- 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. Clinton mayor won’t seek re-election
Longtime Clinton Mayor Phil Fisher won’t seek re-election in 2025, choosing to retire from public office at the end of his term.
“The reason I am leaving at the end of this term is because I have accomplished everything I envisioned when I took the mayor’s office 12 years ago. I do not believe someone should remain in office just because they can get re-elected. I believe anyone serving should have a vision for the future, and there comes a time to leave,” Fisher said during a news conference, as reported by WJTV.
2. Mississippi’s first Buc-ee’s to open in Spring 2025
Mississippi’s first Buc-ee’s, located in Harrison County, is set to be completed by Spring 2025, reports WLOX.
“Harrison County Board of Supervisors President Marlin Ladner says the 74,000-square-foot store will be an anchor facility that will create 200 jobs in the county as well as generate tax revenue for the county and the state,” WLOX reported.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Perimeter wasn’t searched around golf course where Trump was playing
The Secret Service did not search the perimeter of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday before former President Donald J. Trump began his round of golf, reports the New York Times. The acknowledgement puts the agency “under renewed scrutiny two months after a similar episode in Pennsylvania.”
“The decision raises further questions about whether the Secret Service has the resources and ability to adequately perform its duties during a time of increasing violence and a unique campaign between a sitting vice president and a former president,” NYT reported. “While the agency’s acting director hailed a Secret Service agent for acting swiftly and preventing any harm to Mr. Trump on Sunday, the F.B.I. said that data from a gunman’s cellphone indicated he spent almost 12 hours near the course before he aimed a rifle in the direction of Mr. Trump while he was golfing.”
Secret Service acting director Ronald L. Rowe Jr. said Monday that Trump “did not have an outing on the course on his official schedule,” saying, “The president wasn’t even really supposed to go there.”
2. Sean Combs arrested in New York
The Wall Street Journal reports that rapper and entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested in New York Monday evening, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York.
“Combs, 54 years old, has been the subject of several lawsuits in recent months, with allegations including rape, sexual assault, physical abuse and forced drugging. Some of the lawsuits allege that incidents occurred decades ago,” WSJ reported, also noting, “In March, Department of Homeland Security agents raided houses connected to Combs in Los Angeles and Miami as part of a human-trafficking investigation, according to a federal official at the time.”
Sports & Entertainment
1. Shuckers make Southern League playoffs
The Biloxi Shuckers have announced that game one of the Southern League Divisional Series will begin at 6:35 p.m. on Tuesday, September 17 at Keesler Federal Park against the Montgomery Biscuits. The team is currently in second place in the South Division.
According to the Shuckers, the series marks Biloxi’s first trip to the playoffs since 2019 when they reached the Southern League Championship Series against the Jackson Generals. The Shuckers have previously made the playoffs in 2019, 2018 and 2015, reaching the SLCS in all three appearances. The Shuckers have reached the playoffs in four of the team’s nine seasons since moving to Biloxi in 2015.
This playoff series marks the first playoff meeting between the Shuckers and Biscuits in franchise history.
2. Ole Miss’ Dart, Ivey earn SEC weekly awards
Ole Miss football seniors Jaxson Dart (Co-Offensive Player of the Week) and Jared Ivey (Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week) have both earned weekly awards from the SEC office, as announced on Monday morning.
The Ole Miss Athletics Department notes that Dart was 26-of-34 for 377 yards and two touchdowns passing against Wake Forest. He also added 35 yards and a score on the ground on six attempts, adding to his status as the FBS leader in total offense at 408.7 yards per game.
Ivey ranked second on the team with six tackles, recording one QB hurry and leading the team with two of Ole Miss’ four sacks on Saturday night. Ivey, who currently ranks as PFF’s top-rated edge rusher nationally, is Ole Miss’ active career leader in sacks with 11.0.
Markets & Business
1. Amazon CEO announces employees will return to office
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told employees on Monday in a memo that “we’re going to return to being in the office the way we were before the onset of COVID.”
“When we look back over the last five years, we continue to believe that the advantages of being together in the office are significant,” Jassy wrote. “I’ve previously explained these benefits (February 2023 post), but in summary, we’ve observed that it’s easier for our teammates to learn, model, practice, and strengthen our culture; collaborating, brainstorming, and inventing are simpler and more effective; teaching and learning from one another are more seamless; and, teams tend to be better connected to one another. If anything, the last 15 months we’ve been back in the office at least three days a week has strengthened our conviction about the benefits.”
Jassy added that the company understands that some teammates may have set up their personal lives in such a way that returning to the office consistently five days per week will require some adjustments.
“To help ensure a smooth transition, we’re going to make this new expectation active on January 2, 2025,” he added.
2. New retail sales data coming out Tuesday
CNBC reports that stock futures rose Tuesday as Wall Street readied for key retail sales data and the start of the Federal Reserve’s September policy meeting.
“Futures tied to the S&P 500 added 0.3%, while Nasdaq-100 futures gained 0.4%. Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 88 points, or 0.2%,” CNBC reported, noting, “Investors on Tuesday will parse retail sales data for August for one final glimpse into the health of the U.S. consumer ahead of the Fed rate decision. Economists polled by Dow Jones are bracing for a 0.2% decline. Excluding autos, they see a 0.2% gain. The results could affect the rate cut outcome.”
Magnolia Tribune
