Week of January 18, 2004

Low temperatures and rain were common during the week, but not at the same time. Daily highs ranged from 35 degrees to 66 and lows from 22 degrees to 47. Rain fell on two days and measured 2.28 inches.

The Mississippi River rose from 28.5 feet on the Vicksburg gauge to 30.4 feet before ending the period at 30.2 feet. Forecasters said the river will be at 28.5 feet today.

The first expansion of River Region Medical Center following its opening two years ago reached a milestone with the topping out of the steel frame for the three-story wing. The medical center will use single floor for a cardiac intensive care unit.

After being named chairman of the Education Committee of the Mississippi Senate, Sen. Mike Chaney, R-Vicksburg, said keeping qualified public school teachers and funding for an educated work force will be his priorities.

Charles Riles, owner of the Riles Funeral Home, has filed a lawsuit against John Thomason III, manager of the Frank J. Fisher Funeral Directors, and its parent company, Alderwoods Inc. The suit charges that Thomason printed, circulated and distributed letters to interfere with the business of Riles and his funeral home.

In spite of rain that soaked the area most of the day, 400 people turned out to help with the dedication of the seventh mural painted by Robert Dafford and his staff on the flood wall at Vicksburg’s City Front. The mural honors the Sisters of Mercy who operated a school and a hospital in the city.

Barbara Blackmon, a member of the Mississippi Senate and an unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor was the speaker at the annual breakfast honoring the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Jeramond Almonda Watson of Port Gibson, a sailor on leave from the U.S. Navy, died in a single car wreck on U.S. 61 South near LeTourneau and Kirkland roads. Sheriff Martin Pace said it appeared Watson’s southbound car ran off the road, hit a bank and overturned.

Jesse Dobbs, 43, left school without learning to read, but he is changing that. With the help of Janis Beach, a junior high school teacher, Dobbs is using the time in the Warren County Jail to become literate.

The City of Vicksburg agreed to pay $15,000, half of the cost of a needs assessment for the former Vicksburg Chemical property, as the next step in considering a golf course overlooking the Mississippi River.

Workers from the City of Vicksburg began work installing a median in Halls Ferry Road between Bowmar Avenue and Lane Street. Officials said the median is to slow the flow of traffic on Halls Ferry and to beautify the area.

After three previous attempts, the Warren County Board of Supervisors received two valid bids to supply the county with a new boat and barge for the Kings Point Ferry. The board planned to award the contract to either Big River Shipbuilders of Vicksburg or Tensas Machine and Manufacturing of Newellton, La., at its first meeting in February.

Vicksburg elected officials voted to modify the plan for urban renewal of the downtown area and drop plans to buy four pieces of property. The parcels dropped from the plans are Rocking Horse Motors, vacant lots at China and Washington and Walnut and Grove and the Western Auto building on Washington Street.

Dr. James Houston, director of the .S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, said the center is deeply involved in the war on terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. The involvement included testing of bombs to tele-engineering that allows soldiers in the field to reach experts back at ERDC for solutions to problems.

Speaking at the Vicksburg Warren County Chamber of Commerce banquet, Gov. Haley Barbour outlined his plans for protecting and creating jobs, including those at Army installations in Vicksburg. He also said the state should not raise taxes and should enact more tort reform legislation.

The two educators honored as teachers of the year by the Vicksburg Warren County Chamber of Commerce work outside the traditional classroom. Patsy Edwards Tisdale is a librarian at Vicksburg Junior High and Barbara Bruce Applebaum is theme coordinator at South Park Elementary.

Mayor Laurence Leyens told the board of directors of the Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau he wanted them to move faster to hire and executive director, do a better job tracking visitors and develop a clear plan to attract more. He said he was trying to be supportive, but added he may ask for resignations if there is no improvement.

Local deaths during the week included Melvin M. King, Bertie Mae Daffin, Pamela Y. Anderson, Laura E. Volk, Martha Jo Ann Leach, Wesley Wilson, Mary McCann Shelton, Carleen Millis Irby, John Henry Martin, Rachel Neal, David W. Fite and Clarice Sessions.