- 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. AG announces new Children’s Justice Division
On Tuesday, Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced the establishment of a new division within her office to focus specifically on meeting the needs of children and families in difficult circumstances. The new Children’s Justice Division will partner with the Mississippi Departments of Human Services and Child Protection Services to swiftly move children in foster care to their forever homes and to help secure past-due child support for families facing arrearages.
Fifteen attorneys, three paralegals, and one investigator are currently assigned to this division, including Division Director Hadley Gable, an attorney who previously worked for MDHS. The division will work in state courts across Mississippi. So far in 2024, this unit has successfully readied 188 children in foster care for adoption through terminations of parental rights.
2. Appeal filed by McAlpin in “Goon Squad” case
Former Rankin County Sheriff’s Office investigator Brett McAlpin, the highest ranking member of the “Goon Squad” recently sentenced for the torture of two black men, has appealed his 27 year federal sentence to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The move could bring more jail time to McAlpin since his plea deal waived certain rights including concerning appeal.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Trump meeting with foreign leaders
According to the New York Times, former President Donald Trump plans to meet with the president of Poland this week, the latest in a series of his private interactions with leaders or emissaries from countries from the Persian Gulf to Eastern Europe.
“Mr. Trump is expected to have dinner in New York with Poland’s president, Andrzej Duda, on Wednesday, his one day off from court this week, according to two people briefed on the arrangements who were not authorized to discuss them publicly. The meeting was mentioned as a possibility by Mr. Duda on X shortly after The New York Times approached his office for comment,” NYT reported.
NYT notes that “many foreign embassies are conducting their outreach quietly, through emissaries, to avoid angering the Biden administration.”
2. Mayorkas impeachment sent to U.S. Senate for trial
House Republicans officially sent their articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate on Tuesday.
Speaker Mike Johnson signed the articles on Monday and House Impeachment Managers delivered them to the Senate, forcing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) to convene a trial in the chamber.
Democrats in the Senate, the majority party, are expected to swiftly dismiss or table the matter later this week.
House Republicans voted to impeach Mayorkas in February, making him the first cabinet level official since Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876 to face impeachment. The articles state that he is being impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors related to repeatedly violating laws enacted by Congress regarding immigration and border security.
Sports & Entertainment
1. Miss. State Women’s Golf wins SEC Championship
For the first time in program history, the Mississippi State Women’s Golf Team is the champions of the SEC.
It’s the second year in a row that Mississippi State Women’s Golf Team made the finals of the SEC Championship.
2. Big 3 baseball scores from Tuesday
Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Miss were each scheduled to play non-conference opponents on Tuesday. Here are the results from each game:
- The Ole Miss-Arkansas State game was cancelled due to weather. The Rebels (20-16) travel to Athens to face Georgia in an SEC series beginning Friday at 5 p.m.
- Mississippi State cruised past Alcorn State, winning 11-0. The Bulldogs (23-14) host Auburn for Super Bulldog Weekend starting Friday at 6 p.m.
- Southern Miss bested Nicholls State 9-6 on a 3-run walk off home run in the 9th inning. The Golden Eagles (23-14) will host ULM for a Sun Belt Conference weekend series starting Friday at 6 p.m.
Markets & Business
1. Stock futures higher to start Wednesday
CNBC is reporting that U.S. stock futures are higher on Wednesday morning after the S&P 500 notched its third straight day of losses.
“Futures tied to the S&P 500 climbed 0.3%, while Nasdaq-100 futures gained 0.1%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures advanced 80 points, or 0.2%,” CNBC reported.
As CNBC notes, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said that the Federal Reserve needs to see more progress on the inflation front before the U.S. central bank is likely to begin cutting rates.
2. Economists don’t believe a recession is coming over next year
The Wall Street Journal‘s latest quarterly survey of business and academic economists shows forecasters ratcheting up their expectations for economic growth, inflation and the level of future interest rates.
“Growth has outperformed expectations, based on a combination of government spending, increased immigration and resilient consumer demand. Workers are feeling confident enough about their jobs to keep up their shopping habits. Now economists generally don’t think the economy will get anywhere close to a recession over the next year,” WSJ reported.
