Mayor and aldermen in Natchez said they plan to consider regulations on Kratom, an herbal product sold as an energy booster, mood lifter and pain reliever. City officials said the effort follows two deaths among Ole Miss students last month that were linked to possible Kratom overdoses. According to the Associated Press, 11 states have banned Kratom. Other states, including Mississippi, have regulated it, including by requiring purchasers to be at least 21 years old. The city of Oxford has also implemented its own Kratom ban.
In Louisiana, State Treasurer John Fleming is calling for a major increase to the state homestead exemption. Fleming said the current $7,500 exemption—set in 1980—no longer provides the level of property tax relief it was intended to. He said inflation has gradually reduced the exemption’s impact over time, and he stated he is prepared to work with legislators and other state and local officials to substantially increase the homestead exemption. The report also noted that lawmakers have filed proposals in recent years to raise the exemption, but business groups and policy organizations have opposed changes, arguing that increases can reduce revenue used for local services.
A stretching period of dry weather has led officials in Mississippi to issue burn bans in 24 counties in an effort to reduce wildfire risk. Shannon Coker, communications director for the Mississippi Forestry Association, said officials consider weather patterns, drought conditions and wildfire activity when deciding whether to impose restrictions. Coker said debris burning is among the biggest causes of wildfires in the state and advised residents to check for current restrictions. The report said Adams County is not under a burn ban at this time, while Jefferson, Copiah, Amite (spelled “Amy” in the transcript), and Pike counties are among those with prohibitions on outdoor burning.
In Louisiana, after an advocacy group urged voters to vote no on Amendment 8, the report included remarks from Rosepine representative Chuck Owens, an author of the amendment. Owens said Amendment 8 would prevent foreign adversaries or agents of foreign adversaries from seizing private land for purposes described as expropriation. The report said Leaders for a Better Louisiana opposes the amendment, arguing that because it references agents of foreign adversaries, it could potentially include business associations or economic development organizations, which they say could lead to lengthy legal challenges. The report also said Owens addressed questions about why the opposing group did not raise its concerns earlier.
The Mississippi River in the Natchez Valley was reported at 24.20 feet and rising.
