Friday, July 10, 2015   
 
South Carolina's removal of Confederate flag leads to NCAA decision
The NCAA will end a nearly 15-year ban on South Carolina hosting sanctioned championship events following the decision to remove the Confederate flag from the state's Capitol grounds. Within minutes of the announcement, NCAA board of governors chairman Kirk Schulz issued a statement commending South Carolina's lawmakers for taking the action. The Confederate battle flag also appears in the state flag of Mississippi. Mississippi State faculty voted in 2001 to support a change to the flag. On Thursday, school president Mark Keenum reiterated that position. "Flags should unite us and bring us together, not divide us. The tragic events in South Carolina and the evolving national debate over the state flag is a debate that should take place today in Mississippi," Keenum said in a statement.
 
Mississippi the lone state under NCAA's postseason ban
Mississippi remains as the only state banned from hosting pre-determined NCAA postseason events after South Carolina governor Nikki Haley signed a bill to remove the Confederate flag from its capitol grounds on Thursday. Since 2001, the NCAA has banned Mississippi and South Carolina from hosting pre-selected NCAA Championships because of the presence of the Confederate flag in each state's capitol grounds. Thursday the NCAA released a statement after South Carolina's decision to remove the flag. Mississippi State's president Mark Keenum responded with a statement, supporting a change to the state flag that would bring the NCAA postseason to the Magnolia State: "Flags should unite us and bring us together, not divide us. The tragic events in South Carolina and the evolving national debate over the state flag is a debate that should take place today in Mississippi. ...As the university with the highest percentage African American enrollment in the Southeastern Conference, this debate is relevant and important to us."
 
MSU Riley Center Announces Fall/Winter Season Lineup
The MSU Riley Center will be host to a wide range of musical talents, as well as dances and plays. The Fall/Winter lineup contains names like Michael Bolton, Sara Evans and Peter Frampton. "There's a lot of things in this season. A wide variety of artists and experiences the general public expects at the Riley Center," executive director Dennis Sankovich says. With the summer season bringing in some big names like Trace Adkins and the Beach Boys, the upcoming list keeps the Riley Center's tradition of bringing big time entertainment to the Queen City. "We've got rhythm and blues, country, rock and roll and singers and songwriters. We've got the whole gamut," Sankovich says.
 
MSU Riley Center announces Fall/Winter Series
Singing legends and fresh young talents, theatrical productions that delights children and intrigue adults, and an athletic, creative contemporary dance company will entertain Meridian as part of the MSU Riley Center's Fall/Winter Series. The series kicks off Aug. 24 with ballad singer and Grammy winner Michael Bolton. Tickets and information are available by phone or in person at the MSU Riley Center box office Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and starting one hour before show time on the day of a show.
 
School district, DOJ reach temporary desegregation agreement
Representatives of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and U.S. Department of Justice reached an agreement on a desegregation order for the upcoming school year and will jointly file a more-permanent document by mid-February, court documents filed Tuesday state. Both parties agreed to 2015-2016 reporting requirements, the joint motion states, and SOCSD will submit a mid-year report to the government on Jan. 15, one month before the permanent desegregation order is due. Attorneys for the former Starkville School District and DOJ have locked horns over the district's proposed desegregation order since it was filed in March.
 
Entergy starts second phase of solar project
Entergy Mississippi has started construction on the second phase of its Bright Future project that will use solar panels to produce electricity in three of its markets. Work on the DeSoto County installation started a couple of months before the Jackson site starts operation. Entergy spokeswoman Mara Hartmann said the Jackson site should be operational sometime in September. The original target date was August but was pushed back because of some "unexpected materials delays," Hartmann said. Like the site in Jackson and the one planned for Lincoln County, the DeSoto County installation will produce 500 kilowatts of electricity once it comes online. The three fixed-tilt solar arrays collectively will produce 1,500 kilowatts of power, enough to light up 175 homes. Lowndes County is expanding its solar presence, too. Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley said Thursday that work will soon start on two new solar generation facilities near the Golden Triangle Industrial Park.
 
Holland still supports current Mississippi flag
Outspoken Steve Holland, D-Plantersville, perhaps the state House member most vilified by conservatives, says he does not regret his vote in 2001 to keep the current, controversial state flag and still feels the same way today. "I am going to listen to the debate, but as of today I am going to keep the old flag," said Holland, who is running unopposed for a ninth term in the Mississippi House this year. "I know that breaks the hearts of a lot of my friends." Changing the Mississippi flag is expected to be an issue in the upcoming 2016 legislative session. Holland says he understands both sides of the issue -- those who say the flag symbolizes racial hatred and those who say the flag is a symbol of heritage.
 
State looking to Hood for guidance on same-sex benefits signups
State officials are awaiting word from Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood on when to extend worker benefits to the same-sex spouses of state and school employees. The Department of Finance and Administration, the state agency that administers worker benefits to state and public school workers, says it needs guidance from Hood on whether to make the benefit signups retroactive or immediate or force spouses in same-sex marriages to wait until the fourth quarter open enrollment. The key, said DFA spokesman Chuck McIntosh, is whether the same-sex marriages can be termed "life-changing" events. "We need a ruling on what constitutes a life change," he said Tuesday.
 
Republican medical research bill meets resistance from the right
A Republican-led effort in Congress to boost funding for medical research by more than $9 billion is getting pushback from conservative activists. The 21st Century Cures Act would grant an additional $8.75 billion to the National Institutes of Heath over five years and $550 million for the Food and Drug Administration during the same time period. The bill sailed unanimously through the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in May, 51-0, and is poised to get a vote Friday in the U.S. House of Representatives. NIH funding has remained relatively static in recent years. Adjusted for inflation, the institutes' $30.1 billion annual budget is about 20 percent smaller than it was in 2003.
 
The Reality of Cyberwar: World War III Would Be Unlike Any Other Conflict
When a series of technical glitches hit companies that ranged from United to the New York Stock Exchange this week, suspicions immediately ran to a cyber attack. Was this just the beginning of something much worse? A surprise attack, the beginning of long feared "cyber war" or the "cyber Pearl Harbor"? The irony that these worries were mostly expressed online at places like Twitter was not lost on many, but it points to how deeply they have become woven into the narrative of threats that surround us. Indeed it is notable that the discourse too quickly pointed the finger at hackers, rather than al Qaeda terrorists as would have been the default a decade back. A key challenge in this new environment of fear is that terms like "cyber war" and "cyber Pearl Harbor" are tossed around today in politics and media with as much precision as the term "war" itself. There is a massive array of cyber threats out there, ranging from the 317 million distinct pieces of malware discovered by Symantec last year to credit card theft that has hit almost every major retail firm to advanced persistent threat campaigns that have penetrated literally every major corporation and government agency.
 
Maugh Funderburk Named Interim Associate Provost at USM-Gulf Park
Dr. Casey Maugh Funderburk has been named the University of Southern Mississippi's Interim Associate Provost for Gulf Park, effective August 1. The appointment follows Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Steven Moser's decision to suspend the position's original search process until a permanent provost is named. "This interim appointment will be critical in allowing us to address top priorities and opportunities regarding our coastal operations without delay," said Moser. Maugh Funderburk joined the University's faculty in 2008 as Assistant Professor of Communication Studies and Director of the Gulf Coast Speaking Center.
 
AAUP backs fired LSU professor, provides money for her legal defense
Stepping up its criticism of LSU, a top national organization of university professors on Thursday announced it will publish a report critical of the university's recent firing of associate professor Teresa Buchanan for alleged sexual harassment and pledged money to help with her legal defense. The report known as a "supplementary report" will be only the seventh that American Association of University Professors has issued in its 100-year history. The organization, which conducted its own review of the case, rejects LSU's contention that Buchanan's treatment of her students, including the use of curse words and telling the occasional sexually themed joke, in any way constituted sexual harassment.
 
U. of Florida film series looks at how science creeps into pop culture
Bug-eyed with excitement, Terry Harpold pulled an encyclopedia-sized, hardcover book out onto his desk. He flipped open to a glossy, black and white photo of a monstrous ant looming over a woman from the edge of a cliff. "This movie is creepy," Harpold said as he pointed to the photo from the 1954 movie "Them!" in which giant, mutant ants attack Los Angeles. "Them!" is screening Friday at the Florida Museum of Natural History as part of a free movie series provided by the Creative B summer program. Harpold is an associate professor of film and media studies as well as the director of graduate student teaching in the English department at UF. He will be on the discussion panel for these films, which will begin each Friday at 7 p.m. during July before each film is shown. Harpold said his role on the panel is not to debunk the ideas of the movie, but to discuss "how these critical scientific ideas filter into popular culture."
 
U. of Missouri breaks ground on new medical school building
The University of Missouri broke ground Thursday on a $42.5 million School of Medicine building as part of a partnership that includes a new clinical campus in Springfield. The Patient-Centered Care Learning Center on the Columbia campus is designed to provide greater collaborative space and is set to open in 2017. For the clinical campus, MU is partnering with Springfield's CoxHealth and Mercy health systems. When fully implemented by 2020, the clinical campus will host 64 third- and fourth-year medical students in Springfield. Eight to 12 MU medical students will complete their last two years of training in Springfield starting June 2016.
 
O'Malley and Bush argue about merits of debt-free college plan
Presidential hopeful Martin O'Malley this week unveiled his debt-free college plan, triggering a debate across the ideological divide with Jeb Bush. O'Malley, a Democrat and former Maryland governor, confounded some higher education finance experts by citing the whopping $339,200 he and his wife borrowed to pay for their two daughters to attend college. He also engaged in some banter with Bush, the former Florida governor and candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. he former Maryland governor isn't the first Democratic presidential candidate to push debt-free college. Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent representing Vermont, has called for two years of free public college. Hillary Clinton, the former U.S. secretary of state and New York senator, has yet to weigh in on the debt-free question.
 
New Model of 'Smart Campus'? Carnegie Mellon to Embed Sensors Across Landscape
Imagine a world where you're driving to campus, and before you get there, your car tells you to park in one lot because it already knows another is full. That could soon be the reality at Carnegie Mellon University, where researchers have teamed up with Google to place wireless sensors around the campus to connect everyday items with the web. The idea is to make life more convenient, and to provide useful data about the campus, said Anind K. Dey, the project's lead investigator and an associate professor at the university's Human-Computer Interaction Institute. He and his group of researchers will begin the experiment by placing sensors in their own offices and labs, and by 2016 they hope to expand the project to the rest of the campus. Security and privacy are top priorities, said Yuvraj Agarwal, an assistant professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon and one of the project's researchers.
 
The college majors that are most likely to marry each other
Picking a major is already difficult enough for college kids. But here's an extra piece of data to weigh on your decision: You may be picking a life partner as well. Dan Kopf of the blog Priceonomics analzyed U.S. Census data and found that the percentage of Americans who marry someone within their own major is actually fairly high. Among the 50 most common college majors, more than 10 percent of married partners that both had college degrees had the same major, according to Kopf's analysis of the data. Interestingly, the data shows that marrying within your major is more common for people who are an extreme gender minority in their field of study. For example, both male nurses and female engineers are much more likely to find a spouse in their major.
 
ALAN TURNER (OPINION): Glenn McCullough taking on challenge of Mississippi's economic development
The Mississippi Business Journal's Alan Turner writes: "This past week, we had the opportunity to meet with Glenn McCullough, the new head of the MDA, to discuss some of his thoughts and perspectives on energizing Mississippi's economic development effort. A lifelong Mississippian who was born in Tupelo, Glenn is no stranger to either public or private business. After graduating from Tupelo public schools and Mississippi State University, he spent time working in the family business, as well as out of state for a period of time. Ultimately, his career led to public service, and at various periods, he worked for Gov. Kirk Fordice, served as mayor of Tupelo for several years, and then was nominated and served as chairman of the TVA for 4 years. His sisters are active in both business and economic development. With that background, it would be difficult to find an individual who is more passionate about Mississippi and our economic future."


SPORTS
 
Mississippi State kicker Devon Bell named to Ray Guy Award watchlist
Mississippi State may not have solidified its field goal kicking during the spring, but the Augusta Sports Council believes it has one of the best punters in the country. The group named Devon Bell as one of 25 punters on the Ray Guy Award preseason watchlist. The award is given annually to the nation's top punter. Bell joins three teammates on preseason watchlists so far. Dak Prescott, Chris Jones and Will Redmond appeared on various watchlists earlier this week.
 
Former Bulldog McDonald will battle to make U.S. Open cut today
Ally McDonald, the last player to get into the field, was on the leaderboard Thursday morning after a strong start at the U.S. Women's Open. Making the turn at 2-under, the former Mississippi State standout from Fulton finished with a 4-over 74. "I was tired," McDonald said of her performance on the last nine holes. "Overall, I'm pretty pleased. I think I got the ball around very well." She was added to the field late Tuesday after another golfer was injured and didn't get much sleep in her effort to get to the course. McDonald is scheduled to tee off at 2:09 p.m. today in hopes of making the cut.
 
Ken Stabler, Alabama football legend, dies at 69
An Alabama legend has passed away. Former Crimson Tide quarterback Ken Stabler died Wednesday, AL.com confirmed. Multiple sources said Stabler quietly battled colon cancer in a fight he lost Wednesday night. He was 69. Before going on to a pro career with the Oakland Raiders, Stabler starred for Alabama under Bear Bryant from 1964-67. Stabler's family released a statement about his death Thursday evening. Stabler had been battling Stage 4 colon cancer since February. At his request, Stabler's brain and spinal cord were donated to Boston University's Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center to aid research for degenerative brain disease in athletes.
 
Pat Summitt's career to be celebrated at fundraiser
Pat Summitt's former players, former colleagues and best friends will convene Saturday night to tell stories and touch emotions. The evening is billed as an "Evening for Champions." The second annual event, which begins at 7 p.m. at the Tennessee Theatre, is a fund raiser for both Summitt's foundation and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Summitt will attend, said Patrick Wade, the director of her foundation. The Tennessee women's basketball coaching legend will serve as an inspiration for the festivities. ABC Television's Good Morning America Anchor Robin Roberts will serve as emcee. She will help steer the storytelling, which will feature people from all points of Summitt's 38-year career.
 
ESPN Tightens Its Belt as Pressure on It Mounts
Sports-TV powerhouse ESPN, a profit machine that has long towered over the media landscape, is showing signs of stress as the pay-TV industry goes through an unprecedented period of upheaval. A decline in subscribers as customers trim their cable bills, coupled with rising content costs and increased competition, has ESPN in belt-tightening mode, people familiar with the situation say. The company, majority owned by Walt Disney Co., has lost 3.2 million subscribers in a little over a year, according to Nielsen data, as people have "cut the cord" by dropping their cable-TV subscriptions or downgraded to cheaper, slimmed-down TV packages devoid of expensive sports channels like ESPN. At the same time, the prices ESPN pays for the rights to show games are ballooning.



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