Local News 

Sheriff David Hedrick  See our CPSO Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CPsheriff.

Arts Natchez will host a Second Saturday Reception June 13, from 5-7 p.m. at 425 Main Street. Sculptor Armand Saiia of Natchez has been named Arts Natchez Gallery’s Artist of the Month for June, and the public is invited to view his latest work. Refreshments will be served. The reception is free and open to the public. Saiia’s exhibition will include medium-sized and small sculptures, as well as paintings he has completed over the past eight months. He describes his paintings as a blend of realism and abstraction. The gallery is open daily beginning at 10 a.m. For more information, call 601-442-0043.

Homeless move in

Thee former Mexican restaurant location on D’Evereux and 61 North in Natchez is falling apart. Trash is all over the place. Abandoned buggies are at the. An open and unlocked door has allowed the homeless to move in.  

Adams deputies arrested Javon V. Williams, 33, of Natchez, on three counts of conspiracy. Bond was set at $150,000. In 2011, he was sentenced to 20 years for killing a 62 year old man by blunt trauma to the head. In 2019, he was arrested for intimidating a witness. He is currently in jail. 

Adams Sheriff Travis Patten says Providence Park is not used for recreation as much as it is for illegal ATV riding, drinking, drugging, vandalism and fights. Young people often meet there to fight it out with their enemies. Supervisors have closed the park after 10 pm but that hasn’t stopped the miscreants. The county may station full time security at the park to reduce the incidence of illegal activity.   

Josephine “Dolly” Craig of Natchez and Ferriday has died at the age of 107. As one of the area’s oldest citizens, she was known for her polite manners, witty conversation and her interest in the community. She was a member of First Baptist Church and the Natchez and Ferriday Garden Clubs. She was also known as well and elegantly dressed.

680 Highway 61 North, Natchez, 601-445-5912

Doyle hired

Chesney Doyle is the new executive director of the Natchez Downtown Association. She has been involved with the group for a decade as a volunteer.

Natchez police arrested Audrey Cotton, 32, of Natchez, for aggravated assault, felony attempts to cause serious bodily harm, and felony malicious mischief. Bond was set at $90,000. In 2017, she was arrested, along with her boyfriend, for felony abuse of her six week old child, fracturing the child’s skull and causing internal bleeding.

At approximately 9:14 p.m. on June 4, Adams County E-911 received a report of a trailer fire at 81 Redd Loop Road, Unit A, in Adams County. According to initial reports, the trailer was fully engulfed in flames when emergency personnel arrived on scene. Information provided to dispatch indicated that all occupants had safely exited the residence prior to the arrival of first responders. The Natchez Fire Department responded to the scene along with Adams County emergency personnel and immediately began fire suppression efforts. Entergy was also notified and responded to assist due to utility concerns associated with the incident. At this time, no injuries have been reported. The trailer sustained significant damage as a result of the fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.   

Fighting sexual ytauma

The Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office will cooperate with the Sexual Trauma Awareness & Response (STAR) Center in Alexandria through an initiative funded by the Office on Violence Against Women. With a $700,000 grant award, STAR is expanding important services to survivors of sexual trauma in Concordia Parish. Services will include therapy, advocacy, outreach and prevention programming. STAR is a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a vision of building a healthy community free from oppression and sexual violence. STAR’s mission is to support survivors of sexual trauma, improve systems response and create social change to end sexual violence. STAR has offices in Alexandria, Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

A disturbance inside a housing dorm at the Catahoula Correctional Center (CCC) resulted in the arrest of 38‑year‑old Ronald Lathers, Jr. after a verbal dispute escalated into a physical altercation involving an improvised weapon. The confrontation began as a verbal disagreement between two inmates. During the exchange, Lathers produced what appeared to be an improvised weapon commonly referred to as a shank. As Lathers advanced toward the other inmate, the victim struck Lathers in an attempt to defend himself. Lathers then continued the assault, striking the victim multiple times. Correctional officers responded immediately. Their rapid intervention stopped the assault and prevented more serious harm. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital, treated for non‑life‑threatening injuries, and later released. Lathers was arrested and charged with second‑degree battery. His bond has been set at $250,000 cash. Sheriff Toney Edwards emphasized the professionalism and preparedness of CCC staff, stating: “Our team acted swiftly when the fight began and intervened before the situation escalated further. Although an improvised weapon was used, the victim could have been hurt much worse. We are committed to ensuring the safety of those in our care and our staff. While incidents can occur in any correctional environment, we continue to strengthen our training and upgrade equipment to reduce risks and maintain a secure facility.”

Four acts will headline the Homochitto River Festival’s entertainment this year, including one group that will be on a reunion tour, it was announced during Friday’s Reveal Party. This year’s festival is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24 in downtown Meadville. The free festival will see the large South Stage returning this year. That stage will only present headliners and will start at 5 p.m. sharp, with performances ending at 8:30 p.m. By design, organizers do not run the festival past that time each year. In addition, the West Stage next to Bank of Franklin will see performances starting at 10 a.m. that will include supporting acts and end with one of the four festival headliners performing the last set, which will end at 4 p.m. Since 2017, the Homochitto River Festival has had 27 nationally and internationally known musicians from the genres of blues, rock, rock-a-billy and country music. Headlining the entertainment this year will be Crossin’ Dixon, Charlie Worsham, The Band Loula and Danica Hart.   

CATAHOULA SHERIFF'S OFFICE: 100 Pine St., Harrisonburg, 318-744-5411; CATAHOULA CORRECTIONAL CENTER, 499 Old Columbia Rd., Harrisonburg, 318-744-2121. Protecting the People and Property of Our Communities. Our deputies and investigators welcome anonymous tips. Let us know if you see a crime in progress or know of ongoing criminal activity. Sheriff Toney Edwards. The sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer for the Parish and he and his staff are responsible for: investigating crimes, making arrests, enforcing traffic regulations on parish roads, serving writs, collection and distribution of court fines, tax collection, communicating with other law enforcement agencies, operating the correctional center and other duties authorized by the State of Louisiana.

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Valencia Hall

Natchez Alderwoman Valenicia Hall went to the Adams Board of Supervisors to ask them to think about sharing costs with the city and build pickleball courts near the community pool. Supervisors listened to her ideas but took no vote on the subject. County leaders expressed concern that the city missed an opportunity to both upgrade tennis and pickleball at the same time at Duncan Park, and supervisors questioned whether building pickleball near the pool was a good idea. Hall herself didn't seem very enthused about building pickleball anywhere, just asking supervisors to ponder the issue generally. She didn't actually make a formal proposal. Supervisors also were worried whether the city would follow through. Several years ago, the county agreed to spend $250,000 to upgrade softball fields, asking the city to match the county contribution. But the city refused to do so. Beau Pre Country Club might convert its tennis courts to pickleball and allowing non-members to play for a small fee. But the club is located quite far out of town, which might limit use.

The Town of Meadville will host a 250 Celebration of America from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, June 26. The evening promises to be one of community, patriotism and fun. Things will begin with a foot parade at 5 p.m., followed by a program on the courthouse lawn starting at 5:30 p.m. Food will be available, and live and local entertainment will also be on hand. Lawn games for all ages will be available as well. Everyone is invited to downtown Meadville to be a part of the celebration.

Concordia deputies arrested Tajaree McCray, 33, of Ferriday, for armed robbery, criminal damage to property and resisting arrest. She being held in jail. Deputies also charged Percy D. Dunbar, 45, of Ferriday, for armed robbery. He is also in jail. In 2019 he was arrested by deputies for aggravated assault, felon in possession of a weapon, resisting an officer and multiple traffic offenses.

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Jobs report

While Adams County showed job losses of 199 jobs compared to last year, the latest figures for Concordia and Catahoula show a slight improvement in the job picture compared to early 2025. Concordia has 5917 people working, up 144 jobs from a year ago. The jobless rate is 6.2%. Catahoula has 3244 people employed, up 35 jobs from a year ago. The unemployment rate is 5%. 

Jonesville celebrates Juneteenth with a parade, gospel celebration, and festival events highlight the 28 year tradition For 28 years, Jonesville has hosted its annual Juneteenth Festival. A weekend when the town comes alive with family reunions, classmates reconnecting, great food, music, and a celebration of heritage. It’s more than a parade or a festival; it’s a true homecoming for the community. Gospel: Sunday, June 14th • 4:00 PM Block High School Admission is free. Juneteenth Parade: Saturday, June 20th • 10:00 AM Lineup begins at 9:00 AM sharp at Block High School. Parade Theme: “Parade of Excellence” Honoring pastors, the elderly, educators, business owners, doctors, nurses, lawyers, judges, active-duty military, veterans, and first responders. To enter parade, contact Vanessa Branch or Charles Branch. Sign up forms on Jonesville Juneteenth Festival Facebook page. Southern Soul & Zydeco Music Fest: Stewart Clark Park Saturday, June 20th • Begins at 1:00 PM Stewart Clark Park Featuring Big Nick and Da Juke, plus Mike Broussard and Nu’Edition Zydeco.. Vendors will be set up throughout the day, and there will be games and special activities for children. For more information, contact a Juneteenth Committee member listed on festival Facebook page.

The Town of Vidalia Water Plant is currently operating off the smaller elevated tank due to maintenance at the water plant. You may experience pressure differences during the period of the next 2 weeks. (May 29 to June 12) The water quality has not changed and is safe for use during this time.

NATCHEZ WATER WORKS: Online Bill Payments -- We accept payments online at www.natchezwaterworks.com. Bill Payment Portal: Payment types accepted through online bill pay are Visa, Mastercard, Discover and Electronic Checks. Have your customer number handy. Other Means: Phone payment at 601-864-1725. Payment by mail. Automatic bank draft. Payment at our Main Office. Our after-hours drop-box at the Main Office. Payment through financial institution online bill pay. Main Office: 150 N. Shields Ln., 601-445-5521. Committed to Providing Safe, Clean Water for All Our Residents

Budgets and taxes

The number of students attending Natchez public schools has declined over the years, with 3000 students in 2018 to 2400 now. The system has lost students through depopulation of the community and a few more students choosing to attend ACCS and Cathedral. The district plans to spend $73.6 million in the school year 2026-2027, up $900,000 from this year, with $14.4 million coming from local property taxes. Since the county’s reassessment of properties is bringing in so much more revenue than in previous years, it’s unlikely supervisors will have to raise taxes this year to fund the school district.   

However, supervisors haven’t given any indication of how their own budget is doing, whether they’ll run a surplus, a deficit or break even for 2025-2026 or what county expenditures and revenues actually are for this year. They just don’t keep track of cash flow on a monthly basis. They passed a $43 million budget for the current year, but there’s no word on whether they’re keeping to that budget. Supervisors promised they would take a look at millage as they finish their budget for 2026-2027 in September. But taking a look at millage could include leaving it the same or increasing it. Supervisor Board President Angela Hutchins has said in the past on two occasions that taxes are not high enough. Many property owners have suffered from 20-50 percent increases in property tax due to reassessment, following a 14.5 percent tax increase two years ago, after supervisors ran a multi million dollar deficit. 

Reassessment has also increased revenues to the city, as those 20–50 percent reassessment increases affected those who pay city in addition to county taxes. Aldermen refused to even consider talking about lowering millage. Mayor Dan Gibson often repeats his stance that the city has not increased millage, trying to say taxes have not gone up. But in fact, city taxes have increased dramatically due to reassessment. And aldermen have taken no action at all toward tax relief. The city passed a $40.9 million budget for the current year, expecting a $1.1 million deficit. The deficit would be covered by existing cash balances. Like the supervisors, aldermen do not monitor spending on a monthly basis and issue no reports on cash flow during the year. Whether the city is on-budget are off-budget is not certain. Meanwhile, tax assessor sponsored reassessment continues and hundreds more local properties will be reassessed this year and next, giving the city and county more tax revenue.   

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Teacher shoots at school mom

A Wilkinson County elementary school teacher has been arrested for a simple assault against a student and an aggravated assault against the student’s mother. Robert Joseph Harris was arrested by county deputies after the school reported the teacher struck the child. Weeks long verbal harassment and abuse of the child including racial disparagement also occurred. A few days after the school and SO investigation began, Harris saw the mother driving her car, as he was driving. He took out a gun and began shooting at her. She was not hurt. But she reported the attack to authorities. It took two days for deputies to find Harris, and when they did, they retrieved the gun he used in the shooting. He was arrested, arraigned in county justice court and jailed on a $40,500 bond.

In February 2926, the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana dropped its investigation of Judge Kathy Johnson for lack of jurisdiction. A complaint had been filed against her, but since she retired, the Commission no longer had the authority to investigate her, find wrongdoing or absolve her of wrongdoing. She was assessed $1122.50 in investigation fees and costs. The Commission does not release the nature of any complaints unless it has established wrongdoing. In early May 2026, the Louisiana Supreme Court took action on Judge John Reeves’ case, in which it was determined that Reeves took a $100 cash gift from a litigant. Reeves formally apologized, realizing he did wrong. The Supreme Court suspended him for 20 days without pay and assessed him $3131.53 in investigation costs and fees. Reeves has been summoned to an evidentiary hearing before the Commission in New Orleans for August 5. Neither the Supreme Court nor Judiciary Commission have said anything about the nature of this upcoming hearing. The hearing is open to the public. The normal procedure followed when a judge is investigated on a complaint is that the Commission wiil research details on the complaint. If it finds merit in a complaint that the judge violated the law or committed an ethics violation, it schedules a hearing with judges listening to both the Commission staff and the accused judge in his defense. Judges accused usually have counsel. At the end of the hearing, a recommendation is made for disciplinary action if necessary. Then the state’s Supreme Court reviews the hearing record and the evidence and makes a final ruling on any punishment. The Court has the ability to modify, accept or reject the Commission’s findings and recommendation. The Commission issued public notices on hearings and disciplinary findings on 13 state judges in 2025. In 2026, it has handled six cases so far. There could be more cases under consideration that have not been publicly mentioned, as it often takes more than a year for a case to be investigated and a hearing to be held. By the time the Supreme Court issues a final ruling, it can take up to two years for the process, including investigation, evidentiary hearing and high court review to be completed.

On May 28, deputies with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office arrested 33 year old John Brandon Sanders of Natchez, Mississippi, on a fugitive warrant stemming from Baldwin County, Alabama. According to the incident report, deputies responded to a residence on Kingston Road after receiving information regarding an NCIC hit connected to Sanders. Upon confirmation through Baldwin County authorities, Sanders was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office for booking. The warrant issued through Baldwin County, Alabama, is for a probation revocation connected to an original charge of Rape in the 1st Degree. Court documents indicate the warrant carries no bond and is listed for extradition within several southeastern states, including Mississippi and Alabama. Sanders is currently being held pending extradition proceedings. Thew budget is expected to be $73. millon, up $900,000 from last year.

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Budget hearing

The Natchez School District will hold a 2026-2027 school budget hearing May 29 at 10 a.m. at Braden School. The public is invited.

ASE' Extraordinary Kids Camps, a regional summer enrichment initiative based in Meadville is preparing to welcome students from across Franklin County and surrounding communities for what organizers describe as more than a camp experience — but a transformational opportunity designed to inspire, educate, and expose youth to new possibilities. Founded and directed by Dr. Cassandra Tillman Vaughn, ASE' Extraordinary Kids Camps will begin June 1 in Meadville and serve youth ages 8–16 through hands-on educational and enrichment experiences focused on leadership, literacy, creativity, life skills, and career exploration. Built around the philosophy "Expose Them to Everything," the camps seek to expand young minds and help students discover talents and interests that may shape their futures. Unlike traditional recreation-based camps, ASE' Extraordinary Kids Camps combines learning with memorable experiences. All camps are hosted in Meadville, creating a centralized and accessible setting for families seeking quality summer enrichment opportunities close to home. Camp offerings include programs centered around financial literacy, entrepreneurship, communication, swimming and CPR safety, American Sign Language, and creative arts designed to strengthen both academic and social development. One of this summer's featured experiences is the Theatre Camp, led by Roishina Henderson of Greenwood Little Theatre. Henderson is a respected writer, storyteller, and theatre director who brings extensive creative experience and a passion for youth engagement to the program. A Greenwood native and former journalist with hundreds of published articles and multiple books to her credit, Henderson has helped bring compelling productions to life through her work with Greenwood Little Theatre, including directing and supporting performances that celebrate storytelling, culture, and community engagement. With camps beginning June 1 in Meadville and scholarship spaces available in limited numbers, families are encouraged to register early. For camp schedules, enrollment, or scholarship consideration, contact ASE' Extraordinary Kids Camps at 601-384-0219 or email aseglobal25@gmail.com. Families may also follow ASE' Extraordinary Kids Camps on Facebook for announcements and program updates.

Natchez police arrested Lamonth Mazique, 33, of Natchez, for aggravated domestic assault, after he severely injured a girlfriend. 

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Mental evaluation

Judge Debra Blackwell has ordered that a mental evaluation be done on Zachary Jackson Jr. Jackson killed his mother, Lana Bradley, in a horrific manner, prompting his defense lawyer to request the psychiatric review.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of 29 year old Darris M. Bernard of Fayette, Mississippi, on a probation violation warrant issued by the Adams County Circuit Court. According to court documents, Bernard was previously convicted in Adams County Circuit Court on charges of Statutory Rape and Sexual Battery and was serving a term of supervised post release supervision. The warrant alleges that Bernard violated the conditions of his supervision after being arrested by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office on charges of Armed Robbery and Aggravated Assault. Additional violations listed in the warrant include failure to comply with court-ordered financial obligations and supervision fees. Bernard was taken into custody by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office on May 27, and booked into the Adams County Jail pending further court proceedings. 

The State of Mississippi says the Natchez School District has a significant absenteeism problem. Just over a quarter of students are chronically absent, meaning they miss 10% or more of school time. Chronic absenteeism results in lower test scores and fewer skills obtained. When students miss so much school, it’s very hard for them to learn what they need to know. 

Natchez aldermen approved the selling of five old police cars that are worn out. The city will also lease one replacement vehicle from Enterprise Auto Leasing. Police Chief Lee Best got aldermen to approve updated GPS monitoring for the police department's 30 vehicles. Best said his department responded to 2600 calls for assistance in April-May, with more than 150 misdemeanor and felony arrests, including charges for illegal gun use or possession and selling drugs. 

Your VIDALIA POLICE DEPARTMENT continues to provide excellent service. We protect life and property, maintain law and order, prevent and respond to crime. This is accomplished through a variety of means, including expanded patrolling, responding to emergencies, investigating crimes, and accepting anonymous tips. VPD enforces traffic, and all local and state laws, making arrests, and testifying at trials. VPD cooperates with area sheriffs' departments, state police and federal agencies. Vidalia has one of the best police departments in the state because we are able to hire and retain experienced, professional officers, who help us lead and motivate newcomers to our force. Our officers and staff have built a strong rapport and respect within the community. And we hope to improve even more in the future. For Emergencies, call 911. For our offices, call 318-336-5254. 202 Vernon Steven Blvd., Vidalia, La. 71373. CHIEF OF POLICE JOEY MERRILL.

See our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/VidaliaLouisianaPolice Department

Tax abaterment

Syrah Resources plans on making a $580 million investment in its Vidalia plant, doubling to tripling production and adding 150 jobs. The company has asked the state and the parish to classify the expansion as a Mega Project, which could give the company a 93-100 percent exemption on property taxes on its improvements for five years. It’s most likely that state and local governments will approve and the company will get its exemption. The company previously received a $165 million tax credit from the IRS, because it is making component materials used in electric cars. It also received abatement on some local taxes. The new property tax exemption can be renewed at the end of five years.   

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Natchez man in connection with a sexual assault investigation that was reported in Adams County. On May 26, 2026, investigators with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office obtained an arrest warrant for Michael Shawn Simpson, 44, of Natchez, Mississippi, charging him with Sexual Battery involving forcible sexual penetration. The investigation stems from an incident that allegedly occurred on or about May 21 in Adams County. Following the investigation, Simpson was taken into custody and booked into the Adams County Jail. Judge Danny Barber set bond at $250,000. Simpson remains in jail. In addition to the current charge, Simpson was charged in February with statutory rape of a minor that occurred in 2011. He now faces both statutory rape and sexual battery charges for two different attacks.

Natchez aldermen voted to approve repairs, resurfacing and install new nets at the city's tennis courts. Aldermen will not build new pickleball courts at Duncan Park and North Natchez Park. Aldermen tuned down a motion to repair the two pickleball courts at Duncan Park, with Aldermen Hall, Frazier, Irving and Davis refusing to fund pickleball court repairs. City leaders said they may work with the county in the future to add pickleball courts near the community pool, but no pickleball courts will be built in the short term.

Fewer jobs

Adams County registered more jobs in April than in March, as expected, with April jobs up to 9,425. However, the number of employed was 199 fewer than in April 2025. The jobless rate is 4.4 percent.

Natchez aldermen are considering repairing or replacing its dilapidated Providence Rd. bridge, with options costing from $40,000-$400,000. The city had applied for grant funds for the repair but was turned down. The bridge handles neighborhood traffic from Old Providence Rd. and from Lewis Drive. The least expensive options include removing the bridge entirely and placing a box culvert or building a cul-de-sac there. Not only does the bridge need a fix, but drainage along the road is terrible, with water running downhill along the road and into yards. Public Works Director Justin Dollar laid out the options for city leaders, who took his suggestion under advisement. Aldermen also voted to close the bridge temporarily if their engineer says it's unsafe.

The City of Natchez and the Downtown Natchez Association will work together to plan landscaping and streetscaping at the Depot Park. A $362,000 grant will fund the work, along with a $90,500 city match. Archives and History must approve the work. Aldermen will purchase $8,500 of signs to improve downtown and historic area signage.

3rd grade testing

Natchez schools continue to say how well their students do on state testing, even though the state figures say otherwise. As an example of the ongoing difficulty, 3rd grade reading tests require passage to go to the 4th grade, a state mandate. A “qualified must” to pass. Only 57 percent of Natchez third graders passed compared to Jefferson County’s 82 percent. And Jefferson’s funding per pupil is less than half of Natchez’s. Students who do not pass the test are given two chances to retest, one in May and one in June. The state has a “good cause” exemption, which allows failing students to advance if they get individualized attention, an alternative reading portfolio and are tested alternatively with an easier test. Teachers are known to fill out the results for the kids and correct their errors, allowing kids who really can’t read to pass on to the next grade. The state or its contractors actually score the tests.   

Adams Justice Court Judge Danny Barber bound Jalin Johnson over to a grand jury for a Nov. 2025 shooting. Johnson is charged with murder and two counts of possession of a weapon by convicted felon. He has not been allowed bond due to the fact that he was on probation for another conspiracy to murder conviction and violated that probation. He had previously been ordered to serve the remaining 10 years on his sentence after committing the second killing.

The Town of Centreville will accept applications for police chief. Apply through Town Clerk Kimberly Montgomery. The mayor and aldermen do the hiring.   

Parade

The 2026 Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade in Vidalia-Natchez ncludes an unveiling ceremony for a Mississippi state historical marker commemorating the parade. The parade, which has roots in the African American community, dates to the late 1800s and is one of the oldest Memorial Day traditions in the country. It was previously known as the “30th of May Parade,” according to Visit Natchez. The parade will roll on Monday, May 25. The parade lineup will start at 7:30 a.m. at Zion Baptist Church on Magnolia Street. in Vidalia. The route will travel across the bridge to Natchez and continue to the Natchez Visitor Center on S. Canal Street. After passing the visitor center, the route will turn north on Canal to Franklin Street, then continue to Pearl Street, then to Oak Street before going down Maple Street and ending north on Cemetery Road. This year Sgt. Anita R. Washington Jackson of the U.S. Army National Guard will serve as the Vidalia grand marshal, and Mayor Dan M. Gibson will serve as the Natchez grand marshal. There will be an unveiling ceremony at 9:30 a.m. outside the Holiday Inn Express on S. Canal Street. The program will feature presentations by Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez; Mayor Dan M. Gibson; Robert Gardner, Vidalia alderman for District 2; and Annette Sharp, general manager of the Holiday Inn Express. The walking parade continues with a second ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Natchez National Cemetery.

Storms raged through the Miss-Lou Saturday, May 23. Downed tree limbs and power lines were common. Southwest Mississippi Electric Power reported more than 2,600 customers without power and the process of getting electricity restored could take several days.

Vidalia's Polk Park operating rules say children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

The Natchez School District had promised to release its CPA 2023, 2024 and 2025 audits but has failed to do so. It says it has completed its 2023 and given it to the state auditor. State rules say audits are due nine months after the school year closes.  

Robert Irving

Robert Irving says he plans to run for Mayor of Natchez in 2028. He is a Natchez Middle School teacher. 

The local jobs report records the annual average number of part-time and full-tome jobs in Adams County: 2011 11,590, 2013 10,740, 2015 10,460, 2017 10,380, 2019 10,370, 2023 9,320, 2025 9,830. 2025 figures subject to final adjustment. Adams County suffered short term job losses of more than 2000 jobs during the pandemic shutdown of 2020. The county was able to gradually restore some of those lost jobs and add new jobs. But the rebuilding never brought the county back to its 2018 levels. The loss of 540 jobs between 2019-2025 contributed to long term economic decline. The state has issued only one report for 2026 so far. March 2026 figures show 9,102 persons with jobs in Adams County, a decline from 9,293 jobs in March 2025. March is usually a month with lower than average job numbers for the year, whereas April, May and June are usually much stronger. Source: Miss. Department of Employment Security

The Adams County Board of Supervisors has imposed time restrictions for being at county parks and also banned ATV vehicles from the recreational venues at the behest of Sheriff Travis Patten. Patten expressed concerns about late-night pleasure seekers racing their all-terrain vehicles at Providence Park and tearing up the grounds. The board voted to impose a 10 p.m.-to-sunrise curfew at county parks that include Providence, Lagrange and Kingston. Park hours could be extended for special events. ATVs will be prohibited at all times. --- Listen Up Y'All

Adams County’s tornado-warning sirens are expected to all be working by next week after repairs are completed on several that have been silent in recent months, said Emergency Management Director Brad Bradford. Seven of the county’s 18 towered sirens have been out of order, but Adams County “should be good on all sirens” next week, he said --- Listen Up Y'All

Graduation for the Natchez High Class of 2026 will take place Friday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m. inside the Natchez High School Gymnasium. Graduates may pick up wristbands from their schools between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Wristband entry only. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. Clear bag policy will be enforced. No balloons, confetti, or noisemakers allowed. No reentry permitted. For those unable to attend in person, a live stream link will be provided. 

State officials have released the numbers on the May 6 tornado that plowed its way through the area, and the numbers are impressive. The full National Weather Service damage surveys are now in, and the EF3 tornado was one of the largest in the state. It stretched 81.9 miles and lasted 2 hours, 9 minutes, injuring 23 people. There were no fatalities reported. By width and path length, it is one of the largest ever in Mississippi but was not the most powerful. According to reports, the tornado was on the ground from 6:22 p.m. near the St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge in far southwestern Adams County. It stayed on the ground to the south side of Monticello in Lawrence County. Surveyors confirmed three separate EF3 damage corridors. Those were extensive forest destruction east of Garden City, intense tree damage in western Lincoln County between W. Lincoln Drive and Rowan Lane and east of I-55 between Brookhaven and Bogue Chitto where debarked trees, a home with collapsed exterior walls and a mobile home park devastated with debris rowed along the center vortex path. In addition, EF2 structural damage was documented in Wilkinson, Franklin, Lincoln and Lawrence Counties. Communities in the path of the storm was Possum Center, Garden City, West Lincoln, Bogue Chitto, Enterprise, East Lincoln and Harmony. Officials said one of the reasons there were no fatalities were due to warnings and sheltering. --- Franklin Advocate

Vidalia celebrated the opening of the new Polk Park with a ribbon-cutting.

Catahoula deputies made felony arrests: Christopher K. Dodson, 39, Ferriday, possession of drugs, driving offenses, bond set at $5145. Kourtney S. Maxwell, 35, Sicily Island, possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, no bond set. Kollin P. Verbeck, 18, Jonesville, terrorizing, criminal damage to property, bonn set at $7000. Racquel Warren, 39, Homer, second degree battery, resisting an officer, no bond set. Tynesha D. Hollins, 29, Ridgecrest, possession of drugs, no bond set.

Natchez had originally received a $1.2 million grant to remove the Fry Building. But the cost of removal may be as much as $500,000 more. So the city plans to borrow as much as $500,000 from the state if necessary. The low interest loan has a provision that includes forgiveness of as much as 20 percent of the borrowed amount. Taxpayers are subsidizing the Eola project by giving the developers the use of the Fry Building parking lot. Once the building removed, the city is expected to borrow another $500,000 or so to build the parking lot, add lighting, landscaping and redo the sidewalks. The city could end up spending $2.2-2.3 million on the total cost of the Eola-Fry parking lot to help the developers. The city’s long and short term debt has increased to more than $17.5 million, not including the water works, according to its latest audit. 

Adams deputies arrested Kadaja D. Blanton, 30, of Natchez, for aggravated assault. She is currently in jail. 

Southwest Mississippi officials will investigate whether passenger rail service can be restored between Natchez and Brookhaven, approximately 65 miles. There are federal subsidies to restore Amtrak passenger service to areas that have lost service. For example, a Gulf coast to New Orleans run will be subsidized with a $21.1 million grant. However, the federal DOT grants also require significant local matching funding as well. 

Judge Jewel Welch sentenced Austin Lee Cain, 25, of Vidalia four years each for two charges of indecent behavior with juveniles. He received two more years for possession of drugs. The sentences will all be served concurrently, which means he will serve a total of four years. Cain didn’t actually “get” a live juvenile. He attempted to get them on two occasions on the internet and Concordia’s anti cyber sex deputies caught him both times.

Franklin County American Legion Post 40 and Auxiliary invites the general public to its Annual Memorial Day Program scheduled for Sunday. The program will begin at 8:30 a.m. at Midway Cemetery in Meadville. Memorial Day serves as a solemn tribute to the brave men and women who laid down their lives in defense of freedom and democracy. The Franklin County JROTC will present the colors while patriotic music will be provided by Semmes Ross while Staff Sergeant Marjorie De La Garza will deliver remarks. The memorial program also includes the reading of names of Franklin County soldiers who lost their lives in military action, the placing of flowers at the memorial marker and a closing tribute with Franklin County band students playing "Taps." --- Franklin Advocate

Reveal Party annouvement

The Annual Homochitto River Festival’s Reveal Party will be from 7-9 p.m. on Friday, May 29. This year’s event will again be hosted by Ridge Point Ranch, located at 4522 Highway 84 in Meadville. Entrance is free, but donations are encouraged. During the event, the headline entertainment for the 15th Annual Homochitto River Festival will be announced. This year’s festival is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24 in downtown Meadville. The festival traditionally draws big-name, top-quality and internationally known music stars. Once again in 2026, the very popular and large South Stage will be a part of the festival. For more information, visit www.HomochittoRiverFestival.org. 

Three subjects were arrested on several charges after a traffic stop May 14 by Vidalia Police Officers. The driver was identified as Alexandria Ellis, 32, of Vidalia. The front seat passenger was identified as Layce Starling, 34, of Natchez and the rear passenger was identified as Charles Brandon Roberts, 40, of Ferriday. While talking to Ellis, an officer noticed Roberts nervously putting something into his pocket. He was asked to exit the vehicle. As he got out, he attempted to reach into his pocket again. He wouldn’t comply with officers’ command to stop reaching into his pocket. He was eventually detained after resisting officers. He attempted to destroy evidence during this process. Upon searching the vehicle, officers recovered more narcotics and drug paraphernalia. Roberts was charged with four bench warrants, possession of schedule II (methamphetamine), possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting an officer. Ellis was charged with two bench warrants and two counts of possession of a legend drug. Starling was charged with one bench warrant, possession of schedule III (Suboxone), possession of schedule IV (Xanax) and drug paraphernalia.   

It’s not certain when Adams County residents will be able to renew their plate tags for vehicles, due to a malware attack on the county’s computers more than a month ago. The tax collector said when his office gets full service restored, he will not assess late fees for those tags that expired on during the outage. Tags that expired before the shutdown will incur late fees.

Chandler Brantley

 Merit Health Natchez announced its 2025 Employee of the Year, Chandler Brantley. Chandler has been employed for five years and provides compassionate care and outstanding support for mothers and new babies in The Women’s Center. She goes above and beyond to advocate not only for her patients but for her coworkers as well. Merit's Employee of the Year “speaks up” on challenging issues and will remain consistent until issues are resolved. This, in turn, is what makes her a great advocate for her patients and coworkers. Chandler has grown exponentially and has learned to use her voice to constructively facilitate change.     

Natchez aldermen heard from local residents about pickleball, tennis and recreation generally at a public meeting on May 18. Alderwoman Valencia Hall said 'new recreational facilities will built and old ones maintained without regard to race or politics.' About 40 residents attended the meeting and several dozen people spoke to the aldermen asking for improvements in facilities and management and complained the city was not doing enough on recreation. Locals also said that some park facilities don't have available water and bathrooms are locked. The current tennis and pickleball courts are in poor shape and need resurfacing. The mayor and aldermen listened carefully. For the city to act on the suggestions and upgrade its facilities and programs significantly, it would need to increase its revenues through economic growth or increasing of taxes. In recent years, the city has spent millions of dollars on its seven parks to improve facilities and programs. Since Dan Gibson was elected, the new facilities built or improved were financed on borrowed bond money. Gibson said because of inflation, the city has to be careful to live within its means but will consider improvements as budgets allow. 

Vidalia will hold an official ribbon-cutting May 20, at 2:00 pm for Polk Park, under the basketball pavilion, due to the potential rain.

DHS Building

Adams County Board Attorney Scott Slover said the county will rebid a $74,000 flooring job at its Department of Human Services Building. The Supervisors had accepted the bid of an unlicensed contractor to do the work with the provision that the Louisiana contractor could get licensed in Mississippi. Supervisors did not handle the bid properly. The contractor should’ve attached a copy of his license to the bid itself, but he did not do so and the purchasing clerk should’ve told supervisors there was no Mississippi license. Instead, the clerk said the contractor was applying for a license, and the state auditor had given the county preliminary authorization to accept the bid, even though it was not legal. The explanation was somewhat surprising, as the state auditor does usually authorize the taking an illegal bid. Slover said the bid was only taken under advisement. Yet the law says any bid should be rejected if it does not include the contractors license attached to the envelope with the enclosed bid. Miss-Lou Magazine asked Slover to provide a copy of the state auditor's authorization. We do not know if such a letter actually exist or not. Mississippi law requires all county bids that are more than $50,000 in work to be done by a Mississippi licensed contractor. And that contractor is supposed to have his completed license before he bids not later. The contractor’s last name was Hutchins and our paper asked if Supervisor Angela Hutchins and the contracot are related. It's not known whether the two are family. But it is strange to have a purchasing clerk that doesn’t follow the state’s bidding rules, when violating the rules is expressly stated as a misdemeanor offense in Mississippi law. Normal procedure would include telling supervisors that the clerk had received an improper bid, because the contractor did not attach his license to the bid. The bid would not be opened and put aside. Instead, the purchasing clerk recommended accepting the bid. County leaders considered awarding the bid, and took it and under advisement only when it another bidder complained about the rules violation. 

Adams supervisors accepted County Administrator Mitzi Conn’s resignation today, effective July 8. No reason was given for her departure. 

Adams County deputies arrested Jacari Dawson, 21, of Natchez, for selling drugs. He is being held in jail on a $5000 bond.

Natchez aldermen have both tentatively approved and then finally rejected a proposal to convert several tennis courts to pickleball courts at Duncan Park. They’ve scheduled a meeting to listen to the public on the subject Monday at 5:30p. The mayor’s office said no vote will be taken. Rec Director Ryan Porter suggested the change because fewer people are planning tennis and more are playing pickleball.

Tax levy fails

Catahoula Sheriff Toney Edwards issued a public statement after the parish tax levy to fund law enforcement failed to pass. He said, "Thank you to everyone in Catahoula Parish who showed support. Even though the renewal did not pass, we remain committed to doing everything we can to keep the public safe. Some difficult decisions will have to be made regarding where cuts occur, but our dedication to this community will not change. This is disheartening, but as your Sheriff, I will continue to do my very best for the people of this parish. We truly appreciate you."

Voters in Concordia and Catahoula go to the polls May 16 to cast ballots for U.S. Senate, Supreme Court, State Board of Education, Public Service Commission and constitutional amendments. In Catahoula only, there's a renewal of sheriff’s office tax levy. U.S. House races are also on the ballot. But due to pending redistricting, votes for House candidates will not be counted. The House election has been delayed by the Governor.   

Adams deputies arrested Charles Campbell, 37, of Natchez, for felony possession of drugs. His bond was set at $25,000.

Shirley Perkins

The Concordia Parish Sheriff's Office received a complaint from a local bank in April regarding suspicious activity on a bank account. CPSO's Criminal Investigations Division began an investigation that revealed that between 4/14/26 and 4/16/26, Shirley Perkins, 56, of Ferriday, received multiple deposits of counterfeit checks into her account totaling $11,926.49. After the deposits were made, $5,909.00 was transferred to a Cash App account. Once the money was in the Cash App account, Perkins converted the money to Bitcoin and then sent those funds elsewhere. It was initially thought that Perkins could have been the victim of a scam, as the counterfeit checks were deposited from an unknown person that she had provided her banking information to during a phone conversation about improving her credit score. However, the investigation determined Ms. Perkins received the deposits into her account and then followed the continued instructions from the unidentified person to move funds to other accounts, and converted them into Bitcoin. On May 1st, a warrant was obtained for Ms. Perkins arrest for Theft greater than $5,000, Bank Fraud, and Money Laundering, all of which are felony charges. Ms. Perkins was arrested on May 12 and booked into the Concordia Parish Correctional Facility without incident.

The Ferriday Town Council appointed Juan King as its new fire chief. Juan replaces Corey King, who resigned to pursue business ventures. 

Vidalia has passed a new golf cart ordinance that requires golf carts, if used on roadways, to have headlights and rear brake lights, brakes, seatbelts, rearview mirrors, and a police department or Louisiana state police sticker. Drivers must have a license. Children cannot drive a golf cart on a roadway unless the child has a license. The golf cart driver must also present proof of insurance if asked. Vidalia has not been ticketing golf cart drivers in the past, well, but will do so starting now if they violate the new ordinance. Louisiana bans the driving of golf carts on state highways.

Planting

Keep Natchez Beautiful invites volunteers to help plant 1000 caladium bulbs. Meet Monday, May 18 at 9 a.m. at Memorial Park. The planting should take about three hours.

The Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office Litter Abatement Crew removed 755 pounds of trash and collected 47 bags of litter along Highway 921. Litter abatement remains a priority for CPSO as it continues working to keep the parish clean and welcoming. Items collected range from cans, plastic bottles, and fast food containers to larger debris such as old tires and damaged household items. 

As part of the Vidalia aldermen’s meeting, in-house accountant Debra Moak gave town leaders a recap of revenues and expenses for the first nine months of the budget year. She talked about cash on hand, investments, revenues, expenses, assets, and liabilities. She gave all the leaders details on which departments and which expenditures were above or below targeted budget amounts. Aldermen received a hardcopy of her report. Mayor Buz then told those assembled there were several line items that needed to be adjusted before the end of the year. Louisiana has a rule that line items in a budget must be plus or minus 5% of originally forecast by the end of the fiscal year. Otherwise, aldermen must come in and revise the budget to bring it in line with state rules. This is nothing new for Vidalia. This is routine. And every month, Moak supplies the new figures and city leaders can react to the changes, the updates and what needs to be done in terms of budgeting.

Public meeting

The City of Natchez tennis-pickleball meeting has been rescheduled for Monday, May 18 at 5:30 p.m. at the City Council Chamber Building. Aldermen invite the public to comment on what tennis and pickleball facilities the city should have and develop.

Ferriday police arrested Fernando Williams, Jr., 24, of Ferriday, for second degree murder after he shot and killed Tyran Ezell, 20, of Ferriday. The shooting took place Monday night, May 11 at Moose Discount. Ezell was critically wounded at the store and taken to Trinity Medical, where he succumbed.

The Mississippi Department of Education plans to hire an interim superintendent for the Wilkinson County schools. The job pays $135,000-$$165,000 a year with work scheduled to start July 1. Lee Coats currently holds the position. The state took over the Wilkinson County schools this year, firing the school board and previous superintendent for malfeasance in office, failing to follow state laws and regulations, poor academic performance, and financial incompetence.   

Wilkinson County Correctional Facility

Management & Training Corporation operates prisons in Meridian and Wilkinson County under a state contract. The state subsidizes prison operations so the correctional facilities can have adequate staffing to protect guards and inmates. The State Auditor found the company took the subsidy but did not hire the guards. So Shad White sent a letter to MTC demanding repayment of $6 million for the Wilkinson facility and another $1.4 million for Meridian. The Wilkinson County Correctional Facility has been the scene of many inmate injuries, guard injuries and some inmate deaths. Prison gangs had armed themselves with homemade swords and knives in the recent past.  Auditor White said the state is due the money back. MTC has not refunded the overpayment. White has turned over the collection to Attorney General Lynn Fitch. So far, she has taken no action. The Clarion Ledger noted that MTC gave Fitch a $5000 campaign contribution in 2025.  

On August 5, 2025, the CPSO Cyber Crime Unit began investigating an adult subject, who was communicating with what he believed to be a minor online for sexual purposes. The conversations took place on two popular social media applications. The 63-year-old subject had lewd and lascivious online communications with what he believed to be a 16- year-old female juvenile, discussing sexual acts they would perform. After Investigators positively identified James Timothy Sullivan, of Houston, Miss., an arrest warrant was obtained and he was taken into custody without incident by the Chickasaw County Sheriff's Office. Sullivan was extradited to Concordia Parish on May 10, 2026 where he currently is in jail on a $100K bond. Sullivan was charged with two counts of Computer Aided Solicitation of a Minor and Indecent Behavior with Juveniles.

Wilkinson County supervisors will open bids this month to do asphalt overlay on Doloriso Loop, Pickneyville Rd., Macedonia Rd., Jackson Louisiana Rd. and Perrytown Rd. The county had applied to the Delta Regional Authority for a million dollar grant to redo Pickneyville Rd. but did not get the grant. Supervisors renewed an agreement with AMR for the company to provide ambulate service for 2026-2028. A landowner complained to supervisors that his timber company said he needs a bond to protect county roads from damage when hauling timber out of the woods. The landowner said he’s been cutting and hauling timber for years, never damaged a road or got a bond. So why the new rule. County Administrator David Wilkerson explained that the rule is not new, having been passed in 2014. Companies operating heavy trucks for construction, oilfield or logging must provide the county with $10,000 cash or a $10,000 bond as a protection against damage. Before the provision was in place, county roads were often damaged by heavy loads. With the bonding practice, taxpayers have some recourse to collect damages without going to court. --- Woodville Republican

Franklin graduation broadcast

Graduation ceremonies for the Franklin County High School Class of 2026 will be broadcast live and free of charge at www.franklinadvocate.com. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on May 15.   

Mayor Dan Gibson said American Cruise Lines will begin building a dock for Silver St. The dock will be constructed off site and moved here to Natchez to place on pilings. The company will spend more than $5 million on the project. American Cruise Lines will also donate $500,000 to the city for Silver Street infrastructure improvements. Gibson said the project should be completed by the end of the year. The company plans to make Natchez one of three major destination and origination points along the Lower Mississippi River, which should increase tourist traffic to the area. Aldermen approved the mayor’s travel expenses to go to Houston and back as part of opening of air service to Natchez for July 1.

Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said eight of his deputies have been lured to the Natchez Police Department since Lee Best became police chief a month ago. “There are no hard feelings,” said Patten, who noted higher pay is the reason some transferred to the NPD. Meeting Monday with Adams County supervisors, Patten noted his office will continue to collaborate well with the NPD. “The sheriff’s department is not going to miss a beat,” he said. Among the deputy sheriffs now a Natchez police officer is Shane Daugherty, who was Patten’s chief deputy. He’s now a NPD commander for Best, who was also with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office before joining the NPD in 2024. Patten said he has lost half of his command staff. Some deputies resigned for various reasons, but “the rest of them left for money. They get paid a lot more” working for the city, Patten said.That was not the case in past years when the Adams County board-approved budget provided higher salaries, but the Natchez Board of Aldermen has allocated more funds in recent years to increase the pay scales for Natchez police officers. Best, who became police chief April 1, noted recently that he’s hired nine certified law-enforcement officers as he works to improve the NPD’s patrol division by having five officers on duty per shift.

Two killed in Vidalia

On Sunday, May 10, at approximately 12:37 a.m., Louisiana State Police Troop E responded to a one-vehicle crash at 518 Minorca Road. The crash claimed the lives of 17-year-old Michelle Baity of Natchez, MS, and 19-year-old Jacob Bonnette of Vidalia. The initial investigation revealed that a 2001 Infiniti QX4, driven by 18-year-old Gregory Steele of Vidalia, was northbound on Minorca Road. For reasons still under investigation, Steele lost control of the vehicle, left the roadway, and overturned. teele, who was not restrained, sustained minor injuries. Baity and Bonnette, who also were not restrained, sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced dead on the scene. An additional passenger, who was also not restrained, sustained moderate injuries and was transported to a local hospital. Toxicology samples were obtained and submitted. Impairment is a suspected factor in this crash. As a result of the investigation, Troopers placed Steele under arrest for vehicular homicide (2 counts), underage driving while intoxicated, vehicular negligent injuring, and careless operation. Steele was processed at the Concordia Parish Detention Center. This crash remains under investigation. Louisiana State Police would like to remind all motorists that if you feel differently, you drive differently. Alcohol, prescription drugs, and other drugs have many effects on the body that negatively affect driving skills. These drugs can impair visual ability, alter the sense of time and space, impair fine motor skills needed to operate a motor vehicle, and decrease reaction times. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and designate a sober driver. Not doing so can have deadly consequences.

Over the weekend of May 8-10, NPD investigated a report of an incident that occurred downtown. Local business owner Sammy Atkins provided full cooperation in what turned out to be a misunderstanding among friends. Chief Best met with Tron and Sammy, who have been like family for many years and said, "Tron is a lifelong resident of Natchez, loved by all, and will be treated with the same dignity and respect as any other citizen or visitor."  Chief Best appreciates all the tags, calls, and messages bringing attention to this matter, which has now been resolved.   

Magnolia Bluffs Casino donated $2,500 to the Downtown Natchez Association to assist in the association's promotional activities.  

When Louisiana voters go to the polls May 16, candidates for Congress will be on the ballot. Since the Governor has temporarily suspended the Congressional elections due to the Supreme Court’s ruling on race based districting, you may go ahead and vote, but the votes for Congress will not be counted. The Legislature has the authority to reset the date for the Congressional primaries for a later date. If the Legislature does not act, the Congressional primaries may occur in July. The May 16 primaries include contests for U.S. Senator, State Supreme Court, State Elementary and Secondary School Board, Public Service Commission and local and state ballot amendments. Those votes will be counted.

Toney Edwards

Sheriff Toney Edwards issued this statement following the DOJ arrest of some of his deputies. "Good afternoon. I’m Sheriff Toney Edwards of the Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office, and I appreciate the opportunity to address the citizens of Catahoula Parish today. I want to assure the people of this parish that every action possible is being taken to ensure the safety and security of our community, our employees, and every individual housed within the correctional facility. The Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office remains fully operational, secure, and committed to carrying out its duties with professionalism and integrity. With more than 140 employees serving this office, no organization is immune from situations where policies or directives may not always be followed exactly as intended. However, when concerns arise, they are addressed immediately and appropriately. Accountability and enforcement are essential parts of maintaining a professional law enforcement agency, and that is exactly what has taken place. Since the beginning of this investigation in 2024, the Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office has fully cooperated with the FBI and all appropriate authorities. We have provided any records, documentation, and information requested throughout the course of the investigation, and we will continue to cooperate fully moving forward. At no time have I been named a person of interest in this investigation. I and my department have been transparent through the investigation. As stated under the FBI news release, An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. All CCC/CPSO employees listed in these indictments are suspended until this matter is resolved by the courts. At this time, I cannot comment further regarding any ongoing investigation. Every individual involved is entitled to due process and their day in court, and I will not do anything that could compromise or interfere with those proceedings. What I can say is this: under my leadership, the Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office is committed to operating within the laws of the State of Louisiana and according to all applicable standards designed to protect the public and ensure the proper care and humane treatment of those incarcerated in our facility. To the families of inmates currently housed at the correctional facility, I want you to know that your loved ones are safe, and this administration will not tolerate inappropriate conduct or unlawful behavior of any kind. If wrongdoing is discovered, it will be addressed appropriately and according to the law. As a Louisiana Sheriff, I understand the responsibility that comes with maintaining a safe parish, a secure correctional facility, and the public’s trust. That responsibility is something I take seriously every single day, and I want the citizens of Catahoula Parish to know that everything humanly possible is being done to protect this community and uphold the integrity of this office. Please keep our department at CCC and CPSO, the officers, and inmate families in your prayers. Thank you, and may God bless Catahoula Parish."

Prisoner abuse

On May 7, a federal grand jury in Shreveport returned a thirty-four count indictment charging several former managers of the Catahoula Parish Correctional Center (“CPCC”) with crimes relating to the use of an electrified riot shield to shock and crush 13 handcuffed, non-resisting prisoners: Jeremy Wiley, 44 of Harrisonburg, the former Warden of CPCC, was charged with 13 counts of abuse of rights under color of law for using the electrified riot shield to shock and crush the 13 handcuffed, non-resisting prisoners. Gary Allen, 57 of Winnsboro, CPCC’s former Assistant Warden, William Savage, 57 of Monroe, CPCC’s former Colonel, and James Wathen, 37 of Jonesville, CPCC’s former chief of security, were charged with 13 counts of abuse of rights for their failures to intervene to stop the assaults. Chad Littleton, 45 of Harrisonburg, a former Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Deputy, was charged with one count of abuse of rights for striking a prisoner in the head and genitals. All five men were also charged with conspiring to violate the rights of the prisoners as well as falsifying reports about the incident. Allen also faces one count of witness tampering. In addition, on April 14, Carl Michael Williamson, 40 of Jonesville, a former CPCC transportation officer, pleaded guilty in a related case to one count of abuse of rights under color of law for striking one of the inmates in the head and one count of falsifying a report which covered up the abuse of the 13 prisoners. The defendants face up to ten years imprisonment on the abuse of rights and conspiracy counts, and up to twenty years imprisonment on the false report and witness tampering offenses. “The facts as alleged dishonor the men and women who put their safety on the line every day to maintain order in our prison system, and they are a disgraceful abuse of the trust that we place in them to treat people in prison with dignity and respect,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “The Department of Justice will zealously investigate and prosecute any officer—no matter their title or rank—who tarnishes the badge worn by the brave men and women of Louisiana’s law enforcement community.” “The FBI will not tolerate law enforcement officers’ criminal abuse and mistreatment of prisoners in their custody,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “We will diligently investigate allegations such as these and hold the perpetrators accountable. The FBI is grateful for its law enforcement partners and especially the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana for its work on this case.” According to court documents, on February 1, 2024, then-Warden Wiley used an electrified riot shield to shock and crush 13 men in the custody of CPCC while they were handcuffed, compliant, and subdued by pepper spray in a CPCC recreation yard. Allen, Savage, and Wathen, who were high-ranking supervisors at the facility, had the means and opportunity to stop the abuse but instead chose not to intervene. Littleton and Williamson continued the assault by also striking prisoners. All six of the men wrote false reports to cover up what happened, and Allen continued the obstructive activity by tampering with a witness. Before the assault, the 13 prisoners had been housed in “Cell 12,” a cell containing six beds, for several days. The prisoners were transported to the rec yard where the assault occurred shortly after they started a non-violent protest regarding their overcrowded living conditions. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Johnson and LaDonte Murphy with assistance from Legal Assistant Tanya Broussard. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer. The case number for United States v. Jeremy Wiley et al. is 26-CR-00190, and the case number for United States v. Carl Williamson is 26-CR-00127.

Natchez man killed

A 68-year-old Natchez man was killed during a crash in Jefferson County. The crash occurred at the intersection of Highway 33 and U.S. 61 around 8:30 p.m. on May 6. Jefferson County Sheriff James Bailey identified the man as Charles Patrick Fields. He was pronounced deceased at the scene by Jefferson County Coroner Ricky McDonald. Bailey said weather conditions may have played a contributing role in the crash. Heavy rain and reduced visibility were reported in the area around the time of the accident.

Schools are closed Thursday, May 7 while power crews and emergency officials work to help bring life back to some level of normalcy after Franklin County was hammered by at least one possible tornado along various severe storms Wednesday night. In early evaluations, Franklin County appeared to be the hardest hit among the counties suffering damage as a line of severe thunderstorms followed mostly Highway 84 from the Louisiana to Alabama state lines. As the storm traversed the state it weakened, causing less and less damage along the way. According to reports, a possible tornado struck Garden City, damaging homes throughout that area. Emergency Management Agency officials said multiple homes were destroyed as a result of the severe storms. Road closures and related issued forced the closure of schools in the Franklin County School District Thursday. Schools are expected to reopen at normal time on Friday. Multiple power lines were down Wednesday night and portions of Highway 98 were closed between Berrytown and Fenn's Grocery. Trees were also reported down in multiple areas of the county. Emergency personnel were hampered Wednesday night as conditions were considered too dangerous to allow them out on the roads until the storm passed. Once the "all clear" was given, crews began to deploy to various parts of the county where there were reports of damage. Crews were expected to be working the area on Thursday to assess damage and help with clean up efforts. Utility crews were also out trying to restore power. Residents are asked to remain off roads if at all possible so that emergency and utility crews can work. In addition, Franklin County EMA officials need to assess the damage quickly in order to submit reports to the state for possible assistance. Officials from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency are also expected to be in the county at some point to assess the damage.

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