- 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. Proposed Biloxi hotel and casino project gets a win in court but still faces legislative hurdle
On Thursday, the Mississippi Supreme Court affirmed that Aldrich family’s ownership of the former Lady Luck Casino site to the Biloxi shoreline, clearing one of two hurdles for the proposed Tullis Gardens Hotel & Casino Project.
The state Supreme Court affirmed the ruling by Harrison County Chancery Judge Jim Persons in the matter.
The property in question is the former site of the Aldrich family’s Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant and the former site of the Lady Luck Casino. It is part of the planned Tullis Gardens Hotel & Casino project whose developers have been waiting on this ruling to move forward with application for site approval.
However, a release from the owners said Senate Bill 2780 currently making its way through the legislature could still kill the project since its language would change current gaming law and would preclude this previously approved site for gaming from being used once again for a casino.
2. Dept. of Justice to assist Jackson, Hinds Co. in improving death notification procedures
As reported by NBC News, the Justice Department said Thursday it would help authorities in Mississippi improve their death notification procedures, an attempt to correct systemic failures uncovered by NBC News that resulted in people being buried in a pauper’s field without their families knowing.
“The move is a response to NBC News’ reporting on the failed notifications, which began last year with the story of Dexter Wade, who was struck and killed by an off-duty police officer in Jackson without anyone telling his mother, even after she reported him missing,” NBC News reported. “After his body went unclaimed for months, the Hinds County coroner’s office had Wade buried in a pauper’s field on the grounds of the county jail work farm, his grave marked only by a number. Wade’s mother, Bettersten Wade, didn’t find out until August, five months after her son’s death.”
The Justice Department said it will focus on helping the Jackson Police Department and Hinds County coroner’s office, as noted by the NBC News report.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. No Labels won’t run third-party presidential ticket
The group “No Labels” has decided not to run a third-party ticket in this year’s presidential election, the organization said on Thursday.
According to ABC News, the centrist group said in a statement that they were unable to find a candidate that had a credible path to winning on their hypothetical bipartisan platform — “so the responsible course of action is for us to stand down.”
Reports say “No Labels” had courted former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu as possible candidates to run under their brand.
2. Border concerns top of mind for a growing number of 2024 voters
The Wall Street Journal says that while illegal border crossings have repeatedly set records over the past few years, polls show a more recent sharp increase in the number of voters who rank immigration as their top concern—even above the economy and inflation.
“A Wall Street Journal national poll conducted in late February found that 20% of voters now rank immigration as their top issue, up from 13% in December. In the same poll, 65% of voters said they disapproved of President Biden’s handling of border security, and 71% said developments in immigration and border security are headed in the wrong direction,” WSJ reported.
Sports & Entertainment
1. Pearl River on a 23-game winning streak, currently undefeated in conference play
The No. 4 Pearl River Community College baseball team is rolling through conference play, currently sitting atop the standings at 16-0 with a 36-5 overall record.
PRCC will carry a 23-game winning streak into a doubleheader slated for Saturday against East Mississippi.
The team is currently batting a .342 average with an on base percentage of .452 and slugging percentage of .592. PRCC has hit 68 homeruns so far this season in 41 games.
2. Ole Miss drops game one in weekend series with Arkansas
Ole Miss fell 5-2 to No. 1 Arkansas in game one of their weekend series with the Razorbacks on Thursday.
The Rebels are now 18-13 overall and 3-7 in SEC play. They return to the diamond Friday at 6:30pm for game two in the series.
Markets & Business
1. Oil, gas prices on the rise
The New York Times reports that the price of brent crude oil rose again on Friday, at one point topping $91 a barrel stoked by growing tensions in the Middle East.
“Some analysts believe the oil rally is just beginning, creating a fresh inflation risk for central bankers who are struggling to keep price-increases in check. JPMorgan Chase forecast last week that oil would climb above $100 by September,” NYT reported. “And, in a bad sign for motorists, gasoline prices in the U.S. have climbed 6 percent in the past month just ahead of the North American summer driving season.”
In Mississippi, gas prices per gallon of regular have risen 20 cents in the last month, as shown above in the graph from AAA.
2. Dow has worst session in over a year on Thursday
CNBC reports that stock futures tied to the Dow rose slightly Friday morning following the index’s worst session in over a year as investors awaited key labor data to be released later today.
“The Dow tumbled about 530 points, or 1.35%, marking its biggest daily drop since March 2023 and its fourth consecutive losing session,” CNBC noted. “The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite tumbled 1.23% and 1.4%, respectively.”
Magnolia Tribune
