| Monday, December 15, 2014 |
| Entergy Mississippi leader encourages Mississippi State grads to make a difference | |
 | "Think about how you can give back to your community and make it a better place," Entergy Mississippi President and CEO Haley R. Fisackerly challenged the 2,000-plus graduates during Saturday's fall commencement ceremonies at Mississippi State University. "Your success is directly tied to the success of your community," the Columbus native told his audience. Fisackerly urged the graduates not to allow technology and social media to control their lives. |
| Mississippi State Hosts Fall Commencement Ceremony | |
 | It's a major milestone for the 2014 fall graduates from Mississippi State University. Nearly 1,000 MSU students walked across the stage at the Humphrey Coliseum Saturday morning receiving their diplomas. Students on every education level, from bachelors to masters, received their much anticipated diplomas. The commencement speech was delivered by Columbus native, Haley Fisackerly, president and chief executive officer of Entergy Mississippi. MSU graduate, Emma Hawes, says the throughout her four years at State, she takes away long lasting friendships. "We're all a community. Everyone I've met here, they're all so nice and friendly and it's just great to be a Bulldog," Hawes said. |
| Undergraduate Research Spurs Mississippi State Student, Professors | |
| Sanitra Lawrence's resume will reveal that she did more than sit in a classroom while earning her bachelor's degree in horticulture from Mississippi State University this December. Each week in the summer of 2013, the Starkville native counted the swirskii mites on pepper plants as part of a research project. Offering more research opportunities to undergraduates is a goal of the plant and soil sciences department. Her professors gained valuable information from the research and discovered the value of highly motivated undergraduate students. |
| Summit explores efficient water usage across the Delta | |
 | Mississippi's agricultural industry is not going about "business as usual" above ground while the underground water supplies decline every year. More than 200 farmers, ag consultants, natural resource professionals and others with connections to agriculture met at the Mississippi State University Delta Research and Extension Center on Dec. 10 to review options. The Delta Sustainable Water Resources Task Force, formed by Gov. Phil Bryant this fall, organized the summit. Working under the direction of the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, the task force has three goals: to manage water efficiently, to store water when plentiful and to consider feasible alternatives. |
| Mississippi State's Jenny Rogers: 'Roadtrip Nation has Definitely Changed My Life' | |
| She logged roughly 4,000 miles on a five-week cross country excursion while riding in -- and occasionally driving -- a bright green RV named Carl. She met and interviewed prominent, successful individuals from all walks of life. An even greater achievement, as a participant in Roadtrip Nation, was gaining the self-confidence to pursue her academic and career goals. Mississippi State University sophomore Jennifer L. "Jenny" Rogers was one of four college students experiencing a first-generation-themed road trip this past summer, and their journey will be featured during a one-hour "First-Gen" Roadtrip documentary on PBS next spring. |
| Mississippi State to conduct essay contest for high school students | |
 | Magnolia State high school students are invited to enter the Mississippi State University 2015 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest. Ninth-12th graders enrolled in any Mississippi high school may respond to the 2015 theme question, "The Enduring Legacy of Dr. King: How Does His Legacy of Social Justice and Non-violent Change Continue to Resonate in American Culture and Society?" Winners will be notified Jan. 9, and first place will receive $1,000; second will get $500 and third, $250. Also, the top three winners will receive plaques. The first-place awardee will have lunch with MSU President Mark E. Keenum and read his or her essay at MSU's annual MLK Jr. Day Breakfast on Jan. 19, set to begin at 7 a.m. in Colvard Student Union. |
| Holloway: State underfunding burdens teachers | |
| An Associated Press report claims the state underfunded Starkville School District by $12.08 million from Fiscal Year 2009-2015, making it one of 42 Mississippi school systems to have a combined gap of more than $10 million in funding in the same timeframe. Locally, SSD Superintendent Lewis Holloway said the funding gap is apparent, as the district reduced the number of teacher assistants, froze salaries, delayed maintenance on buildings and postponed school bus purchases in the past few years. More importantly, he said, is the direct effect classroom size -- student-teacher ratios -- has on educators. |
| Moreland resigning as Starkville parks chair effective Dec. 31 | |
| Starkville Parks Commission Chairman Dan Moreland tendered a letter of resignation from his post to Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins this week and will step down by the end of the year. Effective Dec. 31, Moreland will leave behind his SPC seat, which he has held for approximately 15 years. It is unknown why Moreland is resigning his commission. He did not return a phone call from The Dispatch on Saturday. Perkins said he asked Moreland to serve until his term naturally expired on June 30, but the outgoing Parks leader declined the offer. Recently, the parks' board of directors, specifically Moreland's leadership, came under scrutiny as numerous financial problems emerged. |
| Uber comes to Jackson, cabbies not happy | |
 | Popular ridesharing service Uber launched in Jackson last Thursday, sparking both excitement and skepticism across the capital city. Uber is a transportation service that allows mobile phone users to hail a car from anywhere in the Uber coverage area, which includes Jackson, Ridgeland, Flowood and Pearl. "These are uncharted waters for us, and the scope of this service is outside that of the current taxicab service," Jackson Ward 4 Councilman De'Keither Stamps said. Jackson is home to five cab companies, and a total of around 150 cabs patrol its streets. Despite the skepticism from some, area residents took to social media when the announcement was made. |
| Transportation sectors stress cooperation | |
 | Leaders of Mississippi's major transportation sectors stressed the necessity Thursday of intermodal cooperation in moving the state's economy forward. A session at Itawamba Community College's Belden Center sponsored by the college included representatives of highways, railroads, airports, waterways and ports. Northern District Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert stressed the need to maximize, coordinate and cooperate across transportation sectors. He said MDOT is focusing mainly on adequate funding for highway maintenance. |
| Rose Cochran was 'vivacious,' not fond of politics spotlight | |
| Rose Clayton Cochran, wife of U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, died Friday morning after a lengthy illness. Rose Cochran had been at Hospice Ministries. A spokesman for Sen. Cochran said he had been at her bedside for the past several days, but had returned to Washington for Thursday night's vote on the continuing resolution omnibus bill. Leaders started offering their condolences shortly after the news was announced. Mississippi State University President Mark E. Keenum, former chief of staff and longtime staffer for Sen. Cochran, said he and his wife, Rhonda, were deeply saddened to learn of Rose Cochran's death. "We know firsthand that she was a person of great dignity and grace and that her long illness has been extremely challenging for both her and her loved ones," Keenum said. "The thoughts and prayers of the MSU family are with Sen. Cochran and his children in these difficult hours." |
| Reeves voices opposition to Common Core | |
| Mississippi Lt. Governor Tate Reeves (R) brought his battle to end Common Core for statewide public schools in the state to Meridian Friday morning. Reeves was in town to give the December commencement address for Mississippi State University, Meridian campus at the Riley Center. Following Reeves' speech, the MSU/Meridian campus awarded 98 students their degrees. To get all Mississippi students to attain higher standards is something Reeves wanted to stress in his visit to Meridian and in his address to the Mississippi State University graduates. "I wanted to talk about the importance of what they've done here at Mississippi State, Meridian campus," Reeves said. Reeves feels that Common Core is an impediment to achieving those goals. |
| Ed board's political buffer weakens | |
| More than 30 years ago, Mississippi voters called for a buffer to insulate the state's public school system from palpable political interference. But decades after a constitutional amendment created a lay Board of Education and a non-elected state superintendent, some question whether that bulwark is as strong as it once was. Those questions became sharper earlier this month when the governor and lieutenant governor called for the state to scrap the Common Core education standards that were selected by the state Board of Education in 2010. Such overt political pressure is precisely what a 1982 voter-approved constitutional amendment was designed to prevent. |
| Mississippi schools funding, test scores linked | |
| With better funding for public education in recent years, reading test scores for Mississippi fourth-graders surged, numbers show. After that funding was sliced, scores sank. "We get what we pay for," said former Gov. William Winter, who pushed through the 1982 Education Reform Act. "A plaque on my desk says, 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.'" Mississippi remains virtually last in both per capita income and spending for education, Winter said. "That's no coincidence." |
| Analysis: Mississippi has love-hate relationship with federal money | |
 | Mississippi has a love-hate relationship with federal spending. Politicians are eager to announce when federal funds flow to the state for a variety of projects, from a few thousand dollars for a local food bank to a few million for a shipbuilding contract. But candidates win easy applause by pledging to slash spending if they're elected. Even incumbents who boast about bringing federal money home to Mississippi have been known to denounce profligate use of federal tax dollars in other states. Mississippi has been one of the poorest states for generations, and a new study from a nonpartisan group, the Pew Charitable Trusts, reiterates what experts have known for a long time -- the state would be hard hit without a steady flow of dollars from Washington. |
| Epps scandal could impact all state agencies | |
| The alleged pay-to-play scandal that rocked the Mississippi Department of Corrections soon could impact how all state agencies do business. Recommendations by a newly appointed task force examining MDOC contracts and procurement likely will apply throughout state government, said Gov. Phil Bryant at the group's inaugural meeting Friday in Jackson. Bryant created the five-member task force to vet MDOC expenditures after last month's federal indictment of longtime state corrections commissioner Chris Epps. Task force members include co-chairs Andy Taggart and Robert Gibbs, and members Bill Crawford, Mike Moore and Constance Slaughter-Harvey. "Part of our mission," Taggart said, "is to shine a light and restore confidence again in state government." |
| State Capitol spruce-up underway | |
| On a recent, brisk December morning as motorists trying to turn off busy High Street into the state Capitol parking lot were delayed by construction vehicles, Brenda Davis, all 5-foot-3 inches of her, stepped carefully into the vehicle flow to start directing traffic. Davis is the curator of the historic, 110-year-old Mississippi Capitol building. Her lack of an orange vest was one of the many tip-offs that she was not the traffic cop. But over the past several months, the duties of Davis and the scores of others who work to maintain the massive structure have been expanded and changed as work continues on a $7.4 million exterior restoration and repair project. |
| A Haley Barbour pardon doesn't guarantee a clean criminal record, Mississippi Supreme Court rules | |
| A pardon by the governor is not grounds to wipe clean a criminal record, the Mississippi Supreme Court has ruled. The case centered on the claim of Rebecca Hentz, who was among dozens of people pardoned by Gov. Haley Barbour in 2012. Armed with the pardon, she asked a Tallahatchie County judge to expunge her criminal record. The judge denied the request, saying state law does not allow expunction, or deletion, of her criminal record. The state Supreme Court, in a rare 4-4 decision this past week, upheld the Tallahatchie judge's ruling. Justice Ann Lamar did not participate in the case. |
| Spending bill will fund $1 billion warship, saving 3,000 Pascagoula jobs | |
 | Mississippi's congressional delegation on Friday celebrated saving as many as 3,000 state jobs by securing $1 billion for an amphibious warship in the massive spending bill awaiting final Senate passage. The ship will be built at the Huntington Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula. The House had allotted $800 million for construction of a 12th LPD 17 San Antonio-class vessel, but the figure was bumped to $1 billion during negotiations in a House-Senate conference committee, presumably through the influence of Republican Sen. Thad Cochran, the committee's vice chairman and a key negotiator. The legislation passed Friday also protects other defense programs based in Mississippi. |
| Police storm Sydney cafe where hostages held | |
 | Police stormed a cafe in downtown Sydney where hostages had been held at gunpoint, and a number of people were seen coming out of the building, some on gurneys. Australian media reported that the gunman is believed to be an Iranian-born, self-styled Muslim cleric who has been charged in a series of violent crimes. Explosions could be heard Tuesday local time, just after six hostages emerged from the cafe, one of them being assisted by anti-terrorism forces. More were removed on gurneys a short time later as police stormed the building. The fate of the gunman was not immediately known. |
| ORNL workers exposed to radiation during work on secret project | |
 | At least eight workers received internal radiation doses while carrying out a classified project earlier this year at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. ORNL Deputy Director Jeff Smith confirmed the Aug. 25 incident, which involved an unexpected airborne release of radioactive material. But he said he couldn't discuss details because of the classified nature of the work. The laboratory was performing the work for the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant, he said. Smith characterized the radiation doses as "minor" and said they were well below the level -- 500 millirems -- that requires the lab to report the incident to the Department of Energy. |
| MUW finishes in nation's top 20 for community service | |
| For the fourth time, Mississippi University for Women has been recognized on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. This year, it achieved even higher standing. In addition to being named on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, The W was one of 16 universities named a finalist for the President's Award, the highest honor a university can receive for its volunteer efforts. More than 760 higher education institutions were named to the honor roll this year. "We are truly honored by this recognition. I am very appreciative of all faculty, staff and students for their commitment to community service and dedication to making a difference," said Dr. Jim Borsig, MUW president. |
| Justices Scalia and Kagan to speak at Ole Miss | |
| Two U.S. Supreme Court justices are scheduled to speak at the University of Mississippi. Justices Antonin Scalia and Elena Kagan will speak Monday at a session hosted by the Ole Miss law school. The session will be moderated by law school Associate Dean Jack Nowlin, a constitutional law professor. |
| U. of Southern Mississippi grads urged to make a difference in world | |
 | Andy Wiest challenged the 1,200 or so University of Southern Mississippi fall graduates to make a difference in the world during commencement exercises Friday at Reed Green Coliseum. "We are going to need you to forget that there ever was a box because you are going to have to think so far outside of it," said Wiest, a Distinguished University Professor and founding director of the Dale Center for the Study of War and Society at Southern Miss. "We need you to dream, scheme, invent and think." He also reminded the graduates the real world now awaited and with it many responsibilities -- bosses, insurance, pattern baldness, mortgage, high cholesterol, acid reflux and more. Wiest also encouraged the grads to eventually settle down and start families. |
| USM manager William Takewell nabs regional award | |
| A native of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, William Takewell began working at the University of Southern Mississippi in July 2012 helping to establish innovative means for communication with students -- initiating the Student Activities Ambassador, and office assessment programs. Now the student activities manager, Takewell has been named the Outstanding New Professional for the Association of College Unions International Region III. |
| East Mississippi Community College graduates more than 270 | |
| East Mississippi Community College held 2014 fall graduation ceremonies Dec. 12 at its Scooba and Golden Triangle campuses. The ceremonies included students who graduated during the summer and fall semesters at the Scooba, Golden Triangle, Columbus Air Force Base, Naval Air Station Meridian, Lion Hills and online/eLearning campuses. "These men and women, young and old and from every conceivable background, have proven themselves ready to take the next step in their personal growth. Whether that's continuing their education at another institution, entering the workforce or both," said EMCC President Dr. Rick Young. |
| Longtime East Central Community College Employee Retires | |
 | A longtime employee of East Central Community College is retiring. Vice President of Public Information Bubby Johnston says he will officially retire Dec. 16. Johnston has been an employee of ECCC for 28 years and he says it has been a great ride. "Been a great career," Johnston stated. "I've thoroughly enjoyed working there. It's a great environment and it's all positive news that we are able to publicize. It's going to be tough leaving, but I know it's best for me. I'll be 62 New Years Eve." |
| 60-year-old Army veteran joins 2,100 classmates getting diploma at U. of Alabama | |
 | As Timothy Michael Dempsey prepared for Saturday's commencement ceremony, the 60-year-old Army veteran followed the routine of many fellow University of Alabama graduates-to-be, stopping for photos on campus in his cap and gown. On Friday in front of Bryant-Denny Stadium, Dempsey posed in front of the statue of coach Wallace Wade, drawn by the legendary football coach's football Army service in WWII as an artillery officer. "I tell everybody I am the senior senior at the University of Alabama," said Dempsey, one of more than 2,100 graduates being awarded degrees at UA. On Friday, Dempsey also reflected on the people who helped him fulfill the dream of completing a degree from Alabama. |
| Machen reflects on his years at U. of Florida, and what lies ahead | Gainesville.com | |
 | After being "on the clock" for the past 25 years -- running two state universities for 17 years, and being a provost and dean prior to that -- Bernie Machen will step down as president of the University of Florida this month and step into a more private life. After delaying his retirement by two years, Machen, 70, said, "It feels like it's time." However, Machen will continue to work for UF for the next five years, in which he'll be paid $3.9 million as a senior adviser to new UF President Kent Fuchs, focusing on raising money for the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars Program and endowed faculty positions. Machen says he is leaving a good foundation for Fuchs to build on when he steps into the presidency on Jan. 1. |
| Ogden gives $12M to LSU Honors College | |
 | LSU's Honors College will benefit from the university's largest unrestricted endowed gift ever -- the third-largest gift overall in the university's history. LSU announced the $12 million donation from New Orleans real estate developer Roger Houston Ogden, an alumnus and former member of the LSU Board of Supervisors, on Friday. The Honors College will be renamed the Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College in honor of Ogden's late father and Ogden's son, an orthopedic surgeon in New Orleans, who share the same name. "It's to honor them and others like them in the state," Ogden said Friday. |
| New $6 million frat house approved for LSU campus | |
| Kappa Sigma fraternity will build a new $6 million, 23,000-square-foot house on LSU's campus. The LSU Board of Supervisors on Friday agreed to plans for the three-story fraternity house, which will replace the existing Kappa Sigma house. It will be paid for entirely by the fraternity, but the LSU board had to approve the fraternity house design because it will be located on campus. The LSU board also signed off on plans for an athlete-focused dining hall on the site of the old Alex Box Stadium. The $12 million Tiger Athletics Nutrition Center will be privately funded. While the goal is to serve student athletes, LSU President and Chancellor F. King Alexander said it also would be open to students who are not athletes. |
| LSU Alumni Association outlines revamp plans | |
| LSU alumni leaders have set out on a six-step plan for overhauling the university's Alumni Association in the wake of a sex scandal and lawsuit that made headlines this fall. New Alumni Association President Cliff Vannoy reviewed the proposal during the LSU Board of Supervisors meeting Friday. The plan includes revamping the organization's employee manual to outline legal and moral principles, building up chapter participation and remodeling the Cook Conference Center and Hotel. Key among the new plan, as it relates to the lawsuit filed against the association and its former leader, Charlie Roberts: Alumni Association employees are now undergoing sexual harassment training and won't be paid severance. |
| Texas A&M professor advocates using cost of living to determine aid amounts | |
 | The federal government paid out more than $670 billion in 2013 to anti-poverty programs, but according to one Texas A&M Bush School professor, the 50-year-old method of distributing those funds is ineffective and keeps money out of the hands of families who need it most. Dr. Lori Taylor, director of the Bush School's Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics and Public Policy indicates in her study conducted with graduate student Jawad Dar titled "The War on Poverty Needs a New Map" argues that billions of dollars are being misused every year because poverty is determined by money income thresholds and not cost of living. A local social work expert believes the implementation of Taylor's suggestions could have a positive impact. |
| Tuition increases proposed at U. of Missouri campuses | |
 | University of Missouri System officials used a presentation on tuition increases to the Board of Curators on Thursday as an opportunity to talk about legislators' higher education funding policies. A 1.8 percent increase is proposed for in-state undergraduate students for all campuses except St. Louis, where a 9.1 percent increase is proposed. Missouri law limits public schools from increasing tuition at a rate higher than the consumer price index, a rule the UM System's new chief financial officer questioned in his presentation at the curators' meeting at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Curators also heard proposed increases for some supplemental fees for campus activities, facilities and health. |
| Responding to Offensive Posts on Yik Yak, Professors Stage Social-Media Takeover | |
 | At the end of a semester plagued by offensive social-media posts, professors at Colgate University on Friday started a campaign to bring some positivity to digital communications on the campus. Using the smartphone application Yik Yak, which allows people to submit anonymous comments visible to other nearby users, professors posted positive messages to students. "Yik Yak has been a source of aggravation for people in the campus community," said Geoff Holm, an associate professor of biology who developed the idea to "occupy" the app. "If this is going to be something that is driving campus culture, it's important for faculty to have a presence." |
| Report recommends public flagship universities plan for, incentivize technology in classroom | |
 | Technology can address some of the financial and organizational challenges facing public flagship universities, according to a new report, but those challenges have to be solved with input from the entire institution -- not just a "coalition of the willing." Ithaka S+R, a nonprofit research organization, last academic year traveled to 10 institutions in the Public Flagship Network, a group of 17 such institutions, to learn how the universities are using technology to respond to shrinking state funding and changing student behavior. Ithaka's researchers interviewed 214 senior administrators, directors of online learning, department chairs and staffers at those universities, finding similar concerns: The institutions are struggling to perform the traditional functions of a research university as outside forces -- politicians and students among them -- urge them to make higher education more affordable and accessible. |
| OUR VIEW: New school offers cause for optimism | |
| The Dispatch editorializes: "With little fanfare, the Mississippi Department of Education has revealed its plans to open a new kind of high school next fall. Representatives from MDE, Mississippi State University and East Mississippi Community College will collaborate on a new school and have been making preliminary reports to school boards around the Golden Triangle about their plans. ... For the right student, ECHS represents a tremendous opportunity. At a time when most of the news about K-12 education is less than comforting, ECHS is a bright spot in an otherwise bleak landscape." |
| EDITORIAL: Grandstanding politicians are hurting Mississippians | |
| The Sun Herald editorializes: "Even as Gov. Phil Bryant implores the state's business community to accentuate the positive, the governor's own policies are hampering much of what's wrong with Mississippi from being made right. Bryant's misguided approach to governing would be detrimental enough without a chorus of consent from fellow Republicans in the Legislature. But in combination with Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, who presides over the state Senate, and Speaker of the House Philip Gunn, Bryant is riding high on a wave of support that may yet swamp the state. Take just two of the state's top priorities: education and health care." |
| OUR OPINION: State board designed to minimize politics | |
| The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal editorializes: "Thirty years ago, Mississippi's public education governance moved from a highly politicized elected statewide superintendent to an appointed, Senate-confirmed Board of Education, which then chooses the state superintendent of education, a vastly better process. The change from an often-polarizing, personality-centered elected superintendent to a professionally qualified superintendent chosen in an executive process had strong bipartisan support. ...It was designed to be an independent board, freed from the petty partisanship than can obscure the important issues in our state, and it has operated largely successfully within that framework. Recent statements by Gov. Phil Bryant and Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves suggest an intent to soften the barrier between raw politics and school governance." |
| BILL CRAWFORD (OPINION): Lowest Common Denominators, Politicians and Common Core | |
| Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian writes: "I wonder if 'lowest common denominator' shows up in the Common Core State Standards? Well, it probably shows up in the math standards since that's how you add fractions. But it ought to be highlighted in the language standards too, since that's the level of most political language today, particularly in Mississippi. ...In Mississippi, top state Republican leaders were for the standards until they were against them." |
| SAM R. HALL (OPINION): Follow-up on drug testing, Rose Cochran and hate | |
| The Clarion-Ledger's Sam R. Hall writes: "The other day I tweeted, 'Today I came THIS CLOSE to getting rid of letters to the editor. There's only so much ... something ... I can take.' That something is hate-filled ignorance. It's pervaded our society for many years, and it is only getting worse. You see it more on the Internet, and for a while I took false comfort in believing that such hate-filled ignorance mostly resided in anonymous cowards in comment sections. But that's not the case. Whether online or in print, you see more and more people unashamedly spewing absolute garbage, convinced of its truth and their righteousness. It's a sickening display of anger that makes me sad for them and for those they may influence." |
| LLOYD GRAY (OPINION): A Rose Cochran memory | |
| The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Lloyd Gray writes: "It's a testament to how much politics and political campaigns have changed that in Thad Cochran's first race for the U.S. Senate, another reporter and I spent the last week of the campaign in close quarters all day, for several days, with him and his wife, Rose. We traveled in a small campaign van, chatting it up with then-Congressman and Mrs. Cochran, following them into informal campaign stops and speaking engagements as they meandered at a leisurely pace across North Mississippi in that fall of 1978. When we parted ways the Saturday before the election, I probably had more insight into Thad Cochran's thinking, his politics and his personality than any politician I've encountered since. But my most indelible memory of those days was his wife." |
| SID SALTER (OPINION): Need government help to walk across street? | |
| Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: "Of course, it has name that fits our self-absorbed society -- it's called 'distracted walking.' Consider it a second cousin to 'distracted driving.' The latter concept is one that's been around longer and is more familiar to a larger audience of Americans. But 'distracted walking?' Yes, Virginia, it's a problem. Pedestrians who can't hear because of ear buds, can't see because of sunglasses, or who are talking or texting on cell phones or fooling with mobile devices -- or otherwise engaged in some activity that takes their attention away from walking from Point A to Point B are now called 'distracted walkers.' And increasingly, governments want to help you with that by fining you or otherwise punishing the behavior." |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State Football Players Raise Money for Salvation Army | |
| Mississippi State football players were out at Walmart, Vowell's Market Place, and Kroger in Starkville Saturday, to raise money for the Salvation Army. The event is part of the Salvation Army's annual bell ringing fund drive. The players raised over $20,000 and the majority of the funds will go back into the Starkville community to help families in need. |
| Mississippi State seniors get bonus bowl | |
| Dan Mullen posed for a photo with 12 players in the entrance of Mississippi State's football complex Saturday morning. The MSU coach stood on the end. To his right, a dozen Bulldogs wore black caps and gowns for graduation. Some have eligibility remaining, like quarterback Dak Prescott and offensive lineman Justin Malone. Others will play their final game in the Orange Bowl, like offensive linemen Dillon Day and Ben Beckwith. Overall, 15 Bulldogs are fifth-year seniors in the classroom. They arrived in Starkville in 2010 as part of Mullen's first recruiting class in which he had a full year to develop relationships. |
| Development, youth key as Mississippi State bowl practice begins | |
| Before the final curtain closes on one of the greatest seasons in Mississippi State football history, casting calls are being held for 2015. With his team set for the first of eight practices in the next eight days to prepare it for the Orange Bowl, MSU coach Dan Mullen says his focus, at least early in the practices, will be to find players who will be able to help the Bulldogs make a similar run next season. "We now have 30 practices to get ready for next season," said Mullen, whose team will open the 2015 season Sept. 5 vs. Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. "That's what making a bowl gets you. It gives you an opportunity to begin working for the next season. That means finding what we have in order to be ready for Southern Mississippi." |
| Mississippi State working younger players into action at bowl practice | |
| It was hard to judge which was more impressive, the pass or the catch. On the passing end stood true freshman quarterback Elijah Staley, one of two signal callers being redshirted by Mississippi State this season. The 6-foot-7, 225-pound Staley threw a dart in passing drills Friday afternoon, a 20-yard missile on an out route to a wide receiver who was barely open. That receiver, redshirt freshman Gabe Myles, did the rest. Breaking to the sideline as part of a deep-out pattern, Myles left his feet to retrieve Staley's throw, lunging away from man-to-man coverage to haul in a terrific diving catch. The reception immediately drew yells and screams of approval from the duo's offensive teammates, and the play drew the biggest reaction of any during MSU's first practice for the Orange Bowl. |
| 'Great energy' as Mississippi State resumes work | |
| Mississippi State held its first bowl practice last Saturday, even before the bowl announcements were made. The Bulldogs were pleased to find out they would be headed to the Orange Bowl on Dec. 31 against Georgia Tech. That excitement carried over to the practice field on Friday, as MSU held its second bowl practice. "I saw great energy out there today," said MSU coach Dan Mullen. "That was a better practice than I thought we'd have. Our guys were flying around with a lot of juice and energy. Our guys were focused." Bowl practice has become the norm for the Bulldogs, who are making a school-record fifth straight bowl appearance. |
| Offensive lines have been key to success of Mississippi State, Georgia Tech | |
| It's easy to pinpoint record-setting quarterback Dak Prescott as the central cause of the Mississippi State football team's 10-2 regular season. It's also natural to assume the same thing of quarterback Justin Thomas, who has led Georgia Tech to its second Orange Bowl in the past four years. For Prescott, at least, the real work starts up front. "I trust all of those guys up there," Prescott said of MSU's offensive line earlier this season. "It all starts with them. If they don't block, the holes aren't there for me and (tailback Josh Robinson). We know how valuable those guys are." One of the most veteran groups in the country, MSU's offensive line was one of the driving forces in the team's historic offensive season. |
| Orange Bowl matches two strong defensive lines | |
| Want to see microcosms of why Mississippi State and Georgia Tech combined to win 20 games to set up a showdown in the Capital One Orange Bowl? Look no further than the defensive lines for both teams, specifically at the stars of both groups. On MSU's side, there's defensive end Preston Smith, a lightly recruited, physically gifted 6-foot-6, 267-pounder who has used his four years in Starkville to turn himself into a rising star on NFL Draft boards. It's Smith's rise from unheralded three-star recruit to All-Southeastern Conference standout that is typical of MSU's 2014 roster, a lineup built with such players. |
| MSU QB Dak Prescott sues Gulfport merchandise vendor over likeness | |
| Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott is suing a Gulfport-based merchandise vendor for unauthorized use of his image and likeness on T-shirts for profit. Mississippi State athletics spokesman Bill Martin told the Sun Herald on Friday the university isn't involved in the lawsuit and is only serving to protect Prescott's eligibility from countless vendors. The Sun Herald contacted Matthew Print and Apparel on Friday, but the company declined comment outside of acknowledging the lawsuit. Prescott hired a lawyer through the NCAA Opportunity Fund, which provides legal action and travel support to student-athletes. Prescott's attorney filed numerous cease and desist notices with the clothing outfitter, and all were ignored. |
| No. 22 Mississippi State stifles Southern Miss | |
| Breanna Richardson scored 12 points and Martha Alwal added 10 as No. 22 Mississippi State held Southern Miss to just one first-half field goal on the way to a 73-46 victory on Sunday afternoon. "We had so much energy in the first half on the defensive end," MSU coach Vic Schaefer said. "We got out in the passing lanes and caused them a lot of problems. I loved our focus on that end. We have talked about how that is an area where we have to be better at. We were really great there on the defensive end in the first half." MSU has now won three straight in the series. |
| Ole Miss: Freeze to earn $4.3 million next season | |
| Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze earned a big raise after leading the program to a nine-win season and a spot in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Dec. 31. The school said on Friday that it's finalized a contract with Freeze that will pay a base salary of $4.3 million next season -- a raise of more than a million from his 2014 salary. The school also said the salary pool for Ole Miss assistant coaches will rise by "at least" 25 percent. Freeze's pay increase puts him closer to some of his highly paid SEC Western Division contemporaries. Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin earns about $5 million annually while Alabama's Nick Saban is at the top of the heap with a $7 million deal. |
| Police arrest man in shooting death of Auburn football player Jakell Mitchell | |
 | Police arrested a man connected to the shooting death of Auburn tight end Jakell Mitchell Sunday afternoon. Markale Hart, 22, of Camp Hill was arrested and charged with murder following an investigation by Auburn police. Hart was located in Dadeville, a 25-minute drive outside of Auburn, with the assistance of the Tallapoosa County Sheriff's Department and Jackson Gap police. Auburn detectives traveled to Dadeville after developing leads on a suspect stemming from the shooting early Sunday morning at an off-campus apartment complex. |
| Will Muschamp hired as Auburn defensive coordinator | |
| Former Florida coach Will Muschamp has agreed to become Auburn's next defensive coordinator, Auburn has announced. A source close to the process informed AL.com of the hiring Friday night. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn pursued Muschamp for nearly two weeks and struck a deal that is expected to make Muschamp the highest-paid coordinator in college football with a salary above $1.6 million, a source told AL.com. "My family, Carol, Jackson, Whit, and I are excited about coming back to Auburn and I look forward to working with coach Malzahn to win championships," Muschamp said in a statement released by Auburn. |
| Knoxville Police Department finishes U. of Tennessee rape investigation | |
| The Knoxville Police Department announced late Friday night that its investigation into accusations of rape and sexual assault against Tennessee senior linebacker A.J. Johnson and sophomore corner Michael Williams is finished. "The case file for the UT rape investigation has been turned over to the Knox County (District Attorney General's) Office," according to a news release from Knoxville Police Department spokesperson Darrell DeBusk. "Our investigation is complete at this time." The DA's office will decide whether to pursue criminal charges. |
| Alabama Supreme Court reinstates suit against Nick Saban's daughter | |
| A judge in Tuscaloosa was wrong to throw out a lawsuit claiming the daughter of University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban beat up a sorority sister during a fight after a night of drinking, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled Friday. The justices revived the lawsuit filed by Sarah Grimes against one-time friend Kristen Saban over what evidence showed was a brawl sparked by a Facebook post in August 2010 when both women were 19-year-old students at the university. Grimes' attorney, Stephen A. Strickland, said the case could be ready for trial as early as late summer. "We're excited about the decision and look forward to getting down to Tuscaloosa and getting it before the community there and letting them decide what happened," said Stickland. |
| Universities Sell 'Experiences' That Allow Fans to Connect Directly With Teams | |
 | When the Auburn football team emerged through a wall of smoke before its game against South Carolina in October, John Joyave was right beside the Tigers. When the Rutgers basketball team ate its pregame meal before a February game at Louisville, Jason Newcomb dug in with the players. Mr. Joyave and Mr. Newcomb are not N.C.A.A. athletes. They are fans of the universities they attended, and they won online auctions for packages billed as "experiences." Waiting around after a game to get a player's autograph is passé for many modern fans. Now they can connect more directly with players and teams, sometimes by going on the field with them. |
| Payments for Athletes? Check; Players With Balanced Lives? Not So Much | |
| Big-time athletic departments have budgeted millions of dollars for athletes in the coming years, including new payments to help cover their full cost of attending college. Recent court rulings have eased the way for additional contributions. Last week, as the heavyweights of college sports gathered for a summit on intercollegiate athletics, campus leaders discussed the possibility of sharing even more money with athletes, including through group licensing deals for the use of players' images and likenesses. But worries over those payments have many people concerned about a contraction of sports at the highest levels of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. And some top officials say that the focus on money has left colleges struggling to help players -- many of whom spend more than 40 hours a week on their sport -- attain more balance in their lives. |
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