Wednesday, January 21, 2015   
 
Mississippi State president on College Football Playoff board
The president of Mississippi State University has been appointed to the College Football Playoff's Board of Managers. Dr. Mark Keenum will serve as the SEC's representative on the board. The board develops, reviews and approves annual budgets, policies and operating guidelines. Members of the company are the 10 Football Bowl Subdivision conferences -- American Athletic, Atlantic Coast, Big Ten, Big 12, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, Pac-12, Southeastern and Sun Belt -- and the University of Notre Dame.
 
Bynum issues challenge at Mississippi State's MLK Jr. Unity Breakfast
The president of Mississippi Valley State University challenged members of the Mississippi State and Starkville community to choose wisely between "chaos and community" in their daily lives and actions. William B. Bynum Jr., a veteran higher education professional who has served as MVSU president since 2013, served as keynote speaker Monday for Mississippi State's 21st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Unity Breakfast. MSU President Mark E. Keenum also gave remarks citing the importance of the annual recognition of King's contributions. "This marks my seventh opportunity to take part in this very meaningful event in the life of this university and this community," Keenum said. At the conclusion of Monday morning's program, the university's Maroon Volunteer Center kicked off the annual MLK Jr. Day of Service.
 
Romney's speaking fee at public university is $50,000, far less than Clinton's
Mitt Romney will charge Mississippi State University $50,000 to deliver a lecture on campus next week, most of which will go to charity -- a dramatically lower fee than the $250,000 to $300,000 Hillary Rodham Clinton requires for her university lectures. Romney -- the 2012 Republican presidential nominee who is weighing a third run for the White House -- will speak as part of the university's Global Lecture Series, a speaking series administered by the student government, a university official said. Romney has directed that most of his $50,000 fee go to Charity Vision. Sid Salter, a spokesman for Mississippi State University, said the former Massachusetts governor was chosen by the campus's student leadership for the annual lecture.
 
Starkville aldermen vote to rescind equality resolution
Aldermen in Starkville have overridden a mayor's veto of their decision to rescind a resolution passed in 2014 that made it clear that the city is intolerant of discrimination against the LGBT community. After initially passing the resolution in 2014, the board of aldermen voted to rescind the resolution in a closed-door executive session Jan. 6. Mayor Parker Wiseman, who previously supported the resolution, vetoed the Jan. 6 vote. The override required five votes from the board Tuesday, but the effort fell one vote short after the 4-2 vote.
 
City enters letter of intent on acquisition of bank building
City of Starkville officials have not given up on the idea of turning a downtown bank building into a place to move the police department. The city has entered into a letter of intent on the acquisition of Cadence Bank, located on East Main Street, but the deal is far from being final. Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman says that the Cadence Bank Building has all the things that the city's police department needs to run a 21st Century police headquarters.
 
Unity Park organizers unveil plaques at MLK event in Starkville
Unity Park and its numerous plaques honoring local and state figures key in advancing civil rights were formally dedicated and unveiled during Starkville's Martin Luther King Jr. celebration Monday. Led by Brother Rogers, the co-chairman of a grassroots committee charged with redesigning the public greenspace, honorees helped remove tarps that had covered the plaques since Unity Park was completed in 2011. "(The park) is going to be here long after every one of us is gone. But there's going to only be one dedication, one unveiling (and) one opening ceremony. We are part of history by being here today," Rogers said before the monuments honoring Douglas Conner, Gov. William Winter, Medgar Evers, King and the 1963 "Game of Change" between Mississippi State University and Loyola (Chicago) University.
 
Movie company considering Ocean Springs as location for $20 million development
An as-yet undisclosed movie company is considering Ocean Springs among three Mississippi cities as a possible location for a movie studio development which could ultimately result in a $20 million investment in the city. Ocean Springs Mayor Connie Moran discussed the project during an economic development meeting at City Hall last Friday. She said Tuesday it's too early in the negotiations to divulge the company's identity, but said it is a "well-known" studio. The studio has already received a guarantee of a $10 million loan from the state for the project and is seeking a letter of credit to secure an additional $10 million loan.
 
Mississippi governor to outline priorities in State of the State
Job creation, schools, tax cuts and tourism are among the issues Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant will discuss Wednesday during his annual State of the State address as he outlines his election-year legislative agenda. The speech is set for 5 p.m. before a joint session of the House and Senate at the state Capitol. It will be carried live on Mississippi Public Broadcasting radio and television. "We'll be talking about economic development. We'll be talking about education. We'll be talking about proposals that I will have for this year's session -- tax cuts, for example, increasing funding for tourism," Republican Bryant said last week when asked for a preview of the speech.
 
Some tweaking of election laws could come
Recommendations made by Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann's elections task force to allow early voting and online voter registration have merit, according to a key House member, but don't expect legislation to pass this year to enact those changes. House Apportionment and Elections Chair Bill Denny, R-Jackson, said he would like to study both early voting and online voter registration with the possibility of enacting them in future years. This session, Denny said he hopes to pass legislation to deal with issues that came up during the contentious Republican primary between U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, and state Sen. Chris McDaniel, notably crossover voting.
 
Special-needs voucher among Reeves' top priorities
Lawmakers will try again this year to create a voucher program for Mississippi's special-needs public school students, whose graduation rates lag woefully behind the rest of the nation and have for decades. "Doing nothing is not an option," said Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, citing the program among his top priorities this year. Called the Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act, House Bill 394 is an updated version of similar legislation that died last year amid opposition from groups like The Parents' Campaign. Campaign Director Nancy Loome said it opposes this year's efforts, too. Loome said the bill fails to correct the state's woeful record of educating special-needs students.
 
Bills target school cheating
A series of bills would give the Mississippi Department of Education new tools to investigate and punish cheating in public schools and make their parent districts responsible for the costs incurred as a result. The bills come just months after a Clarion-Ledger investigation revealed allegations of educators in the Clarksdale Municipal School District altering students' statewide assessments to boost scores. A subsequent investigation by the state Department of Education confirmed those allegations in a preliminary report.
 
Bay St. Louis lawmaker's bills aim for full funding of MAEP
State Rep. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis, has proposed two bills designed to increase education funding. However, he said Tuesday he isn't confident either will get out of committee. One, requiring Mississippi to fully fund education under an existing state formula -- one that has been fully followed only twice since its inception in 1997 -- is officially still in committee but Baria said he understands it won't reach the House floor. The other is an appropriations bill he requested Tuesday that will also fully fund education next year. The education bill is fairly repetitive, essentially reiterating an existing statute for the sake of forcing action by lawmakers opposed to the funding formula. But Baria said pushing for greater funding is crucial.
 
Mississippi lawmaker seeks raise for state workers
A Mississippi lawmaker wants to give state employees a raise. Rep. Sherra Hillman Lane, D-Waynesboro, said that if the proposal passes, it would amount to $1,500 more for each employee across the board. She said state workers need a break, and if they make less than $50,000 a year, they would get a boost before anyone else does. "Do you think that should go out before tax breaks for residents?" 16 WAPT's Scott Simmons asked Lane. "I do, because I think these people have waited long enough," Lane said.
 
Presley pushes for utility rate relief
Mississippi Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley has been active in local circles, and will continue to make the rounds of engagements in the area he represents on the state body. However, Presley, considered at one time a potential candidate in the next election for governor, is appearing to hear from consumers, not to hear a campaign speech to electorate voting for the state's highest office. At the Southaven Rotary Club meeting recently, Presley explained his reason for not running for governor, saying he believes he has more things to get done in his current role. "At the end of the day, I felt like that I have a lot of passion for the work of the Public Service Commission," Presley said. "I think it is a place where we can do a lot of good and I feel like, quite frankly that I wanted to make sure that the public and consumers continue to have a strong voice on that commission."
 
U.S. shipbuilders gird for McCain assault on protectionist law
Bill Skinner of VT Halter Marine in Jackson County and fellow chief executives at about 150 other U.S. shipyards know what to do when U.S. Sen. John McCain starts rattling his free-trade saber in their direction. They alert political allies, make sure industry lobbyists head to Capitol Hill and beckon employees to write or phone their senators. The shipbuilders' antennae are up this week, warning the Republican from Arizona is once again threatening to "decimate" their industry with legislation to kill the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. The law requires that any ship carrying cargo between U.S. ports must be American-built, American-flagged and American-crewed. McCain has tried repealing the law several times, without success.
 
Shipbuilders: McCain amendment would 'gut' industry
The shipbuilding industry, Mississippi's largest private employer, is warning that an amendment Sen. John McCain filed last week to the Keystone XL pipeline bill could do serious damage. The language in McCain's amendment removes the requirement that vessels that operate exclusively in American waters be built in the U.S. Shipbuilding advocacy groups say it would sink shipyards, including those on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. According to the U.S. Maritime Administration, shipbuilding represents 23,450 jobs in Mississippi. The industry's economic impact to the state's GDP is $2 billion, figures from the American Maritime Partnership show.
 
Cochran, Wicker not 'thrilled' with Obama's spending list
Mississippi's Republican senators gave a chilly reception to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night, but expressed a willingness to try to find common ground. Sen. Thad Cochran said now that Obama has shared his priorities, "it is time for him to work with the new Congress on solutions to the challenges facing our nation at home and abroad." Sen. Roger Wicker told reporters he "wasn't thrilled with the president's laundry list of new spending ...that we can't afford" in a time of soaring national debt.
 
Keith Heard to be Sen. Thad Cochran's new Chief of Staff
U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) on Tuesday announced personnel changes, including the naming of Keith Heard to be chief of staff of his personal office and promoting legislative director Adam Telle to a deputy chief of staff and legislative director position. Cochran, the new chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, on Tuesday also confirmed that his current chief of staff Bruce Evans will be staff director on the appropriations panel. "The new Congress will be an exciting time to serve in the Senate, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance policies that will expand economic opportunity and enhance our national security interests. I am naming a leadership team that will be able to capably advise me in carrying out my responsibilities to represent Mississippi in the Senate," Cochran said.
 
Columbus Rotarians Get Update on MUW Nursing, and Award Scholarships
Some Mississippi University for Women nursing students got a financial shot in the arm Tuesday afternoon thanks to the Columbus Rotary Club. Dr. Sheila Adams, dean of the College of Nursing and Speech Pathology, was on hand to brief members on the program's progress. The Rotary Club presented scholarship awards to several nursing students, and commended them for their efforts. Adams said she's always glad to have the opportunity to tout the success of students and faculty.
 
Drone captures aerial views of U. of Southern Mississippi
A drone, soaring like an eagle, captured impeccable images of the University of Southern Mississippi campus from above. The drone begins at the newly erected golden eagle statue at the front of campus, and circles around the Aubrey K. Lucas Administration building. Other buildings such as Southern Hall, The Rock, and the Thad Cochran Center can also be seen.
 
East Mississippi Community College president announces retirement
Dr. Rick Young announced his retirement as president of East Mississippi Community College effective June 30, 2015, according to a press release issued by the college Tuesday. "As sad as we are to lose Dr. Young as our president, we are extremely grateful for the innovative, positive leadership he has exhibited during his tenure at EMCC," said Kathy Dyess, chairman of the EMCC Board of Trustees. Young's career spans 42 years in education. He has been a member of the EMCC team for 40 of those years, and president of the college since 2004. The search for Young's replacement will begin Feb. 2, when instructions for potential applicants will be available on the EMCC website. The deadline to submit an application will be March 27.
 
Online graduate programs at Auburn rank high in U.S. News and World Report
Auburn University's online graduate degree programs are receiving national attention, having been named to U.S. News and World Report's 2015 Best Online Programs. Programs in business, education and engineering are listed among top programs nationally. "Business has had online distance learning programs now for a number of years, which is how they've established a national reputation," AU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Timothy Boosinger said. Boosinger added other colleges soon followed suit in developing online graduate programs.
 
At U. of Florida, Stevens still sharp in criticism of Citizens United decision
Five years after he issued a scathing dissent in the Citizens United case, which heralded an era of near-unlimited spending on political campaigns, retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens stands by his prediction that it would erode confidence in the court and in elections. "There is a greater public feeling that money is more important than votes, which I think is quite wrong," Stevens told a nearly full Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday at the University of Florida.
 
U. of Kentucky draws closer to solving mysteries of ancient Roman scrolls
University of Kentucky computer scientists who have struggled to unlock the secrets of some 2,000-year-old Roman scrolls think a new technological breakthrough finally might provide the key. The UK experts thought they had the problem licked in 2010. But the X-ray imaging system they used proved unable to "see" the ink that authors used to write on the scrolls. The fragile scrolls can't be unrolled manually for reading. Now, Italian researchers working with UK have produced the first, faint images of writing inside the scrolls, using a new method called X-ray phase contrast tomography, according to a report Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications.
 
Arkansas College Scholarship Winners Could Defer for 2 Years Under Bill
College students would be able to defer their state scholarships for up to two years for community service or family emergency under a bill passed by the Arkansas House. The bill approved Tuesday allows the Arkansas Department of Higher Education to approve holds on Governor's Scholars and Governor's Distinguished Scholarships. The department can hold a student's scholarship for military service, family or medical emergency or a commitment of community service.
 
Obama Presses for Free Community College and Tax Reform
Community colleges were back in the spotlight on Tuesday night, as President Obama plugged his plan to make the institutions free for millions of students. Speaking to Congress and the nation, Mr. Obama urged legislators to follow Tennessee's lead and make two years of college "as free and universal in America as high school is today." "Whoever you are, this plan is your chance to graduate ready for the new economy, without a load of debt," he said in his next-to-last State of the Union address. Mr. Obama also touted his tax-reform plan, announced over the weekend.
 
Obama pitches free community college, higher education tax credits in SOTU
Addressing the nation on Tuesday evening, President Obama highlighted what he called his "bold" plan to make community college free for some students. He also called for an overhaul of the tax code that redirects benefits away from wealthy Americans in order to extend tax credits for college. As has been the case with other key speeches throughout his presidency, Obama's latest State of the Union address framed higher education in economic terms, casting it as vital to national competitiveness. The president wove college affordability into a speech that focused, in broad strokes, on combating inequality and pitching a domestic agenda that he dubbed "middle-class economics."
 
In State of the Union, Obama Pitches College Access, Child-Care Aid
President Barack Obama used his penultimate State of the Union address to call for a dramatic expansion in college access and increased investments in early childhood, including help for parents in covering childcare costs. But both proposals are part of a broad overhaul of the tax system that is already getting the thumbs-down from a Republican-controlled Congress. Meanwhile, K-12 policy largely took a back seat, despite an escalating debate in Congress over federally mandated student testing. For the speech's biggest-ticket education item, Obama made his most prominent pitch yet for a sweeping proposal aimed at making the first two years of community college free for most students.
 
Study examines how overseas Chinese students respond to criticism of their country
A core assumption of international education is that more conversations between domestic and foreign students will result in mutual understanding and more positive, friendly feelings. But what if those conversations, when they happen, result instead in retrenchment? What if they leave a bitter taste behind? Henry Chiu Hail, a Ph.D. student in sociology at the University of California at Irvine, explores these questions in a new article. As the number of Chinese students in the U.S. has grown -- there are more than a quarter-million Chinese students at American universities, and they make up the single largest international student group in terms of country of origin -- their engagement, or lack of engagement, with domestic students and the broader campus community has been a cause for concern.
 
BRIAN PERRY (OPINION): What's Jim Hood's move?
Consultant and columnist Brian Perry writes: "The chatter from a number of people around the state Capitol is that Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood won't run for re-election. Or, he is contemplating a run for governor against incumbent Phil Bryant. Or, he is most definitely running again. Or, he has decided against running, but wants to be convinced that he should run for the good of the Democratic Party and the state. The intriguing part of the chatter is its creation, in part, by Hood himself. In 2013, he said if he had to decide then he would be running for re-election this year. In 2014, he said at that point he was planning on running for re-election this year. Now in 2015, he told The Associated Press he would be making his 'decision about his political plans' this month."
 
BOBBY HARRISON (OPINION): Stand on principle riles speaker; ask Rep. Margaret Ellis-Rogers
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Bobby Harrison writes: "Many people can relate to that family dinner -- perhaps even a bountiful Thanksgiving feast -- that went terribly wrong when the conversation turned innocently enough at first to politics. Before it ends, somebody is telling a beloved relative that he or she is the worst person in the world and someone else is saying he or she hopes never to see a particular relative again. Most often, in the long run feelings are healed and people resume talking and even loving one another. The legislative process is set up to be that family dinner on steroids with members looking for ways to get under one another's skin. Often they do. A prime example of that occurred last week."


SPORTS
 
Bulldogs eager to build on success
Mississippi State was able to bring one negative trend to an end over the weekend with a 57-54 victory against Vanderbilt to halt a 16-game conference losing streak. Tonight, the Bulldogs will be looking to snap their 22-game road losing skid at Auburn at 8 p.m. on the SEC Network. "Coming off the Vandy win, a road win would mean a lot to us," said MSU forward Gavin Ware. "It would show people how hard we work at practice and how that carries over into the game."
 
Coming off win, MSU takes on Auburn tonight
A handful of teams are clawing to escape bottom half of the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State and Auburn both fall into the category of teams on the outside looking in at the upper echelon. The Bulldogs and Tigers are a combined 18-16 and 3-5 in the SEC. Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Missouri join the two teams toward the bottom of the league. MSU beat Vanderbilt last time out ending a 16-game regular season conference losing streak. A win at Auburn furthers the Bulldogs' improvement on the court and in the standings. "I don't get wrapped up in that stuff. I don't know if that makes any sense or not," MSU coach Rick Ray said. "To me it's a game-to-game basis. Maybe I'll go back and reflect on it after the season's over with. To me, we're trying to get prepared for Auburn."
 
Mississippi State sees hope after winning against Vanderbilt
Mississippi State coach Rick Ray's plan to build a winning basketball program has always started with developing an elite defense. Three years into his tenure, the Bulldogs are pretty good at that part of the game. The problem is the offense has been so bad it hasn't mattered. But over the past week there have been signs of hope after solid back-to-back offensive performances that resulted in a competitive 74-70 road loss to Texas A&M and a 57-54 victory over Vanderbilt. Now Mississippi State will try to break its 22-game road losing, including 19 straight in the SEC, when it travels to face Auburn (10-7, 2-2) on Wednesday.
 
Tigers look to keep home win streak alive against Mississippi State
The term winnable game can sometimes give a team false hope against an opponent. Based on many statistics, Auburn's next game -- a home tilt against Mississippi State Wednesday night at Auburn Arena -- is on paper a winnable game for the Tigers. But Auburn coach Bruce Pearl doesn't want his team to think that prior to its 8 p.m. tipoff. One of the biggest reasons Pearl is stressing to his team about not overlooking the Bulldogs is one certain victory that sticks out amongst the rest: the Bulldogs' 57-54 upset over Vanderbilt on Jan. 17. Auburn lost to Vanderbilt in its SEC opener, 64-52.
 
Mississippi State women face key stretch this week
The Mississippi State women's basketball team faces its biggest stretch of the season in the next seven days. At 19-2 and 4-2 in the Southeastern Conference, MSU slipped three spots to No. 18 in this week's The Associated Press Top 25. The USA Today Top 25, which is voted on by the coaches, comes out today. MSU was ranked No. 18 in that poll last week and likely will slip a few spots following a 71-69 double-overtime loss to LSU on Thursday. MSU's standing in each poll will fluctuate the rest of the season as teams continue to knock each other off in the rough-and-tumble SEC. But MSU can go a long way to solidifying its standing in the NCAA tournament this week with victories at 8 p.m. Thursday at Ole Miss (14-5, 4-2) and at 8 p.m. Monday at Auburn (9-9, 0-5).
 
Three Mississippi State players will showcase skills at Senior Bowl
Preston Smith never had a day off. That exactly the way the Mississippi State football team's senior defensive lineman wanted it. Smith, the team leader in sacks and tackles for loss in 2014, didn't return from Florida following a 49-34 loss to Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 31, 2014. Instead, he stayed in the Sunshine State to begin preparations for a career in the NFL. Smith could take a big step toward that career this weekend when he heads to Mobile, Alabama, to take part in the Senior Bowl at 3 p.m. Saturday (NFL Network) at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. MSU teammates Kaleb Eulls, a defensive tackle out of Yazoo City, and center Dillon Day, from Monroe, Louisiana, also will play in the annual showcase for NFL coaches and scouts.
 
Senior Bowl: Character, hard work emphasized by NFL
Ole Miss and Mississippi State players in this year's Senior Bowl went through their first full day of activity on Tuesday. There was the official weigh-in in the morning followed by practice at a Mobile-area high school in the afternoon and a media event in the evening. Rebels Senquez Golson and Cody Prewitt, along with Bulldogs Dillon Day, Preston Smith and Kaleb Eulls are all part of the South squad and are working to impress scouts and other NFL staff members. Character and work ethic are the primary attributes among the MSU players here this week said Bulldogs offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator John Hevesey, who attended Tuesday's practice.
 
SEC releases Mississippi State's 2015 baseball television schedule
Mississippi State will play on cable television 11 times in 2015, the Southeastern Conference announced on Tuesday. With the addition of the SEC Network, 47 of MSU's 56-game regular season will be available to fans via SEC Network+. The first televised game for the Bulldogs is against Arizona on the SEC Network on Feb. 28. Other SEC Network games include Saturday's Super Bulldog Weekend battle against Florida, the three-game series at Ole Miss May 7-9 and the regular-season finale at Tennessee May 16.
 
Southern Miss basketball self-imposes postseason ban due to NCAA inquiry
The NCAA investigation into Tennessee men's basketball coach Donnie Tyndall's former Southern Miss program has resulted in a self-imposed postseason ban for the Golden Eagles. Southern Miss announced Tuesday that it will not participate in postseason competition this season as a result of "an ongoing university and NCAA inquiry of the basketball program related to the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years." Tyndall was the coach at Southern Miss from April 2012 to April 2014. A UT spokesman said UT had no comment on the development. Two members of the UT staff who followed Tyndall from Southern Miss to UT resigned since the investigation became public knowledge.
 
Spurrier going strong at age 69
The Super Bowl matchup that was cemented this weekend makes Steve Spurrier smile, and it's not because South Carolina's football coach has any particular affinity for the Seattle Seahawks or the New England Patriots. It's because Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, 62, and Patriots coach Bill Belichick, 62, are the second- and third-oldest head coaches in the NFL. "I don't think people talk much about age anymore," the 69-year-old Spurrier said. He was encouraged recently when South Carolina deputy athletics director Charles Waddell gave him a copy of the book, "Younger Next Year: A Guide To Living Like You're 50 Until You're 80 and Beyond," and Spurrier found that he already was doing most of the regimens suggested by the book, including working out six days of most weeks.



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