A Vidalia man has been charged in connection with an intentionally set vehicle fire. Investigators determined that the March 30 incident was deliberately set, leading to charges against 48-year-old Keon Moore. The charges include criminal mischief, insurance fraud, and obstruction.
The University of New Orleans has officially transitioned into the LSU system and is now known as LSU New Orleans. Interim Chancellor Jeanette Weiland said the move positions the institution to reclaim its role as the public research university for the New Orleans region. She emphasized the school’s academic quality, affordability, and goal of recruiting, retaining, and graduating more local students who plan to remain in the metro area.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced that the State Workforce Investment Board has approved a state policy framework to guide Mississippi’s review and recommendation process for workforce Pell Grant programs. The new federal program will allow eligible Pell Grant recipients to use federal aid for approved short‑term workforce education programs offered by participating institutions. These programs may be as short as eight weeks and must prepare students for high‑skill, high‑wage, or in‑demand jobs. Students must meet federal Pell Grant eligibility requirements, enroll at a participating institution, and be accepted into an approved short‑term program.
Following a ruling by the Louisiana Supreme Court, the first‑degree murder conviction of Jimmy Duncan, a West Monroe man, has been thrown out. Prosecutors originally relied on evidence that has since been discredited in the case involving the 1993 death of 23‑month‑old Haley Olivo. Duncan has said the child became unconscious after he briefly stepped away from a bathtub. His legal team notes that if prosecutors pursue a lesser charge such as negligent homicide, Duncan has already served nearly three times the maximum sentence for that offense. Prosecutors have one year to begin any new trial.
The Mississippi River at Natchez‑Vidalia is at 39.62 feet and rising.
