- Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion to start your day informed.
In Mississippi
Be “Bear Aware,” U.S. Forest Service says
WDAM reports that the United States Forest Service is asking Mississippians to show the proper respect and be aware of bears if venturing into the woods.
“The Forest Service said that given the recent bear activity, it decided to remind the public to be ‘Bear Aware’ when enjoying the forests,” WDAM reported, offering these tips:
- DO NOT RUN
- Remain calm
- Group together and pick up small children
- Continue to face the bear and back away slowly, talking calmly to identify yourself as a human
- If the bear approaches, try to scare it away by making yourself appear larger (stretch your arms overhead) and making loud noises
- Carry bear spray and know how to use it; bear spray is available at many outdoor retailers.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Biden commutes all federal death row inmates except 3
The New York Times reports that President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of nearly all prisoners on federal death row, sparing the lives of 37 men.
“Those affected by Mr. Biden’s action, all of whom were convicted of murder, will serve life imprisonment without the possibility of parole instead of facing execution. Only three men, who each carried out notorious mass killings, will remain on federal death row,” NYT reported. “The president campaigned in 2020 on ending the federal death penalty.”
NYT added that Biden said the commutations were consistent with the standard he has imposed for halting executions “in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.”
2. Remains to be seen in Johnson can retain Speaker gavel after funding fight
The Hill reports that “Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown over the weekend, but the chaotic lead-up and negotiations paint a picture of what’s to come once Republicans take unified control of the government in January.”
“Republican frustration with Johnson boiled over last week as he and congressional leadership cycled through various funding plans to respond to Trump’s criticism,” The Hill reported. “Jan. 3 marks the first day of the 119th Congress, and its first order of business in the House will be electing the Speaker. Assuming all members are present and voting, Johnson can’t afford more than one Republican defection on the House floor.”
The Hill also noted that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said “this month that Democrats will not save Johnson from a GOP revolt.”
Sports & Entertainment
1. North wins Mississippi All-Star game in Gulfport
The North won the 76th Bernard Blackwell Mississippi North-South All-Star Game on Saturday in Gulfport, snapping a 4-game losing streak.
Cleveland Central QB Javaris Beamon, a Tulane signee, led the North is passing with 83 yards while South Panola WR Marcus Christon took home the North offensive MVP. Christon had 7 catches for 82 yards and a touchdown. The North defensive MVP went to Madison Central’s Myles Miller.
For the South, Pascagoula QB Silas Corder, a Southern Miss signee, led the team in production behind center, throwing for 96 yards. Quitman WR Jaleil Cameron was named South offensive MVP for his 3 catches for 116 yards. Hattiesburg’s Kaden Smith was named South defensive MVP.
2. USM opens conference play with win over Marshall
Southern Miss Athletics notes that the Golden Eagles (5-7, 1-0 Sun Belt) pulled out another home win as it topped Marshall (7-6, 0-1 Sun Belt) 68-66 to open Sun Belt play on Saturday afternoon.
The win moved the Golden Eagles to 31-4 at Reed Green Coliseum over the last three seasons and it also snapped a five-game losing skid to the Thundering Herd that dated back to 2019.
USM Athletics said the win snapped Southern Miss’ two-game losing skid and gave it the second conference-opening win since joining the Sun Belt. It was also the 31st win at The Greenhouse since the start of ’22-23.
Southern Miss will enjoy a nine-day break before taking on William Carey on Dec. 30.
Markets & Business
1. Investors hope for Santa Claus rally
CNBC reports that stock futures were mixed early Monday as the market gears up for a holiday-shortened trading week.
“Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost about 78 points. S&P 500 futures rose 0.8% and Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 0.4%. Trading is expected to be relatively muted during the week. The New York Stock Exchange closes early Tuesday for Christmas Eve at 1 p.m. ET, and the market is shut on Christmas Day,” CNBC reported.
CNBC went on to add, “Investors are hopeful that a so-called Santa Claus rally may help the market end 2024 on a high note, especially following a tumultuous week. Dating back to 1969, the S&P 500, on average, added 1.3% in the last five trading days of the year and the first two in January, according to the Stock Trader’s Almanac.”
2. Trump transfers $4 billion in TruthSocial shares to a trust
FoxBusiness reports that President-elect Donald Trump “transferred almost all his shares in the parent company of Truth Social to the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Thursday.”
“Since its listing, Trump Media has been popular with traders who viewed it as a speculative bet on Trump winning the Nov. 5 election. Trump has maintained up to 57% ownership of the company. In the lead up to the election, his stake was worth almost $4 billion,” FoxBusiness reported.
