- 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. Hyde-Smith, Kennedy discuss need for Medicare fix to aid rural hospitals
Mississippi U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr., agreed this week that it will take both Congress and the administration to fix a Medicare reimbursement formula that is destabilizing hospitals and rural healthcare in low-wage states like Mississippi.
Hyde-Smith questioned Kennedy about the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) Area Wage Index (AWI) during a Senate Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee hearing to review the HHS FY2027 budget request.
“AWI disadvantages rural hospitals, because they are locking them into a system that suppresses reimbursement and limits their ability to recruit and retain medical staff and specialists,” Hyde-Smith said. “Hospitals like Forrest General, a Level 2 trauma center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, are expected to deliver complex, specialist-driven care but are reimbursed as if costs are low – absorbing an $8 million annual loss due to this disparity. Obviously, that gap is just unsustainable. If this continues, it won’t just affect one hospital. It will weaken the entire 19-county rural network serving roughly 700,000 Mississippians.”
In response, Kennedy concurred that the current AWI formula disadvantages hospitals in low-wage states like Mississippi and indicated the administration is willing to work with Congress to find a budget-neutral solution to provide relief to states with low AWIs.
2. UMMC announces drug take-back day
The University of Mississippi Medical Center Department of Anesthesia and the UMMC Anesthesiology Interest Group are partnering with local law enforcement agencies to offer community members a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of unused or expired medications during a prescription drug take-back event Saturday, April 25.
In coordination with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, UMMC said Wednesday that the event aims to help prevent medication misuse, reduce the risk of accidental overdose and protect the environment.
Those wishing to participate can bring medications for disposal from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at one of three locations:
- Brandon Police Department — 1455 W Government St, Brandon, MS 39042
- Madison Police Department — 2001 Main Street, Madison, MS 39130
- Ridgeland Police Department — 115 W School St, Ridgeland, MS 39157
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Phelan out as Navy Secretary
According to the Washington Post, “Navy Secretary John Phelan will depart the Trump administration ‘effective immediately,’ officials said Wednesday evening, an abrupt exit after 13 tumultuous months at the Pentagon.”
“Sean Parnell, a spokesman for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, announced the news on social media, saying that Hegseth and deputy defense secretary Steve Feinberg wished Phelan well,” WP reported. “Five officials said that Phelan, a billionaire art collector and fundraiser for President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, was forced out after repeated clashes with both Hegseth and Feinberg over his management of shipbuilding and a variety of other issues. One administration official, who like some others spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the issue’s sensitivity, said Phelan was asked to step down.”
WP continued, “Navy Undersecretary Hung Cao, a Navy veteran and former candidate for House and Senate seats in Virginia, will become the service’s acting secretary, Parnell said in his announcement. Hegseth has preferred Cao for the role for some time, officials said.”
2. Senate moves budget resolution forward to fund DHS
The Hill reports that “Senate Republicans adopted a budget resolution during a late-night voting marathon that lasted until early Thursday morning, setting the stage for Congress to vote next month on a budget reconciliation package to fund immigration enforcement and reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).”
“The resolution passed by a vote of 50-48 shortly after 3:30 a.m. Thursday. GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Rand Paul (Ky.) joined all Democrats in voting against the measure,” The Hill reported. “GOP senators mostly stuck together to beat back Democratic amendments that could have derailed the budget resolution, but two vulnerable Republican senators — Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) — defected on several amendments.”
The Hill went on to report, “They voted for amendments to lower out-of-pocket health care costs, to reverse the cuts made last year to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and to address health insurance companies that delay or deny medical care, revealing nervousness within the GOP conference ahead of the midterm election.”
Sports
1. Ole Miss’ Hooks named to NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List
Ole Miss Baseball’s Walker Hooks has been named to the 2026 NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List.
The school said Hooks has pitched to a 3-0 record with four saves and a 2.48 ERA over 15 appearances and 32.2 innings of work so far this season. He has racked up 40 strikeouts and held opponents to just a .165 batting average.
The sophomore has earned three wins, four saves, and pitched to a 1.37 ERA over his last nine appearances out of the bullpen. He has struck out 23 batters and walked just two over 19.2 innings of work.
2. Frontier Leagues rebranding to National Association of Professional Baseball
The Frontier League, a Professional Partner League of Major League Baseball and the longest-running independent baseball organization in North America, announced a comprehensive brand transformation on Wednesday.
The Mississippi Mud Monsters based in Pearl are part of the league.
Beginning in the 2027 baseball season, the league will compete as the National Association of Professional Baseball (NAPB).
The rebranding process began in the fall of 2024 when Frontier League’s Board of Directors formed a Strategic Planning Committee to evaluate their current position and future opportunities in the professional baseball structure. The Committee was composed of team owners with a variety of professional sports experience, ranging from people with more than 20 years in the Frontier League to those new to the league but with an extensive background in the sports and entertainment industry.
Markets & Business
1. Futures down after markets close at new record highs
CNBC reports that stock futures declined early Thursday, “with investors set to give back some of the gains that took the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite to fresh record highs in the previous session.”
“Both the broad market index and tech-heavy Nasdaq finished at record levels on Wednesday after President Donald Trump extended the U.S. ceasefire with Iran,” CNBC reported. “The S&P 500 and Nasdaq rose 1.05% and 1.64%, respectively. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 340.65 points, or 0.69%.”
CNBC added, “Investor sentiment has also been strengthened by a strong earnings season so far. Of the 87 S&P companies that have reported so far, 81% have reported an earnings beat, while 76% have reported revenue that surprised to the upside.”
2. Diesel a bigger economic problem than gas?
The New York Times reports that the price of diesel “has risen much more quickly than gasoline as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has choked global oil supplies. That could have severe consequences for the diesel-dependent transportation industry.”
“Since the war began on Feb. 28, the average price of a gallon of diesel has gone up about 45 percent, while a gallon of regular gasoline has risen about 35 percent. The Energy Information Administration, a federal research agency, expects average diesel prices to peak at more than $5.80 a gallon this month. Gasoline, the agency said, would average $4.30 a gallon,” NYT reported. “Prices have gone down modestly in the past week on hopes for a peace deal, but the gap between diesel and gasoline remains yawning.”
NYT noted, “The fuel is also taxed more; the federal tax on diesel is 24.4 cents a gallon, or 6 cents more than gasoline.”
