- 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. With Deming officially out, Biloxi sets special election for council seat
After Biloxi Ward 4 Councilmember Robert Deming III resigned Tuesday having pled guilty to federal charges, the city is now set to hold a special election to fill the seat for the remainder of the unexpired term which runs through June 2025.
Deadline for candidates to qualify is May 29, and the special election is set for June 18.
2. Warren Central football documentary film to premier next week
WLBT reports on a student-directed documentary film by Evan Farrell follows the Warren Central football team after facing tragedy before the 2023 season.
“In the summer of 2023, the journey started for the Warren Central Football team as they were met with something unexpected. Longtime assistant football coach and head powerlifting coach Chad McMullin suddenly passed away on July 15, 2023,” WLBT reports. “This tragedy not only brought the team together, but it also inspired one student to show what can happen when all 11 brothers take the field for something bigger than just a game.”
11 Brothers is the name of the movie and the official premiere will take place on Tuesday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m. at the Warren Central football field.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. New polling shows Trump leading Biden in 5 battleground states
Former President Donald Trump (R) is leading President Joe Biden (D) in five battleground states, the New York Times reports.
“The surveys by The New York Times, Siena College and The Philadelphia Inquirer found that Mr. Trump was ahead among registered voters in a head-to-head matchup against Mr. Biden in five of six key states: Michigan, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia and Pennsylvania. Mr. Biden led among registered voters in only one battleground state, Wisconsin,” NYT reported. “The race was closer among likely voters. Mr. Trump led in five states as well, but Mr. Biden edged ahead in Michigan while trailing only narrowly in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.”
2. Birthrates falling around the world raising economic, social concerns
The Wall Street Journal reports that fertility is falling almost everywhere, for women across all levels of income, education and labor-force participation.
“The world is at a startling demographic milestone. Sometime soon, the global fertility rate will drop below the point needed to keep population constant. It may have already happened,” WSJ reported, adding, “The falling birthrates come with huge implications for the way people live, how economies grow and the standings of the world’s superpowers.”
WSJ also points out that in high-income nations, fertility fell below replacement in the 1970s, and took a leg down during the pandemic.
Sports & Entertainment
1. Southern Miss sweeps, Ole Miss wins series, State loses series
Here’s how Mississippi’s Big 3 came out of their three-game weekend series for May 10-12:
- Southern Miss swept the series with Arkansas State, winning all three games and moving them into the second spot in the Sun Belt standings. The Golden Eagles are now 34-17 overall and 18-9 in the Sun Belt. USM will host Ole Miss on Tuesday.
- Ole Miss took two of three against No. 2 Texas A&M, giving their postseason prospects a bit of a boost. The Rebels are now 27-24 overall and 11-16 in the SEC. They will play Southern Miss on Tuesday.
- Mississippi State dropped two of three at No. 5 Arkansas. The Bulldogs are now 33-18 overall and 15-12 in SEC play. MSU will play Tuesday against North Alabama.
2. Ole Miss, Mississippi State softball earn regional bids
Both the Ole Miss and Mississippi State softball teams received a bid to the NCAA Softball Championship. For Ole Miss, it makes the eighth consecutive season to do so while Mississippi State has made the tournament six of the last seven years.
The Rebels, now 31-25, will compete in the Lafayette Regional, set for May 17-19 as the No. 3 seed. Ole Miss will face No. 2 seed Baylor in the regional that also includes Princeton and Louisiana.
The Bulldogs, 33-18, will play in Oklahoma City as the No. 2 seed in the Stanford Regional against Cal State Fullerton. Stanford, which earned the No. 8 overall national seed, and Saint Mary’s are also in the regional.
Markets & Business
1. Stock futures higher to start the week
CNBC reports that stock futures rose slightly Monday, with Wall Street looking toward fresh inflation data this week.
“Futures tied to the S&P 500 gained 0.1%, while Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 0.2%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 56 points, or 0.3%,” CNBC reported. “The 30-stock Dow is coming off of its eighth-straight winning session on Friday as well as its best week of the year.”
New inflation numbers are expected mid-week as the Consumer Price Index report for April is released.
2. VoidForm opens new manufacturing facility in Jackson
VoidForm Products, LLC, a leading national manufacturer of products that protect concrete structures from damage caused by soil expansion, has opened a new manufacturing facility in Jackson, Mississippi.
The company expects dozens of new area jobs will result from the move.
As BusinessWire reports, the new Mississippi facility increases VoidForm’s production capacity, while allowing prompt product delivery throughout the Southern US. The new facility comes in response to a rapid increase in demand for VoidForm’s products in the region’s strong building economy.
Magnolia Tribune
