LUY-Development

Category: Local News

  • Bishop Gunn Crawfish Boil to Take Place at Rosalie Mansion on May 9, 2020

    Bishop Gunn Crawfish Boil to Take Place at Rosalie Mansion on May 9, 2020

    Natchez, MS – On Saturday, May 9, 2020, Bishop Gunn Crawfish Boil will return to Natchez, MS, for its third southern celebration of Natchez, music, and food! This year’s event will move from its original location at Bluff Park to Rosalie Mansion. The second annual BGCB took place last year and attracted over 4,000 people – pulling visitors from 32 states, plus Belgium, the U.K., and Canada.

    “Some of you have already heard the rumors and guessed the news… yes, it’s true, the Bishop Gunn Crawfish Boil is returning in 2020! Not only that, but we are moving to Rosalie Mansion this year, the site of our beloved Natchez Balloon Festival.

    “We truly feel that we have the best fans in the world, which you all proved at last year’s BGCB when you came out in droves despite the poor weather. It’s only right that we repay your commitment with another go at this thing! This event is all about celebrating the culture of our beautiful hometown with local food, drink and of course, music! We’ll see y’all on May 9th!”

    – Ben Lewis, Burne Sharpe, Drew Smithers, and Travis McCready, Bishop Gunn

    2019 was a monumental year for Bishop Gunn. They toured Europe with Slash, supported Marcus King Band in the U.S., and opened up for The Rolling Stones and Guns N’ Roses! The band has recently been in the studio working on their follow-up album to critically acclaimed Natchez, with plans to release later this year.

    The full BGCB 2020 music lineup will be released at a later date. Tickets will go on sale Monday, January 13, at 10am CST and can be purchased at www.ardenland.net. Tickets will cost $30 advance and $40 at the gate. Children ages 10 and under receive free admission.

    Stay up to date on all things BGCB 2020 by visiting Bishop Gunn Crawfish Boil’s Facebook.

    For information regarding sponsorship opportunities, please contact Arden Barnett at arden@ardenland.net.

    Bishop Gunn Crawfish Boil is produced by Ardenland.

     

  • Law Enforcement Teamwork Credited For Decrease In Crime

    Law Enforcement Teamwork Credited For Decrease In Crime

    NATCHEZ, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi city recorded a decrease in homicides and its police chief said it was possible thanks to a law enforcement partnership.

    There were three homicides in Natchez in 2019, compared to 12 the year before, said police chief Walter Armstrong, The Natchez Democrat reported.

    The drop came at the same time the city’s police department partnered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mississippi Department of Corrections and other agencies for Project EJECT, U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst said. The acronym stands for Empower Justice, Expel Crime Together, Hurst said.

    Project EJECT was implemented in Jackson in 2017. It helped reduce crime there by 7% in its first year, Hurst said.

    Natchez also took part in Project NOLA, a community-based crime camera system. Nearly 120 cameras were installed throughout the city, the police chief said.

    In addition, the police department increased salaries to recruit and retain officers, Armstrong said.

  • Natchez Community to Benefit from Cancer Care Enhancements

    Natchez Community to Benefit from Cancer Care Enhancements

    Natchez, Miss. – Patients visiting Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Natchez will soon notice facility improvements over the next three months. The more than $300 thousand investment will focus on renovations that reflect the advanced care delivered to radiation therapy patients.

    Within the facility, the aesthetics will emphasize a welcoming environment with warmer colors, new carpeting, flooring and furniture. The treatment area will also be remodeled to accommodate future technology. Outside of the facility, a new roof will be installed and other external improvements are underway. The overall internal aesthetic will also match that of Mary Bird Perkins’ other locations.

    “We believe that a comfortable, healing environment is important to the overall patient experience,” said Todd Stevens, president and chief executive officer, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “Enhancing the physical surroundings will not only enrich the experience for patients and family members, but create a more functional workspace for radiation oncologist Dr. Gregory Cotter and the outstanding team in Natchez. Mary Bird Perkins’ is always striving to improve survivorship and lessen the burden of cancer; this renovation is one of the ways that we are advancing this mission in southwest Mississippi.”

    Mary Bird Perkins will also launch its Prevention on the Go program in Natchez in the first quarter of 2020. Prevention on the Go provides prevention and early detection education and screenings in locations where people live, work and play via its mobile medical unit, bringing these critical services closer to the individuals who need them most. Since 2002, the Cancer Center has provided more than 90,000 cancer screenings. Patients receiving an abnormal finding following a screening are navigated by a nurse to help determine appropriate next steps and guide them through the process.

    “The sooner cancer is detected, the better the chances are for a favorable outcome,” said Dr. Cotter. “Mississippi’s cancer rates are similar to the rest of the country, but the disease is typically caught at later stages, which creates a situation where we must rely on more complicated and invasive treatments. Through Prevention on the Go, we’ll be able to diagnosis cancer in its earliest stages when more treatment options are available to patients and their physicians.”

     

    About Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center
    Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is a regional cancer care organization that has been fighting cancer for almost 50 years. The cancer care organization provides care at nine centers in Baton Rouge, Covington, Hammond, Houma, Gonzales, Zachary and Natchez, Mississippi, and its service area encompasses southeast Louisiana and southwest Mississippi regions. For more information, please visit www.marybird.org.

  • Adams County Sheriff, Travis Patten, gives warning to community with weekend approaching.

    Adams County Sheriff, Travis Patten, gives warning to community with weekend approaching.

    Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten warned that recent gang-related violence and killings at Mississippi prisons could bleed into Adams County.

    Among the four state inmates killed in the past week or so in prison fights was Terrandance Dobbins, who the sheriff said was a gang leader from Adams County being buried here Saturday. Rival gangs have “declared war” on each other in state prisons and the streets, Patten said. The sheriff noted he and his deputies will “be there in force” to quell any potential gang-related violence as Dobbins is buried in Adams County.

    Four inmates have died and several have been injured at two state prisons and one regional jail during “major disturbances” since Dec. 29, according to the state Department of Corrections. A system-wide lockdown was initiated last week at all state prisons imposing more restrictions on inmates.

  • U.S. Army Recruiting Command Discredits Military Draft Text Messages

    U.S. Army Recruiting Command Discredits Military Draft Text Messages

    A number of fraudulent text messages informing individuals they have been selected for a military draft have circulated throughout the country this week.

    FORT KNOX – The U.S. Army Recruiting Command has received multiple calls and emails about these fake text messages and wants to ensure Americans understand these texts are false and were not initiated by this command or the U.S. Army.

    The decision to enact a draft is not made at or by the U.S. Army Recruiting Command. The Selective Service System, a separate agency outside of the Department of Defense, is the organization that manages registration for the Selective Service.

    “The Selective Service System is conducting business as usual,” according to the Selective Service System’s official Facebook page. “In the event that a national emergency necessitates a draft, Congress and the President would need to pass official legislation to authorize a draft.”

    The draft has not been in effect since 1973. The military has been an all-volunteer force since that time. Registering for the Selective Service does not enlist a person into the military.

    Army recruiting operations are proceeding as normal.

    For information about volunteering to serve in the U.S. Army, please contact a local Army recruiting office.

  • Brakenridge Furniture of Ferriday, LA is the Home Furnishings Association’s Retailer of the Year

    Brakenridge Furniture of Ferriday, LA is the Home Furnishings Association’s Retailer of the Year

    High Point NC,– The Home Furnishings Association (HFA) is proud to announce Brakenridge Furniture, based in Ferriday, La., as its 2019 Retailer of the Year in the small retailer category, those with less than 50 employees. Brakenridge Furniture was founded in 1961 by Gene Brakenridge, who died in 2017. The business is now owned and operated by his daughter, Anna Ferguson, who is also a lawyer.

    Please join us as we celebrate and award Brakenridge on Tuesday, January 7, 2020, at 10:00 am at the Ferriday LA location. Mark Schumacher, HFA Executive Vice President, will present Brakenridge Furniture with their Retailer of the year award. The local community is encouraged to attend the event and congratulate their hometown retailer.

    “We are so proud and pleased to honor Brakenridge Furniture,” said Sharron Bradley, chief executive officer of the Home Furnishings Association. “The business has a long tradition of treating every customer with respect and working with them to make purchases affordable. The company is an invaluable community asset, supporting everything from the local animal shelter to the high school band. It’s successful because it has earned the trust and affection of people in Ferriday and surrounding areas.”

    The home furnishings industry nominated HFA members based on their exceptional examples of philanthropy, technology, customer experience, mentoring, sustainability, and store design/merchandising. A panel of judges comprised of members of HFA’s Board of Directors, HFA members; Past ROTY Winners; manufacturers; service providers/suppliers; and members of the industry media voted on the nominations.

    About the Home Furnishings Association:

    The Home Furnishings Association (HFA), with roots dating back to 1920, is North America’s largest organization devoted specifically to the needs and interests of home furnishings retailers, with more than 1,200 members representing more than 7,000 storefronts across all 50 states and several countries. Association offices in the East, West, and Central United States provide members with programs, resources, services, and a unified voice in government relations by collaborating with home furnishings industry suppliers, vendors, affiliates, and other organizations. For more information on the HFA visit www.myhfa.org.

  • New Adams County board holds first meeting

    NATCHEZ, Miss. – The new Adams County Board of Supervisors began the first meeting of its four-year term Monday with the election of Ricky Gray as president.

    Gray and Angela Hutchins are the board’s two veterans as three newcomers became supervisors last week with the start of the new year. Gray began his second term as District 4 supervisor while Hutchins enters her third term representing District 3. She was elected to be the board’s vice president.

    New supervisors Warren Gaines of District 5, Wes Middleton of District 1 and Kevin Wilson of District 2 joined Gray and Hutchins to reappoint Joe Murray as county administrator and Scott Slover as board attorney – two key county officials who’ve been at the board table during meetings with supervisors for at least eight years.

    The supervisors on Monday also reappointed other long-serving holdovers to county government positions, such as the county engineer, inventory clerk and purchasing clerk.

  • Fields to run for mayor again; Hall throws hat in ring for alderwoman

    Fields to run for mayor again; Hall throws hat in ring for alderwoman

    NATCHEZ — Ernest “Tony” Fields threw his hat into the ring Friday to run for Natchez Mayor and will face Dan Gibson who had filed for the office last week.

    Both are running as Democrats and will face each other in the primary election on April 7.

    As of Monday, Fields and Gibson were among eight candidates who had filed to run in the April election that includes Natchez Mayor and Board of Aldermen positions.

    “I just feel like I have the knowledge, the tools and willingness to work that would make me a good mayor,” Fields said. “… I’ve had a lot of people come out and support me on this and for that I am really grateful.”

    Incumbent Natchez Mayor Darryl Grennell announced last month that he will not seek a second term in office. Fields ran against Grennell for the postion in 2016 but lost to Grennell in the primary.

    Grennell beat independent candidate Eric Junkin in the general election.

    Other candidates who have qualified as of Monday include Valencia Hall, who filed as a Democrat to run against incumbent Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis.

    “I am running to be the leader that we need for Natchez and to Ward 1,” Hall said. “I want to bring unity and cohesiveness to the board and to Natchez. We need social infrastructure and economic infrastructure, but we — the Board of Aldermen and Mayor — have to work together with Natchez Inc. and Natchez Now. I want to be the voice of Ward 1, which it desperately needs. … The divisiveness has to end in order for us to become unified and work as one body to bring Natchez forward.”

    Ward 6 Alderman Dan Dillard, Ward 2 Alderman Billie Joe Frazier, Ward 4 Alderwoman Felicia Irving and Ward 5 Alderman Ben Davis all submitted applications for reelection to their current seats.

    Fields said he does not support OneBoard, a local group led by attorney Paul Beniost that advocates abolishing the city’s special code charter and placing the City of Natchez under the governing authority of the Adams County Board of Supervisors.

    “I respect Mr. Benoist and the efforts of the group that is pushing that initiative. I just believe it’s too radical of a change for our community,” Fields said. “We should really change our mindset to be more progressive — to be strategic and purposeful in our short- and long-term goals. … I know Natchez can work. We just have to make it work. I know that is easier said than done, but I work hard each and every day to prove the doubters wrong.”

    The City of Natchez election qualification period began Jan. 2 and ends Feb. 7, said City Clerk Servia Fortenberry. Runoff elections, if necessary, will be April 28, followed by the general election on June 2, Fortenberry said.

    Story From: The Natchez Democrat

    By Sabrina Simms Robertson

  • Alexandria Police Chief Abruptly Placed On Leave

    Alexandria Police Chief Abruptly Placed On Leave

    Police Chief Jerrod King was placed on leave late Friday afternoon.

    City spokesman Jim Smilie declined to answer queries about King, saying it was a personnel matter.

    On Dec. 31, King posted a long statement on his Facebook page praising police officers’ dedication and detailing the department’s struggles with issues such as staffing and budgeting in 2019.

    “It has been my distinct honor and absolute privilege to serve as your Chief this past year,” the statement said. “None of us know what tomorrow may hold but I want to assure you that I am and will always be extremely grateful to each of you, the men and women of this department, and to your families for allowing me to serve as your Chief.”

    The message ended with well wishes for 2020.

    Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall named Assistant Chief of Police Farrell Gaspard as the interim chief, according to a city statement released Sunday.

    News outlets weren’t immediately able to reach King or the Alexandria Police Officers Association.

  • FDA: It is now illegal to sell tobacco products to people younger than 21

    FDA: It is now illegal to sell tobacco products to people younger than 21

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that the federal minimum age to buy tobacco is now 21 years old.

    When initially signed into law earlier this month, there was no effective date for raising the age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21. It was suggested that the new law wouldn’t be enforced for about six to nine months.

    The FDA, however, released the following statement on its website:

    “On December 20, 2019, the President signed legislation to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and raise the federal minimum age of sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21 years. It is now illegal for a retailer to sell any tobacco product – including cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes – to anyone under 21. FDA will provide additional details on this issue as they become available.”

    While the FDA states it’s now illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 21, both they and the law itself state there are more steps that must be done to finalize things.

    Along with the initial statement on its site, the agency tweeted: “As required by the legislation, @US_FDA intends to publish a final rule updating its current regulations solely to carry out the amendments made by the legislation within 180 days. FDA will provide additional details on this issue as they become available.”

    The legislation says the regulations will take effect no more than 90 days after the final rule is published.