- 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. Moss Point’s Stallworth advances to American Idol Top 14, awaits fate
Moss Point native Daniel Stallworth advanced to the American Idol Top 14 on Monday.
He performed “Brighter Days” to the acclaim of the judges, Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood.
But he and the other finalists have to wait a week to find out if they made the next cut after the American Idol voting system was overwhelmed with responses, causing host Ryan Seacrest to announce the delay in making the next cut.
2. UMMC cancer center campaign reaches $100M of its $125M goal
The University of Mississippi Medical Center announced Monday that its “It’s About Time: The Campaign for the Cancer Center and Research Institute,” a $125 million philanthropic drive to help build a state-of-the-art cancer center, has reached $100 million – 80% – of its goal propelled by a $10 million gift from the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation.
UMMC said the campaign now enters its public phase, expanding beyond early leadership support to invite participation from individuals, families, employees and communities across Mississippi. This next phase focuses on broad engagement to complete the campaign and bring this transformative vision to life.
“Cancer has touched nearly every family in Mississippi, and we believe our state deserves access to the very best care and research available anywhere,” said Stephen Sims, director of the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation. “The Ford Foundation, over the years, has had the chance to participate in a lot of worthwhile projects, but this one has a special meaning. It will be impactful for everyone in the state. We are joining in the fight against cancer. Cancer does not discriminate – everybody is touched by this. Mississippi needs this center. We should not have to travel hundreds of miles across state lines to get the care we need. On behalf of the directors of the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation, we are honored to be in this fight and in this project.”
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Overtime tax deduction a hit this tax season
According to Politico, “President Donald Trump’s new tax deduction for overtime looks like a hit this filing season, and that’s shaping up to be a big challenge for Democrats.”
“Nearly 20 million taxpayers so far have claimed the break, internal Treasury data shows. Republicans created the allowance — a Trump campaign pledge — as part of their signature tax cuts the president signed into law last July,” Politico reported. “It’s already more popular than well-known provisions like the mortgage interest deduction.”
Politico continued, “Democratic lawmakers are divided over how to respond. For all their antipathy toward Trump’s signature tax cut, some say they like the overtime provision. It’s set to expire at the end of 2028, and some want to not only extend it but make it more generous. Others are offering competing plans aimed at one-upping Trump with proposals to excuse people under certain income thresholds from owing income tax.”
2. NASA heads back toward the moon after 50 years
As The Hill reports, “NASA’s Artemis II test flight is set for Wednesday, a trip that will mark the first crewed mission to head toward the moon in more than five decades.”
“The launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Fla., is scheduled for 6:24 p.m. ET on Wednesday. The onsite countdown clock began ticking down at 4:44 p.m. ET on Monday,” The Hill reported. “The Artemis II will follow the uncrewed Artemis I moon-orbiting mission in 2022, which marked NASA’s return to lunar exploration after a 50-year pause following the final Apollo flight in December 1972.”
The mission will take the astronauts on a 10-day voyage around the moon.
3. IRS: Average refund up over 10%
FoxBusiness reports that “fresh data from the IRS shows that Americans’ average tax refunds in the 2026 filing season have risen significantly from last year as the filing deadline approaches.”
“IRS data through March 20 showed that the average tax refund amount has risen to $3,571 in the 2026 filing season to date, an increase of $350 or 10.9% from the $3,221 average refund at this stage of the filing season in 2025,” FoxBusiness reported. “The total amount refunded to taxpayers by the IRS through March 20 was more than $202 billion, an increase of 12.9% from the $179 billion refunded at this stage last year.”
FoxBusiness added, “The total number of refunds issued has increased modestly from last year, increasing 1.8% to just over 56.7 million with an increase of about 1 million for the 2026 filing season.”
Sports
1. Miss. State, Southern Miss moves up in Top 25 as Ole Miss drops out again
The latest D1 Baseball Top 25 rankings were released Monday showing Mississippi State rising two spots to No. after sweeping then-No. 18 Ole Miss last weekend.
The Rebels dropped out of the Top 25 again. They were previously ranked No. 25 before falling out of the rankings earlier this month.
Southern Miss continued their strong season, jumping three spots to No. 8 in this week’s Top 25.
All three play Tuesday in midweek contests, with Mississippi State hosting Grambling at 6 p.m., Southern Miss hosting Southeastern Louisiana at 6 p.m., and Ole Miss hosting Little Rock at 11 a.m.
2. JSU’s Williams heading to Kentucky
Mo Williams announced Monday that he is stepping down as the head men’s basketball coach at Jackson State on Tuesday morning to accept a role on the Kentucky coaching staff.
Williams led Jackson State to the SWAC championship game in 2025, with a runner-up finish in the regular season with a 14-4 conference record. He followed the up with a quarterfinal finish this past season, while leading the Tigers to a 10-8 record in conference play.
“To be able to come back to Jackson and lead the hometown team is something I did not take lightly, and I want to thank AD Robinson and the university for believing in me. My family and I will always call Jackson home, and I want to thank the fans and alumni for the love and support they showed us over the last four years, and showing why we love Jackson,” Williams said in a statement.
Markets & Business
1. Gas prices hit highest mark since 2022
CNBC reports that “U.S. gasoline prices have surged above $4 per gallon for the first time in more than three years, as the oil supply shock triggered by the Middle East war rapidly drives up costs for families.”
“Prices at the pump hit a nationwide average of $4.018, the highest level since August 2022 when Russia’s war against Ukraine shook energy markets, the travel association AAA said,” CNBC reported. “Gas prices have soared more than 30% since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February, according to AAA data.”
CNBC noted, “The average monthly gas price in March is expected to be 25% higher compared with February, said David Doyle, head of economics at Macquarie Group. This would mark the largest monthly increase dating back to October 1990, Doyle told clients in a March 25 note.”
2. Markets see worst quarter in 4 years
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, “It was supposed to be a banner year for Wall Street. Now investors are just hoping to avoid a global recession triggered by a historic run-up in energy prices.”
“U.S. stocks are set to deliver their worst quarter in nearly four years. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite lurched into correction territory on March 26, meaning it had fallen 10% below its recent high,” WSJ reported. “A day later, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (a benchmark for the real economy) joined it.”
WSJ went on to report, “What changed was war in the Middle East. Since Feb. 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched a series of strikes on Iran, oil prices have surged 55%, gold has been sinking and bond yields have climbed sharply. The S&P 500 has erased all of its gains for the past seven months.”
