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Posted on Thu, Sep. 08, 2005 | |
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Useful information THE SUN HERALD Sep. 8 - Corrections Employees of Penn National Gaming may call the employee assistance line from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. A listing on page 12 of Thursday's paper had incorrect times. Salvation Army feeding sites Harrison County: Salvation Army Community Corps, 2019 22nd St., Gulfport (fixed); Old Piggly Wiggly, 206 E. Railroad, Long Beach (fixed); Hardy Court Shopping Center, Pass Road, Gulfport; Choice Supermarket, 200 W. Railroad St., Long Beach; Highway 49 and Highway 53; John Clark and Canal Road; Lizana and Cable Bridge Road; Saucier Baptist Church, Highway 49; Three Rivers Elementary, Woolmarket; Woolmarket Community Center, 16320 Old Woolmarket Road; Big Lots, 10541 D'Iberville Road, D'Iberville; Gaston Point, Gulfport; Yankee Stadium, Division Street, Biloxi; Oakwood Village, Benachi Avenue, Biloxi; Lee Kerly Lane, Biloxi; Howard Avenue and Rosetti, Biloxi; Old Bay Road and Adkinson, Biloxi; Wilson and Connery Circle, Biloxi; Riverside and Big Lake Road, Biloxi; Church of God, 321 Main St., Biloxi; Buchanon and Wiltshire, Biloxi; Popps Ferry and Applewood, Biloxi. Jackson County: Gulf Breeze Plaza, Ocean Springs; MGCCC, Highway 90, Gautier. Stone County: Wal-Mart, Highway 49, Wiggins. Hancock County: Bay High School, Bay St. Louis. Mississippi Power updates Mississippi Power employees and outside workers have restored service to 76 percent of the company's customers who can receive power. More than 9,200 transmission and distribution workers from around the country have been brought into the area to assist with the effort. The company expects to have power restored by Sept. 11 to those customers who can receive power. If customers in areas that have been restored still have problems, report outages by calling 1-800-ITS-DARK (800-487-3275). Coast Electric update Coast Electric is on target to energize 80 percent of its members who are able to accept service by the beginning of next week. All transmission lines have been restored and crews are working on three-phase and single-phase lines. Phone service has been restored to the Bay St. Louis, Gulfport and Picayune offices and is now accepting calls from members, who may call 467-6535, 832-1761 or (601) 798-5013. Please note that these numbers are not for reporting outages; they are aware of all outages in the system. Members may call with general inquiries. The Gulfport, Picayune and Bay St. Louis business offices will be open on a limited basis beginning next week. Damage is being assessed at the Biloxi office. At this time, Coast Electric is concentrating all efforts on restoration of power and will not be sending out bills, collecting on due accounts or sending out disconnect notices until they are able to get the business offices up and running. FEMA information The Department of Homeland Security encourages everyone who was adversely affected by Hurricane Katrina to call FEMA's toll-free teleregistration line at 1-800-621-FEMA or register online at www.fema.gov. The hearing or speech impaired may call TTY 1-800-462-7585. This all-important first contact is essential to access FEMA's expedited assistance and individual assistance programs. Calling during non-peak hours or even between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. may help avoid busy tones. When possible, callers should be able to provide a call-back number, social security number, insurance information and bank account codes, but call center staff are trained to work around missing information. The key is to call or log-on. Expedited assistance includes food, shelter, clothing and other necessities, and individual assistance programs range from alternative housing and financial assistance, grants to replace personal property and help meet medical needs, to unemployment payments and low-interest loans. Rumor Control Hotline The telephone number for the Rumor Control Hotline has been changed to 228-865-4070. Pascagoula waives fees Pascagoula leaders have moved operations to the code enforcement headquarters on 14th street. They are open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Administrator Kay Kell said the city is also amending some of its code regulations to let displaced residents move mobile homes or recreational vehicles onto their property for temporaty shelter. "We've also been given the authority to adjust power bills (in hurricane-related cases). In additon we have waived all permit fees for storm-related repairs." Permits are still required, but there is no charge including for water and sewer connections. They are available at the 14th street headquarters. Flooding has been reported from Beach Boulevard south, with waters rising from 1 to 30 feet. Building officials said homes in existing flood areas will be subject to additional requirements. Those with damages that exceed 50 percent of fair market value will have to return to existing code requirements. For more information call city code enforcement at (228) 938-6620. Garbage collection has resumed. The recycling center is open on 14th Street. Residents are urged not to cover hydrants, meters or other public utilities with debris. Change of address Residents can file change of address forms with the U.S. Postal service by phone at 1-800-275-8777. If you have access to the Internet, visit www.usps.com. Interim roof repair Operation Blue Roof, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractors, is offering temporary roof repair to residents. To sign up call (228) 701-0588 or sign up in person at the Justice Court Building in Gulfport. Jackson County residents can now sign up for the Blue Roof Program at the Ocean Springs Hospital (next to American Thrift Store), 3109 Bienville Boulevard (Hwy 90), in Ocean Springs. Pearl River county residents now have an additional Sign Up Center at the Yellow Building behind City Hall, 206 Julia St., in Poplarville. Cellular South sites Eighty-five percent of the Cellular South network in the three coastal counties was up and running as of Thursday afternoon. Retail locations in Lucedale, Wiggins, D'Iberville, Ocean Springs and Pascagoula are open. Offices in Biloxi, Gulfport and Bay St. Louis were severely damaged. The company has established phone banks for anyone, customer or not, to use from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at: U.S. 90 across from Mississippi Power in Bay St. Louis; Pineville Elementary School, Menge Avenue, North Pass Christian; Eisenhower Avenue, behind Edgewater Mall next to King Buffet, Biloxi; Three Rivers Road behind Wal-Mart, Gulfport; U.S. 49, Wiggins; U.S. 90, Ocean Springs; U.S. 90, Pascagoula; and next to Wal-Mart, D'Iberville. Cellular South can route home number to a cell phone at any of the locations. For updates, call #STORM from your Cellular South phones, call toll-free 1-888-790-7211 or check www.cellularsouth.com. Chevron Refinery update Until it can begin operating again, the Chevron Refinery in Pascagoula will soon begin importing gasoline, diesel and jet fuel where it once exported these products, said Steve Renfroe, public affairs manager. The fuel, which may come from as far away as Europe, will provide a continuous supply to not only the beleaguered Gulf Coast but other parts of the Southeast, he said. Chevron is already transporting more than 500,000 gallons of gasoline a day to local markets by using a store produced before Hurricane Katrina. The company has reopened 30 of its 37 South Mississippi gas stations, Renfroe said. Coast Transit operating Coast Transit Authority is now providing fixed route service in the D'Iberville area with connections to Biloxi, Ocean Springs and Gulfport. Ocean Springs route resumed service Thursday. Each service is a one hour and 15 minute interval, provided free. School clinic, meals Coast Episcopal School, 5065 Espy Ave., Long Beach, is running a full medical clinic for free and is offering comprehensive relief, also free. Starting early next week, hot meals will be offered to the public. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Coast Episcopal School will reopen shortly, a spokeswoman said. Nurse advice services offered McKesson registered nurses are now taking calls from Mississippi residents to help assess health symptoms and recommend an appropriate type of healthcare service, which can include at-home self-care or a trip to the doctor's office or emergency room. This free nurse advice line is available 24/7 for the next 30 days at 1-800-757-9759. Memorial Hospital services available For all residents of Harrison, Hancock and Stone counties, Memorial Hospital WoundCare and Hyperbaric facility is open and available for emergency and routine treatment. Call 867-4499 or 867-4498 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Memorial Cancer Center patients may call 575-2950 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Memorial Hospice is now operational and may be contacted at 867-4160, 24 hours a day. Medical supplies needed AAI Health Services of Alameda, Calif., will send a mobile medical clinic to Gulfport in the next two weeks to give immunizations and minor illness treatment in assistance with the Salvation Army and American Red Cross. Medical supply donations of Hepatitis B vaccine, tetanus, typhoid, influenza vaccine, cold and flu meds, diarrhea meds, powdered infant formulas, diapers and first aid packs are needed. Details: Robert Langlois, 323-1135; (510) 521-6078, (510) 769-1079 or aaihealthservices@sbcglobal.net. Biloxi Regional accepts Tricare Biloxi Regional Medical Center is a Tricare provider. Any person needing medical treatment that normally goes to Keesler Medical Center is welcome to come to Biloxi Regional for care. Medical office openings Tri-County Eye Clinic at Popp's Ferry is open. Doctors and a full service optical service are available. Details: 385-2020. Dr. Stephen McAuliffe's practice will open at 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 9, at Dr. Charles Gruich's office, located at 2356 Pass Road in Biloxi. Walk-ins and appointments will be accepted. There will be no charge or co-pays for visits. Details: 388-7080. Saad Home Health, Hospice and Medical Equipment is open. Representatives are in the field seeing patients, delivering medical supplies and searching for displaced patients. Patients can call the Biloxi office at 432-8855 or 800-279-7223 or the Gautier office at 497-0300. Southern Bone and Joint Specialists is open in Hattiesburg, Columbia and its Forrest General Hospital trauma clinic. SBJ urges all patients scheduled to be seen Aug. 29-Sept. 9 to call (601) 554-7400 to reschedule. Church announcements First Presbyterian Church of Biloxi will hold worship services at 10:45 a.m. Sunday. A supply distribution center has also been set up there with water, diapers, canned goods, toiletries and other supplies. Gulfport First Baptist Church will meet at 9 a.m. Sunday in the Gulfport High School auditorium. Parking will be available on the west side. St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Gulfport will have services at Anniston Avenue Elementary at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. Details: 860-6257. Peoples Bank update The Peoples Bank is operating normally at 10 of its 16 branches and quickly making arrangements to serve customers from temporary facilities in Waveland, Bay St. Louis, D'Iberville, downtown Gulfport, Long Beach and Pass Christian. The following branches are open for normal operations, with only minimal limitations imposed by post-hurricane recovery efforts: Downtown Biloxi Main Office, 152 Lameuse St., 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Cedar Lake, 1740 Popps Ferry Road, Biloxi, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; West Biloxi, 2560 Pass Road, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Orange Grove, 12020 Highway 49 North, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Handsboro, 412 East Pass Road, Gulfport, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Ocean Springs, 2015 Bienville Blvd., 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Diamondhead, 4408 West Aloha Drive, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; Gautier, 2601 U.S. 90, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; Saucier, 17689 Second St., 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Wiggins, 1312 South Magnolia Drive, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. In addition, 24-hour ATMs are in operation at each open branch, and other ATMs are available at the following locations: Biloxi Regional Medical Center, Memorial Hospital of Gulfport, Biloxi Gulfport Regional Airport, Biloxi Public Safety Center and Veterans Avenue at Irish Hill. Hancock Bank info The following branches of Hancock Bank are open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-noon Saturday: Bay St. Louis Highway 90, Cedar Lake, Courthouse Road, Cowan Road, Crossroads Mall, Diamondhead, Doctor's Plaza in Pascagoula, Escatawpa, Gautier, Hattiesburg (Highway 98 and Lincoln Road offices), Ocean Springs Main, Petal, Picayune Southside, Pineville Road, Poplarville, Popps Ferry, Prentiss, Purvis Main, Sumrall, Triangle and Vancleave. Seabee Base and Stennis Motore Bank branches will be open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Stennis Space Center branch will be open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. GC Community Federal Gulf Coast Community Federal Credit Union is open for lobby and drive through service at 12364 U.S 49, Gulfport from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Both the Pass Road and Bay St. Louis branch and ATM locations were heavily damaged and everything is being done to resume operations in those locations as soon as possible. Members can use other financial institution's ATMs to access their credit union accounts. All ATM fees will be refunded for the month of September. Members can call the Credit Union Call Center at 539-7029 for information or to discuss their accounts including arranging for deferred payments on loans or to request low interest disaster recovery loans. Members can also contact the call center through cumail@bellsouth.net or access home banking through the Gulf Coast Community Federal Credit Union web site at gulfcoastcommunityfcu.org if internet service is available. Insurance hotline BancorpSouth's insurance center can be reached toll free at (800) 277-0856 as the locations at Pascagoula, Biloxi and Gulfport are not operational. Other locations: Hattiesburg, (800) 232-4261; Jackson, (800) 927-0583; Tupelo, (800) 794-1187. Blossman YMCA open Mississippi Gulf Coast Blossman YMCA at 1810 Government St. in Ocean Springs is open and offers members and nonmembers access to its showers, pool, weight room and child care center. Some food, water, toiletries and basic clothing itmes are available for distribution. Details: 875-5050. Casinos Treasure Bay hotline number is (228) 896-5879. All employees are encouraged to call for updated information. Paychecks will be available for pickup Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the corner of Beauvoir and Pass roads in Biloxi, near the Stein Mart parking lot. Businesses Dillards will be distributing food and paychecks to Edgewater employees on Friday at 2 p.m. at the front entrance of the store. For more information, and to report an employee's status, call Ann Walker at 864-8806. Sunday football on MBP Mississippi Public Broadcasting will provide its TV antenna and WMAH Channel 19 to broadcast the Fox Sunday football games. The New Orleans-Carolina game is scheduled to start at noon and the Green Bay-Detroit game is scheduled to start at 3:15 p.m. Probation check-in All parolees are required to contact the Mississippi Department of Corrections in Jackson at (601) 359-5600. Cancellations Diamondhead Arts and Crafts Show scheduled for Sept. 17-18 has been cancelled. Partial refunds will be sent at a later date. Details: Brierly Acker, (561) 495-0650. The AARP class scheduled for Sept. 28-29 at Garden Park Hospital has been canceled until further notice. Details: Eunice Juniel, 832-7990. NASA Stennis update NASA Stennis Space Center is open and operating at a modified level of business. Except for previously notified essential personnel, NASA Civil Service employees should not report to duty before Wednesday, Sept. 14. An All-Hands meeting for NASA Civil Service employees is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 11 a.m. in the Logtown Conference Room, Building 1100. All employees who are able should attend for valuable information. However, Navy personnel at Stennis and employees of Mississippi Space Services (including Team MSS) should report to work on Monday, Sept. 12. All other contractor and agency employees should check with their specific agency or company for the status of returning to duty. Any employees of NASA, contractors, and resident agencies of the Stennis Space Center and the Michoud Assembly Facility who have not yet checked in are asked to personally call 288-688-3777 or toll-free 877-470-5240 with their status as soon as possible. The lines are staffed 24 hours a day. Employees with internet access should routinely check www.nasa.gov/hurricane for updates. Education news William Carey College's Hattiesburg campus will reopen to students Sept. 19 after closing due to Hurricane Katrina. Students may return to the dorms Sept. 17 and 18. News of Carey's New Orleans and Gulfport campuses is pending. Admissions, financial aid and maintenance staff members should to return to work as soon as possible. All other staff should return Sept. 12. A faculty and staff meeting for employees of William Carey College will be held Sept. 12 at 11 a.m. in the Kresge Room of Thomas Business Building. USM Gulf Park update: Administrative offices at USM's Gulf Park campus are temporarily relocating to the site of the former Garden Park hospital, located north of Memorial Hospital at Gulfport. Classes will tentatively resume at Gulf Park, Keesler and Jackson County on Oct. 3. Office operations for the USM Jackson County teaching site, located on the campus of MGCCC in Gautier, will reopen Monday. Details: 324-4573. MGCCC extends late registration through the week of Sept. 12-16. The Mississippi Virtual Community College will also extend late registration in all online classes until Sept. 16. The college will offer students a 100 percent refund policy through Sept. 16. Books that were lost or damaged due to the storm will be replaced at no cost. Football and soccer teams at all Mississippi community colleges will resume regular season play on Sept. 19. Assistance Centers to help employees, students and the public get access to FEMA programs will be available at Gulf Coast campuses. Daily updates at www.mgccc.edu. |
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