Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion
In Mississippi
1. Woodward Hines donates $800,000 to fund FAITH scholarships
According to WJTV, “State lawmakers are showing they will do what it takes to further students’ education, continuing their work even while the Legislature is not in session.”
“Just weeks before the start of the upcoming school year, roughly 170 of Mississippi’s foster youth were notified that they would not receive FAITH scholarship funds due to insufficient funds,” WJTV reported. “However, community partners quickly responded to the shortfall.”
WJTV reported, “The Woodward Hines Education Foundation stepped up to commit $800,000 in funding, ensuring eligible students can continue their education this fall.”
2. 43 states, includes Mississippi, reach $400 million settlement with drug manufacturer Sandoz
Attorney General Lynn Fitch joined a coalition of 43 states and territories on Wednesday to announce a $400 million settlement in principle with Sandoz Inc. to resolve allegations that the generic drug manufacturer engaged in widespread, long-running conspiracies to artificially inflate and manipulate prices, reduce competition, and unreasonably restrain trade with regard to numerous generic prescription drugs.
The AG office said the States have also secured settlements in the same litigation with Glenmark, Lannett, Bausch, Apotex and Heritage totaling approximately $96.5 million.
If approved, Sandoz Inc. will pay a total of approximately $469 million to settle the claims brought by the states, including amounts paid pursuant to previous settlements with other states. This settlement is contingent upon obtaining signatures from all necessary states and territories and comes as the States prepare for an anticipated trial in 2027.
Mississippi is joined in securing this settlement in principle by the attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Protect College Sports Act heads toward Senate vote
As reported by Politico, “Senate Majority Leader John Thune took an initial step Wednesday to allow votes on bipartisan college sports legislation, though it remains unclear how soon it could pass the chamber.”
“Led by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the Protect College Sports Act would rewrite the national rules for how college athletes are paid and how conferences can expand,” Politico reported. “The bill got a boost recently when the Southeastern and Big Ten megaconferences dropped their opposition after the senators agreed to institute a “hard cap” on athlete payments for schools with revenue-sharing deals while preserving an athlete’s ability to secure deals for their name, image and likeness on the open market.”
Politico continued, “Thune’s move allows for an initial vote as soon as Friday, though a deal could speed things up. He also set up potential votes on Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general and a stopgap spending bill punting a shutdown deadline until December.”
2. Moderna mRNA flu vaccine approved by FDA
The Hill reports that the “Food and Drug Administration (FDA) late Wednesday approved the nation’s first mRNA flu vaccine, manufactured by drugmaker Moderna.”
“The agency approved the shot for two separate age groups; people age 50 to 64, and for 65 years and older. Moderna said it will conduct a postmarket clinical trial to confirm the effectiveness in the older group,” The Hill reported. “According to the company, late-stage trials found the vaccine to be about 27 percent more effective than a standard-dose flu shot for people 50 and older.”
The Hill noted, “Moderna said it expects to have the vaccine available for eligible populations in the U.S. for the 2026-2027 respiratory virus season.”
Sports
1. Three more Rebels named to preseason watch lists
Following Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy being named to the preseason Maxwell Award watch list, three more Ole Miss football players have been recognized on preseason lists.
The Football Writers Association of America announced their preseason watch lists for a pair of national awards on Tuesday. Ole Miss defensive tackle Will Echoles was selected to the Outland Trophy and Bronko Nagurski Trophy lists, offensive guard Patrick Kutas to the watch list for the Outland Trophy, and linebacker Suntarine Perkins to the list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
The Outland Trophy is presented annually to the best interior lineman in college football, while the Bronko Nagurski Trophy is given to the national defensive player of the year.
2.Shuckers’ Burke named Southern League Player of the Month for July
Minor League Baseball announced Wednesday that Biloxi Shuckers first baseman Blake Burke has been named the Southern League Player of the Month for July.
The team said Burke is the first Shucker to earn Southern League Player of the Month honors this season and the first since he was named the Player of the Month for August 2025.
Burke finished the month among the Southern League leaders in RBI (1st, 32), OPS (1st, 1.382), extra-base hits (1st, 21), home runs (T-1st, 12), average (4th, .351) and on-base percentage (5th, .447). Burke also broke the Shuckers single-season and career home run marks, becoming the first Southern League player since 2015 to record 30 home runs in a season. He also joined teammate Andrew Fischer as the 17th Brewers Minor League player with a 30-home run season, and the fourth to achieve the feat since 1990.
Markets & Business
1. Gold rises to highest level since late June
CNBC reports that “Gold rose to its highest level since late June on Wednesday, amid weaker-than-expected payrolls data and hopes for a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.”
“Spot gold rose as high as $4,295 per ounce before paring gains to settle around $4,268 per ounce on Thursday. Gold futures were last seen trading at $4,329 per ounce,” CNBC reported. “The precious metal enters its fourth consecutive winning session and hovers near a seven-week high as some of the headwinds that have held it back since the war began ease off slightly.”
CNBC further reported, “Despite the recent bounce, gold still trades over 20% below its late January peak of $5,589 per ounce. The yellow metal has endured a tough six months, sitting well below its all-time high achieved earlier this year after a blistering rally that extended through and beyond 2025.”
2. Walgreens closing fewer stores than previously projected
FoxBusiness reports that “Walgreens is continuing to close underperforming stores in 2026, although the pharmacy chain is reportedly planning fewer closures than previously projected.”
“The company is expected to close fewer than 100 stores in 2026, down from earlier internal projections of roughly 700, Inc. reported,” per FoxBusiness. “Walgreens announced in October 2024 that it intended to shutter approximately 1,200 underperforming stores over three years as part of a broader turnaround effort.”
FoxBusiness added, “At the time, the company said it expected to close about 500 stores during fiscal 2025, primarily targeting locations that were generating negative cash flow, according to Reuters… Walgreens continues to operate thousands of stores across the U.S. and remains one of the country’s largest pharmacy chains.”
-- Article credit to the staff for the Magnolia Tribune --
