- 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. Jackson Mayor has no information on FBI’s DA raid
WLBT reports that Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba “was tight-lipped Tuesday when asked about last week’s raids on the Hinds County District Attorney’s Office.”
“I can’t tell you anything,” Lumumba said, according to WLBT. “I don’t know.”
At his weekly press briefing on Tuesday, the Mayor said he had “no information whatsoever” on last week’s FBI raid of DA Jody Owens’ office and business.
2. Hinds Co. residents oppose solar farm
Hinds County residents are opposing Apex Clean Energy’s solar farm known as “Soul City Solar.”
On Tuesday, WAPT reported that the Hinds County Zoning and Planning Board held a meeting at the Raymond Courthouse Annex, and “hundreds showed up, hoping to stop the project from moving forward.”
WAPT notes that there is an online petition against the project with over 400 signatures and talk of possible litigation.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Democrats to nominate Biden-Harris virtually to comply with Ohio deadline
To ensure Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are on the Ohio presidential ballot, Democratic National Committee chairman Jaime Harrison said in a statement on Tuesday that the party would nominate the President and Vice President virtually.
The move comes after Ohio state officials threatened to leave Biden-Harris off of their ballot since the Democratic Party’s official nomination would come after the state’s deadline to be placed on the ballot.
Ohio requires parties to confirm their nominees 90 days or more before an election. Democrats aren’t scheduled to hold their convention until August 19-22 in Chicago.
2. House Subcommittee investigating possible NIH efforts to avoid FOIA compliance
The Washington Examiner reports that House Republicans are examining evidence that top leadership at the National Institutes of Health intentionally avoided compliance with Freedom of Information Act requests and other oversight efforts during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) wrote to current NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli on Tuesday requesting more information regarding the agency’s document retention, personal email, and FOIA policies,” the Washington Examiner reported. “His inquiry follows the revelation that the former senior adviser to Dr. Anthony Fauci at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, David Morens, used his personal email address to avoid FOIA and received assistance from the agency’s “foia lady” to obfuscate public records requests.”
Sports & Entertainment
1. Jackson State loses SWAC Championship game
Jackson State fell 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning to Grambling State at the 2024 Pepsi Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Baseball Tournament.
The Tigers end their 2024 season with a 36-20 record.
2. William Carey falls on day two of NAIA World Series
William Carey’s baseball team made it to the NAIA Avista World Series in Lewiston, Idaho this season. Yet, the Crusaders fell to Cumberlands (Ky.) on day two, ending their 2024 season.
Carey finished with an overall record of 37-16 and was ranked No. 15 in the final NAIA regular season poll.
It was the Crusaders’ second consecutive season reaching the NAIA World Series.
Markets & Business
1. Hess shareholders approve $53 billion sell to Chevron
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Hess shareholders voted to approve a $53 billion deal to sell the company to Chevron, clearing a hurdle for the companies to combine.
“The approval amounts to the first good news for the companies in months, as they have been engaged in a public brawl with Exxon Mobil that still threatens to sink the deal and possibly recast the futures of Chevron and Hess,” WSJ reported.
The three companies – Exxon, Chevron and Hess – have been feuding over Hess’s share of a generational oil treasure in Guyana.
2. Dow futures slide over 200 points
Stock futures slid on Wednesday, CNBC reported, as traders kept an eye on Treasury yields with inflation concerns simmering.
“Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 231 points, or 0.6%. S&P 500 futures slipped 0.6%, while Nasdaq-100 futures lost 0.7%,” CNBC noted, adding, “Wednesday’s move lower in futures comes as the 10-year Treasury note yield ticked higher for a second day, last trading above 4.566%.”
