- 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. Isaias now a Hurricane, churning toward Coast
Isaias became a Hurricane overnight. Maximum sustained winds are now at 80 mph per the National Hurricane Center’s 4am advisory.
The cone has narrowed, but Jackson County, Mississippi is now under a Hurricane Warning while the rest of the Mississippi Coast in under a Tropical Storm Warning.
Storm surge is expected between 5-7 feet from Jackson County, Mississippi to Indian Pass, Florida. Other areas of the Mississippi Coast could see 3-5 feet, as currently forecasted.
Landfall is still forecasted in the early morning hours of Saturday morning near the Alabama-Florida line.
Advisories are issued every 3 hours. Stay weather aware.
2. Five sentenced for Medicaid and wire fraud in Mississippi
Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced Wednesday the recent sentencings of five individuals who have been convicted of Medicaid and wire fraud, totaling more than $120,000.
The following state court convictions and sentencings were announced for fraudulent billing, wire fraud, and/or false documentation seeking to defraud the government:
- Ahyana Nicole Crosby, 34, of Laurel, Mississippi was sentenced on October 2, 2026, by Madison County Circuit Court Judge Dewey K. Arthur;
- Angela Nannette Crosby, 51, of Laurel, Mississippi was sentenced on October 2, 2026, by Madison County Circuit Court Judge Dewey K. Arthur;
- Taylor Christian Rushing, 34, of Gautier, Mississippi was sentenced on September 28, 2026, by Madison County Circuit Court Judge M. Bradley Mills;
- Yolanda Evette Blackman, 54, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi was sentenced on October 2, 2026, by Madison County Circuit Court Judge Dewey K. Arthur; and
- Linda Jenkins, 46, of Hermanville, Mississippi was sentenced on September 14, 2026, by Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Damon R. Stevenson.
These sentences were part of Attorney General Fitch’s work during the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) National Health Care Fraud Takedown this summer.
3. Mississippi’s first Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency approved at UMMC
The University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Medicine has received accreditation to establish a residency program in physical medicine and rehabilitation, completing UMMC’s core residency offerings while creating another pathway to train — and potentially retain — physicians in a state facing a persistent doctor shortage.
UMMC said Wednesday that the program received approval from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education on September 1.
Dr. Jennifer Hankenson, program director and associate professor of neurosurgery, said the new residency will provide comprehensive training across the full spectrum of rehabilitation medicine, beginning with a strong foundation in internal medicine.
“They will get a really good foundation in internal medicine because a lot of what we do in physical medicine and rehab is making sure patients are medically stable,” Hankenson said. “That foundation is absolutely important to their training process, and we are lucky that internal medicine has been so supportive because it allows our trainees to really learn the system from day one and create these great relationships.”
Accreditation marks the culmination of an effort that began several years ago.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Number of teens saying they are gay in “free fall”
The Washington Post reports that “Young teenagers are less likely to identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual than they were a few years ago, according to a new analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.”
“The decline is particularly striking among ninth-grade girls, according to Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University who published her analysis of the 2025 data on her Substack ‘Generation Tech.’ In 2021, 30 percent of ninth-grade girls identified as lesbian or bisexual. Last year, 17 percent did,” WP reported.
“It really does look like a free fall,” Twenge said. “But what’s causing it is unclear.”
WP further reported, “The rate of boys who identify as gay or bisexual has remained roughly the same over the past decade. But a few years ago, after the pandemic shutdowns, the CDC data showed big upticks in the percentage of high school girls identifying as lesbian or bisexual. Within a few years, those rates began to drop, but only by a few percentage points. Though the overall numbers have continued to decline, older teenagers’ sexual orientation has held relatively stable. They are still more likely to identify as lesbian or bisexual than teenagers were before the pandemic.”
2. NY Mayor Mamdani’s October 7 comments draw ire
According to the New York Times, “It seemed inevitable that the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks would touch off tensions for Zohran Mamdani, a longtime critic of Israel and the first Muslim mayor of a city that is 12 percent Jewish.”
“But Wednesday erupted with such anger and emotion that it seemed to overwhelm any efforts to solemnly mark the deadliest day in Israeli history,” NYT reported. “Mr. Mamdani began the day shortly before 9 a.m. by issuing a statement that was meant to acknowledge the Oct. 7 anniversary but almost immediately caused an uproar among some Jewish leaders, who said it minimized Israeli suffering in the Hamas-led attacks. It took a turn roughly 12 hours later at a vigil organized by Israeli peace activists in Union Square in Manhattan, where pro-Palestinian demonstrators disrupted the event to jeer the mayor. He appeared ashen and upset as he left, without addressing the crowd, flanked by his security detail as he walked to a waiting S.U.V. at 8:50 p.m.”
NYT continued, “The mayor, who is known for his broad, effervescent smile, seemed especially stung by the opposition to him expressed by the pro-Palestinian crowd in Union Square, given his consistent support of their cause.”
Sports
1. Ole Miss, Adidas announce 7-year partnership
Ole Miss Athletics and Adidas announced a new partnership on Wednesday that will make Adidas the official footwear, uniform, apparel and sideline partner of the Rebels beginning July 1, 2027.
The seven-year deal will run through June 2034.
Ole Miss Athletics said the partnership promises to inject new energy and investment into the university’s 18 storied varsity programs and one-of-a-kind fan base through a comprehensive Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) program, top-tier footwear and apparel, and on-campus activations that celebrate the Rebel spirit.
2. Miss. State baseball to play Auburn in Biloxi on Thursday
The Biloxi Shuckers and Mississippi State Bulldogs have announced an updated schedule for the Hancock Whitney Classic due to expected severe weather.
The Mississippi State-Auburn game has been rescheduled to Thursday, October 8, at 6:00 p.m. at Keesler Federal Park.
Gates will open at 5:00 p.m. All tickets for Friday’s game will be honored on Thursday night.
Saturday’s Mississippi State-Southern Miss game has been canceled.
Markets & Business
1. Futures fall as oil spikes, Treasury yields trade near 24-year highs
CNBC reports that “U.S. stock futures were lower Thursday, as investors face more pressure from rising Treasury yields and elevated oil prices.”
“Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell 510 points, or 1%. S&P 500 futures dipped 0.6%, and Nasdaq-100 futures were 0.8% lower,” CNBC reported. “The benchmark 10-year Treasury note yield rose 7 basis points to 5.354%, around levels not seen since 2002. The 30-year Treasury bond yield also traded near 24-year highs at 5.726%.Those moves came after Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said more hikes may be needed to curb inflation.”
CNBC added, “Oil prices spiked also after President Donald Trump said he doesn’t want to make a deal with Iran to end the war, while the U.S. is reportedly preparing for ‘massive bombing’ in the Middle East. Brent crude jumped 5.1% to $105.33 per barrel. WTI futures, meanwhile, advanced 5% to $92.71.”
2. Amazon reportedly cutting nearly 1,000 white-collar jobs
FoxBusiness reports that “Amazon is cutting fewer than 1,000 white-collar jobs, mainly in its stores division, which oversees the company’s main e-commerce website, according to Reuters.”
“The reported cuts come as Amazon wraps up its October Prime Big Deal Days sales event, which ran Tuesday and Wednesday,” FoxBusiness reported. “The downsizing follows a series of larger layoffs totaling roughly 30,000 jobs that began last year and continued into January.”
FoxBusiness noted, “Customer service and selling partner services are expected to be affected, along with other units across the tech giant.”
