- 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. Starkville Police announce Cotton District security enhancements
WTVA reports that “big changes are coming to Starkville’s most popular entertainment district, and it’s all in the name of safety.”
“This comes after a weekend shooting that injured one person and led to several arrests for attempted murder,” WTVA reported. “Police revealed the new restrictions on Thursday [for the Cotton District].”
Starkville Police said the restrictions are for Fridays and Saturdays, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., with road closures, checkpoints and more. WTVA reported that private security guards will be stationed at all checkpoints and will ask for IDs and hand out wristbands.
2. State Treasurer promotes new “Mississippi Work and Save” program
WLOX reports that “Mississippi is introducing a new state-managed retirement savings program aimed at helping private-sector workers, particularly those without access to employer-sponsored plans. The ‘Mississippi Work and Save’ program was recently signed into law by the governor.”
“State Treasurer David McRae said the program is meant for small businesses that do not offer retirement savings plans for employees,” WLOX reported. “McRae said the state started the plan because 38 percent of Mississippians have zero savings at all, including retirement savings.”
WLOX noted, “The program is optional for employers. Contributions are deposited into a Roth IRA. Employees may choose to contribute and then select how to invest their funds. The Treasury oversees administration thereafter.”
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Speaker Johnson calls for redistricting ahead of midterms
As reported by the Washington Post, “House Speaker Mike Johnson said Thursday that states should consider promptly redrawing congressional districts after the Supreme Court’s ruling limiting the Voting Rights Act — a move that would help Republicans gain seats in this year’s midterm elections.”
“Johnson’s endorsement of last-minute redistricting in the wake of Wednesday’s ruling adds pressure to Republican-led states weighing whether there’s enough time to create new district boundaries and boost the GOP’s chances of maintaining control of the House,” WP reported.
“We want constitutional maps,” Johnson (R-Louisiana) told reporters on Capitol Hill on Thursday. “All states that have unconstitutional maps should look at that very carefully, and I think they should do it before the midterms.”
WP continued, “The ruling’s practical impact, according to both parties, is that many Democratic-leaning districts drawn to consolidate majority-minority voters can be redrawn to GOP advantage. The vast majority of those districts are in the South.”
2. Trump orders website to compare private-sector retirement savings accounts
The Associated Press reports that President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday “calling for a new government website where people in the United States can find and compare private-sector retirement savings accounts, aiming to help millions of workers whose employers do not offer such plans.”
“The order is intended to help more people gain access to retirement plans before next year, when the federal government will start matching retirement contributions made by lower-income workers,” the AP reported. “That new matching contribution, known as the Saver’s Match, comes from 2022 legislation passed under Democratic President Joe Biden. Starting in January, it will offer a match of up to $1,000 for workers who make less than $35,000 a year.”
The AP added, “Trump’s order is meant to help make the match available to roughly 50 million people who do not have retirement plans offered by their employers.”
Sports
Big 3 slated for key weekend conference games
No. 10 Mississippi State, No. 12 Southern Miss and No. 17 Ole Miss each face key tests on the college baseball diamond this weekend as the regular season winds down. Here is a look at this weekend’s schedule:
- Mississippi State heads to No. 4 Texas a matchup that carries weight nationally and inside a crowded SEC race. The series begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday and continues at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, with both games streamed on SEC Network+. Sunday’s finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. on ESPN.
- Southern Miss is hosting ULM in a Sun Belt clash. Weather has forced game time changes. The first game of the series, originally scheduled for Friday evening, will now be played as part of a Saturday doubleheader at 1 p.m. The Sunday finale with the Warhawks has been pushed back two hours to a 3 p.m. start time. Games will air on ESPN+.
- Ole Miss travels to No. 22 Arkansas, setting up another SEC matchup with postseason implications on the line. First pitch on Friday is set for 6 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday set for 2 p.m. The SEC Network will broadcast the games.
Markets & Business
1. U.S. national debt over 100% of GDP
The Hill reports that “the U.S. national debt crossed 100 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) at the end of March, with signs that it might cross the record of 106 percent of GDP reached immediately after World War II.”
“The Bureau of Economic Analysis released data on the national debt reaching 100.2 percent of GDP on Thursday, noting that debt held by the public on March 31 was $31.27 trillion. GDP over the last year was $31.22 trillion,” The Hill reported. “The national debt was at 99.5 percent of GDP at the end of fiscal 2025 in September.”
The Hill further reported, “Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said the borrowing did not come from ‘a seismic global conflict, but rather a total bipartisan abdication of making hard choices.’”
2. GDP grows by 2% as consumers spending slows
According to the Wall Street Journal, “U.S. economic growth picked up in the first quarter as businesses invested heavily in artificial intelligence, rebounding from a fourth quarter dented by a government shutdown.”
“At the same time, the economy didn’t expand as fast as economists expected, weighed down by softer consumer spending growth,” WSJ reported. “The Commerce Department said U.S. gross domestic product—the value of all goods and services produced across the economy—rose at a seasonally and inflation adjusted 2% annual rate in the first quarter.”
WSJ went on to report, “Consumer spending, the economy’s main engine, rose at a 1.6% pace in the first quarter, slower than the 1.9% pace in the fourth quarter of last year. Americans shelled out more on services like healthcare, but their spending on goods declined slightly.”
