| Wednesday, March 26, 2014 |
| Grant Aids Mississippi State in Health and Wellness Goals | |
 | Mississippi State is focusing on healthy lifestyles with a new grant to service faculty, staff, students and the Starkville community. A $250,000 Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation grant is establishing the MSU Health Fitness and Wellness Program to be administered through the university's kinesiology department to promote fitness, nutrition, smoking cessation, stress management and behavioral change strategies. Ben Abadie, professor of kinesiology and one of three co-principal investigators for the grant, said the one-year program will begin in August of this year and targets the MSU and Starkville Public School community, as well as the general Starkville community. |
| Ragtime Jazz Festival at Mississippi State begins on Thursday | |
 | Mississippi State University, Mississippi State University Libraries and the Charles Templeton Sr. Music Museum will host the 2014 Charles Templeton Ragtime Jazz Festival on Mississippi State's campus from Thursday through Saturday night. The Charles Templeton Ragtime Jazz Festival will kick off with the "Gatsby Gala" fashion show at 6 p.m. on Thursday. The show will feature apparel reminiscent of the "Roaring Twenties" and made by Fashion Board students. |
| Mississippi State University to Present Diversity Awards | |
| A forestry extension faculty member, a senior education major from Calhoun County and a campus support body for LGBTQ members are this year's selections for top diversity recognitions at Mississippi State. During a March 28 campus ceremony, the university President's Commission on the Status of Minorities will present 2014 Diversity Awards. President's Commission on the Status of Minorities chair Gregory Hunley said the annual awards ceremony is a signature event which provides an excellent platform to honor those who are promoting diversity. "It is very inspiring to learn about all of the recipients' efforts through the many letters of support written on their behalf. We look forward to everyone joining us for this most worthy occasion," Hunley said. |
| T.K. Martin Center at MSU Wins Grand Prize in Starkville Restaurant Week | |
| Soups, entrees and desserts never tasted so sweet in Starkville. According to Jennifer Gregory with the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, more than 16,000 ballots were counted in this year's Starkville Restaurant Week. Diners cast their votes for their favorite charity. The list included the T.K Martin Center, Homeward Bound and the Starkville Pregnancy Care Center. The $5,000 donation, courtesy of Cadence Bank, went to the T.K. Martin Center at Mississippi State University. |
| Spring frost spells t-r-o-u-b-l-e | |
 | Very early today, the whirring noise of helicopters on a rescue mission were heard in south Mississippi. Their goal: to push warmer air that's risen 50 feet or higher right back down to where the state's fledgling blueberry crops are just beginning to flower. That warm air, growers say, will help save the fragile blooms, which easily die if they get a coating of frost. A hard freeze, frost and temperatures at freezing or below was expected Tuesday night and through the wee hours this morning in many parts of the state, putting into peril thousands of acres of blueberries grown by both commercial farmers and family operations. Late spring freezes or frosts that threaten the state's blueberry production aren't uncommon, said Eric Stafne, an associate Extension professor in Mississippi State University's Poplarville Extension Service office. |
| Starkville-MSU Transit Update | |
| After a slow start in January and one of the area's coldest winters on record, Starkville's joint venture to connect Mississippi State University and the community through a public bus system is showing signs of picking up steam. But it's leaders know they've still got a lot of road to cover. "We've actually seen double digit growth, percentage growth each month from January to February. What we are seeing with March is that we are continuing that trend. But we actually saw some changes due to Spring Break. Now that's just the student population," said MSU's Jeremiah Dumas. |
| Conserving water goal of Sustainable Irrigation Project in Mississippi | |
 | The Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board launched its Sustainable Irrigation Project, or SIP, 2014 initiative last fall. The objective of the project is to promote the adoption of irrigation practices that will curtail the amount of water that is withdrawn from the Delta alluvial aquifer to irrigate Mississippi crops. In February, MSPB and MFBF kicked off Phase Three by sponsoring a series of meetings throughout the Delta to discuss the use of the water conservation tools. These meetings featured Mississippi State University researchers and specialists who presented results from their current irrigation studies and projects that were conducted throughout the state. More than 550 producers attended these meetings to learn more about the tools and resources available to help them irrigate more efficiently. |
| Students Compete in Land Judging Contest at Mississippi State | |
| Playing in the dirt is something your parents probably told you not to do as a kid. On Tuesday in Starkville, some students got their hands dirty for a little healthy competition. Students from around the state tested soil for the 2014 Land Judging Contest. This year the competition was held at Mississippi State's South Farm. Participants are also members of 4-H and Future Farmers of America. They're judged on their knowledge of soil use and soil management. Organizers say the contest teaches students about the different soil types in Mississippi and how to recognize its value. |
| MSU-Meridian celebrates National Social Work Month | |
 | The National Association of Social Workers, the nation's largest group of social workers, celebrates the month of March as National Social Work Month with a theme All People Matter. MSU-Meridian celebrated the month during a special program Tuesday in Kahlmus Auditorium. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, social work continues to be a fast-growing occupation in the United States. Each spring, approximately 25 students graduate from MSU-Meridian with a degree in social work. |
| MSU Fraternity Says 'NO' to Drunk Driving | |
| Almost every hour, someone in the United States is killed by a drunk driver. The campaign against drinking and driving has been highly publicized for decades but still over 10,000 people die in alcohol related accidents each year. Now students at MSU are raising awareness about drinking and driving in hopes of preventing more accidents. On Tuesday, some students at Mississippi State were shown just how much alcohol can effect their motor skills after drinking. |
| New substation for Yokohama approved | |
 | On Monday, Mississippi Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley ruled in favor of 4-County Electric Power Association's request to construct a new electric substation to serve the future Yokohama Tire Company plant in Clay County. Approval on the $2.3 million project will be official after a 14-day public review period. "The amount of electric service for Yokohama necessitated a new substation to get electricity to the plant without services being interrupted," Presley said. "A big part of economic growth is infrastructure growth. This is part of the growth of Clay County due to this industry." |
| Columbus Light & Water to KiOR: No more water | |
| KiOR has been told not to release anymore wastewater from its facility into the Columbus water system because of potential harmful materials that could be present in the Texas-based alternative fuel company's discharge water. Columbus Light and Water asked KiOR to stop allowing anything other than sanitary sewage to enter its water system on Jan. 31, according to letters obtained by The Dispatch. KiOR, in a statement to The Dispatch, denied any wrongdoing. Last Tuesday, the Starkville board of aldermen approved a 12-month contract with KiOR that allows the company to take stormwater to that city's water treatment plant. Starkville is charging the company 10 cents a gallon and will be reimbursed the cost of testing the water, according to the contract. |
| Weak economy affects tribal gambling revenues, including in Mississippi | |
| Spending by gamblers slowed at U.S. Indian casinos in 2012, as revenue growth fell behind non-tribal casinos for the first time in nearly two decades, according to a report released Wednesday. The weak economy also put a brake on tribal gambling revenue, although it hit an all-time high, said Casino City's Indian Gaming Industry Report. Casinos run by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians' Pearl River Resort in Philadelphia, Miss., are among those affected. The tribe in 2009 cut operating hours of its Golden Moon Hotel and Casino to weekends only during the depths of the recession, which saw casino visitors dwindle. That occurred at the same time that 570 positions were eliminated throughout Pearl River Resort. |
| Idea of executing a woman mixed; gender aside, case has many twists, turns | |
| Her file on the Mississippi Department of Corrections' website says, "Entry date: 11/18/2000 ...Tentative release: Death." Michelle Byrom, 56, is one of two women on death row in Mississippi. The other 48 inmates are men. Byrom is accused, and was convicted, of firing the shots that killed her husband, Edward Byrom Sr., who by many accounts was abusive to her and his family. If her day comes, she would be the first woman executed in the state since Mildred Johnson was electrocuted in 1944. The case itself has many twists and turns, with evidence, even confessions, kept from the jury. Byrom's case brings up questions of whether women are given breaks or mercy, even subconsciously, by juries. Former Clarion-Ledger editor and columnist Sid Salter has witnessed many executions in his career. He said it seems as though there's a general compassion or even squeamishness that keeps women from facing penalties as harsh as their male counterparts. |
| State budget gets $247.6M more | |
 | The Mississippi Legislature will have an additional $247.6 million to appropriate as it works in coming days to finalize a budget. The new money is the result of the decision of the 14-member Legislative Budget Committee on Tuesday to raise the estimate of the amount of tax revenue the state is expected to collect for the rest of the current fiscal year and for the new fiscal year, which starts July 1. The Budget Committee, which includes Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, Speaker Philip Gunn and 12 other legislative leaders, raised the estimate based on the recommendations of the state's financial experts. Bob Neal, senior economist for the state, told the legislative leaders the state economy, like the national economy, is expected to continue to improve. |
| Mississippi has more money than earlier projected | |
| State coffers will be ending the current fiscal year about $150 million above projections and the state is expected to collect an extra $98 million for next year. A panel of lawmakers heard the good news from state economic experts on Tuesday and promptly voted to revise revenue estimates as lawmakers get down to brass tacks of setting a nearly $6 billion state budget this week. But Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, who chairs the Joint Legislative Budget Committee this year said the increases won't likely equate to largesse is government spending. He said the state needs to use much of the increase to wean itself from using "one-time" money for recurring expenses and to fill its Rainy Day Fund. |
| Democratic chairman pushes 'pocketbook issues' in visit to Brookhaven | |
 | Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Rickey Cole visited The Daily Leader Thursday afternoon on a swing through the state, proposing a "new direction" for Mississippi politics and laying down policy points of Democrats ahead of the 2014, 2015 and 2016 elections. In a meeting with the newspaper's editorial board, Cole presented four "pocketbook issues" that Democrats intend to focus on in elections during this and coming years. The points include raising the minimum wage, extending health care coverage, investing in public education and supporting equal pay for equal work. |
| Palazzo questions FEMA chief about South Mississippi fishing piers | |
 | Congressman Steven Palazzo, R-4, vice chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, on Tuesday at a hearing pressed FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate on disaster recovery funding for several South Mississippi structures damaged by Hurricane Isaac in 2012, according to a release from his office. Palazzo also hand-delivered two letters that were sent last week to NOAA and FEMA in an effort to get answers and expedite the reimbursement process. |
| Tea Party Targets GOP Veteran in Mississippi Senate Race | |
 | Senator Thad Cochran's name is plastered on buildings across Mississippi. But on this Saturday in late March, 73 days before he faces his first real reelection test in 30 years, Cochran is helping to christen a new Navy ship -- at a shipyard in Alabama. "The USS Jackson will serve as a reminder to all nations of our capability to protect our country, and its interests throughout the world," Cochran tells the group of dignitaries assembled at the Austal shipyard here, along Mobile Bay. For the patrician septuagenarian, this is what campaigning for Senate looks like. State Sen. Chris McDaniel is challenging him in the June Republican primary. "It's Republican money being spent to beat a Republican," said Haley Barbour, reached by phone while he was vacationing with his grandchildren. "It's unlike anything we have ever seen in Mississippi." |
| States use farm bill loophole to stem food stamp cuts | |
 | Governors in several states are using a loophole in the farm bill to restore food aid for thousands of low-income families, potentially wiping out billions of dollars in savings Congress agreed to last month. The action has led to a spat between the mostly Democratic governors and Republicans in Congress, who say the changes amount to an end-around of the bipartisan agreement that took House and Senate negotiators years to piece together. The loophole concerns a provision, known as "Heat and Eat," that allows people to get added food stamp benefits if they also qualify for a program that helps pay heating costs for the poor. |
| Obama's NSA compromise plan wins initial praise | |
 | President Obama's new plan for the National Security Agency would significantly curb its authority, ending its vast collection of Americans' telephone records, but at the same time give the spy agency access to millions of cellphone records it currently does not reach. The compromise, which would require Congress' approval, won praise Tuesday from prominent lawmakers, including leading defenders and critics of the agency. But it faces a lengthy legislative process during which the agency will continue to collect and store the records of millions of U.S. telephone calls. |
| With new Chinese cyber-tools, Ethiopia more easily spies on its people | |
 | Ethiopia's government is deploying cutting-edge cyber and phone surveillance technologies from China and other nations to conduct widespread spying aimed at suppressing political dissent, according to a new report. In the past year, a swath of East African nations from Ethiopia to Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania have been under criticism for tougher policies on free expression and for cracking down on multifarious civil society and NGO groups. Human rights monitors are concerned that new cheap and powerful spyware is already starting to be acquired and used by more African governments. |
| Why Likability Matters More at Work | |
 | Is the workplace becoming more like high school? "Likability" is becoming a bigger factor for success at work as social networks and videoconferencing grow. The impact goes beyond a high-school popularity contest. The ability to come across as likable is shaping how people are sized up and treated by bosses and co-workers. Likable people are more apt to be hired, get help at work, get useful information from others and have mistakes forgiven. A study of 133 managers last year by researchers at the University of Massachusetts found that if an auditor is likable and gives a well-organized argument, managers tend to comply with his suggestions, even if they disagree and the auditor lacks supporting evidence. |
| MUW adopts new specialty tag | |
 | Mississippi University for Women has redesigned its specialty motor vehicle tag. MUW President Jim Borsig says the new tag is much more visible from a distance and reinforces "The W" logo that the university is now using widely. The university worked with the state Department of Revenue to revise the tag, which also carries the university's web address and the slogan "Long Blue Line." |
| Longtime William Carey professor remembered for interest he took in people | |
 | He was a fixture in William Carey University's history department, a dedicated fan of the school athletic teams and the university's most frequent flier. Milton Wheeler, the longest-tenured professor in William Carey history with 51 years to his credit, died Monday afternoon after a long illness. He was 74. While his accomplishments were many, Wheeler will be remembered most for the relationships he built with his students, according to university provost Scott Hummel. "What has made Carey Carey has been people like Dr. Wheeler," said Hummel, an '87 Carey graduate who took classes with Wheeler. "He pushed you. He expected the best of you, but you knew that he cared about you and loved you." |
| East Mississippi Community College spreads word on WorkKeys | |
 | East Mississippi Community College is working to get the word on out on pre-employment requirements for manufacturers coming in to the Golden Triangle, and it is enlisting the help of community and business leaders Beginning 11:30 a.m. Friday at the Lion Hills Center in Columbus, EMCC -- in conjunction with the Public Relations Association of Mississippi -- will host an in-depth informational session on pre-employment requirements for the Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Company. |
| More than 300 attend WIST Conference at East Mississippi Community College | |
| Decades after its debut East Mississippi Community College's Golden Triangle campus, the Women In Science and Technology conference is still opening eyes. Counselor Brenda Wilson, who heads the WIST committee, isn't sure how long the conference has been hosted at EMCC since a national initiative began offering grant money for programs aimed at introducing female high school students to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) careers. But she's been leading the charge at EMCC for close to 20 years. Additional presenters included: Dr. Renee Clary, associate professor in the Department of Geosciences at Mississippi State University; Chief Master Sgt. Terri Hartman, air traffic controller with the 14th Flying Training Wing at Columbus Air Force Base; and representatives from MSU's Agricultural and Biological Engineering graduate program, Airbus Helicopters, USDA Forestry Services and several others. |
| Dungy to speak at Neshoba County Coliseum for East Central Community College fundraiser | |
| East Central Community College in Decatur will host "Laying the Foundation: An Evening With Coach Tony Dungy" Friday in the Neshoba County Coliseum. The sold-out event featuring the Super Bowl Champion coach and best-selling author will serve as a fundraiser for a new football operations center. ECCC President Billy Stewart stated, "Preparing for the visit of Coach Dungy to our college has been one of the most exciting things I have been a part of in over 20 years in education. We anticipate many great things happening at and through the event." Estimated to cost $4.8 million, the new facility will be located in the north end of Bailey Stadium and will include a state-of-the-art weight room and athletic training facility for all student-athletes. Also included in the plans is a $1 million turf field to replace the existing grass surface. |
| Retired East Central Community College Educator Delivers Smithsonian Exhibit Lecture | |
 | For the past month, East Central Community College in Decatur has featured a traveling Smithsonian Exhibit on its campus. The exhibit is entitled "The Way We Worked" focuses on why we work and the needs that our jobs fulfill. As part of the exhibit, retired East Central educator Ovid Vickers gave a presentation on work through arts, literature and music. During the lecture that Vickers gave, he spoke to the crowd about how work is important to our everyday life. Vickers retired from teaching almost 20 years ago and for several years has spoken to groups across the state as a member of the Speakers' Bureau of the Mississippi Humanities council and was honored to speak as part of the exhibit. "It's been a great opportunity to speak here today. I've been retired since 1995 and it's encouraging to know that I still have an invitation to speak to an audience after all these years." |
| Auburn University probing cyberattack; FBI notified | |
| Auburn University officials say a College of Business computer server was the target of a cyberattack. University spokesman Mike Clardy said in a statement Tuesday that Auburn became aware of the compromised server in late November and launched an internal investigation. Clardy says an unidentified hacker may have accessed the server between Oct. 21 and Nov. 20. Clardy says Auburn hired a computer forensics expert to determine the extent of what kind of data may have been exposed and notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation. |
| Lawmakers drop U. of Tennessee Sex Week bills | |
 | Sponsors of House legislation aimed at limiting the University of Tennessee's "Sex Week" pulled their bills from consideration after receiving a letter from University of Tennessee President Joseph DiPietro agreeing to re-assess how the university uses student fees. The move appears to end a debate that has simmered in the state legislature for the past month. Conservative lawmakers have criticized university officials for allowing activity fees to be used for the student-organized event earlier this month, but student leaders have fought back, saying they have a First Amendment right to choose and run their own programs. |
| LSU students named Goldwater Scholars | |
 | Two LSU students have been awarded undergraduate scholarships given in the sciences field, while two other LSU students received honorable mentions. Brandon Oubre, of Norco, and Paxton Turner, of Baton Rouge, have both been named Goldwater Scholars by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program. Rachael Keller, of West Monroe, and Paul Koenig, of Zachary, received honorable mention. The program's goal is to create a pipeline of qualified scientists, engineers and mathematicians by awarding scholarships to students intending to pursue careers in those fields. |
| Louisiana legislators to consider college scholarships bills | |
| Legislators are expected to take up a number of bills Wednesday that would make changes to the state's popular college scholarship program known as TOPS. State lawmakers have long talked about making changes to a program that has grown steadily from about $40 million in the late 1990s to $217 million this year. But legislators are usually pragmatic. The Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, which pays tuition and some fees for students to meet certain academic requirement is extremely popular in all corners of the state. Therefore, many people believe that a vote to make TOPS harder for students to get, is a vote against one's own political future. |
| UGA to offer free laptop security checkups | |
 | Two departments at the University of Georgia will host the spring Computer Health and Security Fair April 1-2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the second floor lobby of the Miller Learning Center. UGA students, faculty and staff are invited to bring their personal laptops for free security checks during the two-day event. Technical volunteers will provide free virus and malware removal, and offer security consultations and checkups to ensure that laptops are using the latest and most secure software and plug-ins. |
| Aggie set to take command of International Space Station | |
 | Steve Swanson is about to become the second Texas A&M graduate to hold the title of commander of the International Space Station after launching aboard the Soyuz spacecraft Tuesday from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. One former NASA classmate said he knows Swanson is more than qualified to lead his crew when the time comes. "He was always positive and kept things light," fellow astronaut Mike Foreman said minutes before the 4:17 p.m. launch. "He was also one of the smarter guys in the class. Swanny's a good guy." Foreman, 56, and Swanson, 53, were two of 24 American cadets who made it into the astronaut corps in 1998. Foreman was tapped while serving as a captain in the U.S. Navy in Maryland, while Swanson was busy receiving a Ph.D. in computer science from Texas A&M. |
| After abrupt cut, Purdue faculty call for restoration of common reading program | |
 | There's plenty of disagreement throughout academe regarding the books colleges choose for common reading programs, in which incoming students are assigned something to have read before their first term begins. The National Association of Scholars refers to the selections as "beach books" in an annual report, referring to their increasingly "unchallenging" content. But the NAS, which advocates for a traditional college curriculum, and academics generally agree that such programs have value; less than a study of literature, they're a tool to boost students' critical thinking and social skills during the transition to campus. But at Purdue University, faculty members and administrators are fighting over whether a common reading program is worth maintaining, after professors protested officials' unexpected winter-break decision to immediately eliminate the program. |
| Student loan debt deal comes with tax catch | |
 | Millions of taxpayers struggling with student loan debt are being pitched what may seem like a dream come true this tax season: lower monthly payments and a chance to see a chunk of their debt disappear. But there's a catch: the potential for a huge tax bill down the road. The new push from the departments of Treasury and Education uses tax time to promote the opportunity for a borrower to have his or her entire debt repaid after 20 or 25 years. The agencies are partnering with TurboTax, the tax software, to advertise the deal. It's part of an administrationwide effort to make college more affordable, but consumer advocates worry that the tax-time pairing fails to fully disclose that the debt forgiveness counts as income and will likely lead to a bill from the IRS. |
| HALEY BARBOUR (OPINION): Cochran's foes don't know Pascagoula from Pontotoc | |
| Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour writes in the Sun Herald: " Mississippians appreciate Sen. Thad Cochran because he has been so effective for our state and our people. He recognized the federal disaster assistance laws that were in place before Hurricane Katrina were grossly insufficient to deal with the worst natural disaster in American history. Because of the respect he enjoys and the influence he wields on behalf of our state, he led the effort that passed new emergency disaster assistance laws that not only helped the Coast rebuild bigger and better after the storm, but his legislation became the model for future disaster assistance. This is but one obvious reason Sen. Cochran is so well-regarded here. Another reason, however is that Thad is a gentleman who tells the truth and sticks to his word." |
| FRANK CORDER (OPINION): The State of the Cochran vs. McDaniel Race | |
 | Y'all Politics' Frank Corder writes: "[Chris] McDaniel has made up no ground in the last month. While he has raked in endorsements of the national talk radio crowd (i.e., Glenn Beck, Phyllis Schlafly, Gary Bauer and Sarah Palin) there's no evidence that he's made any significant inroads in coalescing meaningful support from opinion leaders in Mississippi. In fact, about 90% of the folks that have endorsed McDaniel in the last month have one thing in common: They can't vote in a Mississippi Republican Primary. Meanwhile, [Thad] Cochran has been moving around from event to event in a very low-key, workmanlike fashion, with no glitz or glam. He picked up the endorsement of the Bully Bloc and the Mississippi Manufacturers Association, not to mention the NRA. He's had big events in Rankin County, on the Coast and at Ingalls Shipbuilding, and other areas around the state. Add that to the fact that just about every sitting statewide official and Republican congressman has already endorsed Cochran and it sets the stage for how high the hurdle remains for McDaniel." |
| BRIAN PERRY (OPINION): Supreme Court justice Pierce pens 'Magnolia Mud' | |
| Consultant and columnist Brian Perry writes: "When writing a novel about Mississippi politics, it helps to have some first-hand experience. The author of the forthcoming 'Magnolia Mud' currently sits on the Mississippi Supreme Court. Prior to his election to the high court, back when Judge Randy Pierce was 'Bubba' Pierce, he watched political intrigue and machinations as a legislator from Greene County. ...Those interested in Mississippi politics would surely devour a behind-the-scenes book of Pierce's own career, but currently folks will have to be satisfied instead with his books of fiction. And if you follow Mississippi politics, 'Magnolia Mud' is an enjoyable page turner." |
| BOBBY HARRISON (OPINION): More money found, but members gave away the right to appropriate | |
| The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Bobby Harrison writes: "The Mississippi Legislature has nearly $250 million more to spend than when House and Senate members passed their respective budget proposals earlier this session. Yet, most of the rank-and-file members of the House and Senate will have limited ability in saying how those funds are spent. On the opening days of the current four-year term in January 2012, the rank-and-file members gave away that say to House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, who presides over the Senate, and a few key appropriators. This week provides a glimpse into the impact of members of the House and Senate giving up their opportunity to have a real impact on the state budgeting process." |
SPORTS
| Late error lifts Mississippi State over Southeast Missouri State | |
| Mississippi State waited until the ninth inning. Demarcus Henderson singled to center field for a walk-off win. A misplay in the outfield allowed the game-winning run to score, giving the No. 16 Bulldogs a 3-2 victory against Southeast Missouri State at Dudy Noble Field on Tuesday night. Mississippi State (18-9) has now won five of seven heading into a weekend series with Arkansas. |
| Golden Eagles rally past Rebels; Bulldogs win in ninth | |
| Ole Miss jumped out to a quick lead on Southern Miss on Tuesday, but couldn't hold off a sixth-inning rally as the Rebels fell to Golden Eagles 5-3 at Trustmark Park. "We just didn't play well enough in any phase of the game today," said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. Mississippi State downed Southeast Missouri 3-2 in Starkville. DeMarcus Henderson singled to center field in the ninth inning to advance Zach Randolph (Amory), who then scored on an error to lift the Bulldogs. Closer Jonathan Holder (2-1) earned the win after pitching two innings of relief. He allowed one hit and walked two. |
| Mississippi State women keep growing in WNIT | |
| "Who'd a thunk it?" After 50 minutes of draining, back-and-forth basketball and another 20 minutes of questions from the media, Vic Schaefer spoke the truest words of the evening. A year removed from a 13-17 season and through the ups and downs of working three freshmen and a junior college transfer into the mix, Schaefer was asked to ponder the notion that his Mississippi State women's basketball team had just earned the right to play host to its third-straight postseason game. MSU (21-13) found a way by outscoring Southern Miss (27-7) 9-1 in the second OT. There was no shortage of heroes. |
| Mississippi State's Bohanna continues long road back | |
| Ferlando Bohanna's helmet looked like something out of Star Wars. White padding encased the linebacker's helmet, which made him look like a storm trooper running around during warmups. A concussion ended Bohanna's season last year and the outside padding acts as extra protection. But he didn't need it. As soon as contact drills began, the senior discarded the helmet for a baseball cap. "He said, 'Coach, can I get a hat?'" MSU defensive coordinator Geoff Collins said. "They gave him even a cooler hat than they give us." Bohanna still isn't cleared for contact after suffering a concussion that limited him to one game played last season. |
| MSU NOTEBOOK: More expected from Jones | |
| Chris Jones received a lot of attention in 2013. From his suspenseful recruitment in January to his Freshman All-SEC performance last fall for Mississippi State, Jones drew his share of the spotlight during that calendar year. The former five-star standout from Houston High School appeared in all 13 games for the Bulldogs and earned three starts as a rookie. Jones recorded 32 tackles, seven stops for loss, three sacks, three pass breakups and 10 quarterback hurries. Even as good as Jones was last fall, his coaching staff is expecting more from his encore. |
| Annual Mississippi State Road Dawgs Tour comes to Biloxi on May 5 | |
| The annual Mississippi State Road Dawgs Tour comes to Biloxi on Monday, May 5, from 6-8 p.m. It will feature Bulldog head football coach Dan Mullen, who begins his sixth season after leading the Bulldogs to four consecutive bowl games. Mississippi State is coming off a win over archrival Ole Miss and a Liberty Bowl. The Bulldogs currently are in spring practice. Other athletic department and university officials will also be on the four-day, seven-stop, three-state trip. The itinerary was announced by the Bulldog Club and MSU Alumni Association on Tuesday. |
| Orgeron to speak at Mississippi State coaching clinic | |
 | Mississippi State head football coach Dan Mullen has an interesting guest speaker at his coaching clinic later this week. Former Ole Miss head coach Ed Orgeron will speak at MSU's coaching clinic on Thursday. The news was announced Tuesday on Mullen's Twitter account. Orgeron was head coach at Ole Miss from 2005-2007. Last season, he became the interim head coach at Southern Cal following Lane Kiffin's firing. |
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