- 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. Williams crowned Miss Mississippi
A new Miss Mississippi was crowned on Saturday in Vicksburg.
Becky Williams, a Purvis native, won the title and will represent the state for the coming year, all the way to Miss America.
Williams attended Mississippi State University majoring in Elementary Education and is in graduate school.
2. Individual Assistance approved for 6 Mississippi counties following April storms
The office of Governor Tate Reeves announced on Monday that his request for Individual Assistance for counties affected by the April 8-11 severe weather and tornadoes was approved by the White House. Six counties are approved for Individual Assistance, including Hancock, Hinds, Humphreys, Madison, Neshoba, and Scott counties.
The state experienced 13 tornadoes, severe storms, flooding, and straight-line winds during the April period. Two deaths were attributed to those storms.
Individual assistance is available to residents in the six counties and can include grants for temporary housing, home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of this disaster.
Residents in the approved counties who sustained losses during the April 8-11 severe weather can now apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The disaster Number is: DR-4790.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Hunter Biden’s fate in jury’s hands
Jury deliberations in the trial of Hunter Biden enters day two. As ABC News notes, the President’s son is on trial in Delaware on three felony charges related to his efforts to obtain a firearm in 2018 while allegedly addicted to drugs.
“In their closing arguments yesterday, prosecutors argued that Hunter Biden lied on a federal gun-purchase form when he said he was not a drug addict, telling jurors ‘if this evidence did not establish that Hunter Biden was a crack addict and an unlawful user, then no one is a crack addict or an unlawful user,'” ABC News reported. “But defense attorney Abbe Lowell urged the jury to acquit his client, telling them, ‘We have had Hunter’s life in our hands. And now we have to give it to you.'”
2. Few Americans happy with Biden’s work on student loans
The Associated Press reports that few Americans are fans of President Biden’s work on student loan debt.
“Three in 10 U.S. adults say they approve of how Biden has handled the issue of student loan debt, while 4 in 10 disapprove, according to a new poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research,” the AP reported.
The AP went on to note that, “The outlook wasn’t much better for the Democratic president among those responsible for unpaid student loan debt, either for themselves or for a family member: 36% approve, while 34% disapprove.”
Sports & Entertainment
Ole Miss lands 4 on Athlon Preseason All-SEC first team
Ole Miss football announced that they had four representatives on Athlon Sports’ Preseason All-SEC first team, including tying for the conference lead with three selections on offense.
Caden Prieskorn, Tre Harris and Antwane Wells were included on the offensive side of the ball while Walter Nolen was listed on the defensive side.
Markets & Business
1. Fed likely to leave rates unchanged longer
The New York Times reports that Federal Reserve officials are entering an uncertain summer.
“What they do know is that, for now, the job market and broader economy are holding up even in the face of higher borrowing costs. And given that, the Fed has a safe play: Do nothing,” NYT reported. “That is the message central bankers are likely to send at their two-day meeting this week, which concludes on Wednesday. Officials are expected to leave interest rates unchanged while avoiding any firm commitment about when they will cut them.”
2. Anti-woke shareholders rattling companies
The Wall Street Journal reports that a new kind of shareholder activism is rattling companies: “anti-woke” agitators.
“Shareholders at dozens of big companies, from GE Aerospace to UPS, are voting on proposals opposing environmental and social initiatives this year. Investors backed by conservative groups are suing Target and other companies for their progressive stances. And companies are muting their focus on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives as DEI programs come under legal and political threat.,” WSJ reported.
WSJ notes that shareholders “have voted on 70 measures opposing traditional ESG initiatives at S&P 500 companies through the end of May this year, up from 30 two years ago and seven in 2020, according to data from ISS-Corporate.”
