- 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. Terry appointed Chancey Judge
On Friday, Governor Tate Reeves announced the appointment of Austin C. Terry of Meridian to the Office of Chancellor for the 12th Chancery Court District, Place 1. This appointment fills a vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable Charlie Smith.
According to Reeves, Terry is the owner of Terry Law Offices in Meridian, where he has experience working on a variety of legal issues in the community. Previously, he served as a prosecutor in the Lauderdale County Juvenile Center and as a staff attorney for the 10th Circuit Court District.
Terry earned a J.D. from the Mississippi College School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Mississippi State University.
Terry’s term will begin on August 5, 2024. Governor Reeves will call a special election to be held on November 4, 2025. The winner of the special election will serve the remainder of the four-year term.
2. Fitch, Mississippi join effort to protect religious liberty
Attorney General Lynn Fitch has joined a coalition of 26 states that filed a brief Friday before the U.S. Supreme Court opposing the Hillsborough County transit authority’s no-religious-speech advertising policy.
The coalition urged the Court to review the policy because it infringed on the First Amendment rights of a Jewish synagogue, Young Israel of Tampa, to advertise on public transportation in Tampa, Florida.
In addition to Mississippi, the Alabama-led coalition included the Attorneys General from Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming. General Fitch joined a similar coalition supporting Young Israel of Tampa before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, as well.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Biden addresses nation, calls for lowering heated rhetoric
President Joe Biden addressed the nation from the oval office Sunday night in the wake of the attempted assassination against former President Donald Trump on Saturday.
Biden spoke on the need to lower the heated rhetoric in the nation. It was his third oval office address during his presidency. Watch below:
2. Republican National Convention kicks off Monday
The Republican National Convention kicks off Monday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, two days after the attempted assassination of the party’s presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump.
Security is tight as delegates from across the nation prepare to cast their votes for Trump’s nomination.
All eyes are on who Trump will announce as his running mate this week.
The convention is being streamed on YouTube, X, Facebook Live, Rumble, Amazon Prime, Twitch and Direct TV.
Sports & Entertainment
1. SEC Media Days kicks off in Dallas for first time
The Southeastern Conference kicks off its 2024 SEC Football Kickoff Media Days presented by Regions today in Dallas, Texas. It runs from July 15 to 18.
According to the SEC, this will be the first time for the event to be held in Dallas and the fourth different location for the SEC’s premier media event in four years. Nashville, Atlanta and Birmingham have served as hosts the last three years.
SEC Network will once again bring the four-day event to a national audience.
The event is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. CT on Monday.
2. Pirates take Jackson Prep’s Griffin at No. 9 in MLB Draft
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Jackson Prep standout Konnor Griffin on Sunday in the MLB Draft with the No. 9 selection.
Griffin, an 18-year-old shortstop, was the Gatorade National Player of the Year.
Markets & Business
1. Stock futures rise after Trump assassination attempt
According to CNBC, Dow futures rose 200 points after former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt.
“Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 210 points, or 0.5%. S&P 500 futures added 0.4%, while as did Nasdaq 100 futures,” CNBC reported. “Traders were monitoring the latest developments with the attempted assassination of Trump, the Republican candidate for president. While it had potential to create more political strife in the country, investors also speculated it could lead to further gains in the polls for Trump and Republicans ahead of the November election.”
2. Mar-Jac Poultry expands in Perry County
Mar-Jac Poultry announced the expansion of its Mississippi operations on Thursday with a groundbreaking ceremony for its new $25 million transload facility in Perry County, marking a significant capital investment in the community.
The company said the new facility will supply grain to Mar-Jac’s Mississippi growers in phase one of the project.
With plans for over 20 new employees in phase one, the new transload facility is expected to generate a multiplying job creation impact in Perry County and an estimated economic impact of over $90 million to the local community.
