Groundbreaking is scheduled for tomorrow for a new Mississippi River cruise dock in Natchez. The project is a collaboration between American Cruise Lines and the city, with an estimated cost of $5 million. The Natchez Preservation Commission reviewed the plan earlier in the year.
Louisiana is also working to reduce absenteeism in public schools. The Louisiana Department of Education reported an absenteeism rate of 28% in 2021. Last school year, the rate was 22%, which was 1% lower than the prior year. The state target is to reduce absenteeism by at least 2% each year. According to state information focused on attendance improvement, the approach is centered on promoting attendance rather than punitive measures for students who do not come to school, and encouraging student involvement in extracurricular activities.
In Mississippi, Governor Tate Reeves announced 167 awards totaling more than $104 million through the Mississippi Rural Health Transformation Program. The awards are part of the state’s $205.9 million first-year implementation budget, which will be allocated during the year. The governor said Mississippi will introduce additional opportunities aimed at innovative approaches to close rural healthcare gaps and help rural providers modernize the electronic health record systems used daily.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced that a property insurance company, referred to as Property Insurance Company of America, has been approved to take over most commercial policies for Louisiana citizens. Landry said the change is expected to lower premiums for these policyholders by 15% to 40%. Louisiana’s announcement also included that Pike will match the coverage.
Mississippi River conditions in the Natchez and Vidalia area were reported with the river at 15.46 feet and falling.
