- 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. Ship Island Captain Skrmetta dies at 94
Longtime Mississippi Coast tourism advocate and Ship Island Excursion captain Peter Skrmetta died on Sunday at the age of 94.
Skrmetta’s family business has been around since the 1920s. He took over in the 1960s and has made the tourism business a mainstay on the Gulf Coast.
2. Mississippi AG, DOJ appeal Wingate’s order to release SNAP data to JXN Water
As reported by WLBT, Judge Henry Wingate has ordered that the state of Mississippi release SNAP data to JXN Water in order for Interim Third-Party Manager Ted Henifin to more easily implement a new billing program.
The order is being appealed to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
“On Friday, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice both filed notices of appeal to the U.S. District Court, notifying it that Judge Henry Wingate’s order requiring the data to be released is being taken to the higher court,” WLBT reported, adding, “The decision has been fought by the state and federal governments, with the state arguing it could lose millions of dollars in funding if it released the data in certain cases.”
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Trump speaks in Detroit, Biden hobnobs with Hollywood
Former President Donald Trump attended a roundtable discussion at a church in Detroit on Saturday afternoon in an effort to reach out to Black voters, FoxNews reports.
“President Obama never came to the ’hood, so-to-speak, right? President Joe Biden, he went to the big NAACP dinner, but he never came to the ’hood. So thank you,” Pastor Lorenzo Sewell said, FoxNews noted.
While Trump was in the Motor City, President Joe Biden was in Hollywood for a fundraiser.
According to the New York Times, former President Barack Obama, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jimmy Kimmel, Barbara Streisand and others helped Biden raise $28 million while they “assailed Mr. Trump’s ethics and his suitability to return to the White House.”
“It was a night of mingling between Hollywood royalty and Democratic leaders from Washington to Sacramento. Bryan Lourd and Richard Lovett, who run the Creative Artists Agency, one of the most powerful talent agencies in town, posed for pictures with Mr. Clooney and Ms. Roberts. Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, and Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, were there, as well,” NYT reported.
2. Russia cracking down on evangelical churches in occupied Ukraine
At least 30 Ukrainian clergymen of various faiths have been killed and 26 held captive by Russian forces since the start of the invasion, according to a February report by the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
“Evangelical pastors have suffered disproportionately. Dozens have been abducted, tortured and exiled from their hometowns, say Ukrainian and U.S. officials and clergymen. After his arrest by the Russians, the deacon of one Pentecostal church in Kherson region was found dead in a forest together with his 19-year-old son in the fall of 2022,” WSJ reported.
As WSJ notes, “Religious analysts and evangelical pastors say the crackdown is part of Moscow’s broader push to assert dominance over every aspect of life in occupied areas.”
Sports & Entertainment
1. Miss. State’s Stephen picks up All-American honors
Mississippi State right-handed pitcher Khal Stephen was named a Third Team ABCA/Rawlings All-American on Friday, his second All-America honor of the season.
Stephen was a Third Team NCBWA All-American, which was announced on Wednesday. According to Mississippi State, this is the first time since the 2013 season that the Diamond Dawgs have had two pitchers earn two or more All-America honors. Jurrangelo Cijntje has been a second team honoree with Perfect Game and NCBWA.
Stephen led the MSU pitching staff in wins (eight), innings pitched (96.0) and ERA (3.28). His 3.28 ERA is the fifth best ERA in the SEC this season.
2. Southern Miss hires new strength coach
Southern Miss has announced the hiring of assistant strength and conditioning coach Brian King. King will oversee the men’s basketball, women’s basketball and soccer programs in all strength and conditioning aspects.
King was most recently the assistant athletic director for sports performance at Mississippi College and worked with football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, women’s soccer, track and field, and cross country.
Markets & Business
Stock futures little changed to start week
CNBC reports that stock futures were little changed on Monday morning as traders start a holiday-shortened week.
“Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 91 points, or 0.2%. S&P 500 futures slipped 0.1% while Nasdaq 100 futures added 0.1%,” CNBC reported. “The major averages were mixed last week, with the blue-chip Dow posting its third losing week in four, while the S&P and Nasdaq rallied to record highs and notched their seventh up week in the last eight.”
