- Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion to start your day informed.
In Mississippi
Ole Miss announces new alumni center
Ole Miss has announced that the school’s Alumni Association plans to build a larger, more modern alumni center, and a lead gift of $4 million from the Dr. and Mrs. R. Faser Triplett Foundation kick-started that effort. The university said dozens of alumni have already contributed to the project.
Kirk Purdom, the organization’s CEO, said “Enhanced facilities are not only essential in achieving this mission but also contribute to expanding services and engagement opportunities. Demands for meeting and event spaces exceed the current Triplett Alumni Center’s capacity.”
The announcement said architectural plans call for a classic red-brick building, a $51 million-plus project that will serve as a welcome center, extending hospitality to alumni, prospective students, university guests and others. A partnership with the Office of Enrollment Management will see staff and offices housed on the first floor, allowing the center to be the starting point for campus tours. The second floor will include a 300-seat-plus grand ballroom, large pre-function area, multiple breakout rooms and the president’s hospitality suite. A balcony will offer a view of the Grove and allow the association to host a range of gatherings, from career fairs and alumni reunions to rehearsal dinners and weddings, further enhancing opportunities for connection.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Trump to lobby House ahead of ‘big, beautiful bill’ floor vote
The Hill reports that President Donald Trump “will personally lobby House Republicans to settle their differences and vote for a major legislative package that would advance what would be a legacy-building accomplishment for his second term.”
“The meeting in the Capitol will test the president’s influence over his party and his persuasiveness among fiscal conservatives and GOP moderates who view next year’s midterms and the 2028 presidential elections through different lenses,” The Hill reported. “It will not be Trump’s final presidential pep talk about a budget process that was never predicted to be easy. Freedom Caucus Chair Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) said late Monday he believes there is insufficient GOP support to pass the House measure this week.”
The Hill went on to note, “Even if the House eventually clears a measure using reconciliation rules, Senate Republicans are following a different path, and months of negotiations are ahead.”
2. Trump, Putin talk ceasefire, end of war
PBS reports that President Donald Trump said Monday that Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin ceasefire negotiations after what he described as an “excellent” call with Russian President Vladimir Putin that lasted more than two hours.
“Trump also spoke with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in hopes of making progress toward a ceasefire,” PBS reported, adding, “After the call, Putin said Russia was ready to continue discussing an end to the fighting, but he indicated there was no major breakthrough in what he termed a ‘very informative and very frank’ conversation with Trump. Putin said the warring countries should ‘find compromises that would suit all parties.'”
“The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of,” Trump said in a social media post, as reported by PBS.
Sports
1. Ole Miss softball advances to Super Regional
Ole Miss Athletics is celebrating their No. 17 softball team who delivered in a winner-take-all battle Sunday night at No. 12 Arizona, ousting the host Wildcats, 7-3, to win the Tucson Regional and advance to the Super Regionals for the third time in program history.
The softball Rebels are 40-18 overall this season and 11-13 in SEC play. It is their first Super Regional appearance since 2019 and their first-ever regional win outside of Oxford.
The team now advances to the Fayetteville Super Regional, where the ladies will meet a familiar foe in SEC rival and No. 4 overall seed Arkansas. Game one is set for Friday, May 23 at 7 p.m.
2. PRCC’s 50-win season sends baseball team to NJCAA DII World Series
No. 2 Pearl River baseball secured the program’s fourth Region 23 Championship and an automatic bid to the NJCAA Division II World Series in Enid, Oklahoma on Saturday in a win over No. 5 East Central Community College.
It was PRCC’s record 50th win of the season pushing their record to 50-8 overall and 25-3 in conference play this year.
The World Series will be held at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, May 24-31. PRCC will find out its seed for the Tournament today, May 20, at 3 p.m. on NJCAA.org/network.
Markets & Business
1. CBS News CEO resigns
CBS News Chief Executive Officer Wendy McMahon announced Monday she is stepping down, with CNBC reporting that it is “the latest twist in a growing battle of wills between the company’s news division and Paramount Global controlling shareholder Shari Redstone.”
“Paramount Global co-CEO George Cheeks talked with McMahon on Saturday and asked for her resignation, according to people familiar with the matter,” CNBC reported. “McMahon agreed to step down, and the Paramount Global board held a meeting Sunday at which members were made aware of the decision, according to those people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters.”
CNBC added, “There have also been several points of tension between McMahon and Redstone in recent months, including CBS’ coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a potential ’60 Minutes’ settlement with the Trump administration over the editing of an October interview with then-presidential candidate and former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. Privately, Redstone has criticized McMahon over ‘fairness and balance’ issues, according to people familiar with Redstone’s thinking.”
2. Home Depot holding line on prices
The Wall Street Journal reports that Home Depot plans to hold the line of its prices despite tariff impacts.
“The retailer has been pushing to shift production out of China. It is also working with suppliers to keep prices steady despite tariffs, Chief Financial Officer Richard McPhail said in an interview,” WSJ reported.
“We anticipate that 12 months from now, no single country outside the United States will represent more than 10% of our purchases,” said McPhail, per WSJ.
