News

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Couples who want to avoid one of the most common argument topics should begin their relationships with total financial honesty.

Joe Wilmoth, assistant professor of human development and family studies in Mississippi State University’s School of Human Sciences, said many surveys reveal that finances are the No. 1 source of conflict in a marriage.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Valentine’s Day is supposed to be about love and romance, but gift exchanges can leave some sweethearts feeling anxious instead.

Susan Cosgrove, area family resource management agent in Newton County with Mississippi State University Extension Service, said homemade gifts are an inexpensive option and can be even more meaningful than store-bought ones.

By Kaitlyn Byrne
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE – With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, parents and teachers are looking for healthy snacks and creative crafts to entertain children at holiday-themed parties.

Brent Fountain, associate extension professor and human nutrition specialist with Mississippi State University Extension Service, said children’s Valentine’s Day parties usually consist of a variety of cupcakes, brownies and cookies, but better planning can allow for healthier options.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A Mississippi State University researcher has uncovered the first molecular evidence linking live poultry markets in China to human H5N1 avian influenza.

Henry Wan, an assistant professor in systems biology at MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, collaborated with scientists in the World Health Organization Collaborative Centers for Influenza in China and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to investigate the connection.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Youth with an interest in animals and veterinary medicine are invited to attend a camp offered by Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

MSU Veterinary Camp will provide a hands-on experience to youth ages 13 to 15. Campers will participate in interactive labs and learn about veterinary medicine from CVM instructors. Students considering a career in veterinary medicine, scientific research or an animal-related field are encouraged to apply.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – The Mississippi State University Extension Service will offer timber tax workshops Feb. 28 in Raymond, March 1 in Coffeeville and March 29 in Oxford.

Landowners, certified accountants, consulting foresters and loggers are invited to participate in the Income Taxes and Family Forest short course. Topics include changes to capital gains tax law, basics of basis, record keeping, timber sales income, recovery of reforestation costs, casualty losses, strategic tax planning, tax forms and information sources.

Gardeners seeking color for the winter landscape should look beyond traditional pansies and violas and embrace the wide range of ornamental vegetables that can be grown in Mississippi. I’ve written about the colorful varieties of ornamental kale and cabbage, but a plant that doesn’t get much press is Swiss chard. Swiss chard is a winter annual available in a variety of bright and eye-catching colors, and it will certainly attract attention if you grow it.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – The Mississippi State University Extension Service has won a regional communication award for the television show Southern Gardening.

The two-minute episodes feature host Gary Bachman, an MSU Extension horticulturist at the Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi. The show won a Blue Ribbon Communication Award from the Southern Region of the American Society for Horticultural Science.

The Blue Ribbon award program began in 1987 to recognize outstanding contributions to horticultural education in written, video, audio or electronic form.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Dr. Matt Ross, an associate professor of toxicology at Mississippi State University, has a passion for research that has led to his work involving pesticide and lipid metabolism in the Center for Environmental Health Sciences and the Department of Basic Sciences.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Placing first at the Southern Regional Horse Show might not seem like a great feat to some, but for former Bolivar County 4-H’er Jamie Mangum, it meant overcoming difficult obstacles.

Mangum is no ordinary 4-H’er. Though he was born with cerebral palsy, a disorder affecting the ability to control movement, he has never let his disability control him.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Hard economic times may prompt people to preserve food at home to cut meal costs, but Extension agents are betting the taste and quality of the products will hook them on the experience.

Brent Fountain, human nutrition specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, led a three-day workshop in January for 42 Extension agents from across the state. True to Extension’s 4-H educational philosophy, “Learn by doing,” the agents gained hands-on experience they will pass on to residents in their communities.

By Kaitlyn Byrne
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE – 4-H agent Traci Mongeon of Ackerman recently earned the title of Mrs. Mississippi International and will travel to Chicago in July to compete for the title of Mrs. International 2012.

Mongeon said she felt compelled to compete in the Mrs. Mississippi International pageant after learning that the Mrs. International pageant focuses on giving back to the community and helping others.

Shopping online can be extremely useful for busy consumers, but it often leaves small businesses out in the cold.

There are numerous options for the small business owner or entrepreneur when it comes to selling online, but determining the right fit for your growing business can be a challenge. Most tech-savvy folks say there is no perfect online payment system. Rather, it’s a choice between what software helps net the most sales minus the software that gives you the least amount of headache.

If you’re still looking for a fantastic indoor plant for the winter season, try cyclamen. It has a long blooming period and produces loads of colorful flowers to enjoy on dreary days.

Flowers can be found in a variety of shades of red, pink and white, but I think some of the most attractive are the soft pastels of pink and lavender.

The nodding flowers have swept-back petals that are held on straight stems above the foliage. Another highly attractive feature of cyclamen is that they have varying patterns of silver and gray on the cordate, or heart-shaped, leaves.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi high school juniors considering medical careers in their home state have the opportunity to take part in an intense summer program at Mississippi State University.

The five-week Rural Medical Scholars summer program at MSU aims to identify the state’s future primary care doctors and help them become members of the medical school class of 2021.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Young women interested in wildlife, fisheries and natural science careers can apply for the second annual discovery day to be held at Mississippi State University.

The Conservation Careers Discovery Day will begin at 4 p.m. March 30 and conclude at 6 p.m. March 31. Participants will learn outdoor skills such as GPS orienteering, canoeing, and plant and wildlife identification. This year, a camp-out and campfire chat with experienced professionals and scientists have been added.

RAYMOND – The 22nd annual national Greenhouse Tomato Short Course will be held March 6 and 7 at the Eagle Ridge Conference Center in Raymond, Miss.

The conference is open to current growers and those interested in starting a greenhouse tomato operation. Topics will include greenhouse system components, greenhouse design and engineering, alternative heating options, marketing, budgeting for growers, research updates, plant nutrition, alternative crops, water sanitation, physiological disorders, plant diagnostics, disease identification and control, and pest management.

Planning a wedding can be an intimidating experience, but technology can help the couple and their guests enjoy the day.

The Internet can be a good source of information about local photographers, caterers and florists, so investigate before signing on the dotted line. Check the reviews of other customers, and be sure to click on the Images tab to see if any photos of the person’s work are available in addition to the pictures on their website.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Research, teaching and diagnostic efforts focused on parasites, such as worms, fleas and ticks, are important for all of the clients served by Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Andrea Varela-Stokes is an assistant professor in basic sciences, teaching veterinary parasitology and helminthology and researching tick-borne diseases. She said there are many applications for parasitology in research and service.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Imagine an insect that can eat nearly anything, control microbes, live off of water alone in the adult stage, and be a good source of protein for animal feed. The black soldier fly is real, not science fiction, and it has researchers at Mississippi State University abuzz with excitement.