- 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. AG announces human trafficking victims funding
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced Friday that applications for funding from the Victims of Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation Fund are now available through the Office of the Attorney General and service providers are welcome to begin the application process.
Originally created during the 2020 Legislative Session to provide funding to direct service providers for trafficking victims in Mississippi, the Fund is managed by a seven-member committee, including appointees by the Attorney General, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, and Commissioner of Child Protection Services, and one representative of a services provider.
The Fund is administered by the Attorney General’s Office. By statute, funding comes from assessments for convictions of certain crimes, donations, and legislative appropriations. Since its establishment, the Committee has distributed $8.5 million for human trafficking victim services.
Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. CT on August 28, 2025. Visit here to learn more and apply.
2. Crisler to appeal conviction
WLBT reports that former Hinds County sheriff “in prison on federal corruption charges is seeking a new trial, saying the FBI only targeted him because of his status as a government official.”
“An attorney for Marshand Crisler is appealing his conviction to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals,” WLBT reported. “He is asking the appellate court to grant a new trial, in part, because Crisler was targeted by the federal government.”
WLBT noted, “Crisler was convicted in November 2024 on two federal counts in connection with accepting bribes from known felon Tonarri Moore. In February, he was sentenced to two 30-month sentences in federal prison with the sentences to run concurrently.”
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Texas Democrat lawmakers flee state to avoid redistricting vote
As The Hill reports, “Democrats are escalating their battle against Republicans’ push to redraw political maps and give themselves a lift ahead of the 2026 midterms.”
“In Texas, Democratic legislators on Sunday took the dramatic step of leaving the state in a bid to stop their GOP colleagues from advancing new congressional maps. The redrawn House districts would give the GOP five more pickup opportunities ahead of 2026, aiding their efforts to hold on to their slim House majority next year,” The Hill reported. “Democrats blasted what they called a ‘corrupt’ special session in Texas as they accused Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and President Trump of seeking to ‘rig’ the midterms.”
The Hill went on to report, “The Texas Democrats traveled to Illinois, New York and Massachusetts to deny Republicans the minimum number of present lawmakers necessary to conduct business. They employed a similar tactic the last time the GOP pursued midcycle redistricting in 2003, and held another walkout in 2021.”
2. ICE reports 67% of illegal immigrants arrested criminal charge pending or conviction
The Washington Examiner reports that since January, “ICE has taken nearly 150,000 people into federal custody — 100,000 of whom either had pending criminal charges filed against them or had been previously convicted of a crime, according to ICE.”
“About 67% of illegal immigrants arrested had a criminal charge pending or had been convicted,” the Washington Examiner reports, adding, “The 67% figure is down slightly from roughly 75% in the first 100 days of the Trump administration.”
Sports
1. Former Golden Eagle Flowers joins Mud Monsters
Former Southern Miss pitcher Ben Riley Flowers has signed with the Mississippi Mud Monsters.
The team said the Saraland, Alabama native pitched at East Mississippi Community College before transferring to the University of Southern Mississippi, where he completed his collegiate career in 2025. Across two seasons at Southern Miss, Flowers appeared in 11 games, striking out 14 batters in 11 innings of work.
He becomes the latest Mississippi college product to join the Mud Monsters, bringing size (6’2”, 222 lbs) and a left-handed presence to the pitching staff. Flowers is officially classified as a Pro 1 player under Frontier League roster rules.
2. Ole Miss kicker named to Lou Groza watchlist
Ole Miss Athletics says football junior transfer Lucas Carneiro has been named to the preseason watch list for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, as announced by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission on Friday morning.
The school said Carneiro is among 30 preseason honorees nationally and one of 11 from the SEC alone for the Lou Groza Award, which is handed out annually to the top place-kicker in college football. The award is named for Pro Football Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
Carneiro, a Lou Groza Award semifinalist and first-team All-American last season, brings multiple years of eligibility and experience to the Ole Miss squad. Serving as Western Kentucky’s primary placekicker for the last two years, Carneiro connected on field goals at an 87.1 percent clip for the Hilltoppers.
Markets & Business
1. AI reshaping U.S. economy?
The Washington Post reports Big Tech’s unprecedented spending spree on artificial intelligence “is getting so big that it’s starting to reshape the U.S. economy.”
“Google, Meta, Amazon and Microsoft reaffirmed this past week that they are on track to spend more than $350 billion this year building and equipping AI data centers — a massive influx of money that economists and analysts say could be a countervailing force to what appears to be a decelerating economy,” WP reported. “Revised job numbers released Friday by the Labor Department suggest the U.S. job market appears weaker than previously understood, with employers pulling back sharply on new hiring in May and June. At the same time, Big Tech’s infusion of cash will go toward building and expanding data centers, which could create more infrastructure jobs as well as higher demand for computer chips, servers and other network equipment that power them.
WP added, “AI investments could grow the economy by as much as 0.7 percent in 2025, according to a calculation by Jens Nordvig, an economist and the founder of economic data platform Exante Data. That would represent half of the 1.4 percent growth projection for the U.S. economy this year from the Federal Reserve.”
2. Boeing defense workers go on strike
The Wall Street Journal reports that the Boeing machinists’ union division “that represents about 3,200 workers in Missouri and Illinois on Sunday rejected the aerospace giant’s latest four-year contract proposal, threatening the company’s fragile turnaround effort. The workers went on strike at midnight.”
“The machinists had worked without a contract for the past week as company and union representatives haggled over work schedules and benefits, among other issues,” WSJ reported. “The new work stoppage doesn’t match last year’s massive Boeing strike in the Pacific Northwest, which pulled more than 33,000 employees off production lines responsible for its workhorse 737 MAX passenger jet. That nearly eight-week showdown caused havoc in the company’s profit powerhouse before workers won a 38% raise over the life of their four-year contract.”
WSJ continued, “Boeing’s smaller military business supplies advanced jet fighters such as the F-15 and F/A-18, as well as key parts of the munitions supply chain. The company last week reported a second quarter of stable performance in its defense segment during a phase of surging demand for missiles and other weaponry from the Pentagon and other allied countries.”
Magnolia Tribune
