- 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. Mississippi reports record high employment
Governor Tate Reeves (R) announced Friday that Mississippi’s total nonfarm employment reached a new record high in July with 1,196,200 jobs.
“There’s been no shortage of record-breaking economic news for Mississippi over the last six-plus years,” said Governor Reeves. “It’s amazing to see what our state is accomplishing and how it’s improving the lives of people across Mississippi. It seems like every week we’re announcing another economic win that’s helping continue Mississippi’s unprecedented momentum.”
Reeves added that “the victories we’re putting up now are going to last for decades. I’m incredibly proud to call myself a Mississippian.”
Mississippi is second in America for growth in job openings since 2020, with hiring demand up nearly 20%. The U.S. state average was -9.6%.
2. Simmons removed from Senate redistricting committee
The Mississippi Democratic Party wants answers from Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann (R) after he removed Senate Democratic Leader Derrick Simmons from the Senate’s select committee on redistricting.
Simmons is a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the state regarding redistricting of Supreme Court districts.
Yet, the chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party, State Rep. Cheikh Taylor, said in a statement that the change by Hosemann came just days after Simmons called for a redistricting process that is legally justified, transparent, and open to meaningful public input.
“When you appoint a Democrat to a committee and then remove him the moment he asks hard questions, you tell Mississippians exactly what kind of process this really is,” said Taylor. “That’s not representation. That’s the appearance of representation, revoked the moment it becomes inconvenient. Mississippians deserve to know why Senator Simmons was removed, and they deserve a straight answer from Lt. Gov. Hosemann, not silence.”
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Trump’s school voucher program could aid public schools
According to the Washington Post, “When President Donald Trump’s tax overhaul known as the One Big Beautiful Bill last year created the first national school-voucher-style program to help families pay for private schools or home-school costs, it allowed public schools to benefit as well. According to U.S. Treasury guidelines released in June, the program allows specific nonprofits to collect donations that people direct from their federal taxes for a vast array of public school costs, such as transportation or tutoring.”
“The program doesn’t officially start until the new year, but its resemblance to private-school vouchers has inspired opponents of school choice to line up against it. Still, supporters and even cautious critics say the Republican-backed initiative could mean a financial boon for public schools. The program works like this: Taxpayers can contribute up to $1,700 to what’s known as a scholarship-granting organization and receive a credit on their federal income taxes. It’s a dollar-for-dollar credit, meaning every pledged dollar reduces what an individual owes to the Internal Revenue Service by the same amount,” WP reported. “These new intermediaries could be formed by an array of nonprofits, including public-school foundations, with approval from their state. The scholarship-granting organization would then pass on the money to private school and home-school applicants in the form of scholarships — or to school districts so they could cover certain services for student applicants.”
WP continued, “States must opt into the program, and so far, 30 states have done so. Now it’s up to individual school district leaders in those states to decide if they want to try to tap into the money. School finance experts suggest the scholarships could help districts access funding comparable to 3 percent of their entire budget.”
The IRS said Mississippi has opted in.
2. Economic D-Day for Iran
The New York Times reports that the “Trump administration is set to announce on Monday what it is describing as its most comprehensive assault to date on Iran’s economy, unveiling a package of measures that are intended to isolate Iran from the rest of the world.”
“Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to announce the plan at a news conference on Monday afternoon. The escalation of sanctions pressure comes as negotiations to end the military conflict between the United States and Iran continue to sputter,” NYT reported. “The United States has ramped up pressure on Iran’s economy this year through its Operation Economic Fury initiative. But Mr. Bessent, along with President Trump, has signaled that the new initiative will include greater coordination between the United States and its allies to cripple Iran’s economy.”
“At dawn begins an economic D-Day — the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary,” Mr. Bessent wrote in a social media post on Sunday evening. “The President has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority and action many assumed we would never summon.”
He added, “Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.”
Sports
1. Ole Miss, Miss. State players named to Bednarik watchlist
Ole Miss and Mississippi State had players named to the preseason watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award on Friday, presented annually to the nation’s defensive college player of the year.
Ole Miss defensive lineman Will Echoles and linebacker Keaton Thomas made the list as did Mississippi State cornerback Kelley Jones.
Echoles returns to Ole Miss for his third season following a 2025 campaign that saw the lineman earn all-conference and All-America honors. Starting all 15 games at defensive tackle, the junior collected 68 total tackles with 11.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. Echoles was named the 2025 Sugar Bowl Defensive MVP after registering five tackles, two TFL, and two pass breakups against No. 3 Georgia.
Thomas joined the Ole Miss program during January of 2026 and participated in spring drills after transferring from Baylor. The Jacksonville, Florida native spent two seasons with the Bears, starting 25 games and totaling 217 tackles, 14.0 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions, two defensive touchdowns, and six pass breakups.
After appearing in 11 games with four starts and collecting 29 tackles last season, Jones enters 2026 on the AP and PFN All-America lists in addition to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List, Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List, Preseason Coaches All-SEC Team, and Senior Bowl Top 300.
2. Valley to play at Soldier Field
Mississippi Valley State Football is heading to Chicago for the 2026 Chicago Football Classic.
The Delta Devils will face the Lincoln University (Pa.) Lions on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
The Chicago Football Classic provides Mississippi Valley State University with an opportunity to showcase the university and its student-athletes on one of the nation’s most recognizable stages while bringing together alumni, supporters and HBCU football fans for an afternoon centered around athletics, academics and community.
Markets & Business
1. Future down to start week as investors eye latest inflation data, Fed symposium
CNBC reports that “stock futures fell on Monday, weighed by declines in tech, following a losing week as markets remain pressured by elevated Treasury yields.”
“The Dow last week fell 0.8%, marking its second consecutive weekly pullback. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq shed 1.4% and 2%, respectively, snapping their three-week winning streaks,” CNBC reported. “Stocks have been pressured by rising bond yields around the globe. The 30-year U.S. Treasury bond yield topped 5.3% last week to reach levels not seen in nearly 20 years. Rates in Japan, France and Germany also scaled to multi-year highs.”
CNBC added, “Investors this week will get new inflation data in the form of the July personal consumption expenditures price index on Wednesday. On top of that, the Federal Reserve will hold its annual symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming — where Chairman Kevin Warsh is expected to deliver a speech.”
2. Housing starts fell sharply in July
U.S. Commerce Department data shows “housing starts fell sharply below expectations in July as home-builder sentiment remained muted,” reported the Wall Street Journal.
“Housing starts, a gauge of new residential construction, dropped 12.4% in July to 1.239 million. Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal expected a reading of 1.34 million and for starts to slide 6.1% over the month. Starts were down 13.5% in July from the same month in 2025,” WSJ reported. “Residential permits, another measure of trends in housing construction, were up 5% at 1.443 million in July. Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal expected a reading of 1.37 million in July.”
WSJ also reported that “data from The National Association of Home Builders’ showed builder sentiment remains weak as high mortgage rates, rising construction costs and economic uncertainty keep affordability concerns top of mind in the housing market.”
