- 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. Rates of developing dementia rise, new study involving UMMC says
A new study co-authored by researchers at the University of Mississippi Medical Center says about a million Americans per year are expected to develop dementia by 2060, a rate that’s about double today’s known patient load.
After age 55, people have about a four in 10 chance of showing signs of the condition, if they live long enough, the study released Wednesday noted. Yet, despite that expected trend, the onset of the debilitating cognitive condition can still be slowed down with lifestyle changes in midlife, researchers noted.
Dr. Thomas H. Mosley, director of The Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center at UMMC and the Robbie and Dudley Hughes MIND Center Chair, said some of those steps include managing high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, controlling diabetes, quitting smoking, increasing physical activity and managing obesity, as well as stroke prevention, treatment for hearing loss and encouraging older adults to stay cognitively and socially engaged.
2. EquipMS grants announced at 10 schools
On Wednesday, AccelerateMS announced the latest recipients of the EquipMS Grant program. The program was established by House Bill 588 in 2023 as part of the Mississippi K-12 Workforce Development Grant initiative. It provides funding to modernize, replace, or enhance priority career and technical education programs in Mississippi public schools.
The 10 awardees, shown above, ranging from $25,050 in Oktibbeha County at the Millsaps Career and Technical Center to $139,184 at the Marshall County Career and Technical Education Center.
This year’s awards focus on manufacturing, industrial maintenance, energy, and construction programs, strategically aligning with local industries’ workforce needs. Since 2024, Mississippi has invested over $2.2 million in 35 recipients statewide through these efforts.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Senate GOP majority vows to stay in session until Trump’s cabinet is confirmed
Politico reports that top Senate Republicans are vowing to stay in session until all of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees are confirmed — “a pledge that could keep senators in Washington for weeks due to Democratic delay tactics.”
“We’re not intending to go on recess,” said Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Senate Republican, as reported by Politico. “We want to get the entire Cabinet confirmed before we talk at all about going into a recess.”
Politico added, “Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in a Tuesday night tweet that ‘Senate Republicans are ready to work as long as needed to confirm President Trump’s nominees. Nights. Weekends. Recesses.'”
2. Hegseth procedural confirmation vote could come Thursday
The Hill reports that despite more allegations of abusive behavior this week, Senate Republicans are rolling ahead on Pete Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Pentagon as the next Secretary of Defense.
“The Senate is set to hold an initial procedural vote on the nomination Thursday, even as Democrats attempt to delay final passage,” The Hill reported, adding that, “Republicans appear to have the votes to confirm Hegseth.”
However, as The Hill noted, “Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), meanwhile, have all stayed mum on whether they will back Hegseth on the floor, with the news making their paths to supporting Hegseth tougher.” A tied 50-50 chamber vote would mean Vice President J.D. Vance would be the deciding vote.
Sports & Entertainment
1. Rebels fall to A&M
The No. 16 Ole Miss Rebels men’s basketball team lost at home 63-62 to No. 13 Texas A&M on Wednesday night.
It was a heartbreaker for the Rebels. With 13 seconds left, the Aggies hit a three pointer to give them their first lead of the game, ultimately sealing the game for the visitors.
Ole Miss is now 15-4 overall and 4-2 in SEC play. They travel to No. 22 Missouri (15-4, 4-2 SEC) on Saturday for a 5 p.m. tipoff on the SEC Network.
2. JSU’s Dilworth named SWAC Co-Player of the Week
Jackson State Athletics says Taleah Dilworth has been named SWAC Co-Player of the Week after her play on the Tigers Texas road swing.
JSU notes that Dilworth posted 22 points on the road against Texas Southern last Thursday, with four rebounds and went 10-for-13 from the free throw line.
She also led JSU’s offense against Prairie View A&M recording 19 points, three rebounds, one assist, and going 9-for-10 from the free throw line. Dilworth leads the SWAC in scoring as she averages 15.3 points. She leads the conference in field goal percentage (.466).
Markets & Business
1. Trump’s DEI unwinding leaves corporations wondering how it will impact them
Corporate leaders who backed DEI initiatives on the job are wondering what’s next for them after President Donald Trump’s sweeping orders to dismantle discriminatory practices in the federal government and beyond.
As reported by the New York Times, “Perhaps most alarming for business leaders was the order’s focus on private corporations, whether they do business with the government or not.”
“The executive order instructs the federal government to look at private sector D.E.I. initiatives: Each federal agency, it says, will identify ‘up to nine potential civil compliance investigations’ that could include publicly traded corporations, nonprofits and large foundations, among others,” NYT reported, adding, “Civil rights lawyers believe that the D.E.I. programs that are most legally vulnerable are those that give employment benefits, like jobs or promotions, to specific groups on the basis of their race.”
2. Wall Street on verge of new record highs
CNBC reports that stock futures were little changed early Thursday with Wall Street on the verge of new record highs.
“Futures for the S&P 500 slipped around 0.2%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures ticked down 5 points, or less than 0.1%, while Nasdaq 100 futures lost about 0.6%,” CNBC reported, “The calm moves in futures come after a Wednesday trading session that saw the S&P 500 set an intraday record high on Wednesday. The broad market index finished the day with a gain of 0.61%, just below its record closing high, for a third-straight winning session. The Nasdaq Composite and Dow also rose on Wednesday, finishing up 1.28% and 0.30%, respectively. Both of those averages are within striking distance of new highs.”
CNBC went on to note, “The stock market is getting a boost from excitement about potential tax cuts and deregulation under President Donald Trump, as well as signs of resilient economic growth.”
Magnolia Tribune
