ReportWire

Tag: Mississippi

  • Mississippi families face prolonged power outages with no way to follow boil-water advisories

    [ad_1]

    Across parts of the South, prolonged power outages are colliding with boil-water advisories, leaving some families without a way to make their water safe to drink.

    In Mississippi, more than 36,000 homes and businesses have now gone a second week without electricity after a historic winter storm brought heavy snow and ice to the region, damaging power lines and blocking access to some communities.

    The crisis has forced families to rely on bottled water and gas heaters as freezing temperatures persist.

    In the small town of Gravestown, volunteer firefighters have been going door to door for wellness checks, delivering water and basic supplies to residents who have been without power for days.

    It’s been a long wait for James and Heather Albertson. The couple huddles around a gas heater inside their home with their daughter and 4-year-old granddaughter to try and stay warm.

    A sustained cold snap has slowed repairs to damaged power lines and utility poles. Officials estimate it could take another 10 days to restore power in some areas.

    When asked whether they could hold out that long, Heather Albertson said, “We don’t have a choice.”

    The Federal Emergency Management Agency has sent 90 generators to Mississippi since last weekend’s storm. Subcontractors hired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are installing them at critical agencies and businesses, like long-term care facilities, hospitals, water districts and fire departments.

    The storm’s impact has stretched beyond the state. Nashville, Tennessee, experienced its largest power outage on record, with more 230,000 customers affected at its peak. Thousands remain in the dark, prompting city leaders to form a commission to investigate Nashville Electric Service.

    “They should be prepared for this,” said Nashville City Council member Emily Benedict. “This is not new to them. The public relies on them to be prepared for events like this.”

    In northern Mississippi, crews are working around the clock to restore electricity to 7,000 customers. Progress there has been slowed by downed trees and impassable roads.

    “Our crews are having to cut their way into some neighborhoods and some county roads to even be able to work on the power,” said Sarah Brooke Bishop, a spokesperson for the Northeast Mississippi Electric Power Association.

    In:

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • For North Mississippi, a return to normal still weeks away after historic ice storm

    [ad_1]

    Ripley, Mississippi — A large white generator on a flatbed tow truck was a beacon of hope Thursday for the volunteer fire department in the small northern Mississippi community of Gravestown, which has been without power and running water for five days following an ice storm the likes of which the state hasn’t seen in more than 30 years.

    “We’re very grateful for them,” Gravestown Fire Chief Kenny Childs told CBS News of the dozens of generators that have been distributed statewide by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the wake of the storm. “We had no water, no power, no nothing. So, you know, it is great.”

    Childs said he’s been informed by the leadership of his local electric company that it will be another seven to 15 days before his community gets power restored, so the generator will be a crucial item for the near future.

    “That’s a lot with no power,” Childs said.

    A generator provided by FEMA to Gravestown, Mississippi. Jan. 29, 2026. 

    CBS News


    FEMA has sent 90 generators to Mississippi since last weekend’s storm. Subcontractors hired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are installing them at critical agencies and businesses, like long-term care facilities, hospitals, water districts and fire departments.

    Childs said the generator at his fire house will not only help his team respond to emergencies, but it will also provide a warm shelter for Gravestown residents to come stay and charge their electronic items, such as cell phones.

    “It will help the community, and it will help us, it’s wonderful,” Childs said.

    Senior electrician Kenny Jones, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been traveling the Southeast for several days to help install the generators in hard-hit areas.

    “It’s amazing,” Jones said. “Actually, you see the smile on people’s faces when you actually bring power to them, and they get hot water again and able to take showers. Just a cozy feeling on the inside.”

    About an hour south, in Oxford, Mississippi, hundreds of power crews from several neighboring states have arrived to help repair miles of downed power lines the storm left in its wake.

    Winter Weather Mississippi

    This image taken from a video released by the city of Oxford, Mississippi, shows crews working on power lines on Jan. 27, 2026. 

    City of Oxford Mississippi via AP


    Keith Hayward, CEO of the Northeast Mississippi Power Association, said the ice accumulation was overwhelming, despite an updated, more reinforced system in place.

    “We believe we had an inch-and-a-quarter (of) ice over most of our system, which is basically a record for anything around this area,” Hayward said. “We’ve had tree damage that is unbelievable… and by the time the ice loading gets to that kind of loading, with an inch of ice on either side, those poles are holding up nearly 10,000 pounds of extra weight. And, so, you can just imagine when a tree falls and they have that extra weight, what it does to the power systems.”

    He added, “We haven’t lost a ton of poles, but we have got a lot of wire on the ground. A lot of tree damage, a lot of vegetation damage. A lot of people have trees on their houses. They can’t get out of their driveways, and it is system wide. We cover 2,200 miles of primary line that we have over about a 75-mile radius, and it was from one side to the other.”

    While he believes most customers will get power back on within the next three days, he says it could still be another week for some of his more rural customers.

    That could spell out serious danger with another round of severe cold temperatures expected this weekend for the East Coast.

    “It is very, very, disheartening for me… I grew up in this community. I’ve lived here my entire life,” Hayward said. “I feel for them, they have to go through these conditions and, you know, the loss that they’re suffering, not only from not having power, but the damage that they’ve had on their homes and things.”

    For Oxford residents like Jerrica Pryor, a teacher at a local middle school, relief can’t come soon enough. With no power and no running water, she has been living off snack food, and spending time in her car to warm up periodically.

    She uses a small space heater sparingly to warm up at night.

    “It has been difficult,” Pryor said. “Lots of blankets, lots and lots of blankets.”

    With tears in her eyes, she said she was most worried about her students and how they’re faring in the dark and cold.

    “I do miss them, I just hope they’re well,” she said. “It hurts a little bit, because they are on a different side, and I’m able to stay warm, and I just hope they are as well.”

    Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill said the city is doing everything possible to restore basic services to residents. She likened the storm to something more like a tornado.

    Due to a water pressure issue, the city had to turn off water supplies to several neighborhoods to ensure the city’s hospital had enough water to care for patients. Tannehill believes the water pressure issue may have been caused by burst pipes that froze during the storm, or by heightened water demands from so many residents dripping pipes to prevent them from freezing and breaking.

    Lafayette County Emergency Management has set up several new ready-to-eat meal and water distribution sites for residents in dire straights. The National Guard arrived in Oxford on Wednesday to help deliver those supplies to people in need.

    Lafayette County, which includes the city of Oxford, has set a distribution limit of three days’ worth of supplies per person “to help ensure supplies reach as many residents as possible,” Lafayette County spokesperson Bo Moore said.

    As of Thursday evening, Moore said nearly half of Lafayette County was still without power.

    National Guard helicopter in Lafayette County

    A National Guard helicopter in Lafayette County, Mississippi. January 2026. 

    Bo Moore/Lafayette County


    Moore also told CBS News the county is using the National Guard’s helicopter for medical transports to Memphis, Tennessee, because the roads are still too hazardous for ambulances to drive through safely.

    “It’s going to be a long road to recovery,” Tannehill responded when asked when things may get back to normal. “It’s hard to even get our minds to that right now when we still have people without power and without water.”

    In:

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Mississippi teacher among thousands facing freezing temperatures without power

    [ad_1]


    Mississippi teacher among thousands facing freezing temperatures without power – CBS News









































    Watch CBS News



    Officials are still working to restore power for thousands of people amid a dangerous cold plunge. Meanwhile, ice is creating problems for waterways in New York City. Kati Weiss and Tom Hanson have more.

    [ad_2]
    Source link

  • Icy Highways Leave Drivers Stuck in Mississippi as Freezing US Temperatures Persist

    [ad_1]

    Emergency crews dispatched to icy interstate highways in Mississippi worked overnight and into Wednesday morning to clear stranded vehicles as the eastern U.S. endured what forecasters said could become its longest period of freezing cold in decades.

    Officials sent tow trucks and drones to help drivers stuck in snarled traffic on Interstate 55 in northern Mississippi and other major highways, Gov. Tate Reeves said in a social media post. He said crews were still working Wednesday morning and urged people to stay off the roads.

    “And pray for the first responders that are doing what Mississippians do — going above and beyond for their fellow man,” Reeves posted Wednesday on X.

    Most of the eastern U.S. was still grappling with frigid weather days after a weekend storm blasted the Northeast and parts of the South with snow and ice.

    More than 380,000 homes and businesses, most of them in Mississippi and Tennessee, remained without electricity, according to the outage tracking website poweroutage.us. And at least 50 people had been reported dead in states afflicted by the dangerous cold.

    The toll includes three Texas brothers — ages 6, 8 and 9 — who perished after falling through the frozen surface of a pond in Texas. Another child, a toddler, died at a Virginia hospital after being pulled from a frigid pond Monday, according to local police.

    Temperatures in the Midwest and Northeast were forecast to remain well below freezing throughout the day Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

    Residents still shivering in the South were getting little relief. In Nashville, Tennessee, where nearly 100,000 power outages lingered early Wednesday, high temperatures were to rise just above freezing before plunging to 13 F (minus 10 C) overnight.

    Forecasters predicted even colder weather for much of the U.S. this weekend. A new blast of arctic air is expected Friday and Saturday from the northern Plains to the Southeast. The weather service said the prolonged freeze “could be the longest duration of cold in several decades.”

    Forecasters said there’s an increasing chance of heavy snow this weekend in the Carolinas and parts of Virginia, with more snowfall possible from Georgia to Maine.

    Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Winter weather pummels Ole Miss campus

    [ad_1]


    Winter weather pummels Ole Miss campus – CBS News









































    Watch CBS News



    This past weekend’s winter storm dropped record amounts of snow across the country. In Mississippi, Gov. Tate Reeves has confirmed two weather-related deaths. CBS News reporter Kati Weis has the details from Oxford.

    [ad_2]
    Source link

  • Mississippi synagogue arson suspect said

    [ad_1]

    The suspect charged with setting a fire inside a historic Jackson, Mississippi, synagogue over the weekend admitted it was because of the building’s “Jewish ties,” according to an FBI criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Mississippi on Monday. 

    Security footage showed the arson suspect, Stephen Spencer Pittman, inside Beth Israel Congregation around 3 a.m. on Saturday, pouring what appeared to be gasoline, according to the complaint. Pittman was charged with maliciously damaging or destroying a building by means of fire or an explosive. 

    Authorities said Pittman’s father reached out to the FBI, saying his son confessed to starting the fire, which was later corroborated by map data from a location-sharing app Pittman had on his phone. Pittman also texted his father a photo of the back of the synagogue, writing, “There’s a furnace in the back,” the complaint alleges, noting that his father “pleaded for his son to return home.”

    Hours later, Pittman’s father confronted his son after noticing burns on his ankles. Pittman “laughed as he told his father what he did and said he finally got them,” the complaint said. 

    Damage from a fire that investigators say was arson at  Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, Jan. 11, 2026.

    Beth Israel Congregation


    That evening, investigators at the Jackson Fire Department and Hinds County Sheriff’s Office interviewed Pittman, who admitted to starting the fire and called the building “the synagogue of Satan,” according to the complaint. He told investigators he stopped to purchase gasoline, removed his license plate and broke into the building through a window with an axe, using a torch lighter to start the fire after pouring gasoline.

    “As we learned that it was arson, the anger really comes to the top of what your mind thinks,” Beth Israel congregation president Zach Shemper told CBS News on Monday.

    Jackson Mayor John Horhn condemned “acts of antisemitism, racism, and religious hatred,” which he said will be treated as acts of terror against residents.

    “Targeting people because of their faith, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation is morally wrong, un-American, and completely incompatible with the values of this city,” he said in a statement posted to social media on Sunday.

    Beth Israel, established over 160 years ago, is Jackson’s only synagogue and was the first synagogue in the state. 

    “We are grateful that he was apprehended so quickly and he appears to have admitted to committing this heinous act out of hatred for the Jewish people,” Beth Israel said Monday following the release of the criminal complaint. “This news puts a face and name to this tragedy, but does not change our resolve to proudly – even defiantly – continue Jewish life in Jackson in the face of hatred.”

    In 1967, Beth Israel was bombed by Ku Klux Klan members. Two months later, they bombed the home of the congregation’s rabbi as well, according to the Beth Israel website. The rabbi wasn’t home at the time and no one was hurt in the bombings. 

    There are still congregants at the synagogue who were members during those bombings, according to a representative for Beth Israel.

    US Mississippi Synagogue Fire

    A note attached to a bundle of flowers left outside the Beth Israel Congregation reads, I am so very sorry,” on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Jackson, Miss.

    Sophie Bates / AP


    Parts of the building are damaged by water, smoke and soot. The sanctuary, where worship services are held, needs restoration but is still standing. Five Torahs — the sacred scrolls with the text of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible — located inside the sanctuary were assessed for damage. Two Torahs inside the library were destroyed. One Torah rescued during the Holocaust and kept behind glass was undamaged. 

    The attack on Beth Israel comes amid a nationwide spike in antisemitism. There’s been an 893% increase over the past decade in antisemitic incidents, according to the Anti-Defamation League. A 2024 audit by ADL recorded more than  9,000 incidents – it’s the highest number recorded since the organization began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1980.

    “We are still assessing the damage to the building, but will be continuing our worship services and other programs – locations to be determined,” Shemper said in an earlier statement to CBS News, adding that several churches have offered their spaces for worship.

    “We are a resilient people. With support from our community, we will rebuild,” Shemper said.

    Patrick Torphy contributed to this report.

    Jason Allen

    contributed to this report.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Suspect in custody after Mississippi’s oldest synagogue targeted in arson attack

    [ad_1]

    A suspect is in custody after the oldest synagogue in Mississippi, and the only synagogue in the city of Jackson, was set on fire in a suspected arson attack. Shanelle Kaul has more.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Fire damages historic synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi; arson suspect arrested

    [ad_1]

    Congregants and leaders vowed to rebuild a historic Mississippi synagogue that was heavily damaged by a fire after an individual was taken into custody for what authorities said Sunday was an act of arson.

    The fire ripped through the Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson shortly after 3 a.m. on Saturday, authorities said. No congregants were injured in the blaze.

    Photos showed the charred remains of an administrative office and synagogue library, where several Torahs were destroyed or damaged.

    Photo provided by Jackson Fire Department shows a fire truck outside the Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson.

    Jackson Fire Department Chief Charles Felton


    Authorities have not disclosed the suspect’s motive, but Jackson Fire Chief Charles Felton told CBS News the FBI is looking into the possibility of a hate crime. Felton said he couldn’t release the suspect’s ID yet due to the ongoing investigation.

    “Acts of antisemitism, racism, and religious hatred are attacks on Jackson as a whole and will be treated as acts of terror against residents’ safety and freedom to worship,” Jackson Mayor John Horhn said in a statement. “Targeting people because of their faith, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation is morally wrong, un-American, and completely incompatible with the values of this city.”

    A spokesperson for the Jackson FBI told the Associated Press they are “working with law enforcement partners on this investigation.”

    Mississippi-Synagogue Fire

    Zach Shemper, president of Beth Israel Congregation, stands in ashes outside the congregation’s temple hours after the building was damaged by fire Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 in Jackson, Miss. (Allen Siegler/Mississippi Today via AP)

    Allen Siegler / AP


    The synagogue, the largest in Mississippi and the only one in Jackson, was the site of a Ku Klux Klan bombing in 1967 — a response to the congregation’s role in civil rights activities, according to the Institute of Southern Jewish Life, which also houses its office in the building.

    “That history reminds us that attacks on houses of worship, whatever their cause, strike at the heart of our shared moral life,” said CJ Rhodes, a prominent Black Baptist pastor in Jackson, in a Facebook post.

    “This wasn’t random vandalism — it was a deliberate, targeted attack on the Jewish community,” Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement. “That it has been attacked again, amid a surge of antisemitic incidents across the US, is a stark reminder: antisemitic violence is escalating, and it demands total condemnation and swift action from everyone.”

    Mississippi-Synagogue Fire

    FILE – This Nov. 2, 2018 photo shows an armed Hinds County Sheriff’s deputy outside of the Beth Israel Congregation synagogue in Jackson, Miss.

    Rogelio V. Solis / AP


    The ADL’s regional chapter said it was in contact with the Beth Israel Congregation leadership and local leaders to provide support and resources.

    “The fact that this historic synagogue, which was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan in 1967 because of Rabbi Perry Nussbaum’s civil rights advocacy, has once again been targeted is particularly painful and disturbing,” ADL South Central regional director Lindsay Baach Friedmann said in a statement.

    The congregation is still assessing the damage and received outreach from other houses of worship, said Michele Schipper, CEO of the Institute of Southern Jewish Life and past president of the congregation. The synagogue will continue its regular worship programs and services for Shabbat, the weekly Jewish Sabbath, likely inside of one of the local churches that reached out.

    img-7953.jpg

    The Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson seen after a fire heavily damaged the historic synagogue.

    Jackson Fire Department Chief Charles Felton


    “We are devastated but ready to rebuild, and we are so appreciative of the outreach from the community,” said Schipper.

    One Torah that survived the Holocaust was behind glass not damaged in the fire, Schipper said. Five Torahs inside the sanctuary are being assessed for smoke damage. Two Torahs inside the library, where the most severe damage was done, were destroyed, according to a synagogue representative.

    The floors, walls and ceiling of the sanctuary were covered in soot, and the synagogue will have to replace upholstery and carpeting.

    “A lot of times we hear things happening throughout the country in other parts, and we feel like this wouldn’t happen in our part,” said chief fire investigator Charles Felton “A lot of people are in disbelief that this would happen here in Jackson, Mississippi.”

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Suspect in custody after 6 killed in spree of shootings in Mississippi

    [ad_1]

    Authorities say a person was in custody Saturday after six people were killed in a series of related shootings in eastern Mississippi.

    Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott said on Facebook that “multiple innocent lives” were lost “due to violence” in the town of West Point, near the Alabama border. Authorities identified the suspect as 24-year-old Daricka M. Moore.

    The suspect was in custody and there was no threat to the community, the sheriff wrote on Facebook.

    At an afternoon news conference on Saturday, Scott said the victims — family members related to the suspect — were shot at three separate locations late Friday. One of the victims was a child.

    “I don’t know what kind of motive you could have to kill a 7-year-old,” the sheriff said.

    When contacted by CBS News on Saturday morning, the sheriff’s office did not provide any further details.

    Moore faces a first-degree murder charge that could be upgraded to capital murder, Scott said. He may also face additional murder charges.

    The shootings took place in the rural community of Cedarbluff, which is west of the county seat of West Point.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Beau Rivage Casino Guest Turns $3 Bet into $1.1M Payday

    [ad_1]

    A lucky casino patron has won a seven-figure jackpot after firing up the reels of a slot machine at a Mississippi casino. This was one of the biggest jackpots the property has awarded in recent history.

    The Player Won $1.1M Off a $3 Bet

    On January 6, Beau Rivage Casino, a gaming property in Biloxi, Mississippi, announced that an extremely lucky visitor had won a progressive jackpot of a jaw-dropping $1,132,274. The spectacular win was scored on one of the casino’s Wheel of Fortune “penny machine” slots.

    What made the jackpot win even more special was the fact that it was won on a $0.01 denomination with a wager of just $3. Reports said that the winner was sitting before the machine for only 16 minutes before hitting it big. This exciting development proved once again that one does not need to be a high roller to win big at a casino.

    Further reports suggested that the winner was a visitor from Baton Rouge who is a regular Beau Rivage player.

    The Casino Congratulated the Winner

    Beau Rivage Casino officials congratulated the winner, saying that their success was worth celebrating.

    Congratulations to our lucky guest on an incredible $1,132,274 JACKPOT on Wheel of Fortune, won on a $0.01 denomination with just a $3.00 bet! You never know when the next big win will hit! Will you be next?

    Beau Rivage Casino statement

    Facebook followers of Beau Rivage Casino also commented on the development, with many congratulating the winner on taking a seven-figure sum home. One user jokingly added that the next time they are visiting Beau Rivage Casino, they will be bringing a ton of pennies.

    Another user joked that they chose the wrong vacation to kick off 2026 and should have gone to Beau Rivage Casino instead.

    More Casino Visitors Won Big During the Holidays

    The anonymous Beau Rivage Casino winner isn’t the only player to hit it big at the turn of the year. A few days ago, an anonymous Quincy man who was playing at Encore Boston on New Year’s Day secured a prize of $1,620,335 off a single bet at the Royal 9 Baccarat progressive jackpot.

    Elsewhere, a Seminole Casino Coconut Creek guest scooped up $1.3 million from a Dragon Link slot machine at the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek in Florida just in time for Christmas.

    [ad_2]

    Angel Hristov

    Source link

  • Keeler: CU Buffs transfers wonder what 2025 under Deion Sanders would’ve looked like if they stayed: ‘They missed out’

    [ad_1]

    Noah Fenske had his luggage with him Saturday. It wasn’t Louis.

    “Just Under Armour,” the former CU Buffs offensive lineman texted me from his vacation in Nashville.

    While on the road with his fiancée, Fenske’s also been keeping an eye on an old CU teammate, Alex Harkey. Oregon’s starting right tackle? Yeah, he used to be a Buff.

    Harkey, a 6-foot-6, 327-pound redshirt senior, is prepping for a Friday night showdown with Indiana — and another former CU player, the Hoosiers’ Kahlil Benson — in one College Football Playoff semifinal. The Ducks’ bruiser helped Oregon put up 245 passing yards and convert four fourth-down conversions on The Best Defense Money Can Buy, blanking Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl.

    He’d transferred into CU as a 305-pounder out of Tyler (Texas) Junior College, a 3-star who was weighing offers from Middle Tennessee and Old Dominion. After appearing in 12 games, largely as a reserve guard, Harkey was one of the kids from CU’s 2022 recruiting class swept out in the great Deion Sanders roster purge during the spring of 2023.

    Fenske, who played in seven games with the Buffs in ’22, was Harkey’s roommate at CU. He got swept away, too. Under Armour was out, Louis Vuitton luggage was in.

    “(Harkey has) done incredible, man,” Fenske gushed. “Because when he first came in (to CU), he wasn’t what he is now. And just seeing his transformation from being a (backup) guard on a 1-11 team to being a first-round or second-round (NFL) draft pick …”

    Big Alex could play. So could wideout Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State). And cornerback Simeon Harris (Fresno State). And quarterback Owen McCown, once he’d had some more brisket. McCown, who played as a wafer-thin true freshman at CU in ’22, threw for 30 touchdowns at UTSA this past fall — including three in a 57-20 win over Florida International in the First Responder Bowl.

    “We just stay connected, support each other’s success,” Harris, who still belongs to a group chat of former Buffs, told me over the weekend. “You’ve got to expect the unexpected. That (purge) hit us all in the mouth.”

    CU fans talk a lot — a lot — about 1-11 in 2022. About rock bottom. About Coach Prime lighting the candle for the climb out of obscurity.

    [ad_2]

    Sean Keeler

    Source link

  • Village Books brings community and culture to downtown Atlanta

    [ad_1]

    “When books are banned, and stories are erased, especially Black and brown stories, we have to build safety within our community,” said Village Books owner Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    When Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon opened Village Books on Mitchell Street this year, the decision was not driven by market trends or retail expansion plans. It was a response rooted in urgency and care.

    A native of Batesville, Mississippi, Hallmon, 44, has spent much of her adult life creating spaces that are grounded in community, culture, and accessibility. The bookstore, which opened in the second week of October, emerged amid rising book bans and renewed national debates over whose histories and voices are preserved and whose are pushed aside.

    “This year, it felt necessary,” Hallmon said. “When books are banned, and stories are erased, especially Black and brown stories, we have to build safety within our community.”

    Hallmon is also the founder of Village Retail, a storefront at Ponce City Market that she opened during the pandemic, highlighting Black-owned brands. She views Village Books as an extension of that work, one that goes beyond retail to create a space for learning, reflection, and cultural connection.

    Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    “The synergy has already been beautiful,” she said. “People expect thoughtfulness and excellence when they walk into our spaces. Not perfection, but intention.”

    Inside Village Books, shelves reflect that philosophy. The store offers a diverse selection across genres and age groups, with a strong emphasis on Black authors and thinkers, alongside works by writers from diverse backgrounds. Literary figures such as Toni Morrison and James Baldwin are also honored through apparel displayed alongside their books, allowing customers to engage with culture in multiple forms.

    Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    Hallmon, an avid reader, personally curated the bookstore’s initial inventory. Her selections were informed not only by publishers and literary agents but also by conversations with family members, including her 17-year-old and 10-year-old nephews, as well as friends who are authors.

    “I wanted depth,” she said. “Books that help people expand their awareness of themselves, of history and of culture.”

    Her relationship with books began early. As a child, Hallmon often spent hours in bookstores while her sister shopped elsewhere. She remembers reading late into the night, tucked under her bed with a flashlight, so absorbed that her mother would have to remind her to eat.

    “It would not surprise my mother at all,” Hallmon said. “I have loved books since I was a kid.”

    Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    Hallmon is one of four siblings, with two sisters and a brother. Her mother, Carolyn Hallmon, died in 2011. Her father, Roger Hallmon, still lives in Mississippi. Hallmon earned her master’s degree from the University of Mississippi and later completed her doctorate at Liberty University.

    Choosing downtown Atlanta, and specifically Mitchell Street, was both strategic and deeply personal. Hallmon’s first experiences in the city came nearly 15 years ago during a visit to the National Black Arts Festival near Underground Atlanta, when she was considering furthering her education at Clark Atlanta University.

    “Downtown holds history and legacy,” she said. “Mitchell Street feels like a neighborhood with promise.”

    While the area lacks the built-in foot traffic of more established retail corridors, Hallmon said she was drawn to its potential, particularly as South Downtown redevelopment continues.

    “Small businesses help define what a city becomes,” she said. “I am drawn to places that do not have to be perfect yet.”

    Opening a bookstore in 2025 amid economic uncertainty, competition from major online retailers, and cultural pushback was a calculated risk. But Hallmon said those conditions only reinforced the urgency of the moment.

    “Either we operate from fear, or we build what our community needs,” she said. “If you build from a place of purpose, people will find you.”

    Looking ahead, Hallmon hopes Village Books becomes a destination for Atlanta readers and thinkers, hosting book talks, signings, and convenings while maintaining its intimate and welcoming feel. Expansion, she said, will focus on deepening quality rather than rapid growth.

    Beyond business, her vision is broader.

    “My hope is that we understand our collective power,” Hallmon said. “That community becomes our default, not just in moments of crisis, but in how we live every day.”

    [ad_2]

    Noah Washington

    Source link

  • Five sleeper races that could upend 2026 – from Pennsylvania’s Alleghenies to New Mexico

    [ad_1]

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    As Clement Moore’s “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” tells it, families sleep soundly as Santa approaches.

    As the new year nears, several election contests may prove just as quiet – until close results suddenly come into focus. Here are five potential sleeper races to watch in 2026: 

    1. MISSISSIPPI’S 2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

    Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, has not often had to worry about a general election challenge since he won a special election on April 13, 1993.

    Predecessor Mike Espy, who recently unsuccessfully ran for Senate in a narrow runoff with Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., had resigned to accept President Bill Clinton’s appointment as Secretary of Agriculture.

    Thompson’s closest race was that one – against Republican Hayes Dent – at 55% to 45%.

    Since then, Thompson has never looked back, and instead made himself a nationally-recognized figure later in his tenure.

    He chaired the House Select Committee on January 6, and recently went viral for calling the shooting of West Virginia National Guardsmen allegedly by an Afghan refugee an “unfortunate accident.”

    Thompson’s district, spanning from Jackson west to Yazoo City and Vicksburg on the Mississippi River, is one of the poorest in the country – landing at 3rd out of 435 with a median income of $37,372, according to data published by the office of Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio.

    CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS WIDEN 2026 BATTLEFIELD, ZERO IN ON NEW HOUSE REPUBLICAN TARGETS

    Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-MD) speaks to Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania on Monday, July 22, 2024. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital )

    Only Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., and Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y. preside over a poorer population.

    Last week, an attorney and former counsel to Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., mounted a surprise primary bid against Thompson.

    Evan Turnage, 33, who has been alive just about the same time Thompson has been in Congress, made the idea of fighting the region’s persistent poverty paramount to his new campaign, according to Black Press USA.

    “I’ve dedicated my life to leveling the playing field so people can not only get by, but get ahead, and raise a family right here,” Turnage said, according to the outlet.

    On the Republican side, retired Army captain and Vicksburg cardiothoracic surgeon Ron Eller will fight an uphill battle to unseat the winner of the Thompson-Turnage bout.

    2. CONNECTICUT’S 5TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

    Connecticut is another state that is typically not in political conversation as hosting nail-biter partisan elections.

    During the Bush-Clinton years, however, the state was competitive if not outright Republican-favored.

    Former Gov. John Rowland was the first in decades to be elected to more than two terms. He ended up resigning in 2004 amid the threat of impeachment over accusations contractors with the state were doing work on his vacation home.

    CALL TO DUTY: IN BATTLE FOR HOUSE, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS LOOKING TO VETERANS

    After he resigned, his wife famously wrote a poem critical of the media’s coverage of Rowland’s case, based on Moore’s holiday favorite and called “A Lump of Coal for All the Reporters.” Rowland’s lieutenant, Gov. M. Jodi Rell, took over and was reelected once before retiring in 2010.

    Since then, the state has been reliably Democratic – save for former Sen. Joe Lieberman changing his affiliation to independent.

    In 2022, then-State Sen. George Logan – the first Black man elected to Hartford’s upper chamber — mounted a bid against Rep. Jahana Hayes and lost by less than one percentage point.

    DOUBLING DOWN: TOP HOUSE DEMOCRAT SAYS FOCUS ON HIGH PRICES ‘ABSOLUTELY GOING TO CONTINUE’

    Jahana Hayes D-CT (left) and her 2024 GOP challenger George Logan (right)

    Jahana Hayes D-CT (left) and her 2024 GOP challenger George Logan (right) (Getty & AP )

    Logan tried again in 2024, but lost by a slightly wider margin.

    While Logan is not on the ballot at least yet for 2026, recent history shows Republicans could have an outside chance of ending Democrats’ full control of New England’s congressional delegation.

    3. MARYLAND’S 6TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

    Republicans have wanted to win back Maryland’s sixth congressional district ever since partisan gerrymandering was blamed for booting 20-year incumbent Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., from office in 2012.

    Bartlett, an eccentric conservative who later relocated to the West Virginia wilderness to live off-the-grid, is now 99, and was known for addressing various topics that were sometimes ignored but have received newfound attention at present, including warnings about the strength, reliability and hardening of the U.S. power grid.

    Bartlett won his last campaign by 28 points but then lost by about 20 after the rural district encompassing the entire Maryland Panhandle was adjusted to incorporate the edges of densely-populated Washington, D.C. suburbs.

    SHOWDOWN FOR THE HOUSE: DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS BRACE FOR HIGH-STAKES MIDTERM CLASH

    He was defeated in 2013 by then-Rep. John Delaney, a finance executive – before Delaney was replaced by Total Wine mogul David Trone, who has largely self-funded his campaigns to the tune of millions of dollars.

    Trone won reelection before opting in 2024 to pursue retiring Sen. Benjamin Cardin’s, D-Md., seat – which was ultimately won by Democrat Angela Alsobrooks.

    He announced this year that he would challenge Rep. April McClain-Delaney, D-Md., the wife of former Rep. John Delaney.

    Meanwhile, former longtime state Del. Neil Parrott, R-Antietam, is mounting his fourth consecutive bid for the seat. McClain-Delaney beat Parrott 53-47 in 2024.

    The closest that Republicans have gotten to taking back the seat since Bartlett was defeated came in 2014, when now-FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino narrowly lost to Trone by about a point.

    Bongino notably sought to nationalize the race, pulling in endorsements like Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and rebuking Delaney as someone who could “write himself a check for a million dollars” if he needed to in order to win.

    HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN CHAIR WANTS TRUMP ‘OUT THERE ON THE TRAIL’ IN MIDTERM BATTLE FOR MAJORITY

    Neil Parrott shakes hands with Roscoe Bartlett

    Del. Neil Parrott, left., former Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., right. (Tom Williams/Getty Images)

    The future G-man suggested at the time he would rather knock on doors in far-flung communities like Oakland and Grantsville, where he said, “nobody seems to know who [John Delaney] is,” according to the Maryland Reporter.

    Given newly-drawn, friendlier maps following litigation over O’Malley-era gerrymandering, Republicans may have a chance to surprise in a district in one of the most Democratic-majority states in the country.

    4. NEBRASKA’S 2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

    While not typically considered a swing state, or one that gets much attention in federal elections, Nebraska’s only urban-leaning district may decide the future of the House of Representatives if the overall contest is as close as it has been in recent years.

    Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., one of few in his party who have publicly lambasted President Donald Trump, is retiring. The district – centered in Douglas and Saunders counties; including Omaha and Ashland – already has a slew of candidates on both sides hoping to take the moderate’s seat.

    Omaha City Councilman Brinker Harding leads state Sen. Brett Lindstrom, R-Omaha, in fundraising, while on the Democratic side, at least five people, including congressional staffer James Leuschen and state Sen. John Cavanaugh, D-Omaha, have tossed their hats in the ring, according to the Nebraska Examiner.

    HEADED FOR THE EXITS: WHY 3-DOZEN HOUSE MEMBERS AREN’T RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION

    Bacon, who hails from suburban Sarpy County, won his last race against former state Sen. Anthony Vargas, D-Omaha, by less than one percentage point.

    After a recent wave of GOP losses in Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Jersey, the district shapes up as a tough hold for Republicans in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat statewide since Ben Nelson retired in 2012.

    5. NEW MEXICO GUBERNATORIAL RACE

    While Nebraska is a red state that doesn’t often garner national attention, on the blue ledger lies New Mexico.

    Topographically and culturally similar to red neighbor Texas and formerly red neighbor Arizona on the other side, the Land of Enchantment is often one that enchants the observer that looks closer at its politics.

    Notably, its mountainous border with Mexico has largely kept it out of politically-contentious Trump-wall debates focused on the flatter, desert and river boundaries of its neighbors.

    REPUBLICANS HAVE CHANCE TO SECURE GOVERNORSHIPS IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATES NEXT YEAR

    The US Capitol Building

    US Capitol Building at sunset on January 30th, 2025  (Emma Woodhead/Fox News Digital)

    While it lacks the urban population that is typical of most blue states like New York, California, New Jersey and Maryland, Republicans have been increasingly out of power there for years.

    Former Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., was the last such lawmaker to represent the state in the upper chamber.

    He retired in 2008 and was replaced by Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., whose surname is the Mountain West’s equivalent of Cuomo or Casey. The Interior Department headquarters is named after Udall’s father.

    Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is term limited. While she was preceded by a Republican, Susana Martinez, her state has been trending more toward Democratic reliability otherwise.

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Deb Haaland, a former New Mexico congresswoman who was also former President Joe Biden’s Interior Secretary, is the biggest name in the Democratic field, while Greggory Hull, the longtime mayor of Rio Rancho, is such for the GOP.

    Rep. Gabe Vasquez held off a challenge from predecessor Yvette Herrell in the 2nd congressional district, which spans the southwestern part of the state including Alamogordo and Las Cruces, in what was seen as the GOP’s best chance to make inroads again in the border state.

    Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital. 

    He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant. 

    Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

    Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • College football rankings start juggling act at 6-7, while top 5 remain the same

    [ad_1]

    The College Football Playoff rankings placed the spotlight on, where else this year, “6-7″ — flip-flopping Oregon and Ole Miss in those spots while keeping their top five teams the same in Tuesday night’s reveal.

    Oregon’s impressive victory over Southern California in one of last week’s few games between ranked teams accounted for the biggest change, moving the Ducks ahead of Mississippi, which didn’t play.

    The other meaningful shift was Miami’s move to No. 12, in a switch with Utah after the Utes gave up 472 yards rushing in a tight win over Kansas State.

    There are two more rankings to be revealed — next Tuesday, then Dec. 7 when the final top 25 will set the bracket for the 12-team playoff to start Dec. 19,

    Pitt’s return to the rankings — at No. 22 — after falling out for a week impacts the meaning of its key Atlantic Coast Conference game this week against the Hurricanes, who need a win and some help to make the conference title game but still have hopes of grabbing one of the playoff’s seven at-large berths.

    “Miami is a team that it really appears is starting to look like the Miami team that started 5-0,” said Hunter Yurachek, the chair of the selection committee.

    Following the Buckeyes for the fourth time in four rankings were fellow undefeated teams Indiana and Texas A&M. Georgia stayed at No. 4, followed by Texas Tech. After Oregon and Mississippi came Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Alabama and BYU at No. 11 and first team out on this week’s proverbial bubble.

    Ohio State and Indiana will play in what should be a 1 vs. 2 Big Ten title game if both win rivalry showdowns on the road over Thanksgiving weekend. Ohio State’s task is more difficult — against Michigan, which moved up three spots to No. 15. Indiana plays Purdue.

    No. 10 Alabama plays at Auburn with a spot in the Southeastern Conference title game on the line. The Tide’s opponent would be Texas A&M if the Aggies win at No. 16 Texas.

    Notre Dame and Miami were compared this week

    After some confusion last week about the weight given to Miami’s opening-week win over Notre Dame, Yurachek said those teams were, indeed, close enough in the rankings this week to be compared head-to-head. But still, that victory was not enough to push the Hurricanes past Notre Dame.

    “We compare a number of things when looking at teams closely ranked together,” Yurachek said. “We’ve got some teams ranked between Miami and Notre Dame, such as Alabama and BYU, who we’re also comparing Miami to.”

    Could Kiffin’s job status impact Ole Miss?

    Among the factors the committee can consider is the availability of players and coaches, which has potential to bring Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin’s job status into play.

    Word from Oxford is that a decision will come on Kiffin’s potential move to LSU or Florida after this week’s game against Mississippi State. An Ole Miss team without one of the most sought-after coaches in the game wouldn’t seem as good as one with him.

    Still, Yurachek wouldn’t tip his hand on how that evaluation might go.

    “We’ll take care of that when it happens,” Yurachek said. “We don’t look ahead. The loss of player, loss of a key coach, is in the principles of how we rank teams, but we don’t have a data point for how we look at Ole Miss without their coach.”

    Ducks move to ‘where they need to be’

    After Oregon’s 42-27 win over USC, coach Dan Lanning said his team deserves credit for the schedule it plays — which included a tough conference game during a week in which many in the SEC were going against non-ranked, double-digit underdogs.

    The committee agreed.

    “We’ve been waiting for them to have that signature win to really put them where they need to be,” Yurachek said.

    Conference watch

    ACC — No. 18 Virginia and No. 21 SMU are the favorites to reach the title game, which means one of them has an inside edge to be in the playoff. The Hurricanes are likely in an at-large showdown with the likes of BYU, Vanderbilt and maybe Alabama.

    Big 12 — BYU is angling for another crack at Texas Tech in the title game. Hard to see the Cougars getting there, losing to the Red Raiders again and still making the playoff.

    Big Ten — Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon are locks. Michigan’s move up three to No. 15 gives the Wolverines a chance at an at-large bid (or maybe the conference title) with a win this week over the Buckeyes.

    SEC — Texas A&M, Georgia, Mississippi and Oklahoma should all be in. Alabama can’t really afford a third loss, but what if that loss comes in the SEC title game? The Tide makes it by beating Auburn. Vanderbilt would strengthen its case with a win at No. 19 Tennessee this week.

    Group of 5 — No. 24 Tulane of the American is still the only team from a non-power conference in the rankings. One problem. BetMGM Sportsbook has North Texas as the favorite to win the league title. That, in turn, could bring someone like James Madison back into the conversation.

    Projected first-round playoff matchups

    No. 12 Tulane at No. 5 Texas Tech: Could the Red Raiders, a deep-pocketed disruptor in the college football space, also turn into one of the sport’s powerhouses?

    No. 11 Miami at No. 6 Oregon: The Mario Cristobal Bowl — Hurricanes coach left Ducks suddenly in 2021 to return home.

    No. 10 Alabama at No. 7 Mississippi: Kiffin, the old offensive coordinator at Alabama, is 0-4 vs. Tide with Ole Miss.

    No. 9 Notre Dame at No. 8 Oklahoma: Notre Dame’s first televised game was a 27-21 win over OU in 1952.

    ___

    Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Florida or LSU? Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin’s coaching decision will be revealed after the Egg Bowl

    [ad_1]

    OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin will announce his next move — likely Florida or LSU — after the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State.

    Athletic director Keith Carter released a statement Friday saying a decision on Kiffin’s future is expected Nov. 29, the day after the fifth-ranked Rebels play their in-state rival.

    It could be an agonizing wait for the Tigers, the Gators and the Rebels, although most outsiders believe Kiffin staying in Oxford for a seventh season is a long shot.

    “Coach Kiffin and I have had many pointed and positive conversations regarding his future at Ole Miss, including meeting (Friday) with Chancellor (Glenn) Boyce,” Carter said. “While we discuss next steps, we know we cannot lose sight of what is most important — our … team is poised to finish the regular season in historic fashion.”

    Carter said Kiffin remains focused, and the announcement timeline ensures the Rebels’ players and coaches “can concentrate fully on next Friday’s game.”

    “This team is on the cusp of an unprecedented season, and it’s imperative they feel the support of the Ole Miss family in the week ahead,” he said.

    Behind Kiffin’s next landing spot, the second-biggest question is whether Kiffin would stick around — or be allowed to stay — to coach Ole Miss through a potential College Football Playoff berth.

    The Rebels’ current standing in the CFP rankings has them poised to host a first-round game if they beat the Bulldogs. The selection committee, however, would be working within its guidelines if it factored the disruption of a coaching change into a team’s final seeding.

    Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 6 CFP) does not play this weekend. The bye allowed Kiffin to meet with Florida and LSU officials.

    The Gators fired Billy Napier in mid-October and set their sights on Kiffin. LSU fired Brian Kelly a week later, creating a tug-of-war over a 50-year-old coach who is considered one of the top offensive minds in the game.

    Kiffin’s family members took scouting trips to Gainesville and Baton Rouge, and he met with administrators and fundraisers on several occasions. He even reportedly sat down with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who publicly slammed former LSU athletic director Scott Woodward for giving Kelly a 10-year contract worth about $100 million in 2022.

    Will he stay at the place he called “utopia” and turned into a perennial winner with his ex-wife and kids nearby? Will he move back to Florida, where his father became one of the most respected defensive coordinators in NFL history? Or will he land at LSU, where three of its last four coaches won national championships.

    Kiffin politely declined to talk about job openings this week. He sidestepped several questions about ongoing overtures from Florida, LSU and Ole Miss.

    “I’m going to stay on what I’ve done for six years, which isn’t talking about other jobs and that situation,” said Kiffin, who denied reports Tuesday that Ole Miss had given him an ultimatum. “I love it here, and it’s been amazing. And we’re in the season — the greatest run in the history of Ole Miss at this point (and) having never been at this point.

    “So I think it’s really exciting. … I’m just living in the moment — it’s amazing — and our players are, too. I see their joy about practice, season, where they’re at and have so much on the line. It’s just awesome to be a part of.”

    ___

    Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • DHS plans to deploy 250 border agents to Louisiana in major immigration sweep, AP sources say

    [ad_1]

    Around 250 federal border agents are set to descend on New Orleans in the coming weeks for a two-month immigration crackdown dubbed “Swamp Sweep” that aims to arrest roughly 5,000 people across southeast Louisiana and into Mississippi, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press and three people familiar with the operation.The deployment, which is expected to begin in earnest on Dec. 1, marks the latest escalation in a series of rapid-fire immigration crackdowns unfolding nationwide — from Chicago to Los Angeles to Charlotte, North Carolina — as the Trump administration moves aggressively to fulfill the president’s campaign promise of mass deportations.In Louisiana, the operation is unfolding on the home turf of Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, a close Trump ally who has moved to align state policy with the White House’s enforcement agenda. But, as seen in other blue cities situated in Republican-led states, increased federal enforcement presence could set up a collision with officials in liberal New Orleans who have long resisted federal sweeps.Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol commander tapped to run the Louisiana sweep, has become the administration’s go-to architect for large-scale immigration crackdowns — and a magnet for criticism over the tactics used in them. His selection to oversee “Swamp Sweep” signals that the administration views Louisiana as a major enforcement priority for the Trump administration.The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the operation. “For the safety and security of law enforcement we’re not going to telegraph potential operations,” spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said.In Chicago, Bovino drew a rare public rebuke from a federal judge who said he misled the court about the threats posed by protesters and deployed tear gas and pepper balls without justification during a chaotic confrontation downtown. His teams also oversaw aggressive arrest operations in Los Angeles and more recently in Charlotte, where Border Patrol officials have touted dozens of arrests across North Carolina this week after a surging immigration crackdown that has included federal agents scouring churches, grocery stores and apartment complexes.Planning documents reviewed by the AP show Border Patrol teams preparing to fan out across neighborhoods and commercial hubs throughout southeast Louisiana, stretching from New Orleans through Jefferson, St. Bernard and St. Tammany parishes and as far north as Baton Rouge, with additional activity planned in southeastern Mississippi.Agents are expected to arrive in New Orleans on Friday to begin staging equipment and vehicles before the Thanksgiving holiday, according to the people familiar with the operation. They are scheduled to return toward the end of the month, with the full sweep beginning in early December. The people familiar with the matter could not publicly discuss details of the operation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.To support an operation of that scale, federal officials are securing a network of staging sites: A portion of the FBI’s New Orleans field office has been designated as a command post, while a naval base five miles south of the city will store vehicles, equipment and thousands of pounds of “less lethal” munitions like tear gas and pepper balls, the people said. Homeland Security has also asked to use the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans for up to 90 days beginning this weekend, according to documents reviewed by the AP.Once “Swamp Sweep” begins, Louisiana will become a major testing ground for the administration’s expanding deportation strategy, and a focal point in the widening rift between federal authorities intent on carrying out large-scale arrests and city officials who have long resisted them.__Associated Press journalists Elliot Spagat and Mike Balsamo contributed to this report.

    Around 250 federal border agents are set to descend on New Orleans in the coming weeks for a two-month immigration crackdown dubbed “Swamp Sweep” that aims to arrest roughly 5,000 people across southeast Louisiana and into Mississippi, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press and three people familiar with the operation.

    The deployment, which is expected to begin in earnest on Dec. 1, marks the latest escalation in a series of rapid-fire immigration crackdowns unfolding nationwide — from Chicago to Los Angeles to Charlotte, North Carolina — as the Trump administration moves aggressively to fulfill the president’s campaign promise of mass deportations.

    In Louisiana, the operation is unfolding on the home turf of Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, a close Trump ally who has moved to align state policy with the White House’s enforcement agenda. But, as seen in other blue cities situated in Republican-led states, increased federal enforcement presence could set up a collision with officials in liberal New Orleans who have long resisted federal sweeps.

    Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol commander tapped to run the Louisiana sweep, has become the administration’s go-to architect for large-scale immigration crackdowns — and a magnet for criticism over the tactics used in them. His selection to oversee “Swamp Sweep” signals that the administration views Louisiana as a major enforcement priority for the Trump administration.

    The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the operation. “For the safety and security of law enforcement we’re not going to telegraph potential operations,” spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said.

    In Chicago, Bovino drew a rare public rebuke from a federal judge who said he misled the court about the threats posed by protesters and deployed tear gas and pepper balls without justification during a chaotic confrontation downtown. His teams also oversaw aggressive arrest operations in Los Angeles and more recently in Charlotte, where Border Patrol officials have touted dozens of arrests across North Carolina this week after a surging immigration crackdown that has included federal agents scouring churches, grocery stores and apartment complexes.

    Planning documents reviewed by the AP show Border Patrol teams preparing to fan out across neighborhoods and commercial hubs throughout southeast Louisiana, stretching from New Orleans through Jefferson, St. Bernard and St. Tammany parishes and as far north as Baton Rouge, with additional activity planned in southeastern Mississippi.

    Agents are expected to arrive in New Orleans on Friday to begin staging equipment and vehicles before the Thanksgiving holiday, according to the people familiar with the operation. They are scheduled to return toward the end of the month, with the full sweep beginning in early December. The people familiar with the matter could not publicly discuss details of the operation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

    To support an operation of that scale, federal officials are securing a network of staging sites: A portion of the FBI’s New Orleans field office has been designated as a command post, while a naval base five miles south of the city will store vehicles, equipment and thousands of pounds of “less lethal” munitions like tear gas and pepper balls, the people said. Homeland Security has also asked to use the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans for up to 90 days beginning this weekend, according to documents reviewed by the AP.

    Once “Swamp Sweep” begins, Louisiana will become a major testing ground for the administration’s expanding deportation strategy, and a focal point in the widening rift between federal authorities intent on carrying out large-scale arrests and city officials who have long resisted them.

    __

    Associated Press journalists Elliot Spagat and Mike Balsamo contributed to this report.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • The Government Shutdown Prompts the Cancelation of Some Veterans Day Events

    [ad_1]

    Normally on Veterans Day, volunteers gather at the Riverside National Cemetery in California to place flags alongside more than 300,000 gravesites. But not this year.

    The longest federal government shutdown on record is curtailing and outright canceling parades, ceremonies and other events across the U.S. that are normally held to mark Veterans Day. It’s another fallout of the shutdown that has disrupted flights and food assistance, and was already being squarely felt by military families who are worried about their paychecks.

    In California, organizers of “A Flag for Every Hero” said they couldn’t move forward with the event on Tuesday without access to restrooms, traffic control and other needs for the thousands of participants. Elsewhere, a lack of federal employees and access to military facilities has scrubbed other Veterans Day events.

    “We have a responsibility to provide them the resources they need, and unfortunately with the shutdown we’re unable to do that,” Laura Herzog, founder and CEO of Honoring Our Fallen, which organizes the Riverside National Cemetery event.

    Many communities will still hold Veterans Day gatherings, including some of the nation’s largest and well-known events such as the annual observance at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and the New York Veterans Day Parade.

    The disruption to a federal holiday that is intended to honor those who have served in the armed forces comes as military families face uncertainty week to week about their pay. The Trump administration has found ways to pay troops twice since the shutdown began Oct. 1.

    The Texas National Cemetery Foundation canceled an annual Veterans Day event at the cemetery in Dallas-Fort Worth, saying organizers wouldn’t have time to stage the ceremony even if the shutdown ended soon. In Virginia, city leaders in Hampton cited concerns about a lack of servicemembers to participate in its annual parade because of the shutdown.

    “Our veterans deserve to be recognized with great pomp and circumstance,” Hampton City Manager Mary Bunting said in a news release. “Without the presence of our active-duty military, we are concerned that the parade would appear sparse and that the recognition might fall short of the honor our veterans so richly deserve.”

    Organizers of Detroit’s annual Veterans Day parade say they’re moving forward with the Sunday event, but it won’t include an appearance by a U.S. Army band or a helicopter flyover. Others are relying on even more help from volunteers than usual to make up for the lack of federal resources.

    Despite the upheaval, some communities are still trying to find ways to honor veterans even as events are canceled.

    In Mississippi, the Gulf Coast Veterans Association canceled its annual parade in Pass Christian. But the group said it would use funds for the event to instead provide Thanksgiving dinners for veterans and active-duty members.

    “While we share in the disappointment, we are choosing to turn this setback into a blessing,” the group said in a Facebook post.

    When U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales learned that the Veterans Day ceremony at Fort Sam Houston Cemetery in San Antonio wouldn’t take place, the Republican congressman’s office took up organizing the annual event.

    Gonzales, a Navy veteran whose grandfather is buried at the cemetery, said that meant working with nonprofits to find someone to sing the national anthem and to provide chairs for attendees.

    “We honor our veterans no matter what, and that’s exactly what we did,” Gonzales said.

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Last escaped monkey from truck crash captured in Mississippi after being spotted by resident

    [ad_1]

    The last monkey on the loose among several that escaped after a truck carrying them overturned on a Mississippi roadway has been found and captured, authorities said Thursday.

    A resident who lives near the crash site called authorities to report the animal’s location, and it was then “successfully recovered,” the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks said in a statement on social media.

    It was the last monkey on the loose from an Oct. 28 crash when the truck carrying 21 monkeys overturned on Interstate 59. Five monkeys were killed as law officers hunted for them in the immediate aftermath of the crash. Video from officers’ body cameras showed a chaotic scene as monkeys that escaped from their wooden crates dashed around the grassy interstate median, with some running toward cars and semis on the interstate. 

    The crash happened approximately 100 miles from the state capital of Jackson. It’s not clear what caused the truck to overturn. 

    Two other monkeys that eluded officers at the crash site were later shot and killed by civilians, who said they were protecting their families and neighborhoods. Officials had warned residents not to approach the rhesus monkeys, saying they are known to be aggressive. Rhesus monkeys, which typically weigh around 16 pounds, are among the most medically studied animals on the planet. 

    The last monkey on the loose was found Wednesday afternoon near a home in the Vossburg area, just east of where the truck had wrecked. Brandy Smith saw the monkey when her dog started barking, she told WDAM-TV. Her neighbors called 911. Workers from one of the companies that had been transporting the truckload of monkeys across the country arrived to tranquilize the monkey, Smith said.

    The monkeys had been housed at the Tulane University National Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana, which routinely provides primates to scientific research organizations, according to the university. Tulane has said it wasn’t transporting the monkeys and they do not belong to the university.

    PreLabs, which describes itself on its website as a biomedical research support organization, said in a statement that the animals were being lawfully transported to a licensed research facility. It said the monkeys weren’t carrying any known diseases. Thirteen of the monkeys that were not killed arrived at their original destination last week, according to Tulane.

    The escape is the latest glimpse into the secretive industry of animal research and how contracts demanding confidentiality prevent the public from knowing key facts about studies involving animals.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Explosion at Mississippi plant causes ammonia leak, sends large plume of yellow smoke into the air

    [ad_1]

    Yazoo City, Miss. — An explosion at a hydrogen and nitrogen product manufacturer in Mississippi on Wednesday caused an ammonia leak and forced nearby residents to evacuate, officials said.

    Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said on social media that emergency officials from across the state were responding to the anhydrous ammonia leak at CF Industries’ plant north of Yazoo City.

    No deaths or injuries have been reported, he said. But he urged people in the immediate vicinity to evacuate “immediately” and said people in the surrounding area should shelter in place.

    “Thank you to all of Mississippi’s first responders and emergency managers for quickly responding to the leak,” he said.

    The American Red Cross opened a reception center in Yazoo City to support the affected residents, CBS Jackson, Miss. affiliate WJTV reports.

    Photos and video posted online show a large plume of yellowish smoke rising above the facility, which includes an ammonia plant and four nitric acid plants, among other things.

    This photo provided by Andre Robinson shows a plume of smoke rising after an explosion at the CF Industries plant on Nov. 5, 2025, in Yazoo City, Miss. 

    Andre Robinson via AP


    The facility is able to store about 48,000 tons of ammonia, although the exact amount there when the explosion took place wasn’t immediately clear.

    CF Industries said in a statement that there are no injuries and “all employees and contractors on site at the time of the incident have been safely accounted for.”

    Andre Robinson, who lives about a half-mile from the facility, said he and his son were getting ready to make gumbo when he heard what sounded like a sonic boom or a tree crashing on his house.

    “There was a boom and then the house shook,” he said.

    When he looked outside, Robinson said, he saw smoke rising from the facility and started to smell a strong scent of ammonia.

    “We’re used to the ammonia smell, but not that bad,” he said, adding that his family has since evacuated to Jackson.

    Part of U.S. Route 49E was temporarily closed, according to the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

    The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality said in a post on X that “air monitoring operations are underway and will continue as long as necessary to ensure public safety.”

    The Yazoo County School District said school will be in session Thursday but school buses with routes in the evacuated areas won’t be able to travel to those areas, according to WJTV.

    Anhydrous ammonia is used as a fertilizer to help provide nitrogen for corn and wheat plants, according to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. If a person touches it when it is in gas or liquid form, they could be burned.

    Yazoo City is a small community about 50 miles north of Jackson, the state capital.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Warning signs for the GOP, lessons for Democrats: How Tuesday’s results will shape the 2026 midterms

    [ad_1]

    (CNN) — Democrats’ dominance in Tuesday’s elections reset expectations ahead of next year’s midterm battle for House and Senate control, reinvigorating a party that has been in the political wilderness and leaving Republicans lamenting that the gains President Donald Trump made a year ago with key portions of the electorate all but evaporated.

    “Last night, if that wasn’t a message to all Republicans, then we’ve got our head jammed in the ground,” said West Virginia GOP Sen. Jim Justice.

    The list of Democratic winners spanned the party’s ideological spectrum — from Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist elected mayor of New York City, to Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill, the moderates with strong national security credentials elected governors of Virginia and New Jersey, respectively.

    Their wins could rally Democrats in competitive House, Senate and governor’s races next year around a message all three made central to their campaigns, in different forms: pledges to reduce the cost of living.

    But the playing field won’t be easy for Democrats. Strategists in both parties agree that control of the House will be in play, but the net effect of redistricting moves around the country — particularly if the Supreme Court decides to weaken the Voting Rights Act — could leave fewer competitive seats for Democrats. And the 2026 Senate map includes only a handful of GOP-held seats that appear to be in play and multiple seats Democrats will have to defend.

    Still, Tuesday’s results may embolden Democrats to continue their strategy in the ongoing government shutdown, while igniting new debates over what kinds of candidates can win, and where.

    Margie Omero, a Democratic pollster, said the elections should be viewed within the broader context of a year in which the party’s voters have packed town halls and rallies, won key races like the Wisconsin Supreme Court contest in the spring and a slew of special elections, and scored candidate recruitment victories for next year’s midterms.

    “Take the whole year into account and it tells a pretty similar story, which is that Democrats are motivated and Republicans are less motivated,” Omero said.

    Trump, she said, “lost popularity and he’s lost altitude on all of his top issues, like the economy and immigration.”

    “Where does that leave his supporters in a midterm or off-year election?” Omero said. “What are they coming out for, if he’s less popular and his policies are less popular and his agenda’s less popular?”

    Voters cast their ballots at a polling station in Arlington, Virginia, on November 4. Credit: Alex Wong / Getty Images via CNN Newsource

    In addition to the wins in governor’s races and mayoral elections, and a critical victory in a statewide vote to green-light a redistricting effort to add five more seats that favor Democrats in California, the party also scored a long list of lower-profile victories on Tuesday.

    They broke the GOP’s supermajority in the Mississippi state Senate. They flipped two seats on Georgia’s Public Service Commission. They defeated a voter identification ballot initiative in Maine. Their incumbent Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices prevailed in retention votes.

    The results showed that many of the gains Trump had made in 2024 have evaporated. In New Jersey, Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli couldn’t match Trump’s support levels with Latino and Black voters. In Virginia, Spanberger notched the most impressive Democratic performance in recent years — besting the margins of the party’s last two presidential nominees and carrying a scandal-plagued nominee for attorney general, Jay Jones, to victory on her coattails.

    For the GOP, the fallout could come in a number of forms — including altering the party’s push for redistricting to add winnable congressional seats in deep-red states, and changing how Republicans in competitive midterm races approach Trump.

    “The picture is pretty clear,” said Republican pollster Whit Ayres. “It is not a muddled message.”

    Ayres pointed to several lessons Republicans should take from Tuesday’s results. In Virginia and New Jersey, two states Trump lost in all three of his presidential runs, Republican gubernatorial candidates tied themselves to the president, a “losing strategy from the start,” he said.

    Republicans might also be inclined to rethink their strategy on redistricting, he said.

    “Given the Democratic margins yesterday, about the last thing you want to do if you want to hold on to the House is weaken Republican incumbent House members, and that’s exactly what will happen if you’re trying to carve out more Republican districts,” he said.

    Trump world deflects blame

    For his part, Trump and his top allies publicly downplayed the election results, with the president noting on social media that he wasn’t on the ballot. He partially blamed the ongoing federal government shutdown, telling Republican lawmakers in a closed-door session Wednesday morning that they are getting “killed” politically by the impasse, a source told CNN.

    Vice President JD Vance said that “it’s idiotic to overreact to a couple of elections in blue states.” But he also warned that the GOP needs “to do better at turning out voters than we have in the past.”

    “I said it in 2022, and I’ve said it repeatedly since: our coalition is ‘lower propensity’ and that means we have to do better at turning out voters than we have in the past,” Vance said Wednesday morning on X.

    Vance also urged Republicans to focus on affordability. He said the Trump administration “inherited a disaster from Joe Biden and Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

    Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz called the election results a “great lesson for the Republican Party,” blaming the losing Virginia gubernatorial nominee, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, for failing to excite Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement.

    “Your candidate needs to be able to turn out ALL FACTIONS of our party, and they do that by being MAGA all the way,” he wrote on X.

    Though Tuesday’s GOP losses were wide-ranging, Republicans focused on elevating one Democratic winner: Mamdani, the 34-year-old Muslim and democratic socialist mayor-elect of New York City.

    House Majority Leader Steve Scalise called Mamdani “the new leader of the Democrat Party.”

    House Speaker Mike Johnson said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is “apparently a socialist now,” since Jeffries endorsed Mamdani.

    Democratic ideological rifts remain

    Mamdani’s victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in New York City emboldened the left wing of the Democratic Party. Usamah Andrabi, a spokesperson for Justice Democrats, a group created to oust “corporate Democrats” and elect progressives, said Mamdani’s win marks a “turning point” for their movement and shows the importance of competitive races.

    One long-simmering debate Tuesday’s results didn’t settle is the ideological battle within the Democratic Party over the way forward, with a host of competitive House and Senate primaries just months away and the 2028 presidential primary already looming large.

    “Democratic primaries can and should be the battleground for the control of our party’s direction,” Andrabi said.

    A supporter for independent mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo watches election night returns during a watch party for Cuomo in New York on Tuesday. Credit: Heather Khalifa / AP via CNN Newsource

    However, in New Jersey and Virginia, the winning Democratic candidates are moderates with strong national security credentials. Spanberger, the Virginia governor-elect, criticized Mamdani in an interview with CNN just days before the election, suggesting his proposals aimed at reducing the cost of living will ultimately disappoint his supporters.

    “We don’t need to settle,” said Omero, the Democratic pollster. “We’re able to have more moderate candidates in some places and more progressive candidates in some places. That feels like an important lesson.”

    One area where Democrats appeared broadly on the same page Wednesday is the ongoing government shutdown — fueled in part by Democrats’ demand that Republicans make concessions on health care funding in order to pass a measure that would fund the government.

    Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy wrote on X that it is “not a coincidence these big wins came at the exact moment when Democrats are using our power to stand for something and be strong. A huge risk to not learn that lesson.”

    [ad_2]

    Eric Bradner, Arit John and CNN

    Source link