The remains of a man long known as the Natchez John Doe have been positively identified nearly two years after they were found off the side of a road. Officials confirmed the man as 70-year-old William Francis Harrington of Kentucky. DNA testing, including a sample provided by a relative, led to the identification.
A proposal in the Louisiana Legislature aims to establish a registry for individuals convicted of animal abuse. The bill, filed by Representative Mike Baham of Chalmette, would require those convicted of crimes such as animal cruelty, dog fighting, and sexual abuse of animals to register as animal abusers. Baham said the intent is to give pet owners and sellers a tool to check potential buyers and help prevent further abuse.
The Mississippi Department of Education has released graduation and dropout statistics for the 2024–2025 school year. The statewide graduation rate is 90.8 percent, with a dropout rate of seven percent. Among students with disabilities, the graduation rate is 71.1 percent and the dropout rate is 14.6 percent. Compared to the previous school year, the overall dropout rate decreased by 1.5 percentage points, and the graduation rate increased by 1.6 percentage points. Graduation rates for students with disabilities rose by 5.6 percentage points. Mississippi’s graduation rate exceeds the most recent national rate of 86.6 percent from the 2021–2022 school year, as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics.
With king cake season ending, Louisiana enters its busy seafood season. Families across the state often gather for seafood meals on Fridays, and the industry sees a significant boost during Lent. According to Samantha Carroll, executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, retailers and distributors report a 20 percent increase in seafood sales during this period. Carroll also noted that the archbishop has confirmed alligator is acceptable for Friday meals during Lent.
The Mississippi River at Natchez is at 17.42 feet and rising.
