- 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. Two additional deaths reported from winter storm
Governor Tate Reeves said two more deaths have been reported as a result of the winter storm that blew through Mississippi over the weekend, bringing to state’s death toll to four.
Counties continue to conduct damage assessments, the governor said late Tuesday. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has received reports of 92 homes, 3 businesses, and 7 farms damaged statewide. Those numbers are expected to rise as damage assessments continue over the coming days.
As of early Wednesday morning, nearly 120,000 remain without power.
Mississippians in affected areas are encouraged to stay home, stay off the roads, and stay warm. Residents who need to warm up may seek shelter at a county or city-run warming center in their area.
2. Winter storm damage should be filed as soon as possible, Chaney says
If you were impacted by Winter Storm Fern, the Mississippi Insurance Department urges you to file an insurance claim as soon as possible.
Damage caused by storms is often covered under standard homeowners and business insurance policies.
“Having the right information following a disaster makes filing a claim easier and faster. Find your policy information, store it in a safe, waterproof place, and make a digital copy. If you didn’t have a home inventory before the storms, make one now to give to your insurance company,” said Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Judge declares Virginia Democrats’ redistricting attempt invalid
According to the Washington Post, “A circuit court judge in rural Tazewell County has ruled against the redistricting effort started by Virginia Democrats, declaring Tuesday that the process they used to create a proposed constitutional amendment is invalid.”
“Democrats immediately pledged to appeal and said they expect a referendum on the matter to go ahead this spring as planned,” WP reported.
WP noted, “With controlling majorities in the General Assembly, Democrats have pushed through a proposed amendment that would give lawmakers power to draw new congressional maps in time for this fall’s midterm elections. If passed by voters in a referendum scheduled for April 21, Democrats could create maps that give their party a 10-1 advantage in the state’s congressional delegation, rather than the current split ofsix Democrats and five Republicans.”
2. Likelihood of U.S. strike on Iran increasing, experts say
The Hill reports that “Iran’s neighbors are on edge over the possibility that President Trump will pull the trigger on strikes against Iran, as Tehran and its allies have promised to forcefully retaliate against U.S. positions, many of which are located inside the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.”
“Regional powers, including the UAE, have reiterated that their airspace, territory and waters will not be permitted for use if military action against Iran takes place, but the arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying destroyers in the U.S. Central Command (Centcom) area would allow Washington to go it alone, should Trump make good on his pledge to punish Tehran for its brutal crackdown against antiregime protesters,” The Hill reported.
“Trump has not taken diplomacy off the table,” The Hill continued, “leaving channels open to negotiate over Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile stockpiles. But with no indication of an agreement in sight, security experts see the likelihood of U.S. strikes on Iran increasing.”
Sports
Bianco named Asst. Coach at MS Delta
Mississippi Delta Community College Athletics announced Tuesday that Michael Bianco to its baseball coaching staff as an assistant coach, “bringing years of coaching experience and a deep-rooted passion for the game to the Trojans program.”
MDCC said Bianco enters his first collegiate coaching role after an extensive career at the high school and travel baseball levels across Mississippi. He most recently served as a pitching and assistant coach at Tupelo Christian School, following five seasons as head baseball coach at Kirk Academy in Grenada. His background also includes time as an assistant coach at Magnolia Heights School in Senatobia, along with more than a decade of experience coaching youth travel baseball and working college camps since 2016.
Bianco is a former player at Delgado Community College in New Orleans is the son of Ole Miss Head Coach baseball coach Mike Bianco.
Markets & Business
1. Futures up ahead of Fed rate decision
CNBC reports that the S&P 500 futures “rose Wednesday ahead of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision and earnings reports from major tech companies.”
“The central bank is widely expected to keep its benchmark interest rate steady at a target range of 3.5% to 3.75%, but traders will be seeking hints on longer-term changes to monetary policy,” CNBC reported. “Fed funds futures trading suggests two quarter percentage point cuts by the end of 2026, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.”
“The current U.S. economic outlook remains positive, with ongoing growth and a labor market that, although somewhat soft, has stabilized. Inflation continues to run above the Fed’s target, leaving little justification for immediate rate cuts,” said Christian Hantel, portfolio manager at Vontobel Asset Management, per CNBC.
2. Amazon cutting 16,000 corporate employees
The Wall Street Journal reports that Amazon.com said “it would cut around 16,000 corporate employees, the latest step in the technology giant’s efforts to slim down its workforce.”
“The first round of cuts in October led to around 14,000 white-collar employees receiving pink slips,” WSJ reported. “At the time, people familiar with Amazon’s plans said the company was targeting around 30,000 job cuts, around 10% of the corporate workforce.”
“As I shared in October, we’ve been working to strengthen our organization by reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy,” Beth Galetti, the company’s senior vice president of people experience and technology, wrote in a blog post announcing the cuts Wednesday, per WSJ. “While many teams finalized their organizational changes in October, other teams did not complete that work until now.”
