Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion
In Mississippi
1. Tuberville to headline MSGOP gala
The Mississippi Republican Party will hold its 2026 MSGOP Lincoln-Reagan-Trump Gala on Thursday, June 4 at the Sheraton Refuge Hotel in Flowood. The VIP Reception will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by the dinner program at 7:00 p.m.
Headlining the event will be U.S. Senator and gubernatorial candidate Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Republican National Committee Co-Chair K.C. Crosbie of Kentucky.
“The Mississippi Republican Party is excited to be celebrating the 250th anniversary of our great country at our upcoming statewide gala,” said Mike Hurst, Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party. “We are thrilled to hear from two national stars in the Republican Party – Senator Tommy Tuberville and RNC Co-Chair K.C. Crosby – who are leading conservative efforts both on Capitol Hill and throughout our nation as we seek to elect more Republicans and make America even better. Thursday will be a once-in-a-lifetime event for Republicans, and a very special night to remember for all Mississippians.”
2. Davis to run for Mississippi House District 106
Businessman and U.S. Army veteran Carley Davis announced Monday that he is running for the Mississippi House of Representatives District 106 seat in 2027. That seat is currently held by State Rep. Jansen Owen (R) who announced last week that he would be running for District Attorney next year.
“Following my military service, my wife and I built a healthcare business dedicated to caring for people during some of life’s most difficult moments. Providing hospice care to families throughout Pearl River and Lamar Counties was more than a profession—it was a calling and an honor,” Davis said. “Over the years, I have also built successful residential and commercial contracting businesses, creating jobs and gaining firsthand experience with the challenges facing small businesses, workers, and families throughout our district.”
Davis said he is running because of his love for the community.
“For nearly 30 years, I have had the privilege of serving the people of this area in one capacity or another, and if I am being honest, the call to serve has never left me,” Davis said, adding thanks for Owen’s service in the House and wishing him well in his DA run.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Senate GOP eyes passage of ICE, CBP funding package
The Hill reports that “Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and other GOP senators see a path for passing the stalled budget reconciliation package funding immigration enforcement operations through Congress after the Trump administration on Monday backed down from a proposal to establish a $1.8 billion ‘anti-weaponization’ fund for MAGA allies.”
“Thune on Monday called on the White House to abandon the proposal to establish what some GOP critics have called a ‘slush fund.’ Shortly after, the Justice Department announced it would abide by a federal court decision temporarily blocking the administration from setting up the fund pending further litigation,” The Hill reported. “The result is that Republican leaders in both chambers now feel confident they can pass the $72 billion budget reconciliation package as long as it remains narrowly focused on funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol through 2029.”
The Hill continued, “The package will not include funding for security upgrades to President Trump’s proposed 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom, which had also generated strong pushback from several Senate Republicans.”
2. Millions fraudulently enrolled in Obamacare?
According to the Washington Post, “An influential conservative think tank is contending that 6.2 million enrollees on the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges — roughly a quarter of all enrollees — improperly received health coverage this year through the program.”
“Paragon Health Institute, which is led by a former economic aide to President Donald Trump and has influenced the current administration’s health policy moves, also argues that the federal government could wrongly subsidize the ACA program by $25 billion this year. The organization bases its latest analysis on publicly available enrollment and Census Bureau data, arguing that it is impossible for so many people to qualify for subsidies to purchase ACA coverage given their reported income levels,” WP reported. “The analysis, which Paragon plans to publicly release Wednesday and is likely to be sharply disputed by Democrats and other policy groups, is the latest salvo in the political fight over health insurance coverage, an issue that has helped decide past elections and could play a role in this fall’s midterms.”
“Obamacare enrollment over the last few years has been inflated by improper and phantom enrollees, and those enrollees are expensive to the taxpayer,” Brian Blase, Paragon’s founder, said in an interview. ““The problem is more severe in states that did not expand Medicaid, because in those states there’s incentives to overestimate income and claim a subsidy.”
Sports
1. Ole Miss heading to Auburn for Super Regional
Ole Miss is headed to Auburn for the NCAA Super Regional this weekend after the No. 4 national seed Tigers avoided an upset Monday against Milwaukee.
Had the Tigers lost, Ole Miss would have been hosting the Super Regional but instead they will be on the road, needing 2 wins to advance to the College World Series in Omaha.
It is the Rebels’ first time back in the Super Regional round since 2022.
2. JSU’s Salhab receives 2026 NCAA Accelerating Academic Success Program Career Development Award
Jackson State’s Robert Salhab III, a senior track and field student-athlete, was recognized as the 2026 NCAA Accelerating Academic Success Program Career Development Award honoree this week at the NCAA Career in Sports Forum in Indianapolis.
The honor is tied to the NCAA’s AASP initiative, which provides academic grants to historically under-resourced colleges and universities. The NCAA awarded close to $2 million to eligible schools last year to increase student-athlete academic success and strengthen efforts to increase student-athlete graduation.
The AASP Career Development Award recognizes one or more student-athletes from Division I AASP schools who plan to pursue careers in athletics or sports-related fields. Salhab, a health, physical education and recreation major with a minor in business administration, has access to NCAA programming and networking opportunities at the Career in Sports Forum, along with more than 150 additional student-athlete attendees.
Markets & Business
1. Sandifer, Whalen named among Independent Community Bankers of America’s Top 40 Under 40
Ashton Sandifer, the COO of Bank of Anguilla, and Andrew Whalen, Planters Bank’s Market President for Cleveland and Ruleville, are two Mississippians who have been named to the Independent Community Bankers of America’s Top 40 Under 40.
Sandifer helps bring modern banking tools to Bank of Anguilla’s rural customers. As the community bank’s information technology officer and information security officer, she oversaw the successful modernization of the bank’s core transaction system and trained staff to provide improved accuracy and enhanced customer service.
Whalen believes community banks play an important role in helping rural communities thrive. He recently served as the chairman of the Mississippi Bankers Association’s “A Banker in Every Classroom” initiative, visiting local classrooms and teaching students about the importance of saving money and how to build credit.
For a full list of the Top 40 Under 40 Community Bankers visit here.
2. Beau Rivage voted best casino in Mississippi
Beau Rivage Casino has been crowned the winner of the Best Casino in Mississippi category at the 2026 International Casino Awards.
Voted entirely by players, the awards celebrate the best in casino entertainment across more than 100 categories from the headline Best Casino in the World down to the gloriously specific Royal Flush Award for Best Casino Toilet. No expert panels, no industry insiders. Just real players backing the venues they actually rate.
In Mississippi, Beau Rivage Casino took top spot with 37.4% of the vote, followed by Hard Rock Biloxi in second and Horseshoe Casino Tunica rounding out the podium.
3. Hancock Whitney earns 19 Coalition Greenwich 2026 Best Bank Awards
Hancock Whitney has earned 19 Coalition Greenwich 2026 Best Bank Awards for Small Business and Middle Market Banking, reinforcing its position as a leading financial partner for privately owned businesses across the Gulf Coast corridor and the southeastern United States. The recognition marks the 17th consecutive year the bank has received honors from Crisil Coalition Greenwich, with 274 total awards to date.
The awards, presented by Crisil Coalition Greenwich for 2025 performance, are among the most respected in the financial services industry and are based on extensive, independent interviews with thousands of business banking clients evaluating banks on service quality, trust, ease of doing business, and relationship strength.
“These awards are especially meaningful because they are grounded in direct feedback from the clients we serve every day,” said Hancock Whitney Chief Banking Officer Emory Mayfield. “They reflect our team’s deep commitment to building lasting relationships and delivering the expertise, responsiveness, and personalized support that privately owned businesses need to thrive.”
-- Article credit to the staff for the Magnolia Tribune --
