- 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. Moss Point facing $2 million deficit
As WLOX reports, Moss Point Mayor Billy Knight said his city was in a financial crisis at a special called meeting this week. The city is facing a roughly $2 million deficit.
“This is a situation that has been building over time,” Mayor Knight said, as reported by WLOX. “We’ve gotten to a point now where it’s just unbearable and we have to make some real difficult decisions. We are going to be doing that over the next few days.”
WLOX noted that Mayor Knight and Ward 6 Alderman Wayne Lennep recently announced that they would cut 50 percent of their salaries during the next budget cycle.
“In addition to the salaries being returned, city leaders are looking at their budget to see where they can make room,” WLOX added.
2. Wicker, Hyde-Smith seek high school students to apply for Senate Youth Program
U.S. Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are encouraging Mississippi high school juniors and seniors with student leadership roles to apply for the 2025 U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP).
The esteemed USSYP offers $10,000 college scholarships to two junior or senior students from Mississippi who hold elected or appointed leadership positions for the 2024-2025 school year. Those selected will join 102 other students for the 63rd annual Washington Week, taking place in the nation’s capital from March 1 – 8, 2025.
Established by the U.S. Senate in 1962, the USSYP is designed to introduce student leaders to the federal government and public policy. The program is fully funded and operated by the nonprofit Hearst Foundation. During Washington Week, participants will have the opportunity to meet with U.S. Senators, cabinet members, Defense and State Department officials, senior media representatives, and other key figures in policy-making.
Interested students can review the USSYP 2025 Washington Week brochure and visit the U.S. Senate Youth Program website for more information.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Rust Belt states receiving lots of presidential campaign attention
The Rust Belt is seeing a lot of attention in the presidential race. As Washington Post notes, its tally of campaign rallies and other major in-person events shows that Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin are the states where both campaigns have trained the most attention.
“The data includes about 15 swing-state events for Harris and Walz since mid-July, though the latter did not join the ticket until Aug. 6. The Republican ticket has held more than 25 events in those states since former president Donald Trump announced Sen. JD Vance (Ohio) as his running mate for the presidential ticket July 15,” WP reported.
WP goes on to add, “Over Labor Day weekend, Trump and Vance will host several rallies and make stops in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Harris plans to appear in Detroit, and Walz will head to Wisconsin. On Labor Day, Harris and Biden are scheduled to make their first joint campaign appearance since her nomination in Pittsburgh.”
2. Harris, Walz to sit for CNN interview to air Thursday
Vice President Kamala Harris will sit for her first unscripted interview with a major media outlet since becoming the Democratic nominee, CNN reports, the outlet hosting the exchange.
“Harris will appear alongside her vice presidential pick, Tim Walz, in a CNN primetime special airing at 9 p.m. ET from Georgia, where she is on a bus tour designed to put a swing state the GOP thought it was close to securing in November back on the board,” CNN reported. “The interview is the most important chapter of the campaign between last week’s Democratic convention in Chicago and the presidential debate set for Philadelphia on September 10.”
CNN’s Dana Bash will conduct the interview with Harris.
Sports & Entertainment
1. Jackson State to kick off season Thursday on ESPN+
Jackson State opens the 2024 football season on the road Thursday night against FBS opponent ULM with a 6 P.M. kickoff. The game can be seen on ESPN+ and heard on Hallelujah 95.5 FM.
The game on Thursday night marks the first time since the Spring season of 2021 that the Tigers have not opened the season in either the Orange Blossom Classic or the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and will be just the second meeting all-time between the Tigers and ULM.
2. Delta State opens season in North Carolina
The Delta State University football team will make its 2024 season debut Thursday when the Statesmen travel to Mars Hill, North Carolina to take on the Lions of Mars Hill University. Kickoff is set for 6 P.M. (CDT) / 7 p.m. (EST) at Mears Stadium.
Michael Gross will have the call on the Statesmen Sports Network. Mars Hill will also broadcast home games on the FloSports Network.
Delta State enters the 2024 season aiming to make program history following back-to-back Gulf South Championships in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The Statesmen, the no. 18 ranked team in the 2024 AFCA NCAA Division II Preseason Top 25 poll, posted a 9-1 regular season record en route to capturing the second straight GSC crown.
Markets & Business
Stock future up Thursday morning after declines
Stock futures rose Thursday, as investors looked to recover from declines seen in the previous session, reports CNBC.
“Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 247 points, or 0.6%. S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 futures each climbed 0.3%,” CNBC reported, adding, “Wall Street is coming off a losing session after a slump in Nvidia shares ahead of the company’s earnings results weighed on the major averages. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.12%, while the S&P 500 fell 0.6%. The 30-stock Dow slid about 159 points, or 0.39%.”
Magnolia Tribune
