Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion to start your day informed.
In Mississippi
Fund established for donations to help Jackson residents pay their water bills
The JXN Water Customer Assistance Fund at the Community Foundation for Mississippi has been established to support those in the area who may be unable to pay their water bills.
“As we make important repairs to Jackson’s water infrastructure, we’re also focused on rebuilding our community,” a statement from JXN Water read on Tuesday. “Help us reach our goal so we can lend a helping hand – donations can be made to the JXN Water Customer Assistance Fund at the Community Foundation for Mississippi at https://formississippi.org/JXNWaterCustomerAssistanceFund.”
As reported by Magnolia Tribune, new water rates are expected in Jackson come 2024. Those who don’t pay face shut off.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Michigan Supreme Court rejects appeal seeking to ban Trump from ballot
The Michigan Supreme Court did not follow the Colorado Supreme Court, rejecting an appeal that would have barred former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 Republican primary ballot using Section 3 of the 14th Amendment as the basis.
Colorado’s high court recently used the 14th Amendment to kick Trump from their state’s GOP ballot with the former President’s legal team swiftly appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Michigan Supreme Court upheld a Michigan Court of Appeals ruling earlier this month.
2. Chicago, New York, Denver facing migrant crisis
The mayors of three of the biggest cities in the country – including Chicago – met Wednesday to discuss the migrant crisis each is facing, according to a report from CBS Chicago.
CBS 2’s Marybel González reported that “Mayor Brandon Johnson on Wednesday said Chicago is almost at capacity with migrants, even as more asylum seekers were making their way to the suburbs and other towns and villages in the area.”
“New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston both said they will take a page from Chicago’s book, as the leaders of those cities likewise said they are at a tipping point,” the outlet notes.
CBS Chicago says that not only are they running out of housing and resources, but they are still dealing with unannounced buses arriving every single day – and more expected to come.
Sports & Entertainment
Mississippi Braves heading to Georgia?
According to multiple reports, Columbus, Georgia is attempting to lure a minor league team to their city through the renovation of a local stadium. One of those teams being targeted is the Mississippi Braves from the Magnolia State.
Mississippi is home to two AA teams – the Mississippi Braves and the Biloxi Shuckers. Both, however, rank last in the 30-team league for attendance.
If Columbus, Georgia is successful, the Braves could look to exit Mississippi for the 2025 season as their lease at Trustmark Park is up after the 2024 season.
Markets & Business
1. Survey warns of looming layoffs in 2024
A recent Resume Builder survey shows that nearly 4 in 10 companies said they are likely to have layoffs in 2024, according to a report from Newsweek. The survey also noted that more than half of the companies plan to implement a hiring freeze during the year ahead.
“When asked why the companies were engaging in the layoffs, half said the anticipation of a recession was a reason. Meanwhile, a little less, four in 10 said they are going to lay off employees and replace workers with artificial intelligence (AI),” Newsweek reported. “The news comes as Google is reportedly gearing up to lay off 300,000 employees in its ad sales units in favor of AI ad tech.”
The survey also noted that 22 percent of the companies who plan layoffs in the new year said 30 percent or more of their staff would be fired.
2. $17 million announced for site development in Mississippi
On Wednesday, Governor Tate Reeves announced that the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is committing $16,859,893.19 in Site Development Grant – Select Sites funding.
Created in 2021, the Select Sites program was designed to increase the number of highly competitive industrial sites available to meet the needs of prospective companies. Greenville, South Carolina-based Strategic Development Group was contracted by the state’s electric utilities to evaluate 32 of its top publicly owned industrial sites. Of these sites, the following are being invited to apply for Select Sites funding, based on current funding availability:
- Business and Technology Park North – Grenada County – $4,356,576 for grading at the park’s 200-acre rail-served site
- Pearl River County Industrial Park – Pearl River County – $1,350,000 to extend the turn lane into the industrial park
- I-59 Supply Chain Park – Forest/Jones County – $2,340,924.19 to construct a secondary access road into the park
- Mississippi Gulf Coast Aerospace Center at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport – Harrison County – $50,000 to complete the master plan for the 240-acre site
- I-59 South Industrial Site – Jones County – $881,350 to extend an all-weather access road and clear and grub additional acreage
- Marion County AirPlex/IndustryPlex – Marion County – $420,000 to complete a master plan at the 2,000-acre site
- Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park (Curl and Stamps Sites) – Marshall County – $1,113,853 to extend water and sewer lines and complete wastewater system improvements
- Eagle One Mega Site – Forest/Jones County – $360,000 to identify conceptual treatment and disposal technologies to increase wastewater capacity at the site
- East Metro Center (EMC) Industrial Park (EMC Rail Site) – Rankin County – $709,410 to complete a master plan, conduct pre-engineering work to extend water and wastewater lines, update environmental due diligence, conduct an ALTA survey and install signage
- I-20/I-59 Industrial Park – Lauderdale County – $685,800 for access road improvements
- Martintown North – Union County – $1,623,600 for construction of an on-site elevated water tower and an underground electrical line
- NorthStar Industrial Park – Oktibbeha County – $2,518,380 to construct a 200,000-square-foot building pad
- Port Bienville Site #1 – Hancock County – $450,000 for a wastewater capacity study and pre-engineering to increase wastewater capacity
Magnolia Tribune
