- 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. New South MS Buc-ee’s to hold mass hiring event
The new Buc-ee’s set to open soon in Pass Christian is holding a mass hiring event at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center on April 2 through 4.
The poplar gas station and convenience store chain is hiring for everything from cashier to food service to maintenance and more.
Benefits include starting pay between $18.00 and $24.00 per hour paid Weekly and if full-time, medical, dental, and vision insurance with a matched 401K.
Learn more here.
2. Friday night, Saturday look to be rough weather in MS
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is warning Mississippi residents to make preparations now as severe weather is likely from Friday night through Saturday.
Possibly strong tornados, winds of up to 60-70 mph, and large hail is likely.
Stay weather aware and make sure your safety plans are in place.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Schumer, Democrats coming around on CR as deadline looms today
Congressional Democrats are in a tizzy over the continuing resolution that passed the House this week aimed at avoiding a government shutdown with a deadline of Friday.
With the measure awaiting Senate action, Senate Democrats are weighing whether to oppose the CR and allow the shutdown to occur or find the 8 votes needed to push it over the 60-vote threshold to clear cloture.
In a change of tone on Thursday, some in the opposition party have come around.
As The Hill reports, “Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) announced on the Senate floor Thursday that he plans to vote to advance a House-passed six-month government funding bill, despite the strong opposition of many Democrats who say the bill would create a “slush fund” for President Trump and Elon Musk.”
“Schumer is only the second Senate Democrat to state definitively his intention to vote to advance the GOP-written bill — joining Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.). But it’s highly likely he will give political cover to other Democrats to vote to advance the 99-page package,” The Hill added.
The vote is expected later today.
2. Putin meets with Trump envoy on cease-fire proposal
The New York Times reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy, in Moscow late Thursday “and now expects to talk to President Trump about a possible cease-fire in Ukraine, the Kremlin said.”
“Dmitri S. Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesman, told reporters on Friday that there was “certainly” reason to feel “cautious optimism” about the prospects for a settlement to the war, after a flurry of diplomacy in recent days. He was echoing similarly optimistic remarks made by Michael Waltz, Mr. Trump’s national security adviser, late Thursday,” NYT reported.
NYT went on to note, “Ukraine has already agreed to support the U.S.-backed cease-fire proposal, but only if Russia does the same. On Thursday, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said that Mr. Putin in his news conference had set so many conditions ‘that nothing will work out at all or that it will not work out for as long as possible.'”
Sports
1. Ole Miss wins a thriller over Arkansas, moves on to play Auburn today
Ole Miss won a thriller over Arkansas Thursday at the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament in Nashville.
With 1.7 seconds remaining, Sean Pedulla hit a three-pointer to put the Rebels up 83-80 and close out the contest.
The Rebels now move on to play No. 1 Auburn on Friday at 11 a.m.
2. Miss. State loses in SEC tourney, now await NCAA fate
Mississippi State’s run in the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament came to an end Thursday as the Bulldogs lost to Missouri 85-73.
Mississippi State now awaits its March fate.
The Bulldogs hope to learn they’re dancing for a third straight season during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday, March 16.
3. Weather forces Big 3 baseball changes for the weekend
Severe weather expected to enter the area has forced some changes to the weekend college baseball schedule for Mississippi’s Big 3. Here’s what is on tap for this weekend:
- No. 13 Ole Miss is hosting No. 3 Arkansas to open SEC play. Friday’s game has been moved up to 2 p.m. while both the Saturday and Sunday games are set for 1:30 p.m. for now.
- No. 22 Southern Miss opens Sun Belt play against Old Dominion at 6 p.m. Friday. Saturday’s game has moved back to 7 p.m., while Sunday’s contest has been pushed back an hour to noon.
- Mississippi State hosts No. 11 Texas for its first-ever SEC baseball game since joining the conference. Friday’s game gets underway at 6 p.m. with Saturday’s game at 2 p.m. and Sunday’s at 1 p.m.
All teams have encouraged fans to stay weather aware and check social media for updates as weather moves in.
Markets & Business
1. Trump doubles down on tariff plans
CNBC reports that President Donald Trump on Thursday “doubled down on his escalating tariff plans, even as his economic agenda continued to rattle investors and contribute to a weekslong stock market sell-off.”
“I’m not going to bend at all,” Trump said when asked about his tariff plans during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “We’ve been ripped off for years, and we’re not going to be ripped off anymore.”
“Trump specifically said he would not change his mind about enacting sweeping ‘reciprocal tariffs’ on other countries that put up trade barriers to U.S. goods. The White House has said those tariffs are set to take effect April 2,” CNBC reported. “He then singled out Canada, criticizing the top trading partner at length and declaring, ‘We don’t need anything they have,’ while repeating his calls to turn the U.S. northern neighbor into the ’51st state.'”
2. Abolishing property taxes?
FoxBusiness reports that “fiscally conservative leaders in several states are pushing to abolish property taxes, with one Pennsylvania lawmaker arguing that homeowners shouldn’t have to ‘pay rent’ to the government.
State Sen. Doug Mastriano, a Gettysburg lawmaker, called property taxes “rent to the government for the land you own.”
“It’s easy to see why this antiquated tax is so despised in all corners of the commonwealth. More than 10,000 homes are seized annually in Pennsylvania and auctioned off for failure to pay the tax,” he said in a statement to FoxBusiness.
“Hawaii, Alabama and Nevada have the lowest effective property taxes, while New Jersey, Illinois and Connecticut rank among the highest,” FoxBusiness noted.
Magnolia Tribune
