CARL SMITH

Starkville Police Chief David Lindley confirmed one person was injured in a shooting at Camelot Apartments Monday night.

Details were scarce at press time as officers conducted their investigation, but Lindley said an adult male was shot in the chest.
SPD did not release the name of the victim.

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JACK ELLIOTT JR.
Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi enacted a law outlawing “phone spoofing” in 2010. Other states and Congress have since enacted similar laws.

Backers of the laws say caller ID “spoofing” is a growing threat to people because of new technology making it cheap and easy to change the name and number that phone call recipients see on caller ID.

The capability of “spoofing” caller identification numbers has existed for some time and, in fact, is marketed by several entities over the Internet. It’s been used to mask prank phone calls and, more maliciously, to obscure the identity of phoned threats and harassment.

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STEVEN NALLEY

The Starkville School District will begin its Project ASSETS summer classes Monday, offering free evening classes in subjects including photography, dance, cooking, art, engineering and math.

Joan Butler, director of SSD’s Family Centered Programs, said the program uses a grant from 21st Century Community Learning Centers, a division of the Mississippi Department of Education. The program is in the last year of its five-year grant, she said, which also pays for after-school programs during the school year.

Read complete article at the Starkville Daily News.

CARL SMITH

The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the vacated county lake lease 6 p.m. Monday at the courthouse.

During the supervisors’ last meeting, board President Marvell Howard said members of the public concerned about the lake’s future should have an opportunity to voice their opinion to area leaders.

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks officials vacated the organization’s lakeside facilities in April after the group declined to renew its 407-acre lease of the county lake area once the land reappraised for approximately $100 per acre. The previous 25-year lease mandated a $2,500-minimum payment to the county school board. Currently, the entire 642-acre 16th section is open for lease proposals. County school board officials have yet to set a deadline for proposals.

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MICHAEL WARDLAW

The Bulldog showdown opens the Tallahassee Regional this morning as the red-hot Mississippi State Bulldogs face the Samford Bulldogs at Florida State’s Dick Howser Stadium.

Mississippi State (39-22) enters its 32nd NCAA postseason tournament as the No. 2 seed facing the No. 3 seed Samford University (39-21) with the first pitch slated for 11 a.m.

Playing six games in six days, the MSU Bulldogs went 5-1 in the Southeastern Conference Baseball Tournament last week to complete a second half run of 18-6, winning the conference title with a 3-0 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Read complete article at the Starkville Daily News.

NATHAN GREGORY

The Starkville Board of Aldermen will pick up where it left off in its January retreat and revisit capital improvement projects during a work session today.

During the winter planning session, the board met with Demery Grubbs of Government Consultants and made a master list of projects and purchases that would be considered capital expenditures. Grubbs will rejoin the board for its discussion today. The meeting will help the board better plan and prioritize capital improvement projects, Ward 2 Alderman Sandra Sistrunk said.

“In the budget we have traditionally used equipment, streets, drainage, debt service (including lease purchases), and such as subcategories of capital expenses. The capital improvement program would be used as a guide in developing a multi-year spending plan but is independent from the budget,” Sistrunk said. “During the planning session we made a master list of projects and purchases that would be considered capital expenditures. That list was supplemented with existing information, such as the street improvement list and the drainage improvement list. Each alderman then prioritized that master list. Grubbs … has compiled the information each of the aldermen provided. I expect we will talk about that and about funding.”

Sistrunk said the list includes items the city will be able to fund as well as items the city would like to be able to fund in the near future.

“A capital improvements program helps us to focus and plan for those projects and to take a longer view of how we allocate our resources,” she said. “The end result should be a dynamic document that will change over time to reflect more current needs and funding capabilities.”

Read complete article at the Starkville Daily News.

MATT CRANE

The Greater Starkville Development Partnership Military Affairs Committee held its annual Memorial Day ceremony Monday in front of the Oktibbeha County courthouse.

Commander Robert Green of the United States Navy is co-chair of the Military Affairs Committee and welcomed special guests Mayor Parker Wiseman, Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors President Marvel Howard, former Lt. Gov. and Mississippi State University vice president Amy Tuck and keynote speaker Col. Matthew C. Isler of the United States Air Force.

Chaplain Bruce Latimer began the ceremony with an invocation followed by the presentation of colors by local Boy Scouts Troop 14.

After a rendition of the National Anthem by Lauren Hughes, Wiseman spoke about the mixed emotions he feels on the holiday.

“Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer and the sense of joy and freedom,” Wiseman said. “We must remember the heroic and brave sacrifices of the men and women of this country.”

He said the sacrifices made by the men and women of the armed services are the bravest acts he knows. Wiseman stressed the responsibility each community has as the home town of fallen heroes.

“We have a responsibility to ensure that sacrifice is never forgotten,” he said. “We must ensure that a hero from Starkville never dies in vain.”

Howard recognized the collective homage the nation pays to its heroes on Memorial Day.

“We do our best to show our sincere appreciation and gratitude,” Howard said, “but even then we would only scratch the surface of the debt we owe.”

Howard thanked the men and women of the armed forces for their service and dedication.

“Most of all, however, we thank you for your freedom,” he said.

Tuck said she was humbled by the invitation to participate in the day’s event and proud to add MSU’s voice to the tribute of our soldiers.

“We will always be thankful for your service and sacrifice,” Tuck said. “It is because of them we have unprecedented opportunities.”

Tuck said the university was committed to military families citing its Center for American Veterans.

“As we look to the days ahead, we know still that others will be touched by war,” she said. “No words are sufficient to describe our national sense of resolve or collective feeling of thanks.”

Read complete article at the Starkville Daily News.

DANNY P. SMITH

One of the hottest college baseball teams in the country is headed to the warmth of the Sunshine State.

The Mississippi State Bulldogs, under fourth-year head coach John Cohen, will participate in the Tallahassee (Fla.) Regional, which will be hosted by the No. 3 nationally-seeded Florida State Seminoles.

“We’re excited to be playing in a great atmosphere like Florida State,” Cohen said. “Mississippi State has had success there in the past. We feel like this is one of the best fields in the country.”

MSU swept through the Tallahassee Regional in 2007 and defeated Clemson in a super regional in Starkville to make the school’s eighth appearance at the College World Series.

This year’s field once again consists of 16 regionals featuring four teams that play a double-elimination format from Friday through Monday if necessary.

The second-seeded Bulldogs meet No. 3 Samford first in Tallahassee on Friday at 11 a.m., while the No. 1 Seminoles take on another Birmingham-based school in UAB.

Even though his team is hosting and has a high national seed, it does not keep Florida State head coach Mike Martin from being a little bit nervous knowing that Mississippi State is in the field.

“We know how hot Mississippi State is in winning (eight of its last nine) games,” Martin said on ESPNU during its NCAA Selection Show Monday afternoon.

The Bulldogs (39-22) won the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship on Sunday by shutting out Vanderbilt 3-0. Along the way MSU knocked off three ranked opponents in No. 14 Arkansas 9-1, No. 2 LSU twice 3-2 and 4-3, and No. 11 Kentucky 2-1.

“It’s been a fun week and a wild ride,” said Bulldog shortstop and SEC Tournament MVP Adam Frazier. “We know it’s going to be a tough regional at Florida State; and we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

Read complete article at the Starkville Daily News.

CARL SMITH

Although Starkville School District Assistant Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin is preparing for a new job, he’s also been busy developing a list of repairs and renovation needs for the district’s future.

Gonsoulin unveiled his suggestions for short-term projects during the school board’s Tuesday meeting. His list includes renovations for Starkville High School’s White House, Ward-Stewart Elementary’s cafeteria, and Millsaps Career and Technical Center’s roof; the installation of ornamental fencing at SHS; and upgrades to the SHS football field, track and tennis facility.

The total estimated cost of Gonsoulin’s project list is $2.6 million, but the outgoing administrator says the district’s next budget probably will not cover every project.

Gonsoulin, who was named Fairfield, Ala. City Schools new superintendent in April, said it is important for the district to keep a comprehensive list of repair, maintenance and enhancement projects on a sliding time line to prevent a buildup of unattended issues.

Following his presentation, Gonsoulin acknowledged his upcoming resignation from the district. He is expected to leave SSD before mid-June.

“(The budget) might not get to all of them, but the purpose of having this list is to push the remainder to a date down the line, whether that date is five years or longer,” Gonsoulin said Wednesday. “Repair projects are out of necessity, maintenance will save you money and enhancements will increase the value of your building and are positives for the school district.”

Out of all the listed projects, Gonsoulin suggested the Ward-Stewart cafeteria renovation project be completed the soonest — this summer. The cafeteria itself needs an expanded freezer area in order to meet the growing number of students at the school, Gonsoulin said. The project will cost an estimated $125,000, which is the lowest amount on the short-term needs list.

The Millsaps roof project, listed at an estimated $750,000, is the most expensive item on Gonsoulin’s list. The roof was rubber-coated five years ago, he said, in lieu of replacing it at that time. The expected lifespan of the coating was four years.

“Part of my job entails (examining roofs),” Gonsoulin said. “I didn’t want to walk on that roof because you can tell it’s time to get it changed. It could last us two more years or two more days, and I have already seen the visual problems.”

Gonsoulin’s list suggests a 2012-2013 completion date for the roof project.

As for the White House, a nagging water leak on the east side of the facility has caused structural problems, Gonsoulin said. A portion of the estimated $200,000 project would also be used to renovate the building’s interior for SSD’s expanding art program.

SHS athletic director Stan Miller said he appreciates knowing the district understands and sees the need for upgraded athletic facilities. Miller unveiled his $1.3 million project list to the school board before Gonsoulin’s presentation. He also told trustees costs could be offset by corporate donations, a major donation from an anonymous SHS alumnus and another unnamed entity willing to share one of the project’s future costs.

Read complete article at the Starkville Daily News.

STEVEN NALLEY

Mike Toscano doesn’t like to call them “drones.”

Call them unmanned aerial vehicles, but don’t call them drones, Toscano, president of the Association for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles International, said at Colvard Student Union Tuesday. When people hear the word “drone,” he said they think only of the machine and not of the human team operating the machine from afar.

“There is a human being in the loop,” Toscano said.
Toscano and other UAV luminaries came to Mississippi State University to discuss the field’s possibilities Tuesday and Wednesday at the Unmanned Aerial Systems Symposium.

The keynote speaker at the symposium was Maj. Gen. James O. Poss, assistant deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance with the U.S. Air Force. Poss said Mississippi is a good location to discuss UAVs and grow the industry because the state has a long history of ingenuity in aviation and a strong connection to the Air Force. Poss himself grew up in Ocean Springs.

“We are the nation’s training base,” Poss said. “Roughly a quarter of all (Air Force) pilots have been trained in Columbus.”

Air Force representatives once claimed their forces could hit a pickle barrel from 30,000 feet, Poss said. Where such targeting was a challenge then, Poss said it is now possible to not only hit a pickle barrel easily but also hit a pickle barrel on the move.

To use a more concrete example, Poss said it took 12 hours to deliver a single picture from Germany to the U.S. Navy in 1982. Modern UAVs, by contrast, deliver 30-frames-per-second video anywhere on earth within two seconds, he said.

“That’s not to say we’re not without our challenges,” Poss said. “We are literally swimming in sensors and drowning in data. (With future technology currently in development,) we will collect about 320 years’ worth of HD video per day. (Data is) useless if we can’t retrieve it.”
Toscano said UAVs also face challenges on the home front. Privacy is one of the American populace’s largest concerns about UAVs, he said, which is why greater awareness of how UAV units work with law enforcement agencies is needed.

“There are people that think these are spy drones,” Toscano said. “There are rules and regulations put in place today. If people don’t like those laws … that’s what they should be concerned about.”

Toscano said instead of thinking of UAVs as autonomous drones, Americans should think of them as extra tools for military and law enforcement personnel to use. Instead of using UAVs for new initiatives to spy on the public at large, he said, enforcers use UAVs to do the jobs they normally do better than they have before.

Read complete article at the Starkville Daily News.