Mississippi
Mississippi passes bill supporting hurricane mitigation program
PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) – With insurance rates rising across the nation, people in Mississippi are looking for ways to protect their homes without breaking the bank.
A program by the Mississippi Insurance Department is expected to help folks fortify their homes ahead of natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes.
The Comprehensive Hurricane Damage Mitigation Program was created in 2007, but didn’t receive funding until this year’s legislative session.
Mississippi House Bill 1705 will transfer $5 million from the state’s Surplus Lines Association to pay for the program.
The bill also requires that MID issue a Request for Proposal for administration of the program, or operate the program internally, according to Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney.
Qualified applicants can receive up to $10,000 to help them “mitigate” their homes.
Mitigation includes “higher elevation, adding hurricane shutters, fastening your roof to the walls with hurricane straps and buying flood insurance, among other efforts.”
The program will be limited to the state’s lower six counties, which are Pearl River, Stone, George, Jackson, Harrison and Hancock counties.
Leaders said they’re hoping the program will match the success of similar programs in neighboring states like Alabama.
“Their program has been very successful, and they’ve stabilized their insurance rates and have some lower rates than we do here in Mississippi, especially on the coastal areas,” said MIS Deputy Commissioner David Browning. “So, we’re trying to do what they’re doing.”
Mississippi law requires insurance companies to give discounts for homes mitigated to standards set by the Insurance Institute For Business And Home Safety.
There is no required amount for discounts, but folks usually receive up to 30-percent off.
Browning said the program will take a few months to set up, but a website will eventually be up for folks to apply and learn more about eligibility.
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Mississippi
Mississippi child dead, three injured after single-vehicle crash in Alabama
MARION COUNTY, Ala. (WTVA) – A 10-year-old Mississippi child is dead and three other passengers, including a 1-year-old, are injured after a single-vehicle crash happened in Alabama.
The crash occurred at 6:55 a.m. on Sunday on Interstate 22 located near Brilliant, Alabama.
A car with four occupants left the road and crashed into a barrier.
The 10-year-old, whose identity was not released, died as a result of the crash at a local hospital.
The driver of the vehicle, 31-year-old Raymoni Gordon, 36-year-old Shuntalisha Metcalf, and a 1-year-old from Mississippi were also injured and taken to a hospital.
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Highway Patrol Division is investigating the crash.
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Mississippi
Idaho freedom celebration billed as largest fireworks show west of Mississippi River
IDAHO FALLS — The largest fireworks show west of the Mississippi River is returning this year for the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration, and organizers says it will “be bigger and better than any other fireworks show in the American West.”
The 31st annual Melaleuca Freedom Celebration is happening July 4 at Snake River Landing in Idaho Falls. Riverfest, presented by Idaho Central Credit Union, Mountain View Hospital and Riverbend Media Group, will feature live music and entertainment all day. There will be vendors and food options available. It will culminate with the fireworks show at 10:03 p.m.
More than 18,500 fireworks will be launched during the 31-minute spectacle. It will be synchronized to music on Classy 97, which will be played over a network of speakers for spectators to hear.
“This free tribute to America averages 597 shells per minute! That’s 9.9 fireworks every second! And it typically draws an audience of over 200,000 spectators,” a news release from the event organizers says.
Western Display Fireworks has fired the Melaleuca fireworks over the years and is returning for this year’s event. Pyrotechnicians have designed this one-of-a-kind show using the best technology in the industry.
Organizers say the “curtains of special effects that blanket the sky” will “create a unifying view at every level” and be “more spectacular than ever.”
“The Melaleuca Freedom Celebration is more than just entertainment on the Fourth of July,” Melaleuca Chairman Frank VanderSloot said. “It’s a heartfelt, unifying event for the community. But more importantly, it’s a tribute of gratitude to America’s heroes.”
“Thirty-one minutes of tribute doesn’t seem like enough, but we hope it will create a feeling in our souls that will last all year,” VanderSloot adds.
EastIdahoNews.com will be there giving chopper rides from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Get your tickets at the news website. Stop by and see them at the red tent.
Several agencies have come together to create a master traffic plan. The Idaho Falls Police Department and the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office will help direct traffic throughout the day.
Organizers are grateful to Ball Ventures and everyone else who makes this celebration possible. They’re excited for the event and invite the community to attend.
“The Melaleuca Freedom Celebration is a wonderful tradition that brings our great community together each year,” Ball Ventures co-managing director and president of real estate Tahri Molifua says in a news release. “Ball Ventures is honored to host another year of festivities at Snake River Landing. Our team is working diligently to ensure the wonderful members of our community have a safe and memorable 4th of July.”
Mississippi
Father's Day shooting leaves one man dead – Mississippi's Best Community Newspaper
Father’s Day shooting leaves one man dead
Published 1:35 pm Sunday, June 16, 2024
NATCHEZ — One man is dead after what Adams County Sheriff’s Deputies are calling a violent domestic disturbance that took place at multiple locations.
Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said his office received a call in the early hours of Sunday morning about a domestic situation on Carmel Church Road.
Before deputies could arrive, they received 9-1-1 dispatch reports that Calvin Carter forced Tawana Jones into his vehicle at gunpoint and left the residence.
Dispatchers told deputies that Jones and Carter were traveling on Shieldsboro Road and they were being followed by a family member of Jones.
At the end of Shieldsboro Road, an altercation occurred between Carter and the family member of Jones. During that altercation, shots were fired that resulted in the death of Carter, Sheriff Patten said.
Deputies arrived and the scene and secured it.
“A thorough investigation involving multiple crime scenes is taking place. Jones is in stable condition after being transported to Merit Health Hospital because of her injuries,” Patten said.
He said more details will be released after further investigation.
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