MISSISSIPPIAN THE
Thursday, October 23, 2025
Is UM ready for Vance and Kirk? Students react to TPUSA event lineup
sissippi. The event is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion.
Vice President of the United States JD Vance and CEO of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) Erika Kirk, widow of organization founder Charlie Kirk, will be the featured speakers during the Wednesday, Oct. 29 stop on the “This is the Turning Point Tour” at the University of Mis -
The event at UM, which originally was to feature Charlie Kirk on TPUSA’s “American Comeback Tour,” was reframed after his murder during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University last month.
This is the only planned stop for both Vance and
Erika Kirk on this tour. Students have expressed varying degrees of interest in Vance and Kirk’s appearance on campus. Sophomore exercise science major Ellie Denton views the event as an exciting opportunity to see the vice president and engage in political discourse.
A look inside
ASPHALT PLANT
The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors will review new information regarding the rezoning for the proposed asphalt plant near Taylor.
SEE PAGE 3
COOKBOOK
A University of Mississippi student invites locals to share their recipes and the stories behind them.
SEE PAGE 5
FOOTBALL PREVIEW
The Rebels hope to get back on track in another tough road matchup in Norman, Okla., versus a hungry Sooners team.
SEE PAGE 6
No Kings protesters rally at Oxford City Hall
Protesters gathered at Oxford City Hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday for a No Kings rally in a show of solidarity against actions by the presidential administration under Donald Trump the group characterized as authoritarian.
No Kings is a series of demonstrations that have been organized by Indivisible, a politically progressive organization founded in reaction to Trump’s initial election in 2016, in coordination with a coalition of more than 200 progressive groups. According to the No Kings official website, the movement aims to “(rise) against (Trump’s) authoritarian power grabs” by “(mobilizing) millions of people to take to the streets and declare with one voice: America has no kings.”
Hundreds of demonstrations were held throughout the country, as well as in 20 foreign countries, in what some experts are estimating will be the largest demonstrations in recent U.S. history.
J.T. Cunningham, a freshman political science major from Lehigh Valley, Penn., attended the event to express his discontent with the Trump administration.
“The reason that I decided to come here to the No Kings protest today is because I’m very disappointed with the direction that things are going in our country,” Cunningham said.
“With the administration’s current actions on enforcing immigration law, higher education and health care, there’s a lot of tension that is boiling over in our society about ways that those in power are (leading) our country.
Fired university employee
sues Chancellor Glenn Boyce
NOAH WALTERS Assistant News Editor
Former University of Mississippi employee Lauren Stokes filed a lawsuit against UM Chancellor Glenn Boyce on Tuesday. She is alleging wrongful termination from the university after she reposted comments regarding the killing of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
In a lawsuit filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, Stokes claims that she has “suffered extreme emotional and financial damages, for which Boyce and the (u)niversity are liable.” She is requesting a jury trial and that Boyce pay compensatory and punitive fees, as well as her costs and attorneys’ fees. Stokes, who had served as an executive
assistant to the vice chancellor for development, alleges that Boyce violated the First Amendment in firing her for commentary that she reposted on her private social media account.
University Director of News and Media Relations Jacob Batte declined to comment to The Daily Mississippian on pending litigation.
The Daily Mississippian also was unable to obtain a comment from Stokes after her lawsuit was filed.
The lawsuit explains that at 5 p.m. on Sept. 10, the day Charlie Kirk was killed, Stokes came upon a post that she reposted on her private Instagram account.
The post described Kirk as a white supremacist and condemned positions he held on women’s health care, Second
Amendment rights and race relations with which the author disagreed.
Stokes’ lawsuit further says that upon finding that the post had “offended someone,” Stokes promptly took down the repost, and at 9:30 p.m., she offered an apology on Instagram.
This secondary post offered condolences to any individuals offended by her post and noted the ideological diversity of her employees at her Oxford restaurant, Tarasque Cucina. Stokes said she made the initial post about Kirk in a “heated moment” and would take time offline to reflect on her actions.
The university placed her on leave at approximately 9 a.m. on Sept. 11. In the lawsuit, Stokes claims that she was counseled by the Department of Human Resourc -
es due to online attacks made regarding her initial post. This directed her to contact the Oxford Police Department to monitor her restaurant.
Around noon, the lawsuit alleges, Stokes was asked for her resignation by UM. Stokes attempted to speak with a lawyer but was notified around 12:50 p.m. that she had been fired. At 1:10 p.m., Boyce sent an email to the UM community regarding the firing.
“Yesterday, a University of Mississippi staff member re-shared hurtful, insensitive comments on social media regarding the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk. These comments run completely counter to our institutional values of civility, fairness and
AIDAN PONIATOWSKI News Editor
SEE TPUSA PAGE 2
JD Vance and Erika Kirk
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: OLIVIA CANGELOSI
NOAH WALTERS Assistant News Editor
“Not everyone gets to see the vice president every day, and I think it’s a great opportunity for students to share their opinions with one another,” Denton said. “I mean, we’re all from the South, you know, ‘God’s country,’ so it’s really neat.”
Senior sports and recreation administration major Rhodes Canfield expressed his admiration for Vance and the Turning Point movement.
“I feel like this is a huge moment for the movement as a whole, but also for Vance. I really like Vance and think this (event) further cements his position,” Canfield said. “Right now, the world is his little oyster.”
Some students, such as junior communication sciences and disorders majors Anna Kate Keast, are not enthused by the upcoming visit.
“I won’t be going,” Keast said. “But I will be going to drag bingo that day.”
Others question why Vance and Erika Kirk are visiting the university, such as sophomore biomedical engineering major Devyne Agulanna.
NO KINGS
continued from page 1
And it’s not acceptable just to stay home and sit down.”
Cunningham hopes that the protests will bring visibility to concerned Americans’ opinions.
“Although we are engaged in democratic backsliding right now, away from a pure democracy towards a more authoritarian model, there still is responsiveness that our government has to the people. And by making our elected officers, our congressmen, our senators and the president himself see that there are people in this country who are not letting (the president) get away with all of this, that visibility creates change. And it always does, since we do still live in a democracy,” Cunningham said. “We need to stand up and show those in power that we are here. We are heard, and our voices will persist.”
Various speakers shared their personal experiences in an effort to make their voices heard, and many evoked religious themes. Unitarian Universalist Congregation of
“I would really just like to get a clear understanding as to why such important people are coming, specifically JD Vance,” Agulanna said. “Out of all the stops along the tour, why does he decide to come to Ole Miss and not anywhere else?”
TPUSA, founded in 2012, advocates for conservative politics on high school and college campuses. Organization-sponsored debates between Charlie Kirk and students garnered considerable national attention. The organization has chapters at more than 850 colleges and universities, according to The New York Times reporting.
The “This is the Turning Point Tour” spotlights conservative personalities at various locations, including politicians such as Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., as well as conservative media pundits such as Tucker Carlson and Michael Knowles.
Vance first garnered mainstream attention with the release of his book, “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis,” in 2016. The book largely covered Vance’s perception of Appalachian culture and socioeconomic issues from his upbringing there. “Hillbil -
Oxford Rev. Sarah Osborne referenced scripture in her protest of President Trump before leading demonstrators in a prayer that touched on themes of social justice.
“Let me offer you this scripture of Daniel 2:21: ‘He changes times and seasons. He deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning,’” Osborne said.
Speakers also discussed slavery, white supremacy and climate change, among other topics.
Chair of the Lafayette Democratic Party Cristen Hemmins thinks that the protest was important in rallying against the Trump administration.
“This is an important day for Americans who care about our democracy to come out and say that the Constitution matters and following the law matters. And … our three-part government matters and all branches are equal. And the president does not get to just rule over everything else … ,” Hemmins said. “I think it’s really important that Americans have this opportunity to come out and say that we’re not okay with that, that (Trump is) not a king, and have com -
“I would really just like to get a clear understanding as to why such important people are coming, specifically JD Vance. Out of all the stops along the tour, why does he decide to come to Ole Miss and not anywhere else?”
- Devyne Agulanna sophomore biomedical engineering major
think tank which drafted Project 2025, privately supported the nomination, as well.
Following Trump’s victory in the 2024 election, Vance became the third-youngest person to serve as vice president, as well as the first millennial and first Marine Corps veteran.
Erika Kirk graduated from Arizona State University with degrees in political science and international relations. She also won the Miss Arizona USA beauty pageant in 2012. She began dating Charlie Kirk in 2019. Following their marriage in 2021, Erika Kirk made frequent appearances at TPUSA events. The couple has two children, a daughter and a son.
In the days following Charlie Kirk’s murder, Erika Kirk declared that TPUSA’s activities would continue.
ly Elegy” was listed on The New York Times Best Seller list in both 2016 and 2017.
He was elected to represent Ohio during the 2022 U.S. Senate elections as a Republican. During his brief tenure in the Senate, Vance sponsored legislation against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and gen -
der-affirming care for minors.
In July 2024, Donald Trump announced Vance as his running mate for the presidential election. The selection was supported by a variety of conservative personalities and organizations, including megadonors Elon Musk and Peter Thiel. The Heritage Foundation, the right-wing
“The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry,” Erica Kirk said in an Instagram statement on Sept. 12. “To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die.”
munity with other people that agree with that stance.”
Hemmins believes that the awareness created by the protests makes participation a worthwhile endeavor. She shared her concerns about the recent increase of Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.
“(We think) that our democracy is in deep danger, and we’re paying attention and it matters — and we think things need to change. It can’t keep going like it is,” Hemmins said. “You can’t send the National Guard and the military into American cities to take over. You can’t be arresting and having American citizens tackled within the streets just because they’re brown; that’s not okay. All Americans deserve bodily autonomy.”
For Hemmins, the protest extends beyond party lines.
“This event is not a Lafayette Democratic party event. This event was put on by lots of different people, and
it’s one of the most diverse events that I’ve ever seen. … And you know, that’s because Americans are really fed up with the way our government is being run,” Hemmins said. “I’m really proud to be here, and proud of our community. And (I am) proud of everyone who took time to
come out today and say that the Constitution matters.”
Protesters hold their posters for the No Kings rally on the Square on Oct. 18.
JACK KIRKLAND / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Masked protester holds an altered illustration of President Donald Trump on the Square for the No Kings protest on Oct. 18.
JACK KIRKLAND / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
A crowd gathers at the No Kings protest on the Square on Oct. 18.
JACK KIRKLAND / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Board of supervisors tables vote on proposed asphalt plant until Nov. 3
RAEGAN SETTLE Managing Editor
The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors decided on Monday, Oct. 20 to table the vote to rezone 40.1 acres on Mississippi Highway 328 from A-1 Rural to I-2 Heavy Industrial for a proposed asphalt plant until its next meeting on Nov. 3.
Local developer JW McCurdy, owner of MR Construction, submitted an application to the Lafayette County Planning Department in August to rezone the property to construct the plant, Magnolia Materials. On Sept. 22, the Lafayette County Planning Commission voted 3-1 to recommend that the land be rezoned, moving the vote to the board of supervisors.
The Oct. 20 meeting at the county chancery building drew a standing-room-only crowd, with many individuals denied entry before the proceedings due to maximum capacity being reached. McCurdy, Falkner Farms and residents of Taylor, Miss., shared testimonies in addition to over two hours of public comment that were largely in opposition to rezoning. The meeting lasted four-and-a-half hours.
The rezoning will go straight to a vote by the board of supervisors at the Nov. 3 meeting with no public hearing or presentations from affected parties.
Falkner Farms, a regenerative cattle and poultry farm, lies across Highway 328 from the proposed plant location. Members of the Falkner family each spoke before the board, emphasizing how the survival of their business and farming practices would be at stake if heavy industrial oper-
ations began in close proximity.
Ley Falkner, owner of Falkner Farms, shared his testimony against the rezoning and the comments of numerous agricultural experts who weighed in on the issue, including Ken Macklin, professor and head of the Mississippi State University Department of Poultry Science, and Andy Gipson, Mississippi commissioner of agriculture and commerce, among others.
“As a supervisor today, y’all have to make a decision — a hard decision — of whether to vote yes for an asphalt plant or vote (against the rezoning). Each one of you, when you vote, you’re determining the fate of our regenerative farming operation and our livelihood,” Ley Falkner said.
In his presentation, Ley Falkner stated that in a private meeting, McCurdy threatened to rezone 40.1 acres to I-2 Heavy Industrial if Falkner fought the rezoning, an expansion from the smaller acreage that the proposed plant will actually occupy.
Ley Falkner also said that Falkner Farms has already seen a significant drop in egg production that he attributed to disruptive noise from trucks hauling materials to McCurdy’s property across Highway 328 over the past three weeks.
McCurdy did not directly address Falkner’s claims at the board meeting.
In an email exchange with The Daily Mississippian on Tuesday, Oct. 21, McCurdy said he believes the proposed asphalt plant would not affect nearby farms.
“It’s just (flat out) not true that this asphalt plant, or any asphalt plant, will mean nearby agriculture will have to go out of business, as is now being claimed,”
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McCurdy said via email. “That is a manipulative ultimatum. … Modern asphalt production is incredibly clean, and it exists in the dead center of major ag lands all across the country. So, it’s not just our opinion that this plant won’t affect the Falkners. … With all due respect, just because you yell something enough doesn’t make it true.”
Numerous attendees who spoke at the public hearing on Monday said that the current supervisors would not receive their votes in the 2026 election if they vote in favor of the rezoning.
“I am very appreciative to our supervisors for their work sitting there for five hours, and I was really disappointed at some of the things people were willing to say about them,” McCurdy said via email. “It’s one thing to attack me personally, but some of the attacks on the supervisors were just plain wrong.”
Immediately after Monday’s meeting, District 3 Supervisor Tim Gordon said via phone call that the board needed more time to review information to make a final decision on the rezoning.
“There were some new things that were brought to us, evidence and things that were brought from both sides, that were presented to the board, and we did not have the time to look over it,” Gordon said. “I don’t feel that I can make a fair judgment (if) I don’t look at all of the information and all of the facts that are being brought to us.”
The board president, Brent Larson, said at the meeting that the board was “starting fresh” on reviewing the proposed rezoning.
“We take all the information that was provided by both sides into consideration … without necessarily taking the planning commission’s recommendation into consideration. You know, we go back and we review everything on our own,” District 5 Supervisor Greg Bynum said.
The Daily Mississippian did not receive comments from supervisors Larson or Scott Allen by the time of publication.
Reed Falkner, owner of Falkner Farms, was overwhelmed by the support of community members who attended the meeting to advocate against the rezoning.
“The positive is that we’re still in the fight,” Reed Falkner said. “We just thought (the meeting) would be more of a finality. I think everyone is at that point, and we’re hoping for that sooner or later.”
Jordan Daniels is a local farmer who attended the meeting and spoke about her concern for the precedent the rezoning would set for further industrialization of agricultural land in Lafayette County.
“The (planning commission) seems easily persuaded that every small variance and utility extension is evidence of a fundamental change in character to a neighborhood. So, there’s no telling what kind of floodgates this extremely large zoning change might
open,” Daniels said via phone. Daniels is thankful that the board has chosen to take more time to weigh the evidence of all parties in this case. She was also happy to see the large community turnout.
“I think legal experts and community members made compelling arguments for why this should be rejected outright — so, like others, I’m pretty shocked (the rezoning) has even made it this far,” Daniels said.
Rickey Harwell lives approximately 400 feet from the site of the proposed asphalt plant. He attended the meeting in support of the rezoning and said McCurdy visited him two months ago to ask for an endorsement for the project.
“He just told (my family) what he was planning to do, and I said, ‘It’s your property. As long as you’re not breaking any laws or rules, then I’m for it,’” Harwell said.
At the meeting, the board of supervisors also voted in favor of rezoning property that McCurdy owns on County Road 321 from A-1 Rural to R-3 High Density Residential. Additionally, the board voted to approve a request by storage, consignment and moving company Cedar Bucket for a conditional use permit allowing I-1 Light Industrial use in an A-1 Rural district on Mississippi Highway 6.
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Attendees wait to enter the board of supervisors meeting at the Chancery Courthouse on Oct. 20.
JACK KIRKLAND / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Engineer John Granberry speaks on behalf of JW McCurdy during the board of supervisors meeting on Oct. 20.
JACK KIRKLAND / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
continued from page 1
respecting the dignity of each person. We condemn this action, and this staff member is no longer employed by the university. All of us have a responsibility to take seriously our commitment to upholding a civil and respectful campus environment. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kirk family, as well as members of our campus community who are affected by this senseless
act of violence,” the email said.
Staff members at universities across the country were fired for cases similar to that of Stokes’, and many are also suing their university administrators in response.
A former director of health promotion and advocacy at Ball State University is suing the school’s president over being fired for posting that “Charlie Kirk’s death is a reflection of the violence, fear and hatred he sowed. It does not excuse his death, AND it’s a sad truth.”
In another instance, a for -
mer lecturer is suing multiple university administrators at Auburn University over being fired for posting “I do not mourn oppressors. I do not show them empathy. I don’t give a damn about evil racist, fascist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, mediocre white men who claim to be Christian and then do everything Christ would not do on Earth.”
Previous litigation regarding comments made about public figures have reiterated certain free speech protections that government em -
ployees have. After learning of the shooting and attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981, a county constable’s clerk in Texas remarked “(s)hoot, if they go for him again, I hope they get him.”
The clerk brought a lawsuit against her employer for wrongful termination, claiming that her First Amendment rights were violated, and in 1987 the Supreme Court delivered a major decision in her favor as it was determined that the life or death of the president as a public figure
was considered a matter of public concern. The Supreme Court also cited Connick V. Myers (1983) in its decision, stating that “(e)ven where a public employee’s speech does not touch upon a matter of public concern, that speech is not ‘totally beyond the protection of the First Amendment.’”
Golda McLellan displays scarred Southern history in photography exhibit
Golda McLellan presented her photography exhibition “Sharing the Past” at the Burns-Belfry Museum and Multicultural Center on Friday, Oct. 17. The exhibition centered on the experiences of community members reacting to historical sites across the South.
Two years ago, McLellan met Castel Sweet, an assistant professor of practice in community engagement at the University of Mississippi. At the time, Sweet was leading trips called “Sightseeing Resistance,” traveling to areas of the South prominent
in the history of slavery in the U.S. McLellan went along for the ride and was inspired to create a solo exhibit of photos.
“I just started taking photos,” McLellan said. “Everybody was really encouraging, and it’s kind of blossomed into this over the two years. When Castel approached me about doing a solo show here, I just said, ‘Heck yes.’”
With the exhibit set up in the center of the church, the audience was allowed to move around the area while also sampling the larger, permanent history exhibit of the church itself.
The selection of photos allowed for natural, emotional re-
sponses. They were also grouped by a series of eight questions:
What does it mean to return to a place that remembers you? What journeys brought people to this moment? How do we carry history when we move together? Who once stood here, and what did they see? What stories will children tell when they’re older about history? What does it mean to share a story, not just tell it? How do daily acts of making sustain a community? What echoes linger in structures?
McLellan spoke on the question of “What does it mean to share a story, not just tell it?” She mentioned that those photos were taken at the annual “Behind the Big House” exhibit in Holly Springs, Miss., where the lives of enslaved people are interpreted in a day of remembrance.
McLellan’s favorite photos, however, were taken with her experience documenting “What journeys brought people to this moment?”
“(On one of the trips) we were joined by a group from Illinois,” McLellan said. “So, it was really neat to have people outside of Mississippi come see everything.”
She pointed to a relative of Elwood Higginbottom, one of the lynching victims in Lafayette County, as one of her favorite photographs.
She then pointed to a woman overcome with emotion — one of the visitors from Illinois.
“But my favorite photo in this section,” McLellan said while pointing to the photo of the woman from Illinois. “She’s just ... stunning and statuesque.”
McLellan argues that we should not only hear stories but
read them, too, because they provide ways of interacting with the past, reckoning with it and respecting the legacies of those that have come before us.
ROSE HARMON
A&C Staff Writer
Photos on display at the Burns-Belfry Museum for the “Sharing the Past” photography exhibition on Oct. 17
MADISON TWIDDY / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
‘Share Your Recipe, Share Your Story’: Student cooks up book of Lafayette County recipes
CHARLIE SLUSHER A&C Staff Writer
Ali Blackburn, a dietetics and nutrition major from Vicksburg, Miss., in collaboration with the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council (YAC), is putting together a digital cookbook to showcase the flavors and folks of Lafayette County.
Blackburn said the inspiration for the cookbook was the variety of stories and experiences found within Oxford and Lafayette County.
“So YAC Director Wayne Andrews and I came up with this idea, ‘Share your Recipe, Share your Story,’” Blackburn said. “And this is basically to build the community through food. And the whole basis of the project is to gather people’s stories and their recipes that they’ve passed down for generations throughout the Oxford and Lafayette County community.”
This project started at the beginning of the fall semester, and it is picking up steam toward publication.
“We started working on it in late August, early September, of this year,” Blackburn said. “And we basically
have just now kind of hit the ground running. We’re trying to get the word out about this project. So honestly, it’s fairly new. We don’t have many submissions yet, but we are really, really hoping to get more.”
The project focuses on the recipes as well as the stories behind them, emphasizing the family traditions of cooking.
“The cookbook has all these people’s recipes but also their story of how they got the recipe, what their family life is like — the whole basis behind the recipe,” Blackburn said. “I was like, ‘How can I combine my love for nutrition with what the YAC wants to do?’ And I think recipes show off the community in a different way. Instead of just sharing your story, you can show your recipe and then share your story, and it kind of connects the two, and it makes it more interesting for the community to read about.”
This project was also driven by Blackburn’s desire to get to know the community that she is a part of while being a student at the University of Mississippi.
“I really wanted to learn more about the Oxford community and what all we have in this community. …” Blackburn
said. “Just learning about nutrition is important, but understanding how food shaped our community, I feel like that offers insights into why we eat and what we eat. … This project means a lot to me, and I hope we get more submissions because I’d really love to see it become something bigger than what it is right now.”
Andrews, who is helping Blackburn compile the cookbook, said the project aims to gather the stories behind the recipes.
“This project has invited international students, local farmers, long-term residents and transplants to see their community through the foods we eat and love,” Andrews said. “We are seeing engagement and recognize this is not a quick survey people can tap and complete but takes a little thought.”
Those interested in submitting their recipes and stories can do so on the YAC website. While the project is still in its early stages, with only five recipes submitted so far, Blackburn hopes to have enough submissions by the end of the school year to assemble a digital cookbook.
“I think that this is an awesome way for people to learn more about the members of their community and the Oxford locals and celebrate our diverse backgrounds and
strengthen the bonds that connect us all,” Blackburn said.
UM Museum, Farmstead Florals arrange workshop where community creativity blossoms
MADELYN LASS A&C Staff Writer
Oxford residents gathered Saturday outside of the University of Mississippi Museum to craft their own bouquets in a workshop with Farmstead Florals. The workshop was led
by Katherine Webb, owner of Farmstead Florals.
Webb’s Oxford company grows its own flowers and specializes in arrangements for weddings, special events and individual orders.
“I love the fact that everybody starts off with the same materials, but everyone
makes a completely different arrangement,” Webb said Webb demonstrated her knowledge to the attendees by guiding them through the process of creating a floral arrangement. Webb said that before becoming a florist herself, she took similar classes to the ones she hosts.
“I thought it was really neat to see flowers through somebody else’s eyes and figure out how they like to curate it,” Webb said.
After Webb gave an example, the attendees were left to make custom arrangements from a selection of flowers and greenery.
“Everybody gets to show a little bit of their personality through (floral arrangements),” Webb said.
Sarah Hollis, an Oxford resident, said her favorite part of the workshop was being able to make the arrangements herself.
“I’ve always enjoyed getting flowers from the farmers’ market, but I wanted to be able to do it myself,” Hollis said.
All of the attendees were able to take home their own bouquets.
Lauren Gay, a third-year law student, came to the event with a classmate, Merril Ann Culverhouse, a firstyear law student. Gay said the event was a great bonding opportunity as well as a much-needed de-stressor
Participants assemble their bouquets at the floral arrangement workshop on Oct. 18.
from the workload of school.
“So, here we are just doing this to bond and to remind us to appreciate the little things and not get so stressed out,” Gay said. “This is just a symbol of self-care.”
The event was hosted by the UM Museum. Campbell Sandlin, the marketing and communications coordinator of the museum, said that this workshop was an opportunity to show that there are many important forms of art, including floral design.
“Anything can be a form of art,” Sandlin said. “We’re trying to reach more ways that people can get involved in the
arts, not just your traditional painting and visual arts.”
Floral design workshops give attendees the opportunity to engage in the arts, bond with their peers and create their own arrangements unique to themselves.
“Personality, it really shines through your arranging, your style and what your eye is,” Webb said. “We’ll have 20 people today, and at the end of it, we’ll have 20 different-looking arrangements.”
MADELYN LASS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Ali Blackburn
PHOTO COURTESY: ALI BLACKBURN
Merrill Ann Culverhouse and Lauren Gay pose with their floral arrangements at the University of Mississippi Museum. MADELYN LASS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
JIMMY PETRUZZI Sports Staff Writer
No. 8 Ole Miss looks to bounce back against No. 13 Oklahoma
The No. 8 Ole Miss Rebels will travel to Norman, Okla., to take on the No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday, Oct. 25, a week after Ole Miss suffered its first loss of the season against the then-No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs.
The Rebel offense did its job last week in Athens, Ga. The unit logged 351 yards of total offense, with 5.8 yards per play, and scored touchdowns on its first five possessions.
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss completed 19 passes for 263 yards — an average 13.6 yards per completion — and a touchdown, along with 42 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The offensive line did not allow a single sack.
The defense was a different story. The Rebels allowed 510 total yards on 80 plays. Though the Rebels prevented big plays, Georgia settled into long, exhausting drives and scored points on every possession to outpace Ole Miss 43-35 when the clock hit zeros. Oklahoma, on the other hand,
beat a struggling South Carolina team 26-7 on the road last weekend. Entering the game, the Sooner offense averaged 379 yards of total offense and 28.7 points per game. Yet questions were swirling regarding the offense’s capabilities after the Sooners failed to score a touchdown in a 23-6 loss against then-unranked Texas a week before.
In its game against South Carolina, Oklahoma did what it has done all season: run the ball. Running backs Tory Blaylock and Xavier Robinson combined for 30 carries, 159 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
In his second game back after hand surgery, Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer did not look like himself — or at least how he looked prior to his injury. He threw for 150 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Against Texas, Mateer threw three interceptions.
If this trend continues, the Rebel defense may have hope. Earlier this season, the Rebels allowed 35 points against Arkansas; then, a week later, Ole Miss played tighter against Tu-
lane and allowed just 10 points. Rebel defensive coordinator Pete Golding’s squad has proven it can turn things around from game to game, so this could be a good chance for Ole Miss to reestablish itself on defense.
The Sooners went into South Carolina with the No. 1 defense in FBS, allowing just 211.2 yards of total offense per game. Through seven games, the Oklahoma defense has yielded five defensive touchdowns. The Sooners forced two turnovers and allowed only seven points on 224 yards against South Carolina last week and recorded six sacks on the night.
To take some of the strain off Chambliss, the Rebels will need to revive their run game. Two weeks ago, running back Kewan Lacy’s 161 total yards were instrumental in Ole Miss’ victory over Washington State. Against Georgia, though, Lacy tallied only 12 carries for 31 yards. Although he scored two touchdowns, both of these were one-yard rushes, and Lacy’s explosiveness was missing.
SEC Nation will host its weekly show in Norman, Okla.,
for this clash between a top offense and a top defense. Ole Miss is in danger of falling into a slump; Oklahoma lost two weeks ago and may fall out of the SEC Championship conversation with another loss. These teams are battling not only to make the playoffs but also to remain afloat in one of the most competitive conferences in the country.
Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 with no repeats.
ANTONELLA RESCIGNO / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Trinidad Chambliss holds a football during the game against Georgia in Sanford Stadium on Oct. 18.
ANTONELLA RESCIGNO / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Oxford under occupation: what Vance’s visit means for the university
“As vice president, Vance has played a key role in perpetrating Trump’s political agenda. His visit to Oxford is an insult to Mississippians across the political aisle.”
LOGAN DURLEY
Opinion Staff Writer
When Turning Point USA announced that United States Vice President JD Vance would be speaking at the University of Mississippi, I rolled my eyes in a moment of meek protest — the gravity of America’s condition washed over me as it has every day in the year since President Donald Trump’s electoral triumph.
As vice president, Vance has played a key role in perpetrating Trump’s political agenda. His visit to Oxford is an insult to Mississippians across the political aisle. It symbolizes a broader threat to American democracy, reflects the words and actions of the Trump Administration and reminds us of a growing struggle for the soul of our nation.
Vance is a vessel for Trump and Turning Point USA’s message — hatred for diversity, celebration of authoritarianism and the antithesis to everything our Founding Fathers envisioned for America — that has no place at our beloved university.
What place does a movement contingent on eroding public trust in longstanding, respectable institutions have at the Lyceum?
What does it speak about the credibility of convictions dependent on the abandonment of science, academia, reason and intellect?
Our democracy buckles under the weight of the red-hat crusader and his attempts to delegitimize elections, stack the government with loyalists and desecrate the rule of law.
Our economy hangs on by a thread after torrents of tar-
iffs and reckless fiscal policy, culminating in the highest unemployment rate since the pandemic, a rise in inflation and the decline of the U.S. dollar.
Our streets run red with the blood of our neighbors, martyrs to the gun lobby that maintains its chokehold on Congress even as America eclipses our 348th mass shooting of 2025.
Our courts engage in guerrilla warfare against an enemy that no longer assigns value to law and order, committing flagrant constitutional violations.
To watch Memphis, the city that fed vast adventure into my youth, go slack under the weight of an occupying force is to bear the desperation of a nation unraveling. I have witnessed the brutalizing of my fellow Americans: pepper-sprayed, slammed
to the ground, abused and carted away for the crime of peaceful resistance against the authoritarian forces bearing down on us.
I have seen American money funneled upward as the middle class sinks further into destitution and farther from the “Golden Age” promised by Vance’s campaign. I have tracked a troubling progression of events: echoes of horrors past, reminiscent of a thousand “never again’s.”
What does it say about the university to so graciously extend a red carpet to the second-in-command of an administration actively dismantling the fabric of our democracy?
No moment has better demonstrated the fragility of those who claim to guard us and a betrayal of the values every student is taught to uphold.
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The VP’s appearance on campus is a turning point for schoolwide dialogue and politics
“Despite Vance’s controversial position in the Trump Administration, I believe his visit is an honor and a reflection of both the surge of young Americans becoming more interested and involved with politics, as well as the university’s dedication to promoting free speech on campus.”
MACKENZIE MCDARIES
Opinion Staff Writer
Following the announcement that Vice President JD Vance and Turning Point USA Chief Executive Officer Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, will speak at the University of Mississippi as a part of the “This is the Turning Point Tour,” a range of reactions reverberated among the student body. Many students and faculty are excited, but it is equally evident that many are averse to the visit because of the cultural backdrop surrounding Turning Point USA’s conservative sway on campus. Despite Vance’s controver-
Opinion Policies:
sial position in the Trump Administration, which has sparked backlash for supposedly divisive rhetoric and inconsistent policy stances, I believe his visit is an honor and a reflection of both the surge of young Americans becoming more interested and involved with politics, as well as the university’s dedication to promoting free speech on campus. In recent years, younger generations in the United States have displayed greater interest in the political realm, as shown by the increase in voters aged 18-29 since 2016. Vance’s arrival on campus responds to this very trend, affirming the civic fervor of
a college-aged crowd and the willingness of the student body to listen to and engage with his views.
Additionally, the event illustrates the welcoming of free speech at Ole Miss, as established by the university’s mission to create an open environment for students to share and express beliefs.
The vice president’s presence at a campus event is a clear demonstration of this goal and the promotion of openness for students to explore their political opinions. Even to those who disagree with him, this visit facilitates dialogue among the university community surround-
ing current events in American and international politics, promoting civic responsibility among Ole Miss students.
Overall, the event is a great opportunity for students to hear from the vice president and continue to express their own values throughout their school. It will be great to see how the campus community responds to Vance’s visit and enters further conversations about pertinent issues plaguing our nation’s politics.
MacKenzie McDaries is a freshman Arabic and international studies major from Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Columns do not represent the views of The University of Mississippi or The Daily Mississippian. The Daily Mississippian welcomes letters to the editor, which should be emailed to thedmopinion@gmail.com. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. They may be edited for clarity, brevity and libel. Third-party letters and those with pseudonyms or no name will not be published. Letters are limited to one per individual per month. Letters should include contact information, including relationship to the university, if applicable.
Logan Durley is a sophomore biological sciences major from Olive Branch, Miss.
Logan Durley
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