| Friday, March 20, 2015 |
| At Mississippi State, Bryant touts potential for manufacturing | |
 | When Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant spoke at Mississippi State University's 2015 Manufacturing Summit on Wednesday, he emphasized the Magnolia State is fostering a positive environment for manufacturers. "We are competing with the fastest-growing states in manufacturing," Bryant said in news release. "We already have almost 40,000 working in the manufacturing industry, but what if we had 80,000? It's possible." The state's manufacturing exports have increased by 380 percent over the past decade, Bryant said at the university's Franklin Furniture Institute. However, he said he still feels a sense of urgency to increase economic development. |
| Advice for Mississippi mayors from Mississippi State experts | |
 | "I didn't need to fix anything. Actually I needed to enhance what we have, use what we have because it's part of Eupora," said Mayor Dan Burchfield. Mayor Burchfield wanted to replace steep steps in downtown with something new and improved. That idea has been shot down by a panel of experts with Mississippi State's Stennis Institute of Government and Community Development and other area professionals. "This isn't your typical ra-ra pat them on the back kind of workshop. It was to be very honest and say these are some of the decisions you've made in the past that doesn't make sense," said Stennis Institute Project Director Dr. Joe Fratesi. From landscaping, to public policy and planning, the experts are here to offer suggestions, strategies and real feedback. |
| Man accused in 2012 death of Madison MSU student pleads guilty | |
| The trigger man in the March 2012 homicide of a Madison County Mississippi State University student pleaded guilty to murder on Thursday. Mason Perry Jones, of Jackson, is one of three men accused in the shooting death of John Sanderson, 21, inside a dormitory at MSU. He pleaded guilty to first degree murder in Oktibbeha County circuit court Thursday afternoon, after being previously charged with capital murder. The case, had it gone to trial, would have been the first ever tried under the Mississippi law that makes it a capital offense to kill on educational property. Lawmakers enacted the law in the wake of Pearl High School rampage in 1997. |
| Golden Triangle sales tax rises | |
 | Starkville saw record sales tax revenue in March, receiving $460,872. That's up $23,727, or just more than 5 percent, from March 2014. The city received $142,777 from its restaurant sales tax, up $22,025 from last March; and $23,780 from its hotel/motel tax, up $12,940 from March 2014. Cities' March sales tax receipts came from January collections. January's collections continued a solid run of growth since September, a run broken only by December sales tax collections that were virtually flat. Mayor Parker Wiseman credited sustained momentum from Mississippi State University's historic 10-win football campaign in 2014 for the Starkville retail sector's unprecedented good fortune. Cities' March sales tax receipts came from January collections. |
| Starkville aldermen narrow potential fire chief list to five | |
| Five applicants, including three internal Starkville Fire Department employees, will interview March 30 for the city's vacant fire chief position. Aldermen narrowed the 10-person field to five Tuesday and set interviews to begin 5 p.m. at the Starkville Sportsplex. Of the five internal applicants, three moved forward in the process: Fire Marshal Stein McMullen, Battalion Chief Curtis Randle and Training Officer Charles Yarbrough. Two external candidates -- Columbus Fire and Rescue Accreditation Manager Mike Chandler and Okolona Fire Chief Terry Tucker -- will also interview for the position. |
| FBI investigating hanging death of black man in Port Gibson | |
 | Federal and state authorities are investigating the hanging death of a black man who had been missing for more than two weeks, the FBI said Thursday. The investigation involves the FBI, the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and the United States Attorney's Office. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation also is involved. The man was last seen March 2 and was reported missing by his family days later, FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jason Pack said in a statement. Pack said the cause of death has not been determined, and authorities aren't sure if it's a homicide or a suicide. |
| Katrina plus 10 tells South Mississippi's story of Katrina, then and now | |
 | In groups of twos and fours, they gazed at the photos displayed throughout the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art. One person would recall the emotion of South Mississippi 10 years ago, when Hurricane Katrina came ashore, and the others would add their stories. Everyone has a Katrina story. The Katrina +10 display, which opens today at the museum and runs through Sept. 12, tells some of those stories. "It brings back a lot of memories," said Gary Hargrove, Harrison County coroner, "days and nights, and especially the sleepless nights after Katrina." "For two years, all I could think about was getting everybody identified and back to their families," he said. Of the victims he was responsible for in Harrison and Hancock counties, Hargrove said, "I can stand today and say of that 143, all were identified and returned to their families." |
| Mississippi's key economic indicators show slight strengthening | |
 | The performance of Mississippi's economy in 2015 may hinge on growth in building permits, retail trade and consumer confidence offsetting a slowdown in U.S. manufacturing attributed to a stronger dollar, lower oil prices and bad weather. So say Mississippi state economists in the March issue of Mississippi's Business, a monthly report on the state's economy by the University Research Center of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning. The report noted that nationally, the Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, grew 2.4 percent, the largest annual increase since 2010 but still a historically low rate during an economic expansion. |
| Mississippi Board of Education set to end requirement to pass subject tests | |
| The state Board of Education is ready to remove requirements that high school seniors must pass four subject-area tests to graduate. Under rules likely to be approved Friday, the board would remove a decades-old requirement for Mississippi public school graduates to pass a standardized graduation exam. The board set up alternative graduation methods last school year, including achieving certain scores on the ACT college test, Advanced Placement exams or the test the U.S. military gives to recruits. Thus, some students can already graduate without passing the tests in algebra, biology, English and U.S. history. |
| Bye-bye vehicle inspection stickers | |
| After several years of debate and failed attempts, the Legislature on Thursday eliminated Mississippi's $5 vehicle inspections and stickers. The House on a vote of 112-7 agreed with Senate changes to HB982 and sent the bill to Gov. Phil Bryant, who is expected to sign it into law. It would take effect July 1. This led Rep. Steve Holland to wonder about those whose stickers expire in the meantime. "What should we advise our constituents who want to save $5 between now and then?" Holland said. "Just ride it and pray (they don't get a ticket)?" |
| Inspection stickers on way out | |
 | It's now likely that Mississippians will soon no longer have to get inspection stickers for their vehicles. The state House on Thursday approved 112-7 and sent to Gov. Phil Bryant legislation that would eliminate the program. The effective date would be July 1, and Rep. Steve Holland, D-Plantersville, questioned whether Mississippians should get a new inspection sticker if theirs expires before then. Transportation chairman Rep. Robert Johnson, D-Natchez, joked in response, "Ride it out and hope and pray." Later, Johnson said people might need to go ahead and spend the $5 for a new one, if needed, before July 1. |
| Former Airbus executive running for Congress in 1st District | |
| An aerospace businessman of 19 years, Sam Adcock of Columbus quit his job Tuesday. Adcock, the former general manager and vice president for Airbus Helicopters' Mississippi operations, announced his resignation during a press event at Golden Triangle Regional Airport so he can run for Mississippi's vacant U.S. representative seat for Mississippi's First Congressional District. He plans to join a field of hopefuls in a May 12 special election to replace the late Rep. Alan Nunnelee, who died in February. "Airbus offered me an opportunity to take a leave of absence, but I decided resigning was more appropriate," Adcock said. "This is not an adventure. This is not a lark. I'm in this race to win." |
| Democratic gubernatorial candidate Vicki Slater campaigns in Meridian | |
 | Democrat and Mississippi gubernatorial candidate Vicki Slater said that Gov. Phil Bryant has failed the state of Mississippi. The Madison attorney was in Meridian Thursday to campaign and raise funds for the statewide Democratic primary election scheduled Aug. 4. Slater is one of three Democrats running in the election. "I'm not a professional politician," Slater said. "I've been contemplating this, and have done a lot of soul-searching. I am extremely motivated because of Gov. Bryant's refusal to truly fund education in Mississippi." |
| Louisiana land deal appraised by Madison County tax assessor Barber probed by feds | |
| Federal authorities have been looking into Madison County Tax Assessor Gerald Barber and his role in a Louisiana land deal that scored almost $3 million in profits for private citizens and a conservation group. The lynchpin for the deal may have been an apparent inflated appraisal done by Barber's firm, Barber & Mann Inc., that the U.S. inspector general called "noncompliant" and unreasonably priced in an audit. A source close to the investigation said the FBI has been asking questions about Barber and his connection to the land deal. When contacted for comment, FBI officials said, "We can neither confirm or deny an investigation." |
| States to test ways to send food stamp recipients to work | |
| Ten states will test new ways to get food stamp recipients back to work, using Agriculture Department grants aimed at helping some of the 46 million Americans who receive benefits move off the rolls. The grants come as the Republican Congress is exploring ways to cut the program, which cost $74 billion last year -- twice its cost in 2008. Some in the GOP have proposed stricter work requirements as a way to do that. In Georgia, where Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is announcing the assistance Friday, participants would use an online tool developed by the state to create individualized work plans. Other states receiving the grants are Delaware, Kansas, Illinois, Mississippi, Vermont, Virginia and Washington state. Vilsack said 35 states applied for the $200 million in grants, which were part of a wide-ranging farm bill that became law last year. |
| Amazon Wins Approval to Test Delivery Drones Outdoors | |
 | Federal regulators have given Amazon a green light to begin testing drones, but it will most likely take years before the online retailer can start delivering packages from the air to peoples' homes. The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday gave Amazon permission to conduct test flights of its drones outdoors, as long as the company obeys a host of rules like flying below 400 feet and only during daylight hours. In a sign of how far Amazon has to go before its vision for its drone-delivery service is realized, the company's drones for now will have to be operated by a pilot with a certificate to fly a private manned aircraft. Amazon has envisioned its drone-delivery service, which it calls Amazon Prime Air, to be autonomous, consisting of buzzing fleets of miniature helicopters soaring far beyond the view of Amazon warehouses. |
| Scientists Seek Ban on Method of Editing the Human Genome | |
| A group of leading biologists on Thursday called for a worldwide moratorium on use of a new genome-editing technique that would alter human DNA in a way that can be inherited. The biologists fear that the new technique is so effective and easy to use that some physicians may push ahead before its safety can be assessed. They also want the public to understand the ethical issues surrounding the technique, which could be used to cure genetic diseases, but also to enhance qualities like beauty or intelligence. The latter is a path that many ethicists believe should never be taken. Ethicists, for decades, have been concerned about the dangers of altering the human germline --- meaning to make changes to human sperm, eggs or embryos that will last through the life of the individual and be passed on to future generations. Until now, these worries have been theoretical. But a technique invented in 2012 makes it possible to edit the genome precisely and with much greater ease. |
| College Board gives final approval to student activity fees | |
| Four of Mississippi's public universities will begin charging student activity fees this fall, moving further away from the state's one-time policy of tuition including all charges. The College Board Thursday approved Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi to add $5-a-semester fees, and for Jackson State University and Mississippi Valley State University to add $10-a-semester fees. Board members first approved the fees in February, but had to vote again under system policies. Last month, the board gave final approval for Delta State University to begin charging a $50-a-semester facilities fee, joining the Mississippi University for Women, Ole Miss and MSU. |
| College Board extends contracts for 3 university presidents | |
| The College Board has granted four-year contract extensions to three university presidents. According to board minutes, members granted the extensions in a closed meeting on Feb. 17 to Jackson State University's Carolyn Meyers, Delta State University's Bill LaForge and the University of Southern Mississippi's Rodney Bennett. |
| McCullough's IHL nomination clears committee | |
| Glenn McCullough Jr., the former mayor of Tupelo and chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority, is one step away from confirmation for a post on the Board of Trustees of state Institutions of Higher Learning. McCullough's nomination was approved Thursday by the Senate Universities and Colleges Committee. Committee chairman Sen. John Polk, R-Hattiesburg, said the confirmation could be voted on as early as Friday by the full Senate. McCullough is not expected to face any opposition before the full Senate. McCullough, a Republican, was one of four people nominated by Gov. Phil Bryant for new, nine-year terms on the IHL Board, which sets policy and oversees the state's eight public universities |
| U. of Mississippi in Partnership with Africa Universities | |
| Africa is opening up for University of Mississippi students to study, experience and learn firsthand about international issues. The initiative was announced Thursday. Provost Morris Stocks says in a news release that five African schools are partnering with Ole Miss for student and faculty exchanges, research partnerships and educational collaborations. He says the collaborations include training students and faculty from these institutions at Ole Miss and study abroad opportunities for Ole Miss students. |
| Mississippi Court of Appeals to visit college campus | |
| The Mississippi Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments on the campus of the University of Mississippi in April. The court will be on the Oxford campus on April 21. The court periodically hears cases on college campuses as a teaching tool for students and the public. At Ole Miss, a three-judge panel will hear arguments in a criminal appeal from Lauderdale County and a domestic relations case from Montgomery County. |
| USM marine science research hits new level | |
 | Marine science is very costly, so when a group plans a mission it finds how many people and projects a vessel can carry. "It's a 24-hour day operation. Some sleep while others are working," said Monty Graham, chairman of the University of Southern Mississippi's Department of Marine Science and interim director of the Gulf Coast Research Lab. "We'll have 12, 14, 16 scientists going 24 hours a day." Graham said the vessel goes out for two to three weeks at a time, and the scientists work in shifts. "Marine science is a collaborative science," said Gordon Cannon, vice president of research at Southern Miss. "We pack it with as many collaborators as you can fit in." With the recent purchase of the Point Sur, the university is poised to spearhead a lot of collaborative projects. |
| Bills would nearly double U. of Alabama board, bring back UAB football | |
 | A state representative from Vestavia Hills introduced bills Thursday to nearly double the membership of University of Alabama Board of Trustees to offer greater representation among the system's three campuses and require ethics training for all trustees of the state's public colleges and universities. "This system is a $4.3-billion state enterprise system. I think we need this openness and transparency," Rep. Jack D. Williams said. Williams' three bills focus on increasing the transparency and diversity of the board and resurrecting the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Blazers football program, which was canceled in December. |
| U. of Florida engineering professor detained in Abu Dhabi | |
 | Ten days have passed since University of Florida engineering professor John K. Schueller was arrested in Abu Dhabi -- where he remains, unable to leave the United Arab Emirates as he awaits his day in court. "I have legal representation and things are moving forward," Schueller said via email Thursday. He declined to discuss the particulars of the case until the matter is resolved. Schueller said he was in the UAE's capital of Abu Dhabi on UF-approved business travel to attend a conference on world hunger, "The Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture." He was arrested on March 9 -- reportedly after taking photographs of buildings in Abu Dhabi, including the Iraqi embassy. |
| Hiring, tenure decisions belong with provost, UF president Fuchs says | |
 | Most college and university presidents said they want a greater role in faculty hiring and tenure decisions, according to an annual survey from Inside Higher Education. University of Florida President Kent Fuchs takes a different stand on the issue. "At research-intensive universities such as UF, the Chief Academic Officer, the Provost, is responsible for the academic excellence of the institution, and therefore, I believe the Provost should be the administrative officer ultimately responsible for faculty hiring, tenure and promotion decisions," Fuchs said. |
| Policy for bad weather upsets U. of Tennessee building services staff | |
 | When the University of Tennessee closed three times in February due to weather, the campus wasn't vacant -- nearly 8,000 students live on campus and need access to buildings on days faculty and administrators stay home. "We need to make sure they (the students) have a safe route to dining areas, said Dave Irvin, associate vice chancellor for facilities. So maintenance, custodians, grounds and other building services staff clear ice and snow, care for older buildings and more, Irvin said. But a new UT policy for those essential personnel is causing concern from the employees the policy was designed to benefit. The policy, implemented at the end of January, requires these employees to come to work during a campus emergency or not be paid, with no other options. It also provides on-campus sleeping arrangements and free meals if it is unsafe for workers to leave at the end of their shift. |
| 'Our hearts are broken': U. of South Carolina freshman remembered | |
 | The 18-year-old University of South Carolina freshman who was found dead at an off-campus residence commonly used by fraternity members was remembered as a polite young man and an astounding athlete. Charlie Terreni Jr., the son of well-known Columbia attorney Charlie Terreni Sr., was found dead Wednesday at a home at 2319 Lee St. Richland County Coroner Gary Watts released his identity Thursday and said a morning autopsy revealed no signs of traumatic injury. Final results and a cause of death will depend on toxicology test results, Watts said. Following news of the death, the Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity issued a statement saying the USC chapter of the fraternity has been put on administrative suspension and the chapter has ceased operations. |
| UGA student found dead in Russell Hall | |
 | Authorities found a University of Georgia student dead in Russell Hall Thursday evening. University of Georgia police identified the student as 21-year-old Mikal Ghirmazghi, according to a news release. Police said Ghirmazghi appeared to be dead by the time emergency personnel arrived at the scene and the news release notes that first aid efforts failed. A coroner later confirmed Ghirmazghi's death. |
| UGA fraternity pledges arrested for attempted theft of street sign | |
| Athens-Clarke County police arrested on Thursday two University of Georgia students allegedly caught trying to steal a street sign. The students said they tried to steal the sign to win a scavenger hunt organized by the Kappa Sigma fraternity, noted a police report. The students claimed to be pledges of the fraternity. The attempted theft occurred at about 4:25 a.m. Thursday. Police said an area resident called in the activity. |
| Only emergencies taken at UGA Vet Hospital during move to College Station Road | |
| The University of Georgia's Veterinary Teaching Hospital only is seeing emergency animal patients at its soon-to-be-vacated Carlton Street Building. Beginning 7 a.m. Tuesday, the hospital will be accepting emergency patients at its new campus at 2200 College Station Road. On Wednesday, the new Veterinary Teaching Hospital will officially open and all hospital services will resume normal functions. Third- and fourth-year veterinary students are transferring to the new site, along with clinical faculty and staff, and some of the school's support laboratories. |
| U. of Kentucky gets $2.5M grant to create center to improve nutrition for poor rural children | |
 | The U.S. Department of Agriculture has given $2.5 million to the University of Kentucky to create a national center to improve nutrition for poor children in rural areas. UK faculty and staff will run the USDA Rural Child Poverty Nutrition Center, using the funding to administer and evaluate programs that reduce childhood food insecurity around the country. Currently, about 85 percent of all persistently poor counties in the United States are in rural areas. Many of these areas also are known as "food deserts," where it's hard to find fresh, nutritious and affordable food. |
| NSF Gearing Up to Boost Women in Science | |
 | The director of the National Science Foundation, France A. Cordova, is devising strategies to improve the standing of female scientists, who are paid less and promoted less often than men are, make up a smaller percentage of invited speakers at scientific conferences, win fewer grants, and have higher rates of career attrition than do their male counterparts. |
| Today's Anxious Freshmen Declare Majors Far Faster Than Their Elders | |
 | For decades, many American teenagers went to college to find themselves and then look for a career. Post-recession, more are launching the job search from day one. Instead of spending their first couple of years dipping into a range of intellectual pools, the class of 2018 was much more likely to declare an academic major during freshman year than their counterparts before the recession, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data from a dozen randomly chosen colleges nationwide, both large and small. The shift is being driven by pragmatism, cost and a stubbornly soft job market for college graduates, said academics and university administrators. |
| Violent arrest at UVA: Should alcohol officers act like cops? | |
 | The arrest and injury of University of Virginia student Martese Johnson sparked more of the "black lives matter" protests that have become familiar in the wake of police actions against unarmed black men in Ferguson, Mo., and beyond. In the wake of protests that drew more than 1,000 students, Virginia's Gov. Terry McAuliffe has asked state police to launch an independent investigation into what happened outside an Irish pub during St. Patrick's Day celebrations. But whether racial bias was at play is just one of the questions raised by the actions of the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage and Control (ABC) agents who arrested Mr. Johnson outside a Charlottesville bar early Wednesday morning. Another key question is: How well trained are these enforcement agents, particularly when it comes to interacting with young adults? |
| Advice for Colleges When Students Clash With Off-Campus Police | |
| Early Wednesday morning, Martese Johnson, a black University of Virginia student, was bloodied and injured while being arrested outside a bar adjacent to the campus. The jurisdiction made a world of difference: The arresting officers were not from the campus police. They were employed by the state's Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. That fact complicates the university's response to the incident. Not only do colleges have no control over off-campus police officers; they sometimes have strained relations with them. What can university leaders, mindful of relationships with law enforcement and with students, do to respond to such a situation -- or to reduce the odds of its happening again? |
| CHARLIE MITCHELL (OPINION): It's not snooping to keep a close watch on government | |
| Longtime Mississippi journalist Charlie Mitchell writes: "Next time you hear someone say, 'I'd rather not know,' ask the person to pause and think about it. If it's a private, personal matter of no concern and having no relevance to anything, fine. With apologies to those who tend to share what they had for breakfast on Facebook, most of us truly don't care to know. But if it's a matter of public concern -- something related to our health, welfare, security or how public policies are being developed and public money spent -- then we do want to know. Or at least we need to know." |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State returns to NCAA tournament play today against Tulane | |
| For 25 minutes, the struggles were gone. In place of 30-percent shooting from the field and 20-turnover efforts in its final three regular-season games, the Mississippi State women's basketball team looked like an offensive juggernaut against Kentucky in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, the Wildcats executed nearly as efficiently, which is why MSU led by only four points at halftime after playing arguably its best first half of basketball against a quality opponent. Coach Vic Schaefer hopes No. 5 seed MSU (26-6) can recapture that offensive execution at 1:30 p.m. today (ESPN2) when it takes on No. 12 seed Tulane (22-10) in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Cameron Indoor Stadium on the campus of Duke University. |
| Bulldogs face familiar foe in Green Wave | |
| No. 12 Mississippi State will make its seventh appearance in the NCAA Tournament today and will do so against an opponent with which it is very familiar. The fifth-seeded Bulldogs will meet No. 12 seed Tulane for the fourth time in three years -- after a fashion -- at 1:30 p.m. at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C. MSU won the only meeting of record during that span, dispatching the Green Wave 77-68 during the opening round of the WNIT last year in Starkville. The other two outings were closed-door scrimmages during Bulldogs coach Vic Schaefer's first two seasons and were dominated by Tulane. "I'm excited to be back in the NCAA Tournament where we belong," Schaefer said. |
| Duke, Mississippi State ready for women's NCAA openers | |
| This was Duke's worst season in a while -- and one of the best in Mississippi State history. The fourth-seeded Blue Devils and fifth-seeded Bulldogs will be heavy favorites to win their NCAA Tournament openers Friday in Durham, North Carolina. Duke (21-10) faces 13th-seeded Albany (24-8) and Mississippi State (26-6) takes on 12th-seeded Tulane (22-10) in the first round of the Spokane Region. Despite having a lower seed, the Bulldogs actually finished at No. 12 in the final Top 25 poll, four spots higher than Duke. "This season has been very special for us," SEC co-coach of the year Vic Schaefer said. "Obviously, it's a very special team." |
| Baseball Bulldogs leave home for first time | |
| After a 23-game homestand to start the season, Mississippi State will venture out on the road for the first time traveling to Kentucky for a three-game series beginning at 5:30 p.m. today. Coach John Cohen felt it was important for his team to start the season within the friendly confines of Dudy Noble Field after losing 11 players from last year and adding 14 newcomers to the roster. The Diamond Dogs won 13 straight games to begin the year and sport a 17-6 overall mark at home in 2015. "It'll probably be different for us in the future but I felt like this is what this club needed for this year," Cohen said. "But I do think our kids are looking forward to this opportunity to go on the road." MSU fared well on the road last season going 11-8 last season including a 10-5 mark in conference play. The Bulldogs won four of its five SEC road series in 2014. |
| Mississippi State hopes trip to Kentucky brings improved pitching | |
| Mississippi State is in the midst of its 125th baseball season. There's likely never been a must-win series at the end of March in the previous 124. This year is no different. However, back-to-back weekend-series defeats raises questions around a team ranked in the top 10 two weeks ago. The only answer is to win. "I think the kids are excited to get on the road and having that experience," MSU coach John Cohen said. No. 20 Mississippi State, which owns a 4-6 record in the last 10 games, hopes a trip to Kentucky will snap its recent stretch of poor play. The Wildcats enter Southeastern Conference series with similar hopes. Kentucky hosts MSU at Cliff Hagan Stadium losers of its last four. The skid comes after 11-straight wins. |
| Lovelady, Bulldogs resume SEC baseball play at Kentucky | |
| Mississippi State catcher Josh Lovelady has no trouble admitting that he's nervous in advance of this weekend's Southeastern Conference series at Kentucky. But his apprehension has nothing to do with baseball. "I've never flown on a plane so I'm pretty nervous," said Lovelady. "We look forward to a good weekend and hopefully we come back with some wins. I'm not sure about the plane, though." The flight to Lexington would be the first time Lovelady has shown any trepidation this season. A junior college transfer from Shelton State Community College, Lovelady arrived in the fall expecting to compete for playing time as the backup to starting catcher Gavin Collins. But with Collins shelved for much of the year due to a lingering wrist injury, the job has fallen to Lovelady, who has filled in admirably for MSU's All-SEC backstop. |
| Mississippi State softball faces in-state rival Ole Miss | |
| Mississippi State has spent the past six seasons trying to earn another national ranking in softball. Now, the Bulldogs will work on staying there. MSU entered the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 for the first time since 2009 Tuesday when it was ranked 24th. The Bulldogs then celebrated that ranking by taking a 16-1 victory over Southeastern Louisiana. Now, the Bulldogs will try to remain in that rarefied air when they resume Southeastern Conference play this weekend. MSU takes on in-state rival Ole Miss in Oxford. The three-game series begins at 6 tonight at the Ole Miss Softball Complex. |
| Mississippi State, BYU reach agreement for football series | |
| Mississippi State has found its latest Power Five conference opponent for football, even if that opponent doesn't belong to a Power Five conference. Seven months after the Southeastern Conference mandated that each of its 14 teams must schedule at least one major conference opponent each season, reports emerged Thursday that MSU had reached an agreement to play BYU, an independent, for a home-and-home series in 2016 and 2017. The series was first reported by Brett McMurphy of ESPN and later confirmed by a source inside the MSU athletic department. Also Thursday, it was announced that the SEC would allow games against three independent opponents -- BYU, Notre Dame and Army -- to count toward the Power Five mandate. |
| Foundation started in memory of Peggy Prescott hosting an event in Starkville | |
| Huddle Up for Life, a charitable foundation, began to honor the life of Peggy Prescott, the mother of Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott. Mississippi State fans can contribute to Peggy Prescott's memory and help the foundation Friday at Rick's Cafe in Starkville. Peggy died in November of 2013 of colon cancer. Through her battle with cancer, she tried -- and most times succeeded -- to attend every Mississippi State football game. To ensure other families can do the same, Huddle Up for Life will host a benefit concert on Friday night at 8 p.m. at Rick's Cafe. The concert includes former MSU safety Jay Hughes and his band: A Band With No Name. Due to NCAA regulations, schools are unable to provide aid for families to attend games. |
| Mississippi State players believe in Ray | |
| On paper, Rick Ray's third season as coach of the Mississippi State men's basketball team was worse than his second. The Bulldogs won 13 games this season, down from 14 a year ago. They also failed to win a Southeastern Conference tournament game for the first time in Ray's tenure. But the players already are looking forward to Ray's fourth season in charge. "We want to play in March, in the NCAA tournament," said sophomore guard I.J. Ready. "We fell short this year, but I think we can make it next year. We have to work on our individual games and our team game so we have that camaraderie we need to make it." Why do MSU players feel the program is so close to getting back to the postseason? The answer is they believe in Ray and consider him the right man for the job. |
| Loftin lobbies for men's tennis revival at U. of Missouri | |
 | The University of Missouri has not offered men's tennis as a varsity sport since 1998, when the athletic department discontinued the program over budget concerns. At least one Tigers booster -- a very influential one at that -- wants to see what can be done about changing that. During an hourlong Wednesday morning session with reporters, Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin said he doesn't anticipate micromanaging much with incoming Athletic Director Mack Rhoades, aside from laying out some expectations in areas he feels could use adjustments. "I'll give you one example," Loftin said. "I said, 'Mack, we're the only school in the SEC without men's tennis. How about that?' " Loftin said fellow chancellors and presidents have been telling him at meetings that it's difficult to make schedules with 13 teams in the equation. |
| The NCAA's Drug Problem | |
| Antidoping advocates have long criticized the inconsistent and opaque nature of drug testing in college sports. It's a school-by-school patchwork of policies and penalties: A first-time steroid infraction would bench a Florida player for half the season but cost a Texas A&M player only a single game. Private schools such as Vanderbilt, meanwhile, aren't required to share their drug-testing policies with anyone, not even the NCAA. Now the criticism is coming from someplace new---atop the NCAA. Brian Hainline, appointed two years ago as the NCAA's first chief medical officer, is using that perch to try to bring greater oversight and consistency to how the NCAA and its schools police performance-enhancing and recreational drugs in college athletics. |
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