Magnolia Mornings: October 4, 2024

• 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. Retired Judge Priester dies

Retired Hinds County Court Judge Melvin V. Priester Sr., 74, died Wednesday, October 2, at his home in Jackson.

Upon his retirement in 2020, Priester acknowledged that his health struggles were a factor. He suffered a stroke in March 2019, and had a heart stint and developed diabetes.

According to the state court system, Judge Priester served for more than two years as a Special Circuit Judge for Hinds County. He was one of several judges appointed by the Supreme Court in August 2008 under the JET grant program to address violent and drug related crimes. He previously served for nearly three years as a Jackson Municipal Judge. He was a special assistant attorney general assigned to health law matters from 1985 to 1987. He opened a private law practice in 1988.

2. 16-year-old pleads guilty to MJ Daniels murder

WAPT reported that one of four people charged in the shooting death of University of Southern Mississippi football player Marcus “MJ” Daniels Jr. has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

“Nytavion Shaw, 16, of Laurel, was charged as an adult. Court records show that in his guilty plea Tuesday, Shaw said the killing happened during an armed robbery,” WAPT reported. “Shaw faces 20 to 40 years in prison. His sentencing date was not immediately set, and he remained in jail.”

National News & Foreign Policy

1. Biden sidelined as Middle East conflict rages

As Israel prepares a retaliatory strike against Iran, the Biden administration increasingly resembles a spectator, reports the Wall Street Journal.

“White House officials say they have been coordinating closely with their Israeli counterparts and are hopeful Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will limit a likely attack against Iran in response to a barrage of missiles Tehran fired at Israel on Tuesday,” WSJ reported, adding, “But Israel has not yet made a final decision about what its response will look like—and the White House has been blindsided repeatedly by Israel’s decisions in recent weeks.”

WSJ went on to add, “With the presidential election just over a month away, Biden and his team frequently find themselves looking like bystanders, unwilling or unable to rein in an ally they continue to back politically and provide with critical military support.”

2. Investors looking for clues in Friday’s jobs report

The New York Times reports that with just over a month to go until Election Day, Friday’s jobs report, set to be published at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, has outsize importance.

“Investors will look for clues to what the Fed might do next with interest rates, as well as how the economy is doing,” NYT reported. “But that isn’t the only number on investors’ minds. Further rises in oil prices, especially given an ambiguous statement by President Biden on whether Israel would attack Iran’s oil fields, could have just as huge economic consequences.”

As NYT notes, economists expect that “companies probably added 150,000 jobs in September, up from 142,000 in August, and the jobless rate stayed at 4.2 percent, according to a Bloomberg survey of economists.”

Sports & Entertainment

1. Ole Miss, Southern Miss back in action this Saturday

Ole Miss and Southern Miss are back on the gridiron this Saturday. Here’s how to watch your favorite Mississippi team:

• No. 12 Ole Miss travels to South Carolina in a must-win SEC game after losing to Kentucky last week. The game kicks off at 2:30pm on ESPN.

• Southern Miss opens SunBelt play at home against rival Louisiana-Lafayette. The game will air on ESPN+ and kicks off at 6:00pm.

Mississippi State has a BYE week. The Bulldogs are gearing up to travel to Georgia next Saturday.

2. Kerr named Mud Monsters Asst. GM

The Mississippi Mud Monsters announced the hiring of David Kerr as the team’s Assistant General Manager on Thursday. As the first member of the Mud Monsters’ front office, Kerr is expected to play a key role in leading the team’s efforts as they gear up for their inaugural season in the spring of 2025. His responsibilities will include overseeing sales, marketing, and fan engagement.

Prior to joining the Mud Monsters, Kerr served five years as the Director of Ticket Sales for the Mississippi Braves. His background in baseball operations dates to 2014, when he worked with the RailCats, another MLB Partner League team based in Indiana. Eng said that Kerr’s extensive experience and passion for the sport make him the perfect fit to help launch and grow the Mississippi Mud Monsters. 

Kerr, who has called Mississippi home for the past five years, says he is excited to be a part of this new venture. 

Markets & Business

1. NFIB says Main Street job openings fall to three-year low

The National Federation of Independent Business’s September jobs report found that 34% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in September, down 6 points from August and the lowest reading since January 2021.

Overall, 59% of small business owners nationwide reported hiring or trying to hire in September, down three points from August. Fifty-two percent (90% of those hiring or trying to hire) of owners reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill. Thirty percent of owners reported few qualified applicants for their open positions and 22% reported none.

Thirty percent have openings for skilled workers (down six points) and 14% have openings for unskilled labor (down one point).

Job openings in construction were down seven points from August and about half of them (53%) have a job opening they can’t fill. Job openings were the highest in the construction, transportation, and manufacturing sectors, and the lowest in the agriculture and finance sectors.

2. Balch & Bingham adds 3 associates in Mississippi

Balch & Bingham announced Thursday that eleven new associates were joining the firm, including three new attorneys in the firm’s Mississippi offices.

Luke Smith and Kayla Tran are joining the Jackson office while Arreyah Whitlock joins the Gulfport office.

Named one of America’s top trusted corporate law firms by Forbes, Balch & Bingham includes more than 200 attorneys throughout the Southeast, Texas and Washington, D.C.