- 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. Gibson named PSC Director of Pipeline Safety Division
The Mississippi Public Service Commission announced Monday that Kaleb Gibson has been promoted to Director of the Commission’s Pipeline Safety Division.
Gibson has worked as a Pipeline Safety Investigator at the Commission for more than eight years, where he conducted investigations of complaints and violations, engaged with pipeline company officials, and evaluated the compliance of natural gas utilities with state regulations.
Gibson has completed numerous certifications from the Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). He currently serves as a board member for the Mississippi Natural Gas Association.
2. “Doing Business with the Navy and NAS Meridian” seminar coming to Meridian this week
The Mississippi Development Authority announced Monday that the Mississippi APEX Accelerator Program, along with Naval Air Station Meridian, is inviting small businesses to a seminar and networking event entitled “Doing Business with the Navy and NAS Meridian.”
MDA said the free event will be held Thursday, June 5, from 9 a.m. to noon at Union Station – New Orleans Room, 1901 Front Street, in Meridian.
Jason Clayton, NAS Meridian – Facilities Engineering and Acquisition Division supervisory contracting officer, will present the seminar. Participants will learn about doing business with NAS Meridian and the Navy, various required registrations, searching for contracting opportunities and the types of products and services purchased by NAS Meridian. Participants also will meet local contracting officers, prime contractors and other area small-business owners.
Registration is required and will remain open through the end of the day on June 3. To sign up, click here.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Trump Admin. asks SCOTUS to clear was for federal workforce downsizing
As reported by the AP, “President Donald Trump’s administration on Monday renewed its request for the Supreme Court to clear the way for plans to downsize the federal workforce, while a lawsuit filed by labor unions and cities proceeds.”
“The high court filing came after an appeals court refused to freeze a California-based judge’s order halting the cuts, which have been led by the Department of Government Efficiency,” the AP reported. “By a 2-1 vote, a panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found that the downsizing could have broader effects, including on the nation’s food-safety system and health care for veterans.”
The AP went on to report, “The Supreme Court set a deadline of next Monday for a response from the unions and cities, including Baltimore, Chicago and San Francisco.”
2. Colorado attacker charged with hate crime
The Wall Street Journal reports that Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, was charged with a federal hate crime in the Sunday afternoon ambush that left eight people injured in Colorado.
“The man accused of using a flamethrower in an attack on a Jewish group in Boulder, Colo. told investigators he had been planning it for a year because he ‘wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead,’ according to new court documents,” WSJ reported, adding, “Witnesses said they heard Soliman yell “Free Palestine” before throwing Molotov cocktails into the crowd demonstrating on the popular Pearl Street pedestrian mall.”
WSJ noted, “Soliman was in the U.S. from Egypt on an expired visa, the Department of Homeland Security said, having entered the U.S. in August 2022 on a B2 visa. That visa, typically used for tourism, expired in February 2023, a department spokeswoman said on X, adding that he had filed for asylum in September 2022.”
Sports
1. Ole Miss hosting celebrity softball game
Ole Miss Athletics says Rebel coaches and greats, including Lane Kiffin, Dexter McCluster and Marshall Henderson, will compete in the Ole Miss Celebrity Softball Game on Thursday evening, June 5. It is part of several summer initiatives supporting The Grove Collective.
The squads will consist of a number of notable former student-athletes, including Donte Moncrief, Terence Davis, Kaitlin Lee, Will Allen and others. Ole Miss basketball coaches Chris Beard and Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter and other coaches and staff will also join the competition.
The inaugural event will take place at the new Ole Miss Softball Stadium and begin with a home run derby at 5 p.m., followed by first pitch of the game at 6 p.m.
At the conclusion of festivities, fans can take part in a 30-minute autograph/photo session with select players.
2. JSU named top men’s athletic program in SWAC
Jackson State Athletics is celebrating as JSU has won the C.D. Henry Award as the top overall men’s athletics program in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) for 2024-25. It is the second time in three years that JSU has won the honor.
“Our student-athletes competed at the highest level all season and I am extremely proud of what they have been able to accomplish, and this is a culmination of that hard work,” Vice President/Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson said in a statement. “They represented Jackson State at the highest level, competing for numerous conference championships and placing in the top three in eight sports.”
Markets & Business
1. More office space being removed than added for first time in 25 years
CNBC reports that the beleaguered U.S. office market has reached an inflection point.
“This year, office conversions and demolitions will exceed new construction for the first time in at least 25 years,” CNBC reported. “Simply put, more office space is being removed than added, shrinking the overall office footprint, according to exclusive new data from CBRE Group. The commercial real estate services firm has been tracking this since 2018, but estimates it may be the first time such a dynamic has played out this century, and likely longer.”
CNBC added, “CBRE found that across the largest 58 U.S. markets, 23.3 million square feet of space is slated for demolition or conversion to other uses by the end of this year. In comparison, developers are projected to complete construction of 12.7 million square feet of office space in those same markets.”
2. Big Lots reopening stores in 9 states
FoxBusiness reports that Big Lots is reopening nearly 80 locations across nine states.
“A total of 78 locations across nine states will resume operations on Thursday as Variety Wholesalers completes its fourth ‘wave’ of reopening Big Lots stores that the company bought following the discount retailer’s recent bankruptcy,” FoxBusiness reported. “The Big Lots stores reopening this week are located throughout Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, Variety Wholesalers said.”
FoxBusiness went on to report, “The first ‘wave’ of reopenings included nine locations open to customers again, with another 132 of the Big Lots locations now owned by Variety Wholesalers relaunching in two subsequent batches in May. Variety Wholesalers is looking to hold a ‘grand opening celebration’ in the fall with ‘exciting new deals’ at all 219 of its locations, it said.”
Magnolia Tribune
