- 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. Simpson General begins renovation of facilities
Simpson General Hospital said Monday that the facility will be undergoing an extensive renovation project beginning in September 2025. The construction process will take a year and will result in notable improvements to the interior and exterior of the hospital.
“Our hospital is a cornerstone of Simpson County, providing healthcare to our community for 68 years,” said Simpson General CEO Gregg Gibbes. “We are thrilled to be able to make these improvements that will enhance our services and the overall patient experience. We want our patients to know they will always receive top-quality care at SGH.”
The renovations will include 21 patient suites with showers, a new lab facility, enlarged pharmacy, enlarged lobby, a new gift shop and relocated and renovated physical therapy department, among other upgrades.
Simpson General said it provides more than 250 jobs and treats over 33,000 patients annually including approximately 16,000 patients annually from its four clinics.
2. Mississippi AG announces sentencing in Texas dealership theft, fraud case
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced Monday the recent sentencing of Mario Martinez Smiley of Fort Worth, Texas, for one count of wire fraud.
The AG said the case was investigated by the Attorney General’s Office, with the assistance of the United States Secret Service, the Jackson, Mississippi Police Department, the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center, and the Cooke County, Texas Sheriff’s Department. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi.
On August 27, 2025, the AG said Smiley was sentenced to 21 months in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, with 3 years of post-release supervision. Smiley was also ordered to pay $120,747.28 in restitution to both Ally Motors Insurance and Mac Haik Ford. This case was investigated by the Cyber Fraud Task Force, an initiative of the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office in partnership with the U.S. Secret Service. In 2024, the Cyber Fraud Task Force was instrumental in the financial recovery of more than $2.5 million for Mississippi victims.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. House GOP plans short-term “clean” CR
According to the Washington Post, “House Republicans plan to try to extend government funding until mid-November to buy more time for bipartisan spending negotiations and avoid an Oct. 1 federal shutdown.”
“But that move may still not keep the government open. GOP leaders are not planning to include Democratic health care priorities, such as an extension of Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies set to expire at the end of the year — setting up a choice for Democrats, whose votes will be needed in the Senate, between a short-term extension that they had no input on or a government shutdown,” WP reported.
WP went on to report, “Republicans say they want to make the funding extension, known as a continuing resolution, as ‘clean’ as possible, meaning it does not include policy priorities favorable to either side. The one exception might be possible inclusion of a bipartisan agreement to spend more on security for lawmakers after the deadly shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.”
2. Trump sues New York Times for defamation, libel
CNBC reports that President Donald Trump on Monday “filed a $15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times, alleging defamation and libel, and calling the newspaper a ‘mouthpiece’ for the Democratic party.”
“In a post on Truth Social, Trump attacked the newspaper for being ‘a virtual ‘mouthpiece’ for the Radical Left Democratic Party,’ while accusing it of making false statements about him, his family and business, without elaborating on the allegations,” CNBC reported. “The lawsuit suit has been brought in the state of Florida, according to a court filing.”
CNBC continued, “Last week, Trump had threatened to sue the Times for its reporting on a sexually aggressive note and drawing that was given to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and appeared to have been signed by Trump. Epstein was charged as a sex offender and died by suicide in a New York jail cell in 2019. The White House has denied that Trump was involved in the creation of the note, calling it a fabrication.”
Sports
1. JSU’s Lockhart named SWAC co-newcomer of the week
Jackson State freshman quarterback Jared Lockhart was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference co-Newcomer of the Week on Monday afternoon, per the SWAC conference office.
The freshman completed 15-of-21 passes for 254 yards and added a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jameel Gardner Jr. in the second quarter.
He also added 44 yards on the ground on 12 carries and a pair of touchdowns in his first collegiate start and first collegiate game in a 30-0 victory over Tuskegee.
2. USM’s Foster named Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week
Southern Miss safety Ian Foster was selected as the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week honors, the league office announced on Monday. Foster’s defensive honor is the first of its kind for Southern Miss since joining the Sun Belt in 2022.
Foster, a redshirt Sophomore, had a 99-yard interception returned for a touchdown in the Golden Eagles’ win over Appalachian State on Saturday.
Foster finished with a career-high 12 tackles, including five solo tackles. He added three pass breakups, one on a 3rd and 2 play late in the first half to silence a Mountaineer drive in which he almost collected his second interception, and one on 4th and 9 late midway through the fourth quarter to end another App State possession.
Markets & Business
1. Miran narrowly confirmed to Fed board
The Wall Street Journal reports that President Trump “notched a swift victory Monday night when the Senate confirmed his senior economic adviser to join the Federal Reserve board just hours before officials gather to consider cutting interest rates at a two-day meeting that starts Tuesday.”
“The Republican-controlled Senate approved Stephen Miran’s confirmation largely along party lines, on a 48-47 vote, just two weeks after receiving his nomination from the White House, making it the second-fastest Fed confirmation in more than a quarter-century. Miran will fill the seat that Adriana Kugler unexpectedly stepped down from last month,” WSJ reported. “It is a notable achievement for the White House because Miran, who in March was confirmed as chairman of Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers, indicated he wouldn’t resign that position. He will be the first executive-branch official to sit on the central bank’s board since a landmark overhaul of the Fed’s governance in 1935.”
WSJ continued, “Miran has been highly critical of Fed policy under Chair Jerome Powell, including the central bank’s decision to lower interest rates last year and its cautious approach to further cuts after tariffs raised new concerns about inflation risks. Trump has called for the Fed to lower rates aggressively, and Miran has said Trump’s policy instincts have consistently proved to be more clairvoyant than Powell’s.”
2. Mississippi’s State Workforce Investment Board calls for expanded training, more apprenticeship opportunities
On Monday, AccelerateMS, in partnership with the State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB), released the Board’s most recent recommendations aimed at strengthening Mississippi’s workforce, expanding training opportunities, and preparing for the jobs of tomorrow.
Between now and 2035, the Board said Mississippi will need to train 19,000 additional skilled workers to meet the demands of industry, economic growth, and infrastructure projects. They say the new SWIB recommendations are designed to ensure the state is ready for this challenge by focusing on expanding training capacity, accelerating pipelines so more trained workers are ready faster, and improving quality and outcomes so businesses find employees with the right skills at the right time.
SWIB notes that generally, recommendations are intended to bring attention to areas of need or deficiency. Among the steps adopted by SWIB are establishing a Workforce Pell Task Force to expand access to short-term training programs aligned with employer needs; partnering with business and education leaders to identify skill gaps, strengthen programs, and better connect Mississippians to high-quality jobs; creating a State Office of Apprenticeship to provide stronger local oversight, align policies with Mississippi’s unique workforce needs, and respond more quickly to industry demands; and directing resources to programs and credentials that lead to training growth in priority occupations and economic growth sectors identified by AccelerateMS.
Read the full list of recommendations here.
Magnolia Tribune
