- 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. Former MDOC Commissioner ordered to repay $142,000
State Auditor Shad White announced Wednesday that former Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections Pelicia Hall “has received a civil demand after causing a principal loss of $142,532.73.”
Hall was the MDOC Commissioner from March 2017 until January 2020 when she resigned saying she had accepted a position in the private sector. Previously, she was the agency’s chief of staff, a position she held from March 2015 until being named Commissioner.
“Section 96 of the Mississippi Constitution prohibits the payment of extra compensation in excess of the approved salary or hourly rate for a particular employee in the absence of an official policy,” the Auditor’s office stated. “Between August 2017 and February 2020, Hall initiated and received six ‘comp’ time buyouts totaling $115,116.00, none of which she was eligible to receive. Hall was compensated for 1,810 hours despite being ineligible to receive a cash payout for that time.”
White said it is vitally important that government officials know where they can and cannot spend taxpayer dollars.
“I’m grateful for our investigators’ abilities and patience to get these tax dollars back where they belong,” White added.
2. Edney named Association of State and Territorial Health Officials president
The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) has named Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Daniel Edney as the organization’s 84th president.
ASTHO said Edney brings more than three decades of clinical experience and public health leadership to the role. Since becoming Mississippi’s state health officer in 2022, Edney has led efforts to strengthen the state’s public health system and improve the health of its residents, which includes initiatives focused on maternal health and chronic disease prevention.
“It has been one of the greatest privileges of my career to serve alongside my fellow state and territorial health officials through ASTHO,” said Edney. “Our nation’s public health leaders face increasingly complex challenges, but we also have tremendous opportunities to strengthen our public health system through collaboration, innovation and a shared commitment to improving the health of every community. I am honored to serve as ASTHO president and look forward to working with my colleagues to advance policies and partnerships that support a healthier nation.”
National News & Foreign Policy
1. ICE targeting illegal immigrants accused of SNAP fraud
FoxNews reports that “the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has launched a nationwide operation targeting illegal immigrants accused of fraudulently obtaining benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), resulting in multiple arrests, Fox News has learned.”
The outlet said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed the operation to Fox News, “announcing several arrests of illegal immigrants accused of fraudulently receiving SNAP benefits.”
“Illegal aliens who have no right to be here in the first place are the last people who should be using SNAP benefits and other forms of welfare,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement.
FoxNews noted, “DHS identified several illegal immigrants accused of SNAP fraud, including multiple Haitian nationals.”
2. Trump admin. asks SCOTUS to allow border security efforts to continue in Texas national park
According to the Washington Post, “The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to clear the way for work to continue on a more than 500-mile stretch of the border security project in and around a major national park in Texas.”
The park in question in Big Bend National Park.
“The appeal came after a federal judge in Texas halted work this month following a challenge by an environmental group, preservationists, a river guide and landowner, who said it would harm wildlife, deprive people of property, upset livelihoods and block access to the Rio Grande,” WP reported. “The $1.7 billion project, which has generated considerable backlash, includes a road, as well as cameras, sensors and vehicle barriers. U.S. Customs and Border Protection does not plan to erect a 30-foot high fence like those that have been built along other parts of the border.”
WP continued, “The Trump administration wrote in its filing with the high court the injunction caused a ‘disruption of the government’s ability to secure a quarter of the southern border against cartel incursions, drug trafficking, and illegal entry … and irreversible delays, costs, and operational harms from halting already-begun construction.’”
Sports
1. Former MSU Head Coach Sherrill to receive Paul “Bear” Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award
Former Mississippi State football coach Jackie Sherrill has been selected to receive the 2027 Paul “Bear” Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award, the American Heart Association announced Tuesday.
The award recognizes individuals for outstanding career accomplishments both on and off the field.
MSU Athletics said Sherrill, who played for Bryant at Alabama, compiled a 180-120-4 record over 27 seasons as a head coach, concluding his career with a historic run in Starkville that began in 1991. At MSU, Sherrill engineered one of the most remarkable turnarounds in Southeastern Conference history, guiding the Bulldogs to six bowl appearances, an SEC Western Division title in 1998, and a Top 15 national finish in 1999. His 75 victories stand as the most by any head coach in program history.
The award will be formally presented on Wednesday, January 27, in Houston, Texas.
2. Golding named Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year Award watchlist
The watch list for the 2026 Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year Award was announced on Wednesday, with Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding earning a place on the list of some of the nation’s top football leaders.
The award is given each January to a college football coach for contributions that make the sport better for athletes and fans alike by demonstrating grit, integrity and a winning approach to coaching and life – both on and off the field.
Guiding Ole Miss to a 5-1 record overall and 3-1 in the SEC in his first full season at the helm, Golding as helped the program earn its way up to No. 7 in the nation in the latest AP poll. Under his guidance, the Rebels have earned wins over No. 24 Louisville, Charlotte, No. 7 LSU, Vanderbilt, and No. 13 Missouri to begin the 2026 campaign.
Markets & Business
1. Futures weighed down by tech declines, oil increases
CNBC reports that “U.S. equity futures slid on Thursday, bogged down by declines in mega-cap names Meta Platforms and Tesla along with a jump in oil prices as geopolitical tensions rise.”
“Tesla shares dropped more than 3%, while Meta slipped nearly 2%. The declines came even after the former’s third-quarter results beat estimates — though its automotive revenue was lackluster — while the latter exceeded revenue expectations and offered upbeat guidance,” CNBC reported. “Technology more broadly was under pressure as well as ongoing concerns about artificial intelligence spending persisted. Advanced Micro Devices fell more than 4%, while Micron Technology and Nvidia dropped 3% and 2%, respectively.”
CNBC added, “Oil prices, meanwhile, jumped more than 2% after The New York Times reported, citing sources, that the U.S. and Israel have plans for renewed strikes against Iran following next month’s midterm U.S. elections. Brent crude traded 2.7% higher at $111.77 per barrel. WTI advanced 2% to $99.25 per barrel.”
2. Iran’s floating oil storage depleted
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, “For most of the war, Iran had an invaluable cushion: dozens of oil tankers holding millions of barrels of crude sitting safely in waters in Asia. Tehran steadily sold the oil to China, bringing in billions of much-needed cash.”
“Now, that floating storage is gone. By mid-October, the reserves were fully depleted, according to analysts at Kpler, as a U.S. naval blockade prevented Iran from replacing the crude it normally sells to Chinese refineries,” WSJ reported.
“There’s no more oil to discharge to China anymore,” said Homayoun Falakshahi, head of crude-oil analysis at Kpler.
WSJ went on to report, “The drop in oil revenue is a further blow to Iran’s struggling economy, already facing runaway inflation and widespread shortages. U.S. Central Command, which is responsible for the Middle East, said Saturday that the blockade has denied Tehran at least $25 billion worth of oil revenue, which will, in turn, constrict Iran’s ability to replace destroyed factories and weapons.”
