- 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. Genuine Mississippi Agricultural Market Complex coming to Brandon
On Thursday, Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson announced the first of its kind food supply, storage and distribution hub – the Genuine Mississippi Agricultural Market Complex. The Market Complex will be located in Brandon, Mississippi.
With unanimous support from the Rankin County Board of Supervisors, Rankin First and the City of Brandon, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce is launching a new type of Farmers Market featuring not only fresh local products such as poultry, beef, pork, blueberries, sweet potatoes, watermelons, peas and beans, tomatoes, muscadines, rice, peanuts, pecans, dairy, catfish and much more – but also frozen and dried products that can be stored and distributed and sold to consumers throughout the year. The Market Complex will also provide real world Training and Workforce Development opportunities for Mississippi’s 4-H and FFA youth interested in exploring available agricultural and commerce career paths.
The Genuine Mississippi Market Complex will be located on approximately 153 undeveloped acres on Mississippi Highway 18 near the front door of future economic development for Rankin County. It will feature the full farm-to-table experience for retail consumers whether shopping for fresh farm-raised produce in season, high quality meat products such as beef, chicken, pork and catfish, or frozen or dried products for cooking at home. Visitors will also be able to sit down at a table to enjoy a delicious fresh-cooked meal of Genuine MS products.
2. John Hurt Museum lost in fire
WLBT is reporting that a fire has destroyed a Carroll County museum dedicated to the life of a Mississippi blues legend. No foul play is suspected.
The Mississippi John Hurt Museum contained artifacts and some of the history of the performer’s career.
WLBT says Hurt taught himself to play guitar when he was around 9 years old.
“He first recorded his music in 1928. Because his brand of the blues was a commercial failure he went back to farm work in Avalon in Carroll County. But Hurt became popular and his music revived at blues festivals around the nation in the early 60s. Artists like Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, and Jerry Garcia recorded his songs,” the report stated.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. U.S. returns to the Moon after 52 years
For the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972, a U.S.-built spacecraft, known as Odysseus, has landed on the moon.
According to the New York Times, Intuitive Machines is one of several small companies that NASA has hired to transport instruments that will perform reconnaissance on the moon’s surface ahead of the return of NASA astronauts there.
“For this mission, NASA paid Intuitive Machines $118 million under a program known as Commercial Lunar Payload Services, or CLPS, to deliver six instruments to the moon, including a stereo camera that aimed to capture the billowing of dust kicked up by Odysseus as it approached the surface and a radio receiver to measure the effects of charged particles on radio signals,” NYT reported.
2. Biden announces sanctions against Russia
The Biden Administration has announced over 500 sanctions against Russia after the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
President Joe Biden said the sanctions are aimed at those involved in Navalny’s imprisonment and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war machine. Biden said the sanctions are to ensure Putin “pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home.”
The sanctions will impact nearly 100 firms and individuals.
In response, Russia said it was expanding the list of American and European Union officials who were banned from entering the country.
Sports & Entertainment
Southern Miss loses to USA
Southern Miss played its final weekday game of the season at Reed Green Coliseum in Hattiesburg on Thursday, falling to South Alabama 83-64.
The Golden Eagles are now 15-13 overall and 8-7 in Sun Belt play.
Southern Miss will host Louisiana on Saturday night at 6 p.m. in the final home game of the season.
Markets & Business
AI chip company helps Wall Street see a “monster session”
CNBC‘s morning news says stock futures are hovering around the flatline Friday, after the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite posted their best day since early 2023.
“Wall Street is coming off a monster session, with the Dow and S&P 500 hitting record highs, as Nvidia shares roared higher on strong quarterly results,” CNBC notes. “The S&P 500 added 2.1% for its best day since January 2023, while the Nasdaq Composite popped 3% for its best session since February 2023. The tech-heavy Nasdaq is within striking distance of its closing record of 16,057.44, registered in November 2021. The 30-stock Dow gained 1.2%.”
Nvidia is an AI tech company that produces chip units.
