New city established by evacuees

Adding a sense of permanence, about 200 citizens of the newly formed “Crescent City” in the Vicksburg Convention Center made rules and chose a mayor Tuesday.

Most of those remaining – down from a peak of 1,200 in eight area shelters – are from coastal Louisiana and Mississippi and named their new community after one of many nicknames for New Orleans.

Separately, local officials were beginning the long process of providing more permanent housing for the evacuees, many of whom may not be allowed to return to their former homes for weeks or months.

“We’re making sure that housing is available,” Vicksburg Mayor Laurence Leyens said in talking to the people who’ve been consolidated to the convention center from other shelters. “We’re compiling a list of every property for rent or sale. We will have all of those listed with maps.”

In other developments: