By By Ben Alexander/The Meridian Star
Dec. 19, 2000
Gov. Ronnie Musgrove and other state officials will be in Meridian today surveying damage from tornadic activity in the Russell and Dalewood communities. Lisa Mader, Musgrove's communications director, said Robert Latham, director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, will accompany the governor on his ground tour of the damaged areas this afternoon. Lauderdale Emergency Management Agency director Eddie Ivy will join them.
According to Mader, the trip by Musgrove to the area had been preplanned before the twisters struck with vengeance on Saturday. Musgrove was to be in town to host "One-On-One" meetings with constituents.
Mader said Musgrove will be taking a ground tour of the areas instead of a helicopter tour. She said Latham's agency had workers in town on Monday doing a preliminary walk-through in order to evaluate the damage to area homes.
Mader declined to say if state disaster recovery aid would be possible for the area and that Latham would be better suited to answer the question.
Musgrove was scheduled to arrive in town at 6 a.m. today. He is scheduled to take the tour of the damaged communities at 2 p.m. and host the One-On-One at 4 p.m. at Union Station.
Ben Alexander is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail him at balexander@themeridianstar.com.