- Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion to start your day informed.
In Mississippi
MDAH receives $1.4 million to develop Crigler Park in downtown Jackson
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History announced Tuesday that the agency had received $1.4 million in new funding to support the development of Margaret Ann Crigler Park in downtown Jackson, with $500,000 from the Phil Hardin Foundation, $500,000 from the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) through its Building Fund for the Arts (BFA) program and two separate $200,000 gifts from anonymous donors.
All gifts were given to the Foundation for Mississippi History and announced at a news conference on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
Located adjacent to the Two Mississippi Museums, the completed park will feature native Mississippi foliage, a large open green space, an outdoor stage, and a play area designed especially for children. The park is a project of MDAH and will be part of the city’s Museum Trail.
Park construction is expected to begin early next year. The first phase will be completed in 2027.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. New SNAP work requirements start in December
The Associated Press reports that new work requirements are coming for those wanting to continue to receive federal SNAP assistance.
The One Big Beautiful Bill signed by President Trump in July “expanded requirements for many adult SNAP recipients to work, volunteer or participate in job training for at least 80 hours a month. Those who don’t are limited to three months of benefits in a three-year period.”
“The work requirements previously applied to adults ages 18 through 54 who are physically and mentally able and don’t have dependents,” the AP reported. “The new law also applies those requirements to those ages 55 through 64 and to parents without children younger than 14. It repeals work exemptions for homeless individuals, veterans and young adults aging out of foster care. And it limits the ability of states to waive work requirements in areas lacking jobs.”
The AP went on to report, “The Trump administration waived the work requirements in November, but the three-month clock on work-free SNAP benefits will be in full force in December. The new requirements are expected to reduce the average monthly number of SNAP recipients by about 2.4 million people over the next 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.”
2. Settlement gives NPR $36 million in government grant money
According to The Hill, “National Public Radio will receive approximately $36 million in grant money to operate the nation’s public radio interconnection system under the terms of a court settlement with the federal government’s steward of funding for public broadcasting stations.”
“The settlement, announced late Monday, partially resolves a legal dispute in which NPR accused the Corporation for Public Broadcasting of bowing to pressure from President Donald Trump to cut off its funding,” The Hill reported. “On March 25, Trump said at a news conference that he would “love to” defund NPR and PBS because he believes they are biased in favor of Democrats.”
The Hill continued, “On May 1, Trump issued an executive order that called for federal agencies to stop funding for NPR and PBS. The settlement doesn’t end a lawsuit in which NPR seeks to block any implementation or enforcement of Trump’s executive order. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss is scheduled to preside over another hearing for the case on Dec. 4. … On Aug. 1, CPB announced it would take steps toward closing itself down after being defunded by Congress.”
Sports
1. USM Women’s Basketball off to 5-0 start under new head coach
Southern Miss Women’s Basketball is off to a 5-0 start to their season under first year Head Coach Missy Bilderback.
Southern Miss women’s basketball took an 86-53 victory over Southeastern on Tuesday night at Reed Green Coliseum. Eleven Lady Eagles scored with four posting double-figures with two finishing with double-doubles.
Southern Miss finishes off the week with a Saturday meeting against Nicholls at Reed Green Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m.
2. MSU’S Hubbard listed on John R. Wooden Award Top 50 Preseason Watch List
Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard is one of 50 players in the country to be listed among the John R. Wooden Award Top 50 Preseason Watch List for the second consecutive season.
The list comprises 50 student-athletes who are frontrunners for one of the sport’s most prestigious honors: the Wooden Award All-American Team and the Wooden Award Most Outstanding Player.
According to MSU Athletics, the players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2026 John R. Wooden Award Men’s Player of the Year. Players not selected for the list remain eligible for inclusion on the Wooden Award midseason, late-season list, and the national ballot. The national ballot will feature 15 top players who have demonstrated to their universities that they meet or exceed the Wooden Award qualifications.
Markets & Business
1. Honda recalls 256,000 Accord Hybrids due to software glitch
FoxBusiness reports that Honda announced Tuesday “that it is recalling roughly 256,000 Accord Hybrid vehicles in the U.S. due to a software glitch that could cause ‘loss of power while driving,’ increasing the risk of a crash or injury. The recall covers certain Honda Accord Hybrids between the 2023 and 2025 model years, the supplier said in a press release.”
“Due to a software error, the integrated control module (ICM) central processing unit (CPU) may reset while driving, causing a loss of drive power,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a recall report, per FoxBusiness.
To fix the problem, Honda dealers will reprogram the software free of charge, NHTSA added.
2. Investors watching for AI earnings reports
CNBC reports that stock futures rose on Wednesday “after major U.S. indexes fell in the previous session, driven by pressure in tech. Investors are now readying for Nvidia’s earnings report to inform the strength of the AI trade.”
“Tuesday’s session saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 notch their fourth consecutive losing days, with the S&P 500 notching its longest slide since August. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite recorded its fifth negative day in six sessions,” CNBC reported. “Bitcoin briefly dropped below $90,000 on Tuesday before recovering, while gold prices rose from a one-week low.”
CNBC reported, “Most sectors in the broader market closed up higher on Tuesday but key tech names once again weighed on stocks, with hot AI stocks such as Nvidia, Palantir, Microsoft and Advanced Micro Devices closing in the red.”
