| Friday, March 13, 2015 |
| Mississippi State students experience a Delta spring break | |
 | Eighteen Mississippi State University students and staff are participating in a Mississippi Delta "Alternative" Spring Break this week in Winstonville, Shelby and Mound Bayou. Students are engaging in community service while exploring the history and rich culture of the Mississippi Delta. Judy Belue, project coordinator for Delta Fresh Foods, said, "The students are part of a program by Dr. Cade Smith at Mississippi State and this is our third year to partner with them." The diverse group includes three students from South Korea, others from Nepal, Turkey and Puerto Rico in addition to several states. |
| Couple creates endowed scholarship at MSU-Meridian | |
 | A new endowed scholarship will benefit students enrolled in the Division of Business at Mississippi State University's Riley campus in downtown Meridian. The Mr. and Mrs. M.L. Waters Mississippi Power Endowed Scholarship has been established at MSU-Meridian by M.L. and Kim Waters of Meridian. M.L. Waters, a 1978 MSU management graduate, is the secretary and treasurer of family-owned Waters International Trucks Inc. His wife and fellow graduate, Kim, earned an accounting degree from the university in 1981. The scholarship includes a matching portion from the Mississippi Power Foundation, where M.L. Waters has served on Mississippi Power Company's board of directors since 2010. A subsidiary of Southern Co., Mississippi Power supports employees, retirees, and board of directors' contributions to educational institutions like Mississippi State and other public universities through their educational matching program. |
| Mississippi State University Utilizes Drones | |
| Robert Moorhead, Director of the Geosystems Research Institute and Northern Gulf Institute at Mississippi State University, was at the 2015 Mid-South Farm & Gin Show to showcase the research being done on harnessing UAV technology on farm. Moorhead had a chance to chat with Chuck Zimmerman about their use of UAVs and drones. Geosystems Research focuses on agriculture; they utilize UAV technology to determine plant development, particularly in early-plant corn. Using one of the drones that they had on display, they "can view down to 1/8″ resolution to determine growth problems" or animal impacts, especially from feral hogs. |
| Wet, cool weather hampering Starkville pothole patching | |
 | The year's wet weather and cooler temperatures have not only caused numerous potholes to form in Starkville's roads, but also prevented city workers from acquiring the materials needed to fix the infrastructure issues. A return to dryer and warmer conditions next week could provide workers a window in which to alleviate the problems. Like many other Mississippi cities, winter poses a combination of problems for infrastructure, city engineer Edward Kemp said. Not only do precipitation and temperature fluctuation cause havoc with a road's physical structure, but cool temperatures prevent the production of hot mix asphalt, the material used to patch holes. |
| Sanitation equipment issues plague Starkville | |
| Frequent sanitation equipment failures could force Starkville aldermen to once again broach a residential rate increase after the board failed to raise monthly charges by $1.50 on Feb. 17. The city's commercial fleet, comprised of three trucks, was recently reduced to one operating vehicle as maintenance-based attrition continues to hamper sanitation efforts. Officials are still working to secure an emergency rental agreement for a similar piece of equipment, but Mayor Parker Wiseman said Starkville's inability to find sustainable revenue for upkeep and replacements poses "a substantial threat to our ability to ensure basic operations and services function as expected." |
| Mississippi to open first 'early college high school' | |
 | Jean Massey knew within three weeks which incoming freshmen would struggle to finish high school, not because they lacked the smarts, but because they didn't fit in. A former principal, Massey said these kids broke her heart. They had so much potential but failed to thrive in a typical high school setting. Many eventually would drop out. They needed an alternative to high school, she said. Starting this fall, they'll get it. Modeled after a similar program called North Carolina New Schools, Golden Triangle Early College High School will help students earn both their high school diploma and an associate's degree from East Mississippi Community College at the same time. Or they can get nationally certified in a technical field instead. |
| Mississippians arrested in Destin on alleged Spring Break violations | |
| Loud music, a house party, a mason jar full of pot and a small black scale. Apparently it's not safe to misbehave on Spring Break anymore with the advent of social media. Thanks to the Walton County Sheriff's Facebook page, some Mississippians are getting their share of press for allegedly having a little too much fun on vacation. On Wednesday morning, Pamela Carroll and Victoria Senn, both of Madison, were arrested and charged with one count each of contributing to the delinquency of a minor after police arrived at a house party they appeared to be hosting at Miramar Beach. |
| Fed official to Columbus Kiwanis: Economic outlook good | |
| Martha Perine Beard went out on a high note Wednesday. In Columbus to speak at the Kiwanis Club luncheon at Lion Hills Center Wednesday, the now former official with the Federal Reserve informed her audience about how the Federal Reserve is organized and provided an update on the state of the national economy as "the Fed" sees it. At the end of her talk, she made one last revelation. "About four or five months ago, I announced that I would be retiring, but would stay on until a replacement was chosen," said Beard, the Senior Executive Officer for the Memphis branch of the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank. "My replacement has been named so, unless something emerges that requires my attention between now and when I get back to Memphis, this will be my last official act in my 44 years with the Fed." Based on the portrait she painted of the nation's economy Wednesday, she leaves under pretty good circumstances. |
| Mississippi Power, PSC file for rehearing to restore Kemper rate increase | |
 | Mississippi Power Co. and the Public Service Commission asked the state Supreme Court on Thursday to reconsider its decision to overturn a rate increase designed to help pay for the Kemper County power plant. Thomas Blanton, a Hattiesburg oilman, appealed the rate increase, asking the court to declare the state's Baseload Act unconstitutional and asking for other redresses. Blanton, who is a candidate for the Southern District Public Service Commission seat being vacated by Steve Renfroe, said he wants to "thoughtfully and thoroughly review" the power company's request before he comments. He has seven days to file a response with the court. |
| Ross announces candidacy for congressional race | |
 | Henry Ross, a Eupora lawyer and small businessman, announced Thursday his third run for Mississippi's 1st Congressional District seat in the U.S. Congress. Ross, who was a candidate for the position in the 2010 and 2012 Republican primaries, will be one of 11 candidates on the May 12 special election ballot for the seat of the late Congressman Alan Nunnelee. The seat became open after Nunnelee died Feb. 6 following a battle with cancer. Speaking to a crowd of about a dozen supporters at the Lee County Library on Thursday afternoon, Ross said he was the right candidate to stop an "era of big government." |
| Special-needs vouchers could face legal fight | |
| Opponents of a special-needs voucher bill winding its way through the Legislature claim it violates the state constitution by allowing public education funds to go to religious schools, but legal scholars disagree. Senate Bill 2695 would provide up to $6,500 annually for children with special needs who leave Mississippi's public schools. Mississippi's proposed special-needs voucher program gives the money to individuals who then can decide where to spend it. "If a religious school got 85 or 90 percent of its funding from the vouchers, though, the court might find that the state essentially funds the school," said Matt Steffey, a constitutional law expert at the Mississippi College School of Law. Steffey said voucher programs so far have withstood federal court challenges and probably would survive a lawsuit in Mississippi, too. |
| $50M workforce training bill looks strong in homestretch | |
 | Among the survivors of the bill-thinning that occurs at this stage of Mississippi's legislative session is legislation to set up a $50 million workforce training program that can respond timely to worker training needs of companies looking to come to Mississippi or expand here. Senate Bill 2457, along with the House version (HB 911) which has been rolled into the Senate bill, is a session priority of both Gov. Phil Bryant and the Mississippi Economic Council. Mississippi can't expect to compete with its Southern neighbors without beefing up workforce training and streamlining how the training is offered, Bryant and the statewide organization say. |
| Bill allowing trusts for 360 years heading to governor | |
| Legislation allowing Mississippians to place their assets in a trust for up to 360 years passed the state House Thursday and is now pending before Gov. Phil Bryant. Earlier, a spokesperson for Bryant said the governor would study the legislation when it reaches his desk before deciding whether to sign it into law. Despite questions in the House on the reason it would be necessary to form a trust that would last 360 years, the legislation passed by an overwhelming 105-12 margin. "I am not so sure it makes any sense whatsoever to be talking about having a trust for 19 generations or longer," said Rep. Cecil Brown, D-Jackson, who ended up voting for the legislation. |
| House tries to revive pay raise for assistant teachers | |
| The Mississippi House revived legislation providing a $2,500 per year raise to assistant teachers on Thursday and reaffirmed its previous vote to usurp much of the authority of the state Board of Education to develop academic standards for local school districts. Both proposals passed Thursday. The proposal to provide the pay raise to assistant teachers, who currently make $12,500 per year, excluding local supplements some school districts provide, passed the House earlier this session but was killed in the Senate Education Committee. On Thursday, Rep. William Tracy Arnold, R-Booneville, offered an amendment to legislation dealing with how funding would be directed to charter schools, to include the teacher assistant salary increase language. It passed on a voice vote with no opposition. |
| Palazzo: Senate letter to Iran necessary | |
 | Iranian officials and some American allies are criticizing a letter sent by Republican senators to Tehran, warning leaders there that any nuclear deal not approved by Congress may be short-lived. Some accuse the GOP of trying to undermine negotiations and said it has harmed America's international credibility. But, Mississippi Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-4th District) said the letter serves a valuable purpose in letting the ruling clerics know any agreement not ratified by lawmakers could be overturned by a future president. |
| U.K.'s shrinking military clout worries U.S. | |
 | With Europe facing its shakiest security environment in a generation, Britain has slipped into a familiar role: Washington's tough-talking wingman. British leaders have led the rhetorical charge against the twin menaces of Russia and the Islamic State while browbeating reluctant European governments to wake up to the reality of a newly unstable continent. But behind the flinty facade lies an unmistakable erosion in British power, one that has reduced Washington's indispensable ally to a position that U.K. officials, military leaders and analysts acknowledge could leave the United States without a credible partner in taking on the greatest threats to global security. |
| Big bills to view public documents discourage public access | |
 | The public's right to see government records is coming at an ever-increasing price, as authorities set fees and hourly charges that often prevent information from flowing. Though some states have taken steps to limit the fees, many have not: Mississippi law allows the state to charge hourly for research, redaction and labor, including $15 an hour simply to have a state employee watch a reporter or private citizen review documents. Whether roadblocks are created by authorities to discourage those seeking information, or simply a byproduct of bureaucracy and tighter budgets, greater costs to fulfill freedom of information requests ultimately can interfere with the public's right to know. Such costs are a growing threat to expanding openness at all levels of government. |
| Federal agency gives $1.5M for Meridian work training center | |
| The U.S. Department of Commerce announced a $1.5 million grant Monday to help Meridian Community College renovate and expand the college's workforce development center. College President Scott Elliott said the grant will allow the college to complete work on the center, housed in a former Wal-Mart store. "Communities who are successful in attracting new industry tend to have such contemporary training facilities in place," he wrote in an email. "Meridian needs one, too, if we are to compete well for new industry into the future." The money will improve the interior and exterior of the 60,000 square-foot building on Mississippi 19 about a mile north of the 3,400-student college's main campus. |
| VP research candidate Scanes wants to see 'research-innovation ecosystem' | |
| Oklahoma State University continued its search for a vice president for research when Colin Scanes visited the Stillwater campus Thursday. Scanes is a professor of biological science and the former vice chancellor for research and economic development at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He also served as vice president for research at Mississippi State University. He has spent a majority of his career at land grant universities with stints on the faculty of Rutgers-the State University of New Jersey, Iowa State University and Mississippi State. "Land grant universities are a supremely American contribution to education," he said. |
| 'Sister Shubert' to speak at Food Entrepreneur Conference at Auburn | |
 | Patricia "Sister Shubert" Barnes will be the keynote speaker for the third annual Food Entrepreneur Conference in Auburn April 8-9. The two-day conference will be at the Auburn University Research Park in Auburn, and the coordinators are the Auburn University Food Systems Institute and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. The entrepreneur conference is an opportunity to network with other food entrepreneurs and learn from successful business owners who started out with little more than an idea. Barnes started baking dinner rolls using her grandmother's recipe and now sells bakery products across the country. Local and regional representatives from the food industry and faculty from the Food Systems Institute will answer questions. |
| Cyclist suffers minor injuries after collision with Tiger Transit | |
| An Auburn University student suffered minor injuries after she collided with a Tiger Transit bus on campus Thursday morning. The 19-year-old female was treated on the scene and was transported to East Alabama Medical Center for observation, the Auburn Police Division said. The accident occurred around 10:46 Thursday morning at the intersection of Mell Street and Roosevelt Drive on Auburn University's campus. The student was on a bicycle traveling north on Mell Street away from the President's House, while the transit bus was traveling south on Mell. Witnesses said the student was in the crosswalk of the intersection when she tried to avoid a vehicle and collided with the loading side of the bus, Capt. Lorenza Dorsey of the APD explained. |
| Editor, frat member: What happened with Oklahoma's SAE chapter could occur at LSU | |
 | The University of Oklahoma's chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon was thrust into the national spotlight this week after a video went viral of the school's fraternity performing a racist chant. The incident hit a bit closer to home in Louisiana after former Louisiana Tech student and Sigma Alpha Epsilon pledge Dylan Merriman told Buzzfeed News that he witnessed a similar racist chant at an SAE party at Tech in 2010. Here in Baton Rouge, Daily Reveille editor Chandler Rome, who's a member of an LSU fraternity, said in a column Thursday that readers "shouldn't be so naive to read this column and think what happened on that bus can't happen here." A key reason why a similar episode could unfold at LSU, Rome argues, is because of the lack of education about racism among Greeks. |
| U. of Arkansas Provost Sharon Gaber to Become Toledo President | |
 | Sharon L. Gaber, the University of Arkansas' provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, has accepted a job as the next president of the University of Toledo, the UA said Thursday. Gaber was announced Tuesday as one of two finalists for the job. She will leave the UA at the end of the academic year. In a statement, Gaber called the announcement a "bittersweet moment" and thanked UA Chancellor G. David Gearhart for setting "an example for collaborative leadership." The university noted that during Gaber's time as the university's chief academic officer, student enrollment grew by about 40 percent, and the UA added about 300 tenure track faculty, increased research funding and improved graduation rates. |
| U. of Florida graduate assistants to rally for fee relief | |
 | At a time when Gov. Rick Scott is calling for a freeze on graduate school tuition to make it more affordable, graduate assistants at the University of Florida are renewing their fight to put an end to paying an average $1,400 a year in student fees. Each semester, graduate assistants pay an average $700 per semester, or 12 percent of their annual income from stipends and fellowships they receive, back to the university in student fees. "Graduate assistant poverty is a very real but hidden problem that affects many members of the Gator Nation," Kevin Funk, co-president of Graduate Assistants United, said. |
| Downloading child porn on U. of Kentucky computer earns former prof a prison sentence | |
 | A former University of Kentucky professor has been sentenced to more than five years in prison on a federal charge of downloading child pornography images onto his work computer. Chief U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell sentenced Neil Mason Williams Wednesday to 66 months in prison for receipt of child pornography. Williams pleaded guilty in December, admitting that he used a file-sharing program to download thousands of child pornography images onto his UK work computer. UK police arrested Williams in March 2014 at the university's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, where he then worked as associate director with a salary of more than $130,000. He was hired by the university in January 1987. |
| Texas A&M admits to have mistakenly put faculty, grad assistants' Social Security numbers, personal info online | |
 | Texas A&M may have inadvertently compromised personal data belonging to fewer than 5,000 university faculty members and graduate students, according to an email sent to possible victims earlier this week. According to the one-page email sent by A&M associate vice president of academic services Joseph Pettibon, the Social Security numbers, along with first and last names, of 4,697 faculty and graduate assistants who taught during the Fall 2014 semester were displayed online in that semester's Teaching Analysis Report (STAR). The report was posted Feb. 13 and accessed by 33 people, a little less than half of whom did not have university IP addresses. The university discovered the mistake on March 8 and removed access to the site. |
| Texas A&M Engineering and Extension Service seeking land for Safety City learning facility | |
| The Texas A&M Engineering and Extension Service is asking College Station for about two acres of land in Central Park to use for a children's safety city to serve the Brazos Valley. The safety city is a combination of a miniature town plus a classroom where children in kindergarten through the fifth grade can learn about safety through experiencing simulated streets, fires and emergencies, said Mary Jo Prince, program coordinator for Safety City. "Our goal is to work with parents and teachers to reinforce and enhance that safety education process," Prince told council members. "It's not to replace the leaning process, it's to enhance and work collaboratively" The city would serve children in the 10 counties in the Brazos Valley. |
| In talk at U. of Missouri, former national intelligence director McConnell fears for U.S. cybersecurity | |
 | The United States will not have the largest global economy within 10 years, a single person could freeze trillions of dollars in milliseconds and every major American corporation has been digitally infiltrated by Chinese hackers. These are the premonitions Mike McConnell presented in a talk Thursday morning at Reynolds Alumni Center at the University of Missouri. McConnell spoke for approximately 45 minutes about the intersections of national security, international business and his hopes for future college students as part of the Christopher S. "Kit" Bond Lecture Series. China is particularly worrisome to the former intelligence chief, both for its growing economy and for its prowess in cyberspace. |
| MU4MikeBrown group marches in support of minorities | |
| On Thursday night, more than 50 University of Missouri students marched through Greektown in a peaceful protest for justice for members of minority communities -- people of color, women and those in the LGBTQ community. The march was planned by MU4MikeBrown, an organization dedicated to "demanding justice for black and brown bodies," according to its Facebook page. Thursday's peaceful protest was a "celebration" of people of those groups, MU student Reuben Faloughi said. After making several rounds through Greektown, the group crossed campus to Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin's house on Francis Quadrangle, where people continued to chant. |
| Economic Angst, Rose-Colored Views on Race: A Survey of Presidents | |
 | Fewer than 4 in 10 college presidents express confidence in the financial sustainability of their institutions over the next decade. Less than a third agree that sexual assault is prevalent on American college campuses, and just 6 percent say it is prevalent at their own institution. And campus leaders really don't like the Obama administration's proposed system to rate the performance of colleges, with more than half giving it a D or F grade when asked to turn the tables and rate the concept. Those are among the findings of Inside Higher Ed's fifth annual Survey of College and University Presidents, which is being released today in advance of this weekend's annual meeting of the American Council on Education, higher education's leading presidential association. |
| Presidents say they want more input in faculty hiring and tenure decisions | |
| Do most presidents really want a bigger role in faculty hiring and tenure decisions? Inside Higher Ed's annual Survey of College and University Presidents suggests they do. And some of them are playing a larger role than faculty leaders might find reasonable. Ten percent of private college presidents, for example, say they've blocked the hire of scholars whose views they strongly disagreed with. While those findings didn't shock shared governance experts, some were uncomfortable with presidential sentiments. According to the poll, some 55 percent of presidents say they should take a more active role in decisions about which faculty members to hire. Two-thirds agree or strongly agree that they should take a more active role in deciding who gets tenure. |
| College IT Offices Sever Ties With Terrorist Acronym | |
 | College administrators across the country -- in Kansas, Florida, and Massachusetts -- are now fighting ISIS on their campuses. The acronym, that is. As the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has expanded its violent takeover in the Middle East, several institutions in the United States have decided to rename a common piece of campus-technology infrastructure that is also known as "ISIS": the Integrated Student Information System. Kansas State University decided to rename its system "KSIS" this month after receiving complaints from people whose family members had been murdered overseas by members of the militant group. In January the University of Florida promised a similar change after hearing from a student whose cousin was an ISIS victim. Tufts University did away with ISIS last fall. |
| ALAN TURNER (OPINION): Mississippi College School of Law: Committed to growth | |
| The Mississippi Business Journal's Alan Turner writes: "Dean Wendy Scott of the Mississippi College School of Law has lived and worked in a variety of environments. Growing up in a military family, she lived in Taiwan, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, graduated from Harvard, and subsequently from New York University Law School. After practicing law for 9 years, she then moved into the academic world, serving on the faculty at Tulane University and the North Carolina Central Law School. ...Last July, she was appointed Dean of the MC School of Law, succeeding long-time Dean Jim Rosenblatt, who was credited with helping to build and expand the size and reputation of the school. Dean Scott intends to continue in that tradition." |
| USA TODAY (OPINION): Big tax cuts come back to bite states | |
 | USA Today editorializes: "If it's true that states are the laboratories of democracy, where ideas can be road-tested before they go nationwide, it's just as important to pay attention to the experiments that fail as the ones that work. Here's one worth steering away from: Governors in Louisiana and Kansas have been experimenting with big tax cuts that advocates claim will unleash explosive economic growth. The results have been dismal. Growth has been sluggish in both states, and the plunge in revenue has devastated both states' budgets... But the obsession with slashing taxes, budget be damned, is crazy. Despite the evidence from Louisiana and Kansas, the 'supply-side' free-lunch dream -- that big tax cuts will pay for themselves -- lives on in Washington. In fact, House Republicans changed the rules this year to make it easier to cut taxes by claiming big economic benefits, whether that happens or not." |
| BILL MINOR (OPINION): Book spotlights Mississippi entrepreneurs | |
| Longtime political observer and columnist Bill Minor writes: "Dick Molpus was an 8-year-old water boy for Molpus Lumber Co. in Philadelphia when he got his first taste of the timber industry. Now over a half-century later, Molpus Woodlands Group, based in Jackson, manages 1.6 million acres of timberland in 16 states. ...Molpus is but one of some 80 Mississippi business entrepreneurs spotlighted in 'Mississippi Entrepreneurs' edited by writer Polly Dement, a native of Vicksburg. Jackson investment adviser Tim Medley conceived the idea of a book that would pinpoint contributions of a diverse group of entrepreneurs. Medley saw the stories of the risk-taking visionaries as a teaching tool to inspire young Mississippians to construct business models even when faced with possible failure." |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State baseball looks to shake slump with start of SEC play | |
| Mississippi State first baseman Wes Rea admits that his team has been struggling lately. He also believes MSU's baseball team can turn those struggles into a positive. "We've got a lot of young guys on the team, newcomers who haven't been through this before," said Rea. "We've been kicked in the teeth a few times lately, but if we use it to get better, it can be a good thing." The Bulldogs, who started the season at 13-0, have lost four of their last six games, and have averaged just three runs per game during that stretch. Now, on the heels of a 3-1 loss to Western Kentucky, MSU turns the page to the most important part of the season when Southeastern Conference play begins tonight. For MSU coach John Cohen, the transition from non-conference action to league play can be stark. |
| Alabama baseball refocused for Mississippi State | |
 | Allowing seven runs in one inning was last weekend's breaking point. It was a chance to self-examine the reasons behind Alabama's inconsistent start. It was an attempt to renew focus and to motivate players needing to up their play. Riddled with inconsistency through the first 15 games, the Crimson Tide (9-6) lost to Lipscomb, 7-3, on Saturday in Mobile, the low note in taking two of three games. "I think that's a good thing to do leading up to SEC play because it kind of gets the team rolling, gets the team focused," White said. "And everyone kind of took it on with all cylinders." The ultimate goal of a meeting like this is to have Alabama ready for this weekend as the Crimson Tide (9-6) begins conference play at No. 22 Mississippi State. |
| Mississippi State has reason to be optimistic in 2015 | |
| Outside Mississippi State's locker room, the coaching staff hung their heads in the hallway after a third-straight losing season ended Wednesday. Around the corner and to the right, Rick Ray leaned against a wall in the bowels of the Bridgestone Arena. The early exit spoiled the Bulldogs' best season under Ray. MSU finished with one less win than last year, but won six SEC games after winning seven in Ray's first two seasons. Of its 13 losses against SEC team, seven came by six points or fewer. That success in the regular season provides Mississippi State with more momentum heading into the offseason than the first two years that brought wins in the conference tournament. While there is no second-round appearance this year, the optimism lies in MSU's roster. |
| SEC basketball: Mississippi State looks to rebound after another rough season | |
| Another difficult season of basketball has come to an end for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs (13-19) were the first team bounced from the Southeastern Conference tournament, losing 74-68 to Auburn on Wednesday night in Nashville, Tennessee. After three years under coach Rick Ray, Mississippi State's program doesn't have many tangible signs of improvement. The 44-year-old Ray says improvement from within -- along with a few good recruits -- can bring the success that everyone is craving. "What we have right now is a good returning talent of nucleus guys coming back in and we already got some guys signed up that we think can really help us," Ray said. |
| Mississippi State carries confidence into softball series with Texas A&M | |
| When Mississippi State's Katie Anne Bailey stepped into the batter's box in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday, she only wanted one thing. What she got instead was a whole lot better. "With nobody on, you are thinking getting a base hit," said Bailey. "I am not a home run hitter because I normally don't get lift with my balls. So really I am thinking get on and get something started to help the team." Instead, Bailey started and ended something for her team at the same time. The sophomore catcher's first home run of the season lifted MSU to an 8-7 win over then-No. 8 Georgia in the final game of a Southeastern Conference series Sunday at the MSU Softball Field. MSU (18-5, 1-2 SEC) will carry that confidence into its second straight weekend series against a ranked opponent. No. 19 Texas A&M (20-5, 2-1 SEC) comes to Starkville for a three-game SEC series this weekend, beginning today at 5:30 p.m. |
| Mississippi State women's hoops hosting NCAA Selection Show party | |
| Vic Schaefer has lobbied for weeks that his Mississippi State women's basketball team deserves a top-four seed in the NCAA tournament. Monday, when the seeds are released, fans can watch with Schaefer to discover if his politicking influenced the committee. Mississippi State invites fans to its NCAA Selection Show party at Dawg House Sports Grill on Monday. The program begins at 5:30 p.m., with the selection show tipping off at 6 p.m. on ESPN. Dawg House Sports Grill is located in downtown Starkville at 217 E. Main St. |
| Greg Sankey named 8th commissioner of SEC; replaces Mike Slive | |
 | Greg Sankey has been named the eighth commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, the league announced Thursday. Sankey, who in his 13th year as a member of the SEC staff, succeeds Mike Slive who has held the post since 2002 and announced last October that he will retire effective July 31, 2015. Serving as the league's No. 2 executive behind Slive since 2012, Sankey's promotion does not come as a surprise, as he is highly regarded by the conference's athletics directors. "The institutions of the Southeastern Conference searched for a commissioner who would carry forward the momentum of success enjoyed by the SEC over the last decade while also possessing a vision for change in the modern era of college athletics," said Nick Zeppos, chancellor of Vanderbilt University and president of the SEC presidents and chancellors in a news release. |
| Nick Saban finishes third in U. of Alabama election | |
| Students in Tuesday's Student Government Association at the University of Alabama had some fun writing in candidates in the presidential election. Football coach Nick Saban finished third with six write-in votes. Other UA football personalities received one vote each: mascot Big Al, quarterback Blake Sims, running back Derrick Henry, punter J.K. Scott, linebacker Rashaan Evans and Sick Nabin. Other names of note receiving write-in votes were Fire Anthony Grant, Emperor Palpatine from the "Star Wars" series, Napoleon Dynamite, Jack Daniels, Ross Perot, the Red Baron and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Elliott Spillers won the SGA presidential election with 8,602 votes or 58 percent, defeating Stephen Keller, who had 6,263 votes or 42 percent. |
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