Industrial Fire Response: A massive fire at Howard Industries in Laurel, Mississippi, sent thick smoke into the air and triggered an evacuation after a paint booth caught fire near a tanker truck carrying an explosive substance; officials urged residents and commuters to stay away as crews from across Jones County worked to contain flames. Furniture Manufacturing & Restructuring: Man Wah Holdings said its U.S. upholstered-furniture operations in northern Mississippi are tied to a landlord arrangement while Southern Motion filed for Chapter 11, highlighting how Mississippi plant footprints can be affected by corporate restructuring. Energy Prices Watch: GasBuddy reported mixed low-price finds across Mississippi counties for the week ending Aug. 22, including the lowest regular gas in Mississippi County and other county-specific premium and midgrade price points. Legal/Environment: Mississippi joins a coalition of Republican attorneys general urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse soot pollution limits upheld from the Biden-era EPA rule, a fight with major implications for industrial compliance costs. Local Economic Development: Neshoba County named David Alexander as new head of the Neshoba County Community Development Partnership, aiming to keep existing industry and retail while courting new growth. Food Industry Spotlight: Cal-Maine Foods, based in Ridgeland, announced participation in the Barclays Global Consumer Conference and released its FY2025 Impact Report.