MSU announces reorganization of DAFVM leadership structure
Mississippi State Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble and MSU Executive Vice President and Provost David R. Shaw on Thursday [April 8] announced changes in the organizational leadership structure of major components of the academic division.
“In evaluating the current and future leadership needs of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), the College of Forest Resources (CFR), the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES), and the Forest and Wildlife Research Center (FWRC), it is clear that these vital entities require a different structure that provides greater focus and attention to mission,” said Coble. “Moving forward, both colleges deserve distinct leadership as do their affiliated research and service units. To that end, we are formally reorganizing the leadership structure to accommodate those needs.”
Shaw said that national searches were currently being organized to select a new Director of MAFES who will also serve as Dean of CALS, and to select a new Dean of CFR and Director of FWRC.
“These colleges support many of Mississippi’s bedrock agribusiness and forestry industries, so we want to be deliberate in this process. There is work to be done in organizing these search committees in the spirit of shared governance with our faculty and representation of our stakeholders on these committees. I anticipate that in the fall we will be able to be interviewing candidates for these two important positions,” said Shaw. “This new leadership structure reflects MSU President Mark Keenum’s vision for the future of MSU’S agricultural and forestry units.”
“This search process for two vital positions will include a broad base of our faculty, clientele, students and staff and will proceed in keeping with established search protocols,” said Coble. “I have every confidence that MSU will attract a strong pool of candidates from across the nation who are interested in being a part of our university’s momentum and growth, and I have equal confidence that our search committees will choose experienced and visionary leaders who can guide their respective DAFVM colleges and units.”
Mississippi man pleads to charge in motorcyclist’s death
OMAHA — A truck driver from Mississippi has pleaded no contest to misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide in the traffic death last year of a motorcyclist in southwest Omaha.
George Sansing, 45, of Belden, Mississippi, entered the plea Thursday in Douglas County Court, the Omaha World-herald reported. While Sansing doesn’t admit guilt with the no contest plea, he does acknowledge that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict him in the Aug. 24 death of 24-year-old Bryan Wright, of Omaha.
Investigators have said Sansing ran a red light, leading Wright’s motorcycle to crash into the side of Sansing’s trailer. Wright died a short time later at a hospital.
Sansing faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine when he’s sentenced at a later date.
Mississippi justices reject latest appeal in death row case
JACKSON — A Mississippi man will remain on death row after the state Supreme Court on Thursday denied his most recent appeal.
David Dickerson, now 51, was convicted of capital murder, arson and armed robbery in 2012 in Copiah County. Prosecutors said he shot 36-year-old Paula Hamilton and then set her body on fire. Hamilton was Dickerson’s ex-girlfriend and the mother of his daughter. The crimes took place in 2011 in Copiah County.
The state Supreme Court in 2015 affirmed Dickerson’s conviction and death sentence. Attorneys representing him filed another appeal, arguing he had an intellectual disability.
Court records show Dickerson had been evaluated for two months at the State Hospital at Whitfield before he stood trial. He was found mentally competent for trial and doctors said he had no credible symptoms of mental illness. Doctors also said Dickerson was uncooperative and fabricated psychiatric symptoms.
In the ruling Thursday, justices rejected arguments that Dickerson’s trial attorneys had failed to provide an adequate defense.
The state has not set an execution date for Dickerson.
Strong storms, some tornadoes expected across parts of South
JACKSON — A storm system taking aim at the South could bring the threat of damaging winds and tornadoes to the region, forecasters said.
At least a few tornadoes are expected Friday in parts of northeast Louisiana and Mississippi, according to the national Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. The threat will continue into the overnight hours, forecasters said.
Nearly 1.6 million people in a region that includes parts of Louisiana and Mississippi will be at greatest risk of severe storms on Friday, the Storm Prediction Center said in its outlook for Friday. The area includes Jackson, Hattiesburg and Vicksburg in Mississippi; and Monroe in Louisiana.
Large hail will also be possible in parts of eastern Texas and Oklahoma and western portions of Arkansas and Louisiana.
Baseball-sized hail will be possible in a large part of Mississippi, the National Weather Service said.
In southwest Georgia, a severe thunderstorm Friday morning likely included quarter-sized hail near the town of Blakely. “Damage to vehicles is expected,” the weather service said in its severe thunderstorm warning for that area.
Strong storms will also be possible in Alabama and Tennessee, forecasters said.