- 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. $1 million lottery ticket sold in Tupelo
The Mississippi Lottery says a $2 Powerball ticket purchased at Sprint Mart #38 in Tupelo is worth $1 million after matching all five white ball numbers in Saturday night’s drawing.
Mississippi was one of six states to produce a $1 million-winning ticket in the drawing, joining Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. The winning ticket did not include the optional Power Play® feature. Had Power Play been added for an additional $1 per play, the prize would have doubled to $2 million.
The winner has 180 days from the drawing date to claim the prize at Mississippi Lottery Headquarters in Flowood.
2. Long Beach man sentenced to 40 years for child exploitation
Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced Monday that Robert Stephan Wilson, Jr., 50, of Long Beach, was sentenced to 40 years for one count of child exploitation.
The case originated with an undercover operation led by Fitch’s office and was investigated and prosecuted by her office, with assistance from the Long Beach Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Harrison County Circuit Court Judge Lisa P. Dodson sentenced Wilson to 40 years, with 18 years to serve day-for-day without the possibility of parole in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) and 5 years on probation. He was ordered to pay $1,000 to the Victims of Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation Fund and $1,000 to the Mississippi Children’s Trust Fund. Wilson must also register as a sex offender.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. DSCC spending $40 million in 10 states ahead of midterm
Politico reports that “the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee announced it is spending $40 million on organizing, research and voter contact across 10 states as the party looks to take back control of the upper chamber.”
“The effort, branded as ‘Win The Senate’ and shared first with POLITICO, includes seven states where Democrats are on offense — Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, Alaska, Texas, Iowa and Florida — along with three where the party is playing defense — Georgia, Michigan and New Hampshire,” Politico reports. “The funds aren’t going toward expensive ad buys, but instead on-the-ground staff, new offices, volunteer programs and outreach to groups including Latino, Black and Alaska Native voters. The organizing and infrastructure investments could help counter a potential flood of GOP super PAC cash that many Democrats expect to come later in the fall.”
Politico noted, “Democrats need to gain four seats on net to take back the Senate this year.”
2. Fauci diaries takes center stage on Capitol Hill
The personal diaries of Anthony S. Fauci, the National Institutes of Health scientist who helped lead the U.S. response to the coronavirus pandemic before stepping down in late 2022, were released this weekend by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), the Washington Post reports.
“Paul, who is investigating the origins of covid-19, has called Fauci to testify on the pandemic before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday. Paul has maintained for years that Fauci helped cover up the possibility that the coronavirus leaked from a lab, a claim that Fauci has persistently denied,” WP reported. “Several times in his diary, Fauci decried the mounting questions from Paul and others on whether there had been a cover-up of the virus’s origins.”
WP further reported, “In April 2021, Fauci wrote that members of the ‘radical right wing’ and officials such as Paul were trying to ‘connect me with the virus from WUHAN. … They are saying that I deliberately worked with the Chinese together with [zoologist] Peter Daszak to create a virus that would be released to the world. This sounds very much like a way-out conspiracy theory, which it is. However, there are enough crazy people around to make this a problem.’”
Sports
JSU’s Beeching finishes second at Mississippi Women’s State Amateur
Jackson State Athletics said rising junior Maddy Beeching fired a final-round 1-under (71) to finish second following a four-hole playoff at the Mississippi Women’s State Amateur at Patrick Farms on Thursday afternoon.
The school said Beeching entered the day down two strokes but used a pair of birdies down the stretch after starting the day with nine straight pars to force a tie with Sydney Moss. She stormed back after an opening round 74 to finish the tournament at even par-216. Beeching birdied 12 holes in the three rounds, including seven in the second round to move into contention for the title.
She finished two shots ahead of Harper Hinckley (Summitt) and three shots ahead of Rica Tse (D’Iberville), both of whom golf at Mississippi State.
Markets & Business
1. Oil falls 3% as fighting paused between U.S., Iran
CNBC reports that “oil prices extended their losses Tuesday after a pause in fighting between the U.S. and Iran held, raising hopes for a de-escalation in the Middle East conflict that has upended energy supplies.”
“International benchmark Brent crude futures for September delivery fell by 3.71% to $85.08 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for September delivery dropped by around 3% to $80.11 a barrel,” CNBC reported. “While Tehran has rejected reports that it has agreed to a 10-day ceasefire with the U.S., there has been a temporary pause in hostilities.”
CNBC noted, “Analysts at Goldman Sachs said in a Tuesday note that Brent crude should moderate to $80 a barrel by year-end ‘if Hormuz fully reopens’ by the final three months of the year.”
2. Cracker Barrel brings in 69-year-old CEO to replace Masino after rebrand debacle
The Wall Street Journal reports that “Cracker Barrel’s decision to select a 69-year-old former restaurant executive to lead the chain highlights the emerging practice of boards calling in retired chief executives from the sidelines to help engineer high-profile turnarounds.”
“The family-dining chain’s board and its current Gen X CEO had agreed that they would work together to look for her replacement after an uproar over branding changes caused the chain’s sales to plunge, according to people familiar with the search,” WSJ reported. “Cracker Barrel’s new leader, David Deno, served as the CEO of Outback Steakhouse parent Bloomin’ Brands from 2019 to 2024. After he retired from Bloomin’ in 2024, he then served on the boards of Krispy Kreme and Panera Brands.”
WSJ added, “He steps into Cracker Barrel at an unusual moment. For much of the past year, the company has attempted to move on after efforts to modernize the chain backfired. Cracker Barrel’s outgoing CEO, Julie Masino, 55 years old, sought to update the chain’s look and menu to reach a younger audience. The moves alienated some, including President Trump, with many arguing that the chain was abandoning its country heritage. Cracker Barrel later reversed the change and, more recently, the company’s stock had been rising.”
