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. $100 million sports complex coming to Gluckstadt
According to WJTV, a land agreement has been reached on a 43-acre site in Gluckstadt for the future home of a proposed $100 million sports complex.
“The acquired land, belonging to Canton Academy alumni and Gluckstadt residents Stuart and Katie Warren, will be the future home of the Gluckstadt MegaDome Sports Complex,” reports WJTV. “The facility will include indoor courts, swimming pools, meeting space, on-site hotel, and restaurants. Officials said the sports complex is expected to create upwards of $50 million in annual economic impact for the Gluckstadt community, as well as the Central Mississippi region.”
2. MID recovers over $8.9 million in 2023
The Mississippi Insurance Department (MID) Consumer Services Division reported on Tuesday that the department recovered more than $8.9 million for consumers in 2023 – a nearly 23 percent increase over money recovered in 2022. The division reported handling more than 12,000 inquiries last year.
Additionally, more than 1,400 Mississippians used the Life Insurance Policy Locator Tool to recover more than $41 million in lost life insurance policies in 2023.
Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney said the MID Consumer Services staff has done an excellent job of helping fellow Mississippians get the money owed to them when every penny counts.
“The division helps consumers with complaints regarding insurance companies, producers, and adjusters. In many of these cases, benefits were not paid in full or not paid at all,” Chaney said.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Trump wins New Hampshire as record number of votes cast
The New York Times says a record number of voters cast a ballot in New Hampshire’s Republican primary on Tuesday, according to its analysis of election data.
Former President Donald Trump bested his former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley by nearly 12 points, with Trump pushing 55% of the vote and Haley just over 43%.
“The total of more than 300,000 votes as of early Wednesday surpassed the previous high-water mark for a Republican primary, when more than 287,000 voters turned out in 2016. The previous record for either party was the Democrats’ 2020 contest, with more than 296,000 voters, many supporting Senator Bernie Sanders of neighboring Vermont,” NYT reported.
2. North Korea planning an attack on South Korea?
NBC News reported on Tuesday that while threats and angry rhetoric are nothing new from North Korea, which was led by Kim Jong Un’s grandfather and father before him, two renowned American analysts say Kim’s latest moves go beyond the “typical bluster” and suggest he could be preparing for an attack on South Korea, a U.S. treaty ally.
“We believe that, like his grandfather in 1950, Kim Jong Un has made a strategic decision to go to war,” former State Department official Robert L. Carlin and nuclear scientist Siegfried Hecker wrote this month in a widely talked about essay on the U.S.-based website 38 North and reported by NBC News.
As NBC News notes, Kim has been “framing his neighbors as the enemy while intensifying his nuclear threats and tests — and raising alarm about whether, with the world focused on wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the dictator may be poised to start yet another conflict.”
Sports & Entertainment
Mississippi Braves hosting job fair for 2024 season
The Mississippi Braves and OVG Hospitality (Food & Beverage) will hold a job fair on Thursday, January 25, from 5-7 pm to fill part-time game day positions for the 2024 season, the team’s last in Mississippi.
The job fair will take place inside the Farm Bureau Grill at Trustmark Park.
Applicants should be energetic, friendly, and dependable and look forward to contributing to the welcoming atmosphere of Trustmark Park. Interviews will be conducted that day for seasonal, part-time positions. All applicants must be at least 16 years of age and able to work nights, weekends, and some holidays.
Markets & Business
1. LA Times laying off one-fourth of newsroom staff
The AP reports that the Los Angeles Times plans to lay off 94 newsroom employees — one-fourth of its newsroom staff — starting Tuesday.
“The announcement comes after the LA Times Guild walked off the job last Friday to protest the imminent layoffs, the first newsroom union work stoppage in the newspaper’s 143-year history,” the AP reports, adding, “Layoffs and buyouts have hit a wide swath of the news industry over the past year. The Washington Post, NPR, CNN and Vox Media are among the many companies hit.”
2. Providence Hill names Rickie Pares as Managing Director
Providence Hill has appointed Rickie Pares, Jr. as its new managing director. Pares will lead the organization’s efforts to transform Providence Hill into a world-class sporting destination.
Providence Hill is a private sporting club that offers the South’s premier sporting experiences and award-winning event venues. The new owner has plans to expand its offerings by creating a boutique sporting resort, allowing the organization to welcome outdoor enthusiasts from around the world. Located at 2400 Carsley Road, Providence Hill is nestled on 1,200 acres of natural splendor in the heart of the Mississippi countryside.
Pares will work closely with Providence Hill’s ownership and leadership team in this role. He brings a successful track record of management experience at some of the country’s finest hotels. In addition to his professional expertise, Pares’ is a proud graduate of the University of Mississippi with a passion for outdoor sports, contributing to his knowledge and success within the outdoor club and hospitality industries.
