Extension Service will host flood seminar

Published 6:45 pm Thursday, July 18, 2019

Flooding in the Mississippi River and Yazoo Backwater Area have brought change to human lives, wildlife and the natural balance of other bodies of water.

In an effort to show what to do when the water recedes, the Mississippi State University Warren County Extension Service is hosting a seminar entitled “After the Flood: Now What?”

The free event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Hinds Community College Vicksburg Campus, 755 Highway 27.

The seminar will include presentations by experts in their respective fields, Warren County extension agent Sandy Havard said, with lunch provided for those who attend.

“We have also created packets for people that consist of several different publications that would be helpful for them and we will be giving away some cleaning buckets,” Havard said.

The seminar will begin with registration and welcome at 8:30 a.m., and at 9:30 the topic of discussion will be cleaning up after the flood.

Havard, who recently attended a training session geared toward agents whose counties have been affected by the Yazoo Backwater Area flooding, said she learned bleach is not adequate to remove mold.

“I bet the average person does not know how to clean up after a flood. They just think, ‘Oh I will just spray some bleach on it and that will kill the mold and I will be good to go, but that is not the case,” Havard said.

From 10:45 to 11:30 a.m., Tracy Tullos and William McKinley with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks will discuss deer season and herd health. Tullos is a game warden with the MDWFP and McKinley is the Deer Program coordinator.

Havard said this discussion will include information on supplemental feeding.

After lunch, Warren County Emergency Management director John Elfer will present information pertaining to development permits.

Elfer will go over the process of how to obtain a developmental permit and how it works, Havard said.

“This will be very beneficial for people that have structures under water,” Havard added.

At 2 p.m., MDWFP biologist Ryan Jones will talk about how to manage lakes and ponds after a flood.

“This seminar is going to be unique. We are taking the needs of what we see and the information people want,” Havard said.

It will also serve as a way people can network.

Havard said the United Way of West Central Mississippi has partnered with the Warren County Extension Service by providing the free lunch.

For more information or to RSVP for the seminar, call 601-636-5442.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

More by Terri Cowart