- 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 Democrats elect party leadership
The Mississippi Democratic Party has elected its leadership for the 2024-2028 term. Those elected include:
- Chairman – State Rep. Cheikh Taylor
- Vice Chairwoman – Jodie Brown
- Executive Vice Chairman – Bill Wheeler
- Treasurer – State Rep. Zakiya Summers
- Secretary – David Rushing
- Parliamentarian – State Rep. Earle Banks
- National Democratic Executive Committee Woman – Jacqueline Amos
- National Democratic Executive Committee Man – State Sen. David Blount
2. Alabama, Mississippi lawmakers compete in softball game
The Mississippi and Alabama Legislatures played in the first Battle of Tombigbee softball game at Trustmark Park in Pearl on Saturday.
Funds raised from the event went to benefit the Mississippi Children’s Hospital.
Alabama’s team bested the Mississippi lawmakers in 10 innings by a score of 7-5.
Governor Tate Reeves and his Alabama counterpart Governor Kay Ivey had made a friendly wager on the game. With the loss, Reeves will now send Ivey some Mississippi catfish.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Biden, Trump prep for Thursday debate
Aware of the stakes heading into the first Presidential debate between President Joe Biden (D) and former President Donald Trump (R), the Washington Post reports that advisers to both candidates have been preparing their bosses to avoid traps set by their opponents.
“Biden’s aides hope to present a vigorous president — in command of the issues, able to take Trump on directly and explain to the American people his own accomplishments in office. Trump’s advisers have been coaching their candidate to focus on the issue advantages in the polls, reaffirming the image as a tough businessman ready to disrupt Washington that got him elected in 2016,” WP reported.
As requested by Biden and agreed to by Trump, there will be no studio audience, two commercial breaks and microphones that immediately shut off when a candidate does not have the floor at the CNN debate.
2. Trump attorneys argue legality of Special Counsel’s appointment
FoxNews reports that former President Trump’s legal team is back in court on Monday after a Friday hearing in which both sides argued the legality of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s appointment in the classified document case against the former president.
“The hearing continues Monday when the two sides again discuss matters related to Smith’s appointment as well as a limited gag order that prosecutors have requested to bar Trump from comments they fear could endanger the safety of FBI agents and other law enforcement officials involved in the case,” FoxNews reported.
Prosecutors said there was nothing improper or unusual about Smith’s appointment, FoxNews noted.
Sports & Entertainment
1. Jordan named third team All-American
According to Mississippi State Athletics, outfielder Dakota Jordan was named a third team All-American by Baseball America on Friday. It is Jordan’s second All-America honor of the season.
Awards and honors followed Jordan all throughout the 2024 season as he won the Ferriss Trophy for being the best collegiate player in the state of Mississippi, was a second-team All-SEC outfielder, 2024 Golden Spikes Award semifinalist and 2024 Charlottesville All-Regional Team member. He was also named ABCA All-South Region and a NCBWA second team All-American.
2. Kendricks qualifies for Olympics
Ole Miss track & field is celebrating an alum – Sam Kendricks – who has secured his third career Olympic qualifying berth, winning his 11th career national title in the pole vault to book passage to Paris at the third day of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials on Sunday.
Kendricks breezed through an arduous qualifying round on Friday, and was equally as efficient in Sunday’s final, maintaining a clean sheet all the way up to his eventual winning height of 5.92m/19-5 – which he hit on his second attempt for the victory. That mark breaks his own U.S. Olympic Trials record of 5.91m/19-04.75 set in 2016, and he was the lone competitor in the field to clear that height today.
Markets & Business
1. Stock futures mixed to start week
CNBC reports that stock futures were mixed on Monday as the market is set to enter the last week of June and the first half of 2024 near record highs.
“Futures on the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 futures were both little changed. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures climbed 102 points, or 0.3%,” CNBC reported. “The S&P 500 scored an intraday record of 5,505.53 on Thursday and posted another winning week. The equity benchmark gained 0.6% last week, notching its eighth positive week in nine.”
Investors will be watching May’s personal consumption data to be released on Friday, CNBC notes.
2. EU goes after Apple
The European Union claims Apple is unfairly using its size and considerable resources to stifle competition, the New York Times reports.
“Apple is the first company to be charged for violating the Digital Markets Act, a law passed in 2022 that gives European regulators wide authority to force the largest ‘online gatekeepers’ to change their business practices,” NYT reports, adding, “Under the law, also known as the D.M.A., Apple cannot limit how companies communicate with customers about sales and other offers and content available outside the App Store.”
A final decision will be announced by next March, NYT reported.
Magnolia Tribune
