| Thursday, April 30, 2015 |
| New access road coming for Mississippi State | |
 | A new access road is on tap for Mississippi State University. Mississippi's congressional delegation pushed for funding to build a four-and-a-half mile stretch of road that leads to the south side of the campus. Mississippi State President Dr. Mark Keenum says the $18-million project will ease traffic flow for many drivers who travel to the campus from southern Oktibbeha County and those who may be traveling from cities such as Jackson. "It was truly a collaborative effort and we're very excited and we're hoping construction for the road will begin this summer," Keenum said. |
| Mississippi State Honors Faculty, Staff | |
 | Longtime art department member and former administrator Brent Funderburk is receiving Mississippi State's highest faculty honor. In a Tuesday campus-wide ceremony, the internationally acclaimed artist, teacher and 1995-2002 department head whose university career spans more than three decades was named a William L. Giles Distinguished Professor. The annual spring-semester program is sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President and MSU Alumni Association. "The strengths of a great university are always in its people," said Provost Jerry Gilbert, who served as master of ceremonies. |
| Oil company founder to deliver Mississippi State's spring commencement addresses | |
 | Mississippi State University graduate and Oasis Petroleum co-founder Thomas B. "Tommy" Nusz will deliver spring commencement addresses at Humphrey Coliseum. Nusz, who leads the Texas-based company, is the keynote speaker for the 7 p.m. May 8 and 10 a.m. May 9 ceremonies. The May 8 program involves the university's agricultural, life and human sciences colleges; the Bagley College of Engineering and Swalm School of Chemical Engineering; and its forest resources and veterinary medicine programs. Graduates of the colleges of architecture, art and design, and MSU's business and accounting schools are featured in the next day's event. About 2,600 students are candidates for degrees. |
| Denim Day at Mississippi State Raising Awareness of Sexual Assault | |
| Students and faculty at Mississippi State turned out in their best blue jeans Wednesday. It was all a part of MSU's "Denim Day" to raise awareness of sexual assault. Denim Day has become an international protest against sexual assault, since the Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape decision several years ago, claiming that the victim contributed to the crime, because she was wearing tight jeans. MSU participants were also encouraged to donate denim items to benefit Safe Haven, an area shelter for victims of domestic violence. |
| Pedestrian friendly projects in Starkville on tap | |
| It can be really tricky to cross busy Russell Street in Starkville. A solution has been found. The road will be narrowed from four lanes to three. Sidewalks and bike lanes will be added. George Sherman operates a men's clothing store on Russell Street. He looks forward to the improvements. "I've always contended that I think it would be a great idea if college students could come to school at Mississippi State, park their cars and only get in it to go home," said Sherman. Other plans are in the works to better connect Mississippi State University with the Highway 12 corridor which includes Russell Street. |
| C Spire, MaxxSouth battle for high-speed Internet customers in Starkville | |
| The competition for high-speed, residential Internet customers in Starkville is now a battle between two companies with differing business approaches to the emerging market. MaxxSouth Broadband leaders announced last week the company will offer 1 gigabit connections to Starkville residents, a similar service first made available by C Spire to South Montgomery residents in November 2014. How the two companies will attract customers for the same service differs. The availability of high-speed, residential Internet access itself is seen as a potential boon for Starkville's quality of life, and the two companies' pledges to provide the service came after Mayor Parker Wiseman and other city staff members traveled to Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 2013 to study how to bring the similar capabilities to Starkville. |
| EMBDC Business and Community Showcase Held at Bonita Lakes Mall | |
 | Bonita Lakes Mall in Meridian was filled with businesses, nonprofits, and the community as the annual Business and Community Showcase was held Wednesday so the public can meet the people that serve their city. Local colleges were on hand to show that they are a part of Meridian and this community as well. "When you have all these people coming through today, we can educate them as to what we have here in Meridian," explained Lisa Sollie, project coordinator with Mississippi State University-Meridian. |
| Mississippi Development Authority launches new website | |
 | The Mississippi Development Authority launched its new website this week as part of the agency's efforts to provide targeted information about the state's thriving business climate and substantial competitive advantages. The state's outreach efforts to attract new global and domestic business can be visited online at www.choosemississippi.org. The comprehensive website features essential economic and industry data for the state's target industries and workforce development resources. "Mississippi's business climate offers local and global companies the right ingredients for success," Gov. Phil Bryant said. "We can now consistently market our competitive advantages around the world with this new website." |
| Mike Tagert's awkward B-roll | |
 | The campaign of 1st District congressional candidate Mike Tagert released a three-and-a-half minute B-roll video showing nothing but scenes of the 44-year-old looking up at the camera and interacting in slow-motion with various people. And it is awkward. Well done, but awkward. Almost every political ad contains B-roll, over which the candidate or some other reassuring voice talks about the issues or why voters should pick him or her at the polls. Rarely, though, do we see seven ads' worth of straight B-roll with neither context nor commentary. Thirteen candidates are vying for the open congressional seat vacated by the death of U.S. Rep. Alan Nunnelee, R-Miss. Tagert, who currently serves as Northern District Transportation Commissioner, is considered a front-runner. |
| Clinton Mayor, Hinds DA trade verbal blows at press conference | |
| A press conference held Wednesday by the city of Clinton to address the problem of repeat offenders "terrorizing" the citizens and calling on the Hinds County DA to take decisive action became fairly intense when the DA showed up unannounced. Clinton Mayor Phil Fisher called the conference to talk about four repeat offenders in particular: Cedric Williams, Woodrez Davis, Michael Millender, and Matthew Eakin, whom he said had long criminal histories, and in some cases had their habitual offender statuses rescinded in plea deals, allowing them to be back out on the street. |
| Gov. Chris Christie to attend Mississippi GOP fundraiser | |
| Chris Christie, New Jersey governor and potential 2016 GOP presidential candidate will be the guest at a Mississippi Republican Party fundraiser lunch on May 5. The event is a fundraiser for the state GOP's 2015 Victory Fund to "retain the party's hold on seven of the eight statewide offices, win the attorney general's seat, protect and expand our legislative majorities and take over county offices held by Democrats," according to a state GOP news release. |
| Chris Epps' wife hires attorney in forfeiture case | |
| A Seattle-based attorney with expertise in federal forfeiture cases has been allowed in the case of former Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Chris Epps to represent his wife. Attorney Richard Troberman will represent Catherlean Epps. Her husband pleaded guilty to two counts of a 49-count federal indictment. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 9. As part of his plea agreement to accepting bribes and filing a false income tax return, Epps agreed to forfeit approximately $1 million in investment and bank accounts, his Flowood home, a condo on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and two Mercedes Benz vehicles. He also agreed never to seek public office or be employed in any public sector job. However, Epps' wife hadn't given up any of her rights to any of the property including the couple's more than $300,000 Flowood home. |
| Palazzo receives 'Spirit of Enterprise' award from U.S. Chamber of Commerce | |
 | U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo of Gulfport was honored with the "Spirit of Enterprise" award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Wednesday. The USCOC has presented the award for the past 26 years. It is given annually to members of Congress who "consistently support legislation that promotes growing businesses and job creation." This marked the third consecutive year Palazzo has received the award. |
| Senators Begin New Assault on Patent Trolls | |
 | Patent trolls beware: This time it's different. Last year, bipartisan legislation designed to combat what supporters view as abuse of patent claims got stuck in a Senate bottleneck, with then-Judiciary Chairman Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont telling the Burlington Free Press he was "furious" with his fellow Democrat, then-Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, over keeping the bill off the floor. Knowing Reid would no longer control the floor schedule in 2015, staff for Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Reid heir apparent Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., went back to work on assembling a new bill, working to again build support among members of the Judiciary Committee. Schumer hopes to see action before the August recess. "Patent trolls are taking a system meant to drive innovation and instead using it to stifle job-creating businesses around the country," he said. |
| Congress discussing major changes in military retirement | |
 | Congress is considering changing, for the first time in decades, the way service members get retirement pay. Military retirement now carries an all-or-nothing pension plan that requires a minimum of 20 years of service. The new plan would cut those pensions to 40 percent of pay from 50 percent, and create a matched 401(k)-style plan open to all service members. The new retirement rules would affect all troops enlisting after the new plan is put in place in October 2017, Military Times reported. Troops already in the ranks could opt into the new plan or stick with the current "cliff vesting" system, it said. The plan is still at the subcommittee level in both the U.S. House and Senate. |
| Slowing Growth Muddles Fed Plans | |
 | The economy's sharp first-quarter slowdown is giving Federal Reserve officials pause. The nation's central bank pointed to cooling economic activity and reduced job-market gains in its policy statement Wednesday, underscoring uncertainty among officials about when the economy will rebound and clouding the timing of when they will begin to raise interest rates. Earlier in 2015, many officials thought a midyear rate increase was possible. Now it looks highly unlikely. Wednesday's economic news has become an all-too-familiar pattern. The economy seems to repeatedly stumble in the dreary winter months. |
| Top pick to lead Mississippi Community College Board pulls out | |
 | Mississippi's Community College Board is likely to restart its search for an executive director after the candidate favored by half the 10-member board withdrew following a five-month stalemate over hiring her. Board Chairman Bruce Martin of Meridian said Wednesday that Debra West, the board's deputy director of programs and accountability, ended her candidacy by email Monday. West pulled her name after a multihour session Friday where the board again failed to resolve the 5-5 tie that has split it since December. She did not respond Wednesday to a phone call and an email seeking comment. Martin said the board hasn't restarted the search. But he said he has contacted former Mississippi State University President Malcolm Portera, who told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he would lead a new search. |
| Sinkhole eats Highway 6 in Oxford | |
 | Around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, the Oxford Police Department began getting reports that a hole had opened up on Highway 6 in one of the eastbound lanes of the four-lane highway, between Jackson Avenue and Chucky Mullins Drive (formerly Coliseum Drive). As quickly as they and city maintenance crews could respond, traffic cones were placed and vehicles from log trucks to minicars were routed onto the inside shoulder of the road. "I passed over that spot around 8 this morning, and I noticed a bump that hadn't been there yesterday," said Anna Sayre, who works at the University of Mississippi. |
| USM experiments could help first responders | |
 | Chris Winstead, chairman of the University of Southern Mississippi's Department of Physics and Astronomy, stands next to a silver sphere that looks like it could be a tiny UFO -- or the world's weirdest microwave oven. "The heart of the experiment is this thing," he explains. "It's really just a big, hollow, stainless steel container. We call it our atmospheric simulation chamber." The experiment Winstead is talking about has to do with how the atmosphere is altered in the presence of radiation. Winstead and his graduate students hope their efforts may one day help first responders who are called to a terrorist event where radiation is present. |
| Alcorn State alumna Jacqueline Walters to speak at commencement | |
| Prominent physician Dr. Jacqueline Walters will give the commencement speech to more than 700 Alcorn State University graduates May 9. Dr. Walters, who's also known as Dr. Jackie, earned dual bachelor's degrees from Alcorn State University and the University of Mississippi. |
| Scholarship program restriction passes Louisiana Senate, despite Jindal's opposition | |
 | The Louisiana Senate passed legislation (SB 48) on a 27-9 vote that could limit Louisiana's TOPS college scholarship program, despite significant opposition from Gov. Bobby Jindal. In short, TOPS would no longer automatically rise to cover future tuition increases. "It ensures the viability of the TOPS program for years to come," said state Sen. Jack Donahue, the sponsor of the bill. A bill to restrict TOPS -- a program very popular with middle-class voters -- has never made it out of either of the Senate or the House. The fact that it cleared one of the chambers is probably a sign of how concerned legislators are about the state's current fiscal crisis. |
| Police consider charging U. of Florida frat members | |
 | Police are investigating whether criminal charges should be filed against visiting University of Florida fraternity members who allegedly yelled at and spat on a group of wounded veterans during a biannual warrior retreat, according to Panama City Beach Police Department officials. However, the length of time that has lapsed since the incident -- which happened during the week of April 14 -- has hindered the investigation, police said. UF's Zeta Beta Tau chapter was shut down Tuesday amid the allegations stemming from the biannual Warrior Beach Retreat week. The university charged the fraternity with public drunkenness, obscene behavior, causing physical harm, theft and property damage. |
| Deal defends role in picking chancellor, UGA president | |
 | Gov. Nathan Deal expressed disappointment Wednesday with a former chairman of the Board of Regents who criticized him for meddling in the selection of the current University System of Georgia chancellor and University of Georgia president. The governor charged that Dink NeSmith of Athens should have been "man enough" to reject Deal's recommendations in both cases if he disagreed. "If Mr. NeSmith is disappointed in the selection of (Chancellor) Hank Huckaby or (UGA President) Jere Morehead, he should be man enough to say that that's his problem," Deal said. The fiery response came in answer to a reporter's question during the governor's speech to the Atlanta Press Club. |
| UGA Arch slated for restoration work after commencement exercises | |
| For the next week or so, the University of Georgia Arch will be a major focus of campus life as soon-to-be graduates of the state's flagship institution of higher education line up to have their pictures made with family and friends in front of the iconic symbol of the school. What those students won't know as they gather and walk through the entrance to North Campus is that as soon as this year's round of commencement exercises is over -- they begin May 8 and close out May 16 as the UGA School of Law holds its graduation -- the Arch is scheduled for restoration work that could last through the summer. |
| A&M regents approve new seal with little discussion; Aggies speak out in protest via social media | |
 | The official Texas A&M University System and flagship school seals received new centerpieces during Wednesday's Board of Regents meeting in College Station. Regents unanimously approved alteration of the 52-year-old seals without discussion by replacing the "T Star" logo with the "Block TAM" logo in an effort to streamline the system and flagship school's brand identity. In a message, A&M System Chancellor John Sharp said the seal change will enhance the visibility of the system and the school. "When you talk about brand identity, having that 'Block TAM' is something that brings it all together," Sharp said. So far, the seal change has received some negative online reception. |
| Texas A&M System regents approve over $27M in projects for university | |
| More than $27 million in infrastructure and upgrades are coming to Texas A&M University over the next two years. The A&M System Board of Regents approved five separate agenda items that will improve water distribution, data utility and cut back on energy consumption at Wednesday's regular meeting in College Station. Jerry Strawser, vice president for finance and administration at A&M, said primarily it is time to replace the aging utilities on campus. "As our campus continues to grow, we need to increase our capacity and capability for power and chilled water and hot water," Strawser said. |
| U. of Missouri updates students on actions taken toward diversifying students, faculty | |
 | University of Missouri administrators waited expectantly for the questions to start. But no one came forward -- at first. People looked at one another and talked among themselves until one student broke the ice. Again and again, the questions focused on how MU plans to diversify the student body and the faculty. MU held a "Call to Action: Progress Report" discussion Wednesday night at Conservation Auditorium. The session began at 6 p.m. and ran for about two hours. About 200 students attended. Administrators came out in force, including Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin, Provost Garnett Stokes, Chief Diversity Officer Noor Azizan-Gardner, and other top administrators. |
| One in five college women assaulted? New study casts doubt on statistic | |
 | A new survey of young Americans by Harvard's Institute of Politics casts doubt on the widely repeated statistic that one in five women in college are victims of sexual assault. The 1-in-5 figure comes from a survey conducted in 2007 for the Justice Department at two large public universities, one in the Midwest and the other in the South. The researchers who conducted the study, who did not name the two schools, cautioned that their findings might not be applicable nationwide, but the figure has, nonetheless, been featured in presidential speeches, social media campaigns and numerous articles. The new survey, part of a series that the Institute of Politics has done on the attitudes and experiences of young Americans, reports that 11% of female respondents age 18 to 29 said they had been the victim of a sexual assault. |
| BRIAN PERRY (OPINION): Lawn mower racing, and the lesson that 'all politics is local' | |
 | Jackson-based consultant and columnist Brian Perry writes: "Former Speaker of the U.S. House Tip O'Neill attributed to his father the advice, 'all politics is local.' When it comes to crime, potholes, traffic, taxes and in some places even lawn mower racing, politics -- and governing -- on the local level can sometimes be the most important. That doesn't diminish the importance of campaigns for statewide or legislative offices, but when the rubber meets the road (or the rubber meets the dirt track) often priorities shift from the governor's mansion to the community center." |
| SID SALTER (OPINION): Defining poverty is key to understanding | |
| Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: "I wrote recently about that fact that both Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Marco Rubio launched their presidential bids talking about income inequality. Time Magazine listened to the opening salvos by Clinton and Rubio and declared: 'Income inequality is clearly going to be the key economic rallying issue of the 2016 presidential campaign.' The problem is, for many, a chasm of misunderstanding about what exactly the term 'income inequality' means. For many, they equate 'income inequality' with 'poverty' and consider the terms interchangeable. That's a slippery public policy slope and particularly so in Mississippi -- the state with the dubious distinction of the 'poorest state in the union' based on last place status in per capita income." |
SPORTS
| Bulldogs running out of time | |
| There is no denying that Mississippi State is struggling and in jeopardy of missing out the baseball postseason entirely. The Diamond Dogs have dropped six of their first seven SEC series and seven of their last eight games. MSU is coming off its worst loss of the season, an 11-1 setback to Ole Miss in the Governor's Cup in Pearl on Tuesday night. However, the Bulldogs won't have long to lick their wounds with top-ranked LSU coming to town for a three-game homestand starting tonight at 6:30 p.m. The LSU series will be Mississippi State's final appearance at Dudy Noble Field as the Bulldogs to travel to Ole Miss and Tennessee to close the regular season. The Diamond Dogs lead the overall series 206-173-1 against LSU, including an 112-70-1 record in Starkville. |
| Mississippi State's biggest problem lies on the mound | |
| Mississippi State scored less than two runs for the 10th time this season on Tuesday. The one-run performance against Ole Miss in Pearl was part of a two-month long trend in which the Bulldogs have scored three runs or less 17 times. Even with the offensive ineptitude, MSU's bigger problem is on the mound as it hosts a three-game series with No. 1 LSU on Thursday. "Even when we put the offensive piece together, which hasn't been a ton, those are the days we haven't pitched well," Mississippi State coach John Cohen said. "The two things have to work together." |
| In line for NCAA national seed, LSU puts 'perfect position' on line in series at Mississippi State | |
 | For LSU and baseball coach Paul Mainieri, there's no more scoreboard watching left to do. The Tigers control their own destiny. "I think we're in perfect position," shortstop Alex Bregman said. What could ruin that? A few losses to a team with a sub-100 RPI. Enter Mississippi State. LSU (38-7, 14-6 Southeastern Conference) meets the reeling Bulldogs (23-22, 7-14) in a three-game series starting Thursday in Starkville, Mississippi. |
| With simplified approach, Mississippi State's Reynolds heats up | |
| Luke Reynolds tried everything. That included long meetings with coaches, extra work in the batting cage and even film study of his swing from his days at Hinds Community College, but nothing seemed to work. Reynolds, brought in as a junior college transfer and given an opportunity to become Mississippi State's starting third baseman, just couldn't get started at the plate, collecting eight hits in his first 52 at-bats this season. "It was frustrating," said Reynolds. "I lacked some confidence in the beginning. I think I just needed one good game, and now it's starting to click for me a little bit." That one good game happened on Sunday, when Reynolds keyed a 2-1 win at No. 25 Arkansas for the Bulldogs with a breakout performance. |
| Multiple Bulldogs awaiting calls as NFL Draft arrives | |
| For three seasons, Benardrick McKinney and Preston Smith loomed large as cornerstones for Mississippi State's defense. Both Smith and McKinney, members of MSU's 2011 recruiting class, were key figures in MSU's run to No. 1 in 2014, as each player was named a First-Team All-SEC selection, McKinney by the league's coaches, Smith by the league's media. Now, three months after they played their last down for MSU, the two appear to be on the verge of continuing MSU's growing footprint in the National Football League. When the NFL Draft opens tonight in Chicago and continues through the weekend, the two MSU defenders are expected to be early-round picks. Not bad for a couple of players who entered the program as lightly recruited prospects four years ago. "I think that says a lot about our program and the quality of the guys we are bringing into our program," said MSU coach Dan Mullen. |
| Mississippi State looks to expand NFL footprint | |
| Dan Mullen has placed his share of players in the NFL. A total of 13 players have been selected in the NFL Draft during Mullen's five previous seasons at Mississippi State. By comparison, his predecessor Sylvester Croom saw only four players drafted during his five-year stint in Starkville. MSU had 18 players active in the NFL this past season -- 17 of which played for Mullen. However, the Bulldogs' 2015 draft class may be Mullen's best yet. Six players are likely to have their names called, according to CBSSports.com as the draft gets underway tonight at 7 p.m. and continues through Saturday. |
| Mississippi State's Robinson confident about his chances as a pro | |
| Josh Robinson knows some observers believe he made a mistake by declaring for the NFL draft. The former Mississippi State running back doesn't care. "I've heard I'm too small, too slow," said Robinson, who led MSU with 1,203 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior. "I tell everybody to turn on the film, take a look at what they see and tell me if that's too slow. In the game, I'm plenty fast enough." A 5-foot-9, 230-pound tailback known as "Bowling Ball," Robinson averaged 6.33 yards per carry in 2014, helping MSU win its first nine games and become the nation's top-ranked team for a five-week stretch. |
| Under the radar: Mississippi State's Kaleb Eulls waits for his NFL opportunity | |
| Kaleb Eulls' name doesn't appear atop draft boards. ESPN ranks him as the 21st best defensive lineman. The World Wide Leader slots him as the 235th best player in the draft. The 2015 NFL Draft in Chicago this year consists of 256 picks. "To me I could be the first pick. I could be the very last pick," the four-year starter at Mississippi State said. "I just want a chance to get in and show them what I worked hard for." Eulls started 52 games in the Southeastern Conference. He started 13 games last year for a team that reached No. 1. |
| U. of Kentucky makes subtle change to interlocking 'UK' logo | |
 | The change was meant to be so subtle that Kentucky officials wondered if outsiders would even notice. But when photos of the new Memorial Coliseum floor made the rounds on social media, fans started to notice that the UK logo in the middle of the floor had a different look to it. The interlocking "UK" that has been seen on every Kentucky uniform since 1997 has undergone a bit of a face lift. "We decided it was time to refresh our primary mark in a way that highlights the 'K' but also communicates the 'We are UK' message," explained Jason Schlafer, executive associate athletic director. |
| Cheek, DiPietro respond to critics of Lady Vols name change | |
 | University of Tennessee Chancellor Jimmy Cheek responded to critics of the Lady Vols name change in a mass email last week, acknowledging "differences of opinion" about the branding decision while standing by the controversial shift. UT announced in November that all women's teams except basketball effective July 1 will be known as "Volunteers" and wear the Power T logo, falling in step with the men's teams. The change coincides with UT's switch in apparel companies, from Adidas to Nike. Cheek's response arrived Friday and included as an attachment a guest column written by Donna Thomas, senior associate athletic director. The column -- titled "Men's, women's athletic departments' merger in best interests of students, UT" -- was published in the News Sentinel's Perspective section on April 12. |
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