Construction at the Natchez-Adams County Airport is progressing as crews work to prepare for the return of commercial passenger airline service for the first time in 30 years. Work began in February to convert an existing airplane hangar into a passenger terminal for United Express flights scheduled to begin July 1. The project is estimated to cost up to $6.8 million. A process that would normally take about a year is being fast‑tracked to be completed in four months.
The airport has been without regular commercial airline service for three decades.
In Louisiana, legislation has been refiled aimed at tightening rules on the use of artificial intelligence in political materials. Representative Mandy Landry has introduced a bill that would require clear disclosure when any image used in political messaging is created with AI. Landry said the goal is to prevent campaigns from misleading voters. She filed a similar bill last year, but it was vetoed by the governor.
In Mississippi, several bills intended to help law enforcement agencies recruit and retain employees under the new Tier 5 retirement structure have failed. The Senate had sent six bills to the House addressing concerns raised after lawmakers passed House Bill 1 in the 2025 legislative session. The law requires new employees hired after March 1 of this year to work 35 years to receive full retirement benefits. Another proposed bill would have allowed retired employees to return to work and earn up to 80 percent of the salary for the position, but it also did not advance.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced that the state is close to reaching a settlement with ConocoPhillips in lawsuits accusing the company of contributing to coastal damage. Landry said the lawsuits have slowed coastal restoration efforts and that the agreement would move parties from litigation to cooperation. Under the proposed settlement, ConocoPhillips would provide the state access to 150,000 acres of its land for restoration work and contribute to the state’s coastal trust fund. Landry said this would allow Louisiana to begin work on a planned 94‑mile coastal land bridge and a major storm surge barrier intended to protect communities in the Bayou region, including Houma and Thibodaux.
The Mississippi River at Natchez today is at 27.13 feet and rising.
