| Wednesday, July 15, 2015 |
| Mississippi State prof offers local take on Pluto images | |
 | A professor at Mississippi State University is like many in wanting to see what images of Pluto NASA's New Horizons spacecraft captured. "Pluto is one of the original nine planets, and this mission is the very first. We've actually sent a probe to this ninth planet," said Angelle Tanner. The physics and astronomy professor can hardly contain her excitement about the smallest planet in our solar system. "It's the first time we've gotten at the location photographs of the planet Pluto, and the pictures are much, much, much clearer than were originally taken with the Hubble telescope," she continued. So far, what the professor says she has seen is astounding. The images are clearer, and the New Horizons probe is performing quite well. |
| SMART buses add new routes | |
| The public transit joint venture between Mississippi State and Starkville -- known as SMART -- has added routes to meet growing demand. The new routes are designed to meet increased ridership from city residents while at the same time better linking student housing to the campus. Bus system administrators say they also are working on plans to extend the service to Golden Triangle Regional Airport and surrounding industrial areas. |
| MAAE Presents Annual Educator Awards at MSU Riley Center | |
 | The Mississippi Arts Commission brought its Whole Schools Summer Institute to Meridian this week. More than 300 teachers are attending workshops about how to incorporate the arts into their curriculum. The Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education also presented its annual awards Tuesday. Dr. Charlotte Tabereaux, education director of the MSU Riley Center, says the honorees share the view that all students need the arts in their lives. "We try to pick the best music teacher in the state, the best drama teacher," said Tabereaux. "And we have advocacy awards, all sorts of awards, that people can be recognized for because they believe what the Mississippi alliance for arts education believes, that all children should have the arts in their classrooms." |
| Be observant of resistance issues with key cotton pests | |
 | Mississippi's mixed-up spring weather and scattershot planting season have resulted in a somewhat abnormal situation with cotton pests, says Angus Catchot, Mississippi State University Extension professor of entomology and plant pathology. "It appears the number of applications for thrips will be down this year," he said at the annual meeting of the Mississippi Boll Weevil Management Corporation and the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Cotton Policy Committee. "I think it's primarily due to the extended rains during the time the bulk of our cotton would have been subject to thrips infestation. Rain does a pretty good job of beating thrips off cotton." |
| Judge approves Starkville-Oktibbeha school desegregation order | |
 | U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills approved the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District's desegregation order Monday after school representatives and Department of Justice officials struck a temporary agreement on a number of guidelines last week. The agreement solidifies proposed school attendance zones: both East and West Oktibbeha elementary schools will service students up to grade 5 residing in the former county school district; county-wide sixth, seventh and eighth graders will attend Armstrong Middle School; and Starkville High School will house all county freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. |
| Avenues for marriage closing in Golden Triangle | |
| Some judges in the Golden Triangle say they will no longer perform marriage ceremonies following the U.S. Supreme Court's same-sex marriage decision in late June. The high court's ruling legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states. In response, a handful of local judges say they will not perform weddings for anyone at all -- no matter sexual orientation. In doing so, the judges cite state law that details who may perform a wedding ceremony. The law says they "may" perform marriages, not that they "must." Darlene Ballard, the executive director of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial performance, said the issue is being raised in counties across Mississippi. |
| Ohio highway patrol orders helicopter from Airbus | |
| Airbus helicopters announced today that the Ohio State Highway Patrol has ordered the first H125 AStar helicopter to be produced at the company's new final assembly line at its Lowndes County facility. While the local facility has partially assembled two of the company's helicopters, the new final assembly line will allow the facility to complete the work on the H125 AStar helicopters. Company officials say this will allow for shorter delivery times, increased customization and better customer support. |
| Former MDA specialist hired as ICDC business development director | |
 | A former employee of the Mississippi Development Authority has been hired to fill the role of Business Development Director for the Itawamba County Development Council. Vaunita Martin, an Eggville native, has been hired to replace Kim Graham, who left the position in May after five years. Martin has worked in economic development for more than nine years. Her last five were spent with the Mississippi Development Authority, where she served as a regional development specialist working with 11 counties, including Itawamba. |
| Ultra-speed Internet could fast-track South Mississippi economy | |
 | The idea of ultra-fast broadband Internet service as an economic driver started with Mayor Andrew "FoFo" Gilich and is rapidly spreading across South Mississippi. Biloxi City Attorney Gerald Blessey said Tuesday that Coast mayors will meet soon to discuss the idea of creating a Mississippi Gulf Coast Fiber Ring that would provide Internet access to every home, business and public space at a super-fast 1 gigabit per second. Speaking at IP Casino Resort to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce Leadership Gulf Coast alumni, Blessey described how this network could create opportunities and jobs in education, health care, film and many other industries. |
| 166 special-needs children receive funds to leave public schools | |
| The Mississippi Department of Education says more than 250 scholarships or vouchers remain available for special-needs children to use to pursue private education options. A news release from the state Department of Education said that 166 families have qualified to receive an annual subsidy of $6,500 under the Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act. In addition to the 166 who were approved for subsides, 12 applicants still are pending review and 83 were rejected primarily because the special-needs children did not have an Individualized Education Plan, according to the news release. Under the new state law, a student must have had an IEP within the last 18 months to qualify for the program. Federal law mandates that IEPs only can be issued by a public school. |
| FBI aiding inquiry of Mississippi man's death after police encounter | |
 | Some residents of a small Mississippi town say they're still looking for answers a week after a black man died following a physical encounter with a white police officer. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said Tuesday that it is too soon to discuss how Jonathan Sanders died on the night of July 8 while he was exercising a horse on a two-wheeled buggy. But local officials told a community meeting in Stonewall on Tuesday that the state and the FBI could hold a news conference in coming days to fill in some of the gaps in the official account of Sanders' death. Chokwe Antar Lumumba, a Jackson lawyer who is representing Sanders' family members, says Officer Kevin Herrington is at fault. |
| Whistle blowers win appeal of State Farm wind vs. water case | |
| A panel of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a jury's finding in a whistleblower lawsuit that State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. committed fraud against the federal government and submitted a false report to support fraud after Hurricane Katrina. Further, the panel has ordered the case sent back to U.S. District Court in Gulfport for investigation of other State Farm Katrina claims by the whistleblowers, sisters Cori and Kerri Rigsby, and their legal team. The ruling opens the possibility for a trial to determine whether State Farm's fraud was more widespread, as the Rigsbys claim. The panel found the Rigsby's allegations, coupled with the jury's verdict, justify further investigation, or discovery as it is called. |
| Iran Nuclear Deal Ignites Fierce Debate | |
 | The nuclear deal reached with Iran sets off a furious political struggle in the U.S. and a diplomatic showdown with America's most important allies in the Middle East. The agreement between Iran and six world powers in Vienna Tuesday was assailed by longtime American allies such as Israel's prime minister and celebrated by U.S. enemies such as Syria's president. It immediately sparked a fierce foreign policy debate on Capitol Hill. President Barack Obama said the deal demonstrates American diplomacy can bring about meaningful change and make the world safer while his European partners praised it as a new chapter in international relations. The potential for the pact to expand Iran's influence and redefine the balance of power across the Middle East, affecting U.S. ties to the region in the process, was a chief concern. Lawmakers questioned whether the Obama administration backpedaled on American interests in search of a deal. |
| Black Children in U.S. Are Much More Likely to Live in Poverty, Study Finds | |
 | Black children were almost four times as likely as white children to be living in poverty in 2013, a new report has found, the latest evidence that the economic recovery is leaving behind some of the United States' most vulnerable citizens. The share of American children living in poverty fell to about 20 percent in 2013 from 22 percent in 2010, according to the report by the Pew Research Center, which analyzed data from the United States Census Bureau. But the poverty rate remained stable for black children, while it fell for Hispanic, white and Asian children, a sign of just how pervasive and stubborn poverty has been for African-Americans, according to the report. For the first time since the federal government started collecting the data, the number of black children in poverty appears to have overtaken the number of poor white children, even though white children far outnumber black children in the American population. |
| First steps taken to find chancellor at UM | |
| The first "Listening Session" for the selection of a new chancellor for the University of Mississippi was labeled a success by IHL Board President Alan Perry. Hosted by the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning on Tuesday, the public event was held in the Gertrude Ford Ballroom at the Inn at Ole Miss. Another session just like this one and also one in Jackson are planned for mid to late August. "I thought it was great," said Perry, with a B.B.A. in Accountancy from Ole Miss and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. "We actually had meetings all day. We met with the (University) Foundation. We met with the Alumni (Association) Board. Those were really good. Those people are involved directly in what's going on. And they have a lot to say." |
| USM professor: Iran deal probably 'going to get done' | |
 | An assistant professor of international relations at The University of Southern Mississippi said President Obama has the upper hand in any fight with Congress now that a deal has been reached on the Iranian nuclear program. Professor Joe Weinberg said chances are it will be implemented. The Obama administration announced Tuesday that it had secured a deal with Iran after years of negotiations. But, the plan has been criticized by Republicans in Congress as well as some allies in the Middle East. "The Republicans don't have the votes to override his veto," Weinberg said. "They're short by quite a bit in both the House and the Senate. So, the interesting part is I think going to be the debate. It's probably a foregone conclusion that this deal is going to get done, it's just a matter of time and who gains or loses political capital in the meantime." |
| Alleged USM frat scavenger hunt fallout: More arrests in flamingo deaths | |
 | Six more suspects were served indictments and arrested Monday for their alleged participation in an incident that led to the deaths of two Hattiesburg Zoo flamingos in October. The six had been indicted by a Forrest County Circuit Court grand jury for their involvement in an alleged fraternity scavenger hunt gone wrong. They were arrested Monday and booked into Forrest County Regional Jail on charges of grand larceny and conspiracy. According to a Hattiesburg Police Department news release shortly after the incident, a total of 10 suspects were involved in the alleged scavenger hunt. The suspects were University of Southern Mississippi students and either members or pledges to the Delta Mu chapter of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. |
| Delta State's nursing school receives grant funding for RESSON project | |
 | Delta State University's Robert E. Smith School of Nursing was recently awarded an Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship grant for the second consecutive year by the Health Resources and Services Administration. This grant award, in the amount of $173,120, funds the RESSON project Meeting the Grant for Advanced Practice Students for the 2015-16 academic year. The federal funding provides financial assistance to Master of Science in Nursing students who are seeking a concentration as a nurse practitioner, and it allows them to enroll and prepare academically in their program of study. The grant provides tuition, fees and a reasonable living allowance for eight nursing students, with the intended outcomes of increasing the number of primary care providers in the Mississippi Delta, and increasing the number of minorities as primary care providers in the Delta. |
| Two-year honor society director retires amid sexual harassment allegations | |
 | The longtime executive director of the Jackson-based honor society Phi Theta Kappa announced his retirement on Monday amid allegations of sexual harassment by two former student officers with the international organization. The move came after Dr. Rod Risley took a temporary leave from the position in April when Phi Theta Kappa's board of directors hired a law firm to investigate the allegations against him, according to a press release by the board. Risley served as the executive director of the community and junior college honor society since 1985. Risley, when reached at his home on Tuesday, declined to comment. |
| U. of Alabama signs research deal with Japanese electronics maker | |
 | Japanese electronics manufacturer TDK Corp. and the University of Alabama have signed a research agreement focused on the next generation of new magnetic materials that could lead to technology breakthroughs in electronics. The agreement between TDK and UA's Center for Materials for Information Technology (MINT) builds on an existing relationship between the two, according to Carl Pinkert, UA vice president of research and economic development. "This takes that relationship to a much higher level," Pinkert said. The research agreement will focus on the development of alternative materials to rare-earth elements in magnets and soft magnet metals in high-frequency devices that allow for reductions of size, weight and cost of components. |
| U. of Kentucky names longtime faculty member its vice president for research | |
 | The University of Kentucky named longtime faculty member Lisa Cassis its vice president for research. Cassis, who has held the position on an interim basis since June 2014, will continue to oversee UK's $285 million research enterprise, including $11.3 million in federal grants for her own work as a professor of pharmacology and nutritional sciences. Her annual salary will be $350,000. "Dr. Cassis is the model scholar researcher," said UK President Eli Capilouto. "She has spent her career as a leading researcher into some of Kentucky's most significant health issues and for the past year has provided outstanding leadership for our growing research enterprise as we formulate a strategic plan and continue to navigate a challenging federal funding climate." |
| Florida Carry tells appellate court guns should be allowed in UF dorms | |
 | The Second Amendment should supersede a Florida law that bans firearms from state university housing, a gun-rights group argued before seemingly skeptical appellate judges Tuesday. The 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee heard arguments from Florida Carry Inc., which contends students and other people residing in on-campus housing at the University of Florida should be allowed to maintain possession of firearms as they would at their parents' homes. The University of Florida has disputed that the federal or state constitutions guarantee the right to have firearms in university housing. University spokeswoman Janine Sikes maintained after the hearing that the school is in compliance with state law regarding on-campus firearm possession. |
| 3 Ways a Thaw in U.S.-Iran Relations Could Affect American Colleges | |
 | The nuclear accord announced on Tuesday among Iran, the United States, and five other countries faces political hurdles before becoming a done deal. But the possibility of a warmer relationship between America and Iran after more than 30 years of animosity will very likely benefit fledgling efforts to develop links in higher education. Six members of the Iranian cabinet hold American Ph.D.s, a higher percentage than among their equivalents from traditional U.S. allies, like Germany and Japan. And Hassan Rouhani, Iran's president, studied at Glasgow Caledonian University, in Scotland. But like the nuclear agreement itself, any new joint research or student exchanges will have to navigate a variety of challenges. And in both countries, many politicians remain suspicious of any cooperation, academic or otherwise. |
| Business school software doubles as skimming prevention tool | |
 | Are you reading closely? Chances are you're not. Web traffic analyses of online publications show most readers scroll only part of the way through a story before disappearing. Maybe you're off to a new story, the comments section or a different website altogether. But what if, in tomorrow's edition, we used that traffic data to call on you in front of all of our readers? That's the idea behind ForClass, a student engagement platform that aims to stop students from skimming through reading assignments. Skimming is "human nature," said Jeffrey S. Lehman, vice chancellor of New York University at Shanghai. "You're thinking about a lot of different things at once, and your mind tends to wander as you read." But as an instructor, Lehman still needs to spark discussions about dense texts. |
| BOBBY HARRISON (OPINION): Most state tax breaks go to businesses | |
| The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Bobby Harrison writes: "Nearly every key legislative leader says he or she ultimately supports the full funding of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, which provides the state' s share of the basics to operate local school districts. But the Republican leadership of the Legislature and Gov. Phil Bryant maintain the state does not have the funds to meet the financial commitment, though, a vast majority of them promised in 2006 legislation they passed that they would fully fund the program. While they have been unable to meet that financial commitment, they have been able to pass a multitude of tax breaks, and have tried to pass even more." |
| SID SALTER (OPINION): Mississippi State's first black student showed courage | |
| Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: "For Richard Holmes, the integration of Mississippi State University on July 19, 1965, could not have been a path he chose without some serious reflection on the fates of those who went before him at previously all-white Mississippi universities. In 1962, James Meredith's integration of Ole Miss led to riots that left two dead and more than 180 injured. ...At Mississippi Southern College (now the University of Southern Mississippi), Clyde Kennard was falsely convicted and imprisoned in 1960 on trumped up charges that he stole chicken feed. That atrocity came after Kennard tried unsuccessfully to integrate Southern in 1956, 1957 and 1959. ...The integration of Mississippi State University in 1965 when Richard Holmes was admitted was by comparison to the fate of Kennard and the experiences of Meredith a surprisingly peaceful affair that took place without violence. Holmes -- then 21 years old -- enrolled as the first black student at Mississippi State University without incident." |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State's Mullen not bothered by low expectations for his team | |
| Mississippi State football hit new heights in 2014, reaching No. 1 for the first time in program history and staying there for five straight weeks. That, of course, was last year. The Bulldogs are now being picked by many preseason publications to finish last in the seven-team SEC West. But that is nothing new for MSU coach Dan Mullen. The Bulldogs were also predicted to be the doormat last year as well only to wind up second. "This is my seventh year coming (to SEC Media Days) and I think all seven years they've pretty much picked us to finish last in the West," Mullen said Tuesday. "It's kind of like a tradition, I guess. We don't really worry much about that. I'm much more concerned with how we finish." |
| Mississippi State's Dak Prescott shines as SEC's most accomplished player | |
| A year ago Dak Prescott weaved through the obstacle course of SEC Media Days on time. Tuesday, delays cluttered the itinerary of the Mississippi State quarterback. "The meetings were a lot longer. I remember getting in and out of them last year," Prescott said. "But when they said I have 20 minutes today, I had 22 minutes as opposed to last year, where I probably had 15." Prescott is the most accomplished player to attend SEC Media Days. In addition to the regular dozen stops every attendee makes, Prescott also appeared on ESPN's SportsCenter, the Paul Finebaum Show and even conducted interviews in elevators. "It's all been fun," Prescott said. "It's been a great experience. You get to see a lot of the guys. I get to see how my teammates react to being under the lights." |
| SEC Media Days: Mississippi State's Prescott ready for big final season | |
| There is no doubt in Ryan Brown's mind who the most competitive player on the current Mississippi State roster is. Quarterback Dak Prescott. Many other Bulldogs probably have similar feelings that the senior defensive lineman has. But Brown has seen it up close and in person in the locker room this summer. "A couple of weeks ago we were just throwing away trash and he just decided to take a shot 20 feet," Brown recalls. "He wasn't leaving downstairs until he was going to hit that shot. It was like 7 o'clock and I was like, 'Come on, let's go.' But he just continued to shoot. And then when he made that one, he wanted to scoot back. We had to take him out and say it's time to go home." That competitive spirit is a direct result of Prescott's upbringing. |
| Prescott: Mississippi State has unfinished business | |
| Last year, Mississippi State's Dak Prescott became a media darling in his first appearance at SEC Media Days. Then Prescott was considered the next big thing at quarterback in a conference void of returning stars at the position. This year, Prescott was once again swarmed by reporters as he entered the main ballroom at SEC Media Days on Tuesday. But this time the fifth-year senior wasn't the upstart signalcaller anymore. Prescott has graduated to a proven commodity, having led the Bulldogs to 10 wins and an Orange Bowl appearance in his first year as a full-time starter. "I have to keep doing the things that got me to this position," Prescott said. "I have to work hard, stay focused and dedicated. I want to be the best leader, the best quarterback and the best person I can be. If we do that, I think we can win a lot of games." |
| Royal treatment doesn't deter Dak Prescott's focus | |
| Clanging cowbells greeted Dak Prescott when he walked through the door into the main lobby of the Wynfrey Hotel on Tuesday afternoon. The noise attracted the Mississippi State quarterback, who signed a few footballs before disappearing into the crowd of more than 1,000 credentialed members. Four hours later, Prescott left the hotel. The noise he heard for duration of his stay rang louder than the welcoming cowbells that began it. "(The perception is) we just got lucky. We had a Cinderella year. Maybe they'll say teams aren't as strong as they were in the past," Prescott said. "Whatever it is, we don't care." Prescott arrived at Media Days as a top 10 finisher in last year's Heisman Trophy. He's an early front-runner for this year's award. |
| Mississippi State 's Dan Mullen talks Mississippi's state flag | |
| The debate regarding Mississippi's state flag reached SEC Media Days Tuesday. Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen addressed the issue but didn't definitively share his opinion on whether the state should change it, since it contains the Confederate flag. Mississippi is the only state remaining on the NCAA's postseason ban because the Confederate flag flies on state capitol grounds. "That's a lot for people in Jackson and for the people in Mississippi. I know I don't see it very often. We don't have it on our campus up," Mullen said. "I do know we're the most diverse campus in the Southeastern Conference. I know the university embraces that diversity. We're so diverse, they have a Yankee as a head football coach in the Southeastern Conference." The sentiments backed a statement released by MSU president Mark Keenum last week regarding diversity. Keenum's statement also referred to Mississippi State's vote to change the flag in 2001. |
| Despite last year's success and the return of Dak, Mississippi State still lacks hype | |
| Mississippi State spent more than a month as the No. 1 team in the nation on the way to a 10-win season last year. The program is also returning one of the nation's top quarterbacks in senior Dak Prescott. Yet one of the biggest topics of the day when the Bulldogs took the stage Tuesday at Southeastern Conference Media Days? Coach Dan Mullen's choice of shoes. Mullen said he was simply showing a little "swag" by wearing some Adidas Jeezy Boost 350 sneakers to go along with his suit. But it was telling that a fresh pair of popular footwear could partly overshadow a team that was among college football's best last season. Mullen said he doesn't mind the seeming lack of respect. After six seasons in Starkville, he's become used to it. |
| Mullen: Experience of being No. 1 a big plus for Bulldogs | |
| Coaches are fond of saying that each football season is unique, one having no bearing on another. That wasn't Dan Mullen's message at SEC Media Days today. The Mississippi State coach says the experience the Bulldogs gained through a five-week run as the No. 1 team in college football has long-lasting benefits that will impact this year's team. "We were ranked No. 1 as much as anyone last season," Mullen said. "It was a great experience for our young men to get there. We had the opportunity to play in a game in Tuscaloosa that ended up deciding the SEC West champion. It was a tough game on the road, and we came up a little short. That experience certainly helps us moving forward." |
| Why the Auburn game is 'personal' for some Mississippi State players | |
 | Mississippi State's historic run to No. 1 started with Auburn. The Bulldogs' 38-23 victory in Starkville -- the teams were ranked Nos. 2 and 3 -- pushed the Bulldogs to the top of the polls, where they stayed for five weeks before losing three of their final four games. Looking back, was it the biggest win of the season for the Bulldogs? "Obviously," MSU quarterback Dak Prescott said. "Being ranked two and three, that game propelling us to No. 1, yeah, I'd say that." The series has certainly been entertaining in recent years. Auburn and Mississippi State will hook up Sept. 26 inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game will be the second SEC game of the season for both squads. |
| SEC Media Days: Loss to Alabama motivates the 2015 Bulldogs | |
| Mississippi State rolled into Tuscaloosa, Alabama, last season with a 9-0 record and a No. 1 by its name. It was considered the biggest game in school history and a lot was riding on the outcome. The Bulldogs came up short and Alabama went on to win the Southeastern Conference Western Division and the SEC Championship in Atlanta. Nearly eight months removed from the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium, it still sticks with Bulldog head coach Dan Mullen and his team and it will be the driving force behind this upcoming season. "The Alabama game is the one that's the big fueling," Mullen said at SEC Media Days Tuesday. "It was the stage that that game was on, that we want to be back on that stage, that we want another shot at a game on that big a stage and find a way to go win it. So I think it's really helped our guys in the offseason that they've experienced playing in those type of games, in the big games, and they certainly want to make sure we get back to those big games." |
| Long Beach's Richie Brown named to Butkus Award watch list at Mississippi State | |
| Mississippi State linebacker Richie Brown, a Long Beach product, is among 16 players from the SEC included on this year's Butkus Award Watch list. The postseason awarded is given to the top linebacker in college football. Brown, a junior, played in 13 games last year and ranked sixth on the MSU defense in tackles with 50. He also added one sack. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound Brown is the man expected to replace former Bulldogs star Benardrick McKinney as the team's starting middle linebacker. Brown was named to the 2012 Parade All-American High School Football team as a senior at Long Beach in 2012. |
| What's different about Alabama's offense under Lane Kiffin? Mississippi State's Dan Mullen explains | |
| Prior to each play last November, the first priority of Mississippi State's defensive backs was to locate Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper. The Tide has had three different offensive coordinators since Mississippi State hired Dan Mullen as its coach in 2009. One of the primary differences about current offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin's offense, Mullen said, is the emphasis on showcasing and getting the ball to his top playmaker. "I think one of the things, Lane does an excellent job of trying to isolate players," Mullen said Tuesday at SEC Media Days in Hoover. |
| Freshman impact: McCowan already making strides on court at Mississippi State | |
| Seven months ago, Teaira McCowan knew she was going to play basketball in college. Unsure if she would receive an opportunity to play at the Division I level or if she would have to go to junior college, McCowan needed someone to believe in her. One phone call gave McCowan a way to achieve everything she wanted. That initial conversation led to a home visit with Mississippi State women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer and associate head coach Johnnie Harris, who outlined a plan the 6-foot-7 Parade All-American from Texas could follow to find her way to Starkville. Schaefer hopes his latest class will help elevate MSU to the next level. McCowan believes she can be an important piece in MSU's continued development. |
| Tunsil's stepfather enters not-guilty plea | |
| Lindsey Miller, the stepfather of Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, is no longer serving as his own counsel. Miller has also entered a plea of not guilty for both domestic violence charges he is facing in Lafayette County Justice Court. Matthew Wilson, a Starkville-based attorney hired to represent Miller, offered a few details on the case. A letter was sent to judge Mickey Avent stating the not guilty charges. Miller did not appear in court like he did in this past Friday in the order of protection case. The incident in question happened on June 26 at the home Miller and Desiree Tunsil had been living at in Taylor. Both Miller and Laremy Tunsil were arrested following the skirmish that was outlined in last Friday's hour-long court session. |
| Spurrier shows no signs of quitting while stealing show at SEC Media Days | |
 | Steve Spurrier was in his element Tuesday morning. On a stage inside the Birmingham Hyatt Regency, with a microphone in front of him, the 11th-year South Carolina coach was his typical, loose, wise-cracking self. The second day of SEC Media Days was Spurrier's stage -- and the Ol' Ball Coach didn't disappoint. The 70-year-old Spurrier, entering his 26th season as a college head coach, offered insightfulness. He made multiple golf references. He subtly -- and not so subtly -- took verbal shots at other SEC schools, including Tennessee, Arkansas and Alabama. In short, Spurrier showed no signs of slowing down. |
| Thanks to LSU athletics, Parade Ground getting makeover that'll be ready for football season | |
 | Work on LSU's Parade Ground, a popular spot for tailgaters during football season, should be completed by late August. Over the summer, mounds of sand have dotted the normally-grassy field as crews have prepped the lot at the heart of campus for re-surfacing. According to LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard, soil and fiber re-enforced sand that was removed during a resurfacing project for two of LSU's practice football fields has been transported to the Parade Ground and will be used to make the area more durable. Ballard said LSU athletics donated the sand, soil and turf for the project, and labor is being covered by LSU Facility Services. |
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