- 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. Casino development on hold after Secretary of State lawsuit
WLOX reports that a potential new casino development in Biloxi referred to as Tullis Gardens is now on hold following a lawsuit from the Secretary of State’s office.
“Thursday, developers appeared before the Mississippi Gaming Commission. According to Executive Director Jay McDaniel, commissioners decided to pause the decision on whether or not the project will get gaming site approval,” WLOX reported. “The delay will give commissioners time to review both the Secretary of State’s lawsuit and letters of opposition, McDaniel said.”
WLOX goes on to report, “Wednesday, the day before the gaming commission meeting, Secretary of State Michael Watson filed a lawsuit against Tullis Gardens. The lawsuit states that the City of Biloxi falsely represented to Tullis Gardens that the Tullis Manor property included land to the water line. It also states that Tullis Gardens’ lease agreement with the City of Biloxi to build a public pier was only for the purpose of applying for gaming site approval, and would need a tidelands lease.”
2. USM recognizes distinguished alumni with Hall of Fame honor
The Southern Miss Alumni Association is recognizing seven distinguished alumni with its highest annual awards as part of The University of Southern Mississippi’s Homecoming 2024 festivities throughout October 18 and 19.
Hall of Fame inductees for 2024 are Gary Carmichael ’77, ’89 of Hattiesburg, Miss.; Kevin Giddis ’83 of Watersound, Fla.; Julie J. Gresham ’98 of Ocean Springs, Miss.; Morgan McCarty ’90 of Hattiesburg, Miss.; Roy Robinson ’86 of Fairhope, Ala.; Kelsey Rushing ’94, ’96 of Canton, Miss.; and Mollie VanDevender ’78 of Jackson, Miss.
USM says the Alumni Association will host a gala for the honorees on Friday, Oct. 18. They will be honored at halftime during the football game against Arkansas State on Saturday, Oct. 19.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Special counsel’s evidence against Trump to be released before Election Day
According to Politico, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has agreed to release a dossier of evidence amassed by special counsel Jack Smith, “ruling Thursday that the high public interest in the document outweighs Trump’s demand that she keep it hidden until after the election.”
“In a five-page ruling, Chutkan rejected Trump’s argument that releasing the potentially explosive material constitutes election interference,” Politico reported. “In fact, she said, suppressing the evidence — which would typically be released as part of public court proceedings – would be the actual political meddling. She said she plans to release the filing at an unspecified time on Friday.”
Politico added, “Chutkan has repeatedly emphasized that she would not factor the election timeline into her decisions.”
2. Israeli forces kill Hamas leader Sinwar
A firefight in the southern Gaza Strip led to the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar this week, the New York Times reports.
“For more than a year, as tens of thousands of Gazans were killed, Mr. Sinwar had eluded the full force of Israel’s military and security establishment, which had dedicated every means at its disposal to finding and killing him. Many believed he was hiding underground in Gaza and had surrounded himself with hostages taken from Israel,” NYT reported. “In the end, the Israeli officials said, he was killed above ground on Wednesday, alongside two other militants, with no sign of hostages nearby. The Israeli authorities said they had confirmed his death on Thursday, using dental records and fingerprints. His DNA was also tested for confirmation, according to one Israeli official and the White House.”
Sports & Entertainment
1. JUCO football roundup
Mississippi JUCOs hit the gridiron on Thursday, one of which – MGCCC at Co-Lin – was aired on ESPN+. Here’s how the games played out:
- No. 7 MGCCC over Co-Lin 27-20
- No. 8 Northwest easily handles MS Delta 31-3
- No. 6 Holmes tops No. 14 Itawamba 27-24
- East MS falls at Pearl River 32-28
2. Mississippi State, Southern Miss host Saturday
Mississippi State and Southern Miss are back at home this Saturday for conference matchups. Ole Miss, however, is on a bye week.
- Mississippi State hosts Texas A&M in Starkville. Kickoff is at 3:15pm on the SEC Network.
- Southern Miss is hosting Arkansas State for homecoming in Hattiesburg. Kickoff is 6pm on ESPN+.
3. JSU Campus Store selling Walter Payton collection
The Jackson State University Campus Store announced a new Walter Payton Collection, a tribute to one of history’s most iconic football players.
The collection is part of the Campus Legends Program by @rootsoffight and honors Payton’s legacy as a Tiger and his extraordinary impact on and off the field. JSU’s Director of Auxiliary Services, Kamesha Hill emphasized the importance of honoring Walter Payton’s contributions to the university and the world.
“The Walter Payton Collection is a proud moment for JSU. He embodied the spirit of excellence we celebrate daily at our institution. Not only was he a superior athlete, but he was also an overall excellent human being. It is our privilege to continue his legacy through this collection, which we hope will inspire generations of students and fans alike, reminding them of the greatness that began right here at JSU,” Hill said.
Payton played at JSU from 1971 to 1975. He broke the SWAC single-game record with seven touchdowns, ran for a school-record 3,563 yards, and scored 65 touchdowns, an NCAA record of 464 points.
Markets & Business
1. PPG paints to layoff nearly 2,000
FoxBusiness reports that “PPG — a global manufacturer of paints, coatings, and specialty materials — is laying off nearly 2,000 workers as it trims operation costs and sells off a chunk of its architectural business.”
The Pennsylvania company did not say when the layoffs would occur in the U.S. and Europe.
PPG “said it is part of a comprehensive cost reduction program focused on reducing structural costs primarily in Europe and in certain other global businesses, along with other corporate costs. The program also includes various facility closures,” FoxBusiness reported.
2. Cigarette makers settle Canada lawsuits for $23.6 billion
CNBC and Reuters reports that Philip Morris, British American Tobacco and Japan Tobacco will pay C$32.5 billion ($23.6 billion) to settle a long-running tobacco lawsuit in Canada, as part of a court-appointed mediator’s proposed plan, Philip Morris said on Friday.
“The Canadian units of the three tobacco giants were dealt a massive blow in 2015 after a Quebec court awarded damages to some 100,000 smokers and ex-smokers who alleged the companies knew since the 1950s their product was causing cancer and other illnesses and failed to warn consumers adequately,” CNBC reported. “After an appeal, a Quebec court in 2019 upheld the 2015 decision that awarded smokers in the Canadian province around C$15 billion, forcing the Canadian subsidiaries of all three companies to seek bankruptcy protection.”
Magnolia Tribune
