Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion to start your day informed.
In Mississippi
1. Hinds County Supervisors vote to send JSU $1 million but that could change when new Board is seated
Hinds County Supervisors voted 3-2 to send Jackson State University $1 million from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds on Tuesday. The money is meant to support economic development programs.
However, as reported by WLBT, District 1 Supervisor Robert Graham took issue with the board approving the funds at the last meeting of the 2019-23 term. He says he’s going to ask the new board to rescind it.
“No one here’s against giving Jackson State University money, but at the same time, the board coming in should make those particular decisions,” he said, as quoted by WLBT. “The new board has already expressed the desire that they want to look at this and look at it first.”
Graham is one of two Hinds County Supervisors returning come January 1.
2. Declining student population forces Jackson Public Schools to close, consolidate schools
The Jackson Public School District Board voted on Tuesday to close 11 schools and consolidate 2 others in the coming year. Superintendent Dr. Errick Greene says closing and consolidating these schools will save the district more than $17 million per year and more than $174 million in renovation costs.
The move comes after an initial plan was announced in October that would have closed or consolidated 16 schools. Prior to the 5-1 vote this week, Clausell Elementary, Green Elementary and Key Elementary were removed from the recommended closure list.
Jackson Public Schools have seen their enrollment decline by nearly 10,000 students over the past 7 years while also being unable to fill close to 400 staffing vacancies within the district.
The Board hopes the buildings will be utilized for community development in the Jackson area.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Lincoln Memorial vandalized in D.C. with pro-Hamas graffiti
According to The Hill, the Lincoln Memorial was vandalized overnight with “Free Gaza” and other phrases spray painted on the memorial. The D.C.-based outlet reports that the U.S. Park Police confirmed that vandalism was discovered in the area of the Lincoln Memorial Circle and the Reflecting Pool.
The defacing of the Lincoln Memorial comes as protests and vandalism has increased in the nation’s capital over the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Pro-Hamas groups are advocating for a ceasefire.
The Hill also reports that some congressional members have also faced vandalism from the pro-Hamas groups at their offices and even at their homes.
2. Biden Admin. extends deadline for student loan forgiveness applications
The U.S. Department of Education has extended the deadline for income-driven and public student loan forgiveness applications to April of 2024, allowing nearly 3.6 million student loan borrowers additional time to qualify for forgiveness.
According to a blog post issued by Richard Cordray reported by Newsweek, the Federal Student Aid’s Chief Operating Officer wrote, “Since this summer, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) has approved almost $44 billion in debt relief for more than 900,000 borrowers as part of the payment count adjustment, and we’re not done.”
Newsweek reports that the Department of Education’s latest update aims to reflect borrowers’ payment histories more accurately.
“The adjustment process, expected to be completed by July 1, 2024, opens a window until April 30, 2024, for borrowers to submit loan consolidation applications, which the Department of Education said is crucial for maximizing the benefits from recalculated payment counts,” Newsweek states.
Sports & Entertainment
1. Early national signing day big in Mississippi
The early signing period brought hope to Mississippi’s Big 3 universities on Wednesday. High school seniors in the 2024 class were officially able to sign their National Letter of Intent, setting the stage for the school’s football programs in 2024 and beyond.
Brad Logan with “Inside the Rebels” posted on X that Ole Miss under Head Coach Lane Kiffin has accumulated, both via high school and the Transfer Portal, “the best roster for an upcoming season in program history.” The 10-2 Rebels have been the talk of the nation in terms of portal moves so far, with some recruiting services listing Ole Miss as high as No. 1 or No. 2 at this point.
In Hattiesburg, despite a 3-9 season, Southern Miss Head Coach Will Hall put together what looks to be the best recruiting class in the Sun Belt Conference, picking up key pieces to his puzzle both at the high school level and through the Transfer Portal. The newcomers to the Golden Eagles will join new offensive and defensive coaches when they suit up at The Rock.
The road for newly minted Head Coach Jeff Lebby with the Mississippi State Bulldogs is a bit different from the other two major universities in the state. He stepped into the job just weeks ago, yet has put together a respectable showing thus far in the 2024 recruiting class, picking up JUCO transfers and key high school recruits to fill holes left by those who either graduated or decided to jump in the Transfer Portal.
2. Alcorn State hires new Head Football Coach
On Tuesday, Alcorn State Head Football Coach Fred McNair announced he was leaving the program after efforts to extend his contract were unsuccessful. Soon after the news of McNair’s departure, he was announced as the new Head Coach of Texas Southern. McNair had been at Alcorn since 2016.
Alcorn swiftly announced the hiring of Cedric Thomas to replace McNair as head coach. Thomas has been the Defensive Coordinator at Alcorn since 2022. He was previously the head coach at Mississippi Delta Community College during the 2021 season.
Markets & Business
Mixed bag as last week’s market rally slows
CNBC reports that after a late-year rally that brought a record high, the Dow fell 476 points, or 1.27%, Wednesday, its first decline in 10 days. Similarly, the S&P was down 1.47% and the Nasdaq dropped 1.50%.
However, stock futures climbed Thursday morning ahead of the day’s trading.
Analyst with CNBC says “all three indexes remain on track for a winning December and 2023.”
Magnolia Tribune
