THE Daily Thursday, April 30, 2026
MISSISSIPPIAN theDMonline.com
Volume 114, No. 26
Proposed dirt mine clears first hurdle with Lafayette County Planning Commission vote LOGAN KENNEDY News Staff Writer
The Lafayette County Planning Commission voted 3-0 to recommend that the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors approve a four-acre dirt mining operation on Lafayette County Road 418 in the community of Fudgetown on Monday, April 27. Two members of the five-person commission were absent. The Lafayette County Zoning Ordinance defines dirt mining as the extraction of dirt, sand, gravel or other materials from the ground, which the ordinance said is subject to Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) requirements. The board of supervisors is scheduled to consider the project during its meeting on May 18. A three-generation farm family in the area — Celeste Jordan, Courtney Rogers and Jordan Daniels of Fudgetown Farm — opposes the operation, and
LOGAN KENNEDY / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Notice of public hearing sign on Lafayette County Road 418, site of the proposed dirt mine
DOUBLE DECKER A look back at musical performances and activities from the 2026 art festival SEE PAGE 7
residents of the Yocona Ridge neighborhood have signed a petition opposing the dirt mine. The dirt mining operation would sit diagonally across from the farm that Jordan and her family have owned for more than 30 years. “I like the peace, the quiet and the tranquility,” Jordan said. “When I bought this farm, I never would have imagined that any kind of business like this would be located next to my farm.” The proposed dirt mine would be located on four acres of a 165-acre property owned by Wilson Matthews of Ste-Bil Grading, a local excavator contracting company; JW McCurdy of JWM Development, LLC; and William Matthews and Chandler Rogers of Lonesome Oaks, LLC, according to a deed of trust. The 165 acres are zoned A-1 Rural Agricultural, but on Monday, the planning commission approved
SEE DIRT MINING PAGE 2
CLIFF JOHNSON The Democratic nominee for Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District outlines his stances on political issues. SEE PAGE 4
BASEBALL The Rebels have what it takes to succeed in the postseason, but streakiness could be their downfall. SEE PAGE 9
Kingery elected president pro tempore of ASB Senate ELI CROWLEY
News Staff Writer
Corey Kingery was elected ASB President Pro Tempore via runoff ballot at the Associated Student Body Formal Senate on Monday, April 28, at the Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union. In addition to presiding over the ASB Senate in the absence of the vice president, the president pro tempore serves as chair of
the rules committee and is an ex officio member on all other senate committees. The president pro tempore ensures each committee conducts regular meetings by collecting reports. Kingery previously ran for ASB Vice President in the 2026 spring election but lost in the run-
SEE ASB PAGE 3
Faculty senate calls for excluding spring 2026 student evaluations DYLAN THOMAS News Editor
The University of Mississippi Faculty Senate passed a resolution stating its desire for student evaluations from this semester to be excluded from the conversation around each professor’s annual performance, potential promotion and tenure on April 7. This resolution came after the semester was shortened due to disruptions by Winter Storm Fern, which caused decreased instructional time, syllabus changes and tension between students and professors. The university was closed for two weeks, from Jan. 26-Feb. 7. The resolution argues that the circumstances caused by Winter Storm Fern could result in data that is not reflective of what a professor’s performance would look like during a normal semester.
“Whereas given the significant impact of Winter Storm Fern to the Spring 2026 academic semester, data collected in student evaluation of instruction is likely to be uninterpretable, if not biased,” the resolution said. Stephanie Miller, a professor of psychology, is a faculty senator representing the psychology department. She is a leading force behind the resolution. PHOTO COURTESY: THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI Miller said that because Winter Storm Fern Stephanie Miller forced professors to make changes to their curricuand they allow others at the lums, due dates and teach- university (our chairs, adminising pace, the data gathered trators) to assess the quality of from evaluations should not teaching being provided at the be held against professors. University of Mississippi,” Mill“These evaluations are data er said. “Because this semester — they help us understand how was so extraordinary, these data classes and teaching materials may not be an accurate reflecare being received so we can make necessary adjustments, SEE FACULTY SENATE PAGE 3