Avent Park project nears completion
Water drainage project at Avent Park is almost complete. (May 17, 2013, Page 3A)
Avent Park drain project altered
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is giving Oxford more money than first expected to build a storm-water drainage structure that is less intrusive than the one city engineers had initially designed. (August 22, 2012, Page 1)
Storms cost county $1.4 million
Six months after severe thunderstorms that produced a tornado and damaging straight-line winds wreaked havoc on Lafayette County, some families are still rebuilding. According to FEMA, more than $171,000 was given to local individuals through grants and low-income loans. The storms cost Lafayette County $1.4 million, according to officials. (October 31, 2011, Page 1A)
Storm recovery efforts continue
The newly formed LOU Recovery Organization worked on bylaws and policies and procedures during its quarterly meeting Thursday at the Oxford-University Methodist Church. (October 7, 2011, Page 1A)
Funds available for storm shelters
Thanks to grants being offered by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, Lafayette County residents can get up to $4,000 to help build a safe room or storm shelter at their home. (June 6, 2011, Page 2)
Community begins to rebuild
The storms on April 27 — one month ago today — destroyed 18 homes and damaged hundreds of other homes and businesses around the county. The neighborhoods of Pine Flat, Yocona and north Oxford are rebuilding as the community joins together to help form a new long-term recovery group. (May 27, 2011, Page 1A, 8A)
Quake threat real
Officials from MEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, local emergency managers from surrounding counties, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other emergency response agencies have been attending the Earthquake Mid-Term Planning Conference this week in Oxford to discuss the state’s preparedness for earthquakes and the threats posed to north Mississippi as part of Earthquake Awareness Week. (January 21, 2011, Page 1A, 5A)
Katrina left some positive marks on Oxford
Five years ago Sunday, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast, New Orleans and surrounding Gulf areas, killing about 2,000 and displacing more than 250,000 people from their homes.
In Oxford, evacuees flooded local hotels and bunked in with family and friends. Law enforcement and emergency management officials say things ran smoothly due to having emergency plans in place. (August 27, 2010, Page 1A)
County storm victims begin to see grant money
Since an EF2 tornado ripped through Abbeville in May, more than $40,000 in funds have been approved for Lafayette County residents affected by the storm.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency have approved more than $3.5 million in grants to help eligible disaster survivors in Mississippi with housing and other serious disaster-related needs. Housing assistance included funds for temporary rental payments, home repairs, support toward replacing a destroyed home, or temporary housing units such as travel trailers or mobile homes. (June 9, 2010, Page 2)
MEMA, FEMA assess local tornado damage
The number of homes damaged by the F2 tornado that ripped through Abbeville early Sunday morning is higher than emergency management officials first estimated, although most of the damage is minor, Lafayette County Emergency Management Coordinator David Shaw said. (May 7, 2010, Page 2A)
