framing the proposal as something larger than a debate about economic and tax policy as he appeared at a storied Los Angeles venue. "The billionaire class no longer sees itself as part of American society. They see themselves as something separate and apart, like the oligarchs," he told about 2,000 people at the Wiltern. The independent senator from Vermont compared them to kings, queens and czars of yore who believed they had a divine right to rule. These billionaires "have created huge businesses with revolutionary technologies like AI and robotics that are literally transforming the face of the Earth," he said, "and they are saying to you and to everybody in America, who the hell do you think you are telling us what we -- the ruling elite, the millionaires, the billionaires, the richest people on Earth -- who do you think you are telling us what we can do or not?" California voters can show the billionaires "that we are still living in a democratic society where the people have some power," Sanders said. Milling about outside the Wiltern, a historic Art Deco venue, were workers being paid $10 per signature they gathered to help qualify the proposal for the November ballot. Inside, attendees heard from labor leaders, healthcare workers and others whose lives are being affected by federal funding cuts to healthcare. |
| Silicon Valley is building a shadow power grid for data centers across the U.S. | |
 | The GW Ranch project approved on 8,000 windswept acres of West Texas will look like many of the other data centers that have sprung up across the country to support Silicon Valley's ambitions for artificial intelligence. Dozens of airplane-hangar-size warehouses packed with computing hardware will consume more power than all of Chicago. But it's missing one standard feature: The mammoth project, recently green-lit by state environmental regulators, won't need new power lines to deliver the electricity that it guzzles. GW Ranch will be walled off from the power grid and generate its own electricity from natural gas and solar plants installed on site. GW Ranch is set to become part of a shadow power grid emerging across the country with potentially far-reaching consequences for the U.S. electricity system and environment. After the rapid growth of data centers triggered pushback from politicians, utilities and local residents over the pressures they place on the grid, tech companies are now building their own fleet of private power plants, mostly fueled by natural gas. Dozens of sprawling off-grid data center projects are planned across Texas, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Utah, Ohio and Tennessee, according to a review of regulatory filings, permits, earnings call transcripts and other documents by the energy industry research firm Cleanview. Several are already under construction. |
| AI's effect on labor productivity is murkier than you might think | |
| All kinds of industries have been taking hits on Wall Street lately, as investors begin to worry that new artificial intelligence tools have the potential to disrupt them. In the last week alone, it's happened to software companies, brokerages, and even trucking firms. The flipside of all of this is that the workers who'll end up using these AI might be able to make and do more stuff in less time. In other words, AI could make the labor force more productive. That said, the link between AI and increased productivity, at least at this point, is murky at best. About a year and a half ago, a bike parts manufacturer near Minneapolis called Wolf Tooth Components started dabbling with AI. Co-owner Brendan Moore said the company thought it might be able to help doing research on the market for new products. As a result, Moore said the company can develop more products, more quickly, at a better price. That is the definition of higher productivity: more output in less time. But while it's easy to see AI's impact on one firm, it's not so easy to see how it's affecting the economy as a whole. "We're not going to know for some time what the productivity impacts of AI are, in part, because it's going to be really hard to measure," said Erika McEntarfer, research scholar with the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. McEntarfer is also the former commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which keeps track of productivity. She said it's hard to distinguish what AI is doing from all of the other factors that have been boosting productivity recently, such as better business practices, investments in research and development, the creation of new and innovative companies -- even the loosening jobs market. |
| State politics color reception to Trump's AI 'framework' order | |
 | The Trump administration plans to sue states for their artificial intelligence laws, but how the push is affecting work on future legislation depends on a state's politics. President Donald Trump issued an executive order in December that directs the Department of Justice to sue states with AI laws the administration deems "burdensome" to the industry, including on interstate commerce grounds. It came amid unsuccessful attempts in Congress to move a White House-backed moratorium on states' AI regulations. Supporters of AI regulation, including in Colorado, California and Texas, say their states stand by going ahead on AI while Congress and the executive branch take their time, but lawmakers aligned with the administration may be more likely to take threats to sue or withhold funding more seriously. Cody Venzke, a senior policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, called the plan "a hodgepodge of . . . faulty legal theories." "I don't think that, for the most part, it will be effective in stopping states from regulating artificial intelligence to protect their citizens." The politics of the executive order, however, may be different in Republican-led states. |
| Look how much Canadians hate the United States now | |
 | It's the world's most awkward breakup. More than a year after U.S. President Donald Trump casually joked about absorbing Canada and repeatedly threatened debilitating tariffs on its goods, many Canadians are convinced their former pals to the south have lost the plot. New results from The POLITICO Poll suggest a lasting chill has settled over the world's former bosom buddies. Americans are rosy as ever about their northern neighbors, but Canadians don't share the love. Their message to America: It's not us, it's you. Canadians don't see Trump's America as merely an annoyance, the survey found. They consider the superpower next door the world's greatest threat to peacetime. The POLITICO Poll -- in partnership with U.K. polling firm Public First -- finds Canadians increasingly view the United States as a source of global volatility instead of as a stabilizing ally. In survey question after survey question, Canadians say the U.S. no longer reflects their values, is more likely to provoke conflict than to prevent it and, as a result, is pushing Canada to consider closer ties with other global powers -- including overtures to China that would have seemed unthinkable only a couple of years ago. |
| Campus Housing Update: One Project On Track, Another Delayed | |
 | The construction of a planned student housing facility on West Row as part of a university partnership with private developer Greystar has been delayed. Situated near the University of Mississippi School of Law and estimated to add 1,500 bed spaces, the project was initially slated to be completed by fall 2027 but has since been postponed to summer 2028. The West Row project was expected to be completed at about the same time as the student housing project currently under construction on the former Kincannon Hall lot. However, the West Row project's complexities warrant an extension, according to the university. "Kincannon is the most construction-ready site, and it's the priority because it supports the university's goal of housing first-year students on campus," Jacob Batte, director of news and media relations at UM, said in a statement to The Daily Mississippian. "West Row is a more complex project because it includes additional facilities and infrastructure, and the site requires additional pre-construction work to support that scope." The planned features for West Row include a new dining facility and parking garage with about 1,500 available spaces. The university has partnered with construction company Greystar and modular construction business Modern Living Solutions to design and build the two new housing facilities. |
| U. of Mississippi Medical Center hit by cyberattack | |
| The University of Mississippi Medical Center was the subject of a cyberattack Thursday morning, officials at the academic hospital confirmed. "Due to a cybersecurity attack, many UMMC IT systems are down, including access to our electronic medical records, Epic," a statement from UMMC reads. The statement added that all UMMC clinic locations statewide are closed for the day, while outpatient and ambulatory surgeries, procedures, and imaging appointments will be rescheduled. Hospital services in Jackson will continue. "We apologize for this unexpected disruption, and we will provide further updates as information is available." Before UMMC confirmed the cyberattack, multiple people with knowledge of the situation told SuperTalk Mississippi News that it had fallen victim to a cyberattack. Sources said the attack compromised UMMC's website and some phone lines. As of 9 a.m., UMMC's website was still down. A call to an official regarding clarification on whether medical records have been leaked has not been returned at this time. |
| USM professor receives lifetime achievement award from Society of Military History | |
 | A renowned University of Southern Mississippi history professor and author has just been awarded the top honor in the field of military history. Distinguished Professor of History Andrew Wiest has received the 2026 Samuel Eliot Morison Prize for Lifetime Achievement from the Society for Military History. Wiest is a longtime professor at USM and is the author of more than 20 books. He's been a leader in USM's British Studies Program for 30 years and is the founding director of the university's Dale Center for the Study of War & Society. "I was on my way to my son's basketball game, and I was speaking to the president of the society about something else, and he told me I'd won, I almost had to pull over, because I didn't quite believe it," Wiest said. "I mean, it's something for [a] kid from 21st Avenue in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, to win this thing. If you've seen the list of other awardees, they're from all over the world, and three or four of them, their first name is 'Sir.'" |
| Alabama House committee OKs bill allowing colleges, universities to choose accreditors | |
| An Alabama House committee Wednesday passed a bill that would allow public higher education institutions to choose who does its accreditation. HB 382, sponsored by Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, would allow public colleges and universities to become accredited by the Commission for Public Higher Education or other organizations not approved by the U.S. Department of Education as long as it maintains accreditation from a nationally approved organization. "I believe that opportunities among accreditors and competition among accreditors can make us all stronger, and while some of the universities may not choose at all to change, they may stay right where they are, and that's perfectly fine. It gives them that option to choose another accreditor, and it provides a way for that to be done," DuBose said during the House Education Policy Committee Wednesday. The bill would also prohibit accrediting agencies from taking "adverse action against a public institution of higher education based, in whole or in part, on that institution's compliance with state law," provided it did not violate a federal law. DuBose's legislation would allow colleges or universities so affected to file civil lawsuits against accrediting agencies. During the meeting, DuBose said she worked closely with the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE) and with the universities in the state on the legislation. |
| Daniel Diermeier Is Higher Ed's Most Divisive Figure. He's Fine With That. | |
 | W hen the Brandenburg Gate reopened after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Daniel Diermeier was in the throng, celebrating and sipping sparkling wine. Diermeier had grown up in West Berlin, across the border from "barking dogs and minefields and automatic machine guns that kill you when you touch the fence." For the 24-year-old graduate student, the wall's fall -- signaling the triumph of Western democracies over Soviet communism -- brought into relief "what is possible with great leadership and when people seize a moment." Now, as the towering (6'3") chancellor of Vanderbilt University, Diermeier, 60, is trying to seize a moment while facing down a government that many in higher ed feel has eroded those same democratic principles. To some, Diermeier has proven himself unusually deft at navigating the Trump administration's attacks on higher ed. To his detractors, however, he's distinguished himself less for his strategic savvy than his shameless opportunism. Faculty detractors say he’s distant, careless, and often absent from campus. But at least for now, Diermeier’s fans are louder. They believe he is willing to voice uncomfortable truths: that higher ed needs serious reform to regain the trust of the American people. He is, supporters argue, a politically dexterous executive and an astute steward of Vanderbilt’s finances who has been able to insulate his campus from the most serious federal funding cuts. |
| U. of Tennessee students work behind the scenes at the 2026 Super Bowl | |
| The massive crowds, the bright team colors, the halftime spectacular -- these are what most associate with the Super Bowl, one of the largest sporting (and pop culture) events in the world. For these 10 University of Tennessee students, however, the Super Bowl became a meaningful and impactful experience beyond the game of football. Every year, the Big Orange Combine program gives a handful of students under UT's Haslam College of Business the chance to travel and work behind the scenes at the Super Bowl. This opportunity allows students to network like never before, working among hundreds of industry professionals. Dr. Debra Mackey has been the faculty advisor for the program for over 10 years, overseeing every step of the process from initial student interviews to game day. Mackey said that the Big Orange Combine "teaches you to take a risk, be out of your comfort zone and network. You never know when you're going to meet someone." According to Mackey, the program didn't always take 10 Haslam students. "It started out sports management, any student communications, a few business students and athletes," said Mackey, "and it's evolved into a bigger program as far as networking, meeting with companies, meeting with former students, working Super Bowl experience, working game day." This year, the program took mainly human resource majors, who are able to gain key experience in their field. |
| U. of Kentucky to purchase prominent campus corner. What it means for restaurants, liquor store | |
 | The University of Kentucky plans to buy a prominent corner property near campus that is home to several restaurants and a liquor store. The UK Board of Trustees will vote Friday on plans to purchase Coliseum Plaza at the corner of Rose Street and Avenue of Champions (also known as Euclid Avenue) for about $3.9 million, according to an item on the board's agenda. The 0.43-acre property is owned by Greer Companies and is home to Bangkok House, El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant & Cantina, Tropical Smoothie and Coliseum Liquors. The tenants, who had not heard of the potential sale before being contacted by the Herald-Leader, appear to be unaffected for the time being. At least one of the businesses, Bangkok House, just changed hands. Lee Greer said in an interview that UK plans to leave the tenants in place for the remainder of their leases, likely with Greer managing the property. According to the approval to acquire, UK plans to use the property, which is near Historic Memorial Coliseum, "for future development projects in the area." The athletic department announced plans in June to pursue the creation of a fan entertainment district near UK facilities that could include dining, retail, hotels and other entertainment options in an effort to boost revenue for the department. |
| Campus vaccine strategies put to test by rising measles cases | |
 | New outbreaks of measles, which had been considered eradicated in the U.S., may force colleges to rethink their vaccine strategies. There is no standard way universities approach vaccine reporting, requirements or exemptions, with some given a far freer hand by their home states than others. But in the face of rising vaccine skepticism, the University of Wisconsin-Madison announced last week it is shifting to require students to disclose their vaccination status, and it is possible that other schools may follow suit. UW-Madison said students must tell the university their vaccination status for measles, mumps and rubella; tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis; chicken pox; meningococcal; and hepatitis B. The change came after a measles case on campus last month, but the school is not implementing vaccine requirements. "Colleges and Universities in America are caught in a legal and political dilemma. Given the rapid rise of vaccine-preventable diseases including measles, colleges and universities should be increasing their vigilance of vaccine status among students, faculty, and staff," said Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at Georgetown Law. Ave Maria University in Florida is experiencing the largest campus measles outbreak in recent history, with more than 45 confirmed cases and nearly 60 students in quarantine. |
| The Mathematician Lifting the Lid on Trump's 'Attacks' | |
 | During the dark days of the COVID pandemic, as a handful of scientists became vital to the public for analysis of latest trends, Christina Pagel stood out for her cool-headed analysis of what was happening. Unlike many other scientists who made their name at that time, Pagel did not initially train in public health, instead earning a Ph.D. in space physics before later becoming a professor of operational research at University College London with a focus on health care. In more recent years, Pagel has pivoted again, using her skills in data tracking and public communication to lift the lid on what is behind Donald Trump's most egregious policy decisions. Pagel is behind the Trump Action Tracker -- the world's only comprehensive dashboard of the actions, statements and plans of the Trump administration. Along with her small team of volunteers, she has manually logged almost 2,500 examples that may "pose a threat to American democracy" since January 2025. Pagel said her "slow slide" from public health research came from trying to make sense of the sheer volume of actions taken by the White House in those first few months -- it quickly became apparent that there was a pattern to what seemed like a "scattergun" approach. |
| Colleges quietly cut ties with organizations that help people of color | |
| The Trump administration's objection to a program that helps people of color pursue doctorate degrees has prompted colleges to cut ties with a range of organizations associated with racial minority groups, a Post investigation has found. Since last year, more than 100 schools have ended partnerships with the PhD Project, a group founded in 1994 to diversify the pipeline of students who aspire to become business school professors. That came after the U.S. Department of Education last March announced probes into 45 universities that partnered with the group. More than a dozen of those schools have quietly reached agreements with the administration to resolve the investigations. As part of the pacts, the universities promised to identify partnerships with any organization that may "restrict participation based on race" and either sever those relationships or explain why they won't, according to documents obtained by The Post. Clemson University said it ended its relationship with Field Inclusive, a group that supports biologists and researchers from marginalized groups, because it offers discounted memberships to people of color. And the University of Kentucky said it flagged 1,200 memberships or partnerships for "cancellation or deeper review" because the groups might restrict participation based on race. "It's terrible," said Wil Del Pilar, senior vice president with Education Trust, an advocacy group focused on gaps in education for low-income and minority students. |
| Trump Administration Agrees to End Race-Based Criteria for McNair Grant | |
| The Education Department plans to eliminate any race-based eligibility criteria for the McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement award, a $60 million grant program designed to increase access to doctorate-level degrees. The decision, first reported Tuesday by Politico, settles a lawsuit from the Young America's Foundation that argued the current criteria are discriminatory. But court filings confirm that the agreement was voluntary. It follows a series of moves from the Trump administration to eliminate any race-based eligibility criteria for scholarships, student support services and federally funded programs. Currently, at least two-thirds of the students in a college's McNair program have to be both low-income and first-generation. Only the remaining third can qualify solely because they came from an "underrepresented group." And while many of the low-income students also happen to be Black, Hispanic and Indigenous -- the racial groups deemed "underrepresented" by federal code -- some are also white or Asian. And nowhere does the law limit "underrepresented groups" to race, McNair experts add. For example, many white women pursuing careers in STEM have benefited from the program. Still, the lawsuit, which was filed in 2024 on behalf of two white students, argued that any degree of race-based consideration was illegal |
| What Trump's Top Higher-Ed Official Has in Mind for College Accreditation | |
| The official charged with carrying out the Trump administration's higher-education agenda has a particular diagnosis for what's ailing colleges. "We are here because the value of higher education is in question by too many -- and at the center of that is our quality-assurance system," Nicholas Kent, under secretary of education, said in a Tuesday interview. "It is undeniable that accreditors are failing institutions, they're failing students, and they're failing taxpayers." Under Kent, the Education Department's plans to overhaul regulations for accreditation are quickly taking shape, with a planned focus on more accountability for student outcomes, streamlined processes for approving new accreditors, and reduced administrative costs and burdens. A stamp of approval from a federally recognized accreditor is a requirement for colleges to receive funds like Pell Grants and direct student loans. Negotiated rulemaking sessions to hammer out proposals are scheduled for April and May. While accreditation has not usually been a focus for reform, Kent said, the need for change is driven by falling confidence in higher education and poor outcomes for students who don't complete their degrees or accrue too much student-loan debt. |
SPORTS
| Men's Basketball: The Final Horn: State 91, Auburn 85 | |
| Mississippi State pulled off a thrilling 91-85 victory over Auburn on Wednesday night at Humphrey Coliseum behind a historic performance from Josh Hubbard. Hubbard set the school record for 3-pointers in a single game with 10 of them, as well as total scoring in a conference game with 46 points. The Bulldogs came out hot with Hubbard splashing three early triples to hoist State to a 21-6 lead. Auburn was able to briefly stop the bleeding before Hubbard added two more 3-pointers and a fastbreak layup to rekindle a 29-18 lead. From there, State held its ground to close out the first half with a 49-33 advantage. After the Bulldogs led by as many as 18, Auburn began to dig into State's lead. Auburn cut its deficit to just two at 56-54 with 12:04 remaining. The Tigers eventually seized their first lead of the contest at the 8:50 mark of the second half, 64-63. The momentum remained with Auburn over the next several minutes as the Tigers knocked down back-to-back threes to take an 80-73 lead with 3:56 left in regulation. At the 1:11 mark, State scored five straight with Hubbard tying the game at 82-82 on a fastbreak layup. After Auburn took the lead with a free throw, Hubbard buried his 10th triple of the game to give State an 85-83 edge. Then, after multiple blocks and defensive stops, Ja'Borri McGhee and Shawn Jones Jr. made two free throws each to extend the lead back to six. The Tigers made a layup on the other end, but it was too little too late as the Bulldogs escaped with the big win. |
| Mississippi St.'s Josh Hubbard nets 46, sets program record with 10 3s | |
| Josh Hubbard made a program-record 10 3-pointers and scored a career-high 46 points Wednesday night as Mississippi State blew an 18-point lead and then rallied to beat Auburn 91-85. Hubbard, a 6-foot junior, broke the previous mark of eight 3s (done six times) before halftime, making 9 of 12 from behind the arc and scoring 35 points, two more than Auburn (33), as the Bulldogs took a 16-point lead into the intermission. Hubbard, who has scored at least 30 points in three consecutive games, also set the Mississippi State (13-13, 5-8) record for points in an SEC game, breaking Bailey Howell's mark of 45, set against LSU on Feb. 22, 1958. Howell also holds the record for points in a game with 47 against Union on Dec. 4, 1958. Auburn (14-12, 5-8) has lost five games in a row. Keyshawn Hall led the Tigers with 29 points and 10 rebounds. Tahaad Pettiford scored 21 and Kevin Overton added 15 points. Hubbard made a layup with 1:11 left and, after Hall made 1 of 2 free throws, hit a corner 3-pointer that gave Mississippi State an 85-83 lead 27 seconds later. Achor Achor blocked consecutive shots by Hall, Ja'Borri McGhee made two free throws, and Jamarion Davis-Fleming blocked a layup attempt by Overton with 14 seconds left. |
| Josh Hubbard's historic night propels MSU past Auburn in instant classic | |
| Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard had only hit one shot from open play through 19 minutes and 11 seconds of the second half when he received the ball in the corner with his team down by one point. A first-half advantage of 16 points, during which he hit a record-setting nine three-pointers, had been erased, and he had been double-teamed out of action for much of the second half. The Bulldogs, who led by as much as 18 in the contest, had trailed by seven with just under four minutes to go, but once again put its faith in Hubbard to hit a triple and restore the lead in the final minute of play. Hubbard obliged. "At the end, we ran a good play," he said. "I got open, had the confidence to shoot it and knock it down." MSU took an 85-83 lead with 44 seconds left, still with plenty of work to do, but the team backed up the big shot. Achor Achor and Jamarion Davis-Fleming came up with blocks on back-to-back possessions to deny the Tigers a way back in, and Ja'Borri McGhee and Shawn Jones Jr. closed out the game at the free throw line to seal a 91-85 victory. |
| How Josh Hubbard's Mississippi State legacy reached new level vs Auburn | |
 | Mississippi State basketball guard Josh Hubbard stood next to Auburn forward KeShawn Murphy as Ja'Borri McGhee shot two free throws for the Bulldogs. Hubbard was screaming and yelling as the MSU crowd at Humphrey Coliseum got louder and louder. All Murphy could do was stand there silently with the Bulldogs two seconds away from a thrilling win. It was the perfect concluding moment. Murphy was the center of attention entering the game because he burned Mississippi State by transferring to Auburn (14-12, 5-8 SEC) prior to this season. The starting forward was showered with boos from the MSU crowd all game long. The Bulldogs (13-13, 5-8) got the last laugh, with Hubbard scoring a remarkable 46 points in a 91-85 win on Feb. 18. The 46 points in a single game were the second-most in program history, just one point shy of Bailey Howell's record, set in 1958. "It was definitely emotional," Hubbard said of the moment. "I think everybody knows why, but it's part of the game. At the end of the day, it's all love. In between those lines, it's competitive." The game was filled with twists and turns. Mississippi State had an 18-point lead early in the second half, but Auburn stormed ahead 80-73 with 3:56 remaining. The Bulldogs outscored Auburn 9-2 in the final 52 seconds to win. |
| Baseball: No. 4 Bulldogs Blank Braves, 19-0 | |
| Fourth-ranked Mississippi State kept its unbeaten start rolling in emphatic fashion Wednesday night, piling up 19 runs on 13 hits to run-rule Alcorn State 19-0 in seven innings. The Diamond Dawgs (5-0) scored in five of the first six frames and put the game out of reach early, plating four runs in the first, five in the second and four more in the third to overwhelm the Braves (1-3). MSU's offense was relentless from top to bottom, drawing 13 walks and striking out just once while improving its season run total to 51 through five games. Blake Bevis finished 2-for-3 with a home run and six RBIs. The Bulldogs' first baseman launched a three-run shot during the opening frame and added a two-run single in the second. Drew Wyers went 4-for-4 with a double, three singles and an RBI in his MSU debut. In his collegiate debut, Peter Mershon added a 2-for-3 night with four RBIs. On the mound, the Bulldogs were equally dominant. Six pitchers combined on a one-hit shutout, striking out 14 and allowing just two walks. |
| 'This guy loves to play the game of baseball' | |
| Most of the onlookers at Dudy Noble Field on Tuesday could see that Ace Reese would need a lot of help as he rounded second base in search of a cycle. His drive off the outfield wall was enough to get a runner home for the 13th and final run of the night in Mississippi State's midweek win over Troy, but Reese was on the verge of a personal milestone. He was 5-5 at the plate on the night with a pair of singles, a double and a home run already in the books, but he wanted third base whether it was realistic or not. Reese didn't get the help he needed. The throw to third was clean and on schedule, the catch was made, and the tag was already waiting for him as he went to slide. Reese was called out. It wasn't a play to make or break the team's chances on the night. Had he stayed at second he might have gotten home to add another run and started another string of runs for the Bulldogs. In a tighter game, the decision would have been more in focus, and Reese's coach made that point with a smile on his face. "Stay at second base," head coach Brian O'Connor said when asked what went through his mind watching the effort by his third baseman. "He loves to play, he's aggressive, he made a mistake. He's in scoring position, you can't get thrown out there unless you could for sure get there." The head coach admired the effort of his player, and though he was serious in evaluating it as a learning moment for Reese, the affection was evident for both the player and the moment itself. |
| Softball: Bernardini Blasts Bulldogs To Midweek Win | |
| In a game that saw 11 of 12 runs scored on homers, Morgan Bernardini's grand slam proved to be the difference as No. 14 Mississippi State defeated Memphis, 8-4, on Wednesday afternoon. State (11-0) sent 11 batters to the plate in the third inning. Kiarra Sells got the Bulldogs on the board, erasing a 1-0 deficit with a three-run homer. Four batters later, Bernardini blasted her ball over the left field wall to make it a 7-1 ballgame. "I thought we did a good job early on about not pressing when they scored first and we didn't score the first couple innings," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "It was a really good response to make some adjustments there in the third. I think it was sparked by Gabby [Schaeffer] at the bottom of the order finding a way on base and getting some runners on in front of Kiarra [Sells]. We had a big, big swing when we needed it to get in the lead there, and then the same for Morgan Bernardini later in that same inning. We were just continuing to pass the bat, having team at bats, finding ways on base so that we can have a kind of knockout punch there." |
| Women's Basketball: Bulldogs And Gators Set For Thursday Night Battle | |
| The Mississippi State Bulldogs ride a two-game winning streak back to Starkville and look to make it three straight when they take on the Florida Gators on Thursday. Tipoff for the contest is set for 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+. Mississippi State won their last contest over the Arkansas Razorbacks, 75-66 Four Bulldogs knocked down three triples in the contest, marking the first time State has done so in at least 20 seasons. The Gators are led by the trio of Liv McGill (22.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 6.0 apg), Me'Arah O'Neal (14.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.5 bpg) and Laila Reynolds (12.3 ppg, 1.7 SPG). No other Gator averages more than 5.5 points per game. Florida is 1-8 on the road overall and 0-6 on the road in SEC play. The all-time series is tied at 28 games a piece between the two teams. Across the last 10 matchups, State leads 7-3. |
| Bulldog freshman Mangelson invited to Team USA training | |
| Mississippi State volleyball freshman Lindsey Mangelson earned an invitation to the 2026 USA Volleyball National Team Collegiate Training, the university announced this week, making her the first Bulldog to receive an invitation to the collegiate team camp since 2022. Mangelson is one of 62 players from across college volleyball invited, and one of 15 SEC players selected. Mississippi State is one of just six conference members represented among the invitees, joining Texas, Texas A&M, Tennessee, LSU and Kentucky. "I am so excited and proud of Lindsey," MSU head coach Julie Darty Dennis said in a university release. "To be invited to this try-out is quite an honor, and Lindsey is so young in her collegiate career; she is just really excited about the impact she has made here so far and how we know she is capable of so much more for us. I think this will be a great experience for her, and I am so proud of her for representing Mississippi State out in Colorado Springs." |
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