The Daily Mississippian March 30, 2023

2023 election results: one disqualified, forcing vice presidential race into run-off

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On the steps of the Lyceum on Tuesday night, March 28, the Associated Student Body announced the new executive members for the 20232024 year: Sara Austin Welch is president, Teal Salloum is treasurer, Ethan Robertson is secretary, Helen Philips is attorney general and Harrison Stewart is judicial chair.

On Wednesday morning, ASB announced that vice presidential candidate Kate Wall had been disqualified from the race. Neither of the remaining candidates, Hayden Pierce and Mason Greenwald, earned 50% of the vote, so they will compete in a runoff race Thursday, March 30.

ASB released an official statement saying Wall had

Grand jury indicts Herrington on capital murder charge

Sara Austin Welch celebrates her election as ASB President on March 28.

Timothy Herrington Jr. has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the Jimmie “Jay” Lee case. Herrington is a 22-year-old man from Grenada who graduated from UM in 2022.

Renita Woods and Eddie Woods move a box out of Kathy Barlow’s living room. The Barlows’ home was destroyed by the EF-4 tornado that hit Rolling Fork on the night of March 24.

KHARLEY REDMON / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

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violated Title V, Section 121 of the ASB code which reads, “Any attempt by a candidate, campaign representative, or organization to coerce, bribe, incentivize, intimidate, or force a person to vote or campaign in any form, shall result in the candidate’s immediate disqualification.”

Wall was disqualified in a 5-0 vote of the judicial council, according to the statement. When asked for the minutes of the hearing, current Attorney General Maddy Ryan did not respond before the time of publication.

In response to request for comment by The Daily Mississippian, Wall said she did not expect to be disqualified. Wall said that she sent a message to her Pi Beta Phi sorority sisters Tuesday through the Band app that read “Hey, make sure (to get) a screenshot of you voting for a sisterhood point… we did this last year!!!”

She said she began to question the message immediately and consulted a fellow candidate before deleting the message less than two minutes after she sent it. According to Wall, a fellow sorority sister took a screenshot and sent it to the Election Review Board. Wall then received an email summons.

Wall said upon arrival at the meeting, she was told she had been charged with violation of Title V section 121 C. She claimed she prepared an appeals case in the following two hours.

“I was treated like a criminal by the very people with whom I have duly and happily served for the last two years,” Wall said.

Wall said she “emphatically denies any attempt to bribe and coerce (her) sorority sisters”.

She called for a revision to Title V so future candidates can have more clear rules.

Welch, junior public policy leadership major and the newly elected president, re -

ceived 71.3% of the votes.

“I have so much respect for the former executive that I’ve looked up to for many years. I’m so excited to sit down with them and see what their years have looked like as well as our advisor and kind of get a game plan for what our team is going to look like,” Welch said.

With this new position, Welch talked about the many things she wishes to achieve including working on food transparency and parking issues around the campus.

In a close race for the position of treasurer, accounting major Salloum, who won with 54.45% of the votes, shared the enthusiasm to work with peers and staff.

“I’m just excited to be able to work with everybody and figure out what we’re gonna be able to accomplish next year,” Salloum said.

Newly elected secretary and sophomore political science major Robertson, who secured his spot with 97.57% of the votes in an uncontested race, also shared an eagerness to get started.

Robertson plans to branch out in social media and connect with those who might be interested in helping him reach his goals.

“I definitely think the first step within office is going to be making a team that’s going to help define the steps I take. If you follow me on Instagram, I released my platform, and there’s really five big pillars I wanted to hit on, and I think the first step to do is getting and finding those people that are going to help me reach those steps. Especially in the social media world and the website world and finding people who are really fit to handle those things,” Robertson said.

Freshman public policy leadership major Philips won the attorney general position with 98.1% of the votes in an uncontested race. Philips wants to converse with others in attempts to get a student based opinion of both the campus and ASB.

“(I will) start talking to people, seeing what you

know, what the students want to see. I know the attorney general has a lot of internal work, but just seeing how we can improve the structure and the outline of ASB from the inside out,” Philips said.

Newly elected judicial chair and junior public policy leadership major Stew -

art said he is grateful for his campaign team and praised his opponent, Cross Del Tatto, for his campaign. The race was close, with Stewart winning 56.34% of the vote.

“In the next week or two I look forward to meeting the current chair, Preston Antes, and working through

the transition process with him to make it go as smoothly as possible,” Stewart said. In total, 2,136 students participated in this year’s ASB elections by voting. Winning candidates will officially take office and begin as the new ASB representatives in the 2023-2024 school year.

“

I was treated like a criminal by the very people with whom I have duly and happily served for the last two years, ”

-Kate Wall

Byron Swetman wraps Helen Philip’s campaign poster around his shoulders during the ASB election result announcements on March 28.

ASB resolution to condemn HB 1125 fails in private ballot

During the final formal senate of the academic year, the Associated Student Body failed to pass Senate Resolution 23-6, which proposed that ASB publicly condemn a new state law banning gender-affirming care for transgender people under the age of 18.

The vote was done by roll call on Tuesday, March 21, with the names of the senators kept off the record. Only the final vote count was made public.

Known as the Regulate Experimental Adolescent Procedures (REAP) Act, HB 1125 was approved by the Mississippi Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Tate Reeves on Feb. 28.

ASB Sen. Caleb Ball, chair of inclusion and cross-cultural engagement, was one of the authors of SR 23-6. Ball said HB 1125 bill singles out transgender youth in Mississippi.

“This bill isn’t about protecting kids,” Ball said. “It’s about singling out, bullying and discriminating against the LGBTQIA+ community.”

A lengthy debate followed Ball’s introduction. Some senators expressed concerns that the bill was too political for ASB to address. ASB has taken stances on highly politicized bills before, including HB 2113, the controversial anti-critical race theory legislation.

“It just seems like a slippery slope, especially in such a charged political climate for us to either have to condemn or affirm an action that the governor or the state legislature passes,” Sen. Colton Jones said.

Other senators expressed their agreement on the content of HB 1125.

During the period of debate, Sen. Helen Phillips motioned for a private bal-

lot so how the senators voted would not be recorded.

The ASB Code states the body can withhold the recording of a vote only if the results “may lead to targeting, threats, or injury” or “additional special circumstances outside the control of the Senate may require the vote be withheld from the record.”

In the first vote, the number of “abstain” votes outweighed the “yes” and “no” votes combined, causing the senators to go into a re-vote.

In the final vote, the resolution failed 13-15-1.

Out of the five executive office candidates present, four voted to have a private ballot: Kate Wall, Mason Greenwald, Lorne Turner and Helen Phillips. Ethan Robertson was the only executive

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office candidate to vote no.

When asked why they felt the need for a private ballot, Wall and Greenwald declined to comment. Turner and Phillips did not provide any comment before the time of publication.

Robertson, one of the authors of the resolution, said that many senators may have been afraid to speak during the debate since election season just started.

“Because this bill was ‘political’ people were scared to let their answer be known, especially with an election on the line,” Robertson said.

Robertson said he is still cordial with the senators that voted no to the resolution but is shocked at who voted yes to a private ballot.

“If the U.S. government

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voted on a bill and decided to not post the results of who was for or against it, we would not hear the end of it. But for our student government, it’s okay?” Robertson said. “We are senators for a reason. We represent our academic schools or registered student organizations. We are voted on by the people, yet we want to hide our vote from our constituents.”

Ball told The Daily Mississippian he was disappointed by the results as he represents the UM Pride Network and had to tell the members the resolution had failed.

“ASB wasn’t there for them when the queer community needed them. That was hard for me because I felt I let them down,” Ball said. “I think that members in ASB aren’t sup-

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portive of the trans community and I guess that’s why it failed. I can’t even tell you who voted against it. That’s the part that really upsets me.”

During senatorial comments at the end of senate, Ball stood up and expressed his disappointment with the offthe-record voting. Like Robertson, he emphasized that he wasn’t concerned on how the senators voted but that they were not transparent.

“If you don’t have the backbone to stand up and let everyone know how you voted, then I can’t respect that,” Ball said. “If you want the student body here to take us seriously, then we have to be transparent.”

Emily O’Reilly contributed reporting.

ASB Sen. Caleb Ball addresses his fellow senators at the end of a meeting on March 21. Ball expressed his frustration that some senators had wanted to vote by secret ballot on SR 23-6.

HG BIGGS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

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Sheldon Timothy Herrington Jr. has been indicted by a grand jury on the charge of capital murder for his involvement in the death of Ole Miss student Jimmy “Jay” Lee, who went missing on July 8, 2022. The indictment comes after months of silence from local law enforcement officials about the status of the case against Herrington.

If Herrington stands trial and is found guilty, he faces the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

A special grand jury heard the case against Herrington in Oxford on Monday. A special grand jury differs from a regular grand jury chiefly because the jurors hear one case as opposed to multiple, which is typical for a regular grand jury term.

On Tuesday, the Lafayette County Grand Jury returned a true bill, indicating that the jurors found that there was sufficient evidence to charge Herrington with capital murder.

“The grand jurors of the state of Mississippi … present that Sheldon Timothy Herrington Jr. … on or about July 8 and within the jurisdiction of this Court did unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously, without authority of law, kill and murder Jimmy Dale “Jay” Lee III,” reads the jury’s indictment of Herrington.

Specifically, the grand jury found Herrington to have violated section 97-3-19(2)(e) of

the Mississippi Code, or murder during the commission of a felony. The grand jury is accusing Herrington of murdering Lee while he was engaged in the act of kidnapping.

Currently, it remains unclear what, if any, new information was presented by prosecutors during the grand jury hearing.

At Herrington’s bond hearing in August 2022, then-prosecutor for the case

Assistant District Attorney Tiffany Kilpatrick and a rep -

resentative for the Oxford Police Department, Detective Ryan Baker evidence that linked Herrington to Lee, including messages that revealed the pair shared a sexual relationship, video footage of Herrington dumping Lee’s car at an Oxford apartment complex and results from a cadaver dog search indicating that human remains had been present in Herrington’s apartment.

The most damning evidence was that Herrington

Google searched, “How long does it take to strangle someone like Gabby Petito,” in the minutes before Lee arrived at his apartment at Herrington’s request. The last time Lee was seen was when he left his apartment to go to Herrington’s apartment in the early hours of July 8.

The OPD released a statement on Wednesday stating that Herrington was served by the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department and that his trial date will be set at a later date.

“Our thoughts and prayers are constantly with the Lee family, and we thank them for their constant support,” the department said. The department also emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing: Those with information should contact OPD at 662-2322400 or CrimeStoppers at 662-234-8477. Lee’s remains have yet to be recovered.

Timothy Herrington is escorted out of the Lafayette County Courthouse by county officers after his appearance on July 27, 2022.

VIOLET JIRA / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

Step Up!

Despite a delay due to Friday’s inclement weather, the step show hosted by the University of Mississippi’s National PanHellenic Council fraternities and sororities brought energy and excitement to the Pavilion. The Lamba Sigma chapter of Delta Sigma Theta was declared the victor.

Members of Delta Sigma Theta celebrate after being declared the winners of NPHC’s 2023 step show on March 24.

Members of Delta Sigma Theta’s step team perform in a “Bring It On” themed routine at the NPHC’s 2023 step show on March 24. .

Omega Psi Phi members performed wearing gold boots with purple laces.

A member of Omega Psi Phi performs at the NPHC step show on March 24 .

Survivng an EF-4 Tornado: ‘A disaster like this, you’ve just gotta pray.’

On Friday March 24 an EF-4 tornado hit Rolling Fork, Miss., devastating most of the Mississippi Delta town. Although all residents of Rolling Fork were affected by the same tornado, they all lived unique experiences and continue to do so in their recovery. To give some semblance of a bigger picture, The Daily Mississippian sought to tell a few of the residents’ stories. The print edition is photos only, and the full story can be read at thedmonline.com

Kathy Barlow picks up personal items in the ruined living room of her home in Rolling Fork, Miss., on March 25. The Barlows’ home was destroyed by the EF-4 tornado that hit the town on the night of March 24.

KHARLEY REDMON / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

A semi-truck was lifted from the road by the tornado that hit Rolling Fork, Miss., on March 24. The truck landed on a house on Seventh Street, killing Lonnie “L.A.” Pierce and Melissa Pierce.

HAL FOX / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

Ruthie Arnold and Barbara Leach sort through donations dropped off at a building set up to aid tornado victims in Rolling Fork, Miss., on March 25.

KHARLEY REDMON / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

A sign welcoming drivers to Rolling Fork, Miss., lies crushed beneath a fallen tree.

VIOLET JIRA / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

My mom said, ‘Do you hear that? Take cover.’ We all got in the hallway, and Lord we just hear it, all of it: we can hear the shattering glass going through the house, debris all in your mouth and hair, everywhere. Lord Jesus. We just thank God that he spared us.

-Jeanette Dorsey

piece of sheet metal was wrapped around a tree.

A man looks at his phone while standing in front of leveled buildings in Rolling Fork, Miss., on March 25.

A mangled car was thrown atop a pile of twisted metal and wood.

AARON BARROW thedmfeatures@gmail.com

In 1993, the University of Mississippi’s Center for the Study of Southern Culture partnered with Square Books in an effort to bring attention to the accomplishments of writers within the community.

The Oxford Conference for the Book has been a fruitful and ever expanding staple of the city’s literary community ever since.

The conference, while certainly a celebration of powerful stories, does not limit itself to writers. Editors, professors, scholars and other job titles are acknowledged throughout the three-day celebration of literature. Among those participating are Ace Atkins, Nic Brown, Anjali Enjeti, Jonathan Escoffery, Ralph Eubanks, Julian Herbert, James Hoch, Beverly Lowry, Deesha Philyaw, Charlie Parr and Michael X. Wang.

Conference director James G. Thomas emphasized the level of inclusivity within the event, allowing for all great art to be recognized.

“It’s great to know someone on the page and then to meet them in person,” Thomas said. “Knowing these people is the real reward.”

Thomas has served as the conference director since 2015 and served as an employee at Square Books in 1993 during the event’s conception.

Aside from serving as the head of the organization, Thomas is also the University of Mississippi’s associate director for publications within the Center for the Study of Southern Culture. His work as an editor and writing professor lends itself to the themes lying at the core of this annual event.

Thomas made sure to highlight the potential impact that the conference could have on the community, specifically students. He insists that having experiences like this with a vast array of fellow artists is an incredible opportunity for

A special look at the 29th Oxford Conference for the Book

growth as a creative individual.

With this in mind, the organizers try to accommodate younger attendees by scheduling appropriately around the school week.

“Introducing these opportunities to students outside of the classroom is important,” Thomas said. “You become one with the community.”

The program officially began with an Authors’ Party on Wednesday, March 29, welcoming the dozens of authors being celebrated this year.

Thursday and Friday will be filled with opportunities to experience excellent writing firsthand.

On Thursday March 30, the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics will host a conversation about “Redefining Approaches to Cultural Tourism,” as well as one regarding “Family, Migration and Home.”

The Southside Gallery will also hold several events, including another reception at 7 p.m.

The highly revered Thacker Mountain Radio team will host a book signing event for all of Thursday’s authors. This will be held at 6 p.m. at The Graduate.

Friday, March 31, will bring another lunch with Mahogany

L. Browne at the Oxford Public Library at 12 p.m. This will follow two morning events at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.

Attendees will also be given an opportunity to explore the Lafayette County Courthouse thanks to two events being held there at 1:30 and 2:45 p.m.

On Friday, the massive event will draw to a close with a celebratory reception and book signing at 5:15 p.m. held at OffSquare Books. This book signing, much like the first, will grant attendees the opportunity to have their books signed by the authors from Friday’s events.

To close things out in style, Ajax Diner will host a handful of writers for readings at 9 p.m. These writers will be accompanied by a musical performance courtesy of Teardrop City.

Of all the things to be said about Oxford, a lack of diversity within the arts is certainly not one of them.

Oxford Conference for the Book is more than exemplary of this fact, and has remained at the forefront of

Oxford’s artistic and cultural mission for almost 30 years.

This year’s event is fairly spread out around the city to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to experience and to learn in whatever way they see fit.

“It’s good to express our-

selves in different ways,” Thomas said. “All of it comes together at an event like the Oxford Conference for the Book.” For more information on Oxford Conference for the Book and the full 2023 schedule, visit their website.

The 29th annual Oxford Conference for the Book welcomes dozens of talented writers and creators to Oxford from March 29-31.

POSTER COURTESY: JAMES G THOMAS

From Japan to Mississippi: Anime expands

Anime — a style of Japanese film and television animation — is rapidly growing in popularity at the University of Mississippi, thanks to the UM Anime Club.

In October 2022, the UM Anime Club was created for students on campus who want to express and discuss their mutual love of anime and different mangas.

Sarah Perez, a sophomore business student, is the founder and president of the Anime Club.

“If I cannot find a group where I belong, I will make my own,” Perez said.

The club’s growth started off slow, with only three members consistently attending meetings.

“Finding members was the hardest,” Perez said. “But then a friend directed me toward a Discord (server) that had anime lovers like myself.”

Since the start of the 2023 spring semester, the membership list has increased to 30.

The club holds meetings every Wednesday at 5 p.m. and Friday at 4 p.m. to discuss their favorite anime and characters. They also occasionally meet on Sundays for watch parties.

“Anime has helped me through rough times,” Perez said. “I want us to be able to do group events and spread anime across the campus.”

Anime has become popular worldwide, especially in the United States and has over 40 genres and subgenres. Those genres include: shoujo (romantic), shounen (action), comedy and fantasy.

Manga, a style of Japanese comic book and graphic novel, goes hand in hand with anime, with many anime sources adapted from works of manga.

Some of the more popular current anime, deriving from manga, include “Attack on Titan,” “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba” and “My Hero Academia.”

Madeleine Dotson, a junior economics and political science major, spent a month in Kyoto, Japan, attending a class about manga and anime. During her time in Kyoto, Dotson experienced the influence that anime possesses in Japan.

“Everything had an animated character,” Dotson said. “Anime is a big part of their media and is a part of their culture.”

Dotson also gained insights into the creation of these artforms.

“I studied more about environmental anime and manga, but I also learned about the production process,” Dotson said.

“The production style between the editor and the artist for the manga is an intense process.”

This fervent passion for anime expands even beyond the UM Anime Club, affecting the state of Mississippi as a whole.

Jay Branch, a native from

Goodman, Mississippi. and owner of VXV Events, hosts events like the Mississippi Anime Fest despite having people doubt the success.

“A long time ago, people were like, ‘You’re never going to get someone (voice actors) this big to come.’ I enjoy bringing people to the South, and especially to Mississippi, to let them experience where I’m from,” Branch said.

They overcame that doubt

‘Dungeons & Dragons’ gets the big screen treatment

of and behind the lens.

Rochelle from Detroit said.

with voice actors like Eric Stuart, Grey Delisle and Charles Martinet (the voice of Mario), who headlined the Mississippi Anime Fest on March 11 and 12 in Jackson.

The first year of the fest drew approximately 1,500 people. That number more than doubled in 2023 to 5,000 people.

Taylor Bridges, a professional cosplayer from Yazoo, Mississippi, was ecstatic but also surprised at the

number of anime fans in the state.

“The anime scene is alot bigger than you’d expect,” Bridges said. “When I first started I thought there would be a small crowd, but then at my first convention I was like ‘wow.’”

There’s no doubt that anime draws a big crowd in Mississippi, and organizations like the UM Anime Club are only the tip of the iceberg in spreading this long-gestating passion.

“Who needs heroes when you have thieves?” says the tagline for Paramount Pictures’ latest attempt at re-tooling the fantasy genre “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” opening in movie theaters this week.

One could just as feasibly ask, “Who needs this movie?” especially following the failure of the 2000 film, simply titled “Dungeons & Dragons,” which lazily used the tagline, “This is no game.”

Yet the filmmaking team behind “Honor Among Thieves” quickly answers that need-based question, delivering a solid, four-quadrant romp that is sure to please both the hardcore stans and casual fans of the property.

While my exposure to the famous board game is limited to appearances in “Stranger Things” at best, I found myself quickly wrapped up in the giddy charm of its fantastical, fast-moving world.

A giddy charm that is equally felt in front

Chris Pine remains one of our greatest leading men and brightest cinematic stars, serving as a sturdy set of shoulders, so-to-speak, on which the sprawling narrative rests.

He stands at the head of a colorful ensemble, from the likes of the oft-reliable Michelle Rodriguez to the devilish Hugh Grant, to a surprise cameo I will not spoil. Every actor fully commits with wonderful comic performances across the board (no pun intended).

The rapid-fire comedy largely lands throughout, with many highlights coming from the clashing dynamics between the lively humor of Pine and the deadly seriousness of Regé-Jean Page’s Xenk Yendar, a Paladin knight who fails to understand the ragtag group’s consistent sarcasm.

At the film’s world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, this dynamic prompted an audience member to ask the directors an important question.

“What was the decision to cast such gorgeous men?”

The directing duo, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Francis Goldstein, were happy to answer, and were equally enthusiastic to share their film with an audience, a love-letter to both the game and to swashbuckling adventure films of the past.

Daley and Goldstein synthesize their past work — the screenplay for “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and their 2018 directorial effort, “Game Night” — in a delightful, crowd-pleasing concoction, complete with some of the more inventive action sequences of recent blockbuster memory.

The film may ultimately overstay its welcome at 134 minutes, but it is hard to deny the sheer exuberance bouncing off every frame.

The cast and crew’s passion for the source material rings true in one of 2023’s most pleasant cinematic surprises so far.

“Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” opens March 31 in theaters nationwide.

A drawing of Shoto Todoroki from “My Hero Academia,” one of the most popular modern anime.

GRAPHIC COURTESY: PIXABAY

’Below the Belt’ spotlights a modern health crisis

An advance screening of the PBS documentary “Below the Belt” was presented at the Gertrude C. Ford Center on Tuesday, March 28 by the Oxford Film Festival in partnership with Alfred P. Sloane’s Foundation’s “Science on Screen” program. A panel discussion about the documentary followed.

The film tracks the challenging effects of endometriosis and the continual fight for awareness on both a micro and macro level.

Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, causing severe pain in the pelvis and making it more difficult for women to get pregnant. Many women find its effects beginning at their first menstrual period and sometimes lasting until menopause.

“I found it incredibly hard for someone, anyone to take me seriously and believe what I was saying about my own body was true,” a patient says at the beginning of the film.

A staggering statistic lies at the center of director and Oxford native Shannon Cohn’s documentary. While endometriosis affects a similar number of women to that of diabetes (approximately 1 in 10 women of reproductive age), its U.S. government research funds sit only at approximately $26 million, as compared to the $1.2 billion spent on diabetes research, as reported by the National Institutes of Health.

The 50-minute film not only examines these discrepancies and other misnomers surrounding the disease, but also aims to enact change through representation, highlighting four courageous women searching for answers to the disease’s mysterious symptoms.

The powerful testimonies throughout underscore the film’s central arguments, deftly illustrating the societal and gender taboos that are associated with both a specific disease like endometriosis and

the more general questions surrounding women’s health.

These issues serve as the launch pad for change, with many notable voices lending their wide-scale platforms to the ongoing fight for awareness.

“The goal with this film is to change both hearts and minds in ways that lead to progress in policy, research funding, educational and widespread awareness,” executive producer Hillary Rodham Clinton says in the film’s introduction.

“We need you to help us take action, to help end the suffering, to make this clear to everyone in the healthcare field how important this is to come together and treat this disease as early and fully as possible.”

Additionally, the movie highlights the political effects of combating endometriosis and how the issue has managed to successfully break party boundaries for the betterment of women’s health.

“We screened for members of Congress in early March

in a pivotal bi-partisan event co-hosted by Elizabeth Warren and Mitt Romney — something unheard of in Washington, D.C. these days,” Cohn said. “Because it’s not a political issue, it’s a human issue.”

Following the screening, Ole Miss Associate Professor of Journalism Cynthia Joyce hosted a panel discussion, which included Cohn, Ole Miss Women’s Basketball Head Coach Yolette McPhee-McCuin, OBGYN doctors Julie Harper and Erica Balthrop, Dr. Thomas Dobbs of the John D. Bower School of Population Health and Ole Miss graduate student Chesney Mardis.

The wide-ranging discussion focused on treatment nationwide and statewide — according to Balthrop, there are only four OBGYN offices throughout the entire Mississippi Delta — continually returning to what steps America needs to take in combating this widespread health crisis.

“We need to have health education so people are em -

Freedom Now! The Legacy of James Freedom Now! The Legacy of James Meredith's March Against Fear Meredith's March Against Fear

In honor of the 60th anniversary of James Meredith’s integration at the University of Mississippi, the UM Voting Engagement Ambassadors are proud to present a panel of experts on the historic Meredith March Against Fear On June 6, 1966, James Meredith began a one-man march against African American voter suppression that led to an attempt on his life and support in the thousands as a larger catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement was born. Join us to learn about this historical event and ongoing legacy today

Date: Tues, April 4, 2023

Time: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Location: 555 Grove Loop

Overby Center Auditorium, Room 147

Register now!

For accommodations, please contact umvotes@olemiss.edu

powered to advocate. It’s not perfect. I wish everyone could know immediately what to do. But self-advocacy and familial advocacy is a great first step. We need to be less afraid to educate people on women’s reproductive health,” Dobbs said.

“Below the Belt” is executive produced by former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, former Sen. Orrin Hatch and actress Rosario Dawson. The film will air on PBS this June. For more information on “Below the Belt,” visit the film’s website.

MEET OUR PANELISTS!

Dr. Leslie-Burl Mclemore Dr. Leslie-Burl Mclemore

Former Mayor of Jackson, MS; Author, "Freedom Summer: A Brief History with Documents"

Aram Goudsouzian Dr. Aram Goudsouzian University of Memphis Professor; Author, "Down to the Crossroads: Civil Rights, Black Power, and the Meredith March Against Fear"

W. Ralph Eubanks W. Ralph Eubanks

Faculty Fellow at UM's Center for the Study of Southern Culture; Author: "A Place Like Mississippi"

Dr.

(Left to Right) Ole Miss Women’s basketball head coach Yolette McPhee-McCuin, director Shannon Cohn and Dr. Thomas Dobbs speak on the panel following the screening of “Below the Belt.”

ASHTON SUMMERS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

We need to have health education so people are empowered to advocate... We need to be less afraid to educate people on women’s reproductive health.

-Dr. Thomas Dobbs

What is pickleball and why is it so popular?

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Pickleball is rapidly growing in popularity in Oxford and the rest of the United States.

From the Ole Miss campus to surrounding parks, there are many places and opportunities to play. The university held a doubles intramural pickleball tournament in February and the Oxford Pickleball Association, established in 2021, keeps track of games throughout the calendar year.

But what exactly is pickleball and why is it so popular?

Pickleball was first played in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington. It was created by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum, who were trying to entertain their kids with a new summer activity.

“The sport combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong,” according to the official USA Pickleball website.

It can be played either indoors or outdoors with a paddle and a plastic ball.

Hunter Thompson, an Ole Miss student, described his experience playing the sport.

“I think I’d known about pickleball for a while as a sport played by older people in country clubs,” the senior film produc-

tion major said. “When I played with some friends in my hometown over the Christmas break …

I was surprised by how easy of a game it was to learn and get into.”

Despite being around for almost 60 years, the sport skyrocketed in popularity approximately two years ago, thanks to the likes of many notable celebrities.

Athletic superstars Tom Brady and Lebron James both not only expressed interest in the sport, but went so far as to purchase respective pro pickleball teams in fall 2022.

These types of celebrity endorsements also led to the creation of a proper celebrity pickleball tournament on CBS, aptly titled “Pickled,” which features the likes of Stephen Colbert and Emma Watson.

The sport is typically enjoyed by people within the 55 or older demographic. However, younger generations have started to show interest in it, which could be attributed to its accessibility and low-skill requirement.

On Pickleball’s recent spike in popularity, Thompson said it’s somewhat “of a phenomenon.” He and his friends frequently compete against one another at Oxford’s Avent Park courts.

“It’s not uncommon to see flyers notifying the courts being reserved by church groups or

Greek organizations on campus to spend the day playing,” Thompson said. “You don’t need to invest a lot of time, skill or money to enjoy the game. You can buy a set of rackets and balls at Walmart for around $20 to start playing.”

Junior Cooper Caviness, also a film production major,

said that he discovered pickleball through word of mouth.

While he has only been playing for the past few weeks, he appreciates the sport’s sudden growth.

“The community is really chill and welcoming but has a nice competitive side that keeps the sport interesting to play,” Caviness said.

Recently, the Oxford Board of Aldermen agreed to consider a plan that would convert some of the tennis courts at Avent Park into Pickleball courts. For more information on where to play and how to get involved, you can visit the Oxford Pickleball Association website.

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Pickleball is a sport that is quickly growing in popularity in Oxford, along with the rest of the United States.

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Scouts from dozens of NFL teams came to Oxford this week to get a look at some of the Rebel prospects in this year’s draft. Mason Brooks (OL), Nick Broeker (OL), Jonathan Mingo (WR), Malik Heath (WR), Zach Evans (RB), Troy Brown (LB), AJ Finley (S), Otis Reese (S), KD Hill (DL) and Tavius Robinson (DL) all worked out in front of a sizable crowd.

Winners

Zach Evans Evans did pretty much the entire workout shirtless … and that was definitely on purpose. His frame looked the part of a modern NFL running back, and he moved like one as well. Official times have not yet been posted, but his 4.5u time on Wednesday would have been very competitive had he been able to perform at the NFL combine like planned. Evans looked great going through position drills and revealed that he has meetings set up with the Cowboys, Panthers and Jets. I personally saw him meet with a Saints scout as well.

KD Hill Hill is one of the more interesting prospects for Ole Miss this year. He is listed on the roster at 6’1, 310 pounds and has a chance to be a third-round pick in the draft. If he were a couple of inches taller, he would be a strong prospect. Hill looked very explosive going through his workout and drills, especially when firing out of his stance. During his threecone drill, Hill got a round of excited shouts and whoops as he went through the drills.

AJ Finley Finley could end up being a sneaky pick late in the draft. He tested well but really caught my eye going through positional drills. His backpedal was smooth, he showed the ability to flip his hip without losing a path and high-pointed the ball well. Lots of positives for him to pick on coming out of the morning.

Notable Staff Members

There was a very impressive spread and it would not be surprising to hear that every team was represented. Most staffs sent scouts, but there were a few coaches. Here are some of the important faces I noticed:

Willie Taggart, RB coach, Baltimore Ravens: One of

many teams presumably there with interest in Evans.

Greg Lewis, WR coach, Baltimore Ravens: Baltimore has a need at WR, and it looks like they’re interested in either Mingo, Heath or both.

Robert Prince, WR coach, Dallas Cowboys: Another face looking to evaluate Mingo and Heath.

Rob Moore, WR coach, Tennessee Titans: Another team that desperately needs help at pass catcher. Mingo could turn himself into a second-round pick.

Brad Kragthorpe, assistant WR coach, Cincinnati Bengals: Kragthorpe watched the WR drills but also stood directly behind Jaxson Dart when they ran full field routes. He seemed keen on evaluating the sophomore passer.

Ruston Webster, Falcons scout: Webster is included on this list because he formerly served as the GM of the Titans. He also graduated from Ole Miss.

Other Notes:

-Jaxson Dart was responsible for throwing to the WRs while they ran routes. He looked good

(just like every QB does against air), but he seems to be bigger physically than last season.

-A number of scouts seemed more interested in watching Dart throw than watching Mingo or Heath … though the WRs got a lot of attention themselves.

-A scout from the New York Giants singled out and talked to

Softball’s big fifth inning helps secure 6-0 victory over Memphis

Auburn team this weekend.

Right-handed pitcher

Brooks and Broeker. It’s worth noting that the Giants led the offensive line position drills.

-A Colts scout singled out and talked to Finley. Cowboys coaches led the DB position drills.

-A Seahawks scout singled out and talked to Brown.

-A Saints scout singled out and talked to Evans.

The Ole Miss softball team (20-14) defeated Memphis (5-27) 6-0 Tuesday, March, 28, on a night where the pitching and offense performed well for the Rebels.

After losing the previous weekend’s series against No. 10 LSU, it was important for Ole Miss to win this game to generate some momentum before they face a stingy

Getting the start on the mound for the Rebels was righthander Makenna Kliethermes, and she pitched an absolute gem against Memphis.

The transfer from Oregon pitched five shutout innings, allowed just three hits, two walks and had four strikeouts.

Kliethermes has been solid all season for the Rebels. This season, she has a 4-3 record with a 2.29 ERA and 43 strikeouts. Opposing batters are hitting just .184 against her this year.

Brooke Vestal took over in the sixth inning and finished the game for Ole Miss. Vestal looked great as well, pitching in two hitless innings while collecting a couple of strikeouts.

The Rebels scored their first runs of the game during the second inning. With runners on second and third base with no outs, second baseman Keila Kamoku hit an RBI-sac fly to give Ole Miss a 1-0 lead. Then during the next at-bat, first baseman Paige Smith hit an RBI-dou-

ble to give the Rebels another run and an early 2-0 lead.

Heading into the fifth inning, the Rebels still kept their 2-0 lead. But that didn’t hold for long as designated player Mya Stevenson hit a two-run home run over the left field wall to give Ole Miss 4-0 lead. That was Stevenson’s team-leading 10th home run of the season.

Still in the fifth inning, catcher Jamie Mckay hit a tworun single to extend the Rebels’ lead to 6-0 and eventually secure the victory over Memphis.

Although the offense did play well, they could’ve easily put more runs on the board if they capitalized with runners on base. The Rebels left nine runners on base during the game. Nonetheless, it was a much-needed victory for the Rebels and they hope to carry this success into this weekend.

Ole Miss goes on the road to Auburn for a threegame weekend series. Game

1 is on Friday, March 31, at 6 p.m. CDT on SEC Network+.

Otis Reese runs cone drills during Pro Day at the University of Mississippi on March 28.

North Texas defensive back Deshawn Gaddie celebrates after making a defensive play during a game against University of Alabama-Birmingham on Nov. 12, 2022.

Weaknesses:

“Checking the Tape” is a weekly series that highlights the Ole Miss football team’s offseason acquisitions. Whether it’s coaches, transfers or recruits, sports writer Owen Pustell goes in-depth and analyzes each individual. This week, Pustell takes a look at transfer defensive back Deshawn Gaddie.

Height/Weight/Position: 6’1/188/CB

2022 Stats: 62 Tackles, 13 pass breakups, first team all-conference USA (per Pro Football Focus)

Strengths:

The first thing you notice about Gaddie is his fluidity. He is able to change directions well, brake downhill on in-breaking routes and react in zone coverage.

At North Texas, he played almost exclusively off-coverage, so his length was never fully put to the test in press, but the potential is clearly there. Pairing his hips with his height and (unverified) length is are and gives him the prototype to be a very good cover corner in the SEC next season. Assuming the Ole Miss staff can hammer out some minor flaws, Gaddie should transition well.

Gaddie is very fluid in coverage but has a bad habit of stopping his feet at the collision point when receivers are running past him. Gaddie usually likes to give a two-handed shove to disrupt the route, but that sometimes leaves him behind the WR if they happen to run a goroute. This is a pretty minor technical thing that was likely a result of North Texas coaching. I would not look too far into this next season.

Tackling is not a strong point for Gaddie. I would not label him as scared of contact by any means, but he had some issues wrapping up and taking good angels.

There are times he gets caught behind the line of pursuit and is put into compromising situations. There are other instances where Gaddie makes good contact but fails to really drive the ball carrier back.

There are legitimate concerns about Gaddie being able to make tackles on SEC running backs, but he will certainly not hesitate to get involved.

The most glaring issue with Gaddie stat-wise is a lack of interceptions. Gaddie has recorded just two career interceptions and both came in 2020. This does not necessarily mean that he struggles with ball production. In fact, Gaddie recorded 12 pass breakups last season alone and often finds himself disrupting passes. In foot-

SUDOKU©

Puzzles by KrazyDad

ball, stats are able to tell some of the story, but the true measure of talent lies only on tape. The other issue that keeps popping up with transfers is talent level change. Yes, Gaddie played at North Texas. No, that does not mean he will drown in the SEC. Plenty of lower-level transfers have success at big schools. Trust the evaluations and skill set you see on film.

2023 Projections:

With Davison Igbinosun and Myles Battle both leaving in the portal, there was a void at cornerback. The staff reacted accordingly and brought in a trio of intriguing experienced starters to compete with Deantre Prince for a starting spot on the outside.

Gaddie is the first of the transfers I have reviewed, but he shows legitimate upside with his hips and ability to disrupt passes. It’s too early to pencil in starters, but if Gaddie can clean up some of his issues, his raw traits could make him a starter.

Fun Fact:

In 2021, Gaddie played both cornerback and safety for the Mean Green. Additionally, Gaddie faced off against fellow Ole Miss commit Tre Harris in 2022.

NOW HIRING DRIVERS

49- Group within a group; 53- Goes back on; 57- Concerning; 58- Boredom; 60- Back; 61- Hebrew month; 62- Checking out; 63- Quechua speaker;

64- Pop’s partner;

65- Literary collection: Abbr.;

66- Contented sighs; DOWN

1- Withered;

2- Garden spot;

3- Mild oath;

4- Conifer native to California;

5- Entreaty;

6- Cow catcher;

HOW TO PLAY

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 with no repeats.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL

INTERMEDIATE

to God);

___ never work!;

Gorge;

Reduces speed;

Concentrated extracts;

Evening party; 47- Beverage commonly drunk in England;

Dollop;

7- Exclamation of disgust;

8- Bump into; 9- Wine choice; 10- Lubricates;

31-

32-

34-

37-

48-

Mailed communique;

Before long;

Republic in W Africa;

Marshal at Waterloo;

Sled;

Stoker; 52- “Orinoco Flow” singer; 54- Actress Rowlands; 55- Individually; 56- Ladies of Sp.; 59- Diarist Anais; 57- Lyric poem; 58- Hanoi holiday;

30- English royal house; 59- “SNL” alum Gasteyer; 60- D-Day craft; Crossword puzzle provided by BestCrosswords.com (www.bestcrosswords.com). Used with permission.

PUSTELL

OWEN

March Madness is money mayhem for unlikely teams

Every year, sports fans around the country celebrate one of the most thrilling tournaments in sports — March Madness. The tournament offers huge benefits for all involved, even the unlikely.

March Madness and its single-elimination, neutral site structure create wildly unpredictable match-ups. People of all ages draw up their brackets and hope they can become one of the very few (if any) to create a perfect

bracket predicting the tournament’s champion. With 68 teams to research, 67 games to consider, and nuances like injuries, depth, grit and individual player stakes coming into play, predicting anything right is a challenge.

I, for one, had my bracket absolutely destroyed within the first round of March Madness this year. Upsets, when an unfavorably seeded team beats a highly regarded opponent, have been rampant.

ACC champion Virginia was bounced by Furman University, a school most couldn’t point out on a map. Princeton is showing out for the Ivy League by defeating

Zach Edey, fell to Fairleigh Dickinson University, a school that only seeded in the tournament due to an NCAA technicality prohibiting conference champion Merrimack from competing.

My favorite thing about March Madness is not the super-teams that have dominated college basketball for decades. These programs are very enjoyable to watch, and I give them credit for the discipline and skill it takes to become a consistent basketball team; however, the story of David and Goliath comes to mind when I watch schools like Fairleigh Dickinson take down Purdue.

The buzzer beaters, upsets and busted brackets are the best parts of the viewing experience, but the financial and perception boosts that these small schools gain is just as important.

March Madness is the NCAA’s largest source of revenue, and for good cause. Schools can show the country that dollar signs are not the only way to win in the NCAA. The NCAA basketball tournament is such a large source of money that some schools in small divisions can earn their division millions of dollars just from a tournament win.

In fact, tournament appearances alone warrant payouts. A singular appearance guarantees six years of payouts from the “basketball performance fund,” a pool of money that is paid out to the conferences of tournament teams. Last year, the award was approximately $330,000. While this might be chump change to conferences and teams like the ACC and Duke who expect tournament berths, it is program-altering for teams like Oral Roberts or FDU.

Opinion Policies:

The spotlight put on schoolster of Steph Curry, helps smallingly Davidson’s attendance rose after Curry’s March Madness winning streak placed the small school in the Elite Eight. Small schools getting recognition on a national stage is good branding not just for the school, but also for the NCAA. Over the years, the NCAA has not always proven to be the fairest organization, but this tournament brings much more reward than other sports playoff series because of the massive return smaller schools consistently obtain.

With all of the benefits mentioned about March Madness, it’s important to emphasize the success of the Ole Miss Women’s basketball team. After defeating first-seed Stanford in a mind-blowing upset, Ole Miss’s Women’s team advanced to the Sweet 16. This win, hopefully, is enough to spark a new era of dominance for the Lady Rebs.

The Lady Rebs had an overall record of 25-8 this season and did major damage during their tournament run.

This is the furthest Ole Miss has advanced in the tournament since 2007. Undoubtedly, a monumental upset like this will play a major hand in visibility, recruitment and program development. It’s important to distinguish that the women’s tournament does not have the same financial implications due to contract differences. Moments like this don’t just come and go for programs; they become legendary milestones that inspire teams down the road. The success of the Ole Miss Women’s basketball team is yet another reason I love rooting for this school.

Justice Rose is the opinion editor from Madison, Miss.

Columns do not represent the views of The University of Mississippi or The Daily Mississippian. The Daily Mississippian welcomes letters to the editor, which should be emailed to thedmopinion@gmail.com. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. They may be edited for clarity, brevity and libel. Third-party letters and those with pseudonyms or no name will not be published. Letters are limited to one per individual per month. Letters should include contact information, including relationship to the university, if applicable.

JUSTICE ROSE

LIBBY FLANAGAN / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN