Scott Colom wins Mississippi Senate seat, breaking a 150-year barrier

Democrat Scott Colom won the U.S. Senate seat in Mississippi on Wednesday night. He defeated Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith. Colom is the first Black person to hold the office in the state since the Reconstruction era. He is also the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Mississippi since 1982. The state has one of the largest Black populations in the country. Local observers note that high turnout and community organizing drove the result. The previous Black senators from Mississippi during Reconstruction were Hiram Revels and Blanche K. Bruce.

At Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and several senior advisers were reprimanded by an Army Sentinel. The incident occurred after the Veterans Day ceremony. Hegseth’s group laughed and talked near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Sentinel stopped his patrol and demanded silence. The Tomb honors fallen service members whose remains were never identified. It is guarded around the clock. The Sentinel’s action enforced the standard of reverence for all visitors, regardless of rank.

Wholesale turkey prices have risen 12% ahead of Thanksgiving. Feed costs for producers have climbed between 10% and 12%. Family farms report difficulty absorbing these increases. One New Jersey farm raised its retail price by 30 cents per pound. The owner described the decision as difficult due to long-term customer relationships. Shoppers are advised to compare prices early and budget accordingly before the holiday rush.

Mrs. Lessie Benningfield Randle celebrated her 112th birthday last week in Tulsa. She is the last known living witness to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Family, friends, and community leaders gathered to honor her. Many in the community affectionately call her Mother Randle. She was six years old when a white mob destroyed the Greenwood District. That area was a thriving Black business community known as Black Wall Street. Her survival provides a living link to that history.

The news cycle also included reports that a Black man flipped a Mississippi county named after the KKK's founder. Fawn Weaver stated she remains unshaken despite recent news regarding Uncle Nearest. The officer who killed Philando Castile claimed in a new statement that he indeed saw a gun. Additionally, hackers linked to an Iranian hactivist group exposed personal emails belonging to Kash Patel.