Student Opinion: Texting and Driving

The state of Mississippi is considering a law that would make it illegal to text and drive. What do you think? Before you answer you should watch Elizabeth Gurney's story:

Boosting Recycling in Mississippi

The Southeast Recycling Development Council is traveling Mississippi to raise awareness on recycling. It plans to stop in Hattiesburg, Ridgeland and Oxford during May 18 through May 20. The workshops are intended to let communities understand more about the development and the economics of it.

In the struggle for a more green planet, recycling plays a big role in society. The southeast has some of the largest facilities in the country. Whether it is aluminum, paper, plastic or glass, there are easy ways to recycle in Oxford.

Eleven states in the southeast have united with the SERDC in hopes to save materials and energy. The council plans to hold a summit in the fall. If you would like more information on recycling, click the video below.

Mississippi Coast Taking on Oil

For now the Mississippi Coast hasn't seen any environmental effects from the BP Oil Spill out in the Gulf of Mexico, but the short term economic effects are becoming apparent. The oil company has been hiring up local citizens to help with the clean up on both sea and shore. BP is sponsoring hazmat training classes and paying well for charter boat captains to venture out into the gulf and help with various tasks. Although BP seems to be consoling the gulf coast, residents are skeptical. Some believe oil booms will be utterly ineffective and that BP is attempting to put on the front of trying to help, but is more interested in salvaging the Deepwater Horizon well than stopping the massive leak. Even if oil doesn't make landfall it could still spell out the largest industrial disaster the gulf coast has ever seen, and for a community still recovering from Hurricane Katrina it may just be too much.

For more on the effects of the Gulf Oil Spill check out the video below:

Pizza Wars

Currently in Oxford, Mississippi there are six pizza places; 3 Guys Pizza, Domino's, Little Cease rs, Papa Johns and two Pizza Huts. With only a population of 17,265 the college town has a variety of pizza places to eat from. One may ask is it a good thing to have so many competing pizza places or does every hold their own?

3 Guys Pizza stands out from the competition because of their selection of customized pizzas. Although you can customized you pizza their specialty pizzas tend to be more pricey. Square pizza sells their pizza by the slice, and is Sicilian style. Square Pizza is also located by The Library a popular bar and grill; Square Pizza stays open an hour and a half after the bar closes. The other pizza franchises stay in business by running specials and giving student's discounts.

Mary Catherine Guest's "Food Vision"

You might have heard about the eccentric Italian in town or seen the colorful cottage right off the square. If so, you've seen Mary Catherine Guest's vision for Oxford..."food vision" that is. Along with her daughter, Olivia, Mary Catherine created Olivia's Food Emporium in Madison, MS; however, Mary Catherine's creative heart remained in Oxford. After much planning, Mary Catherine was able to bring her vision to the streets of Oxford, and in April officially opened up "Olivia's Too."

While the original Olivia's is now managed by her daughter and simply remains a catering business, Mary Catherine has expanded the Oxford location into a restaurant/boutique. Mary Catherine's cooking experience and imagination derive from her Italian roots. She never follows a recipe, and instead chooses to let the kitchen do the cooking rather than the instructions.

Who says business isn't delicious?

Oxford, MS home to a unique gun store

"You won't find your traditional shotgun or hunting rifle here!"

-Nathan Yow (Owner)

Automatic weapons were once a hard thing to come by until the recent opening of Mississippi Auto Arms. A few short months ago Nathan Yow decided to open a retail store that featured nontraditional hunting weapons. The store carries an assortment of weapons that can be purchased and carried out on the same day, pending an F.B.I background check. Mississippi Auto Arms is located on the square, at the bottom of High Cotton Condominiums.

Fun at the Oxford Activity Center

The Oxford Activity Center located on 400 Price Street gives residents of Oxford a place for their children to play safely and stay out of trouble. The center is part of the Oxford's Park Commission and serves the community by offering a variety of activities for not only the young but also the elderly. The center offers competitive sports such as volleyball and dodgeball on selected nights of week. Members may join for free for full access to the basketball court to shoot hoops, play volleyball, or dodgeball. Classes in gymnastics, karate, and boxing are also available for a small tuition. With a obesity epidemic in the United States, the OAC provides a safe environment for kids to get a workout while socializing with friends.

Watch the Video

Ole Miss Track and Field.

The Track and Field program at Ole Miss has a winning history--though sometimes lost, situated in the heart of football country. Over the past few years, Ole Miss has garnered 3 individual NCAA titles, and this year looks just as promising.

The road to national glory starts with the conference title. Ole Miss newcomers Martin Kirui and Ricky Robertson were both crowned SEC outdoor champions in their respective events over the weekend at the SEC Championships from Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium.

Among those with successful meets, hurdlers Sofie Persson, Jasmine Dacus, Carson Blanks, and Lee Ellis Moore each qualified for the finals of the 400 meter hurdles to highlight competition for the Rebels on day two of the SEC Championships.

Click HERE to watch the video.

Click HERE to see how the Rebels fared in the SEC Tournament.

Lady Chargers grab 5A title

The girls track and field team at Oxford High School picked up their first MHSAA state title this past weekend in Pearl, MS. The Lady Chargers, lead by first year coach Jamie Perkins, claimed the title in dramatic fashion, edging Pearl High School in the final event. After years of doing well and consistently finishing in the top five of the team championships, the Lady Chargers finally broke through to win the school’s first team title.

Oxford won Friday’s 5A title by totaling 89 points, the most ever in a state meet, and the Lady Chargers did it with a strong showing in field events as well as an inspirational finish in the 4×400 meter relay. Roughly a third of the team's roster returns to school next fall, making today the beginning of the road to the repeat.

Click HERE to view the video.

Ole Miss Landscape Services

The University of Mississippi was founded in 1848, and has remained one of the prettiest campuses in the nation since being involved in the Civil War. Located in Oxford, Mississippi, Ole Miss was the site of desegregation in 1962 and also hosted the Presidential Debate in 2008. The Oxford campus is 1,000 acres and is consistently maintained by the 30 employees of the University Landscape Services. Denise Hill, Superintendent of Landscape Services, gives us a more in depth look at the daily work involved in the upkeep of the Ole Miss campus.

Oxford's Clay Canvas

Tucked in a little corner alongside University Avenue in Oxford is a quaint family owned pottery studio. The Clay Canvas is a relaxing and entertaining way to spend time with friends or family. The pottery studio offers different artistic services including painting pottery, hot glass, and RAKU. With summer settling in Oxford and the town's buzz slowing down, some people might be searching for fun things to do with the kids, or friends. Painting pottery is charming and inexpensive way to spend a summer afternoon.

See video for more on the Clay Canvas.

Investing Your Money

Fears that European debt issues could cause the global economy to go deeper into recession are resulting in losses in the U.S. stock market. Markets have been under pressure for several weeks now amid the falling value of the Euro and largely unexplained sell-offs domestically. For young professionals seeking to manage their money wisely, these conditions could be confusing. Not only is the market volatile in today's economy, but twenty and thirty-somethings have seen their parents go through tough economic times in the past decade. Wells Fargo financial advisor Chuck Sherman says it's important to be mindful of the past, but that investing in American businesses is what will ultimately pull the economy out of this recession. For more on this issue, watch the video below.

Oxford Woman Knew The King of Rock and Roll Personally

"You had a life before you met him, before you met Gordon; and it was Elvis." -Shirley Bowen

Shirley Bowen, a widow living in Oxford, Ms; but originally from Tupelo, MS; was a dear friend of Elvis Presley. Shirley now lives at Azalea Gardens and has moved on with her life. Christmas cards and pictures from the king are daily reminders of the friendship they once had. Shirley met Elvis at the age of 13, and their friendship grew each time they had a chance to see each other. Ironically, Shirley says that Elivs and her former husband shared the same great great grandfather. She says that her husband reminded her of Elvis and that's why she was so attracted to him. The grief of her husband, Gordon, and Presley's death was hard to overcome, but she continues to pick up the pieces each day at a time.

Interested in Journalism? Ole Miss Should Be A Top Choice

Journalism is the largest major on the University of Mississippi's campus. Students may pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree with an emphasis in print, broadcast, public relations or magazine service.

The Meek School of Journalism and New Media is located in Farley Hall. This department has over 500 students enrolling in classes each semester.

The University of Mississippi hosted the 2008 Presidential Debate on September 26 and the University's Department of Journalism played a major role in it. Since the debate, journalists like Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather have come to talk to students for Journalism Week.

Check out the story below for more on Ole Miss Journalism!

Teacher Layoffs in MS

Desoto County leaders have cut their budget before, but this is the first time that there's been any discussion of those cuts hitting the classroom. That's the word from Desoto Schools Superintendent Milton Kuykendall, who worked with the School Board to clarify the district's layoff policy last Monday.

Kuykendall says the numbers are shocking, " We could lay off fifty teachers and twice a that many teacher assistants, as well as clerks, secretaries and everything else, if we have to." The Superintendent said the system will have to deal with more than a $17 million cut from the 2011 budget as a direct result of the state's economic woes.

Texting and Driving in Oxford, MS

With new technology being introduced every day, distracted driving is a major traffic safety issue. Distracted driving applies to anything that takes your eyes off the road, your hands off the steering wheel, or interrupts your concentration while driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.The most common concern is using cell phones, especially text messaging.

The availability and popularity of cell phone technology make it possible for anyone to be connected. But statistics show that sending text messages while driving is dangerous and even deadly.

Since July 1, 2009, Mississippi teenage drivers will face severe penalties if they send text messages while driving, known as Senate Bill 2280. The Associated Press says that "anyone with an intermediate license or learner's permit caught texting while driving could face a misdemeanor charge and a fine up to $5oo." If you would like to learn more about texting and driving in Mississippi, click the video below.

Ole Miss Astronomy Past and Present

Surprising to many, the University of Mississippi once attempted to lead the world in the field of astronomy. Years later it was realized that Mississippi's elevation and weather aren't very conducive to "seeing" a term used for the quality of the light collected in a telescope. The elevation and humidity in Mississippi distort light as it moves through our atmosphere. The perfect place for seeing and taking astrographs would be on a mountain top in a cool, dry region away from city lights. After this realization, the research emphasis became on modern physics. Dr. Don Summers monitors experiments and contributes software to the Large Hadron Collider in Cern, Switzerland. The largest particle collider ever built, the LHC uses large magnets to speed small pieces matter close to the speed of light, then smashes them together to see what they're made of. Participation at the LHC is keeping the University of Mississippi's Department of Physics an Astronomy at the forefront of discovery in the physics world.

Oxford's Weird Laws

According to dictionary.com a law is the principles and regulations established in a community by some authority and applicable to its people, whether in the form of legislation or of custom and policies recognized and enforced by judicial decision.

It's probably safe to say that the majority of laws in Oxford serve a useful purpose. However, there are those handful of laws that cause a few eyebrows to raise in question. Naturally, this isn't solely a local phenomenon. Pointless or outdated laws are still on the books in almost every state typically in the form of a city ordinance or blue law.

Clearly, the majority of these laws are rooted in America's more Victorian era and its technological capabilities, or lack there of. Nonetheless, these old-school laws now serve for a good laugh rather than a jail sentence.

Choose Ole Miss

After High School the search for the perfect college begins. Some choose a school based on their academic programs while others choose a school on their athletic programs. The University of Mississippi is a well rounded public university. Ole Miss which the university is nicknamed excels in academics as well as athletics. The University has more than 100 academic programs in the College of Liberal Arts, professional schools of Accountancy, Applied Sciences, Business , Education, Engineering ,Journalism and New Media, Law and Pharmacy. Ole Miss is also one of the top ranking schools in the SEC when it comes to sports.

The office of admissions holds five sessions of orientation during the summer. Admissions encourages high school applicants to apply at the beginning of their senior year and complete their FAFSA early to be eligible for full financial aid and grants.

Frog-A-Nanny, New Albany's Beloved Tradition

"It's a time for the special needs students to showcase their talents, and to just relax and have fun like any other kid."

-Kelly Coltharp,

Frog-A-Nanny Creator

Friday marked the fifteenth anniversary of Frog-A-Nanny; one of New Albany, Mississippi's most well-known and beloved traditions. The now popular North Mississippi event began, like many great ideas, with a vision; that vision belonged to New Albany Resident, Kelly Coltharp. After years of working with special disability students, Coltharp pointed out a common need among her students; a desire to fit in with the other students.

Driven by ambition, Coltharp used all her resources to create a baseball game (with the help of New Albany High School students and staff) that would allow her special needs classes the opportunity to showcase their athletic talent and capabilities.

Fifteen years later, what once started out as a simple baseball game, is now a popular tradition that includes a parade, 5K run, cookout, and dance.

Colonel Reb merchandise sales increase

Recently the University of Mississippi has issued the final date in which manufacturers can produce merchandise bearing the Colonel Reb logo. The decision was made to finally phase out Colonel Reb as a symbol of the university. Since the date that Colonel Reb will be fazed out has been released, customers having been purchasing large quantities bearing the symbol before it runs out. Stores throughout Oxford such as Campus Book Mart, are ordering as much Colonel Reb merchandise as possible in order to try and meet the demand made by customers. This high demand has caused profits to increase tremendously according to local store owners. Profits have even seen an increase of up to fifty to sixty percent.

University Museum Hosts Folk Art Family Fun Day

The University of Mississippi Museum displays its current exhibition of 'Southern Folk Art: Learning from the Self-taught' through the Folk Art Family Fun Day Saturday. The children had the opportunity to learn about the folk art by creating their own hex signs and portraits. The whole family was encouraged to participate and even the parents were involved, painting their own canvases and learning about the folk art culture along with their children. The families took a guided tour of the current exhibit for inspiration before getting started on their hands-on art activities. Holly Bethune, the University of Mississippi Museum's education curator, prepared a brief explanation and history of the hex signs so the children understood the importance of the art they were creating.

Stepping Inside Rowan Oak

William Faulkner is one of Mississippi's most honored and revered citizens. Born in New Albany, MS, Faulkner and his family relocated to Oxford when he was four years old. Faulkner's work as an author and screenwriter earned him much recognition and praise throughout the 20th century. In 1950, Faulkner was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature and throughout his career he earned many other awards and recognitions for his work. Faulkner's home in Oxford, MS, Rowan Oak, was purchased by the author in 1930. The house sits on over 25 acres of beautiful Mississippi land and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1968. The house helped to inspire Faulkner's work and laid the foundation for his fictional Yoknapatawpha County. The Rowan Oak House is open to the public and allows visitors to see the home of one of the most prolific writers in American History.

Memphis's Beale Street

"Beale Street was built on memories- Good and Bad"

Beale Street is one of Memphis's famous attractions. Known for it's history of Blues music, the famous street contains a unique culture that draws people from around the world to visit. Beale street offers visitors a variety of entertainment including food, music, and history.

"Memphis is the Home of the Blues and the Birthplace of Rock ‘n Roll. And it all starts here on Beale Street"

(Bealestreet.com)

Fund For Boys and Girls Club Slashed

The Boys and Girls Club depends on private contributions from community-minded individuals who believe in their mission- to help at-risk youth become successful adults. However, since state budget cuts have reduced funds received from Temporary Aid to Needy Families ( TANF), the Boys and Girls Club will now have to rely even more heavily on private contributions.

According to Christy Grice, Program Director for the Boys and Girls Club of East MS, TANF usually provides anywhere from 2-4 million in the form of grants to the program. This year, only one million will be available, and that money will be split amoung forty-nine different chapters in MS. At the Oxford club. Grice is asking businesses to step forward to make contributions to the Boys and Girls Club.

Going Green at Ole Miss

The Office of Campus Sustainability at The University of Mississippi concentrates on increasing environmental awareness on campus. They hosted Green Week in April, with several booths set up outside the student union where students could learn more about "Going Green" in Oxford. While most students are gone for the summer, the Sustainability Office is working on their plans for the fall. They will be launching efforts such as a new Daily Mississippian recycling program and a Green Graduate program. They plan to sell the recycled newspaper and use the profits to create a scholarship for Ole Miss students. Other ongoing efforts include Cell Phones for Soldiers, where profits from recycled mobile phones buy calling cards for deployed military personnel, and the Green Grove game day recycling effort. The Sustainability office works closely with Students for a Green Campus and the Associated Student Body to develop and maintain their programs.

Blues on Beale

Memphis, Tennessee's main attraction is Beale Street. It is a located in downtown Memphis and well-known for its rich history of blues music.

It was originally named Beale Avenue, but after W.C. Handy wrote a song entitled, "Beale Street Blues," in 1916, it influenced the name change to Beale Street.

Louis Armstrong, Muddy Waters, B.B. King and other legends have played on Beale Street and helped to develop a style known as Memphis Blues.

"Music is a struggle. Blues is like a struggle that you put out through music."

-Alan Johnson, The Plantation All-Stars

Check out the live Beale Street Cam!

Hollywood Feed

Eating healthy isn't now only offered to humans, but to pets as well. Hollywood Feed is a pet shop located on West Jackson that sells whole ingredient dog food. Holistic dog food and Lupine collars are a few of the healthier brands offered. These products are suppose to be better than the generic and increase a longer life span for one's dogs and now cats. Dogs need a certain amound of nutrients a day and Hollywood Feed is trying to make that task a little easier. The employees at Holly wood feed say, "If your eating healthy and feel good, than your dog should eat healthy and feel good."

The Country Club Of Oxford Seeking New Ownership

The Country Club of Oxford was expected to be renewed and renovated after the Troon Golf company decided to invest in the project in 2004. However, after financial and economical problems, the owners were forced to file for bankruptcy. Currently the club belongs to the bank and will not be moving forward with renovations until new ownership takes place. Assistant Golf Professional Todd Abbott, says that there are interested groups seeking ownership in the Golf Club and they are hoping to take steps forward with an investment sometime this Summer or Fall.

Greg Hardy: All Grown Up.

Greg Hardy is undoubtedly one of the most prolific athletes that Ole Miss has ever produced. The scary thing about that is, Hardy never really peaked at Ole Miss--hampered by injuries for a good portion of his collegiate career.

Hardy was among those expected to grace the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft, but instead, he elected to return to Ole Miss for his senior season.

Despite the injury plagued seasons, Hardy registered an astounding 39.0 career TFLs and 26.5 sacks, including an SEC-best 10.0 in 2007.

Alongside the injury bug, Hardy faced character issues while at Ole Miss, having to constantly defend his desire to play football any longer. As so often seen in college football, Greg was the brunt of his fair share of rumors--including one that alleged him to have been kicked off the team by then first-year coach Houston Nutt in October of 2008.

The former Briarcrest star had a second surgery to correct a stress fracture, and re-aggravated the injury in a car wreck last summer that was allegedly due to intoxication. Then, he rolled his ankle in last season’s opener against Memphis, and missed the last four games of the regular season with a fractured wrist before returning for the Cotton Bowl.

Through it all, Greg was recently drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the 6th round of the 2010 NFL Draft, and when his name was called and the last sigh of relief had been expressed, there he was: All Grown Up.

Click HERE to watch the video.

Oxford Citizen Opens Local Meat Market

Oxford, Mississippi is a small college town with a big taste for meat. That's what LBs Meat Market owner, Buck Cunningham, thought when he opened his original meat market in November 2009. "I thought you should at least be able to get a steak cut in a town of 15,000 people," Cunningham reminisced of his days as an Ole Miss student. LBs is a locally owned and operated meat market that offers a wide range of high quality cuts of meat. In such a small town, Cunningham believes LBs' customer service, quality of product and market price are what stand out from the competition at local grocery stores.

Are cheaper movie rental alternatives to blame for bankrupt businesses?

Companies like Redbox and Netflix have taken the movie rental business by storm. Sending its competitors like Blockbuster and Movie Gallery to close stores and file for bankruptcy is a small dent that these companies have put in the economy.

Consumers choose Redbox and Netflix over Blockbuster, Movie Gallery and other rental stores not only because it saves time, but because it is faster.

Click here to learn more about Redbox.

Click here to learn more about Netflix.

Sunday Alcohol Sales in Oxford, MS

Oxford, Mississippi is known for it's nightlife and Ole Miss is ranked as one of the top party schools in the country every year... all this despite only 6 days of alcohol sales per week. With the hope of extending their sales reach, the Oxford Restaurant Association is proposing an elimination of the ban on Sunday alcohol sales. The Oxford Board of Aldermen will ultimately make the decision, but many local businesses will be impacted by the effects. While bar and restaurant owners have spearheaded this proposal, liquor stores and local beer distributors will likely have to implement changes if the proposal is passed. The board will receive a final copy of the proposal on Tuesday and vote on the issue at their meeting on Wednesday.

Ronzo The Great

"I like the idea of being off the square becuase were set back from the road, the people that find us are just a little more curious and to me that makes it more interesting." - Ronzo

On University Avenue there is a small building nestled behind Pizza Hut. Here, patrons can take a step into a different world, that world is the product of "Ronzo". Ron "Ronzo" Shapiro, owner of Main Squeeze, might not seem like the typical Oxford business owner, a fraternity brother of Harold Ramis, Shapiro is full of fascinating stories. Working non-stop behind the counter, Shapiro serves some of the healthiest drinks and meals that are available in Oxford. Fun music fills the atmosphere while artifacts and memorabilia from all around adorn the walls and counters. The Main Squeeze was Ron's answer to the lack of nutritional food in Oxford. The wide assortment of juice drinks and nutritious meals makes the business one of the only in town to promote such a healthy menu.

Dream Home

Courtney Welch, a manager at the Newks in Oxford, Mississippi; has just newly bought a house in Steeplechase. She has experienced two house fires in the past few years and is more than excited to move into her "dream house," on June 18th. Not many people experience losing all of their belongings in a house fire, especially two fires. Courtney plans to stear clear of fires in this home and enjoy her and her families' new stay.

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McAlister's Deli: A staple in Oxford's History

"McAlister's was and remains, a concept whose time has come." The Mississippi Business Journal- October 27, 2003

A piece of Oxford history was written when in 1989, McAlister's Deli first opened it's doors in an old renovated gas station. Don Newcomb, a retired dentist and his two sons, established the novel McAlister's concept: create a Southern deli that offers a wide variety of salads, sandwiches, soups, super-stuffed spuds and desserts. Although Mcalister's Deli has grown exponentially since then, one can still see the remnants of the old service station in the nostalgic black and white tile floors and the garage doors on both ends.

"It's not a TGI Friday's, and it's not fast food," said Tanya Simmons, marketing project manager of the McAlister's Corporation. "Customer's order at the counter, pay and receive their beverage. They seat themselves in the dining room, where servers deliver their food within eight to ten minutes."

Mcalister's has locations in 23 states, ranging from Virginia in the East to Florida in the South, to New Mexico in the West to Indiana in the Midwest.

According to Candice Warren, McAlister employee, some of the most popular items are the McAlister Club, Spud Max and French Dip.

A Day in the Life of a Towman

Wayne "Golden Boy" Pegues is a true man about town. He can't go 20 feet down the road without someone honkin' or wavin'. As a Marquis Chevron Towman, pride in his job is what earned him the nickname "Golden Boy". A true showman of the Oxford community he has never had a complaint only compliment after compliment. In this day in the life saga you will see Wayne save the day for another satisfied customer. I now consider Wayne Peques an inspiration and mentor for work-ethic and attitude and it was truly an adventure to spend a day with him.

Addicted to Video Games?

An addiction to video games is just like any other non-drug related addiction. It all starts in the brain.

When a person succeeds at playing a video game the brain releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine then travels to the nucleus accumbens and pleasure is experienced. Addiction occurs when the brain demands the same stimulus in greater amounts over and over again.

This translates into the person playing the video game excessively because they find it very pleasurable.

Overcoming an addiction to video games can be handled like any other non-drug related addiction. Typically, this means going to see a psychiatrist or joining a self-help group.

Summer Parking at Ole Miss

Finding a parking spot at The University of Mississippi without getting a ticket requires a bit of effort. Parking is often cited as a main complaint from students at Ole Miss. During the fall and spring semesters, students are relegated to their designated parking areas. These areas are assigned according to the location of each driver's housing arrangement. Students who live off campus are required to park in commuter lots. However, during Summer school and Inter-sessions, students are allowed to park in any student area. This eases the burden for students, but the change can cause some confusion. Linda Christian, Director of University Parking Services, said some students are not aware of the rules and think they can just park anywhere. "It is only after they get a ticket or when they get e-mails from us that they realize they were wrong," she said. Students are still not allowed to park in Faculty/Staff parking areas, fire lanes, or handicap spaces. The Circle is also off-limits for parking, except to visitors or handicap vehicles. Students must have a current decal on their vehicle at all times in order to avoid receiving a ticket when parked in student areas. For more information about where these areas are located, check out the Ole Miss Parking Map.

Remembering Robert Langley

"You're never guaranteed as part of the police force, that you'll return home safely. There are no certainties. Robert was a hero that understood that."

-William Sheffield, UPD Police Captain

Hanging in the University Police Department, there is a plaque that's impossible to miss-a symbol to the UPD of a legacy left behind by a great man.

It's with a solemn expression and clouded eyes, that Police Captain, William "Ray" Sheffield recounts the life of his former partner and friend, Robert Langley. Captain Sheffield was one of the people that knew him best, and had the opportunity to work with Langley in the military as well.

"Robert was just a down to earth, all around good guy," said Captain Sheffield. It's because of Langley's contributions to the university, that Captain Sheffield has been helping since 2006 to raise money for the Robert Langley Memorial Scholarship fund.

Captain Sheffield explains more about his feelings for Officer Langley in the following report.

He hopes that as time goes on, Langley will be better remembered for the life he led rather than the tragedy that caused his death.

Ole Miss student ticket stubs a thing of the past

The days of Ole Miss students purchasing ticket stubs has come to an end. The athletic ticket office has upgraded to a new system that allows students to gain admittance into athletic events simply by using their student ids. The change was brought on after the student body made numerous requests for a change. Each student will be allowed the option of purchasing tickets for the upcoming 2010-2011 school year starting July 1st. Seniors will be allowed access to the new online system first, followed by any remaining full time students.

Ole Miss Bookstore Offers Textbook Rentals

The Ole Miss Bookstore will introduce a book service that will allow students to rent their textbooks for the upcoming fall semester. The program is provided by Barnes and Noble and will be available in the bookstore located inside the Student Union. According to Kathy Tidwell, manager of contractual services at the University of Mississippi, certain books will be available for all students registered for particular classes. Students can return their books after their final exams each semester, however if the books are damaged, lost or are not returned, there will be a fee of 75 percent of the book.

Mississippi Blood Services in Oxford, MS Slowing Down During Summer

The front doors of Mississippi Blood Services typically don't have a long line this time of year. When classes come to a close and students leave Oxford, the population greatly reduces. This leaves a much smaller amount of volunteers to donate blood at the fixed station.

The not-for-profit organization puts on different events to draw in volunteers such as give-aways, t-shirts and food and drink. But the lack of people in the community continues to take a toll on its numbers during the summer months. However, the importance of saving lives is a powerful motivation for the blood center between school semesters.

Many statistics show that blood is strongly needed. For example, by the age of 72, about 95 percent of all Americans will need blood at some point, according to Mississippi Blood Services. It is clear that donating can save lives, but the organization needs volunteers throughout summer to do so. Mississippi Blood Services is located at 2627 West Oxford Loop. If you would like to know if you are eligible to donate, click here.

Oxford-University Stadium

Oxford-University Stadium is one of the largest and most strikingly beautiful collegiate ball parks in the nation. Construction of the 22-year-old stadium began in 1988. 

Upon completion in 1989, the new Ole Miss baseball field was fittingly named Swayze Field in honor of the late Tom Swayze, one of the great legends in Ole Miss history. A three-year letterman in baseball at Ole Miss, Swayze later became head coach of the Ole Miss program. Swayze would lead Ole Miss to three NCAA College World Series appearances and four SEC Championships.

The ballpark underwent it's most recent renovation in 2009, undergoing an $18.5 million expansion. The expansion resulted in an increase of the overall number of seats to just over 6,000 and a total capacity exceeding 10,000.

Swayze Field is equipped with AAA lighting that is of higher quality than most minor league ballparks. Below the stands are coach's offices, locker rooms, player's lounge, press area. In 2006 a large video board was added that supplies fans with replays during the game.

Click HERE to view the video.

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ATTENDANCE RECORDS (entering 2010 season)

SEASON
Total - 273,111 during 39 dates; 2009
Average - 7,002 during 39 dates; 2009

THREE-DATE SERIES
29,646	vs. Virginia	June 5-7, 2009
26,929	vs. Georgia	April 24-26, 2009
26,075	vs. Texas	June 11-13, 2005
26,025	vs. Miami	June 10-13, 2006
23,831	vs. LSU	May 21-23, 2004
SINGLE GAME
Virginia	June 6, 2009	10,323
Alabama	April 9, 2005	10,119
Virginia	June 7, 2009	10,110
Georgia	April 25, 2009	9,478
LSU	April 12, 2008	9,412
Tennessee	April 17, 2004	9,260
Georgia	April 24, 2009	9,232
Virginia	June 5, 2009	9,213
Miami	June 10 2006	9,202
Miami	June 11 2006	9,139
Texas	June 12, 2005	8,974
Mississippi State	May 8, 2009	8,907
Texas	June 12, 2005	8,791
LSU	May 22, 2004	8,574
Texas	June 13, 2005	8,336