- 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. Auditor White reports his office recovered over $900,000 last fiscal year
State Auditor Shad White announced Wednesday in an annual Audit Exceptions Report that his office recovered $905,225.71 in taxpayer funds and returned them to the deserving entities in Fiscal Year 2025.
During the last seven years, Auditor White said his team recovered more taxpayer money than in any other seven-year period in state history, according to records in the Office of the State Auditor (OSA).
“The State Auditor’s office continues to serve as the watchdogs of your money, year after year, thanks to the committed work of our 135 auditors, investigators, analysts, and support staff,” said Auditor White.
2. McNeill selected as Dean of Nursing at USM
Southern Miss announced Wednesday that Dr. Charleen McNeill has been selected as dean of the University of Southern Mississippi’s College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) following a nationwide search.
The school said McNeill comes to Southern Miss from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, where she currently serves as executive associate dean of academic affairs and holds a professorship in its College of Nursing.
She will join the Southern Miss administrative team on October 1, pending approval of the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Brown University strikes deal with Trump White House
The New York Times reports that Brown University “struck a deal with the government on Wednesday, becoming the third Ivy League university in a month to reach an agreement with the White House.”
“The agreement, a copy of which Brown made public, calls for the university to make $50 million in payments to state work force development programs over a decade and requires Brown to comply with the Trump administration’s vision on matters like transgender athletes and ‘merit-based’ admissions policies,” NYT reported.
NYT went on to report, “The Trump administration depicted the deal as an ideological victory. In a statement on Wednesday, the education secretary, Linda McMahon, argued that the deal would be part of a ‘lasting legacy of the Trump administration, one that will benefit students and American society for generations to come.'”
“The Trump administration is successfully reversing the decades-long woke-capture of our nation’s higher education institutions,” Ms. McMahon said, as reported by NYT.
2. Harris will not run for California Governor
The Hill reports that former Vice President Kamala Harris announced Wednesday “that she will not run for governor of California in 2026, putting an end to speculation that she would seek her state’s top executive role after her loss to President Trump in November.”
“In recent months, I have given serious thought to asking the people of California for the privilege to serve as their Governor. I love this state, its people, and its promise. It is my home. But after deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for Governor in this election,” Harris said in a statement reported by The Hill.
The Hill added, “The former vice president said she spent time reflecting over the past six months since losing the election, after taking over the Democratic ticket when former President Biden dropped out of the race.”
“For now, my leadership—and public service—will not be in elected office. I look forward to getting back out and listening to the American people, helping elect Democrats across the nation who will fight fearlessly, and sharing more details in the months ahead about my own plans,” Harris said in the statement.
Sports
1. Ole Miss lands 2, Miss. State has 1 on Butkus watchlist
Ole Miss Athletics announced Wednesday that football linebackers TJ Dottery and Andrew Jones have both landed on the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, as announced by the Butkus Foundation.
Down the road, Mississippi State Athletics announced that their linebacker Jalen Smith was also named to the watch list.
The two Rebels and the one Bulldog are among 51 total linebackers selected to the watch list for the Butkus Award, a nod to its namesake Dick Butkus, who wore the number 51 during his storied professional career with the Chicago Bears that earned him the title of greatest defensive player in football history by NFL Films.
The Butkus Award was founded in 1985 and is given out annually to football’s top linebacker at three different levels of the sport, particularly those who consistently play off the ball on their feet in a traditional two-point stance.
2. Southern Miss women’s golf coach signs multi-year contract
Southern Miss women’s golf head coach Colton Cowan has agreed to a new multi-year contract that will keep him in Hattiesburg for the foreseeable future. This comes after the team won a Sun Belt Tournament title and made a NCAA Regional appearance.
The school said in Cowan’s first season with the Golden Eagles, he helped guide Southern Miss to arguably its best season in program history. The team notched a third-place finish in the second tournament of the season at the Hoover Invitational.
The momentum reached its peak in the fall semester when Southern Miss won The Judson at Hattiesburg Country Club. Taylor Trible and Louise Cuyvers both grabbed top four finishes at The Judson as Southern Miss shot a semester-low 867 as a team.
Markets & Business
1. U.S., South Korea reach trade deal
The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. and South Korea “agreed to a trade pact that will see the U.S. apply 15% tariffs to Korean goods in return for duty-free treatment on many American products, President Trump said Wednesday.”
“U.S. products won’t be charged a tariff in Korea, the president posted on Truth Social. South Korea would contribute $350 billion for investments ‘owned and controlled’ by the U.S. and a further $100 billion in energy purchases,” WSJ reported.
WSJ noted, “The president said he won’t extend Friday’s deadline for higher tariffs to kick in on countries that haven’t secured deals—a group that includes Canada and Mexico.”
2. Meta shares jump 10% after earnings report
CNBC reports that Meta shares jumped more than 10% after the company reported second-quarter earnings on Wednesday that beat on revenue.
“Meta’s second-quarter sales grew 22% year over year, which was the same growth rate as a year ago,” CNBC reported. “The company’s advertising revenue for the second quarter came in at $46.56 billion, ahead of Wall Street projections of $43.97 billion. On a call Wednesday with analysts, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Meta’s artificial intelligence technology unlocked ‘greater efficiency and gains across our ad system.'”
CNBC continued, “Meta said third-quarter sales will come in the range between $47.5 billion and $50.5 billion, ahead of Wall Street estimates of $46.14 billion.”
Magnolia Tribune
