Mississippi

The Controversial Plan to Unleash the Mississippi River

Published

2 years ago

July 23, 2022

The Controversial Plan to Unleash the Mississippi River

The LSU report, although, grew to become finest identified for its proposed answer, which centered on counteracting levees. The authors recommended that some water and dirt be diverted out of the Mississippi, again into the marshland. Let the river resume the work it had been doing for hundreds of years, earlier than it was restrained, in different phrases. It’s an concept that has captivated engineers and ecologists ever since.

To check the idea, scientists started to chop by means of the pure banks close to the river’s mouth. (As a result of the land close to the mouth was so irremediably swampy, levees had been by no means constructed alongside the river’s previous few dozen kilometers.) By the tip of the Eighties, the US Military Corps of Engineers was engaged on a extra substantial “diversion” at a web site referred to as Caernarvon, simply upstream of Plaquemines Parish: Right here, a set of gates permits water to move by means of a tunnel beneath the levee and into the marsh. The venture’s official objective is to provide contemporary water to the marsh’s delicate crops. When development started, although, native newspapers described the venture as a possible conduit for sediment—not only a option to protect marsh, then, but additionally to rebuild it. Certainly, only a few years after the gates had been opened in 1991, a whole bunch of hectares of recent marsh had fashioned.

By then, the federal authorities had begun to fund different restoration tasks, too. Soil dredged out of the river was dumped alongside the shoreline; rock partitions had been constructed alongside eroding seashores; new sand was added to the barrier islands that sit simply past the delta; a second small freshwater diversion was constructed. However these efforts weren’t sufficient to do what many believed was mandatory: to construct the type of giant diversions that would assemble whole sub-deltas.

Then, in late 2005, Hurricane Katrina walloped New Orleans, kicking up sufficient gulf water to submerge a lot of the ridge-top metropolis. The lacking marshland, many scientists identified, may have absorbed a number of the energy of the storm-driven waves, serving as a type of hurricane velocity bump. Ecological arguments had by no means prompted vital motion, however injury to non-public property proved completely different. Three months after the storm, the state launched a brand new company, the Coastal Safety and Restoration Authority (CPRA), which oversees each coastal restoration and flood safety.

The subsequent 12 months, an company official approached leaders in Plaquemines Parish to debate a proposal for a large-scale diversion. The state wished to situate the diversion close to the group of Myrtle Grove, a group of luxurious properties on stilts above the marsh in Barataria Bay. The native response—from the fishing business, from the native oil firms, from the farmers who develop citrus on the ridge right here, and from the owners—was, because the Occasions-Picayune famous on the time, a near-unanimous “no, thanks.”

The unhealthy blood goes again generations to an enormous flood that rolled down the Mississippi in 1927, inundating a lot of the US South. This was the Hurricane Katrina of the period, a catastrophe that seized the nation’s consideration. Because the surge of water approached New Orleans, officers obtained permission to journey downstream with dynamite and blast a gap within the Mississippi River levee, which had grown so large that it was now seen as an issue. The floodwaters, trapped, grew greater, threatening to run over the levee’s high. Metropolis officers hoped that by giving the water one other outlet, the water would drop close to New Orleans. Certainly, town was spared, although Plaquemines Parish was inundated. The residents had been promised compensation for the injury, although little ever arrived.

Source link

Click to comment

Mississippi

Mississippi legislature hosts Alabama for softball game at Trustmark Park

Published

3 hours ago

June 22, 2024

Press Room

Mississippi legislature hosts Alabama for softball game at Trustmark Park

PEARL, Miss. (WLBT) – Saturday, the Mississippi legislature welcomed the Alabama legislature to Trustmark Park for the inaugural Battle of Tombigbee softball game.

“We got a challenge at the beginning of the year to play the Alabama legislators in a softball game,” said Rep. Troy Smith, who represents Mississippi’s 84th District. “They’ve been doing this for several years; this is our first go around.”

The meeting on the diamond was initiated with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety delivering the game ball to the field via helicopter and kicked off a fun and friendly rivalry between the two states.

Not your typical game at Trustmark Park today. It’s The Battle of Tombigbee: the Mississippi legislature is facing the Alabama legislature in a softball game. I’ll have the story tonight on @WLBT pic.twitter.com/yDy7YBtweP
— Patrick Johnstone (@PJohnstone_) June 22, 2024
Advertisement

“It’s great for the two states to come around and play together, it’s going to be an annual thing,” Smith said.

The state representatives were happy to take a day to have fun with their statesmen and neighbors to the east.

“You can see on the bench, we’re all one team, [we have] camaraderie,” said Mississippi District 1 Representative Lester Carpenter. “We work in the House together, we play ball together, so it’s a wonderful thing.”

“We have a job, we discuss laws, we get a lot of criticism on things we do, a lot of gratitude too,” Smith said. “To come out and mix it with other people who have got the same job, use the same stories, it’s fun.”

While it’s been a minute since some of the state reps took reps on the field, they were able to get back into the swing of things.

“It takes us a while to get used to this,” said Alabama House Majority Leader Scott Stadthagen. “We’ve been stretching and trying to run, but we’ve got to knock the dust off us a little bit.”

“We’ve got one in their 20s, one in their 30s, the rest 40 and above. A lot of us ain’t been on a ballfield in 20-30 years, but it feels good,” Smith said.

The best part of the whole event: revenue generated from the game went to benefit the Mississippi Children’s Hospital.

“The kids are the real winners, right?” Stadthagen said. “Hopefully we raise a lot of money for it, and hopefully it benefits a lot of kids.”

Saturday’s game did not disappoint. The showdown at Trustmark Park went into the 10th inning, and Alabama won 7-5.

Want more WLBT news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please click here to report it and include the headline of the story in your email.

Source link

Mississippi

Highest-rated beer in Mississippi

Published

10 hours ago

June 22, 2024

Press Room

If you drink beer—any beer—you’re probably familiar with the craft beer explosion that began in the late 2010s, and you likely fall into one of two camps: IPA warrior or lager loyalist. The great thing about a beer-related revolution is that there is no wrong side. Whatever your preference, cheers to you.

The brewery business is indeed a revolution by many counts. According to the Brewers Association, the number of breweries in the United States grew by 567% from 2003 to 2023—all while beer consumption, on average, was declining. For the first time since 1999, beer shipments fell below 200 million barrels in 2023, making it the lowest amount of beer consumed in the U.S. in a generation.

Like all revolutions, this began as a desire for change—as an overthrow of the old and the monopolistic. When combined, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Molson Coors (formerly MillerCoors), two of the largest beer companies in the world, comprised roughly 72% of total beer sales in the U.S. around 2013. A decade later, that share dropped to 65.7% in 2023, with smaller brewers claiming a larger share.

With a taste of the innovations and variety coming out of craft breweries, consumers are demanding a higher-quality product—and are willing to pay more for it. Over the last decade, between May 2014 and May 2024, beer prices have risen 21% overall.

But how can you determine the best craft beers in an increasingly crowded market? If you’re curious about the most popular beers in your home state, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated beers in Mississippi using ratings from BeerAdvocate. A maximum of five beers per brewery were included.

Read on to plan your next local beer tour!

Note: Photos of each beer are included where available from BeerAdvocate; otherwise, stock images are shown.

You may also like: Best colleges in Mississippi

#15. Vanilla Pecan

– Rating: 3.58 (13 ratings)
– Type: English Brown Ale
– ABV: 4.50%
– Brewery: Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

#14. Coffee Shoppe

– Rating: 3.67 (12 ratings)
– Type: Sweet / Milk Stout
– ABV: 6.00%
– Brewery: Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

#13. Gulf Sour Series – Blueberry Crumble

– Rating: 3.74 (11 ratings)
– Type: Berliner Weisse
– ABV: 5.70%
– Brewery: Chandeleur Island Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

#12. Good Bug

– Rating: 3.79 (11 ratings)
– Type: American Blonde Ale
– ABV: 4.50%
– Brewery: Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

#11. Lil’ Miss Sour

– Rating: 3.82 (27 ratings)
– Type: Wild Ale
– ABV: 5.50%
– Brewery: Chandeleur Island Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

You may also like: How road conditions in Mississippi have deteriorated since 2000

#10. Ole Buddy

– Rating: 3.96 (10 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 6.20%
– Brewery: Chandeleur Island Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

#9. Timber Beast

– Rating: 3.94 (519 ratings)
– Type: Imperial IPA
– ABV: 9.00%
– Brewery: Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

#8. Gulf Sour Series – Lovebug

– Rating: 3.99 (21 ratings)
– Type: Fruited Kettle Sour
– ABV: 6.00%
– Brewery: Chandeleur Island Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

#7. Gulf Sour Series – Guava Jelly

– Rating: 4.02 (17 ratings)
– Type: Fruited Kettle Sour
– ABV: 6.00%
– Brewery: Chandeleur Island Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

#6. Altered Beast

– Rating: 4.01 (23 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 6.10%
– Brewery: Southern Prohibition Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

You may also like: Best public high schools in Mississippi

#5. Soul Glo

– Rating: 4.05 (32 ratings)
– Type: Saison
– ABV: 8.40%
– Brewery: Southern Prohibition Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

#4. Cream Stout

– Rating: 4.13 (12 ratings)
– Type: Sweet / Milk Stout
– ABV: 5.40%
– Brewery: Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

#3. Space To Face

– Rating: 4.22 (21 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 5.90%
– Brewery: Southern Prohibition Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

#2. Crowd Control

– Rating: 4.22 (203 ratings)
– Type: Imperial IPA
– ABV: 8.00%
– Brewery: Southern Prohibition Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

#1. Paradise Lost

– Rating: 4.27 (74 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 8.10%
– Brewery: Southern Prohibition Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states and Washington D.C.

You may also like: Counties with the highest heart disease rates in Mississippi

Source link

Mississippi

Fishermen rescue 38 hunting dogs from drowning in Mississippi lake

Published

17 hours ago

June 22, 2024

Press Room

Fishermen rescue 38 hunting dogs from drowning in Mississippi lake

***Learn about swimming safety in the video above.***

(WJW) – A small group of fishermen are being hailed heroes after making an unexpected catch that day — more than three dozen hunting dogs treading water in a Mississippi lake.

It all started when Bob Gist, a 61-year-old State Farm agent from Arkansas, went on a fishing trip to Lake Grenada with his friend Brad Carlisle, a State Farm agent from Tennessee, as reported by Fox News.

Gist told Fox News they were out on the lake with a fishing guide, Jordan Chrestman, when they suddenly heard dogs barking.

“Pretty soon we saw some dogs on the horizon in the water,” Gist told the news outlet.

The friends noticed the group of dogs, which were part of an annual fox run, were trying to catch a deer in the water, according to reports.

The group went on fishing for another 10 to 15 minutes when the guide said he wanted to check back on the dogs.

“We’re just flabbergasted because it’s dogs everywhere,” Gist told Fox News. “They’re all going in different directions because they can no longer see the bank on either side.”

The fishermen then sprung into action, bringing as many hunting dogs as they could onto their bass fishing boat.

Courtesy of Robert Gist

Reports say the rescuers returned about 25 to 27 dogs to shore when their owners came running over, pleading for help.

With help from a man on shore with a GPS tracker, they were able to rescue the remaining dogs that, according to Gist, “were on the verge of drowning,” Fox News reported.

Gist posted photos from the rescue on his professional Facebook page, with the caption reading, “Like a Good Neighbor Bob Gist was there!”

The fishermen have received plenty of praise since the rescue, with one commenter saying, “All of you guys are true HEROES! Love this story!’

“Our family have dogs of our own and I know how much this means to those owners! Thank you!” another said.

Gist said he’s grateful they were in the right place at the right time, but he’s giving the most credit to their fishing guide.

“Jordan realized there might be a problem and said we needed to go check. He was so correct,” Gist said on Facebook. “We all pulled dogs from the water and Jordan managed (the) recovery like he had done it before. He is the hero here for sure.”

He told Fox News that the dog owners tried to pay Chrestman for rescuing the pups, but the fishing guide refused to take the money.

Source link