| Monday, February 16, 2015 |
| Mississippi State University Celebrates Arbor Day | |
 | Mississippi State officials, along with members of the university's student chapter of the Society of American Foresters and the Campus Tree Advisory Committee, gathered Friday in the Junction to celebrate the land-grant institution's Tree Campus USA designation by the Arbor Day Foundation. "I am so proud that we are a tree campus and we're being recognized as such," said MSU President Mark E. Keenum during his opening remarks. "Trees make places special. You can just look around this campus and realize how special trees are to Mississippi State University, where we have more than 10,000 trees of many different species and varieties." Keenum said the university plants between 80 to 100 new trees on the Starkville campus every year. |
| Trees are celebrated on the Mississippi State campus | |
 | Forestry students Kelsey Nicholas and Garrett Dismukes are doing what they love most -- planting a tree. His family has grown trees for decades. "That's just our family's passion," said Dismukes. Dismukes joins other forestry program students, faculty and Mississippi State University officials to plant this oak tree. "It makes our campus look beautiful and it makes our campus look a lot better and you know, it shows we do care about forestry here on campus," Dismukes added. The tree planting marks an important occasion on the MSU campus. They have just been designated a Tree Campus USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation. "We take great pride in the fact that we are a campus that appreciates the value of trees -- not only for us to enjoy, but for the impact in our economy," said MSU President Dr. Mark Keenum. |
| National Group Honors Mississippi State's David Shaw | |
| A national organization is honoring Mississippi State's chief research officer for his work addressing one of agriculture's greatest global challenges. At its annual conference last week, the Weed Science Society of America presented David Shaw, the university's vice president for research and economic development, with its 2015 Public Service Award for his leadership on the issue of herbicide resistance. A past president of the WSSA, he currently serves as the chairman of the Herbicide Resistance Education Committee. |
| Orchestra to open spring season with 'Much Mozart' | |
 | The Starkville-Mississippi State University Symphony Orchestra will present its first concert of the spring season Feb. 28 in Lee Hall's Bettersworth Auditorium. Sponsored by the Starkville-MSU Symphony Association, the 7:30 p.m. program will feature two of the greatest works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91). The orchestra will be joined in the performance by the Starkville-MSU Symphony Chorus and singers from the MSU and Mississippi University for Women choral departments. Gary Packwood, MSU assistant music professor and choral activities director, will conduct the choir of more than 250, as well as the orchestra. He also will lead four MSU music faculty colleagues serving as "Requiem" soloists. |
| Mississippi State to feature prestigious African-American collection | |
 | At places like Walt Disney World and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, more than four million people have viewed The Kinsey Collection's artifacts, manuscripts, books and art documenting African-American history. Soon, the collection, comprising one of the largest private collections of African American pieces in the world, will make its first visit to the Magnolia State at Mississippi State University. Free, public viewings of The Kinsey Collection's "African American Treasures" will be open from March 21-June 20 in the John Grisham Room at Mitchell Memorial Library. |
| MSU MaroonX Accelerator received grant | |
| A project to help small businesses get started in rural areas has received some financial help. The Blackstone Charitable Foundation has awarded a $200,000 grant to the MaroonX Accelerator. The money will allow Mississippi State and Texas A&M to pilot the program to support startups in rural areas. Blackstone works with agencies across the country to create programs, then share the information gathered through a global network to increase the chances of success. |
| Horton, an MSU alumnus, named Daily Leader publisher | |
 | Mississippi native Luke Horton has been named president of Brookhaven Newsmedia and publisher of The Daily Leader, The Prentiss Headlight and affiliated publications. A native of Newton County, Horton most recently worked as publisher of The Newton County Appeal newspaper in his hometown. He will begin his duties in Brookhaven in the coming weeks. Horton graduated from Mississippi State University and began his newspaper career at a weekly publication in Kosciusko soon after. |
| Few bids materialize for surplus Starkville properties | |
| A lack of interest in surplus Starkville property could throw a wrench in the city's financial shell game associated with purchasing Cadence Bank's Main Street property. Aldermen pushing the proposed transaction previously touted how the city could avoid dipping into revenue streams by selling lagoon space in northeastern Starkville and its current administrative home. Those hopes could be dashed after Starkville only received one bid for the lagoon. Although technically it isn't a proposal, a Columbus-based architectural firm also requested more time to produce a proposal for City Hall. |
| Oktibbeha County industrial park bonds could move in April | |
| A bond package financing a new Oktibbeha County industrial park could now move forward in April, Golden Triangle Development LINK Chief Operating Officer Joey Deason said Saturday. His comments come ahead of government meetings Monday and Tuesday in which Starkville aldermen and Oktibbeha County supervisors are expected to launch an economic development district in lieu of financing for the new industrial park. Deason previously forecast the combined $10 million bond sale in May. The LINK is asking aldermen and supervisors to create the Oktibbeha County Economic Development District in order to manage the proposed 326-acre Innovation District. |
| Two arrested in armed robbery, kidnapping | |
| Two Gulfport men face armed robbery and kidnapping charges after a Friday incident near Mississippi State University's campus. Marcus Keys, 19, and Shanquell Fairly, 20, were both charged at the conclusion of a joint search by the Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Department, Starkville Police Department and MSU Police Department. Few details on the situation emerged Saturday, but OCSD Lt. Brett Watson said the no injuries were reported from the incident, and the kidnapping victim was not harmed. Law enforcement agents were dispatched to the area near the East Lee Boulevard B-Quick gas station after an armed robbery was reported about 8 p.m. |
| Bryant issues weather state of emergency | |
 | Gov. Phil Bryant has issued a state of emergency for areas of northern Mississippi through Monday. Freezing rain is expected but sleet and snow are possible in north and central Mississippi starting Sunday night into Monday. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is preparing for the winter storm. "We don't take any potential winter storm emergency lightly in this state," said Gov. Phil Bryant. "Mississippians don't have to deal with icy conditions very often so it is imperative our citizens be prepared and keep a close eye on the forecast to stay safe." |
| Analysis: Lawmakers narrow list of issues to debate | |
 | Mississippi legislators are approaching the midpoint of their three-month session, and they've whittled the list of issues to consider. Bills to loosen the state's vaccination law or allow home-schooled students to play public school sports are among those already killed. Among those still alive are bills to tighten the government contracting process and re-evaluate academic standards. This being an election year, legislators are also pushing proposals that can be reduced to simple slogans: Car inspection stickers? Gone! Concealed-carry gun permits? Cheaper! |
| Small-hospital aid bills fire up Medicaid debate | |
 | Bills advancing in the Mississippi Legislature are re-igniting debate on whether the state should expand Medicaid as allowed under federal law. Thus far the Republican leadership in the Legislature and Gov. Phil Bryant have blocked the Medicaid expansion that is part of the Affordable Care Act. The expansion would provide health care coverage primarily to the working poor. Yet this session the Mississippi House has passed legislation to create a $10 million pool of state funds designed to help struggling, rural hospitals and OK'd the Attala County Board of Supervisors issuing $5 million in bonds "for relief from debts and financial obligations" for the struggling Montfort Jones Memorial Hospital in Kosciusko. The bonds will be the responsibility of the taxpayers of Attala County. |
| Education funding at heart of budget battle | |
| A battle is expected to begin Monday over how to best spend state revenues the Mississippi Legislative Budget Office estimates are running $88 million over 2015 projections, with another $112 million accumulated from the state's 2-percent set aside fund, House Speaker Pro Tempore Greg Snowden said. Snowden (R-Meridian) said the majority of the increased revenue will go towards education. That is welcome news for public school superintendents like Lauderdale County Superintendent Randy Hodges, Meridian Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Alvin Taylor and Meridian Community College President Dr. Scott Elliott. But critics like Patsy Brumfield's group, Better Schools, Better Jobs, which wants K-12 public education fully funded under the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, are skeptical. |
| Mississippi third-grade gate: Fear of failure | |
| Mississippi school superintendents expect to see more than 28 percent of their students forced to repeat third grade as a result of the governor's third-grade gate. "We are setting these kids up for failure," predicted Nancy Loome, executive director of the public education advocacy group, The Parents' Campaign. A survey of superintendents by the Mississippi Association of State Superintendents predicted 28.4 percent of Mississippi's 38,074 third-grade public school students -- about 11,000 -- would fall short on the third-grade level reading proficiency test, barring them from entering fourth grade. |
| Reading gate delay bill advances | |
| Legislation that would delay for one year a law that would require students to be able to read on grade level before exiting the third grade has advanced to the Mississippi Senate. The legislation had passed the House earlier in the week, but it was held on a motion the reconsider. On Friday that motion was defeated and the bill advanced to the Senate. The law known as the third-grade reading gate was passed in 2013 and slated to be fully enacted this year, meaning students who were not reading on grade level would not be promoted to fourth grade. |
| Mississippi sticks with childhood vaccination law | |
| Amid concerns about a measles outbreak in other states, Mississippi is sticking with its childhood vaccination law, which is one of the strongest in the country. A bill that would have weakened the law died Thursday because a chairman chose not to bring it up for a vote before a deadline. "I really didn't want to put the House through the pain of a long debate, because there's so much passion on that issue," said House Education Committee Chairman John Moore, R-Brandon. Mississippi and West Virginia are the only two states that don't allow people to avoid vaccinating their children because of religious or personal beliefs. |
| FAA Proposes Rules to Allow Commercial Drone Flights in U.S. | |
 | Federal regulators proposed long-awaited rules for commercial drones in the U.S., a landmark in the nation's aviation policy that is expected to lead to a new era in which unmanned aircraft become common. The Federal Aviation Administration proposed a policy that would replace the current near-ban on flying drones for commercial purposes with a simple approval process for operators governing commercial flight of any drone up to 55 pounds. The drone industry reacted generally favorably to the FAA's proposal on Sunday, with many stakeholders pleasantly surprised that the proposed rules were less stringent than those the agency imposed in its case-by-case approvals for commercial drone operators. |
| FAA rules might allow thousands of business drones | |
 | Thousands of businesses could receive clearance to fly drones two years from now under proposed rules that the Federal Aviation Administration unveiled Sunday, a landmark step that will make automated flight more commonplace in the nation's skies. Meanwhile, the White House on Sunday issued presidential directive that will require federal agencies for the first time to publicly disclose where they fly drones in the United States and what they do with the torrents of data collected from aerial surveillance. Together, the FAA regulations and the White House order provide some basic rules of the sky that will govern who can fly drones in the United States and under what conditions, while attempting to prevent aviation disasters and unrestrained government surveillance. |
| F.A.A. Rules Would Limit Commercial Drone Use | |
 | In an attempt to bring order to increasingly chaotic skies, the Federal Aviation Administration on Sunday proposed long-awaited rules on the commercial use of small drones, requiring operators to be certified, fly only during daylight and keep their aircraft in sight. The rules, though less restrictive than the current ones, appear to prohibit for now the kind of drone delivery services being explored by Amazon, Google and other companies, since the operator or assigned observers must be able to see the drone at all times without binoculars. But company officials believe the line-of-sight requirement could be relaxed in the future to accommodate delivery services. |
| As Rules Get Sorted Out, Drones May Transform Agriculture Industry | |
 | On Sunday, the Federal Aviation Administration released long-awaited draft rules on the operation of pilotless drones, opening the nation's airspace to the commercial possibilities of the burgeoning technology, but not without restrictions. What makes the drone valuable to farmers is the camera on board. It snaps a high-resolution photo every two seconds. From there Agribotix stitches the images together, sniffing out problem spots in the process. Knowing what's happening in a field can save a farmer money. At farm shows across the country, drones have become as ubiquitous as John Deere tractors. The Colorado Farm Show earlier this year included an informational session, telling farmers both the technical and legal challenges ahead. |
| FAA shoots down Amazon's drone delivery plans | |
 | Amazon says it is still committed to delivering products by drone despite new federal rules that it considers an obstacle to commercial use of unmanned aircraft. Paul Misener, Amazon vice president for global policy, said the FAA's proposed new rules "wouldn't allow Prime Air to operate in the United States.'' Prime Air is the name of Amazon's developmental program for drone delivery. Amazon's Misner called for rules that would address Amazon's plan for using drones to deliver packages. The FAA needs to begin and expeditiously complete the formal process to address the needs of our business, and ultimately our customers," he said. |
| Borsig never planned on leading university system | |
| Jim Borsig is the ultimate insider, having worked at three of Mississippi's eight public universities. He also served as an associate commissioner on the College Board's staff before becoming president of the Mississippi University for Women in Columbus in 2012. The board on Thursday named Borsig as higher education commissioner for the state's public universities beginning April 15. In an interview after he was named, the 58-year-old University of Southern Mississippi alumnus talked about how the board asked him to interview without an extensive search, getting the eight universities to work together to improve Mississippi, and finding the money to meet those ambitions and hold down tuition. |
| Borsig leaving The W to lead IHL | |
| When it was announced Jan. 12 that Hank Bounds would be stepping down as commissioner of Mississippi's Institutions of Higher Learning board, a sinking feeling settled over the campus of Mississippi University for Women. "When Hank was named chancellor at Nebraska, everybody was saying, 'Oh, no. They'll be coming after Dr. (Jim) Borsig,'" Nora Miller, vice president for administration and the school's chief financial officer, said. "It was just rumors, but it made a lot of sense. Dr. Borsig had been Hank's right-hand man before he came here." Thursday afternoon, the rumors became reality. |
| 'Spies of Mississippi' presentation at The W looks at civil rights | |
| Filmmaker Dawn Porter, director and producer of "Spies of Mississippi," will be the featured guest this month for Mississippi University for Women's Gordy Honors College's Forum Series. Porter's presentation examines the civil rights movement in Mississippi. It is set for Thursday at 6 p.m. in Nissan Auditorium, Parkinson Hall. The program is free and open to the public. "Spies of Mississippi" is the story of a secret spy agency formed by the state of Mississippi to preserve segregation and maintain white supremacy. |
| The W hosts its annual community health fair Wednesday | |
| Just in time for American Heart Month, the Department of Health and Kinesiology at Mississippi University for Women will raise the community's awareness by hosting its annual health fair Wednesday. The health fair, which is free and open to the public, will be from 8:30 a.m. to noon in Pohl Gym. This year's theme is Health is Always in Season. "The choices we make to attain better health don't happen only on one day, such as New Year's Day, before summer (bikini season) or next Monday. The choices we make are daily ones and year-round," said Dr. Irene Pintado, associate professor of health education at The W. |
| Miss University of Southern Mississippi reaching children with book initiative | |
 | A childhood marked by numerous visits to doctors' offices helped Miss University of Southern Mississippi Hannah Roberts develop a passion for two life-changing pursuits -- reading and medicine. Today, the Southern Miss senior from Mount Olive, Miss., is actively engaged in both arenas, having been accepted into the University of Mississippi School of Medicine while continuing to oversee a book donation project that has grown beyond her grandest expectations. |
| Cain shines as Delta Music Institute guest | |
 | The Delta Music Institute entertainment industry studies program at Delta State University recently hosted Jonathan Cain, GRAMMY nominated keyboardist/vocalist/writer for the super group Journey, as the first guest of the semester for the DMI All Access series. DMI All Access is a series of open forums and lectures throughout the academic year featuring industry professionals from various areas of the music and entertainment industry. "It was such a pleasure to have Jonathan Cain as our DMI All Access guest," said DMI Director Tricia Walker. "The sense of gratitude with which he shared his career stories was refreshing, and I hope, inspiring for the students and guests in attendance." The Delta Music Institute is an independent center of study under the College of Arts and Sciences at Delta State , offering a B.S. degree in entertainment industry studies. |
| Belhaven looks forward to University Village opening | |
| Construction of a $7 million residence hall that began in September at Belhaven University is nearing completion, and students are looking forward to its availability in August. The three-story, U-shaped building will house 132 students, both men and women, in apartment-style units. Each unit will include four bedrooms, two full baths, a kitchen and a living room. The rooms will be furnished and include a television and a washer and dryer. This past year, Belhaven's enrollment was up 15 percent, which Kevin Russell, vice president for University Advancement, said is a continuing trend. |
| Women crowd Pearl River Community College for annual health symposium | |
 | More than 400 women indulged themselves for a day at the 2015 Women's Health Symposium on Jan. 31 at Pearl River Community College. They shopped for jewelry, bird houses and other merchandise at the Art Walk, took advantage of free screenings such as blood pressure and cholesterol, and treated themselves to chair massages and manicures. They packed into Olivia Bender Cafeteria to hear health information from a panel of local healthcare providers and laughed with speaker Janie Walters as she whooped and hollered while talking about ways to reduce stress. |
| Crowds turn out for replanting of iconic Auburn Oaks | |
 | Several hundred Auburn fans braved low temperatures early Saturday morning to watch as trucks carrying two live oak trees pulled into the intersection of College Street and Magnolia Avenue in downtown Auburn. Some Auburn faithful drove hours to witness the new Auburn Oaks planted two years after the original trees were removed, following their 2010 poisoning. By 7 a.m., crowds had begun to form around barricades lining Toomer's Corner. Downtown businesses, which opened early for the event, were also feeling the love Saturday. Trey Johnston, owner of J&M Bookstore, held the store's door open as people flowed in Saturday. |
| Minority student populations on the rise at UGA | |
 | The University of Georgia has grown more diverse over the past two decades, but today's enrollment is not quite the mix that it might have expected back in 1994. In 1994, more than 87 percent of UGA students were white, according to University System of Georgia statistics. Last fall semester, white students were 70.1 percent of UGA's enrollment of more than 35,000 students. The biggest components of that change are increases in Hispanic and Asian students. Enrollment of Hispanic students increased from 1.2 percent in 1994 to 4.8 percent in the fall of 2014. Compared to the overall state population, black students are more underrepresented at UGA than at any other Southeastern Conference school. |
| LSU researcher thinks he's found a creative way to control mosquito-borne diseases | |
 | Sheriff's deputy, sociologist, pilot, used car dealer, importer, entrepreneur, engineer, researcher, linguist, dreamer. Charles Malveaux is or has been all those things. He's currently a doctoral candidate in LSU's College of Engineering. He designs and builds his own drones. He thinks they can prevent mosquito-borne illnesses, like malaria and West Nile virus. He expects his dissertation will involve creating a two-drone system: one to map standing water and mosquito-breeding areas; the other, guided by GPS and armed with 20 pounds of larvicide, to spray the trouble spots. East Baton Rouge Parish will serve as the demonstration site. Malveaux, the LSU AgCenter and the city-parish are hammering out the details of the agreement. |
| Over 13,500 seniors admitted to U. of Florida | |
 | Decision Day fell on Friday the 13th this year. But it was a lucky day for more than 13,600 high school seniors waiting to hear if they were admitted to the University of Florida. UF notified 13,667 seniors -- 44.3 percent of the 30,800 who applied -- that they are accepted to UF for either Summer B or Fall 2015. Many of those 13,667 will end up at other schools; in reality, UF has only 6,500 slots for freshmen in summer and fall. The Class of 2019 profile has an average GPA of 4.3, an average SAT score of 1,918 and an average ACT score of 29. UF has been able to be more selective given the large number of students applying each year, making the process more competitive. |
| Professors on PBS TV Programs Boost U. of Arkansas Profile | |
 | A PBS executive asked Tom Paradise if he was ready for what was coming. Paradise, a geoscience professor at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, wasn't sure what she meant. Well, she told Paradise, you're about to be seen by 15 million to 20 million people. On Wednesday, the TV series "Nova" will premiere its one-hour documentary special "Petra: Lost City of Stone" on PBS. Paradise, who has worked on the site in southern Jordan for 25 years, played a large role -- on screen and off -- in the production. Paradise is one of a handful of UA professors and students who will have appeared on PBS. Dan Sutherland, a history professor, was one of the on-screen experts for a documentary on artist James McNeill Whistler, and members of the university's Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies participated in the series "Time Scanners." |
| DanceBlue marathon raises $1.6 million, U. of Kentucky says | |
 | DanceBlue, the University of Kentucky's 24-hour marathon dance party, raised $1.6 million, an all-time high, a UK spokeswoman said Sunday. To be exact, the 10th annual event that started at 2 p.m. Saturday in Memorial Coliseum and concluded at 2 p.m. Sunday raised $1,615,057.18, said Katy Bennett with UK public relations. (Last year's marathon raised about $1.4 million.) This year's amount brings the 10-year total that DanceBlue has raised for pediatric cancer research to $8.1 million, Bennett said. The event is a fundraiser for the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic at Kentucky Children's Hospital and for research at Markey Cancer Center. |
| Texas A&M research team retraces, proves Darwin's theory of natural selection via finches | |
 | It took Charles Darwin 20 years to develop his theories on natural selection. An inter-university team led by a fellowship professor at Texas A&M was able to prove Darwin's theory in just two years, according to an article published Wednesday in Nature journal. "All our data are consistent with the hypothesis that a common ancestor of all Darwin's finches arrived at the [Galapagos] islands about 1.5 million years ago and that this species has diversified into at least 18 different species showing differences ... due to natural selection," Leif Andersson wrote in an email on Thursday. Andersson, a faculty fellow at Texas A&M's Institute for Advanced Study, spoke about his research on the 206th anniversary of Darwin's birth. |
| Texas A&M System Board of Regents getting new faces and new leadership | |
| Three Texas A&M Board of Regents members stepped down from their posts Thursday, leaving behind more 30 years of combined experience. Although Chairman Phil Adams will remain on the board to serve his third six-year term after receiving a reappointment from Gov. Greg Abbott, regents Jim Schwertner and John D. White, who did not receive reappointments, sat at the head table for a regular regents meeting for the final time. In the coming weeks when Schwertner and White make their exit from the board, Adams will step down as chairman and a member of the regents will be selected to take his place for a two-year term. |
| U. of Missouri adds gender-neutral housing option on campus | |
 | After years of planning, the University of Missouri is offering gender-neutral housing to students this coming fall. Frankie Minor, director of Residential Life at MU, said returning students have access to the new option when they enroll for fall housing options as early as this week. The space is open to students of any gender, with the goal of creating a safe, secure housing option for those students who are transgender or gender nonconforming, Minor said. The 2015-16 academic year will serve as a test for the 16-bed space in College Avenue Hall. Minor and his team have pushed for gender-neutral housing for years after hearing from students that there is interest and need for such a space. |
| Latest U. of Missouri System salary report shows relatively few changes | |
| Aside from a few major hires and an associate football coach's decision to take an offer at another institution, there were not many noteworthy changes on the list of top earners in the University of Missouri System for the 2014-15 academic year. The second-largest base salary in the UM System was paid to Dave Steckel, associate head football coach. Steckel announced in December that he would end his tenure at MU to take the head coaching job at Missouri State University. But Coach "Stec," who was making $600,000 -- $50,000 more than last year, according to the annual salary database information provided from the UM System -- has been replaced in the money rankings by a new dean. Patrice "Patrick" Delafontaine joined MU as dean of the School of Medicine Dec. 1, with a starting salary of $600,000. He also received $50,000 in deferred compensation, similar to other administrators, including Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin. |
| UMass will not admit Iranian students to certain science and engineering programs | |
 | A new policy stating that the University of Massachusetts at Amherst will no longer admit students from Iran to certain engineering- and science-related programs has attracted criticism and stirred questions about the extent of universities' obligations under U.S. sanctions law. In a policy dated Feb. 6, the university said that it will no longer admit Iranian nationals to a range of programs: chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical and industrial engineering, microbiology, physics, and polymer science and engineering. The university cites as its rationale a sanctions law passed in 2012 that restricts Iranian citizens seeking to prepare for a career in that country's energy or nuclear science sectors from getting visas to study in the United States. |
| Wisconsin governor mixes it up on higher education, generating national headlines | |
| Wisconsin's governor, Scott Walker, hasn't announced a presidential run. But it's a safe bet that higher education will come up often if he seeks the Republican nomination, as many presume. That's because the second-term governor has been cast, or positioned himself, as a primary antagonist of the academy. During the last few weeks Walker has battled with the University of Wisconsin System over budget cuts and an abortive attempt to edit the Wisconsin Idea, the century-old and unusually beloved mission statement of the university. The net result has been the view that while Walker's office in the Capitol is a mile from the Madison campus, the two are worlds apart. And that can be an asset to a politician looking to cultivate the Republican base. |
| OUR VIEW (OPINION): Mixed emotions prevail as Borsig moves on | |
| The Dispatch editorializes: "Congratulations to Dr. Jim Borsig ...sort of. Thursday, Borsig was named Commissioner of Mississippi's Institutions of Higher Learning, which means he will be leaving his role as president of Mississippi University for Women after three-plus years of exemplary service. Congratulations certainly are in order, but we freely admit that our enthusiasm is muted by our regret in seeing Dr. Borsig leave The W and our community. While we take solace in the certitude that he will continue to be a strong advocate for The W and the state's other seven public universities, we will miss him, both for his service to the university and our community." |
| EDITORIAL (OPINION): New IHL chief may be a familiar face | |
| The Hattiesburg American editorializes: "The state of Mississippi's newest leader of higher education will have his work cut out for him, but thanks to swift action by the Institutes of Higher Learning's board of trustees, that work is set to begin sooner rather than later. On Thursday, the College Board introduced Mississippi University for Women President Jim Borsig as Mississippi's new higher education commissioner. ...Borsig may be a familiar face to some of you. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi. The Jackson native also earned a doctorate in public policy and administration from Mississippi State University. ...We welcome Commissioner Borsig and look forward to seeing what he will bring to higher education for all of Mississippi's public universities." |
| WYATT EMMERICH (OPINION): A bill long overdue | |
| Mississippi newspaper publisher and columnist Wyatt Emmerich writes: "State representative Jerry Turner from Baldwyn knows about competition. As a businessman running grocery stores, his company must work hard to bring customers good products at a fair price. It's not easy. Watching state agencies negotiate multi-million-dollar contracts with no competition spurred Turner to propose legislation expanding competitive bidding in Mississippi. For years, the legislation went nowhere. But sometimes bad things happen for a good reason. The recent scandal involving contract kickbacks within the state prison system has changed the attitude at the Legislature. Now Turner's bill has a fighting chance." |
| LLOYD GRAY (OPINION): Education is a team sport | |
| The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Lloyd Gray writes: "Gov. Phil Bryant, ever quotable, opined last week that Mississippi's public schools have been 'an abysmal failure.' No need to ask him how he really feels. It was only the latest volley fired by the governor at public education in Mississippi. A few weeks back, taking yet another shot at the demon Common Core, he lectured state Superintendent of Education Carey Wright through reporters that she needs to remember she's not in charge of public education in Mississippi, the public is. Then shortly afterward, when an initiative signed by 200,000 members of the Mississippi public asking for schools to be funded to the extent the law requires came before the Legislature, the governor supported a legislative alternative designed to torpedo its chances of passage at the polls this fall. Rhetoric aside, his actions indicate the governor believes he and the Legislature are in charge of public education in Mississippi." |
| BILL CRAWFORD (OPINION): The impersonator grabs the spotlight | |
 | Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian writes: "Uh oh, former state senator Tim Johnson and Republican Party Chairman Joe Nosef have turned the public spotlight on an ugly thing politicians like to keep under the rug. Johnson is a successful impersonator, mostly of Elvis Presley. Nosef suggests Johnson also impersonated being a Republican. Over a 20-year period Johnson was elected as a City of Madison alderman, state senator, and Madison County supervisor -- all as a Republican. Then, on February 4th, Johnson transfigured himself, announcing he will run for lieutenant governor as a Democrat. ...Has Johnson really changed? Or is he now impersonating a Democrat? All this gets to that ugly thing -- politicians who are willing to say and do whatever it takes to get elected, stay elected, and move up in power. The issue changes, they change. The electorate shifts, they shift. The opportunity to win requires a change, they change." |
| PAUL HAMPTON (OPINION): You can't read lawmakers' lines, so may as well read between them | |
 | The Sun Herald's Paul Hampton writes: "After a thoughtful analysis of recently filed campaign finance reports, I know why a penmanship bill died such an early death in last year's legislative session. And I have a hint at the reason Common Core faces such a headwind. Bottom line: Some of these folks can't write. And they haven't exactly mastered addition and spelling, either. And for someone who likes to invoke the Founding Fathers while debating everything from fast food to the evolution of the chicken, that's a problem." |
| GEOFF PENDER (OPINION): Candidates playing chicken with qualifying deadline | |
| The Clarion-Ledger's Geoff Pender writes: "The Feb. 27 qualifying deadline draws near, but several incumbents and potential candidates for 2015 statewide offices are waiting to see who does what before jumping in. This game of chicken centers around a few main questions. They include: Who will be the Democratic candidate for governor? Attorney General Jim Hood, the lone Democratic statewide officeholder, would be the party's best choice. He's leaked out some polling to the Cottonmouth blog that says he's as popular as puppies even with Republicans. But recent talk is that he's not interested." |
| SAM R. HALL (OPINION): Rep. Gene Alday should retire after race-tinged comments | |
| The Clarion-Ledger's Sam R. Hall blogs: "State Rep. Gene Alday, R-Walls, should not seek re-election this year and retire. Short of that, the voters of Mississippi's House District 25 should retire Alday at the ballot box in August or November. Alday is quickly becoming infamous for racist comments he made to investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell for an article about education policy and funding. These comments simply aren't acceptable by any standard, but they are especially worrisome coming from an elected official." |
| SAM R. HALL (OPINION): Field to replace Nunnelee could get crowded | |
| The Clarion-Ledger's Sam R. Hall writes: "The field of possible candidates to replace the late-U.S. Rep. Alan Nunnelee is hilariously large. It would be almost easier to find an elected official not rumored to be considering a run than it is to list those who are. This is a Republican district, despite Nunnelee winning the seat from Democrat Travis Childers in 2010. Childers won in a special election after Roger Wicker vacated the post to become a U.S. senator. Childers ran a populist campaign in a non-partisan election to win just weeks before winning a general election as a Democrat in 2008. That had some folks wondering if another popular Democrat might jump into the race and try to steal a safe GOP seat." |
| SID SALTER (OPINION): Convicted quadruple murderer catches break | |
| Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: "News that the state Supreme Court has granted convicted quadruple murderer Willie Jerome 'Fly' Manning of Starkville a new trial in two of those murders rocked this community this week. Emotions for and against Manning's journey through the appellate process in the two murder cases runs high. The inmate's supporters take heart from his recent victories in the courts. The law enforcement community and those who remembers his victims are angered by the rulings. Manning's sojourn has been anything if not dramatic." |
SPORTS
| Bulldogs roar to 4-0 start | |
| Mississippi State's offense had very few issues on opening weekend, plating 48 runs in a four-game round robin series against Cincinnati and Miami (Ohio). The Bulldogs capped off the weekend sweep with a 16-7 rout of Cincinnati's Bearcats on Sunday, scoring a dozen runs in the third and fourth innings. "We scored a lot of runs this weekend and this is a ballpark where that's not an easy thing to do," said MSU coach John Cohen. "Hopefully that's a trend that will continue for us." |
| Mississippi State's Wes Rea finds early rhythm | |
| The Bethesda Big Train, a summer collegiate baseball league, noticed Wes Rea's pop in the summer. The power excited Mississippi State coach John Cohen during the fall and through the winter. Last weekend, when the Bulldogs opened the 2015 season, fans at Dudy Noble Field also took notice. Rea clubbed a grand slam and a double, and also plated seven in Mississippi State's opening weekend sweep of four games. He leads the team with a .875 slugging percentage. "He's really in a nice rhythm right now," Cohen said. |
| Mississippi State baseball dominating early competition on offense | |
| Jacob Robson wasn't surprised at all. Asked on Saturday night to explain Mississippi State's hot offensive start to the 2015 baseball season, Robson simply shrugged his shoulders. "It's not really surprising," said the redshirt sophomore centerfielder. "We've been working hard and we know that we have guys on this team that can hit the baseball. We expect to score a lot of runs all season." It certainly looked that way. |
| Ross Mitchell contributes to Mississippi State's offensive explosion | |
| Mississippi State hit three home runs, including a grand slam, on Saturday en route to 26 runs. Among the blasts, a blooping single over the head of the shortstop, highlighted MSU's offensive performance in a sweep of a doubleheader. Ross Mitchell, who picked up the win on the mound in a 7-1 victory against Miami (Ohio) in game one, connected at the plate in the eighth inning to cap off a 19-5 win over Cincinnati in game two. It was that kind of day for the Mississippi State (3-0) offense. "Funny thing is, he came in here as a dual guy," senior Wes Rea said. "His freshman fall, he hit with us every day in BP. He's got a little hitter in him." |
| No. 13 Bulldogs brilliant at home | |
| No. 13 Mississippi State shook off a slow start to roll past Florida 75-62 on Sunday afternoon in a SEC women's basketball game that leaves the Bulldogs on the brink of history. With the win, MSU (24-4 overall, 9-4 SEC) matched the school record for wins in a season and home wins with a 16-1 record at Humphrey Coliseum. The nine league victories are the most since 2009-10 and tied for the second-most in school history. |
| No. 13 Mississippi State downs Florida | |
| Martha Alwal had 14 points and 13 rebounds, Breanna Richardson scored 16 points, and No. 13 Mississippi State overcame a slow start Sunday to beat Florida 75-62. The Bulldogs (24-4, 9-4 SEC) rallied for a 40-30 halftime advantage and opened the second with a 9-4 run for a 15-point lead that never dropped back into single digits. Their 24th win ties the program's best starts in 1999-00 and 2002-03. Florida (12-13, 4-8) scored the first eight points to open the game and led 17-9 before Mississippi State ripped off a 21-5 run to take the lead for good. |
| Mississippi State team plane makes emergency landing | |
| The plane carrying Mississippi State's basketball team had to make an emergency landing in St. Louis on Saturday night. According to team spokesman Gregg Ellis, an engine went out after the team took off from Columbia, Missouri, forcing the twin-engine Embraer 145 plane to land at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. Ellis said that aside from some rattled nerves, everyone who was on board the charter jet is OK. The Bulldogs were traveling back to Starkville after a game against Missouri, which they won 77-74. |
| Mississippi State hoops finally en-route to Starkville | |
| Mississippi State's 77-74 win over Missouri on Saturday afternoon won't be one the team forgets anytime soon. It has nothing to do with MSU capturing its fifth Southeastern Conference victory of the season -- the most under coach Rick Ray. Craig Sword and Roquez Johnson each scoring 22 was highlight of the contest but not the last memory of the trip to Columbia, Missouri. More than 17 hours after MSU beat Missouri, the Bulldogs are finally headed back to Starkville this morning. |
| Smith, other Bulldogs preparing for NFL Scouting Combine | |
| For a man just days away from the biggest job interview of his life, Preston Smith seems relatively relaxed. Maybe that's because he's as ready as he can be. "I'm just ready to get up there and go to work," said Smith of his upcoming trip to the NFL Scouting Combine. "I've been training and training. Then we had the season, I've been going hard since the summer. I'm just ready to go up there and do my thing." Smith, a 6-foot-6, 270-pound defensive end, isn't alone. When the Combine, the NFL's annual pre-draft event that brings the nation's top college prospects to Indianapolis, Indiana for a week of workouts, tryouts and interviews, starts on Tuesday, Smith will be one of four former Bulldogs attempting to get noticed by NFL scouts. That total is the highest in six years under MSU head coach Dan Mullen. |
| Wristbands required to drink alcohol in right field at UM | |
 | Torrential beer showers at Swayze Field are considered a tradition by many Ole Miss students; however, those who wish to continue consuming or throwing alcohol in the right field student section must now wear wristbands that verify they are of the legal drinking age. This new regulation, issued via email by the athletic department on Wednesday, stated that in order for students to receive a wristband they must have their university-issued ID scanned by security to determine if they are 21 or older. UPD Chief Calvin Sellers said the issue of underage drinking in right field has "gotten worse over the last few years." "We've caught 13-, 14-, 15-year-olds out there drinking because other people make it available to them," Sellers said. "We've got to get a handle on that, or we're going to have to eliminate it all together." |
| Auburn Athletics budgeting for shortfall in 2014-15 | |
| Auburn University's athletic department has finished the last two fiscal years in the red, suffering a combined $14.5 million deficit according to its two most recent NCAA financial reports provided to the Opelika-Auburn News through a records request last week. The program could be in line for a third straight deficit after budgeting for a $5.69 million shortfall in the 2014-15 fiscal year operating budget, according to Auburn's annual athletics report released to the O-A News last month. "Our expenses exceeded our revenues because we had some outlying expenses and we didn't go up on ticket prices for the third year in a row," Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs told the Opelika-Auburn News last month. |
| U. of Missouri athletic department runs in the black for 2nd straight year | |
| Missouri's athletic department operated at a surplus for the second year in a row in 2013-14, running $3.5 million in the black. The department produced $83.7 million and spent $80.2 million for the fiscal year that ended last June 30, according to a copy of the revenue and expense report the school prepared for the NCAA that the Tribune obtained through an open-records request. That marked a 9.7 percent increase in revenue and a 14 percent increase in spending from 2012-13, when Missouri operated at a $6 million surplus. The department also received $1.52 million in institutional support and transferred $2.18 million back to the university. Executive associate athletic director Tim Hickman said athletics still owes the university $14.1 million it borrowed that year, which it plans to start paying back during the 2015-16 fiscal year. |
| Police: Drunken man arrested for theft at Aggie softball complex | |
| A 28-year-old Bryan man was arrested Saturday night at a Texas A&M softball game after being accused of trying to steal money, hats and a sweatshirt while intoxicated, authorities said. Robert Dewayne Thomas is facing four misdemeanor charges and a third-degree felony assault charge. Police said Thomas was intoxicated before entering the A&M softball complex without purchasing a ticket. According to the arrest report, Thomas went into a merchandise trailer, took a roll of nickels from a cash bag on a shelf, grabbed several baseball hats and was trying to take a sweatshirt when A&M police officers arrived. |
| With Tennessee's Dave Hart at helm, FSU athletics mishandled rape claim | |
 | Reviews of the Florida State University athletics department under Athletics Director Dave Hart, now at Tennessee, created a swirl of turmoil in 2003, but one investigation stands out because of its findings regarding the handling of a sexual assault allegation. Hart's athletics department mishandled a rape allegation by failing to report the claim to law enforcement, leading to the creation of a special task force to study how sexual assaults are handled there, the chairwoman of that task force told The Tennessean. Through a spokesman, Hart on Friday disputed that his department did anything improper. "All athletics personnel followed the proper protocols in place at the time," the spokesman said. |
| High School Recruits Think Twice About Signing Letters of Intent | |
| In a crowded gymnasium at Macon County High School on Feb. 4, Roquan Smith, one of the top high school linebackers in the country, picked up a U.C.L.A. hat and put it on his head, signaling his intention to play for the Bruins. Smith, however, did not pick up a pen and sign a national letter of intent, which would have made his decision a binding agreement, according to N.C.A.A. rules. His decision not to sign has created a national debate about recruiting and could possibly lead to even more leverage for young athletes, who earned a series of new allowances last month when the five largest conferences approved new rules to guarantee scholarships for four years while also mandating they cover more than tuition, room and board. |
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