Merit Health Natchez is requesting community support for its Jars of Love peanut butter drive. Organizers report that donations are currently behind last year’s pace and are asking for contributions before the drive ends on Friday. Peanut butter jars can be dropped off at the information desk at Merit Health Natchez, and monetary donations can be sent via Venmo to Natchez Chamber with “Peanut Butter” noted in the memo. Since launching in 2023, the drive has collected nearly 5,000 jars for area food banks.
ICE agents are providing assistance to TSA at airports across the country, including Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans. While ICE agents are not permitted to screen luggage, they are supporting other checkpoint functions to allow TSA staff to focus on duties only they can perform. Assistance can include crowd control when needed and conducting secondary screening of passengers after body scans. Airport officials reported that crowd control assistance was not needed this morning.
The National Park Service reports that America’s national parks recorded more than 323 million recreational visits in 2025, making it the sixth-highest year on record. Over 40 National Park Service units saw more than 2.2 million visits each. In Mississippi, the Natchez Trace Parkway was the most visited, with nearly 6.4 million visitors last year.
Entergy Louisiana is preparing to launch three demand response programs intended to help residential customers save money by conserving energy. The programs will offer incentives for installing smart thermostats, for customers with solar panels, and for electric vehicle owners who charge their vehicles at home. EV owners who charge during off-peak hours will receive an additional seven dollars per month. Entergy says the programs are designed to reduce strain on the power grid and may lessen the need for new gas-powered generation.
The Mississippi River at Natchez is at 39.58 feet and falling.
