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The state Department of Health stands by fluoridation as a step in treating public drinking water supplies, officials with the agency told Mississippi Today on Tuesday.

Last week, the state Public Service Commission unanimously passed a resolution advocating for the “removal of sodium fluoride additives in drinking water.” Water systems began using fluoride as a treatment measure to prevent tooth decay in 1945.

Drinking fluoridated water reduces cavities by 25%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC has called the practice one of the greatest public health interventions of the 20th Century.

“MSDH encourages the use of fluoride for it’s health benefits, primarily for oral health,” Greg Flynn, a spokesperson for the agency, said.

But a growing movement — championed by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — has seen places around the country remove fluoride from the treatment process. Last year, Utah became the first state to ban the practice.

“Mississippians deserve to know what is being added to their drinking water and why,” said Central District Public Service Commissioner De’Keither Stamps, who introduced last week’s resolution. “This resolution is rooted in transparency, safety and affordability. We want to help water systems reduce avoidable chemical costs while ensuring families have confidence in the quality of the water coming into their homes.”

In a handbook on water fluoridation, the Health Department’s Bureau of Water Supply states its position more firmly.

“While it is understood, based on peer-reviewed scientific research, and years of experience that (water fluoridation) is safe and effective, some public water systems within Mississippi choose to discontinue fluoridation, contrary to the guidance of public health professionals,” the handbook says. “In many cases, decisions are made by (water system) officials without receiving appropriate factual information or notifying customers of the public water supply about the loss of this public health benefit.”

Opponents also point to toothpaste with growing amounts of fluoride as a reason to stop using the additive in drinking water. But toothpaste isn’t a replacement for water fluoridation, the bureau adds in the handbook.

Neither the state nor federal government require water systems to use fluoride in their treatment.

In 2001, the Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners came out in support of statewide fluoridation in drinking water systems. Its counsel, Westley Mutziger, told Mississippi Today the board hasn’t reviewed its stance on the matter.

Flynn, with MSDH, said two systems in Mississippi have completed the process of discontinuing fluoride treatment: Sunrise Utility Association, which serves 5,998 people in Forrest County, and the town of Louise, which serves 870 people in Humphreys County. As of last December, another 26 systems serving a combined 275,000 people were in the process of abandoning fluoride in their water treatment, according to MSDH:

• City of Brandon, serving 31,548 people in Rankin County.
• City of Greenville, serving 29,602 people in Washington County.
• City of Flowood, serving 27,997 people in Rankin County.
• Bear Creek W/A – West, serving 26,012 people in Madison County.
• City of Ridgeland, serving 24,459 people in Madison County.
• Bear Creek W/A – East, serving 18,120 people in Madison County.
• City of Cleveland, serving 16,392 people in Bolivar County.
• North Lamar W/A, serving 12,778 people in Lamar County.
• Diamondhead Utilities – North, serving 12,577 people in Hancock County.
• City of Brookhaven, serving 12,513 people in Lincoln County.
• City of Bay St. Louis, serving 9,284 people in Hancock County.
• City of Richland, serving 7,000 people in Rankin County.
• City of Philadelphia, serving 6,921 people in Neshoba County.
• Crystal Springs W/S, serving 5,961 people in Copiah County.
• Macon Electric and Water Department, serving 5,174 people in Noxubee County.
• City of Waynesboro, serving 4,850 people in Wayne County.
• Eudora Utilities Association, serving 3,712 people in DeSoto County.
• City of Sardis, serving 3,439 people in Panola County.
• City of Water Valley, serving 3,380 people in Yalobusha County.
• City of Poplarville, serving 3,334 people in Pearl River County.
• City of Collins, serving 2,921 people in Covington County.
• Sharon Water Works, serving 2,843 people in Jones County.
• Town of Ackerman, serving 1,594 people in Choctaw County.
• Town of Monticello, serving 1,400 people in Lawrence County.
• Town of Inverness, serving 895 people in Sunflower County.
• Ellisville State School #1, serving 750 people in Jones County.

While the state doesn’t require fluoride in water treatment, it does require a water system to take certain steps before discontinuing the practice: 1) meeting in person with MSDH’s Bureau of Public Water supply, 2) giving a 30-day public notice, 3) the governing body holding a vote, 4) another public notice of the final decision, and 5) continuing to inform customers that the system has stopped using fluoride in its water treatment.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is warning Mississippians to prepare for what is forecasted to be a potential major winter storm this weekend.

The National Weather Service is forecasting the potential for a massive winter storm from Friday until Sunday. The storm could reach north Mississippi, parts of the Delta, central Mississippi and down to Hattiesburg. While the forecast is still evolving, the potential exists for freezing rain and other forms of winter precipitation, coupled with freezing temperatures.

The weather could impede travel and cause power and communication outages. Freezing rain brings the potential of downed power lines and trees.

MEMA and NWS are working closely together in preparation for the storm. Scott Simmons, MEMA’s director of external affairs, gave some tips ahead of this weekend.

“People need to start thinking now about preparing their disaster kits, what they’ll need in the event that their house should lose power,” he said “Will they have batteries? Will they have phone chargers? Will they have the ability to heat their homes?”

Simmons said residents should make sure they have food, water, blankets and batteries in their homes and cars. He warned to never use a stove top or oven to heat a home, and to place space heaters in the middle of the room away from flammable objects. People should wrap their pipes, have plenty of firewood and seal their doors and windows to lock in the heat. 

NWS has a guide to help people prepare for winter weather, and MEMA has a guide for creating a disaster kit.

Subfreezing temperatures are expected to last through the weekend and early into next week, according to current forecast models. The National Weather Service recommends keeping an eye on the forecast as it changes.

Freezing rain can be especially devastating. In February 1994, much of north Mississippi experienced one of the worst ice storms in the state’s history, resulting in downed trees and power lines over wide areas. Power outages in some instances lasted more than a week and the state had to step in to help with the cost of cleanup and other recovery efforts.

The Clevelands break in a new studio with commentary on the national championship game, Ole Miss’ highest final national ranking in 63 years, Trinidad Chambliss, SEC Basketball, the coming baseball season and reigning NCAA golf champion Michael La Sasso joining the LIV golf tour.

Stream all episodes here.

The seven current members of the Mississippi Supreme Court on Tuesday quizzed attorneys for State Auditor Shad White and Attorney General Lynn Fitch over which statewide official can bring a lawsuit to recoup misspent taxpayer money. 

During oral arguments in a case involving Mississippi’s massive welfare scandal, justices Josiah Coleman and Kenny Griffis appeared vexed that the two agencies, which should be working on behalf of state taxpayers, were arguing in court over the issue. 

“So, what are we fighting about?” Griffis asked at one point. 

The issue is over a section of Mississippi law stating that the auditor is “to institute suit, and the attorney general shall prosecute the same in any court of the state,” when recovering misspent tax dollars.

Fitch first took White to court when the auditor attempted to sue Pro Football Hall of Fame athlete Brett Favre to recoup a portion of allegedly misspent welfare money. 

Fitch, as the state’s top legal officer, believes she has the exclusive right to file a civil lawsuit on behalf of the state, and it would be unrealistic to compel the attorney general to file litigation she doesn’t believe is legitimate. 

White believes the plain reading of the state law clearly gives him the authority to initiate lawsuits and requires the attorney general to follow through and prosecute on his behalf. 

A Hinds County chancery judge sided with White, so the attorney general appealed to the state’s highest court.

However, if White were to prevail, Justice Coleman questioned how the auditor and attorney general scenario would work in reality, especially in situations where the attorney general and state auditor disagree on how litigation should proceed. 

Lawyers have an ethical and professional responsibility to tell the truth in court and in court filings, so Coleman asked, in a hypothetical situation, if the attorney general was supposed to forsake those obligations simply because a state auditor wanted to pursue a claim. 

“If we reduce everything to the absurd, we can always find the limits,” Clay Baldwin, an attorney for White, answered. 

“It’s not absurd that a lawyer would have a client or a potential client come to them and ask them to pursue a case that, in that lawyer’s judgment, has no merit and is frivolous,” Coleman responded.

Baldwin then argued that if the attorney general’s office refused, state law allows an agency to seek outside counsel. 

The money at the center of the legal fight between the two statewide officials is about $730,000 that White claims Favre owes the state because of unpaid interest. 

Fitch’s office, on behalf of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, sued dozens of defendants, including Favre, to try to recoup allegedly misspent welfare money. But it did not include funds that White’s office is pursuing.

Griffis asked Scott Stewart, Mississippi’s solicitor general, who argued on behalf of Fitch, whether the attorney general’s office ever planned to file a suit to claw back the money White is trying to recover. Stewart did not answer the question directly and said the office would have to make a “final determination” on the matter. 

“When this court is deciding things, it’s not just about this case,” Stewart argued. “It’s about many, many cases. It’s about the rule of law that is going to control in many, many cases.” 

Stewart’s response highlighted how little information and how few updates the public has received on the massive scandal that auditors said resulted in the loss of at least $100 million in federal funds meant to assist the needy, reduce poverty or feed the hungry from 2016 to 2020. 

For the last two weeks, former wrestler Teddy DiBiase has been standing trial for his alleged role in the scandal.

Neither Fitch nor White was in the courtroom on Tuesday. The two officials have said they’re considering running for governor and have clashed in recent years over the handling of the scandal.

Fitch also withdrew her office’s representation of the auditor in two defamation lawsuits, including one filed by Favre, after determining a book White wrote about the welfare scandal cast her office in a negative light and created a conflict of interest.

Tuesday’s arguments were somewhat unusual, as a full court participated. But only seven justices are currently on the usual nine-member court because the U.S. Senate recently confirmed two of the former members as federal judges in northern Mississippi. 

It’s unclear when the justices will deliver a ruling in the case, but the court typically issues rulings on Thursdays.

An attorney for the only defendant yet to face a criminal trial in the seemingly never-ending Mississippi welfare fraud case has asked a federal judge for a mistrial after the team’s lead lawyer fell ill last week. 

The trial for Ted “Teddy” DiBiase Jr. was in the middle of its second week when the lead defense attorney, Scott Gilbert, experienced a health issue halfway through the day Jan. 14. Gilbert was in the middle of cross examining former Mississippi Department of Human Services Director John Davis – the former director’s fourth day on the witness stand – but never faltered in his questions before court stopped for a lunch break.

U.S. District Court Judge Carlton Reeves did not immediately make a decision Tuesday on how to proceed with the case, opting to ask each juror whether they are available in February and how a pause in the trial may affect them. He said he will make a ruling on the motion for a mistrial shortly. If granted, the parties acknowledged that a new trial would be scheduled, possibly several months from now.

DiBiase is facing 13 criminal counts including conspiracy, wire fraud, theft of federal funds and money laundering in a broader alleged scheme to raid the state’s federal public assistance agency. He received roughly $3 million in federal funds from the agency through what prosecutors call  “sham contracts,” while DiBiase argues he was a lawful contractor. 

Another lawyer added to DiBiase’s defense shortly before trial, Eric Herschmann, made the case for a mistrial. 

He argued that DiBiase has a constitutional right to choose his own counsel and that the defendant has been working with Gilbert for nearly six years. The federal government first moved to seize DiBiase’s million-dollar Madison mansion – which it alleges was purchased with welfare funds – in 2020, though he was not indicted until 2023.

Herschmann said DiBiase chose well by selecting Gilbert.

“Mr. Gilbert’s cross examination of the government’s star witness was so outstanding that in the midst of the cross examination, the government indicated it was going to treat the star witness as a hostile witness on redirect,” Herschmann said.

When a party to a case treats its own witness as hostile, it generally means the witness gave testimony that was unfavorable or unexpected to that party’s case, and in turn, counsel may use strategies to get the witness to contradict or even impeach himself or herself on the stand.

Herschmann was referring to Davis. The prosecution first called Davis on Jan. 9 in its effort to build a case – using many long, sentimental text messages between Davis and DiBiase – alleging the wrestler ingratiated himself with the then-welfare director in an attempt to strike it rich off the federal public assistance program. 

The defense began questioning Davis on Jan. 12, displaying documents and social media posts to assert that DiBiase intended to carry out the services he was contracted to provide. Davis’ testimony supported many of Gilbert’s points, such as the fact that the men did not try to conceal what they were doing.

Herschmann told the judge Tuesday that he observed Gilbert’s condition during trial last week and recommended the team take a break. He said Gilbert soon visited a hospital. Herschmann said the team doesn’t expect to learn more about Gilbert’s outlook for roughly four weeks.

DiBiase is also represented by Sidney Lampton, whom Herschmann argued does not have the jury trial experience required to lead the case. Only Gilbert currently has the experience and knowledge to adequately lead the case that involves 6 million pages of records, Herschmann argued. He said preparing a new attorney could take months.

The government argued against the request for mistrial, saying DiBiase’s remaining lawyers are capable of trying the case and delays could jeopardize the testimony if witnesses become unavailable. It was divulged that Davis, for example, is currently undergoing treatment for cancer.

Herschmann, a former senior advisor to President Donald Trump, is involved in the Mississippi welfare fraud case by way of former NFL quarterback Brett Favre. 

Herschmann is representing Favre in a broader civil case that the state welfare department is bringing against dozens of people or entities that improperly doled out or received federal funds. Favre has not been charged criminally.

That litigation has dragged on since 2022. In recent months, Herschmann and the lawyers for other defendants in the case took a deposition from a former deputy state auditor, Stephanie Palmertree, who conducted the original audit exposing the misspending. There is a gag order in the civil case that many parties to that litigation have said prevents them from speaking to the media about the case. 

Palmertree left the auditor’s office to form her own accounting and consulting firm in early 2024 and DHS hired Palmertree in her new capacity to be the expert witness in the civil suit. After the deposition, and just before DiBiase’s trial, DHS filed to withdraw her as its expert witness. 

Herschmann said during his argument Tuesday that he, in Gilbert’s recent absence, worked throughout the weekend to sift through discovery in the DiBiase case.

He alleged he found conflicting information within the materials, such as transcripts, produced in the criminal case, which he recently joined, versus the civil case he’s been immersed in for years.

Without any more detail, and referring to Palmertree, Herschmann said, “She swore under oath that she fabricated evidence to the federal government.” 

In the DiBiase trial, Herschmann was expected to call Palmertree to the stand to question her handling of the audit – a long point of contention for Favre’s camp. Favre has denied the auditor’s office’s claim that Favre entered an agreement to give speeches in exchange for $1.1 million in payments from a nonprofit at the center of the scandal. Mississippi Today obtained and analyzed the agreement in 2022.

Palmertree’s attorney Melvin Priester Jr. said that because Palmertree has been called as a witness in the case, she cannot comment on Herschmann’s remarks other than that she stands by her audit.

“Any implication that she has somehow made a material misrepresentation is a mischaracterization of the evidence,” Priester said.

Herschmann also said the auditor’s office had admitted to destroying recordings. He suggested to Reeves that the criminal case requires a probe into these matters. 

Reeves asked the lawyer why this type of analysis hadn’t been conducted in DiBiase’s case up to this point. Herschmann said another lawyer is representing DiBiase in the civil case and the attorney had not requested a transcript of Palmertree’s deposition.

Reached for comment, auditor’s office spokesperson Jacob Walters said in a text, “OSA does everything by the book and Eric Herschmann will say anything to deflect from the fact that millions of dollars in welfare funds were misspent.”

The man accused of setting fire to Mississippi’s largest synagogue because of its “Jewish ties” will remain in jail as he awaits trial, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. 

Stephen Spencer Pittman, 19, of Madison, pleaded not guilty to an arson charge Tuesday during his first in-person appearance in court.

An investigator testified that Pittman’s parents – who were not named in court – had become afraid of their son in the weeks leading up to the attack, even considering locking their bedroom doors at night.

Pittman was living at his parents’ house while on break from college but had made antisemitic comments, including telling a person he knew at a gym that he wanted to burn a synagogue the day before the alleged attack, the investigator testified. 

The Beth Israel Congregation synagogue in northeast Jackson was heavily damaged in the Jan. 10 predawn fire. Pittman was indicted five days later on the federal charge of using fire to maliciously damage or destroy a building involved in interstate commerce.

Pittman – who usually goes by his middle name – made his first appearance in federal court on Jan. 12 after authorities filed a sworn statement about charges he could face. He appeared then by video conference from a hospital where he was being treated for burns.

Attorneys went back and forth Tuesday over whether Pittman committed a “crime of violence,” a legal standard permitting the government to detain a defendant pre-trial, when he allegedly burned the synagogue. 

U.S. Magistrate Court Judge LaKeysha Greer Isaac did not rule on that argument, but she found the prosecution had shown that Pittman posed a threat to prospective witnesses, particularly his parents. The judge did not deem Pittman a flight risk, due to his third-degree burns and lack of discernable income. 

Though his name does not appear on the docket, the U.S. Marshals Service is holding Pittman at the Madison County detention center, where federal defendants are typically held, a spokesperson told Mississippi Today. He appeared in court Tuesday wearing an orange jumpsuit, with both hands heavily bandaged except for his right thumb. 

Pittman was indicted on state and federal arson charges last week after he allegedly broke into the synagogue, doused the lobby in gasoline and set it on fire. 

Despite his alleged confession, Pittman has not been charged with a federal hate crime. In Hinds County Circuit Court, he is facing an enhanced first-degree arson charge under a Mississippi law punishing “offenses committed for discriminatory reasons.”

If convicted, Pittman’s federal charges carry up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. It is not clear when he will make an initial appearance in state circuit court, nor has one been scheduled, according to a court administrator.

As the federal judge considered whether Pittman should remain jailed, the prosecution introduced a witness, FBI Special Agent Ariel Williams, who testified about the circumstances leading up to the synagogue fire. 

Williams said the FBI had interviewed two people Pittman knew from a gym. Pittman had allegedly expressed antisemitic views, including telling one of the people “that he wanted to burn a synagogue” he day before the attack.

This was not the only red flag the government said Pittman made in the lead up to his alleged attack. In an affidavit, the federal government previously described text messages that Pittman sent his father as he was on his way to the synagogue, including “there’s a furnace in the back,” “Btw my plate is off,” “Hoodie is on” and “and they have the best cameras.”

Later that day, Williams testified that Pittman’s father confronted him about the “somewhat erratic messages” after noticing burns on Pittman’s hands and ankles. The government alleged the son then confessed to his father. 

But his parents were afraid of how Pittman would react if he was home while they contacted law enforcement, so they “devised a plan,” Williams testified. She said Pittman’s mother took him to the University of Mississippi Medical Center so his father could contact law enforcement separately.  

Williams testified the mother told law enforcement that they had recently noticed a change in their son: He began making antisemitic statements, the “family pets were afraid” of Pittman and his mother was considering “locking their bedroom doors at night.”

In one incident, Williams said Pittman nearly “got up and jumped at” his parents after making an offensive remark to his mother, but Williams did not describe the remark. 

Though Pittman claimed in a pretrial services report that he was employed as a day trader, the court could not substantiate his income, with his federal public defender, Mike Scott, telling the judge: “There is no income.” 

A friend of Pittman told Mississippi Today that Pittman made social media posts flaunting screenshots of his bank account that appeared to show hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

Pittman’s detention comes as the Beth Israel Congregation has seen an outpouring of local support after of the fire. The blaze charred parts of the synagogue, left smoke damage throughout and destroyed two Torahs. The fire was set in the same part of the one-story brick building that Ku Klux Klan members bombed in 1967 because the congregation’s rabbi supported civil rights.

Last week, dozens of people attended the city of Jackson’s prayer service with time allotted to uplift the congregation.

Update 1/20/2026: This article has been updated to show the suspect’s parents considered locking their bedroom doors for safety. Mina Corpuz contributed to the reporting. 

Affordable Care Act Marketplace enrollments in Mississippi are down about 8% compared to the same time last year following the expiration of enhanced subsidies that made health insurance more affordable for millions of Americans, according to initial data from the federal government published last week.

As of Jan. 3, over 307,000 Mississippi had made selections for Marketplace health plans, which primarily insure small business owners, employees, farmers or people who are self-employed, according to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data. That figure trends down from 330,000 people enrolled at about the same time last year — a year that marked an all-time high for enrollments in Mississippi. Open enrollment closed Jan. 15. 

“This dip is alarming, but we don’t have all the data needed to give us the real picture of the impact of the enhanced premium tax credits going away,” said Kimberly Hughes, government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network in Mississippi, in a statement. 

Experts told Mississippi Today they expect enrollments to fall further, because people may disenroll from coverage when they receive their first bill reflecting a higher monthly premium.

The enhanced subsidies, which made coverage more affordable for over 22 million Americans, were an added boost authorized by Congress in 2021 to raise the income ceiling for eligibility and allow low-income households to access insurance without paying premiums during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

During that time, the number of Mississippians enrolled in Marketplace health insurance tripled. That increase amounted to over 200,000 people between 2021 and 2025, according to enrollment data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. During the same period, the rate of people without insurance – one of the highest rates in the country – dropped by over 65,000 people.

But without the enhanced subsidies, the cost of premiums for Marketplace plans will more than double on average this year, according to KFF, though the rate changes will vary based on age, income and location.

Republicans and Democrats in Congress have tussled for months over whether or not to extend the subsidies, but have not yet reached a deal. The House of Representatives passed a three-year extension of the subsidies on Jan. 13 after over a dozen Republicans broke with their party to support their renewal. The Senate rejected a similar proposal in December, with Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith voting against extending the subsidies. 

Because Mississippi has opted not to expand Medicaid coverage, more low-income people depend on the Marketplace for health coverage, said Khaylah Scott, program manager for the Mississippi Health Advocacy Program. 

“For a lot of Mississippians, this is their only option,” she said. 

The drop in plan selections in Mississippi is twice as high as the country as a whole. Nationwide, Americans saw a 4% decrease based on initial numbers. U.S. enrollment declined by about 800,000 people compared to the same time period last year and about 1.5 million people from last year’s total enrollment. 

Scott said her organization has clearly seen the effects of the expiring subsidies in a surge of calls to its free helpline, Health Help Mississippi.

The nonprofit logged about 1,000 intakes last year, up from 400 the year before. Just two weeks into the new year, the program had already performed over 100 intakes. 

Among the callers, Scott said, was a woman calling on behalf of her brother, who has congestive heart failure. His premium for Marketplace insurance last year was $25, but this year, he was quoted at over $300 a month. He doesn’t have the option to let his coverage lapse, and plans to be more frugal and cut back on unnecessary spending in order to save up for the higher premium. 

A 63-year-old woman who called the help line saw her premiums increase from $70 to $540 a month. She will go without health insurance for a year and a half, when she becomes eligible for Medicare. Her 25-year-old son, whose premiums rose $395 a month, will also go without coverage. 

Scott said it’s been difficult for her organization to listen to Mississippians share their struggles accessing affordable health insurance coverage, knowing there is little they can do to help lower costs. 

“It’s been really tough telling people there’s nothing we can do…. It’s really in Congress’ hands right now.” 

The Urban Institute, a policy think tank, predicted in September that about 150,000 people in Mississippi would drop their Marketplace coverage if the increased subsidies were not extended — one of the steepest dropoffs in the country. The organization also estimated that uninsurance rates in Mississippi would rise by 65%.

Initial data shows a less steep drop off in coverage, but there is no evidence to suggest that the estimates should be adjusted at this point, said Matthew Buettgens, one of the authors of the study. 

Buettgens said he expects to see a more clear picture of how the expired subsidies have influenced enrollment when data showing the number of people who have paid their initial premium payments is released. This data is typically released in the summer. 

CMS data shows that more than half of Mississippians insured through the Marketplace were automatically re-enrolled last year, suggesting many people may not have reviewed their premiums or actively updated their coverage this year. 

Though open enrollment has now ended, Congress could opt to create an additional enrollment period, he said. But even so, many people will still experience a gap in coverage or pay higher premiums in order to maintain their insurance. 

Several states, including Connecticut and Pennsylvania, have extended their open enrollment period through the end of the month to give people more time to sign up. 

The expiration of Marketplace subsidies is also not the only factor expected to affect health insurance coverage rates, Buettgens said, pointing to changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald J. Trump this summer. 

The law requires more frequent eligibility determinations for Medicaid beginning at the end of this year, which is expected to result in fewer people with health insurance. Fewer lawfully present immigrants, including refugees, people granted political asylum and victims of domestic violence and trafficking will be eligible for Medicaid or Marketplace financial assistance beginning in 2026. 

“The declines that we see this year, that’s not the end of it,” Buettgens said.

Michael La Sasso, the reigning NCAA men’s golf individual champion, announced Tuesday he will forego his senior spring season of golf at Ole Miss to turn professional and join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League.

La Sasso’s decision takes him out of the 2026 Masters. He had earned an invitation to Augusta National based on the NCAA championship, but only if he had retained his amateur status through the Masters, April 9-12.

La Sasso will join World Golf Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson’s Hy Flyers GC on the LIV tour.

“It’s a rare opportunity to learn from one of the greatest players in the history of the game, and I don’t take that lightly,” La Sasso said in a statement. “LIV Golf allows me to compete at the highest level on a global stage, and I thrive in a team environment, especially one with the camaraderie and support that defines HyFlyers GC. My focus is on learning, continuing to improve, and doing everything I can to help our team succeed.”

Ole Miss begins its spring golf season Jan. 31 in the Thomas Sharkey Individual Collegiate at Statesboro, Georgia, a two-day event. The first full-team event will be the Water Sound Invitational Feb. 16-18 at Shark’s Tooth Golf Course in Inlet Beach, Florida.

“Clearly, it’s not ideal timing from a team standpoint,” Ole Miss golf coach Chris Malloy said in a phone interview. “But I am happy for Michael. Financially, this was a no-brainer for him. Still, he struggled with the decision because he is such a team guy.”

Financial terms of La Sasso’s LIV deal were not made available, but Malloy called it “certainly life-changing money.”

La Sasso, 21, is a Raleigh, North Carolina, native who transferred to Ole Miss from North Carolina State after his freshman season. Last year, he set the Ole Miss season scoring record, averaging 69.46 strokes per round. He was a consensus All-American.

Mickelson called La Sasso “one of the most exciting young players in the game today, bringing a competitive fire that’s evident every time he tee it up.

“He combines tremendous power and speed with an exceptional feel for the game,” Mickelson said in a statement. “Beyond his talent, his personality, work ethic, and commitment to being a great teammate make him a terrific addition to HyFlyers GC. We’re excited to support his development, accelerate his learning curve, and help him achieve his goals—while he, in turn, makes our team even stronger.”

Ole Miss was to enter the spring golf season as one of the favorites to win the NCAA team championship. Losing La Sasso clearly hurts the Rebels’ chances.

“It’s a blow and we’d be kidding ourselves if we said it wasn’t,” Malloy said. “I mean, we’re losing an NCAA champion and a first team All-American, but we’ve got three other All-Americans sitting in that locker room. We’ve still got firepower. We’ve still got a damned good team, and we’ve got some other guys in that locker room who will have a chance to step up and make a difference.”

Indiana achieved one more first to end its magical season full of firsts: The national champion Hoosiers are No. 1 in the final Associated Press Top 25 college football poll.

After beating Miami in the College Football Playoff title game to cap a 16-0 season that was unprecedented in the modern era, the Hoosiers on Tuesday became the third straight Big Ten team to finish on top of the rankings. Indiana’s championship and No. 1 final ranking followed those of fellow Big Ten teams Ohio State in 2024 and Michigan in 2023.

No. 2 Miami (13-3) moved up eight spots and ended with its highest ranking since the 2002 season, when it was second behind Ohio State. The 2003 Miami team had been the most recent to finish in the top 10.

Mississippi (13-2), which lost to Miami in the CFP semifinals after it beat Tulane in Oxford and Georgia in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans following under new head coach Pete Golding after Lane Kiffin’s departure for LSU, was No. 3, its highest final ranking since 1962.

No. 4 Oregon (13-2) finished in the top 10 for a third straight year and No. 5 Ohio State was in the final top 10 for the 12th straight year. The Big Ten had three teams in the final top five for the second straight year.

Georgia (12-2), Texas Tech (12-2), Texas A&M (11-2), Alabama (11-4) and Notre Dame (10-2) rounded out the top 10.

The Bulldogs were No. 6 in the final poll for the second straight season and have ended in the top 10 every since since 2017. Texas Tech is a season-ending top-10 team for the first time. Texas A&M hadn’t been ranked in a final poll season since Jimbo Fisher’s 2020 team was No. 4. Alabama, which had ended every season between 2008-23 in the top 10, was back after slipping to No. 17 last year.

Notre Dame won 10 straight games following an 0-2 start, was left out of the playoff and opted to not play in a bowl game. The Irish slipped one spot and were ranked in a ninth straight final poll.

The Hoosiers were No. 20 in the preseason poll after going 11-2 in Curt Cignetti’s first season. They earned their then-highest ranking ever at No. 3 after they won at Oregon to go 6-0. They moved up to No. 2 the following week and stayed there for seven straight polls. Their 13-10 win over Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game pushed them to No. 1 heading into the playoff.

Poll points

— No. 17 Iowa was ranked for the first time this season after winning three straight, including a bowl win over Vanderbilt. No. 22 Houston beat Baylor and LSU to end the season and was ranked for the first time in four polls. No. 25 TCU, which had been 18 spots out of the Top 25, was ranked for the first time since September after beating Houston, Cincinnati and USC.

— Arizona (21), Georgia Tech (24) and Missouri (25) dropped out.

— The SEC had seven teams in the final Top 25 for the second straight year. Last season was the first time that had happened since 2013.

— No. 15 Vanderbilt has its highest final ranking since the 1948 team was No. 12.

— No. 19 James Madison No. 24 North Texas are in the final poll for the first time.

Conference call

SEC (7 ranked teams): No. 3 Mississippi, No. 6 Georgia, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Alabama, No. 12 Texas, No. 13 Oklahoma, No. 15 Vanderbilt.

Big Ten (6): No. 1 Indiana, No. 4 Oregon, No. 5 Ohio State, No. 17 Iowa, No. 20 Southern California, No. 21 Michigan.

Big 12 (5): No. 7 Texas Tech, No. 11 BYU, No. 14 Utah, No. 22 Houston, No. 25 TCU.

American (3): No. 18 Tulane, No. 23 Navy, No. 24 North Texas.

ACC (2): No. 2 Miami, No. 16 Virginia.

Independent (1): No. 10 Notre Dame.

Sun Belt (1): No. 19 James Madison.

Mississippi will soon be able to get a break on their taxes for contributing to private-school scholarships, thanks to a federal program. 

Gov. Tate Reeves announced Monday that he had opted the state into the program. It’s a win for school-choice proponents, as Mississippi lawmakers continue to debate the policy on the state level. 

School choice — policies aimed at giving families more educational options, often funding those choices with public money —  is the top issue of the current legislative session, led by House Speaker Jason White. Both chambers have passed school-choice bills, but Senate leaders have firmly taken a stance against programs that send public dollars to private schools, as the federal tax-credit program does. 

School-choice proponents say the policies give parents more control over their children’s education. Opponents argue that they siphon money away from the public education system, which is required to serve every child.

“Mississippi believes that parents – not government – know what’s best for their children’s education,” Reeves said in his announcement. 

The federal tax-credit program, created by President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” allows Mississippians to contribute up to $1,700 to an organization that awards scholarships to private-school students, starting in federal tax year 2027. Donors will be given a break on their taxes equal to the amount they contribute — that’s called a dollar-for-dollar tax credit, and it’s about three times as much as people receive from donating to a children’s hospital or other causes. 

To qualify for these scholarships, one can earn up to 300% of the area’s median income. That’s six-figures in Mississippi, or about $150,000, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. 

Research shows a majority of private-school vouchers across the country go to students who could already afford and were attending private schools. 

In the coming months, Reeves’ office will designate eligible scholarship-granting organizations — groups that will disburse these vouchers, whose sole purpose must be doing so — to participate in the program.