The Mississippi Legislature has passed a bill that would allow Natchez and Adams County officials to increase funding for Natchez Inc., the community’s industrial recruitment agency. The measure is awaiting approval from Governor Tate Reeves. If signed into law, the Natchez Board of Aldermen would be able to allocate up to 150,000 dollars annually to the nonprofit, an increase from the previously authorized 100,000 dollars. The Adams County Board of Supervisors would be permitted to provide up to 225,000 dollars per year, up from the earlier limit of 165,000 dollars. State approval is required for local governments to fund nonprofit organizations such as Natchez Inc.
In Louisiana, the House Ways and Means Committee has advanced legislation aimed at attracting companies involved in building and launching rockets. The measures would grant significant sales and property tax incentives to aerospace firms making substantial investments in the state. NASA already conducts rocket production at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. According to state officials, the goal is to draw private aerospace companies to Louisiana, following strategies used in states such as Florida and Texas. Companies the state is seeking to attract include SpaceX and Blue Origin.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has confirmed the identification of U.S. Army Technician 5th Grade Edwin E. Ross of Philadelphia, Mississippi. Ross, age 24, died as a prisoner of war during World War II. He was accounted for on July 18 of last year, and his family recently received a full briefing. Ross served with the 17th Bombardment Squadron, 27th Bombardment Group, during the Japanese invasion of the Philippine Islands in December 1941. He was among the U.S. forces captured following the surrender of the Bataan Peninsula on April 9, 1942.
In St. Landry Parish, the town of Melville is set to receive more than 4 million dollars in federal funding to overhaul its aging water system. The current system relies on deteriorating pipes and a single overworked well. Town officials report significant ongoing expenses to maintain water safety, including the frequent use of chlorine. The project is described as a major first step toward broader infrastructure improvements in Melville.
The Mississippi River in the Natchez Valley is at 27.5 feet and rising.
