- 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. MEMA scaling back March storm recovery centers
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said Thursday that they are scaling back the number of Disaster Recovery Centers in operation to assist survivors of the March 14-15 storms.
After the end of business Saturday, June 21st, the centers in Marion, Itawamba, Issaquena, and Pike counties will close down operations. Survivors will continue to have access to applications through our online platforms, and if necessary, mobile disaster units can be deployed.
As of June 19th, 4,204 registrations have come in for disaster assistance, with $9.6 million approved to help families recover. FEMA and MEMA continue to operate five other disaster recovery centers across the state.
2. Brooks named MSDH Agency Medical Director
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) said Thursday that Dr. Tami Brooks has been named as Agency Medical Director.
In this role, she will provide medical oversight and expertise across all program areas, ensuring MSDH initiatives are guided by the highest standards of public health and medical care and supporting the mission to promote and protect the health of all Mississippians.
Brooks is a pediatrician of nearly 30 years. She began her career as an instructor of pediatrics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), where she served on the faculty for 24 years and ascended the ranks to professor. More recently, she practiced pediatrics in Starkville and served as the Medical Director of the Starkville Pediatric Extended Care Facility.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Appeals court sides with Trump on National Guard use in California
As reported by the New York Times, “A federal appeals court on Thursday cleared the way for President Trump to keep using the National Guard to respond to immigration protests in Los Angeles, declaring that a judge in San Francisco erred last week when he ordered Mr. Trump to return control of the troops to Gov. Gavin Newsom of California.”
“In a unanimous, 38-page ruling, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that the conditions in Los Angeles were sufficient for Mr. Trump to decide that he needed to take federal control of California’s National Guard and deploy it to ensure that federal immigration laws would be enforced,” NYT reported.
NYT went on to report, “Mr. Newsom, in a response on Thursday, focused on how the appeals court had rejected the Trump administration’s argument that a president’s decision to federalize the National Guard could not be reviewed by a judge.”
2. GOP Senators want deeper spending cuts
The Hill reports that the Senate version of legislation to enact President Trump’s agenda “is hitting new turbulence as conservatives led by Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) are demanding deeper spending cuts to address the nation’s $2.2 trillion annual deficit.”
“Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has focused this week on addressing the concerns of Senate GOP colleagues such as Sens. Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), who raised alarms about cuts to federal Medicaid spending,” The Hill reported. “But Thune has to worry about his right flank as Johnson and his allies are threatening to hold up the bill unless GOP leaders agree to deeper cuts to federal Medicaid spending and a faster rollback of the renewable energy tax credits enacted under former President Biden.”
The Hill added, “Johnson, Lee and Scott are threatening to vote as a bloc against the bill next week unless it undergoes significant changes.”
Sports
1. Five Bulldogs earn track and field All-American honors
Five Mississippi State track and field athletes have earned All-American honors. Athletes are named first-team All-Americans with a first-eighth place finish in their respective event. Second-team honors come with a ninth through 16th-place finish.
Peyton Bair and Sam Navarro were named first-team All-Americans after their performances in the decathlon and 800m.
Jessicka Woods (400m hurdles), Abdullahi Hassan (800m) and Rémi Rougetet (javelin) earned second-team honors this past weekend.
2. Roberts to perform to raise funds for Alcorn State Athletics
The Kirkland Group and Alcorn State Athletics are presenting ‘American Idol’ winner and Mississippi native Jamal Roberts for an exclusive performance.
Proceeds will go to support Alcorn State University Athletics.
The event is scheduled for September 19 at 7 p.m. at the Jackson Convention Complex Center.
Markets & Business
1. Futures down day after holiday
CNBC reports that stock futures were lower on Friday, “with investors monitoring conflict in the Middle East between Iran and Israel, and potential direct U.S. involvement.”
“Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 83 points, or 0.2%. Nasdaq 100 futures ticked down 0.2%, along with S&P 500 futures. U.S. markets were closed Thursday for the Juneteenth holiday,” CNBC reported.
CNBC noted, “On the economic front, investors will monitor the Philadelphia Fed’s manufacturing survey on Friday morning, followed by the Conference Board’s leading economic indicators reading for May.”
2. PSC approves Entergy’s annual rate plan
The Mississippi Public Service Commission approved Entergy Mississippi’s annual rate plan to keep energy rates stable and bills 20 percent below the national average, the company said this week.
Entergy’s plan will take effect during the July billing cycle. The typical residential customer using 1,000 kWh per month will have a bill decrease of .04 cents beginning in July, keeping bills stable.
Despite the increased costs required to generate power, maintain infrastructure and provide electrical service, Entergy Mississippi said its annual rate plan offsets those costs and ensures rates remain as flat as possible, while customers’ energy use is at its highest.
The company said its plan is also addressing infrastructure upgrades. It includes approximately $525 million related to power quality and reliability improvements, and efforts planned for 2025 to help customers save money through energy efficiency rebates and savings programs.
Magnolia Tribune
