The City of Natchez has named Lee Best as its next chief of police following a closely contested decision by the mayor and board of aldermen this week. Best has more than a decade of law enforcement experience, beginning his career in 2010 with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, where he rose to the rank of captain. His background includes work as a narcotics investigator, training manager, and criminal investigator. In December 2024, he joined the Natchez Police Department as commander of code enforcement.
Diesel prices have risen above five dollars per gallon at some truck stops, a cost that is expected to affect consumers even if they do not purchase diesel themselves. According to Dr. Walter Lane, chairman of the Department of Economics, Finance, and Accounting at the University of New Orleans, higher diesel prices will be felt in grocery stores, particularly for fresh items transported by truck. Lane notes that 18-wheelers remain essential for getting goods to store shelves, leaving consumers with few options other than adjusting their budgets.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has vetoed a bill that would have created the Local Governments Recovery Emergency Loan Program. Senate Bill 2632 would have allowed the state to loan money to cities and counties impacted by winter storm damage while they awaited FEMA reimbursements. The proposed loans would have carried no interest until federal funds were distributed.
In Rapides Parish, former sheriff William Hildon was killed after being struck by a vehicle outside his home in Henniston. The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office reports that Hildon encountered a woman leaving his residence when he returned home. During the confrontation, she ran over him and fled. Hildon was airlifted to a hospital, where he died from his injuries. The suspect, identified as 53‑year‑old LaDonna Delry of Pollock, was taken into custody after deputies used spike strips on LA‑28 to stop her vehicle. She is charged with first‑degree murder. Hildon served as sheriff of Rapides Parish from 1992 to 2008 and was 80 years old.
The Mississippi River at Natchez‑Vidalia stands at 39.35 feet and is falling.
