- 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. PSC to hold show-cause hearing over Holly Springs Utilities
The Mississippi Public Service Commission voted unanimously to schedule a show-cause hearing for 9 a.m. on September 4th at the New Albany Municipal Court in the matter of the Holly Springs Utility investigation. The PSC said HSUD will be called upon at the hearing to answer to the findings of the Silverpoint Consulting report which was filed with the Commission early last week.
The PSC Commissioners encouraging public participation in the upcoming hearing, emphasizing that this is more than a procedural requirement—it is critical for HSUD to address the issues raised in the report and to clarify its actions.
Chris Brown, Chairman of the Mississippi Public Service Commission and Commissioner for the Northern District, stated, “This show-cause hearing is the crucial next step to bringing about a solution to a crisis which has been decades in the making. We remain committed to bringing relief to the people of HSUD.”
2. Mississippi couple concealed info to receive Louisiana Medicaid benefits
WAFB reports that the Office of Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill says a couple out of Carriere, Mississippi, concealed information for several years to receive Louisiana benefits.
“Officials say Vincent DeLeon, 51, and Elina DeLeon, 35, were arrested on Monday, Aug. 4, on one count each of government benefits fraud. According to the AG’s office, the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation received a criminal referral from the Louisiana Department of Health regarding allegations that the couple, both Medicaid recipients, had concealed their place of residence and other information to receive Medicaid benefits,” WAFB reported.
WAFB went on to add, “Agents say they learned during the investigation that between March 2023 and June 2025, the couple gave false information by failing to accurately report their marital status, household income, and place of residence.”
National News & Foreign Policy
1. DOGE employee beaten in DC, Trump responds
As reported by the New York Times, “A prominent member of the Department of Government Efficiency was beaten in an attempted carjacking in Washington this week, prompting President Trump to renew his threat of a federal takeover of the city.”
“The victim was Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old software engineer known by his online sobriquet, Big Balls, according to the police, who said he was surrounded and attacked by 10 young assailants outside his car,” NYT reported. “In a social media post on Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Trump shared a photograph that appeared to show Mr. Coristine lying in the street bleeding, battered and shirtless, writing that crime in the nation’s capital was ‘totally out of control,’ though the city’s crime rates have been falling.”
“If D.C. doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City,” Trump said, as reported by NYT..
2. Senate impasse could spell trouble for funding fight ahead
The Hill reports that the battle over nominations “is spelling trouble for the Senate in other areas, as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle feel the pressure to ratchet up the partisanship in an extended tit-for-tat with no obvious off-ramp in sight.”
“The Senate on Saturday night adjourned until next month after protracted talks to expedite the confirmation of dozens of President Trump’s lower-level nominees in the face of Democratic resistance went belly up. This left Republicans fuming and increasingly likely to ‘go nuclear’ in changing the chamber’s rules to quicken the confirmation process,” The Hill reported.
The Hill added, “At the same time, Democrats are under pressure to oppose Trump at every turn, with the confirmation process and the looming government funding fight being the most immediate examples.”
Sports
1. Two Miss. State running backs named to Doak Walker watchlist
Mississippi State Athletics announced that running backs Davon Booth and Fluff Bothwell have been named to the 2025 Doak Walker Award preseason watch list, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Tuesday.
The award is presented annually to the nation’s top college running back. It is named after 1948 Heisman Trophy winner Doak Walker, recognizes the nation’s premier running back for his accomplishments on the field, academic achievements, and citizenship.
Booth and Bothwell are two of just a handful of teammates to appear on the prestigious list, the school said, which highlights the strength and depth of the Bulldogs’ backfield heading into the 2025 season.
2. Rummell named Ole Miss Softball Director of Operations
Former Ole Miss softball player Delaney Rummell has been named the program’s new Director of Operations for Softball.
The school said Rummell returns to Oxford after competing for the Rebels during the 2024 season, following her transfer from Illinois. Rummell hit .251 with three home runs and 24 RBI over 58 starts in her lone season in Oxford. Over her five collegiate seasons, Rummell hit a combined .268 with 27 home runs, 38 doubles and 135 RBI over 236 games and starts.
A key starter on the 2024 roster, her efforts helped lead the Rebels back to the NCAA Tournament.
Markets & Business
1. Futures rise on corporate earnings reports
CNBC reports that stock futures rose Wednesday “as investors analyzed the latest batch of corporate earnings following a losing session on Wall Street.”
“Snap shares tumbled 17% after revenue came in slightly below expectations, while AMD fell about 6% after posting adjusted earnings per share that missed estimates. On the other hand, Arista Networks rallied nearly 13% on a stronger-than-expected report,” CNBC reported. “Those moves follow a losing day on Wall Street, marking the S&P 500′s fifth down day of the last six and the Dow’s sixth negative session of the past seven.”
CNBC continued, “Tech stocks lagged in Tuesday’s session, with the Nasdaq Composite sliding nearly 0.7%. Small caps were able to buck the market downtrend, with the Russell 2000 climbing 0.6%.”
2. McDonald’s sees sales rebound
McDonald’s effort to rebuild its reputation for fast, affordable food is showing signs of paying off, reports the Wall Street Journal.
“The world’s biggest burger chain reported Wednesday that its same-store sales grew 3.8% in the three months ended June 30, outpacing analysts’ estimates and rebounding from the previous four quarters, when global same-store sales dropped or were little changed,” WSJ reported. “In the U.S., same-store sales grew 2.5% as a result of increasing check sizes, McDonald’s said.”
WSJ noted, “For its second quarter, McDonald’s reported earnings per share of $3.19 after adjusting for one-item items, above the $3.14 expected by analysts. Revenue was $6.8 billion, up 5% from last year and ahead of analysts’ expectations, according to FactSet. Net income grew 11%.”
Magnolia Tribune
