Author: Imported Author 1980807

Adams County officials are encouraging property owners to visit the tax assessor’s office this month to review the newly assessed values of their homes, businesses, and land. These annual assessments determine property taxes due next year. The push follows taxpayer concerns earlier this year after many saw significant increases in their property value-based tax bills.

During a meeting Monday with the Adams County Board of Supervisors, Tax Assessor Larry Hughes urged residents to check their assessments, ask questions, and present any necessary corrections or clarifications. The deadline for public inspection of tax rolls is July 31.

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple reported that this year’s legislative session resulted in several new laws affecting his department. One measure allows the department to take action against individuals performing insurance-related work without a license, expanding its authority beyond investigating licensed professionals. Another law increases maximum fines for insurance professionals, insurance companies, and pharmacy benefit managers. Additionally, a new provision ensures that claims made on one policy do not affect another policy for customers who bundle coverage.

A new safety initiative will target speeding on the Natchez Trace Parkway. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Speeding Catches Up With You” campaign will run through the end of the month. Parkway rangers and Mississippi Highway Patrol troopers will focus on enforcement of aggressive speeding violations. According to the NHTSA, speeding contributes to thousands of fatal crashes and many more injuries each year.

Louisiana is facing a major blood shortage. Vitalant spokesperson Marlie Juarez says donations typically decline during the summer when schools are out and families travel, but the current shortage is the most severe in two years. O-negative blood remains in highest demand as a universal type, but O-positive is also urgently needed because it can be given to any positive blood type, and about 85 percent of Americans have a positive blood type. Donors can receive a $20 gift card through Saturday.

The Mississippi River at Natchez-Vidalia stands at 41.60 feet and is rising.

Adams County officials expressed sadness and concern following two deadly shootings over the weekend at a Natchez grocery store and a bar, which resulted in three deaths. During a Monday meeting, county supervisors, Sheriff Travis Patton, and other leaders acknowledged the separate incidents and the impact they have had on the community. Patton said the shootings do not indicate a broader rise in homicidal crime in Natchez or Adams County.

In response to the violence, County Supervisor Ricky Gray proposed prohibiting weapons inside the Adams County administrative office building, except for individuals authorized to carry firearms. Because Mississippi law permits most people to carry guns in public places, Board Attorney Scott Slover said he will research whether such a restriction would be legally permissible.

In Louisiana, the attorney representing Attorney General Liz Murrell criticized the 16‑count Orleans Parish grand jury indictment issued against her client. Attorney Laura Rodriguez described the indictment as politically motivated. She said Murrell’s letters to Mayor Helena Moreno and others, which threatened potential removal from office, were part of enforcing a law that state legislators had long attempted to implement. Rodriguez noted that every other parish in Louisiana uses a single clerk of court for both civil and criminal matters, unlike Orleans Parish, which has two. She also said there were reports of grand jurors leaking information, calling the allegation serious because grand jury proceedings are required by law to remain secret.

The Mississippi Board of Nursing announced a new initiative aimed at strengthening the state’s nursing pipeline through its Office of Nursing Workforce. The program, branded as Onward, is designed to better connect with younger generations and communicate its mission. Onward seeks to generate student interest in Mississippi nursing programs and support career advancement for current nurses. The initiative includes a redesigned website, increased participation in conferences and college events, video storytelling, and targeted social media outreach. It also aims to connect nursing education with clinical practice to support a well‑trained health care workforce in the state.

Public and charter school students in grades three through twelve recorded their highest performance levels to date on this year’s LEAP assessments. State Education Superintendent Kate Brumley said 62 percent of students scored at the basic level or above, while 36 percent reached mastery or advanced levels, marking the highest overall mastery performance in state history.

The Mississippi River at Natchez Valley measured 41.48 feet and is rising.

Natchez police have arrested a Southside Market employee accused of opening fire inside the store Thursday night, killing one person and injuring two others. Jamiad Miles, 23, is charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder. Kenrick Wimbley, 28, died at the hospital. Phillip Bradley and 30-year-old Keelan Wimbley were wounded and flown for medical treatment. Their conditions have not been released. Police found Miles hiding in a store bathroom and asleep in the building after the shooting. According to Police Chief Lee Bass, Miles said he had been assaulted after a verbal exchange while collecting carts in the parking lot, and then pulled a gun and opened fire.

The criminal case against Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrell is on hold after the Louisiana State Supreme Court issued an emergency stay of her 16-count indictment. Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino said the court halted the prosecution due to what it described as defects in the grand jury process, including leaks, violations of grand jury secrecy, and the improper secret return of the indictment. Murrell had been indicted on malfeasance and intimidation charges related to a letter she sent to New Orleans officials concerning potential removal from office if they did not comply with a new state law consolidating the city’s court system. Ciolino said he expects Murrell’s motion to dismiss the charges to be successful.

Two people are dead and seven others injured after a shooting in Wilkinson County early Saturday. The incident occurred near the Orchard Cafe on Highway 24 before 1 a.m. The sheriff’s office reported that two men died from their injuries. Three victims were transported to a trauma center, and four others were treated and released. Centerville Police and assisting agencies processed the crime scene and are conducting interviews. The investigation is ongoing.

LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is launching the Coach trial, a program offering evidence-based obesity treatment to families across Louisiana. The program aims to enroll hundreds of children ages 5 to 17 who are classified as obese. Dr. Amanda Staiano, director of the Pediatric Obesity and Health Behavior Laboratory, said participating families will receive weight‑management support, including guidance on healthy eating, menu planning, grocery shopping, and building a healthy home environment. Clinics statewide are participating. More information is available at joincoach.org.

The Mississippi River at Natchez-Visalia is at 41.17 feet and rising.

A Natchez woman is among 21 people arrested in Louisiana as part of a crackdown on Medicaid fraud. Carolyn Brown of Natchez was booked into the Concordia Parish Jail and faces charges of Medicaid fraud and filing or maintaining false public records. She is accused of defrauding the Medicaid program of $416,000 through her counseling and therapy service.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrell has been indicted on 16 felony counts related to alleged threats made toward New Orleans elected officials. The counts include eight charges of malfeasance in office and eight charges of intimidation and retaliation. The indictment states that Murrell sent letters to New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno and other officials indicating they could be removed from office if they continued efforts to oppose a state law consolidating the city’s two clerk of court offices. Murrell’s attorney, Laura Rodrigue, criticized the indictment, while Governor Jeff Landry said he is prepared to issue a pardon if Murrell is convicted. Special prosecutor Lori Wright responded that a conviction should proceed before any pardon is considered.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has signed a proclamation designating July 5 through 11 as Mississippi Farmers Market Week. The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce is highlighting the importance of the state’s 40 certified farmers markets, emphasizing their role in supporting public health and providing access to fresh, locally grown produce.

Law enforcement agencies are urging the public to act responsibly over the Fourth of July holiday period as the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign continues through Monday. The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission says federal funding allows state and local agencies to conduct overtime patrols focused on identifying impaired drivers. Louisiana typically records between five and ten fatalities during the Independence Day holiday due to impaired driving.

The Mississippi River at Natchez-Vidalia is at 40.09 feet and rising.

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Local officials and residents marked the return of commercial airline service to Natchez-Adams County, ending a three-decade absence. SkyWest Airlines, operating as a regional partner of United Airlines, has begun daily flights between Natchez’s Hardy-Andrews Field and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The route uses 50-seat jets for early afternoon departures and arrivals.

United and SkyWest agreed last October to provide the service, supported in part by a $950,000 government risk‑mitigation fund intended to offset potential financial losses as the carriers establish the route.

A new voter registration report in Louisiana shows a significant political shift. According to July data from the Secretary of State, registered Republican voters now outnumber registered Democratic voters for the first time in the state’s modern history. Republicans lead by approximately 2,300 voters. Each major party has about 1 million registered voters, while no‑party registrations have risen to about 820,000. Analysts expect no‑party registrations to continue increasing and potentially surpass Democratic registration totals.

In Mississippi, recent heavy rainfall has caused major damage to fruit and vegetable crops in the southern region of the state. The Mississippi State University Extension Service reports that watermelon and blueberry growers have experienced high yield losses. The South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station recorded at least 30 inches of rain from mid‑May to mid‑June, with some areas receiving more. Farmers are also losing much of the portion of melons that had already been harvested, and other vegetable crops have been affected as well.

Louisiana officials announced multiple arrests in a nationwide Medicaid fraud crackdown. Attorney General Liz Morial reported that 21 people were arrested, including one individual accused of stealing more than $415,000 from the program. Morial said Medicaid fraud enforcement remains a top priority, noting that the state has secured 105 convictions and more than $73 million in restitution orders. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit now operates as a standalone division within the Louisiana Department of Justice.

The Mississippi River at Natchez has reached 39.95 feet and continues to rise.