- 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. Davis elected new MSGOP RNC Committeewoman
Mike Hurst, Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, announced Monday that the MSGOP’s State Central Committee has elected a new RNC Committeewoman for Mississippi.
After being endorsed by Governor Tate Reeves last week, current MSGOP Vice Chair Lesley A. Davis was nominated by Treasurer David McRae, seconded by Desoto County Board of Supervisors President Lee Caldwell, and elected by a unanimous vote of the State Executive Committee earlier today to replace longtime RNC Committeewoman for Mississippi Jeanne Luckey, who recently passed away.
2. PSC launches gas safety campaign
At their monthly open meeting on December 3, 2024, the Mississippi Public Service Commissioners announced the launch of a new statewide Gas Safety Campaign aimed at enhancing public safety and promoting awareness of gas safety protocols, encouraging the public to remember: If you smell gas, call 911.
The PSC said that through the creation of educational resources and vital partnerships with local fire departments, gas utilities, and safety organizations across Mississippi, this campaign aims to educate gas users on the importance of recognizing gas leaks and sharing resources to help them take preventative steps through maintenance and inspection. The campaign emphasizes the importance of information and collaboration in ensuring the safety of every Mississippian. The PSC urges all residents to stay informed, follow safety guidelines, and always prioritize safety first when it comes to gas.
“The safety of Mississippians is our top priority, and this campaign seeks to ensure that everyone has the knowledge and resources to protect themselves, their families, and their communities,” stated the Commissioners. “By working together, we are reinforcing the message that gas safety is everyone’s responsibility.”
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Congress approaching another government shutdown deadline
Congress has just 10 days until government funding is set to run out, and lawmakers don’t have a deal to keep the lights on during the holidays, reports The Hill.
“Members on both sides of the aisle expect the government will stay open past the Dec. 20 shutdown deadline. But negotiators are keeping their colleagues guessing how that will be achieved as funding talks enter a critical stretch,” The Hill reported. “Negotiators have cited ongoing work assessing disaster relief as a key factor in discussions, as members expect disaster aid to ride alongside any funding stopgap, also known as a continuing resolution (CR), that passes this month. “
The Hill went on to add, “Lawmakers are expecting leadership to land on a stopgap that runs through sometime next March, although some Republicans in both chambers have pushed for a CR that ends sooner to push Congress to finish up its funding work faster. Others are also concerned about taking up too much of President-elect Trump’s first months in office on finalizing fiscal 2025 spending bills.”
2. Man caught, charged with murdering UnitedHealth CEO
The Wall Street Journal reports that New York prosecutors charged a former tech worker on Monday night with murder in the killing of UnitedHealth executive Brian Thompson with a ghost gun outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel.
“Police arrested 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, an Ivy League graduate, at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s after a frenzied manhunt,” WSJ reported. “A McDonald’s employee in Altoona, Pa., called the police after Mangione was seen eating in the restaurant. Mangione was sitting looking at a silver laptop when the police approached him, according to local Altoona police.”
WSJ also noted, “During a search of his backpack, police said they found a pistol and silencer, both produced by 3-D printing. The pistol had a magazine with six 9-millimeter rounds inside,” adding that Mangione had “a handwritten three-page document that showed ‘some ill will toward corporate America.'”
Sports & Entertainment
Ole Miss, Miss. State in men’s Top 25
Both Ole Miss and Mississippi State remained in the Associated Press Top 25 rankings announced Monday.
The Rebels (8-1) are No. 19 while the Bulldogs (8-1) check in at No. 25. They are one of nine SEC squads in this week’s edition of the poll.
Other SEC teams in the Top 25 include No. 1 Tennessee, No. 2 Auburn, No. 5 Kentucky, No. 7 Alabama, No. 9 Florida, No. 13 Oklahoma, and No. 17 Texas A&M.
Markets & Business
FBI says bad actors in China are targeting unencrypted texts
FoxBusiness reports that the FBI and a leading federal cybersecurity agency are warning Android and iPhone users “to stop sending unencrypted texts to users of the other operating system after the Salt Typhoon hack of several major U.S. telecommunications providers.”
“Officials with the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are warning that the Salt Typhoon cyber breach, which was conducted by actors in China, targeted telecom firms,” FoxBusiness reported. “The hackers accessed call records, live phone calls of certain specific targets and systems companies use to handle court orders from law enforcement and intelligence agencies to track calls.”
The outlet noted, “While the breach is yet to be remediated, officials are encouraging users to communicate using encrypted messaging systems.”
Magnolia Tribune
