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Wicker, officials review damage
Published Thursday, September 4, 2008
NATCHEZ — State elected officials who toured Adams County Wednesday said the damage here was unlike anything they’d seen in other parts of the state.
In a tour of Southwest Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker and Rep. Sam Mims stopped in Natchez to assess the damage done by Gustav.
Wicker said based on his other stops in the state he believed Natchez to be unique in the amount of downed trees and utility poles.
“We didn’t see that on the coast,” he said.
He said the damage to trees and utility poles looked like “more than any other place in the state.”
Natchez Mayor Jake Middleton and Adams County Board of Supervisors President Henry Watts accompanied Mims and Wicker on their tour.
Before the tour began Mims and Wicker met in the mayor’s office, with several city and county officials, to answer general questions about what necessary steps should be taken to get Natchez back to normal.
Much of the discussion centered on debris removal and the acquisition of state and federal funding available to the county and city.
“We want to be able to report to the state on the damage the county has seen,” Mims said.
Mims said the information given to the state could then be relayed to federal agencies.
And Middleton said he hopes Wicker and Mims’ awareness of the situation in the county will help local officials be able to cut through the red tape of acquiring federal clean-up money.
“It was an important meeting,” he said.
A portion of the tour had to be rerouted due to a large downed tree that blocked the road near the Roselawn Subdivision.
Shortly after the detour the four men had an impromptu meeting with Entergy executives in a parking lot on Liberty Road.
Haley Fisackerly, president and CEO of Entergy Mississippi, briefed the Wicker and Mims on the state of electricity restoration in the area.
Fisackerly said the situation that caused the county and city to lose power was unique.
“We’ve never lost all five,” he said of the five transmission lines that bring power into Natchez.
The five lines, three in Mississippi and two in Louisiana, feed power into the Natchez and were all damaged.
Fisackerly said the transmission lines damaged in Mississippi were damaged by vegetation, like trees, and he was not exactly sure what happened to the two others.
“That’s why it went totally dark,” he said.
But the restoration of those lines also brought large sections of town back on the grid, some as early as Tuesday night.
Fisackerly urged residents still without power to unplug all electronic equipment to prevent possible damage when the power is restored.
And some of those without power might not see it restored until Saturday, he said.
Fisackerly estimated there were as many as 7,000 residents still without power on Wednesday.
Fisackerly also said areas like Woodville received a great deal of damage and expected power to be restored to that area as early as Wednesday.
Azalea Knight, a spokeswoman for Southwest Mississippi Electric Power Association, said the Power Association had restored power to several homes in the Cloverdale and Steamplant Road area.
“Progress is ongoing,” she said.
Comments
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 10:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I can confirm...the Coast was relatively easily treated by Gustav compared to Natchez...I thought I was coming home to be safer.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 10:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wicker is not an elected official. He was selected to fill Lott's vacated position by Haley Barbour, and there was never an election within 90 days, as was supposed to be held in a case such as that.
But thanks, just the same, for coming for a looksee Mr. Wicker, and for that recorded 15 minute telephone message.
There continues to be trees down across streets and some are still without power.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 10:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The fact that you're still posting comments says that you weren't blown away SamMo. I hope all is well with ya.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 10:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My internet was out until only just a few minutes ago. I had been watching the RNC thang until my satellite went out. Why aren't you there? Did you see that kid lick her hand and smooth down that baby's hair? Yeehaw!
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on September 3, 2008 at 11:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Peace007...Thanks for your concern, I hope you're faring as well as can be expected under the circumstances...I'm back in Gulfport as of this afternoon...I've been in Natchez since last Thursday and haven't had power just like many of you...down here in Gulfport the power was back on within 24 hours of Gustav's passing. Everything down here looks OK except for a couple of roofs, one or two trees that I saw, and some signage...other than that it looks great...Natchez, by far, got it worse than the Coast.
Regarding Senator Wicker...he was very active and effective down here in the aftermath of Katrina and, so far, has been an effective Senator...how he continues is up for debate, but I know what kind of governor Ronnie Musgrove was and I prefer bread with a little grit rather than his soppy white bread approach.
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 2:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
we are still out of lights....
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 3:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yes people are out of lights and where is the state employees at with saws and convicts helping us get back to normal come on sen wicker and rep mims riding around is not helping us get on our feet everyone helped the coast when katrinia hit they even worked on private property and i now the law states you can do it in a emergency SO GET SOME HELP TO SW MISS PLEASE
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 3:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
For three years since Katrina, John McCain failed to respond, and then just prior to Gustav, he comes to MS for a little PR, but how did that help anything?
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 4:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
with you peace007 i feel the same about gov barber
Posted by Negotiator (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 6:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What!!?
Governor Barber studded out with Katrina.
Who would you rather have had running the show, Kathleen Blanco or Haley Barber? If you say the dimwitted, do nothing Democrat from Louisiana, you are basing your decision purely on party affiliation.
Posted by ladybuggs (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 6:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I WAS TOLD FROM FEMA. THE OFFICALS HAVE NOT NOTIFIED THEM FOR NATCHEZ AS AN AREA BEING DESTROYED! AND FOR THE RESIDENTS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH OUR OFFICALS SO FEMA CAN BEGIN THEIR PROCESS TO HELP WITH ITEMS LOSS DUE TO THE STORM.FEMA IS WILLING TO HELP. BUT IT IS UP TO THE OFFICALS TO HELP THE RESIDENTS.
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 8:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
fema and mema are here now and gov barber will be here tomorrow he has not let us down probably was at the rep conv but he is coming to make sure we get what we need
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 9:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ladybuggs...STOP SHOUTING.
ladybuggs and Natchez500...what? do you think that rescue, restoration and rebuilding are instant?...that you can just add water and presto, everything is Ok?
In my experience the ones who complain most, like you two, are the ones who take advantage of the system most...and are part of the worst America has to offer.
Governor Barbour is the standard that Bobby Jindal just used to get Louisiana rolling again after this new catastrophe. McCain and Palin came down to learn and to show solidarity...how is that wrong?
Peace...McCain did respond...he was not only present, but he voted for Katrina aid...where was your guy?...attending to his own ambitions and rock star status.
Posted by ladybuggs (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 10:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sammohon....IT'S YOUR PEOPLE THAT HAS THE ECONOMY HURTING! LOUISIANA OFFICIALS ISN'T IGORNING THEIR PEOPLE IN NEED. I'VE NEVER DEPENDED ON ANYONE FOR ANYTHING. HOWEVER IF THE RESIDENTS ARE IN NEED GIVE THEM THE HELP THAT THEY DESERVE.. NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS!
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 10:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ladybuggs...what people am I? (you don't know me) and how have they (who, precisely is "they") got the economy hurting?
You said, "I'VE NEVER DEPENDED ON ANYONE FOR ANYTHING."...that is a lie...if you are human, you have had to rely on someone. Your statements make it plain that you still are...or think you are. Are you suffering because you have no air conditioning?...has it interrupted your soap opera schedule on your HDTV?...get real, you don't know the meaning of deprivation!
During Katrina the Louisiana officials did ignore their people in need... Mississippi didn't...Bobby Jindal learned a lot from Haley Barbour's leadership and Louisiana has fared well from that experience.
You seem to be one of the people that think that just because you were blessed by being able to live here that you are somehow entitiled to the benefits without working for them.
If you do need help, let people know without trashing the very people who are trying to help...your trash talk simply tells anyone who has a brain that you have a different agenda.
Posted by BOBCAT1974 (anonymous) on September 4, 2008 at 11:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
People,we have alot to be thankful for.I know we have alot of trees down,and no elecricity,and even our phone lines have been down.We opeoned up our Church took in several families,one family had 13 people from Baton Rouge.And in this family a set of six month old tripplets.Two teen age boys from Layfette La,A mother and her daughter from La.Three elderly people and some of our own community folks who needed help.We pooled our food and money, to go buy gas for a generator.We even had to go out of town to get it.We never belly ached about any of this.We set around and played games to keep us busy and made sure eveyone had what they needed, to be comfortable.When the sun came out on Thursday we went outside and set a tent up and watched everyone go by and waved.Had a good time visiting all the folks that stopped by.Also i forgot to mention that on Tuesday my sister,my two sons,brother in-law,husband,and myself,made ourselves useful,big trees kept falling down in front of our church(Springfield Baptist Church) and on Springfield Road.We got out there in the rain and wind and took a powersaw and cut the trees up so people could get by.Also i want to thank the guy in the white truck who set there and watched while two women worked there hearts out to make it safe for him to get by,who did'nt even offer to help.May God Bless You and Hope you got home safe!!
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on September 5, 2008 at 12:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
SamMo the only information I can find online about McCain during Katrina, August 29th, was that Bush had joined him to eat cake and celebrate McCain's birthday while New Orleans floods.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRar6yKZE...
Where was McCain during Hurricane Katrina?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZPAXCLIj...
And then in April 2008 when the campaign gets in full swing;
NEW ORLEANS --Touring the Lower Ninth Ward this morning, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) blasted the Bush administration's handling of Hurricane Katrina and vowed to respond differently if elected president.
"Never again, never again will a disaster of this nature be handled in the terrible and disgraceful way that it was handled," McCain told reporters after walking a few blocks through the still-devastated area.
McCain, flanked by his wife Cindy, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), local pastors, community activists and a coterie of National Guardsmen, spent 20 minutes touring houses that were in several different stages of rehabilitation. While some, such as the home of music legend Fats Domino, had been refurbished, others remained dilapidated and abandoned.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail...
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on September 5, 2008 at 1:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Peace...thank you for your research, but in order to make it fair and balanced you should research where Obama was and what he was doing on August 29 when Katrina hit...I think clarivoyance isn't something that can be expected from any person or politician including Bush, McCain and even his highness Obama.
McCain answered the charges regarding the Katrina Commission and spending bills related to Katrina. He says the bills were laden with pork barrel spending that had nothing to do with the Katrina tragedy. He also states that he was as active as anyone and voted for aid for New Orleans. Again, where was Obama?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ng9q4L3_...
Maybe you should broaden your informational sources to include someone other than The Young Turk.
Posted by ladybuggs (anonymous) on September 5, 2008 at 3:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sammohon...I HAVE NEVER WATCHED SOAPS!SO WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY NOW? NEVER ASKED FOR HAND OUT.HOWEVER IF ANYONE DESERVES.ANYTHING FOR THEIR LOSS WELL GIVE IT TO THEM!!!!
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on September 7, 2008 at 12:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Where was Obama on August 29, 1995, from Obama's website
http://obama.senate.gov/press/050823-oba...
Monday, August 29
Obama, Lugar meet with Ukraine President Viktor Yushchenko
Kiev, Ukraine
Obama, Lugar attend wreath laying ceremony at Babyn Yar, the site of massacre perpetrated by the Nazis during World War II
Babyn Yar, Ukraine
Obama, Lugar meet with Ukranian political and military officials
Kiev, Ukraine
Obama, Lugar tour Central Epidemiological Station concerning biological weapons issues.
Kiev, Ukraine
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