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In Mississippi
1. Kelly among lawmakers to re-introduce SHIPS for America Act
Mississippi 1st District Congressman Trent Kelly (R) is among a bipartisan group of lawmakers who have re-introduced the Ship-building and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security (SHIPS) for America Act, comprehensive legislation to revitalize the United States shipbuilding and commercial maritime industries.
Joining Kelly are Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Senator Todd Young (R-IN), Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-8), Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Senator John Fetterman (D-PA).
“Strengthening America’s shipbuilding capacity and revitalizing our commercial maritime industry is critical to national security and economic resilience. Under President Trump’s leadership, we’re prioritizing these vital sectors. I’m proud to work alongside Senator Mark Kelly, Senator Todd Young, and Congressman John Garamendi to help safeguard our maritime future,” said Congressman Kelly.
2. Execution of longest serving death row inmate in Mississippi set for June
WJTV reports that Mississippi Supreme Court has set an execution date for Richard Gerald Jordan, “the man who has been on the state’s death row longer than any other inmate.”
The execution has been set for June 25, 2025.
“In October 2024, the Mississippi Supreme Court unanimously denied his appeal,” WJTV reported. “Jordan was sentenced to death in 1976 for the kidnapping and killing of Edwina Marter earlier that year in Harrison County.”
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Judge rules Trump’s use of Alien Enemies Act unlawful
As reported by The Hill, “A federal district judge ruled Thursday that the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) does not permit President Trump to swiftly deport alleged Venezuelan gang members to a prison in El Salvador, extending a block on the law being used against migrants detained in South Texas.”
“U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., a Trump appointee, said the rarely used law can only be invoked when an ‘organized, armed force’ is entering the United States, rejecting the president’s claims that he can use it against alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA),” The Hill reported. “The ruling from Rodriguez offered a historical deep dive into the rarely used statute — used just three times prior in U.S. history, and all during times of war — while parsing terms central to igniting the power.”
The Hill went on to report, “Rodriguez determined Trump’s efforts to use the law to deport alleged gang members strayed from the strict war powers, writing that Trump’s invocation ‘exceeds the scope of the statute and, as a result, is unlawful.'”
2. Trump proposing $160 billion in cuts for nondefense discretionary spending
The Wall Street Journal reports, “President Trump is expected to propose far-reaching cuts to federal environmental, renewable energy, education and foreign-aid programs in a budget blueprint that slashes nondefense discretionary spending by more than $160 billion, according to administration officials.”
“The fiscal 2026 budget proposal, which the White House is planning to release on Friday, is a largely symbolic wish list that lays out the president’s spending and political priorities. Congress, which Republicans control by narrow majorities in both chambers, will spend months debating which elements of the proposed plan should be turned into law,” WSJ reported.
WSJ added, “The budget plan will propose $557 billion in nondefense discretionary spending, officials said. It would reduce nondefense discretionary spending by $163 billion, the officials said. The administration said that represents a 22.6% cut from projected spending in fiscal 2025, which ends Sept. 30. It wasn’t clear how the administration calculated that percentage.”
Sports
1. Big 3 baseball on tap for this weekend
Here’s a weekend rundown of the games slated for Mississippi Big 3 college baseball programs:
- No. 22 Southern Miss hosts Arkansas State this weekend in Hattiesburg. The Sun Belt series starts Friday at 6 p.m. and continues Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
- No. 23 Ole Miss travels to No. 21 Oklahoma for a three-game SEC series. First pitch on Friday is set for 6:30 p.m. with Saturday set for 4 p.m. and Sunday set for 2 p.m.
- Mississippi State is hosting Kentucky for its annual spring homecoming, Super Bulldog Weekend. The SEC series gets underway Friday at 6 p.m. with Saturday’s game at 2 p.m. and Sunday’s at noon.
2. William Carey’s Halford now all-time wins leader in Mississippi college baseball history
William Carey skipper, Bobby Halford, passed former Mississippi State head coach Ron Polk on the all-time wins list Thursday with win number 1,374 when the William Carey Crusaders defeated Blue Mountain 8-4 at Rockabilly Stadium.
The win not only put Halford ahead of Polk but has the Crusaders sitting at 2-0 in the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament. Carey already won the regular season championship and are poised to take the tournament championship for the fourth time in the last five years.
William Carey Athletics says Halford won his first game as the head coach of the Crusaders back in 1986 and he’s been winning ever since. He boasts a .629 winning percentage over the years and has only had one losing season in his forty-year career. He’s already the winningest active coach in the NAIA and 6th overall in history. His 1,374 wins also lands him in the Top 20 across all levels of college baseball.
Markets & Business
1. China’s openness to trade talks push futures up
CNBC reports that S&P 500 futures rose early Friday “as investors cheered China’s announcement that it is evaluating the possibility of starting trade negotiations with the U.S.”
“Futures tied to the broad-based index added 0.5%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose 182 points, or 0.4%, while Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 0.4%,” CNBC reported.
CNBC added, “Another catalyst awaits traders on Friday morning in the form of April’s jobs report as investors look for further clues on the state of the U.S. economy. Economists polled by Dow Jones anticipate payrolls grew by 133,000 last month, down sharply from the 228,000 added in March. They also expect the unemployment rate to hold steady at 4.2%.”
2. Congress attempts to overturn California’s gas car ban
FoxBusiness reports that Republicans in Congress “are attempting to overturn California’s clean car rule that would ban the sales of gas-powered cars starting in 2035. The move has raised concerns about its practicality from automakers and the energy sector.”
“The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday voted 246-164 on a GOP resolution to express congressional disapproval of California’s Advanced Clean Cars II rule, which was first adopted in 2022 and establishes a minimum percentage of zero-emission cars that rises from 35% for the 2026 model year to 100% in 2035,” FoxBusiness reported, adding, “However, Congress may ultimately be unable to block the law due to procedural issues.”
Phil Flynn, FOX Business Network contributor and Price Futures Group senior account executive, said in an interview that banning gas car sales in 2035 is “unachievable” and could “damage the economy further in California.”
Magnolia Tribune
