MISSISSIPPIAN THE
Thursday, April 10, 2025
ASB election results stand despite challenge to candidate eligibility
low two candidates to run for ASB vice president, despite neither meeting constitutional eligibility requirements. One of those candidates, Walker Jacklin, went on to win the election on March 25.
The theater department will redefine Shakespeare and girlhood. SEE
The Associated Student Body Judicial Council upheld a decision to al-
Jacklin and fellow vice presidential candidate Hannah Broders were allowed to run for reasons
outlined in Advisory Opinion 2502, issued by former ASB Attorney General Alex Kipping on March 3. In the opinion, Kipping argued that the qualifications to run for vice president are “needlessly prohibitive and unfair” when compared to
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SUMMER STORAGE
4 BASEBALL & SOFTBALL
Cedar Bucket Oxford helps store and resell furniture for UM students SEE PAGE 6
The Rebels have their hands full this weekend with two Top 10 opponents. SEE
Bill prohibiting DEI programs in public schools awaits governor’s approval
but that it “does not comment on pending legislation.”
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in Mississippi public schools are now at risk of being banned after the Mississippi Legislature passed House Bill 1193 on Wednesday, April 2. The bill, which is awaiting the signature of Gov. Tate Reeves, gives the state the power to withhold its funding from institutions found in violation of the law. Jacob Batte, director of news and media relations, said the University of Mississippi is “aware of the bill”
The bill defines DEI as any effort to hire applicants, implement policies and procedures, admit students or provide differential treatment based on race, sex, color or national origin.
At the university level, the bill would require the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning — the governing body of Mississippi’s public higher education institutions — to adopt a formal complaint process and investigative procedures for potential violations.
The bill reads that any student, faculty, em -
ployee, staff member or contractor of an institution as well as any parent, guardian or next friend of a minor student who believes there has been a violation must file a formal complaint with the IHL within 30 days of the alleged violation.
The IHL would then have 30 days to investigate the complaint and issue a finding. If a violation is found, the institution has 25 days to correct the issue. The IHL would then issue a formal finding detailing the violation and the institution’s corrective
Campaign tables for Wesley Templet (left), Hannah Broders and Walker Jacklin
the requirements for the other executive officer positions.
Former ASB Chief of Staff Jacklin and former Historian Broders did not meet the senatorial service eligibility defined in the ASB Code.
Vice presidential candidate Wesley Templet — who lost the election, despite being the only candidate that fulfilled constitutional eligibility requirements — filed a formal complaint challenging the opinion.
Templet said the advisory opinion violated several ASB Codes and Constitutional Articles. His concerns included procedural irregularities in the opinion’s issuance, a lack of legal authority for the attorney general to interpret the ASB Constitution, ethical breaches and conflicts of interest.
In a March 21 decision, four days prior to the election, the Ju-
edent and that future elections must adhere to the Constitution.
On April 8, ASB Judicial Chair Diego Abele issued a secondary memo as an extension to the Judicial Council’s initial decision. The memo did not change the Judicial Council’s decision but explained that “immaterial and self-conflicted testimonies” kept the council from efficiently ruling.
“There were clear personal conflicts that forced the Council to sift through hours of fluff to find facts material to the case itself,” the memo read.
Abele also commented directly on the complainant and respondent testimony.
“The complainant was, after all, a vice presidential candidate himself, and the disqualifying nature of this case would naturally give rise to emotionally driven testimony,” the memo read. “Testimonies from the two other candidates were just as emotionally and politically driven, if not more, than the Complainant himself. The heated nature of the other witnesses was
“Personal conflicts proved to be at the heart of this issue before (Advisory Opinion) 25-02 was written or published. Personal and political ambition seem to loom behind some of the ASB memberships’ various activities.”
- Diego Abele ASB Judicial Chair
was written or published,” the memo read. “Personal and political ambition seem to loom behind some of the ASB memberships’ various activities.”
Templet said that while he does not agree with every element of the outcome, he respects the Judicial Council’s decision.
“I originally brought this case out of a genuine commitment for constitutional integrity, using the process provided to me within the ASB Code,” Templet said. Templet expressed gratitude for more clarity from the council.
“I am grateful for the council’s clarification that the text of the Constitution holds importance and that future elections should be guided by consistent interpretations of eligibility requirements. This decision reinforces the value of our governing documents as the framework for fair and transparent student leadership. I look forward to working to continue to better our ASB Code and Constitution in the future,” Templet said.
Jacklin said he has confidence in the judicial process.
“I trust the decision of the ASB Judicial Council and the integrity of our elections process. I’m proud to have earned the support of students across our campus in this year’s election, and my focus is entirely on serving them moving forward.”
Broders, a sophomore international studies and French double major, said she had no concerns about the proceedings.
“I have zero concerns with the way that this event was handled. I look forward to seeing everything that the new administration will accomplish because I have full confidence that students are the heart of ASB,” Broders said.
Alex Kipping speaks at an Associated Student Body Senate meeting on Feb. 11
‘precedent’ set by the Council in relation to Mr. Jones’ ticket.”
Kipping referenced the same election in her opinion.
“Last year alone, for example, three out of the four candidates that ran in the ASB vice presidential race were technically ‘unqualified’ by the outdated means of the ASB Constitution,” the opinion said. “Nonetheless, they were candidates that met the level of experience the Department of Justice would
reasonably expect to effectively serve as ASB vice president. Moreover, their participation was crucial in ensuring that the race was competitive and gave voters the opportunity to choose from a broad range of candidates with differing experiences that reflected their personal values.”
dicial Council acknowledged that the ASB Department of Justice did not have the authority to interpret the ASB Constitution ––only the Judicial Council does.
The Council upheld the ruling because the Department of Justice made a procedural error by not notifying students in a timely manner about the candidate qualification criteria. However, former ASB Judicial Council Chair Cross Del Tatto said that the ruling does not set a prec-
just as personally compromised.”
Abele also expressed concern about continued “whispers of ‘rigged elections’ and a ‘rigged case’” after the council’s decision. He also said that concerns about the running requirements for vice president could have been addressed if not for the “political nature of the ASB Senate and Executive Board.”
“Personal conflicts proved to be at the heart of this issue before (Advisory Opinion) 25-02
is then required to submit a report to the state legislature by Oct. 30 of each year.
This is not the first time candidates that did not qualify based on the ASB Constitution were allowed to run for vice president. Del Tatto said that a similar problem went unchallenged in the 2024-25 election cycle when President Jack Jones was running for vice president.
“There was no advisory opinion published related to the certification of VP candidates at the time,” Del Tatto said. “No appeal nor ASB Code violation complaint was filed during that election cycle, at least to the knowledge of the Council. Given that there was no interpretive question at issue in the 2025 election, there was no formal
al anti-discrimination laws.
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response. The bill gives anyone who disagrees with that finding a pathway to appeal and sue in a chancery court.
If the institution does not comply with the stipulations of the bill, the state has the power to withhold its funding. Funds will be reinstated only when the institution is in full compliance. Full compliance would be certified by the appropriate governing authority and affirmed by the state attorney general or appropriate court.
Under this bill, all institutions are required to submit an annual report to their governing board on July 30 of each year that summarizes all incidents and investigations. The governing board
The legislation also prohibits the use of diversity statements and training in admissions and hiring processes in higher education.
The bill defined diversity statements as any written essay regarding an individual’s views relating to race, sex, color, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or national origin. It defined diversity training as any program that focuses on increasing awareness and understanding of those same points.
There have also been efforts at the federal level to ban DEI initiatives and programs. The U.S. Department of Education issued a letter on Feb. 14, which threatened to withhold federal funding from educational institutions that are found in non-compliance with feder -
The university took steps to remain in compliance with the letter’s directive, according to Batte.
“We have reviewed the ‘Dear Colleague’ letter, and the U.S. Department of Education’s recently released Frequently Asked Questions,” Batte said in an email statement to The Daily Mississippian on March 5. “The FAQs helped clarify the scope of the Dear Colleague Letter. We have taken steps to align the university’s strategic initiatives and will continue to review our programs and make adjustments if necessary.
HB 1193 would take effect immediately after being signed by the governor.
Hall of Fame welcomes 2024-25 inductees
JORJA CARTER News Staff Writer
Ten seniors at the University of Mississippi were inducted into the Ole Miss Hall of Fame on Friday, April 4 at the Gertrude C. Ford Center. The Ole Miss Hall of Fame acknowledges individuals who have demonstrated leadership, service, academic excellence and dedication to enriching campus life during their time at the university.
This year’s honorees are Jana Abdrabbo, Jack Baker, Christian Boudreaux, Aashish Dhakal, Jesse Gordon, Madeline Mueller, David Phillips Jr., Ethan Robertson, Justice Rose and Hannah Watts.
Abdrabbo is an international studies major from Madison, Miss. Abdrabbo has served as principal of External Affairs of the Associated Student Body and president of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College Minority Engagement Council.
A biological sciences major from Madison, Miss., Baker served as vice president and new member educator for the Columns Society.
“Being inducted into the Ole Miss Hall of Fame is an incredible honor, as I have grown up in and around the university, coming up for sporting events like this since I was a little kid,” Baker said. “The opportunities this university has provided me with are greater than I could have ever imagined, and I am so grateful to have been able to give back in a small way to this school that
has been so central to my life.”
Boudreaux, a biology major from Oxford, is founder of the club Aquaculture and served as president of Hill Country Roots. He is also the recipient of the Marshall, Truman and Goldwater scholarships.
“As I get to the end of my time at Ole Miss, I look back and take into account the impact I had on campus, and this honor was a big way to reminisce,” Boudreaux said. “I have always done what I do from a place of passion or interest, so it is very special and humbling to be recognized for.”
Dhakal, a computer science major from Ilam, Nepal., served as president of Tech Jam: The Coding and Interview Preparation Club. He also co-founded Ole Miss Hack and is director of operations for Ole Miss Hacks.
Gordon is a multidisciplinary studies major with minors in biological sciences, chemistry and mathematics from Lucedale, Miss. Gordon is vice president for Gamma Beta Phi honor society. He is also the founder of UM Tooth Fairy, a student-led organization that serves the LOU community and school districts by raising awareness about dental hygiene among elementary students.
Mueller, a psychology major from Tulsa, Okla., has held the roles of executive director of Ole Miss Ambassadors and co-president of Special Olympics Ole Miss.
“Being included into the Hall of Fame, alongside nine other truly incredible peers, is an honor,” Mueller said. “I’ve always looked
up to the students who came before me and made a real difference on campus, so to be recognized in this way is both humbling and deeply meaningful.”
Phillips, a biology major from Hattiesburg, Miss., serves as a Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College senator, philanthropy chair of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and as a member of the Columns Society.
Phillips, who organized donor drives for Be The Match philanthropy, shared his appreciation for the honor.
“Honestly, I don’t know if it has fully soaked in,” Phillips said. “I feel so honored that the university would recognize me for this award. Ole Miss means so much to me, and I am truly grateful.”
Rose is a journalism major from Madison, Miss. Rose is the opinion editor for The Daily Mississippian and a Stamps scholar. He also has served as vice president of NAACP Oxford.
Rose found the induction humbling.
“Being inducted into the Hall of Fame has left me incredibly humbled to stand among and add to a cohort of extraordinary individuals,” Rose said. “Driven by my dad’s untimely passing when I was 14, I made it my mission when I came to this university to do great things that would make him proud; I feel confident he is proud of me.”
Watts, a secondary English education and public policy leadership double major from Hattiesburg, Miss., is past president
The University of Mississippi’s 2025 inductees into the Hall of Fame are (from left) Jack Baker, Christian Boudreaux, Justice Rose, Aashish Dhakal, Madeline Mueller, Jana Abdrabbo, David Phillips, Hannah Watts, Jesse Gordon and Ethan Robertson.
of the Associated Student Body.
Watts said she used this achievement to reflect on her time at the university.
“To me, being inducted into the Hall of Fame at UM means a time to reflect on those that have helped me to excel as a servant to my community, (in my) academics and as a leader,” Watts said. “I have so much gratitude for the professors I sought out, student leaders who took the time to pour into me and organizations that took a chance on me.”
Robertson is a political science major from Pontotoc, Miss. He has contributed to the university as principal of First Year Encounters for the Associated Student Body. Robertson also serves as president
of the Men’s Club Volleyball team.
“I came into Ole Miss as a first-generation college student with the only goal in mind to graduate and make a change in this university, so this has been one of my happiest achievements ever,” Robertson said. “I am so thankful for all my friends and fellow executive members within my organizations that have helped me turn every dream into a reality.”
The Daily Mississippian reached out to Abdrabbo, Dhakal and Gordon for comment, but they did not respond by the time of publication.
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William Faulkner Memorial Garden
set for summer 2025 completion
JAY GREEN News Contributor
Construction of a memorial garden to honor writer William Faulkner is underway on the site of the former power plant between the Duff Center and Carrier Hall on All American Drive.
The $5.1 million project is set to be completed in summer 2025, according to Chad Hunter, university architect and director of the Department of Facilities Planning. Hunter said the site was chosen because of its connection to the Nobel Prize-winning author.
“William Faulkner worked for the university in the power plant,” Hunter said. “During low peak times, Faulkner would find time to write and would do so on the backside of a wheelbarrow inside the plant.”
Hunter said the memorial was designed in tandem with the Jim and Thomas Duff Center for Science and Technology, which opened in fall 2024.
“The university determined the best use of this site is to commemorate William Faulkner and provide a green space for reflection for students and the community,” Hunter said.
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The garden will include a sculptural smokestack and an interpretive screen that will display a timeline of Faulkner’s writing, according to Hunter.
The Department of Facilities Planning is managing the project, McCarthy Architects is designing the garden and an Andropogon Associates architect is focusing on the landscape design. The contractor is Abbey Bridges Construction.
Rachel Hudson, assistant curator of Rowan Oak Museum, sees the project as a way to preserve Faulkner’s legacy. Rowan Oak, linked by the Bailey
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Woods Trail to the University Museum, was Faulkner’s home.
“We’re thrilled by any sort of connection that we can make between Faulkner’s home here and campus,” Hudson said.
According to Hudson, the garden will be located where Faulkner is speculated to have written parts of his novel “As I Lay Dying.”
“There’s that neat myth that a lot of people know that William Faulkner supposedly wrote part of his novel ‘As I Lay Dying’ when he worked the night shift at the powerhouse on campus. That powerhouse is no longer there, but the memorial garden will be.”
Hudson hopes the garden will help Rowan Oak attract students.
“There are only so many Nobel Prize winners in America, and the only one from Mississippi lived here in Oxford and has a legacy here,” Hudson said. “I think students (will) hopefully notice that, and it’ll pique their interest in Faulkner’s history and literature and perhaps make them meander out to Rowan Oak and tour it.”
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PHOTO COURTESY: BILL DABNEY / UM COMMUNICATIONS
JILLIAN RUSSELL
A&C Contributor
The University of Mississippi Theatre Department is flipping the script with a vividly reimagined version of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.” The upcoming production, running Friday, April 11 to Sunday, April 13 at Fulton Chapel, will reframe the tale’s classic characters as power hungry teenage girls attending Rome Prep, an elite Catholic high school.
Under the direction of theater professor Lauren Noble, this gender-bent production features a predominantly female cast and a female stage manager. Noble’s adaptation keeps the heart of Shakespeare’s tragedy but filters it through the intense emotional world of teenage girls and high school halls filled with catty gossip.
The role of Caesar will be played by Cameron Collins, a sophomore theater and film student from Crossville, Tenn., whose portrayal channels a mix of iconic female pop-culture characters including Regina George and Blaire Waldorf.
Collins also took to studying TikToks of University of Alabama sorority sisters to help with Caesar’s development in “girl-world.”
“Caesar would totally be the president of her sorority. There is no flaw to her. She is perfect,” Collins said.
OMG, et tu Brutè?
‘Julius Caesar’ premieres this weekend
This is Ivy Comford’s first show as a stage manager. Comford, a sophomore theater production and English double major from Ocean Springs, Miss., described herself as “the secretary to the director.”
“People who haven’t read ‘Julius Caesar’ can come in and be captivated by this world,” Comford said. “It’s surprising how the original text can portray catty girl fights. ... If you watch Julius Caesar from the original perspective, it is still catty, but it’s two guys talking at each other. Whenever you put two girls in, it makes sense — it feels right.”
True to the original “Julius Caesar” that Shakespeare crafted, backstabbing is to be expected. The knives are fake, but the betrayal is still devastating.
“It’s going to be bloody as hell,” Hannah Rose Richards, a senior theater major from Brandon, Miss., who plays Cassius, said. “You reach a point where blood is introduced, and I don’t think there is anyone that is free of blood for the rest of the show.”
The show offered the majority female cast a unique opportunity to bond with each other and learn from a female director — a signifier of how far theater has come since Shakespeare’s prime. For the seniors in the cast, this show is a chance to exhibit a culmination of their skills and their instinctual understanding of
each other’s creative processes.
“Working with Lauren has been amazing.” Alexa Christian, a senior theater major from Memphis, who plays Trebonius, said. “She’s incredibly open minded about us making our choices, and I really feel like she’s been our role model in this.”
Rehearsals began in early March and will continue until opening night. The play was chosen last spring as the final performance of the season. Some theater students cast in the play enrolled in Assistant Professor of Performance Sam Massaro’s Shakespeare class for preparation. Although the setting is modern, the play still uses Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter, which was a challenge for students.
“The class worked as a teaser for the show,” Richards said. “Getting to talk to (Massaro), who is excited and extremely knowledgeable about Shakespeare, is the only thing you need to understand it.”
According to Richards, Shakespeare’s words are timeless. It is true that many phrases used colloquially today like wild goose chase or break the ice come from him.
“What’s the most fun about Shakespeare is that characters when they are speaking are hardly ever deceiving the audience. Everything a character says is straight from the heart; it is exactly what they think and feel,
2025
and as an actor that is awesome, because all you have to do is speak before you think,” Richards said.
Whether the audience thinks this version would have Shakespeare rolling in his grave or delighted in the front row, it is shaping up to be a memorable performance.
“He’d probably hate it if I’m going to be honest,” Comford said. “I think he would be open to the interpretation, but we all kind of know Shakespeare as writing for men. I think he would see ‘Julius Caesar’ as a man’s play, but I think audiences now will connect with it.”
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Comford emphasized that the play will deliver both artistic education and a shock factor.
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“I hope people leave with a deeper appreciation of the art,” Comford said. “But mostly, I hope they walk out thinking, ‘WTF just happened?’”
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The show will open April 11 at 7:30 p.m., followed by performances on April 12 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and April 13 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through the UM Box Office.
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• Former Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
• Taught the Mississippi DUI Law and 5 Procedure courses each and every semester for 29 consecutive years.
• A member of the Chancellor’s Trust at The University of Mississippi since1981.
• Former Municipal Prosecutor for the City of Oxford, Mississippi for over 6 years.
• Still practices at his privately owned law firm for 55 consecutive years - located at the same place, being the Oxford Square, Downtown, Oxford, Mississippi.
• Former Municipal Court Judge for the City of Oxford, Mississippi for 8 years.
• Former Vice President and President of the Lafayette County Bar Association; member of the Mississippi Bar Association, etc.
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• A member of the Chancellor’s Trust at the University of Mississippi since 1981.
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• Former Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
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• Former Municipal Court Judge for the City of Oxford, Mississippi for 8 years.
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• Taught the Mississippi DUI Law and 5 different Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure courses each and every semester at the University of Mississippi for 29 consecutive years.
• A member of the Chancellor’s Trust at The University of Mississippi since1981.
• Former Municipal Prosecutor for the City of Oxford, Mississippi for over 6 years.
• Former Vice President and President Association; member of the Mississippi
• Selected as one of the Top 10 Best Attorneys of Mississippi for Client Satisfaction Award by the American Institute of DUI/DWI Attorneys.
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• Former Municipal Court Judge for the City of Oxford, Mississippi for 8 years.
• Appointed by the Mississippi State Bar to the Mississippi Commission on Attorney Ethics and Attorney Violations of the Canon of Ethics and All Mandatory Rules concerning the Practice of Law. Occupied the positions of Vice Chairman and Chairman and served for 18 years.
• Former Vice President and President of the Lafayette County Bar Association; member of the Mississippi Bar Association, etc.
• Voted “Best Attorney in Oxford, Mississippi” in the Grove’s Choice Awards.
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• Selected as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers Organization.
• Selected as one of the Top 50 DUI Attorneys in Mississippi by the National Advocacy for DUI Defense.
• Selected as one of the Top 10 Best Attorneys of Mississippi for Client Satisfaction Award by the American Institute of DUI/DWI Attorneys.
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• Recipient of the DISTINGUISHED AWARD OF MERIT for 1989 from the Mississippi State Bar given to one Attorney in the State of Mississippi each year for outstanding contributions to the practice of law.
• Selected as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers Organization.
• Voted “Best Attorney in Oxford, Mississippi” in the Grove’s Choice Awards.
• Voted “Best Attorney in Oxford, Mississippi” in the Grove’s Choice Awards.
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Olivia Limbaugh, who plays Marcus Brutus, Cameron Collins, who plays Julius Caesar, Hannah Rose Richards, who plays Caius Cassius, and Jeanecia Ivy, who plays Casca
Artistry meets acting at the Powerhouse
SIMONE BOURGEOIS
A&C Staff Writer
The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council will host a reception for its Spring Salon Art Show on Friday, April 11, from 5:30 - 7 p.m. at the Powerhouse. After the reception, guests are encouraged to attend the opening night of Theatre Oxford’s musical-comedy “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The art show will feature works from artists such as Ellie McLellan, Sandra McLaughlin and Alba Rocio Harrelson, who applied a year in advance to be a part of a YAC show and were selected by a committee to showcase
their work at the spring event.
Sandra McLaughlin describes her art as a “cross between folk art and realistic art.”
She is particularly fond of the idea of pairing art and theater.
“I think it’s a really great thing to do because it opens up two venues on the same night,” McLaughlin said.
The art show reception is free. Guests can expect light refreshments in the company of the artists and their artwork.
Theatre Oxford’s production of “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” is directed by René Pulliam, the former head of the BFA program in musical theatre at the University of Mississippi. The music direc-
tion is by Justin Wadkins, graduate instructor and PhD student in music at the university.
The show is a series of 20 short, interconnected vignettes that explore romantic relationships. YAC describes the musical as “a hilarious and heartfelt revue.”
“This is from the 1990s, so this is heterosexual romantic relationships, — from married people to newlyweds, dating, people who’ve been together for years and all kinds. So we’re looking at the romance in these relationships from all different angles,” Pulliam said.
Tickets to the theater production are $15 - $25. Student and senior tickets are $18.
Wayne Andrews, director of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, is hoping to build a larger and more supportive audience for the visual and performing arts by pairing the two events.
“We’re hoping maybe people that love visual arts that haven’t been to a play will come to a play, and maybe the people that come to the plays will come early and support the visual artists,” Andrews said.
Ashley Charles, a Brookhaven, Miss., native and junior fine arts major, is a photographer for Theatre Oxford. Charles hopes this event will provide more opportunities for both artists and performers.
“It gives people who are coming to see the musical a chance to experience other people’s art,
and it also gives artists more exposure,” Charles said. “Being an artist or a painter, it is kind of hard to get your work put out there and seen by people.”
She encourages her fellow students to come to support the Oxford arts community.
“If (students) have time to come experience some things like that or just be of support to the event, (I would encourage them),” Charles said.
Steve on screen:
‘A
Minecraft Movie’ is an unexpectedly good time
AARON BARROW
A&C Staff Writer
Few video games are as widely beloved as Minecraft.
People of all ages have something to say about the impact the best-selling, world-building game had on them, creatively or otherwise. By the same token, most people, if not everyone, had a rather adverse reaction to the announcement of “A Minecraft Movie,” a live-action Minecraft film coming from Warner Bros. studios. Rightfully so, I might add.
The realm of video game film adaptations is one with less hope than the nether world, especially for adaptations that choose to bring beloved properties to life via live action. Not to mention, many of these live-action adaptations, such as “Assassin’s Creed” and “Tomb Raider,” can be best described as “box office poison,” to quote the late, great Norm McDonald.
However, in the wake of the smash hit “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” the world of video game adaptations seemed to be on the up and up. That was until the first official trailer for “A Minecraft Movie,” directed by Jared Hess, was released online. The reactions were not
positive. Fans and the general public found plenty of negative things to say about the tone, the humour, the truly abysmal green screen and just about everything else that Warner Bros. released leading up to the film.
Now that the film is out, I can safely say that everything listed above is precisely what the final film delivers. The trailers do not hide at all what the film is or what it intends to be. And for these reasons, without any hint of irony, I greatly enjoyed “A Minecraft Movie.”
On some level, it feels that the filmmakers knew exactly the type of reaction this film would garner and preemptively leaned into the inherent stupidity of its premise. It is a level of self-awareness and, strangely, self-confidence that I, and most others, could not help but literally applaud them for.
Without exaggeration, I cannot recall a recent theater going experience that exuded nearly as much energy as was present in my screening. The most bizarre thing about this energy is that most of it stemmed from Jack Black, who plays the game’s protagonist — Steve — in the film, doing not much more than simply saying familiar things from the games as if he were reading them off cue cards. And yet, I found myself
laughing every single time. Were those laughs out of pity, disbelief, genuine amusement or an ungodly mixture of the three? I honestly could not tell you. But a laugh is a laugh, and a ticket bought is a ticket bought.
With that said, I will not fully discredit the film by claiming that it offers nothing more than easter eggs. There are, admittedly, a number of successful jokes sprinkled throughout that worked to remind me that the film has some genuine comedic talent behind it.
Jason Momoa, who plays Garrett Garrison, is clearly having a blast, and he and the rest of the cast — especially Black — work quite well with one another.
The negative aspects of the film certainly shine brighter than the positives in many respects. The derivative script and half-baked characterizations for most of the main cast are not forgiven simply because of a successful marketing ploy that convinced college students to visit the theater in droves. However, I would be lying if I said that part of the movie’s charm was not due to these cliches.
The last thing I want to do is make excuses for a poorly made massive studio film’s rampant consumerism, but this film won me over, as bizarre as
Jack Black, who plays Steve, Jason Momoa, who plays Garrett Garrison, and Sebastian Eugene Hansen, who plays Henry, in “A Minecraft Movie”
it feels to say. Never before has a movie with so many red flags fooled me into enjoying it to such a point that I feel the need to defend it, but it was only a matter of time, I suppose.
Every bone in my body is telling me that this film is the villain of its industry. I should be against movies like “A Minecraft Movie” and against all that it represents. However, in questionable times such as these, especially regarding the uncertainty of the film industry, I have found myself asking: “Can something that sparks this
much joy truly be that bad?”
The answer is probably yes, but I will ignore that answer and continue to bask in the fact that I watched a truly insane film with an equally insane packed crowd.
Years from now, I will likely regret giving this film praise, but for now, much like Steve, “I yearn for the mines.” “A Minecraft Movie” is now playing in theaters.
PHOTO COURTESY: WARNER BROS. PICTURES
Art displayed at the Powerhouse on April 9
PHOTOS: ASHTON SUMMERS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
UM alum refurbishes Cedar Bucket as furniture consignment business
NATE DONOHUE
A&C Staff Writer
The Cedar Bucket — originally a handcrafted furniture store — was purchased by Greg Driver, a 2019 University of Mississippi graduate, in October 2024. Driver has now transformed the location into a consignment furniture store.
“The name Cedar Bucket came from the original property owners, Cedar Bucket Furniture Co.,” Driver said. “They were really well known throughout the entire southeast for their talent of manufacturing cedar furniture. The community in Oxford and Ole Miss knows the name very well.”
In 2020, the original business collapsed. A few years later, Driver made it his mission to bring back the Cedar Bucket with a refurbished goal.
“My vision is to stand (Cedar Bucket Oxford) up and provide a purpose for what is needed in this town right now,” Driver said. “We’re still a furniture company, but we serve in a different capacity.”
Consignment stores are a way for people to sell their used goods while the store retains part of the profits.
Driver offers a 50/50 split in profits with the consignors looking to sell their furniture.
“Now you don’t have to … (deal) with a buyer and seller … and have it end up in a dumpster because you can’t sell it,” Driver said. “Now you have another solution in town, which is Cedar Bucket. We can come to you, pick it up free of charge, bring it back here, put it on our floor and market it on our website.”
Not only does Cedar Bucket sell furniture that students do not want to haul back home with them, the company also has storage space for the items of incoming freshmen who will not be in Mississippi until the fall.
“So for probably 25% of my clients, I’m going to campus in May, picking up the items they bought on Facebook, bringing
them back here and storing them until August,” Driver said. “I am the physical solution.”
This is especially useful for out-of-state students, who have difficulty buying and selling furniture from states away, Driver said.
“Ole Miss has 60% outof-state students,” Driver said. “I just think that Ole Miss is probably one of the best markets to open something like this out of any city in the country right now.”
Other students that Cedar Bucket can assist are those who will be moving from a dorm into a house or apartment next school year. Cedar Bucket offers storage for the items they wish to keep in Oxford and extra space for any new items that these students may buy over the summer and ship to Oxford.
Cedar Bucket also offers assistance to upperclassmen whose leases expire in July and cannot move into their new apartment until August.
“We can keep the furniture here until (August),” Driver said. “They just need a one-month solution.”
Though most people probably pass it without so much as a second glance, Driver views Cedar Bucket, located on Highway 6, as a welcome sign to the city.
“This property is seen as the gateway to Oxford,” Driver said. “They know that when they pass the Cedar Bucket, they’re in Oxford because this is the county line.”
Although the grand opening is not until May 1, the store has already seen a good deal of business.
“When a client books with me, they get my personal cell phone number as well as the business number, and I tell them, I’m Greg Driver,” Driver said. “We love this community, we love this school and we know the issues (students) are having.”
While a student at UM, Driver worked in catering for Ole Miss Athletics, managing South Club, Rebel Club and
SUDOKU©
Puzzles by KrazyDad
Greg Driver in Cedar Bucket on April 3
Diamond Club during sporting events. Driver cited his time studying business at the university as something that especially influenced his career path.
“Those classes drove me and perked my interest the most,” Driver said. “I went and secured over a million dollars to get this done, and I’m still a majority owner of the company because there was no way I could do this on my own.”
Driver noted that his faith was especially important in embarking on his mission of getting Cedar Bucket back on its feet.
“Christianity is a big part of my life and my family’s,” Driver said. “We’ve prayed over this, and we feel that God has blessed us in this. We aren’t God. We don’t know what’s happening next, but the trajectory looks good.”
HOW TO PLAY
Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 with no repeats.
©2025 Andrews McMeel Universal
NATE DONOHUE Sports Staff Writer
Ole Miss Baseball and Softball have huge in-conference matchups this weekend in Oxford.
Baseball
The Rebels will face perhaps their toughest test of the season. No. 6 Ole Miss will take on the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers, who are 28-4 this season and boast series victories against Florida and No. 12 Alabama.
Tennessee, the reigning national champions, most recently defeated Alabama State 10-2 in their midweek match on Tuesday. The Vols tallied eight hits and drew 14 walks to get themselves back in the win column.
Last weekend, Tennessee dropped a three-game series at home against unranked Texas A&M, including a 6-17 clunker in the last game of the series.
Tennessee took game one, leaving the Aggies with a shutout. Game two and three went to the Aggies, where the Vols gave up a combined 26 runs and allowed 11 home runs.
Vols pitcher Liam Doyle helped secure their second no-hitter game of the season against Alabama State and enters this weekend’s series with
Rebel baseball and softball host ranked weekend matchups
SEC co-pitcher of the week honors. Doyle spent his first season with the Rebels prior to transferring to Tennessee.
The Rebels traveled to Lexington, Ky., for a three-game series against Kentucky last weekend.
Kentucky won the first game 5-4 in extra innings, despite a remarkable batting performance from third baseman Luke Hill who tallied three hits, a one-run homer in the seventh inning and three runs batted in.
Game two and three went to the Rebels following their close loss. Ole Miss won 3-1 and closed the series out with a dramatic win in extra innings 5-4.
On Tuesday, the Rebels traveled to Memphis to play the Tigers. On March 25, the Rebels defeated the Tigers 7-5 in Oxford. This game was a bit cleaner for Ole Miss, who won 10-0.
Softball
The Lady Rebels will host No. 8 Florida in a threegame series in Oxford.
The Gators, the 2024 SEC Tournament Champions, swept Auburn on the road two weeks ago but are coming off a series loss to the No. 10 Razorbacks.
Florida lost two of three
games against Arkansas. The Gators fell 4-1 in game one but won 10-7 on Saturday to play for the series. The Gators ultimately fell on Sunday and dropped the series win with a 9-5 loss.
With the home field advantage, Ole Miss could have a decent advantage in this matchup. They are 30-9 on the season and have proven they can hang with some of the best teams in the conference.
The Lady Rebels lost a tightly contested three-game series against then No. 6 South Carolina this past weekend. They lost 1-0 in extra innings on Friday, won 2-1 on Saturday with a go-ahead RBI single by Jaden Pone and could not recover from a four-run first inning on Sunday, falling 4-2.
However, the Lady Rebels played well enough to sneak up to No. 19 in the USA Softball poll.
On Tuesday, Ole Miss got back on track with a 12-0 win in five innings against UT Martin. Lexie Brady launched two home runs and tallied five RBI’s on the night. With the victory, The Lady Rebels have reached 30 wins in the fastest time in program history.
CONTACT THE SPORTS DESK AT thedmsports@gmail.com
Students train the next generation of athletes as Oxford Park Commission coaches
JOHN FRANK Sports Contributor
Each week, Ole Miss students trade their textbooks for whistles to coach young athletes in Oxford.
Through the Oxford Park Commission, students volunteer as coaches for flag football, baseball and other sports, giving back to the community while they gain leadership experience. Their involvement helps to shape the next generation of athletes and fosters a love for the games with local kids.
John Davis, community relations director for the Oxford Park Commission, emphasized the value of student involvement.
“Students helping coach is so important for us and the community,” Davis said. “On top of having great energy, a lot of students have tremendous knowledge about the sports. They also offer fresh teaching perspectives that may not always trickle down from older members of the community or parents, who may be too close to certain participants.”
Davis said that each year, six to 10 students sign up to coach, not including college-age interns.
Max Milano, a political science major from New Orleans and a flag football coach for ages 10-11, sees his role as an opportunity to pass down the skills he once learned as a player.
“I love helping out in our com-
munity,” Milano said. “Growing up playing football, I love to teach the kids the same fundamentals I learned when I was in their shoes. I was presented with the opportunity, and I haven’t looked back. The kids love being there, and it makes me happy.”
Cannon Hearne, a risk management and insurance major who coached baseball last year and now coaches flag football, initially got involved to earn community service hours for Phi Kappa Psi social fraternity but soon realized it was worth far more.
“Coaching baseball wasn’t what I wanted to do last year,” Hearne said. “I initially just needed community service, but it ended up being so much more than that. When I was asked to coach the sport I love — football — I couldn’t say no.”
Joey Case, an engineering major from Kentucky, who coaches flag football for 10-and 11-yearolds, sees coaching as a way to combine fun with responsibility.
“Me and my buddies thought the idea of having a youth flag football team was awesome,” Case said. “This is like every sport-loving college kid’s dream. It’s getting you ready for when you have your kids playing sports.”
One of Case’s assistant coaches, Jake Smith, a marketing major from Georgia, joined
the program after being asked to lend his football expertise.
“Joey had asked me to help out with practices and games,” Smith said. “He needed a little more football knowledge, and I was thrilled to help.”
Titan Henderson, a native of Brandon, Miss., and a former college baseball player who transferred to Ole Miss, said coaching allows him to reconnect with the game he loves.
“After originally playing college baseball and then transferring to Ole Miss, I felt as if I lost a part of myself,” Henderson said. “Being able to coach these kids brought me back into the game.”
Tom Warner, an entrepreneurship major from Philadelphia who coaches flag football for 6-and 7-year-olds, takes pride in being the first coach a majority of these young athletes experience.
“We have the youngest kids out of anyone else coaching,” Warner said. “It’s their first learning experience with football, and I’m glad it’s me teaching them.”
The presence of college students as coaches is appreciated by the parents as well as the young athletes. Thomas Britt, whose son plays on a 10- to 11-year-old team, believes that students bring a unique approach that benefits kids in ways that adult coaches sometimes can’t.
“I’m so thankful they have kids coaching these teams along-
side a parent,” Britt said. “At young ages, sometimes these kids don’t respond to adult teaching. They feel more comfortable in a setting that’s adjusted for them.
Davis echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the impact that students have on the kids they coach.
“We always enjoy the perspectives of students,” Davis said. “I know they have been so encouraging and enthusiastic, and you always like being around that type of person.”
While the goal is to teach
young athletes the games, student coaches gain personal and professional growth with the experience. Coaching teaches leadership and communication skills that will benefit them beyond the field.
“Coaching has made me more responsible,” Hearne said. “These kids look up to us, and it makes you realize how much of an impact you have.”
Cooper Johnson pitches during a game against Jackson State at Swayze Field on April 1. LEXI
Children play flag football at a game organized by the Oxford Park Commission at mTrade Park.
PHOTO COURTESY: JOHN DAVIS / OXFORD PARK COMMISSION
Lair Beautae waits for the ball at home plate during a game against Missouri at the Ole Miss Softball Complex on March 30.
ALANA AKIL / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
RESULTS & BENEFITS
Increased Calorie Burn
Detoxification
Lower Blood Pressure
Anti-Aging & Skin Rejuvenation
Improved Circulation
Weight Loss
