Natchez aldermen have approved an agreement with Walmart allowing the city to use the north side of the store’s parking lot to access adjacent land that officials hope to sell for a proposed shopping center. Before voting in open session, the board held a closed discussion that Mayor Dan Gibson said involved confidential matters related to the potential sale of the publicly owned property. City officials have said Walmart’s cooperation is necessary to provide an entrance to the planned retail center.
Horn Properties, a Tennessee-based developer, has been planning a retail project on the 30-acre tract where the VFW post once stood, across from Natchez High School. In February, the Board of Aldermen granted the Knoxville company an additional year to decide whether it will purchase the land.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry is urging voters to support Constitutional Amendment 3 on the May 16 ballot. Landry has promoted the measure on local radio, saying it would eliminate three education trust funds and allow the state to pay down teacher retirement debt. He says reducing that debt would free up funding for a permanent $2,000 teacher pay raise. Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell opposes the amendment, noting that one of the trust funds has provided millions of dollars for classroom needs over the past 25 years.
A group of Mississippi students will travel to College Park, Maryland, in June to compete in the National History Day contest after winning at the state level in an event hosted by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. The Mississippi History Day contest, held at the two Mississippi museums in Jackson, featured middle and high school students presenting projects on the theme of revolution, reaction, and reform in history. Thirty‑four students participated in the 2026 state contest, and 26 of them earned first- or second‑place honors to qualify for the national competition.
Amazon is purchasing GlobalStar, a satellite communications company based in Covington, Louisiana, for $11.6 billion. Michael Hecht, president of Greater New Orleans, Inc., says Amazon intends to use GlobalStar’s satellite network and technology to allow smartphones to connect directly to a large satellite system for voice and data services. Hecht says GlobalStar will remain in St. Tammany Parish and retain its Louisiana workforce. He also notes that the acquisition brings positive attention to the state’s business environment.
The Mississippi River at Natchez‑Vidalia is at 33.69 feet and rising.
