• 37°
franklin county times

Convoy of power trucks head for Louisiana

By Staff
HURRICANE RELIEF – Dominion Virginia Power trucks convoy through Meridian on their way to assist utility companies in Louisiana. Hurricane Lili made landfall Thursday along the Louisiana Gulf Coast, knocking out power lines and cutting off service to thousands of customers. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Lynette Wilson / staff writer
Oct. 4, 2002
A convoy of utility trucks from as far away as Virginia moved south through Meridian's Interstate 20/59 corridor on Thursday en route to repair power lines Hurricane Lili downed along the Gulf Coast.
Thousands of Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas residents were left without power when Lili slammed into Louisiana just south of Lafayette. The storm spread heavy rains and high winds over the three-state area.
Last week, Pollard said, Tropical Storm Isidore left 94,000 customers without power. Isidore brought heavy rains and flooding, she said, while Lili brought heavy winds that knocked down power lines.
Through a mutual aid pact, Entergy has pulled together 14,000 electricians, linesman, tree trimmers and other electrical support staff from throughout the southeast to expedite power restoration, Pollard said.
Meridian weather
In Meridian, Lauderdale County and other parts of East Mississippi, Lili brought periods of heavy rains and gusty winds Thursday but nothing like the rains that accompanied Isidore.
Dave Biggar, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Jackson, said Lili moved north along the eastern edge of Louisiana placing Meridian under a tornado and flash flood watch Thursday.
He said Meridian can expect an 80 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms through today, and temperatures in the mid-80s and sunny skies by Saturday.
While Meridian had no power outages on Thursday, that wasn't the case on the Mississippi Coast. Mississippi Power Co. spokesman Kurt Brautigam said his company had about 4,000 scattered outages.
Relief workers
Brautigam said Mississippi Power will send 60 of its workers to Louisiana today joining thousands of other workers from other states.
Power company employees working in regions outside their own are paid through recovery mechanisms monies built into consumer rates by regulatory commissions for disaster purposes.
PIKE, a North Carolina-based power-line contractor, has 1,000 employees cleaning up Lili's damage, said spokesman Zack Blackman.
Chuck Penn, manager of media and community relations for Dominion Virginia Power, said Dominion deployed more than 100 people and 40 bucket trucks in a convoy that left Virginia on Tuesday morning bound for Slidell, La.

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Mousey Brown

News

Russellville First Baptist Church receives historical marker

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Meeting a higher standard – Russellville High School JROTC

News

RCS BOE announces new superintendent  

News

Miss Dream Girl Pageant names winners

Franklin County

First Metro Bank hosts FAME Girls’ Ranch donation drive

News

PCHS holds annual Shelby Grissom Memorial Fashion Show

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

x