Monday, August 25, 2014   
 
First-time Freshman Convocation held for MSU's Class of 2018
Mississippi State University's Freshman Convocation program last week provided the Class of 2018 with an official welcome to college life. Peter Ryan, associate provost of academic affairs, said Maroon Edition author Sarah Thebarge delivered an excellent presentation through speaking about her inspirational book, "The Invisible Girls." "Speaking about her own personal experiences, she was able to remind students that you have good days and bad days and not to wallow over the bad days," Ryan said. Ryan said the whole idea behind the Freshman Convocation was to instill a sense of togetherness within the students and to let them know that they are all moving together towards one common goal. SA President Brett Harris said the Freshman Convocation was a success and students appreciated the program.
 
TECH 21: Mississippi's most wanted in technology
When examining Mississippi's contributions to the technology world, there are tech veterans whose works are still being felt, and there are young minds who are bringing new ideas. The Tech 21 is the Mississippi Business Journal's take on some of the top contributors to technology in Mississippi and the world, including Lakeisha Williams. A biomedical engineer at Mississippi State University's Bagley College of Engineering, Williams researches ways to protect people from serious injuries and death -- such as what happens to soldiers' legs when their vehicles run over explosives, and how to improve football helmets to better prevent concussions and other injuries.
 
Mississippi State professor's book takes fresh look at history
The book is called "A New History of Mississippi," and a new approach is what Dennis Mitchell wanted when he wrote it. The professor at Mississippi State University-Meridian casts a critical eye on the "Moonlight and Magnolias" school of Southern history, trying to communicate decades of recent scholarship to readers with a decided emphasis on the post-Civil War period. The first general history of the state for adult readers in nearly 40 years, the book focuses on Mississippi's central dilemma of race. It's being adopted by some universities and could be influential for years. The author says a critical look at the state's past can help Mississippi move forward today.
 
'Widespread methane leakage' coming from hundreds of vents off East Coast ocean floor
Scientists have determined that 570 vents, called seeps, are leaking methane gas in the most unlikely of all places: the ocean floor just off the East Coast. "The discovery of widespread methane seepage on the northern U.S. Atlantic margin was indeed surprising," lead author Adam Skarke of Mississippi State University wrote The Washington Post in an e-mail. "This is because [it] lacks the geological properties commonly known to be associated with widespread seafloor methane emissions." It's the first time, he said, that widespread leakage has been discovered in a non-Arctic location that's both free of large gas reserve and substantial tectonic activity.
 
New MSU Police Chief Ready for New Job, New Semester
WCBI-TV talks to new Mississippi State University police chief Vance Rice.
 
MSU parents warn others of new LSD type drug circulating
Two Mississippi State University students are recovering after their parents say the two smoked marijuana that they believe was laced with something very dangerous. "He always told me that he thought marijuana was safer than alcohol because that's what he's heard on TV, and it's already legal in some states," parent Denise Tate said. Tate said that false sense of security is what landed her son in the hospital, because she believes that pot was laced with a designer drug making the rounds in Mississippi.
 
That 'little ol' band from Texas' headed to the Triangle Oct. 30
Mega-group ZZ Top brings its distinctive style of high-decibel blues rock to Mississippi State for an Oct. 30 concert in Humphrey Coliseum. The North Mississippi appearance of the 2014 national tour by the famed "tres hombres" -- guitarist and lead vocalist Billy Gibbons, bassist and co-lead vocalist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard -- is sponsored by Mississippi State University's Music Maker Productions. Student discounts will be offered to the first 1,000 MSU students purchasing tickets in person at the Center for Student Activities office. Information about tickets soon will be announced at msuconcerts.com.
 
Starkville aldermen: Pet waste issue highlights lack of trash bins
Starkville aldermen will let the city's informal cemetery board decide recommendations on how to curb a growing trend of irresponsible pet owners not cleaning up their animals' waste after the board took no action on the matter Tuesday. The issue of irresponsible pet owners allowing their animals to defecate in public lots highlights the fact that more trash receptacles -- for garbage, pet waste or other materials -- are needed along the University Drive-Russell Street corridor near the Cotton District's large student population, Ward 4 Alderman Jason Walker and Ward 5 Alderman Scott Maynard said Thursday. A Thursday meeting identified a way Starkville could handle both issues.
 
How Google's 'Fiberhood' Strategy Is Spreading in Mississippi
Google is using a novel strategy to build one gigabit Internet services in several metro areas, but its broader goal of speeding up the Web needs other companies to take its approach to the rest of the U.S. This is starting to happen. In Mississippi, a private company called C Spire is adhering to Google's approach even more closely than other providers. C Spire primarily used to be a wireless company. But Google's build-to-demand method persuaded the company to get into the gig game because the model is less risky and potentially more profitable than the traditional path of covering whole areas regardless of demand. C Spire is in the sign-up phase in nine Mississippi towns, including Starkville, Clinton and Ridgeland.
 
Mississippi airports a billion-dollar industry
Mississippi's airports, from the largest commercial flight destinations to smaller, rural strips, constitute a billion-dollar industry for the state that has created tens of thousands of jobs, a new report says. Golden Triangle Regional Airport for years has had just one commercial carrier, Delta. But the airport serving Columbus and West Point has re-established itself in the last decade by developing the land around it. Some 15 tenants are now housed on airport land, and a number of the area's touchstone employers, including Airbus, Stark Aerospace, Paccar and Severstal, are nearby. "It's made the difference," says airport executive director Mike Hainsey of utilizing land around the airport. "So far, we've had $5.5 billion of investment in the area. Airports are mirrors of their areas' economies."
 
Most state officials cautious on MAEP initiative
Both Gov. Phil Bryant and Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves have expressed concerns with the effort of a newly formed grassroots organization to garner enough signatures to place on the ballot a proposed constitutional amendment to fully fund public education. Other Republican state officeholders were cautiously non-committal in response to a Daily Journal survey about the initiative. The only statewide elected official to endorse the proposal was Attorney General Jim Hood, who is also the only Democrat in the group. Better Schools, Better Jobs, a broad coalition, including some business leaders, is working to garner about 108,000 signatures of registered voters in a geographic cross-section of the state necessary to place the proposal on the November 2015 ballot.
 
Judge alters time for McDaniel trial
Special Judge Hollis McGehee has pushed back by one day to Sept. 16 the start of the trial where Chris McDaniel is challenging the results of the June 24 Republican primary runoff he lost to six-term incumbent Thad Cochran. McGehee, in changing the start of the trial, also said in his order entered Friday that the trial would end by Oct. 6. On Thursday he had set Sept. 15 as the trial date and said it would end by Oct. 3. The judge, a retired chancellor who now lives in Lucedale and was appointed by the Mississippi Supreme Court to hear the case, said the trial would be held at the Jones County Courthouse in Laurel.
 
Cause of New Mexico nuclear waste accident remains a mystery
A 55-gallon drum of nuclear waste, buried in a salt shaft 2,150 feet under the New Mexico desert, violently erupted late on Feb. 14 and spewed mounds of radioactive white foam. The flowing mass, looking like whipped cream but laced with plutonium, went airborne, traveled up a ventilation duct to the surface and delivered low-level radiation doses to 21 workers. The accident contaminated the nation's only dump for nuclear weapons waste -- previously a focus of pride for the Energy Department -- and gave the nation's elite ranks of nuclear chemists a mystery they still cannot unravel. Six months after the accident, the exact chemical reaction that caused the drum to burst is still not understood. Indeed, the Energy Department has been unable to precisely identify the chemical composition of the waste in the drum, a serious error in a handling process that requires careful documentation and approval of every substance packaged for a nuclear dump.
 
Parking garage slated for spring 2015 completion at UM
The University of Mississippi's first on-campus parking garage is expected to be completed and fully functional by the spring of 2015, according to Mike Harris, director of parking and transportation. "Our university is experiencing historic growth, and parking is a high priority area to address," Harris said. "The parking garage is a joint effort between the university and the Ole Miss Athletics department." Offering 823 parking spots, the garage will be convenient and affordable for staff, students and visitors.
 
Delta State fundraising campaign exceeds $40-million goal
The Delta State University Foundation unveiled the final dollar number for "The Campaign for Delta State University" to tumultuous applause on Friday. The goal was originally $40 million. However, it was reached and exceeded a year early, with original dates from October 2005 through June 2015. According to Keith Fulcher, the executive Director of the DSU Alumni-Foundation, "The vision and the courage to raise big money is really fairly new to Delta State. We are here to celebrate the third ever, formal, official campaign for Delta State." With a drumroll from the DSU drum line, the foundation board and campaign chairs unveiled the funds raised as $43,317,554.63.
 
Florida A&M University brings recruiting effort to Jackson
Mississippi juniors and seniors unable to get college scholarships could receive a full ride to Florida A&M University. FAMU recruiters and local alumni will hold a scholarship and recruitment workshop at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the downtown Jackson Marriott. Scholarships will be awarded on the spot to students who meet eligibility requirements. This event comes two days before the FAMU and Jackson State University football game. Eric Stringfellow, executive director of university communications at Jackson State University, said the school was aware that another institution would be recruiting locally this week. A message left with Alcorn State University for comment on the Rattlers' recruiting in its territory wasn't answered Friday.
 
College students encouraged to host school supply giveaways
Classes are underway in the metro area, and parents continued to get help with starting kids off this academic year. A "Back To School Drive" was held Saturday morning at the Jackson Medical Mall Center Court. Miss Black Mississippi Ambassador 2014 Kristy Johnson sponsored the school supply giveaway. Johnson, a Jackson State University graduate, encourages college students to reach out and help younger children with the tools they need to succeed in learning.
 
Meridian Community College moving forward on multiple building projects
As a new school year has commenced, it's a busy time for Meridian Community College with new construction and renovation projects. According to MCC President Dr. Scott Elliott, the college is currently engaged in six new capital improvements projects, including a welding center, the resurfacing of the college track, the build-out of its workforce development center, the renovation of the old Highway Patrol facility, a storm shelter (or safe room), and a 96-bed dormitory.
 
U. of Alabama campus gets a new look
Buildings shrouded last fall in scaffolding were open this week as University of Alabama students returned to campus for the 2014 fall semester. The university has substantially completed work on a renovation and expansion of the Ferguson Student Center, a new $32 million student activity center, a $62.8 million residence hall and a new location for the Fresh Food Co. UA also completed work this summer on Sidney McDonald Hall, the new $13.3 administrative building for the UA system. UA is also wrapping up work on a new $4.65 million facility for the women's rowing team at Manderson Landing.
 
West Africans get lessons in modern farming from LSU agriculture professor
After years of civil wars, the West African country of Liberia is trying to recover, but poverty, high infant mortality, malnutrition and a need to import food to feed its 3.5 million residents are still problems the country is trying to overcome. "They're actually importing most of the food in the country," said Carl Motsenbocker, professor with the LSU Agricultural Center. As part of the solution, Motsenbocker and others at the LSU Agricultural Center and the LSU AgCenter International Programs Office have partnered in a five-year program to work with educators and farmers in and around Monrovia, Liberia, to help teach modern agricultural techniques to the future farmers of the country.
 
In pre-eminent hiring, U. of Florida finds ways to accommodate trailing spouse
Spiro and Candice Stefanou are in town from Pennsylvania this weekend to look around before they meet with University of Florida officials on Monday to discuss their coming here as a team. UF is trying to accommodate those "trailing spouses" by finding or even creating positions for them in their area of expertise or specialization if they are qualified as faculty. "Spousal accommodations are the way to do business. These spouses are also stars, some are even pre-eminent," said Jack Payne, senior vice president of agriculture and natural resources at UF. "The challenge is to get the person we want and their spouse." The university also has a dual career referral program for the non-academic partners of new faculty.
 
UF convocation speaker: Pursue 'good food'
Eat kale. Love worms. Step out of your cocoon. Those were some of the words of encouragement that urban farmer and food activist Will Allen imparted on the 6,400 or so incoming freshmen who on Friday filled the O'Connell Center. Allen, founder of the nonprofit Growing Power foundation and author of "The Good Food Revolution: Growing Health Food, People and Communities," was the keynote speaker for the UF Class of 2018. All freshmen were assigned his book as their common reader. Vice President for Student Affairs Dave Kratzer said the common reader is designed to stimulate discussion about contemporary global and community issues.
 
Thousands of U. of South Carolina students participate in annual Sorority Bid Day Run
The historic -- and normally quiet -- Horseshoe at the heart of the University of South Carolina's campus erupted with the screams of thousands of USC students as they participated in the annual Sorority Bid Day Run Sunday. Many current sorority members were adorned in festive colors and face paint, unfurling their banners to welcome incoming freshman into USC Greek life. Thousands of onlookers formed a human tunnel lining the steps of the McKissick Museum and cutting through the brick pathways and grassy patches of the Horseshoe. At 2:30 p.m. the newly announced sorority members stampeded toward their new sisters in a continuous chorus of screams that lasted a full 15 minutes.
 
Bryan-College Station experiencing annual expansion as Texas A&M students return
They're back. As the first days of classes at Texas A&M and Blinn College draw near, students are returning to Bryan-College Station. Housing complexes and retailers are welcoming the influx of students after a summer that "by definition is slower," said Chris Scotti, executive director of the Northgate District Association. "It's exciting to see business coming in and residents filling up buildings so close to campus," he said. Texas A&M's Department of Residence Life expected thousands of students, mostly freshmen, to move in on Sunday, which is also Move-In Assistance Day. Last year, 2,367 of 7,290 students living in residence halls got settled on Move-In Assistance Sunday.
 
U. of Missouri set to roll out Title IX training
The University of Missouri is rolling out training for university employees, students and visitors to better understand their responsibilities as mandated reporters under Title IX. Training will be coordinated primarily on the UM System level, as well as on each campus. The system is taking a lead in training after an executive order from President Tim Wolfe made every university employee a mandated reporter, with the exception of legal and medical professionals. Training will start in phases. First, each campus' Title IX coordinators, deputy coordinators and first responders will be trained. Their training, which will be a hybrid of online and in-person, is expected to start next week, MU Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin said on a conference call last week.
 
U. of Missouri System advertising for chief of staff position
The University of Missouri System recently posted a job opening for the chief of staff position currently held by Bob Schwartz. Schwartz, who has served in his role since early 2012, is set to become the interim dean of the MU College of Engineering Sept. 1, and UM System spokesman John Fougere cited that as the reason for the job listing. Fougere said he could not discuss Schwartz's plans for after the interim dean position is filled permanently because "as a rule we do not comment on personnel matters that haven't been officially announced or confirmed as of yet."
 
Survey suggests colleges are passing ACA-related cost increases on to employees
Institutions say complying with the Affordable Care Act has caused them to pass on some costs to employees, according to a new survey from the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources. Since the act began to take effect, some 20 percent of institutions have made changes to benefits in an effort to control associated costs, the survey says. About the same percentage of colleges are considering making changes, or making further changes, in the year ahead. Of those institutions that have made changes so far, 41 percent have increased employees' share of premium costs. Some 27 percent have increased out-of-pocket limits, while about one-quarter increased in-network deductibles or dependent coverage costs, or both. Some 20 percent increased employees' share of prescription drug costs.
 
Kuali, the Collaborative That Once Criticized Software Companies, Becomes One
Ten years ago, a group of universities started a collaborative software project touted as an alternative to commercial software companies, which were criticized as too costly. On Friday the project's leaders made a surprising announcement: that it would essentially become a commercial entity. Barry Walsh, a longtime leader of the Kuali Foundation, said in a conference call on Friday that "angst" about the "pace and path to sustainability" of the project drove the change. The Kuali Foundation will continue to exist as a non-profit, but it will be an investor in a new commercial entity to back the Kuali software development. The software at issue, called Kuali, does the boring but important work of managing accounting, billing, e-commerce, budgeting, and other campus functions.
 
PAUL HAMPTON (OPINION): Beware of those who claim that the media is the problem
The Sun Herald's Paul Hampton writes: "It should be no surprise that the two most asinine comments I read about journalists in the past week were written on social media. I'm sorta disappointed neither was directed at me personally but I'll get over it. One was so dumb I'll consider the source and let it slide. The other -- repeated several times -- suggested the media is the problem, at least when it comes to the troubles in Ferguson, Mo. ...The media is the problem. When you hear that, rest assured, nearby the government is cutting up. The unruly government loves it when the folks it would like to control buy into that myth."
 
GEOFF PENDER (OPINION): Did McDaniel wait too late to file?
The Clarion-Ledger's Geoff Pender writes: "Chris McDaniel's first hurdle in his lawsuit to overturn his loss to Thad Cochran is a doozy: He may have waited too late to file it. As he worked for weeks building a case and campaigning that the election was stolen from him, McDaniel's team said a 20-day deadline applies only to challenges of county and local elections, not a statewide U.S. Senate primary. Others, including the secretary of state, agreed with him. ...But a 1959 state Supreme Court ruling appears also to apply the 20-day deadline to 'state, congressional and judicial district' primaries. Citing this ruling, Cochran's legal team has filed a motion to dismiss McDaniel's lawsuit."
 
SID SALTER (OPINION): Immigration remains a political lightning rod
Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: "With statewide elections looming next year and federal elections a year later, Mississippi voters can prepare for another round of electioneering that focuses on the question of illegal immigration. The success that conservative candidates who take a hard line on immigration have enjoyed since 2010 makes immigration an A-list issue in the 2016 federal races. But Mississippi voters will hear about those issues long before those congressional races during the 2015 general election. Immigration remains a strangely partisan issue."


SPORTS
 
Mississippi State targets more success in red zone
Mississippi State entered camp three weeks ago with an assortment of goals. Quarterback Dak Prescott focused on perfecting his passing. The kickers wanted to improve their accuracy. The offense needed to fill holes on the line. In accomplishing each goal, it led to a much bigger one, something the Bulldogs want to be the best at. "We're going try to practice red zone more than any other team in the country," offensive coordinator Billy Gonzales said. "If we do that, we'll see the results."
 
Bulldogs largely healthy after camp
Mississippi State was able to maneuver through fall camp without many devastating injuries. The Bulldogs did have two players -- redshirt freshman wide receiver Shelby Christy and fifth-year senior right tackle Damien Robinson -- go down with season-ending ACL tears. Sophomore cornerback Cedric Jiles will also miss time with a hamstring injury. Junior Justin Malone has also started to work at right tackle. He began the 2013 season as the starting right guard before being lost for the remainder of the year in the opener with a fractured foot. "The coaches told me to be ready in case something happens," Malone said.
 
Prescott, Robinson came together in Louisiana before joining forces at Mississippi State
Two years before they lined up beside each other in the backfield at Mississippi State, tailback Josh Robinson had a message for Dak Prescott. The scene was Prescott's home field at Haughton High School in December 2010. At stake was a berth in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association's Class 4A semifinal. Robinson, a tailback from Franklinton High, and Prescott, Haughton's starting quarterback, had just played pivotal roles in deciding Franklinton's 49-41 win. Prescott, committed to MSU at the time, had just played his final high school game, and Robinson's Demons were moving on. The meeting was a snapshot of MSU's future.
 
Starkville Man Makes Cowbells for MSU Fans
One North Mississippi man is using his passion for football and his alma mater to help Mississippi State University fans show their school spirit. Marc Anthony may not be a famous singer, but he still makes his own music -- designing cowbells for Mississippi State fans. "I'm not a fan that gets up and yells a lot, and cheers and yells at the referees," Anthony said. "I kind've sit and watch the game, but I guess I'm making noise through the cowbells."
 
How a hobby turned into a college football data source
It started with a homework assignment, a fake business plan that was never supposed to see the light of day outside of a masters program at Vanderbilt University. Stephen Prather, a former baseball player at the school but devout football fan, had noticed that the industry of hiring coaches relied largely on personal relationships or reputation. His idea was different: to start a search firm that used analytics and a database filled with detailed information to determine which coaches were truly impacting wins and losses. Fast-forward to 2014, and the business -- SportSource Analytics -- has carved out a niche in college football.
 
New stadium amenities, flexible ticket options mean to draw fans to Gator games
With the start of Gator football season a week away, fans are making preparations to follow the games, whether at the stadium or in front of a TV. This year, Gator fans have more options, including a new subscription TV channel, revamped ticket options and additional bells and whistles at the stadium to entice attendance. Although exact figures were unavailable, ticket sales so far are comparable to last year's during this time, said Steve McClain, senior associate athletics director for the University Athletic Association. The stadium is also unveiling new amenities to motivate people to come out to see the game in person instead of watching it at home.
 
LSU band ushers in football season in traditional style
Football season is officially in session. Any fan waiting along the LSU Tiger Marching Band's parade route to Tiger Stadium can tell you that the Saturday morning before the Tigers' season opener is where it all really begins. That's when the band holds its annual parade march rehearsal to the stadium, as it did this Saturday. LSU football fans know the drill. The band gathers beside the Greek Theatre beside the Music and Dramatic Arts Building before each home game and rushes into formation at the screech of the drum major's whistle. Then comes the march down a road trimmed in thousands of purple-and-gold-clad fans.
 
Legendary UGA tennis coach Magill, 'greatest Bulldog of all time,' dies at 93
Dan Magill, a name synonymous with Georgia athletics and Athens for nearly a century and beloved by generations of Bulldogs fans, died Saturday night at the age of 93. "I've always thought and still do that he's probably the greatest Bulldog of all time," Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said in May 2012. What didn't Magill do at Georgia? He was a national championship winning head tennis coach, sports information director and executive secretary of the Bulldog Club. All at the same time. "He was all over the place," McGarity said. Magill worked to make Athens the tennis capital of college tennis.
 
LOGAN LOWERY (OPINION): No team has earned a vote
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Logan Lowery writes: "A week ago, the AP Top 25 preseason rankings were released and since that time I have received several emails and tweets concerning my voting. I have long since felt teams should be ranked exactly where they finished the previous year so my preseason voting was identical to the final AP poll in January. ...Many of the responses I received were reminding me that Team X lost certain players or coaches and Team Y signed a highly rated recruiting class. I can't argue any of these points, and those teams may very well be better or worse because of that. But I believe all of that should be decided on the field instead of on paper. If teams are improved or not then it will all shake out as the season progresses."



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