- Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion to start your day informed.
In Mississippi
Former Jasper Co. employee arrested for embezzlement
Lacorsha Ellis, a former Jasper County Solid Waste Department employee, was arrested by the State Auditor’s office for allegedly embezzling funds from the Jasper County District One Solid Waste account.
Ellis allegedly pocketed $11,181 in cash from solid waste transactions for her own personal use instead of depositing it into the Jasper County District One Solid Waste account.
If convicted, Ellis faces up to $5,000 in fines and up to 20 years in prison.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Senate Democrats move away from Israel support
The New York Times reports that support for Israel’s military action in Gaza has plunged into the single digits among Democrats.
“Across the country, local Democratic officials are pushing for embargoes on military and financial support of Israel. And long-boiling anger over the Gaza war among the party’s activists is manifesting in striking new ways in the halls of Congress,” NYT reported, adding that Wednesday night, “a majority of the Senate Democratic caucus, including more moderate lawmakers, voted for a resolution calling to block the export of automatic assault rifles for use by the Israel National Police…”
NYT noted, “A slightly smaller group voted for a measure urging the blocking of the sale of some bombs. The measures failed, but they amounted to an extraordinary rebuke of the Netanyahu government and its handling of the escalating humanitarian disaster in Gaza.”
2. Funding for Corporation for Public Broadcasting not in latest spending bill
The Hill reports that Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said Thursday “that appropriators did not include funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in a fiscal 2026 spending bill after Republicans successfully yanked back previously approved dollars for public media at President Trump’s request.”
“Many Republicans say the cuts are long overdue, singling out NPR and PBS for what they perceive as political bias. But Republicans in both chambers have expressed concerns about how the cuts would impact the smaller stations they say their constituents depend on,” The Hill reported. “Some Republicans have also been hopeful of Congress approving some funding for local media ahead of a looming Sept. 30 deadline to fund the government for fiscal 2026.”
The Hill continued, “Opponents of the cuts have already sounded alarm about the fiscal ‘cliff’ that some stations will face as a result of the latest legislation come October.”
Sports
1. Booth makes Hornung watchlist
Mississippi State Athletics says Davon Booth was named to the watch list for the Paul Hornung Award, the Louisville Sports Commission announced Thursday.
The Paul Hornung Award is presented to the most versatile player in college football.
The school said Booth, a native of North Las Vegas, Nev., enters his second season with the Bulldogs following a 2024 campaign that saw Booth earn Third Team All-SEC honors as an all-purpose player. Last season, Booth played in all 12 games, starting 10, while rushing for 759 yards and five touchdowns. He added 13 receptions for 164 yards and four scores to go along with his 308 kickoff return yards.
2. Pounds named to Wuerffel watchlist
Ole Miss Athletics says football senior offensive tackle Diego Pounds has been named to the preseason watch list for the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy, as announced by the Wuerffel Foundation on Thursday.
The school noted that Pounds is among a record 116 FBS nominees for the Wuerffel Trophy, college football’s premier award for community service that celebrates student-athletes who use their platforms to serve others and create positive change.
Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and University of Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel, who turned his football success into a lifelong mission of service, the award reflects his legacy of leadership and humanitarianism. This year marks the 21st anniversary of the trophy’s founding.
Markets & Business
1. Trump raises tariffs across the globe, pushes implementation back a week
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, “President Trump raised tariffs on scores of countries late Thursday, but delayed their implementation until Aug. 7. That came after his trade-deal deadline for many countries to clinch agreements or face tariff hikes expired.”
“Trading partners, including Switzerland and Taiwan, said they would keep trying to negotiate with the White House. Switzerland faces a 39% tariff rate—higher than the 31% floated in April—while Taiwanese goods will be levied at a 20% rate,” WSJ reported. “The president hiked levies on Canadian goods that don’t comply with a North American trade agreement to 35%, but many major industrialized economies, including the European Union, Japan and South Korea, will see levies of 15% on their goods.”
WSJ went on to report, “Others, with which the U.S. has small trade deficits, will largely get 15% duties, while those with which the U.S. runs a surplus will have 10% tariffs. Trump gave Mexico more time to set a trade deal and avoid higher tariffs, agreeing to a 90-day extension of current rates.”
2. Futures fall on Trump’s tariff announcement
CNBC reports that stock futures were under pressure Friday “as traders digested President Trump’s modified tariff rates and the latest Big Tech earnings. Investors also await July’s jobs report expected later in the day.”
“Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 402 points, or 0.9%. S&P 500 futures were down 0.9%, while Nasdaq-100 futures lost 1%,” CNBC reported.
CNBC added, “Shares of Amazon tumbled more than 7% after the e-commerce giant provided light operating income guidance for the current quarter. Apple shares jumped 2% on the back of an earnings and revenue beat.”
Magnolia Tribune
