SPORTS COOK OF THE WEEK CHOCTAW CENTRAL GIRLS ARE 4 MARSTON ENJOYS WINS AWAY FROM STATE TITLE COOKING HAWAIIAN Basketball — Page 2B Scott Marston — Page 1B Established 1881 — Oldest Business Institution in Neshoba County Philadelphia, Mississippi Wednesday, February 24, 2021 140th Year No. 8 **$1.00 10 DAYS NO LIGHTS Chickens worry of Sandtown farmer By STAFF REPORTS Sheila Blount can’t wait for hot water because it’s been almost a week. “I am really looking for- ward to a hot shower when the power is restored,” she said Tues- day from work. The Blounts, who live in the Spring Creek community, were among the 15 percent in rural Neshoba County who were still without power Tuesday after win- ter storms brutalized the region last week. Danny Robertson rode out most of the winter storm on their farm at Sandtown three miles from home taking care of their six chicken houses because the roads were impassable. “The biggest problem was probably not living right next to the farm,” Robertson said, adding they had to keep generators run- ning but did not lose any chickens. “We were fortunate,” Robert- son said. “We came out of this real lucky that we just lost power.” His wife Karri Robertson was at work on Tuesday and got a text message about noon that they had just received power — 10 days after the first storm hit on Feb. 14. “I think all the linemen did a wonderful job getting the power restored,” Robertson said. “It has been a struggle but we made do the best we could.” When Karri Robertson left for work at The Citizens Bank on Tuesday morning she said she knew crews were working in the area but was not sure when they would get to her. Robertson said they lost power on Feb. 15, and the power was restored briefly on Wednesday for an hour and half but went out A crew works to restore power on Maple Avenue in Woodland Hills Wednesday. Ice accumulation on power lines and trees caused again. following winter storms that hit Mississippi last week on Monday and severe power outages throughout most of Neshoba County. The real worry for them was their chicken farm. Sheila Blount is the secretary at The First United Methodist 70% of county was without power Church and described the power situation as “frustrating and incon- By DUNCAN DENT men.” site, Central Electric reported 2,235 members venient,” but she knows linemen [email protected] Brandie Walton, another Dixon resident, said without electricity. are working hard to restore power. she also had not had power since the evening of They said 1,813 customers without power are They lost power last Wednes- As the lights flicker back on following winter Wednesday, Feb. 16. in Neshoba County. day evening and as of midday storms that left 70% of the county without power “They have been working so hard to get it Central Electric said they have been working Tuesday still had no power. last week, Neshoba countians are beginning to fixed, and I am grateful,” Walton said. in some 20 areas and communities to restore Blount said she has a power feel some return to normalcy. Emergency Management Director Darrell power around Philadelphia and Sebastopol as the line down in her yard and her Meanwhile, about 15% of rural electric cus- Wilson said Central Electric Power Association two major winter storms battered the area with mother-in-law’s across the street tomers in Neshoba County were still without is continuing to make progress on repairs as ice. has a line that runs only to her power 10 days after the first storm hit on Feb. county crews have cleared roadways countywide. Attempts were unsuccessful to reach a Central house down as well. 14. “Outage map numbers are steadily going Electric customer service representive or a com- She said she suspects they will Shelly Collins Belk said she had 10 family down every time I check it,” Wilson said. pany spokesperson for details on why so much of be among the last people to get members staying in her home on Road 234 in the As an example, Wilson reported close to Neshoba County lost power and when the power in their area as crews work Dixon community. 8,700 total outages Friday morning and by Mon- remainder of customers were expected to have to fix the damage that will restore Monday morning she had been six days with- day morning that number was down to just 4,065 their power restored. power to the most people. out power and had only had her water sputter customers without power in the Philadelphia and “Central Electric Power Association experi- She has not been told when to back on a few days prior. By 3 p.m. Monday she Sebastopol districts. enced sustained power outages throughout its expect to have power back on. was celebrating. By Monday evening, Central Electric’s total seven-county service area,” the company said in “They say they don’t know,” “Hallelujah! We have lights,” Belk said. “One customer outages was down to 2,936. a news release. Blount said. happy camper here. Thanks to God and the line- In a Tuesday morning release on their web- See POWER, page 2A See STORM, page 2A COMMUNITY RESPONSE Baptists respond with aid, the Gospel By SCOTT HAWKINS county lost power as tempera- green beans and a fruit, were [email protected] tures plunged to near single mostly distributed to cars that digits in the winter weather drove through parking lots of Baptist churches around that moved in Sunday, Feb. the churches. the county pitched in to make 14. But a few churches, such as sure people who were without David Addy, director of the New Bethel Baptist Church power in last week’s winter Neshoba Baptist Association, near Laurel Hill, still had elec- storms got warm meals. which organized the relief tricity and allowed people to Members of the Mississip- effort, said the meals were dis- come inside for a sit-down pi Baptist Disaster Relief tributed free to people Satur- meal and to use the church as Cooking Team brought in day through Monday regard- a warming station. approximately 10 volunteers less of denomination, race or “We didn’t run in to any from south Mississippi who creed at nine Southern Baptist problems,” Addy said. “It all helped prepare and serve churches strategically located worked pretty well.” 1,800 hot meals over three to cover the whole county. In addition to the 10 volun- days to Neshoba County resi- Addy said the different teers from out of the area, dents impacted by the winter meals, consisting of chili, numerous local volunteers storms. ravioli, chicken and helped as well, Addy said. Ivie Savell, Eli Sharp, Evan Sharp, the Rev. Eric Sharp and Chloe Savell prepare to hand More than 70 percent of the dumplings with green peas, See CHURCH, page 3A out food and water at New Bethel Baptist Church. OPINION JUST AMONG FRIENDS OPINION Rich Lowry PAGE 4A Marianne Enochs PAGE 1B Patrick Buchanan PAGE 4A 2A, The Neshoba Democrat, Philadelphia, Miss., February 24, 2021 COMPARED TO KATRINA County operations returning to normal By STAFF REPORTS day and Wednesday nights “Our volunteers in the Monday in some Tribal com- kept emergency workers busy. county are a big asset,” Wilson munities including Pearl Things are getting back to “They were just about to said. “I appreciate everything River. normal at the Neshoba County see the light at the end of the that they do. At times, we can Choctaw Tribal Chief Emergency Operations Center tunnel Wednesday evening get them on scene a lot quicker Cyrus Ben on Sunday reported Engagements & Weddings after last week’s ice storms when the second storm hit. then we can get a county crew. that over 80 additional that at one point left most of That knocked out power for They can get a small tree employees from electric coop- There is no charge for engagement and wedding Neshoba County without most of the county,” Wilson cut up and out of the way eratives in Mississippi, announcements. Submit them to weddings@neshobade- power. said. before the county crew can get Alabam and Arkansas were mocrat.com. From midnight Monday “I will say this. The work- to the building to get the assisting Central Electric with The deadline for submitting engagements and wed- until Friday night Neshoba ers at Central Electric Power saws.” restoration efforts. dings is at noon on Friday before the Wednesday publica- 911 received well over 835 Association have been out in Among the hardest-hit About 7,142 Central Elec- tion. emergency calls to 911, said the freezing cold, trying to get Tribal communities were tric customers were still with- Every effort will be made to run the announcement on Emergency Management the power restored. They have Bogue Chitto and Tucker out power on Sunday and an the date requested, but space requirements and time some- Director Darrell Wilson. busted it,” Wilson said. where the power was out for estimated 600 of those were times prohibit it. That is double the call vol- “They have had a lot of more than eight days in some Tribal member homes, Ben Wedding copy must not exceed the equivalent of more ume. “To me, this ice storm lines down, poles broken and instances. said. than two 8 1/2 x 11 inch pages. reminds me of Katrina as far blown transformers. There are Tribal facilities were Tribal members were able The Democrat reserves the right to edit articles to fit as the power outage was con- still people without power but offered as warming to claim reimbursements for space requirements and style.