- Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion to start your day informed.
In Mississippi
Guest presses Noem over federal disaster assistance for Mississippi
As the state’s request for federal disaster assistance from recent tornadoes has stalled, Congressman Michael Guest urged Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to expedite the request at a congressional hearing this week.
“With the roughly minute that I have I want to address an issue that is near and dear to my state. On March the 15th, we had a series of tornadoes that came through Mississippi. About half a dozen individuals lost their lives that day, and it impacted roughly 20 counties, so roughly a quarter of our state was impacted. Shortly after the storms, I along with many of the other elected officials, we went and we visited those areas that were impacted. And I’ll tell you that some of the damage has been extreme,” Guest told Noem. “Our Governor, and MEMA quickly requested disaster assistance, but at this point the review of that process is still pending, and I understand that, that takes time, and I don’t want to rush anything but I would ask you if you could make sure that you could do everything to expedite that request. It is impacting my local jurisdictions with debris cleanup. It is impacting people as they seek to recover, so I would just ask that you personally see if anything could be done to expedite that request, and with that, Mr. Chairman, I would yield back.”
Secretary Noem replied that she would follow up with that.
“I’m not sure if that decision is still with us or at the White House, but I will – I will follow up with you. And I want to thank you for talking about the fact that you’re sitting there waiting for the federal government to respond,” Noem said. “President Trump’s heart is with the American people and recognizes they don’t deserve that. If we had the ability to give resources to a state so they could respond in a more timely manner and do a better job than where the federal government has failed. It would be entirely appropriate. So, thank you for that, and I’ll follow up with you.”
National News & Foreign Policy
1. SALT holding up the “big, beautiful bill”?
According to the Washington Post, “The fate of President Donald Trump’s tax legislation may rest on whether the GOP can find common ground on tax breaks for high earners in predominantly Democratic states — and the issue also could cost House Republicans their majority next year.”
“House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) and a band of moderate Republican rebels are at loggerheads over how to handle changes to the state and local tax deduction, often called SALT,” WP reported. “That provision allows individuals or married couples to subtract the amount they paid in state taxes from their federal tax bill, but it’s been capped at $10,000 — well below what many taxpayers owe, especially in high cost-of-living areas — since 2017.”
WP went on to report, “Johnson this week said the GOP will find ‘the equilibrium point’ on SALT but cautioned it would be one that ‘no one will be totally delighted with.'”
2. Trump switches Surgeon General nominees
The Hill reports that “President Trump has pulled his nomination of Janette Nesheiwat to be U.S. surgeon general and has instead chosen chronic disease entrepreneur Casey Means.”
“Nesheiwat’s credentials came into question last month when CBS News reported that records showed she had graduated from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, and not the University of Arkansas School of Medicine, as had been said when her nomination was announced,” The Hill reported.
The Hill added, “Means, a graduate of Stanford Medical School, is the sister of Calley Means, a close ally to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and a special government employee at HHS.”
Sports
1. Mud Monsters to host inaugural Opening Day at Trustmark Park
The Mississippi Mud Monsters are hosting their inaugural Opening Day today, Thursday, May 8, at Trustmark Park in Pearl.
The new Frontier League team will take the field at 6:30 p.m. vs the Florence Y’alls.
The first 1,000 through the gates can snag an exclusive inaugural Opening Day T-Shirt presented by Trustmark and a 2025 magnet schedule from The Out of Bounds Show.
2. Miss. State to build new football indoor practice facility
Mississippi State Athletics announced Wednesday that Howard Industries, a leading manufacturer of electrical and technology products, has provided the lead naming gift for its new football indoor practice facility.
Pending IHL approval at its June 2025 meeting, the new facility will be named in honor of Billy W. Howard Sr., a beloved alumnus, former student-athlete, and pillar of the MSU community. The estimated cost for the indoor practice facility and enhanced support spaces is approximately $60 million.
MSU Athletics said the Billy W. Howard Sr. Indoor Practice Facility will include a 110,000 square-foot indoor training facility as well as dedicated areas for sports science for enhanced work in injury prevention and recovery. There will also be renovations and expansions of the sports medicine, nutrition, and locker room areas within the current Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex.
The Billy W. Howard Sr. Indoor Practice Facility will be constructed adjacent to the current Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex.
Markets & Business
1. Trump to announce U.S.-U.K. trade deal
The Wall Street Journal reports that “President Trump is expected to announce a framework of a trade deal with the U.K. on Thursday, the first in what the White House hopes is a series of trade agreements since it imposed tariffs against allies and adversaries.”
“Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!”
WSJ went on to report, “Financial markets and other countries will watch the deal’s details closely for signs of the Trump administration’s thinking and its willingness to strike similar deals with other countries, including those that have a far greater trade imbalance with the U.S. than the U.K.”
2. President calls Fed chair a “fool” after rates go unchanged again
CNBC reports that “President Donald Trump derided Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell once again Thursday, a day after the central bank voted to not lower rates because of economic uncertainty created by tariffs.”
“The Fed on Wednesday voted to keep its benchmark interest rate between 4.25% to 4.5%, where it’s kept the range in the three meetings this year since last cutting in December,” CNBC reported. “This has frustrated the president, who wants the central bank to cut rates to counter a possible slowing economy due to the rollout of his trade policies.”
President Trump shared on Truth Social, “″‘Too Late’ Jerome Powell is a FOOL, who doesn’t have a clue. Other than that, I like him very much! Oil and Energy way down, almost all costs (groceries and “eggs”) down, virtually NO INFLATION, Tariff Money Pouring Into the U.S. — THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF “TOO LATE!” ENJOY!”
Magnolia Tribune
