“In the News” is published quarterly and provides a sampling of stories, articles, or reviews that reference or relate to beliefs, myths, and narratives in Southern culture since 1970.
“Story State’s mission is to foster innovative storytelling,” said Anna Blount, an MSU communication instructor and competition coordinator for this year’s event. “Stories are used to continue rich family traditions, convey core educational concepts and illustrate societal values.”
*This student competition ended on March 21, 2024.
“In the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that said frozen embryos are people, Chief Justice Tom Parker wrote a concurring opinion that sought to define the “sanctity of unborn life,” citing heavily from scripture and theology. His opinion, which drew criticism from abortion rights activists for instilling religious beliefs into a judicial decision, was the latest in nearly 20 years on the bench in which he has repeatedly invoked religion on his way to laying the groundwork to overturn Roe v. Wade.”
“Outside of rural areas, homeowners sell their homes hoping to come out ahead. The average home seller has lived in their house for 10 years, according to the National Association of Realtors.
“Rural homeowners are the exception to this. Generally, rural residents often hold on to their home and pass it on to their children. A major factor in this is the relatively low stock of rural housing.”
“What Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ settlement changes and what restrictions remain” from PBS NewsHour (March 14, 2024)
“Cameron Parish, which encompasses the town of Cameron, has lost more than half of its population. The storms have left the region with millions of dollars in damages and little capacity to rebuild. Some in the community say that the hurricanes are getting stronger and that climate change is to blame.”
“Tennesseans from across the political spectrum unite to address gun violence” from PBS NewsHour (March 27, 2024)
“The passage of the bill comes a little more than a year since the Covenant School shooting in Nashville left six people dead, including three children. And Democrats on Tuesday were broadly critical of the bill, both skeptical it could effectively stop a school shooter and concerned about unintended consequences, such as a teacher leaving a gun unattended for a student to find or the use of increased force during in-school discipline issues. [ . . . ] Republicans in favor of the measure have argued trained staff can increase school security, particularly in rural areas where law enforcement may be more sparsely staffed with greater response times to far-flung communities. ”
“DIERMEIER: No. That was not the issue at Vanderbilt. The issue at Vanderbilt was the way I described it. And we were – there is – this is – to me, it really is not a free speech issue because you are – if you’re forcing your way into a closed building, you’re engaging in vandalism, and that’s all – that’s not an expression of free speech.”
“But a fury had been unleased in the rural county in the mountains of Virginia. People crowded into school board meetings, denouncing the naming process as secretive and rushed, and voicing deeper resentments about cultural changes they saw as being foisted upon them.”
Nobody's Home 