- 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. Mississippi’s Rose Parade float unveiled
As reported by WLOX, Visit Mississippi has unveiled its float design for the 136th Rose Parade presented by Honda, which will take place Wednesday, January 1, 2025.
“The float will showcase the state’s heritage as the Birthplace of America’s Music, paying tribute to two Mississippi artists who helped reshape the music world: Elvis Presley and B.B. King. The year 2025 marks milestone anniversaries for both — the 90th and 100th birthdays of Presley and King, respectively — making this an ideal time to celebrate their part in the state’s enduring cultural legacy,” WLOX reported.
“Mississippi’s contribution to American culture and music is unparalleled, and being part of the Rose Parade offers a unique opportunity to showcase that heritage to the 850,00 parade attendees and millions of viewers around the country and beyond,” said Gov. Tate Reeves. “This float not only celebrates the musical legacy of Elvis Presley and B.B. King but also honors Mississippi’s role in shaping America’s history and sound.”
2. Ingalls undocks USS Zumwalt
Ingalls successfully undocked USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) on Friday, the lead ship of the U.S. Navy’s Zumwalt-class of guided missile destroyers, taking the ship one step closer to testing and returning to the U.S. Navy fleet.
The undocking marked the completion of significant modernization work at Ingalls since the ship arrived at the Pascagoula shipyard in August 2023. Shortly after its arrival, the ship was put back on land in order to receive technology upgrades including the integration of the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) weapon system. The Ingalls team said it also replaced the original twin 155mm Advanced Gun Systems on the destroyers with new missile tubes.
Zumwalt-class destroyers feature a state-of-the-art electric propulsion system, wave-piercing tumblehome hull, stealth design and is equipped with the most advanced warfighting technology and weaponry. These ships will be capable of performing a range of deterrence, power projection, sea control, and command and control missions while allowing Navy to evolve with new systems and missions.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Assad regime falls in Syria
The Wall Street Journal reports that Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell on Sunday morning, “after a lightning campaign that took his friends and foes by surprise, it was toppled by the Syrians themselves—as the regime’s main benefactors were enfeebled, and distracted, by mayhem elsewhere.”
“The outcome of this tectonic shift is bound to have a profound impact on the Middle East, and on the global balance of power,” WSJ reported. “Much will depend on how orderly the transition to a new rebel-led administration will be, and to what extent the rival Syrian factions—including the Kurdish and Alawite minorities—will be able to avoid further conflict.”
WSJ went on to write, “Iran, whose embassy in Damascus was looted immediately after the rebel takeover, has lost its major ally in the ‘axis of resistance’ and the vital land connection to its Hezbollah proxy militia in Lebanon. Russia—which long boasted that, unlike the U.S. in Afghanistan or Vietnam, it never abandons its vassals—has also suffered a humiliating blow, with new uncertainty surrounding the future of its crucial naval and air bases on the Mediterranean.”
2. Newsom leading Trump opposition
The Hill reports that California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) “is positioning himself as a leader of the Democratic resistance to Trump’s incoming second term, as chatter builds about his potential 2028 ambitions.”
“Newsom moved quickly to counter the new president-elect in California, declaring the Golden State ‘ready to fight’ and calling a special session of the state legislature to ‘Trump-proof’ progressive policies,” The Hill reported. “He drew Trump’s ire, but doubled down on promises to push back and just proposed a $25 million war chest for anticipated legal battles against the new administration.”
Sports & Entertainment
1. JSU wins SWAC championship, heads to Celebration Bowl
Jackson State won the SWAC Championship on Saturday, defeating Southern 41-13 at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The championship is the third in four years for Jackson State (11-2), winners of nine straight games, and the first for head coach T.C. Taylor. The Tigers went undefeated in SWAC play.
Jackson State now heads to the 2024 Cricket Celebration Bowl for the third time in four years next Saturday, facing South Carolina State at noon (ET) on ABC.
2. Ole Miss goes bowling in Jacksonville
After missing the college football playoffs, Ole Miss has accepted an invite to play in the 80th TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, the fifth bowl appearance in five seasons under Kiffin.
The 14th-ranked Rebels (9-3, 5-3 SEC) will face off against the Duke Blue Devils (9-3, 5-3 ACC) at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m. ET. This will mark the first all-time meeting between Ole Miss and Duke.
Ticket requests are available now HERE. The priority deadline to purchase is Friday, Dec. 13 at 5 p.m. CT. All ticket requests will be allocated based on blue priority points and giving levels to the best available seats in the Ole Miss allotment.
Markets & Business
1. Stock futures up slightly to start the week
CNBC reports stock futures were slightly lower on Monday after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite posted their third straight winning week, ahead of key inflation data due out this week.
“Nasdaq-100 futures fell 0.2%, while S&P 500 futures fell a slight 0.05%. On the other hand, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose by 15 points, or 0.03%,” CNBC reported.
CNBC added, “Last week, the broad market S&P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq closed at fresh records Friday, rising 1% and 3.3% for the week, respectively. The Dow was the lone laggard, closing the week down 0.6%. Those moves come after the November jobs report showed stronger-than-expected growth, but not so much strength as to dent investor hopes the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates this month.”
2. McDonald’s bringing back snack wraps
FoxBusiness reports that McDonald’s will add a fan-favorite item – the Snack Wrap – back to its menus.
“It has been about eight years since McDonald’s offered the Snack Wrap in the U.S.,” FoxBusiness reported, adding, “The planned reintroduction of the menu item was welcome news to fans of the Snack Wrap, which first arrived at the fast food chain in 2006 and quickly became popular. In the years since its removal from U.S. menus, fans have frequently asked for McDonald’s to bring it back.”
Magnolia Tribune
