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A woman was found dead during a welfare check in Adams County. Deputies responded to a home on Melanie Road in Natchez around 12:30 p.m. Saturday. During the investigation, Sheriff Travis Patton reported that the missing person they were searching for was located deceased. The case has been classified as a homicide.

The victim was identified as retired teacher Lana Brown Bradley. Patton identified the suspect as 29‑year‑old Zachary Lavelle Jackson Jr. He has been charged with first‑ and second‑degree murder, mayhem, and tampering with physical evidence. Jackson is being held at the Adams County Jail. According to the sheriff, Jackson is Bradley’s son.

Three weeks into the Louisiana legislative session, no substantive legislation has advanced through the Capitol. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonnat said Governor Jeff Landry’s legislative agenda is relatively light following two years of major reforms in education, crime, taxes, and insurance. Pinsonnat said lawmakers can expect an increase in “feel‑good legislation” as legislators pursue their own priorities. One bill moving to the House floor would eliminate the requirement for inspection stickers on personal vehicles. Pinsonnat said additional bills with significant impact are expected, including measures sought by the business community related to tort reform.

Mississippi lawmakers have completed their work for the 2026 legislative session, though they are scheduled to return April 15 if additional items require action. Lieutenant Governor Delbert Holsman said he is pleased legislators approved a teacher pay raise this session. Lawmakers also passed legislation expanding what leaders refer to as the Mississippi Miracle for literacy in grades four through eight. The measure would also create the Mississippi Match Act, which authorizes K‑12 math coaching and support and provides teachers with tools to work individually with struggling students.

In Iberia Parish, an alleged drunk driver crashed into more than a dozen people watching a parade on Saturday.

The Mississippi River at Natchez is at 25.31 feet and falling.

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The Mississippi Legislature has designated $1 million for infrastructure projects in Natchez, including the replacement of the Canal Street Bridge. The funding is part of a broader local projects bill approved by both the House and Senate and now awaiting the signature of Governor Tate Reeves. The city previously received $2 million from the U.S. Congress in February for the bridge project. According to Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson, an additional $4 million is still needed to complete the replacement.

Crawfish prices in Louisiana have remained steady during the week leading up to Easter, which is typically the busiest weekend of the year for crawfish sales. Live crawfish are averaging about $3.50 per pound, while boiled crawfish are a little over $6 per pound. These prices are similar to last Easter but remain 75 cents to $1 per pound higher than what is typical for the holiday period. The timing of Easter may be contributing to the trend, as later Easters often see lower prices, though last year’s late-April Easter saw similar costs.

Officials with the Mississippi State University Extension Service report that the state’s blueberry industry continues to face challenges, including reduced acreage and losses from a mid-March freeze. Grower Jeremy Edwards of Great Southern Farms in Richton estimates that up to 20% of the fruit on his 160 acres of southern highbush shrubs in Perry County was lost. Despite this, he expects an average production year, with harvest beginning in late April and ending around July 4.

Electricity costs are rising, and a report from the Pelican Institute for Public Policy suggests changes to Louisiana’s regulatory framework to help limit rate increases. Between 2024 and 2025, power costs for Louisiana customers increased by 14%, with March bills averaging $10 more than the previous year. The report highlights several possible approaches to address the trend, including allowing large factories and data centers to build or purchase their own power sources.

The Mississippi River at Natchez-Vidalia is measuring 26.99 feet and falling.

The Mississippi Legislature has approved a bill to name the Sergeant Prentiss Drive Bridge crossing Liberty Road in Natchez after former Mayor Butch Brown. Local leaders in Natchez and Adams County requested the designation. The bridge is part of the state highway system. The bill now goes to Governor Tate Reeves for his signature. Brown, who died in 2023, served three terms as mayor and was also the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation between his terms in office.

NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans marked a major milestone as components built there play key roles in the Artemis 2 mission to the moon. The facility produced the propellant tanks and the module that will carry astronauts. NASA officials said about 2,000 people contributed to Artemis 2. Michoud has a long history with NASA and is expected to participate in building the spacecraft planned to land on the moon, possibly in 2028.

The Mississippi Department of Education announced that new, higher standards for school and district accountability grades will take effect in the 2025–26 school year. Grades released this fall will establish a new baseline for evaluating performance. The department said grades for 2025–26 cannot be compared with previous years due to the increased standards. As a result, many schools and districts may receive lower grades than those earned in 2024 and 2025. State law requires raising accountability standards when 75 percent of students are proficient or when 65 percent of schools or districts earn a B or higher, a benchmark Mississippi reached in 2023.

A proposed constitutional amendment in Louisiana that would limit governors to two total terms advanced in the legislative process. The House Governmental Affairs Committee approved the measure by Representative Mike Bayham with an 11–2 vote. Current law allows governors who have served two consecutive terms to run again after a four‑year break. Supporters of the amendment argue that two terms should be sufficient for any governor to accomplish their goals.

The Mississippi River at Natchez–Vidalia is at 28.33 feet and falling.

An arrest has been made in the six-year-old double homicide of Jimesia “Becky” Brown and Cameron “Cam” Jones in Natchez, according to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. The victims were shot and killed on May 1, 2020, at the Kenny Graves apartments. Authorities report that multiple agencies have been involved in the long-running investigation and that recent developments include one arrest and the identification of additional suspects. At least one person connected to the case has not yet been located. The sheriff’s office says the investigation remains active and continues to be a priority.

A proposal to eliminate Louisiana’s vehicle inspection sticker requirement has advanced in the Legislature. State Representative Larry Bagley’s measure received approval from the House Transportation Committee. The plan would replace the current inspection sticker with a QR code placed on a vehicle’s windshield. The QR code, which would remain on the vehicle permanently, would cost $6 annually and include the vehicle’s VIN information. Bagley says the system would be cheaper and eliminate the need for regular inspections. Previous attempts to end the inspection requirement have failed, but this effort is backed by the governor.

The U.S. Supreme Court appeared likely to rule in favor of Mississippi death row inmate Terry Pitchford, who argues that racial bias affected the jury selection in his case. Pitchford was sentenced to death for his role in the killing of a grocery store owner in northern Mississippi. His jury included one Black juror. Former prosecutor Doug Evans, who has a documented history of removing Black jurors for discriminatory reasons, dismissed four other Black prospective jurors. The case mirrors issues raised in a similar Mississippi death penalty case overturned by the Supreme Court seven years ago. The Court’s 1986 ruling in Batson v. Kentucky prohibits removing jurors based on race.

The Alliance for Affordable Energy is responding to an agreement between Entergy and Meta that the companies say will save customers more than $2 billion over 20 years. Under the deal, Meta would cover the full cost of building seven new gas-powered plants for Entergy. Logan Burke, the Alliance’s executive director, says the projected savings do not reflect the long-term lifespan of the infrastructure and argues that Louisiana regulators should impose stronger protections and guarantees. Burke says public service commissioners need to ensure adequate oversight.

The Mississippi River at Natchez is at 29.94 feet and falling.

The Mississippi State Board of Education has approved a corrective plan for the Natchez-Adams School District after the district’s accreditation was placed on probation last fall. The probation resulted from the district not submitting its financial audits for fiscal years 2023 and 2024 on time. According to district leadership, a new CPA firm is now assisting with completing the overdue audits, and the audit for fiscal year 2025 is expected to be submitted by the June 15 deadline. This was the district’s only area of noncompliance.

LSU Alexandria will soon offer three-year bachelor’s degree programs. The first two accelerated programs will be in information technology and bioinformatics. The programs were approved last week by the Board of Regents. Each degree will require 90 credit hours instead of the traditional 120 while still combining core general education courses with specialized curriculum requirements.

The Mississippi Forestry Commission reports that a wildfire in Carroll County, known as the Big Hungry fire, is now 70 percent contained. The fire has burned 4,246 acres, or roughly six and a half miles, as of Monday. Ground and air crews will continue monitoring the fire’s perimeter until full containment is reached. It is the second-largest wildfire in Mississippi history.

In Louisiana, a bill designed to make canceling unwanted subscriptions easier is advancing in the Legislature. The “Click to Cancel” bill by Representative Vincent Cox passed unanimously in the House Commerce Committee. The proposal would require that consumers be allowed to cancel subscriptions using the same method they used to sign up. Cox says many constituents have expressed frustration with cancellation processes that are more difficult than enrollment.

The Mississippi River at Natchez is at 31.86 feet and falling.

A brush fire reported on Saragossa Road A in Natchez developed into a structure fire after flames spread Saturday evening. The call to 911 came in just before 6 p.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation, and there is no information yet on injuries or the extent of the damage.

The Louisiana House Ways and Means Committee is expected to debate whether the state should adopt a centralized sales tax collection system. According to the Tax Foundation, Louisiana is now the only state operating without centralized collection, after Colorado and Alabama made changes to their systems. Local governments have expressed concerns that centralization could reduce their revenue, while supporters argue the current system is overly complex and may be causing both state and local governments to lose tax revenue.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has signed House Bill 1404, which holds landlords criminally accountable for unpaid utility bills when tenants have already paid them. The bill follows recent incidents in Jackson where tenants lost water service despite paying their landlords. The new law includes potential fines and jail time for landlords, depending on how overdue the utility bills are.

Louisiana Representative Michael Eccles has introduced a plan to raise teacher salaries to the southern regional average over a four‑year period. The estimated cost ranges from about $200 million to $600 million. Funding could come from public‑sector cost savings and may depend on voter approval of Constitutional Amendment 3, which would redirect money from the teacher retirement system.

The Mississippi River at Natchez is at 33.71 feet and falling.