- 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. Political speaking at the Neshoba County Fair
Political speaking kicks off Wednesday and runs through Thursday at the Neshoba County Fair under the Founder’s Square Pavilion.
Wednesday’s speakers include Lt. Gov. Delbert Hoseman, Auditor Shad White, PSC Commissioner DeKeither Stamps and Transportation Commissioner Willie Simmons.
On Thursday, speakers at the Fair will hear from Governor Tate Reeves, Speaker Jason White, Secretary of State Michael Watson and more.
2. Tropical wave could develop in coming days
Forecasters are watching a tropical wave that could develop into a tropical depression or storm in the coming days.
According to WLOX, “Uncertainty remains in the long-range track and intensity. A general westward track is expected, for much of this week. By the end of this week into the weekend, the tropical wave could be near the Bahamas or Cuba. Where it goes from there depends on several factors.”
As WLOX notes, “Tropical activity typically picks up in the month of August with about 85% of tropical systems forming after August 15. The next name on the list is Debby.”
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Harris is campaign with yet-to-be-named running mate next week
The New York Times reports that presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris is planning to travel to six battleground states with her yet-to-be-named running mate over four days next week.
“Aides to Ms. Harris are penciling in travel for the new Democratic ticket beginning next Tuesday and running through Friday, according to the two people, who insisted on anonymity to discuss sensitive plans that have not been finalized,” NYT reported. “The draft travel schedule suggests that Ms. Harris will name her running mate no later than next Tuesday, earlier than the deadline on Aug. 7 that her campaign set last week to have the vice-presidential nominee in place.”
NYT added that five people are said to remain in serious consideration for Harris’ running mate: Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona; Governors Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Tim Walz of Minnesota and Andy Beshear of Kentucky; and Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary.
2. Israel launches targeted strike in Lebanon
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the Israeli military launched a strike in Beirut, Lebanon targeting the Hezbollah commander behind a Saturday attack killed 12 children.
“The Israeli military called the attack ‘a targeted strike in Beirut, on the commander responsible for the murder of the children’ in the Golan Heights and other Israeli civilians,” WSJ reported, adding, “Israel and the U.S. have accused the Iran-backed Hezbollah of carrying out Saturday’s strike in Majdal Shams, a community of the Druze religious minority, which resulted in the largest loss of civilian life for Israel since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel. Hezbollah said it had nothing to do with the deaths in Majdal Shams but claimed responsibility for other attacks in the area on the same day, including launching a rocket at an Israeli military site a few miles from the strike scene.”
Sports & Entertainment
1. Dart named to Maxwell Award watch list
Ole Miss Quarterback Jaxson Dart has been named to the Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Maxwell Football Club on Monday.
Dart is one of 80 players nationally to make the preseason watch list, as well as one of 15 from the SEC. The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert “Tiny” Maxwell, who was a former standout at Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official.
The senior QB enters his third year as the signal caller for the Rebels in 2024 and is coming off the best season of his career in 2023 after leading Ole Miss to its first 11-win season in 129 years of program history.
2. Southern Miss, La. Tech agree to 4-game series
Southern Miss and Louisiana Tech jointly announced Tuesday morning a four-game football series spanning from the 2029 season and concluding during the 2033 campaign.
The series will include two games at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston and two at Carlisle-Faulkner Field at M.M. Roberts Stadium.
The first game takes place in Ruston, Sept. 15, 2029. After a year off, the series comes to Hattiesburg for a Sept. 20, 2031, meeting. The two teams then return to Louisiana for a Sept. 18, 2032, contest before completing the series Sept. 17, 2033, at The Rock.
Markets & Business
1. Laurel nursing center receives 5-star CMS rating
South Central Regional Medical Center’s ComfortCare Nursing Center in Laurel has received a five-star CMS rating. The company says it confirms that its work is exceptional in a number of specific measurable areas.
“This mark of distinction serves as an objective measure of the high-quality care delivered at our facility,” said Gregg Gibbes, President and CEO of SCRMC. “The physicians and employees should feel extremely proud to have received this well-earned recognition.”
The CMS rating is based on three key parameters: health inspections, staffing and quality measures. CMS uses these metrics to determine a rating scale of one to five stars. A five-star rating is the highest a facility can score on the CMS rating scale and indicates that a facility offers above-average quality.
2. Fed could lay groundwork for interest rate cuts on Wednesday
FoxBusiness reports that the Federal Reserve is widely expected to lay the groundwork for a September interest-rate cut at the conclusion of its meeting on Wednesday.
“Lower interest rates could ding savers, but borrowers would likely face smaller debt payments on everything from credit cards to mortgages to student loans,” FoxBusiness reports. “While the federal funds rate is not what consumers pay directly, it affects borrowing costs for home equity lines of credit, auto loans and credit cards. Higher rates have helped push the average rate on 30-year mortgages above 7% for the first time in years. Borrowing costs for everything from home equity lines of credit, auto loans and credit cards have also spiked.”
