Mississippi
Magnolia Mornings: October 10, 2024
- 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. PSC to host Nuclear Summit

The Mississippi Public Service Commission will host a Nuclear Summit, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss the future of nuclear energy in Mississippi and its role in the state’s energy landscape.
The Nuclear Summit is scheduled for Tuesday, October 22, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the MPSC Courtroom in the Woolfolk Building in Jackson.
This free event will feature speakers including: Scott Hunnewell (Vice President of the New Nuclear Program at Tennessee Valley Authority); Jeff Merrifield (US Nuclear Industry Council Chairman, and former NRC Commissioner); Jim Smiley (Senior Manager Advanced Nuclear Development Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson, Mississippi); Mike King (US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Special Assistant for ADVANCE ACT Implementation); and CEO James Walker Chairman Jay Yu (Nano Nuclear Energy Corporation).
The Commissioners are inviting all interested parties to the educational summit for a more comprehensive understanding of the current state of nuclear in Mississippi, including the innovative technologies, and the benefits and challenges the state faces.
2. Mississippi Governor approves National Guard deployment to aid Florida


Governor Tate Reeves announced Wednesday that he approved the deployment of 22 Soldiers of the Mississippi National Guard (MSNG) to Tallahassee, Florida. The 22 Soldiers will support emergency response missions in Florida in the anticipated aftermath of Hurricane Milton.
“Mississippi stands ready to assist Florida as they brace for Hurricane Milton,” said Governor Reeves in a statement. “Our state is no stranger to hurricanes, and we’ll always be grateful for the assistance we’ve received in the past from people across the country. It’s only right that we now help our fellow Americans in their time of need. I know the Mississippi National Guard will do an excellent job assisting Floridians.”
Twenty-two members of the Mississippi Army National Guard’s 185th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, headquartered in Jackson, Miss. deployed to Tallahassee International Airport, Florida today, October 9, 2024, in preparation for recovery operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. The Mississippi National Guard aviation response team consisted of 22 soldiers, aviators, and crewmen, flying two HH-60M Blackhawks from Jackson and one CH-47 Chinook helicopter from Meridian to aid in hurricane response missions.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Milton makes landfall in Florida as a Category 3 hurricane
Hurricane Milton made landfall on the west Gulf Coast of Florida on Wednesday as a Category 3 storm. As the Associated Press reported, Milton pounded cities with ferocious winds and rain, whipping up a barrage of tornadoes and causing an unknown numbers of deaths.
“As dawn broke Thursday, officials repeated that the danger had not passed: Storm surge remained a concern in many parts of Florida and tropical storm warnings were in place for much of the east-central coast. Officials in the hard-hit counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota and Lee urged people to stay home, warning of downed power lines, trees in roads, blocked bridges and flooding,” the AP reported.
According to poweroutage.us, more than 3 million homes and businesses were without power as of Thursday morning.
2. Harris bobs and weaves in interviews


The New York Times reports that when sitting for interviews, Vice President Kamala Harris “continues to bob and weave.”
“Running an abbreviated campaign in the final sprint before Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris blitzed the media this week in a series of interviews to speak to voters who say they still don’t know enough about her,” wrote Michael Bender with NYT. “One thing they learned: how she keeps answering the question she wants, not the one that was asked.”
Bender continued, writing, “Her media swing provided a glimpse into how she often responds to unpleasant questions without answering them, questions the very premise of questions she finds unfair and can take it upon herself to reword a query she considers unhelpful. Ms. Harris, 59, can turn the typically defensive crouch of a non-answer into a bit of verbal jujitsu, as she did in declining the opportunity to identify Mr. Netanyahu as an ally.”
Sports & Entertainment
1. Full slate of JUCO action on tap for Thursday night


Here’s a rundown of the full schedule of community college games set for Thursday night in Mississippi.
- No. 7 Northwest travels to Southwest
- Hinds hosts No. 12 Jones
- MS Delta heads to No. 8 Holmes
- East Central hosts No. 3 MGCCC
- Itawamba visits Coahoma
- Pearl River hosts Co-Lin
- East MS travels to Northeast
2. LSU-Samford to play baseball exhibition in Biloxi


The Biloxi Shuckers announced that the LSU Tigers and Samford Bulldogs will play a fall exhibition game as part of the Hancock Whitney Classic at Keesler Federal Park on Sunday, November 3. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. and gates open at 10:00 a.m. The two teams will play three seven-inning games for a total of 21 innings.
Tickets for the game can be purchased here or the Shuckers Box Office at Keesler Federal Park. All tickets will be general admission and are available for $15.
Markets & Business
1. Stock futures down ahead of inflation report


CNBC reports that stock futures slipped Thursday as investors looked ahead to the release of September’s consumer price index report.
“Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 50 points, or 0.1%. S&P 500 futures were 0.1% lower, and Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.2%,” CNBC reported. “September’s CPI report is due at 8:30 a.m. ET, with investors looking for further signs that inflation is on a cooling trend. Economists polled by Dow Jones anticipate a 0.1% increase on a monthly basis, and a 2.3% advance over the prior 12 months.”
2. Home Depot dropping warehouses


The Wall Street Journal reports that Home Depot “is shedding some of the sprawling warehouse space it had added in the midst of the pandemic as the home-improvement goods retailer grapples with falling sales in an uncertain consumer market.”
“The Atlanta-based company is looking to sublease four buildings of around 1 million square feet or more across the U.S. that it had been using to store products imported from Asia that it had rushed into the country to get ahead of supply-chain bottlenecks,” WSJ reported. “The changes come as Home Depot is targeting about $500 million in cost savings this fiscal year, including by getting rid of space leased during the Covid-19 pandemic amid feverish consumer demand to complete home-improvement projects.”
Mississippi
11 indicted in $12.3 million Mississippi Medicaid fraud scheme, AG says
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Eleven people have been indicted in connection with an alleged Medicaid fraud scheme involving more than $12.3 million.
This according to Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, who said the indictments involve allegations of fraudulent billing, wire fraud, and/or false documentation seeking to defraud the government.
All 11 charged include:
- Isluv Robertson, 36, of Jackson
- Shawncee Vassar-Cunningham, 51, of Olive Branch
- Katricia Smith, 47, of Olive Branch
- Sheila Boney Collins, 53, of Hollandale
- Ahyana Nicole Crosby, 34, of Laurel
- Angela Nannette Crosby, 51, of Laurel
- Yolanda Evette Blackman, 54, of Hattiesburg
- Linda Jenkins, 46, of Hermanville
- Deja Almore, 30, of Yazoo City
- Curtis Moore, 51, of Gulfport
- Taylor Christian Rushing, 34, of Gautier
Officials said the defendants are accused of participating in health care fraud schemes involving more than $6.5 billion in intended loss.
“These indictments are just the latest efforts we are taking to fight waste, fraud, and corruption,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “I am proud to partner with President Trump to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure that money meant to help those in need is not stolen from safety net programs. I will remain laser-focused on rooting out fraud, recovering money wrongfully stolen from hard-working taxpayers, and holding fraudsters accountable.”
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Mississippi
Governor: At least 47 homes, 50 roads damaged by Mississippi storms, flooding – SuperTalk Mississippi
Gov. Tate Reeves has released updated damage assessments following the severe weather and flooding that inundated parts of southern Mississippi last week.
According to Reeves, assessments through the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency are ongoing, and disaster aid is still being distributed through a mix of federal, state, and local agencies, along with nonprofits. But numbers as of Monday morning showed dozens of homes and businesses damaged and even more public roads affected.

Among the counties with significant impacts are Covington, Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock, Jackson, Pearl River, Perry and Stone. Across those counties and others, at least 47 homes were affected, seven of which were completely destroyed. Nine businesses sustained damaged, six of which are considered major. One farm sustained major damage.
50 public roadways were affected, including four that are considered major and four that were completely destroyed. Two bridges sustained major damage, while two public buildings sustained minor damage.
Reeves said two rivers are in the moderate flood stage – Leaf River near McClain and the Pascagoula River at Graham Ferry.
15 other waterways are in the minor flood stage: Big Black River near Bentonia, Biloxi River near Lyman, Chickasawhay River at Enterprise, Chickasawhay River at Leakesville, East Hobolochitto Creek near Caesar, Pascagoula River at Merrill, Pearl River at Jackson, Pearl River near Pearl River, Pearl River near Philadelphia, Pearl River at Rockport, Strong River at D’Lo, Tallahala Creek at Laurel, Tuscolameta Creek at Laurel, West Hobolochitto Creek near McNeill, and Wolf River around Gulfport.


Damage reports could have worsened on Monday with additional rounds of severe weather in some parts of the state. The worst of the storms and floods came with the remnants of what was Tropical Storm Arthur late last week and into the weekend.
Mississippi
Family of 1-year-old killed by police at a Walmart in Mississippi wants video released
(AP) – A Mississippi family whose 1-year-old child was killed when police fired into a moving vehicle said Monday they want authorities to release video showing whether officers were in danger of being struck when one of them opened fire.
The shooting has sparked outrage in the small city of Senatobia, where some say it’s the latest in a series of troubling encounters between police and Black residents.
Kohen Wiley was riding with his mother and another woman in a Walmart parking lot on June 14 when police responded to a shoplifting call. The family says they were driving away, while the officers say the car was heading toward them.
“I watched my baby take his first breath, and I watched my baby take his last breath,” Vellesiya Wiley said at a news conference Monday.
The other woman in the car, whose name has not been released, suffered “critical injuries,” according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, which is handling the inquiry.
Standing alongside Kohen’s parents and grandparents at a local church, civil rights attorney Ben Crump told reporters Monday that the best way to determine whether the officers were at risk is to publicly release any body camera, dash camera or Walmart security camera video.
“If that is the truth, then show us that,” Crump said. “The longer you delay releasing the video, the more distrustful we become.”
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation declined to comment on what videos investigators have or whether they would be released, agency spokesperson Bailey Martin said Monday.
“This case has been made a top priority,” Martin said in an emailed statement, “and we currently have multiple agents working tirelessly to ensure every aspect of the investigation is thoroughly examined.”
The agency says the officers weren’t hurt. Senatobia Police Chief Harold Vanderford did not return a phone message seeking comment Monday.
State investigators gave an initial account of the shooting last week, saying that when Senatobia police arrived at the Walmart, they found two women and a child getting into a car and driving away.
“Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one. An officer then discharged their weapon and the vehicle fled the scene,” the agency statement said.
Kohen’s mother has said the shoplifting call was over a box of diapers that her friend was carrying — and that she believes her friend had paid for the diapers. State investigators declined to comment on those details.
Crump questioned why police didn’t let the car go and take down the license plate number.
“They were called over a box of diapers and a family now has to bury their baby,” Crump said Monday. “You cannot put those two things next to each other and call it reasonable policing.”
Crump also said an independent autopsy would be performed.
While there’s no question the child was shot by police, he said, details about the angles at which any bullets struck the child could yield clues as to whether the officer fired from in front of the car or off to the side — and therefore whether that officer was in any danger.
Policing expert Ian Adams, who teaches criminal justice at the University of South Carolina, told The Associated Press last week that police should know that “shooting into a moving vehicle is a very bad idea and one to be avoided at almost all costs,” noting the danger to passengers and other bystanders.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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