Latest news with #MSOS
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
MS General Election Day: Who are suburban candidates for mayor in, near Jackson metro?
Municipal general election day for the Jackson metro area is right around the corner: Tuesday, June 3. Polls for general elections will open from 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Any voter in line at 7 p.m. is legally entitled to cast a ballot, according to the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office. Voters can visit the MSOS' Election Day portal to receive election information for your area. Type in your address to find where your voting precinct is located and who is on your municipalities' ballots. See below the candidates who are running either uncontested or contested for the mayoral races in areas such as Brandon, Canton, Flowood, Pearl and Ridgeland. There is no mayor race in Brandon. Republican incumbent Butch Lee remains the mayor of Brandon, winning re-election during the April 1 primary election. Lee is moving into his fourth term as mayor. Democratic Tim Taylor, Republican Chip Matthews and Independant Walter Peeples are the candidates running in the general election for mayor. Mayor William Truly is not seeking reelection after three terms in office. There is no mayor race in Clinton. Republican incumbent Clinton Mayor Phil Fisher passed the baton to Republican William C. Purdie, who ran unopposed. Fisher announced his retirement in September 2024 after serving as Clinton Mayor since 2013. Independant Incumbent Flora Mayor Les Childress is running unopposed. Childress has served as Flora Mayor since 2009. Jackson Election Day is here: See candidates, polling info and what to expect There is no mayor race in Flowood. Republican Kathy Smith won the April 1 primary election becoming the new mayor of Flowood. Incumbent Mayor Gary Rhoads announced in November 2024 that he would not seek re-election after serving nearly 36 years in the role. Incumbent Mayor Walter C. Morrison IV, a Republican, is running unopposed. There is no mayor race in Madison. Incumbent Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler, Republican ran unopposed for what will be her 12th consecutive term. Hawkins Butler is the second longest-serving female mayor in the nation and began her first term as Madison Mayor in 1981. Republican incumbent Pearl Mayor Jake Windham will face off against independant Willie Robinson in the general election. Graduating in spirit: Mom of deceased MS teen Kadarius Smith attends what would have been his high school graduation in Leland Incumbent Richland Mayor Clay Burns will run against challenger Garsheo "Gus" Black, both of whom are running as independents. Incumbent Mayor Gene F. McGee, a Republican, is running unopposed. McGee has served as Ridgeland Mayor since 1989. During his time as mayor, McGee has served as President of the Mississippi Municipal League and chaired several committees. Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Have a tip? Email her at pdankins@ This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson, MS, metro general election mayoral candidates 2025
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jackson's Republican mayoral runoff was practically a secret: Who won? How many voted?
In a city with roughly 138,000 residents, just 159 voters cast ballots in Jackson's Republican mayoral runoff on April 22 — a remarkably quiet election that decided the party's nominee between candidates Kenny Gee and Wilfred Beal. According to the official results certified by the Mississippi Secretary of State on May 2, Gee clinched the nomination with 62.9% of the vote, receiving a grand total of 100 ballots. Beal received 59 votes, or 37.1%. Kyle Kirkpatrick, assistant secretary of state for the MSOS' elections division, sent the official runoff results to the Clarion Ledger Thursday morning. If that voter turnout is any preview of the June 3 general election, Gee might need a miracle. He will be up against heavy favorite Sen. John Horhn, who earned 18,593 votes in the Democratic runoff election. Not to mention that Jackson has not elected a Republican mayor in decades. Besides Horhn, Gee will also face four independent candidates vying to become mayor: Rodney DePriest, Zach Servis, Lillie Stewart-Robinson and Kim Wade. Among Jackson's 80 voting precincts, Precinct 44, which is New Jerusalem Church located in Northeast Jackson, saw the most amount of Republican ballots cast: 18 in total. Twelve of those Republican votes went to Gee, six went to Beal. For comparison, the Democratic runoff saw a total of 472 votes cast at Precinct 44: 356 for Horhn, 116 for incumbent Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba who was attempting to secure his third term in office. Precinct 35, which is Spann Elementary School, saw the second-most Republican ballots cast: 17 in total. Gee again was the victor at that precinct, receiving 13 votes compared to Beal's four. But a majority of Jackson's 80 precincts saw zero Republican ballots cast, while others saw only one to three cast on average. Gee, 38, is a graduate from Bailey Magnet High School and is currently attending Rasmussen University. He has worked as a law enforcement officer and has two sons, who are twins. Gee has never served as an elected official. Gee told the Clarion Ledger in March that his campaign is focused on improving Jackson's public safety, prioritizing affordable housing across the city, as well as implementing more mental health services in schools and community centers. Part of his focus also includes "revitalizing parks, libraries, and public spaces to create safe and inviting gathering places." More information on Gee's plans if he is elected mayor can be found on the Clarion Ledger's website. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson MS Republican mayoral runoff election official results
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jackson mayoral, council Democratic results are official. Who's on April 22 runoff ballot?
The official results of Jackson's municipal primary elections have been certified and posted online at the Mississippi Secretary of State's website. The official results were certified April 10, but it's unclear when they were posted online, according to Kyle Kirkpatrick, assistant secretary of state for the MSOS' elections division. This includes results for both the Democratic mayoral primaries, as well as the Democratic primaries for the seven seats on the Jackson City Council. The official Republican mayoral primary results have not been posted to the MSOS website at the time of this publishing. Republican primaries were not held for any council seats. Below are the official results. In a few days, State Sen. John Horhn will face off again against incumbent Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba in the Tuesday, April 22 Democratic runoff election. Horhn dominated with 48.4% of the vote compared to Lumumba's 16.8%. Horhn fell just shy of the 50% plus one needed to win outright. Lumumba is seeking his third term in office. In total, 25,558 ballots were cast in the Democratic mayoral primary, an increase from the 2021 primary but not by much. In 2021, a total of 19,997 ballots were cast in the Democratic primary, according to previous Clarion Ledger reporting. The 2025 municipal election saw a massive field of Democratic candidates, including two who were disqualified earlier this year. Here's a look at the Democratic mayoral candidates' official totals, according to certified results from the MSOS website: John Horhn: 12,359 votes; 48.4%. Chokwe Antar Lumumba: 4,285 votes; 16.8%. Tim Henderson: 3499 votes; 13.7%. Delano Funches: 2,118 votes; 8.3%. Marcus Wallace: 1,041 votes; 4.1% Socrates Garrett: 684 votes; 2.7%. David Archie: 552 votes; 2.2%. LaKeisha J. Crye: 361 votes; 1.4%. Albert Wilson: 281 votes; 1.1%. James Hopkins: 264 votes; 1.0%. Kourtney Christopher Paige: 85 votes; 0.3%. James "Blue" Butler: 29 votes; 0.1%. Democratic candidate Jasmine Barnes won the Democratic primary in Ward 1, according to the official results. She dominated the field with over 60% of the vote. Barnes will face Independent candidates Grace Greene and incumbent Ward 1 Councilman Ashby Foote in the June 3 election. Foote normally runs as a Republican, but decided to run as an independent this year. In total, 4,051 ballots were cast in Ward 1's Democratic primary election. Below is a look at the official results: Jasmine Barnes: 2,535 votes; 62.6%. Stephen Thompson: 792 votes; 19.6%. Jessica Carter: 481 votes; 11.9%. Rhoda Barnes: 243 votes; 6.0% It was a rematch between Incumbent Ward 2 Councilwoman Tina Clay and candidate Marcus Cheatham in the Democratic primary elections. The two faced off in Ward 2's special election held in October after the resignation of former councilwoman Angelique Lee. And once again, Clay bested Cheatham. Clay will face-off against Republican challenger Bethany Williams-Sherif in the June 3 general election. Williams-Sherif ran unopposed in the Republican primary. In total, 4,656 ballots were cast in Ward 2's Democratic primary election. Below is a look at the official results. Tina Clay: 3,011 votes; 64.7% Marcus Cheatham: 1,645 votes; 35.3%. Longtime Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes didn't have to worry about a thing as he was running unopposed in the Democratic primary. But come the June 3, Stokes will be challenged by Independent candidate Marques Jackson in the general election. In total, Stokes received 3,080 votes in the Democratic election. Incumbent Ward 4 Councilman Grizzell cruised to an easy victory in the Democratic primary, easily defeating challenger Malcolm May. With no Republican or Independent candidates challenging him in the June 3 general election, Grizzell has secured a second term serving on the Jackson City Council. In total, 3,407 ballots were cast in Ward 4's Democratic primary. Below is a look at the official results: Brian Grizzell: 2,421 votes; 71.1% Malcolm May: 986 votes; 28.9%. Incumbent Ward 5 Councilman Vernon Hartley secured his party's nomination after winning the Democratic primary. He is seeking his second term on the council. Hartley defeated two Democratic challengers ReJohnna Brown-Mitchell and Charles Alexander. Hartley will now head to the June 3 general election where he will face Independent candidate Raymond McCants III. In total, 2,460 ballots were cast in Ward 5's Democratic primary. Below is a look at the official results: Vernon Hartley: 1,362 votes; 55.4%. ReJohnna Brown-Mitchell: 724 votes; 29.4%. Charles Alexander: 374 votes; 15.2%. The council primary race with the most amount of candidates is unsurprisingly headed to an April 22 runoff election. Nine Democratic candidates faced off Tuesday with the winner receiving nearly 23% of the vote. The winner of the Ward 6 Democratic primary was Emon Thompson. He will be facing Lashia Brown-Thomas in the runoff. The winner will become the next Ward 6 council member as no Independent or Republican candidate is challenging in the general election. In total, 3,120 ballots were cast in Ward 6's Democratic primary. Below is a look at the official results: Emon Thompson: 716 votes; 22.9%. Lashia Brown-Thomas: 656 votes; 21.0%. Jonathan Cottrell: 422 votes; 13.5%. Lee Bernard: 380 votes; 12.2%. Daniel LaPatrick Walker: 320 votes; 10.3%. Lee Scott: 219 votes; 7.0%. Brad Davis: 206 votes; 6.6%. Antonio Porter: 131 votes 4.2%. George Monroe: 70 votes; 2.2%. Kevin Parkinson will face off against Quint Withers in the April 22 Democratic runoff. Parkinson received the most amount of votes out of the five Democratic candidates, with Withers following closely behind. The winner of the runoff will face independent candidate Ron Aldridge and Republican Taylor Turcotte in the June 3 general election. Turcotte did not have any challengers in the Republican primary. Independent candidates do not hold primary elections. In total, 2,930 ballots were cast in Ward 7's Democratic primary. Below is a look at the official results: Kevin Parkinson: 1,125 votes; 38.4%. Quint Withers: 939 votes; 32.0%. Corinthian "Corey" Sanders: 305 votes; 10.4% Turner Martin: 302 votes; 10.3%. Bruce Burton: 259 votes; 8.8%. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson, MS, vote: Mayor, council Democratic primary totals now final
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Advanced Flower Capital Inc. (AFCG) the Best Cannabis Stock to Buy According to Billionaires?
We recently published a list of 12 Best Cannabis Stock to Buy According to Billionaires. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Advanced Flower Capital Inc. (NASDAQ:AFCG) stands against other best marijuana stocks to invest in according to billionaires. 2025 didn't start off very well for the American cannabis sector. The recent failure of the adult-use ballot initiative in Florida, the lack of prioritization of federal reforms, and pricing pressure by the black market have contributed significantly to cannabis equity values reaching near record lows. MSOS, the first actively managed US-listed ETF with dedicated cannabis exposure focusing exclusively on US companies, has fallen by just over 36% since the beginning of the year, against a decline of 1.72% by the general market. READ ALSO: 10 Best Alcohol Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires To make matters worse, the biggest multi-state cannabis operators have as much as $6 billion in debt maturing next year, according to Whitney Economics. Moreover, due to federal illegalization, these companies cannot turn to the US bankruptcy court to keep their creditors at bay while renegotiating their debt. As a result, these businesses will be forced to refinance their debt at higher interest rates and onerous contractual covenants, which will be extremely difficult to manage given the declining profitability of the sector. A recent survey by Whitney Economics revealed that only 27.3% of cannabis operators nationwide are profitable, compared to 42% in 2022. Also, despite the stringent crackdowns, the cannabis black market continues to be a constant thorn in the side of licensed operators. The market remains flooded with illegal weed, and according to cannabis market tracker BDSA, the US witnessed about $44 billion in illicit sales last year compared to around $31 billion in regulated, legal sales. The black market, combined with an oversaturation of legal operators, has led to a massive decline in prices and, hence reduced margins. The US Cannabis Spot Index, which tracks wholesale prices in 22 states, sits at $991 per pound after reaching a record low in early January of $888. This is significantly down from its peak of $2,133 in September 2015, during the early period of licensed sales in some states. Given the tough conditions at home, a growing number of cannabis operators are now looking to capitalize on the growing opportunities abroad. As you will notice below, several cannabis stocks in our list managed to increase their sales in the last quarter also due to their expanding international footprint and revenues. With legalization gaining traction worldwide, several industry veterans are now exporting cannabis internationally or straight up establishing growing facilities in their target markets. A great example is how Canada's volume of cannabis exports to Germany doubled from 16,895 kilograms (roughly 37,247 pounds) in 2023 to 33,155 kilograms last year, according to Germany's Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices. As of the writing of this article, 24 states have legalized recreational weed in America, in addition to the District of Columbia. However, possessing or selling marijuana remains a crime under federal law, punishable by prison time and fines. With that said, here are the Best Marijuana Stocks According to Billionaires. A close-up of a package of cannabis accessories, displayed on a brightly-lit retail shelf. To collect data for this article, we scanned Insider Monkey's database of billionaires' stock holdings and picked the top 10 companies operating in the cannabis sector with the highest number of billionaire investors in Q4 of 2024. When two or more companies had the same number of billionaires backing them, we ranked them by the revenue of their last financial year. Following are the Best Marijuana Stocks to Invest in According to Billionaires. At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (). Number of Billionaire Holders: 3 Advanced Flower Capital Inc. (NASDAQ:AFCG) is a leading commercial mortgage REIT that provides institutional loans to state law compliant cannabis operators in the US. The company originates, structures, underwrites, and manages loans ranging from $10 million to over $100 million, providing relief to a sector that faces severe financial and banking issues due to federal illegalization. Advanced Flower Capital Inc. (NASDAQ:AFCG) had a tough Q4 2024 as it reported an EPS of -$0.05, significantly below estimates by $0.41. The company's revenue of $7.64 million was also down by almost 52.2% YoY and missed expectations by $4.12 million. However, AFCG stated that its active pipeline remains strong, with over $380 million in deals as of March 1, 2025. Moreover, it ended the year 2024 with total assets of $402.1 million, including cash and cash equivalents of $103.6 million. Despite the tough financials, the firm announced a dividend of $0.23 per share for Q1 2025, though it was a 30.3% decrease from the previous dividend of $0.33. AFCG has previously declared that its dividend policy is to pay between 85% and 100% of distributable earnings over the year. Shares of Advanced Flower Capital Inc. (NASDAQ:AFCG) have plunged by almost 25% since the beginning of the year. Overall, AFCG ranks 10th on our list of the best cannabis stocks to buy according to billionaires. While we acknowledge the potential for AFCG to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than AFCG but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires Disclosure: None. Insider Monkey focuses on uncovering the best investment ideas of hedge funds and insiders. Please subscribe to our free daily e-newsletter to get the latest investment ideas from hedge funds' investor letters by entering your email address below. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Village Farms International, Inc. (VFF) the Best Cannabis Stock to Buy According to Billionaires?
We recently published a list of 12 Best Cannabis Stock to Buy According to Billionaires. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Village Farms International, Inc. (NASDAQ:VFF) stands against other best marijuana stocks to invest in according to billionaires. 2025 didn't start off very well for the American cannabis sector. The recent failure of the adult-use ballot initiative in Florida, the lack of prioritization of federal reforms, and pricing pressure by the black market have contributed significantly to cannabis equity values reaching near record lows. MSOS, the first actively managed US-listed ETF with dedicated cannabis exposure focusing exclusively on US companies, has fallen by just over 36% since the beginning of the year, against a decline of 1.72% by the general market. READ ALSO: 10 Best Alcohol Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires To make matters worse, the biggest multi-state cannabis operators have as much as $6 billion in debt maturing next year, according to Whitney Economics. Moreover, due to federal illegalization, these companies cannot turn to the US bankruptcy court to keep their creditors at bay while renegotiating their debt. As a result, these businesses will be forced to refinance their debt at higher interest rates and onerous contractual covenants, which will be extremely difficult to manage given the declining profitability of the sector. A recent survey by Whitney Economics revealed that only 27.3% of cannabis operators nationwide are profitable, compared to 42% in 2022. Also, despite the stringent crackdowns, the cannabis black market continues to be a constant thorn in the side of licensed operators. The market remains flooded with illegal weed, and according to cannabis market tracker BDSA, the US witnessed about $44 billion in illicit sales last year compared to around $31 billion in regulated, legal sales. The black market, combined with an oversaturation of legal operators, has led to a massive decline in prices and, hence reduced margins. The US Cannabis Spot Index, which tracks wholesale prices in 22 states, sits at $991 per pound after reaching a record low in early January of $888. This is significantly down from its peak of $2,133 in September 2015, during the early period of licensed sales in some states. Given the tough conditions at home, a growing number of cannabis operators are now looking to capitalize on the growing opportunities abroad. As you will notice below, several cannabis stocks in our list managed to increase their sales in the last quarter also due to their expanding international footprint and revenues. With legalization gaining traction worldwide, several industry veterans are now exporting cannabis internationally or straight up establishing growing facilities in their target markets. A great example is how Canada's volume of cannabis exports to Germany doubled from 16,895 kilograms (roughly 37,247 pounds) in 2023 to 33,155 kilograms last year, according to Germany's Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices. As of the writing of this article, 24 states have legalized recreational weed in America, in addition to the District of Columbia. However, possessing or selling marijuana remains a crime under federal law, punishable by prison time and fines. With that said, here are the Best Marijuana Stocks According to Billionaires. Pixabay/Public Domain To collect data for this article, we scanned Insider Monkey's database of billionaires' stock holdings and picked the top 10 companies operating in the cannabis sector with the highest number of billionaire investors in Q4 of 2024. When two or more companies had the same number of billionaires backing them, we ranked them by the revenue of their last financial year. Following are the Best Marijuana Stocks to Invest in According to Billionaires. At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (). Number of Billionaire Holders: 4 Next on our list of the Best Marijuana Stocks is Village Farms International, Inc. (NASDAQ:VFF), one of North America's leading growers, marketers, and distributors of top-quality, greenhouse-grown fruits and vegetables. The company's wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary, Pure Sunfarms, is one of the single largest cannabis operations in the world, the lowest-cost greenhouse producer, and one of Canada's best-selling brands. Village Farms International, Inc. (NASDAQ:VFF) reported a mixed performance in Q4 2024. Its revenue of $82.55 million was up 11% YoY and topped expectations by $3.16 million. But the company's EPS of -$0.08 missed estimates by $0.06. Over the past couple of quarters, VFF has focused its energies on prioritizing profitable sales growth over competing for low-margin business to drive volume and market share in Canada. The strategy seems to be working, as total net sales of the company's Canadian cannabis for 2024 grew 31% YoY. VFF generated an operating cash flow of $10.5 million for FY 2024 and ended the year with cash of $24.6 million and a working capital of $53.8 million. Village Farms International, Inc. (NASDAQ:VFF) has also worked tirelessly to expand its international footprint and recently announced the expansion of its medical cannabis distribution to New Zealand. The company aims to at least triple its international medicinal export sales in 2025 and has also commenced cultivation in the Netherlands – its first international recreational market. Overall, VFF ranks 6th on our list of the best cannabis stocks to buy according to billionaires. While we acknowledge the potential for VFF to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than VFF but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires Disclosure: None. Insider Monkey focuses on uncovering the best investment ideas of hedge funds and insiders. Please subscribe to our free daily e-newsletter to get the latest investment ideas from hedge funds' investor letters by entering your email address below. Sign in to access your portfolio
