- 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. Driver Service Bureaus opening extra hours ahead of Real ID deadline
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety’s Driver Service Bureau will open select locations on Saturday, April 12; Saturday, April 26; and Saturday, May 3, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The extra hours are to accommodate Mississippians still needing to obtain a REAL ID ahead of the federal deadline of May 7.
Appointments are available and can be scheduled online, but walk-ins are also welcome at the following Driver Service Bureau locations on these Saturdays:
- Biloxi
- Brookhaven
- Greenwood
- Hattiesburg West
- Jackson
- Meridian
- Nesbit
- New Albany
- Pearl
- Tupelo
After May 7, individuals will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card to board commercial flights and enter certain federal facilities. To check if you already have a REAL ID, look for a gold star in the upper-right corner of your driver’s license.
2. Cosmetologist inspector fired for false fines, Board reviewing complaints
WLOX reports that since the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetologists and Barbers (MSBCB) was created last year, the entity has worked to create a new set of regulations.
“Many cosmetologists in Mississippi are upset over new rules and regulations being implemented by the state board. Amid the complaints, a state inspector was fired for fining salons over a violation that doesn’t exist,” WLOX reported.
The board’s executive director, Catherine Bell, told WLOX that a new inspector errantly issued some citations for caps off of hairsprays, which is not a violation.
“The inspector has since been fired, and all inspections performed are now being audited to catch any other potential mistakes,” WLOX reported, adding, “Bell stressed that any salons who may have been falsely fined should reach out to the state board and submit a complaint.”
National News & Foreign Policy
1. U.S. House passes bill to limit reach of federal district judges
As reported by FoxNews, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday to limit federal district judges’ ability to affect Trump administration policies on a national scale.
“The No Rogue Rulings Act, led by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., passed the House and limits district courts’ power to issue U.S.-wide injunctions, instead forcing them to focus their scope on the parties directly affected in most cases,” FoxNews reported. “All but one Republican lawmaker voted for the bill, which passed 219 to 213. No Democrats voted in favor.”
Despite its success in the House, however, FoxNews noted that “the legislation does face uncertain odds in the Senate, where it needs at least several Democrats to hit the chamber’s 60-vote threshold.”
2. Prisoner swap carried out between Russia, U.S.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Russia and the U.S. “carried out a prisoner swap early Thursday in Abu Dhabi in a sign of continuing confidence building, as the two sides pursue a deal to end the war in Ukraine.”
“Russia released Ksenia Karelina, a U.S.-Russian dual national who was sentenced last year to 12 years in a penal colony after being found guilty in Russia of treason for donating less than $100 to a U.S.-based Ukrainian charity,” WSJ reported. “In exchange, the U.S. freed Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen, who was arrested in 2023 in Cyprus at the request of the U.S. for allegedly exporting sensitive microelectronics.”
WSJ went on to note, “This is the second swap of detainees between Russia and the U.S. since Trump took office in January as the two sides seek to improve relations. Russia released American teacher Marc Fogel in February, during a visit by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.”
Sports
1. Ole Miss makes history with 29 runs scored on Alcorn
The No. 6 Ole Miss baseball team picked up a 29-1 win on Wednesday in Oxford over Alcorn State in 7 innings.
The hot Rebel bats set a new single-game program record for runs scored in a game, topping the previous mark of 28 runs from March 1989. Ole Miss also set a new record for the most RBIs in a game by a team in program history with 27.
Ole Miss (26-7, 8-4 SEC) now prepares to take on No. 5 Tennessee (29-4, 9-3 SEC) in a three-game series beginning this Friday in Oxford. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
2. Latest JUCO baseball rankings push PRCC to No. 2
With a 33-5 record, Pearl River Community College is now No. 2 in the latest NJCAA DII Baseball Rankings.
In addition, the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference announced Tuesday that Pearl River’s KK Clark (Brandon) has been named the conference’s Pitcher of the Week.
But PRCC isn’t the only Mississippi JUCO to make the Top 25 teams in the latest rankings. Also earning spots are:
- East Central at No. 3
- Jones at No. 5
- Northeast MS at No. 24
Both PRCC and East Central have seen top at No. 1 in the rankings this season.
Markets & Business
1. After Trump announces tariff pause, EU follows suit
The European Union will pause its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports for 90 days, the bloc announced Thursday, as reported by the New York Times.
NYT noted that the move comes “a day after President Trump abruptly backed down on his punishing global levies. But the accelerating trade war between China and the United States showed no signs of abating, as Mr. Trump left in place his steep tariffs aimed at Beijing.”
“Mr. Trump ratcheted up taxes on Chinese goods to 125 percent, his third such increase in a week, after Beijing raised tariffs on U.S. imports to 84 percent, escalating the conflict between the world’s two largest economies,” NYT reported. “Mr. Trump suggested on Wednesday that he was waiting to hear from China’s leader, Xi Jinping, so the two could broker a deal. China has said it is willing to hold talks, but not under duress.”
2. Futures down after post-Trump tariff pause historic rally
CNBC reports that stock futures fell on Thursday “after a massive rally on Wall Street spurred by President Donald Trump announcing a 90-day reprieve on some of his ‘reciprocal’ tariffs.”
“The moves come after a historic surge on the Street, where the S&P 500 soared more than 9% for its third-largest gain in a single day since World War II. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also saw its biggest percentage advance since March 2020, while the Nasdaq Composite scored its biggest one-day gain since January 2001 and second-best day on record,” CNBC reported. “During Wednesday’s session, there was an unusual trading volume of around 30 billion shares, the highest level in history, as per records dating back 18 years.”
Magnolia Tribune
