- 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. Want to go alligator hunting in Mississippi?
Applications for public waters alligator hunting in Mississippi are now being accepted.
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks says the last day to apply is June 10th. MDWFP excepts upwards of 7,000 applications.
Alligator hunting season runs from August 30th to September 9th.
2. MDHS looking for Afterschool, Parenthood Initiative providers
On Monday, the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) focused on addressing the critical needs of underserviced areas throughout Mississippi.
MDHS is seeking Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) service providers offering Afterschool Program Activities and Parenthood Initiatives in the state. The RFP, issued on Monday, June 3, 2024, aims to foster new partnerships with organizations and expand on existing partnerships that can effectively deliver essential services in these areas.
Submissions are due by Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at 2:00 P.M. Central Daylight Time (CDT).
The agency will primarily invest TANF block grant dollars to fund the programs outlined in the RFP.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Biden to sign executive order to temporarily close southern border
President Biden is expected to sign an executive order on Tuesday allowing him to temporarily seal the U.S. border with Mexico to migrants when crossings surge, reports the New York Times.
“The restrictions would kick in once the number of illegal crossings exceeds 2,500 in a day, according to several people who have been briefed on the order. Daily totals already exceed that number, which means that Mr. Biden’s executive order could go into effect immediately,” NYT reported. “The border would re-open to asylum seekers if the number of crossings stays below 1,500 for a certain period of time, the people said. They asked for anonymity because the executive order has not been officially announced.”
NYT reported that the move “echoes an effort in 2018 by President Donald J. Trump to curb migration that Democrats assailed and federal courts blocked.”
2. Non-U.S. citizens to vote in D.C. elections for first time
For the first time, more than 500 non-U.S. citizens who have registered to vote are heading to the polls Tuesday to pick their representatives on the D.C. Council, reports the Washington Post.
“The voters include 310 who registered as Democrat, 169 independent, 28 Republican and 16 Statehood Green, said Sarah Graham, a spokesperson for the D.C. Board of Elections,” WP reported. “In this city, which has no voting representative in Congress, leaders have expanded voting rights to noncitizen residents. Noncitizens are eligible to vote if they are at least 18 years old as of Election Day, have been a D.C. resident for at least 30 days before the election, have not been deemed by a court legally incompetent to vote and are not claiming the right to vote in any state, territory or country.”
The U.S. House of Representatives attempted to block the move last month when it passed legislation opposing it, but the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate has not taken the bill up.
3. Trump reports $141M May fundraising
According to CNBC, former President Donald Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee announced Monday that the two entities together raised $141 million in May.
“If the Trump camp’s figures are accurate, it would also suggest that the former president may have caught up with Biden in the fundraising game,” CNBC notes.
Sports & Entertainment
1. Ole Miss sells out 2024 football season tickets
Ole Miss Athletics has announced they have sold out of 2024 football reserved season tickets. They crossed that threshold on Friday, as Rebel fans flocked to lock in their seats at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for what could be a preseason top-10 team.
It marks the seventh season-ticket sellout in modern Ole Miss football history and the first since 2016.
With demand for Rebel football at an all-time high, Ole Miss has also sold out of on-campus parking passes and Rebel Seat chairbacks.
Single-game tickets could be made available at a later date if visiting SEC or non-conference opponents return their allotments.
2. St. Clair signs with new Texas professional fastpitch team
Mississippi State’s Brylie St. Clair has signed a professional contract with the newly formed Texas Monarchs, which will compete in Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF).
She becomes the 24th professional player in program history, and head coach Samantha Ricketts has now mentored 12 of those pros over her decade-plus spent in Starkville, MSU Athletics notes.
St. Clair was part of one of the most successful classes in program history, and only three former Bulldogs have ever played in more NCAA Tournament games than she did.
Markets & Business
1. Spotify raising rates again
Streaming service Spotify is raising its rates once again, the second time in a year.
Starting in July, the company announced that U.S. subscribers will pay $1 more per month for its ad-free premium plan, bringing the total to $11.99 per month.
The company says the price hike will aid them in providing a better customer experience as they invest in innovation.
2. Byram getting state’s fourth Bojangles
Mississippi’s fourth Bojangles is locating in Byram. The other three are located in Flowood, Horn Lake and Picayune.
According to Mayor Richard White as reported by WLBT, the remodeling of the former Backyard Burger on Siwell Road is being done to make way for the new restaurant that is expected to open in August.
Magnolia Tribune
