- The official fatality count for Chickasaw County remains at three persons lost to the storms, including:

Cortez Townsend Isabell, 24

Betty L. Watkins, 56

Betty Walker Plant, 62

The four county stations at: Dixieland Manufacturing Parking Lot

Buena Vista Fire Station – CR 406

Bethel Baptist Church – CR 416

McCondy Methodist Church – Hwy 47

These remain available for work crews, displaced residents or others who need food or other aid.

Initial home/property assessments have been completed at this time.



The Houston Ministerial Association has established a fund at Regions Bank to receive and disburse cash donations.

There are needs at individual properties for volunteer teams to help with clean-up and repair on private property. Those considering such a mission are encouraged to coordinate through the Chickasaw Emergency Management office at 662-448-1012.

All volunteers are requested to check in through Chickasaw EMA at the old jail just south of the Houston Fire Station.

Natchez Trace Electric Power Association reports that all customers who can safely be restored now have power.

Okolona Electric reports about 25 customers still out and they expect to have those restored in short order.

FEMA representatives are currently on the field and are currently making initial visits with affected residents of the county.

One or more local Disaster Relief Centers will shortly be established in the county to enable victims to contact several agencies in one location. As soon as the locations are selected, further announcements will be made.

Those clearing their properties are requested to move their storm debris to the side of the road for later pickup, and to please keep debris sorted into separate piles of limbs/brush, building debris, metals, and white goods such as stoves or refrigerators.

This will greatly speed up the eventual collection as these items must be handled separately in their eventual disposal.

Debris should be accessible from the road, as collection crews will not be able to freely enter private property to pick up debris.

Those residents of Chickasaw County who had storm damage are requested to go ahead and file an initial report with FEMA by either:

Call 1-800-321-3362

www.fema.gov

www.disasterassistance.gov

This filing will be important as the recovery efforts progress.

Locally, those affected by the storm with immediate needs may contact Chickasaw EMA at 662.448.1012.

Collection points available for donations:

Houston Fire Department (bottled water, paper products only)

National Guard Armory – Houston

Houlka City Hall

Okolona City Hall

(NO CLOTHES NEEDED AT THIS TIME)

- Renasant Bank to bring temporary banking facility to Smithville, opening week of May 15.

- Man from Southaven wanting to be anonymous gives Smithville mayor $1000 to help "most in need."

- Two meetings will be held this week to update Monroe County residents on cleanup efforts after storms. Smithville meeting will be Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Smithville Baptist Church. A meeting for victims in Wren will be Thursday at 5 pm at the community center.

Three Rivers Planning & Development District started handing out relief checks this morning to residents in Smithville who need help rebuilding after a tornado ripped through the town.

Biz Editor Dennis Seid has been in Smithville all morning. Tweets so far (@dennisseid):

• Rain forces Three Rivers to hand out checks under remnants of Piggly Wiggly in Smithville

• Sixty-six checks to be handed out today; other applications must still be verified, processed

• Thanks to yesterday's anonymous donor, Smithville victims getting $2000 checks.

• Three Rivers also taking apps at Okolona City Hall today and Wed. and at Wren Community Center Wed. and Thurs.

• Chickasaw residents and Monroe residents outside Smithville eligible for $1,000 checks. Unless another donor steps up.

- From Smithville Mayor Gregg Kennedy ....

1. Specific supplies that were requested for the Smithville area: shelf milk, baby formula, and extension cords. The Point of Distribution (POD) is open from 8am-6pm for storm victims. The POD is located behind the Piggly Wiggly on Industrial Street.

2. Volunteer work groups are being coordinated through Butch Steele, volunteer coordinator for Monroe County. Groups are encouraged to call him at (662) 213-2658 to coordinate their efforts before traveling to the area.

3. Two storm shelters have been put in place for the residents and workers of Smithville.

4. Groups wanted to feed workers and residents may be coordinated through United Way volunteer Ashley Stubblefield at (662) 257-0557.

5. The Amory driver's license office will be open Wednesday from 8:30am-4:30pm at the Monroe County Government Complex. Any victim of the storm can go there to get a valid driver's license/identification card. They will need to be bring any identifying information with them.

6.There will be a 2pm news conference at the Government Complex in Amory concerning Town House Furniture.

7. The Disaster Recovery Center (DRC), operated by FEMA is located in the Smithville High School parking lot at Highway 25 and Highway 23. The DRC is open seven days a week from 7am-7pm. All storm victims of Monroe County and the town of Smithville can sign up for assistance at that location.

8. Financial Donations can be made at any branch of Community Bank. The account is listed as "United Way Disaster Relief Fund." Donations will be used to assist storm victims in Monroe County.



FYI: There have been approximately 1,800 volunteers in the Smithville area in the past three days.

- Sixteen residents in the Brasfield subdivision in Smithville are still without natural gas. Atmos Energy is working to restore service. All other Smithville customers have natural gas service and should call Atmos at 662-690-5206 to have a worker come out to relight pilot lights on appliances, according to Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley.

- Atmos Energy has restored natural gas to Smithville residents that can receive service. The company will be going door to door to reconnect appliances, according to Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley.