The Mississippi River was at 24.43 feet on March 22. It had fallen to 24 feet by Friday. Flood stage is 43 feet.
Two men were injured when the light, home-built airplane they were flying made an emergency landed on the roof of Cooper Industries on U.S. 61 South Friday afternoon. Authorities said Michael Nasour, 44, the flight instructor, received minor injuries, and Robert Hamilton, 49, his student, was taken to University of Mississippi Medical Center, where he was later released, a hospital spokesman said. The plane was removed from the roof Saturday.
A federal judge halted a lawsuit between battling factions and would-be principals of the defunct Grand Station Casino and Hotel. U.S. District Judge Tom Lee said he agreed with co-defendants Nikkie Weiss and Sandra Bailey that the court did not have personal jurisdiction over them because neither were involved in the Texas-based M Street Investment’s business dealings with AGT Capital. According to a lawsuit filed in January by AGT Capital LLC against M Street, M Street at one time tried to buy the Grand Casino vessel, which was later sold for scrap.
The Warren County Board of Supervisors rejected a new voting precinct map because election commissioners failed to follow the state’s Open Meetings act and because the district lines were not contiguous.
Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said the city’s 200-acre Fisher Ferry property, which was once considered for a sports complex is up for sale. Flaggs said he will present a resolution at the April 7 meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to put the property on the market for 90 days. Flaggs said he wanted to make the property available to local developers to determine what the land can be used for, adding he wanted to find the “highest and best use” for the property.
In another city matter, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen granted a 30-day extension to Saul Fultz to clean the property he owns at 1617 Jackson St., and authorized Community Development Director Victor Gray-Lewis to clear land and demolish a dilapidated house at 1620 Jackson. Futlz and Ethel Lee Bland, listed on Warren County tax records as the owner of 1620 Jackson, each received 30-day extensions in February, but recent reports by city inspectors indicate no action had been taken during the 30 days. Fultz told the board he had been unable to do work on his property and sought the extra 30 days. Bland was not at the board’s meeting.
Cuts implemented by the NRoute Transportation Board of Commissioners in February 2013 have helped reduce the bus system’s expenses by $20,000, NRoute’s accountant told the board. The board reduced NRoute’s bus routes from six to three to reduce a projected $55,532 debt for fiscal 2013.
A meeting called by city officials to discuss building an auxiliary main waterline for the city was cancelled after representatives for IMS Engineers of Jackson, the project engineer failed to show. According to Mayor George Flaggs Jr., the IMS representatives said they were not notified, although the meeting was set at the last waterline meeting on Jan. 31. The city proposed to build a backup water line from Haining Road to connect with an existing line on Jackson Street. The line will cross North Washington Street and the Vicksburg National Military Park to Fort Hill Drive and along Fort Hill to Jackson Street.
Hinds Community College’s Vicksburg campus observed its 40th anniversary with a special ceremony.
Local deaths included Paul Wayne Cothran, Valerie Otis, Joyce Logue Atkins, John A. Chobanian, Flora Rumbley, Harold E. West, Willie Watts, Leon Blackmore Sr., Charles Henry Jackson and Alvin Westcott.