Magnolia Mornings: September 16, 2024

• 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. Mississippi trucker named Grand Champion at Nationwide Truck Driving Competition 

The American Trucking Associations announced that Jackie Reed, a professional driver with FedEx Freight from Collinsville in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, was named the Bendix Grand Champion.  The news comes prior to the start of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, which begins September 15.

Reed was one of 422 of the nation’s most elite truck drivers from 49 states who competed in Indianapolis.  Known as the “Super Bowl of Safety,” this annual event dates back to 1937.  
 
Over the past year, truck drivers participated in their state championships to earn the right to advance to the National Truck Driving Championships in Indianapolis.  Mississippi held its competition in Gulfport in May.  This year’s national finalists represent 65 trucking companies and have accumulated 685 million accident-free miles in their professional driving careers.

2. Book Festival sees rise in attendance

Organizers for the 10th annual Mississippi Book Festival say more than 8,000 participants turned out Saturday for the state’s literary lawn party.

They say the attendance on the state Capitol lawn and surrounding areas rose by 21% this year.

Close to 300 authors participated in the 2024 event which included book signings, children’s activities, live music and more.

National News & Foreign Policy

1. New questions swirl after second assassination attempt on Trump

The New York Times reports that the second attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump raises new questions about the Secret Service’s ability to protect candidates.

“A gunman was spotted within shooting distance of former President Donald J. Trump for the second time in about two months — stopped only by the swift, keen-eyed response of Secret Service agents — raising new questions about the agency’s broader ability to protect candidates in its charge,” NYT reported. “The Secret Service significantly bolstered Mr. Trump’s protective detail after coming under intense criticism following an attempt on his life in Butler, Pa., on July 13. That beefed-up detail, which includes additional agents and enhanced on-the-ground intelligence, might have played a role in the outcome this weekend, current and former officials said.”

2. Congress awaits Johnson’s next play

According to The Hill, all eyes are on Speaker Mike Johnson this week as lawmakers await his next move in the fight over government funding, “after Republican resistance foiled his initial strategy for avoiding an end-of-the-month shutdown.”

“Johnson — amid opposition from multiple corners of the GOP conference — scrapped plans last week to vote on a partisan funding plan, which paired a six-month continuing resolution with a bill to require proof of citizenship to vote. Congress adjourned for the week without voting on legislation to avert a shutdown,” The Hill reported.

The Hill went on to add, “Members in both parties and chambers are now waiting for Johnson to announce his next play in the funding process as the Sept. 30 shutdown deadline inches closer.”

Sports & Entertainment

1. JSU tops Southern

Jackson State, now 2-1, raced to a three touchdown lead early in the first half and never looked back in a 33-15 victory over Southern in non-conference action on Saturday night at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The win was the fifth consecutive for Jackson State in the series.

The Tigers are on the road in non-conference action against Grambling State next Saturday.

2. Valley 0-3 to open season

Mississippi Valley State lost 59-8 to Murray State on Saturday, dropping to 0-3 on the season.

The Delta Devils won’t have it any easier this Saturday when they travel to Nicholls in Louisiana before returning home to play in-state rival Alcorn in two weeks.

Markets & Business

1. Could Fed cut rates this week?

The Federal Reserve’s highly anticipated two-day meeting, which gets underway on Tuesday, is poised to take center stage this week, according to CNBC.

“The U.S. central bank is widely expected to join others around the world in starting its own rate-cutting cycle. The only remaining question appears to be by how much the Fed will reduce rates,” CNBC reported. “Traders currently see a quarter-point cut as the most likely outcome, although as many as 41% anticipate a half-point move, according to the CME’s FedWatch Tool.”

CNBC added, “Policymakers at the Fed have laid the groundwork for interest rate cuts in recent weeks. Currently, the Fed’s target rate is sitting at 5.25% to 5.5%.”

2. Electric supplies are tight in the U.S.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. power grid has held up during the extreme summer heat, but in many places the margin for error is shrinking.

“Across the U.S., a combination of new power sources and luck has helped grid operators avoid calling for rolling blackouts. States such as California and Texas that in recent years have bet big on renewable energy and battery storage easily met electricity demand, even as residents cranked their air conditioning to stay cool during punishing heat waves,” WSJ reports. “Elsewhere, swaths of the country are more vulnerable. Grid operators nationwide are warning that the next few years will be difficult. New wind and solar farms are replacing conventional power plants, heightening the need for large-scale batteries and high-voltage power lines to transfer electricity between regions.”