BY DAVID BRELANDManaging Editor

In the latest chapter of the landscap-ing scandal involving Institutions of Higher Learning Commissioner Tom Meredith and Interim Mississippi State University President Vance Watson, the IHL accepted the resignation and subsequent retirement of Watson

Monday. Watson decided that resign-ing as interim president would be pru-dent in the wake of the scandal.

“In light of the recent landscaping controversy that has arisen, I have decided that it is in the best interest of Mississippi State University and myself if I resign from my position as interim president of Mississippi State University and retire,” Watson said in a

press release Monday. According to IHL

Board of Trustees President Amy Whitten, Watson’s res-ignation was voluntary and was not suggested or asked for by the IHL.

Watson’s resignation comes after he was forced to reimburse the univer-sity $12,333 for authorizing landscap-ing work that was done at Meredith’s home. In his statement Watson was quick to point out that the matter was a civil claim and not a criminal one.

Watson neither answered nor

returned phone calls.The IHL promptly selected for-

mer vice president for student affairs Roy Ruby to serve as interim presi-dent until the conclusion of the MSU presidential search, or when a new president assumes command. The IHL is expected to announce a preferred candidate by Nov. 1.

Ruby, a 40-year veteran of MSU, has been retired since 2004, but said he is appreciative of the selection.

“I’m honored. I’ve worked for MSU for 40 years. MSU’s been my life, I’m honored if I can help,” Ruby said.

Ruby was approached by IHL board

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Universitybreaks ground for new facility

BY ADAM KAZERY

Online Editor

Officials conducted the ground-breaking ceremony for a new multi-tenant building at the Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Development Park on Thursday. Sen. Thad Cochran, along with Mississippi State University and Oktibbeha County officials, participated in the ceremony for the new, unnamed facility.

Construction for the $8 million, 42,000-square-foot building will begin in March and should be completed within nine to 12 months. Schafer and Associates has been contracted as architect for the facility.

The research park is home to 1,500 workers, many of whom are MSU employees, and the new multi-tenant building will increase the capacity by 100 to 150 more. The building is expected to be at full occupancy when it opens.

Vice president for research and

BY COLIN CATCHINGS

Staff Writer

Mississippi voters will have the opportunity to elect incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran or Erik Fleming for the United States Senate Nov. 4.

Cochran, a Republican, said he should be elected because he is quali-fied to continue to serve based on his performance in the Senate.

“I believe that my experience equips me to do things that will benefit our state economically including better opportunities for the future,” he said.

Fleming, a Democrat, said he should be elected because he is tired of Mississippi being the last state in every-thing that is supposed to be good and the top state in everything bad.

“[Cochran] had a chance for 30 years, for three decades — since I was 13 years old — to move this state in a direction where it will be better off for its people,” he said. “Instead, the people of Mississippi have done what they’ve always had to do — they’ve had to be resilient ... they’ve had to make a

Former vice president for student affairs Roy Ruby named interim

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Rosanne Cash accepts her father’s symbolic pardon and gifts from Starkville representatives during the Flower Pickin’ Festival Saturday night.

The

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Cash fans from across the country arrive in Starkville for festival

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BY PATRICK YOUNG | Staff Writer

The second annual Pardon Johnny Cash Flower Pickin’ Festival, honoring the late American outlaw icon, preoccupied the music scene in Starkville over the weekend.

The three-day musical event featured meet and greets with Cash’s family, a 5k run, lectures from close friends of the Man in Black and a downtown concert with headliner Rosanne Cash. Plenty of sunshine and cool weather greeted many out-of-town visitors who converged with locals in Starkville to pay tribute to the iconic singer.

Event organizers hailed it a success with this year’s attendance being higher than last year’s inaugural festival. Event volunteer Natalie Long said the small-town atmosphere of Starkville gave the event a unique feel.

“We’ve had a good turnout for all the events,” Long said. “It had been very family-friendly, family-oriented and pet-oriented; we’re happy with everything that has taken place.” SEE CASH, 3

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