Tropical Storm Sally updates: Mandatory evacuations begin in Hancock County - Clarion Ledger

Posted: 14 Sep 2020 02:11 PM PDT

Storm-weary Gulf Coast residents are preparing for a new weather onslaught as Tropical Storm Sally churns northward. National Hurricane Center forecasters said Sally is expected to become a hurricane on Monday and reach shore by early Tuesday. (Sept. 14) AP Domestic

TO READ TUESDAY'S HURRICANE SALLY UPDATES, CLICK HERE.

10 p.m.: After rapid strengthening, hurricane's intensity plateauing

After rapidly strengthening throughout the day, Hurricane Sally's intensity plateaued Monday night, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of 10 p.m., the hurricane was about 130 miles southeast of Biloxi with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, the center said.

It's still unclear when and where the hurricane will make landfall, with models ranging from landfall on the Florida panhandle to southeastern Louisiana.

Meteorologists warned of "life threatening storm surge, hurricane-force winds and flash flooding" likely along parts of the northern Gulf Coast beginning Monday night and Tuesday.

In addition to a hurricane warning in place along Mississippi coastline, inland parts of the state are likely to experience flooding, the center said.

4:30 p.m.: Sandy beaches could be heavily damaged by storm surge

Some sandy beaches in Mississippi could be heavily damaged by Hurricane Sally, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey coastal change forecast.

A news release from the group said Mississippi is predicted to bear the brunt of the storm's strong waves and surge, with 36% of the state's gulf coast beaches expected to be inundated by ocean water.

"This is the most severe type of storm effect on coastal beaches, with flooding behind the dunes that may affect coastal communities," the release said.

According to the government agency,more than 60% of Mississippi's sandy beaches will likely be overwashed. That means large amounts of sand could be deposited inland, creating changes to the landscape, reducing the height of the coast's protective line of sand dunes and leaving behind dunes more vulnerable to future storms.

Louisiana and Alabama beaches are expected to be impacted to a lesser degree, and could see moderate to minor damage, according to USGS.

The forecast model is available on the agency's online portal: marine.usgs.gov/coastalchangehazardsportal/

4 p.m.: Katrina on the minds of some as Sally gains power

Hurricane Katrina is on the minds of many Gulf Coast residents as Hurricane Sally gains power and nears the Gulf Coast.

Judith Schwartz of Kiln had evacuated Monday and was staying at a shelter in Kiln. "It's coming in as a Category 2 and they say don't stay in mobile homes, so that's why we're here," said Schwartz, who said she "rode out" both Katrina and Hurricane Camille.

Sabrina Young of Bay St. Louis was also at the Kiln shelter Monday. It was the first of several to open around the Coast region Monday as evacuations of low-lying areas began.

"(The people will) be coming but it will be too late," she said. "They'll have the bare necessities. I did that with Katrina — the clothes on our backs and that was it. I don't want to be in that situation again."

Others appeared unsure what to do — and planned to ride out the storm at home. Kenneth Belcher of Ocean Springs said he's worried about the storm, but has little choice but to stay at his apartment.

"They say it's going to be a bad one," Belcher said. "They said 15, 20, 30 inches are going to fall. We got lucky with (Hurricane) Laura, but this one looks like it's coming to us the way they're taling on the radio and TV."

Rainfall amounts like that make him think his apartment could flood.

"We really don't have nowhere to go," Belcher said. "We're probably going to get some sandbags. The parking lot is real low. It's going to flood."

Others were ready to experience their first hurricane. In Biloxi, Desiree Healey of Douglasville, Georgia was walking her cat, Quasar, on the beach as winds and waves grew Monday afternoon.

Healey said she had come to the region recently looking for a job. "I came here looking for work at the casinos. I was dropping off some applications at the casinos. I thought she might enjoy the beach. I was very wrong," she said. All the casinos were being evacuated on Monday afternoon.

Healey said she is staying with a friend in the Wiggins area, so she isn't worried about feeling the worst impacts of the storm. But she was enjoying watching the weather change rapidly Monday. Sally is expected to make landfall in Mississippi late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

"I've never seen a hurricane coming and I've never seen clouds like that," Healey said. "I've never seen pelican fly in real life. This is all new to me."

3:45 p.m.: Sally becomes a Category 2 storm

Hurricane Sally has been upgraded to a Category 2 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph.

Storms are considered Category 2 status when their maximum sustained winds reach 96 miles per hour. Hurricane Sally could be upgraded to Category 3 if the winds reach at least 111 mph.

More: Sally could make landfall as 'dangerous' Category 2 hurricane: What it means for Mississippi

As of 4 p.m. Central time, Hurricane Sally was located by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft near latitude 28.8 North, longitude 87.4 West.

"Sally is expected to be a dangerous hurricane when it moves onshore along the north-central Gulf coast," the National Hurricane Center said.

3:40 p.m: SeaBees prepare; Forrest Lamar added to watch list

Many counties in south Mississippi are under a flash flood watch with the approach of Hurricane Sally. Forrest and Lamar counties have been added to the list of counties preparing for floods as the storm moves in.

The Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport has ordered its Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness One ahead of the storm.

3:30 p.m.: Trump approves federal disaster declaration

Gov. Tate Reeves tweeted a note of gratitude to President Donald Trump for approving his request for a federal disaster declaration ahead of Hurricane Sally's arrival.

The governor declared a state of emergency Sunday as the state prepared for the storm.

Thank you President Trump for quickly approving our federal disaster declaration ahead of Hurricane Sally! Immediately on top of the situation. Grateful for a president that has Mississippians' safety at the top of his mind.
— Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) September 14, 2020

2:15 p.m.: More mandatory evacuations, shelters start to open

Harrison County officials are mandating evacuations of the Sand Beach sea wall area and other low-lying parts of the county. Authorities said the evacuation order covers all 26 miles of Harrison County Sand Beach.

Evacuations began earlier this afternoon. The county has opened a storm shelter for those leaving their homes at 15038 County Farm Road in Gulfport.

Jackson County officials, meanwhile, were requesting voluntary evacuations in low-lying areas, including people living on rivers and creeks, and those living in travel trailers and modular homes.

Jackson County also opened three shelters this afternoon: 13000 Walker Road in Ocean Springs and 18413 Highway 613 in Moss Point. There is also a shelter open at 1641 Koy Ave. in Wiggins.

Pearl River County has also opened shelters, at 124 Rodeo St. in Poplarville, and at 510 Laurel St. in Picayune.

Other shelters also opened in Hancock, George, Harrison and Stone counties.

List of shelters, more information: Shelters open in Mississippi ahead of Hurricane Sally

1:30 p.m.: Coast casinos ordered to close

The Mississippi Gaming Commission has ordered casinos in south Mississippi to evacuate their patrons and close by 4 p.m. They won't reopen until given permission by the commission, the agency said in its order.

The Sun Herald reported the road leading to Silver Slipper Casino in Hancock County had already flooded by 11 a.m.

12:25 p.m.: Sandbagging gets underway. 'I went ahead and got ahead of the game.'

Coast residents are scrambling to prepare for as many as 11 feet of storm surge and other flooding ahead of Hurricane Sally. Some 7 to 11 feet of surge is possible from Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, with 5 to 8 feet possible from Ocean Springs to the Alabama border.

At Courthouse Pier on U.S. 90 in Gulfport, where sand and bags were available, Kayla McKay and her grandmother, Augustine Farmer, both of Gulfport, were busy filling bags in preparation for the storm. They planned to put some on the roof of their home "just to make sure water doesn't come through leaks."

"I'm really concerned. I'm concerned about the flooding pretty much," McKay said.

Farmer said she was mostly concerned about the wind, "because I have big oak trees by my house."

Chris Lane of Gulfport was also shoveling sand into bags.

"I'm going to help a few people sandbag around their houses," Lane said. "Primarily, a couple of older folks. I told them I'd swing by and grab a few sandbags while I had a break. My house, I already boarded it up. I went ahead and got ahead of the game. I've got all my stuff battened down."

Looking at the Mississippi Sound only a few yards away, Lane said water was his biggest concern associated with the slow-moving Sally, which late Monday morning was upgraded to a hurricane. It is expected to reach land late Tuesday and Wednesday.

"I fish out here," Lane said. "I see the water's up already. This one's going to sit on us."

12 p.m.: Sally is a hurricane

Sally has officially strengthened to hurricane status as of Monday morning as it makes its way to the Gulf coast, creating life-threatening storm conditions along the way.

Sally was upgraded to hurricane status at 11 a.m. with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph."NOAA hurricane hunters find that Sally has rapidly strengthened to a hurricane," the National Hurricane Center said.

Sally is likely to produce life-threatening storm surge, hurricane-force winds and flash flooding along portions of the northern Gulf coast starting late today, according to the NHC.

11:15 a.m.: Flooding begins

Hurricane Sally is starting to cause minor flooding along some parts of the Mississippi Coast.

WLOX-TV's Bill Snyder reports water is already over Beach Boulevard in Waveland in some areas. Elsewhere, he said the water was rising south of Bayou La Croix Road bridge. Other photos on social media showed water flooding other beaches and waterfronts in Waveland. A drone video showed several roads already inundated in a Bay St. Louis neighborhood.

Waveland is in Hancock County, which has issued mandatory evacuations for residents in low-lying areas.

In Biloxi, U.S. 90 was still teeming with traffic as residents prepared for the storm. However, Rupert Lacy, Harrison County emergency management director, said the highway will become impassable Monday evening into Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Sun Herald.

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10:30 a.m.: Reeves says landfall could be at Biloxi

Gov. Tate Reeves said the path of Hurricane Sally appears to have shifted eastward again and if it stays on its current path will make landfall in Biloxi early Wednesday morning as a "high Category 1" hurricane with sustained winds of 85-95 m

Reeves offered a warning about storm surge, which could be anywhere from 5 feet to 11 feet along the Coast. He said those who live and travel near rivers, creeks and other tributaries should be aware the surge will travel along the waterways, causing major flooding.

"It is at this point that we could exceed 20 inches of rainfall," he said.

10 a.m.: Coast rivers expected to crest above flood stage

Three Harrison County rivers are expected to crest well above flood stage.

The Tchoutacabouffa River is expected to crest Thursday morning at 18 feet. Flood stage is 8 feet.
The Biloxi River is expected to crest Wednesday afternoon at 19 feet. Flood stage is 12 feet.
Wolf River is expected to crest Thursday morning at 15 feet. Flood stage is 8 feet.

9:50 a.m.: MEMA director: 'A lot of things can happen between now and landfall'

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Director Greg Michel on Monday said he continued to be concerned about how Tropical Storm Sally is slowing down and strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Even though it's still projected to come in as a Category 1 (hurricane), a lot of things can happen between now and landfall, as it stays out there and cooks in the Gulf," Michel said on SuperTalk on Monday morning.

The storm's speed as it heads toward land has slowed by about half, Michel said. As of now he said he expected it to make landfall, possibly in the Waveland and Bay St. Louis area, by Tuesday evening. But he warned strong winds would kick up by this afternoon.

Michel noted Hancock County has already issued mandatory evacuations in many areas, and Harrison and Jackson counties are "likely to follow suit" later today.

"I would just remind everyone to please not be complacent," he told the station. "I know we've had a lot of near-misses this year, and we've been fortunate with that, but this storm is doing what I've been concerned about, it's out there jogging to the east. If you're issued evacuations, please make preparation to do that, and get out.

"This one has the potential to be a very bad storm."

9:15 a.m.: Ingalls, other major closures on Coast

One of Mississippi's largest employers, Ingalls Shipbuilding, announced it is shutting its operations Monday and Tuesday for safety reasons related to heavy rain and storm surge.

Other major closures due to Sally include the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport and the Coast Transit Authority, which is expected to reopen its services Wednesday pending road conditions. Many harbors and marinas have issued mandatory evacuations of boats.

A list of school closures is available here.

9 a.m.: Governor to give update on storm

Gov. Tate Reeves and Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Director Greg Michel will hold a news conference at 10:30 a.m. to give the media and update on Tropical Storm Sally, which is expected to reach hurricane strength later Monday.

Click here to watch the governor's briefing on live video.

Tropical Storm Sally updates: Hurricane, storm surge warnings issued along Mississippi coast

8 a.m.: Pine Belt could see significant rainfall

Forrest, Lamar and Marion counties are under a tropical storm warning. Sally is expected to bring 8-12 inches of rainfall to the Pine Belt through Thursday with higher amounts possible in localized areas.

Covington, Franklin, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lawrence and Lincoln counties are under a tropical storm watch.

The area is forecast to have damaging winds of 40-50 mph with gusts up to 60 mph with the possibility of tornadoes from Tuesday morning through Wednesday morning.

Tropical Storm Sally NHC update: 'Life-threatening' conditions in Mississippi likely Monday night

Video: See live storm conditions, beach webcams as Tropical Storm Sally nears Mississippi coast

7:15 a.m.: Storm surge update

The National Hurricane Center said the Mississippi Coast could see 7 feet to 11 feet of storm surge in Hancock and Harrison counties. Jackson County could see between 5 feet and 8 feet of water.

The system was moving west-northwest at 8 mph Monday morning. It was centered 115 miles east-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and 165 miles southeast of Biloxi.

Here's our latest rainfall and flash flooding information regarding Sally. Isolated areas of 24 inches of rain possible where Sally makes landfall. A HIGH RISK remains in effect for Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/lrJQoBgurk
— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) September 14, 2020

6:30 a.m. Monday: Mandatory evacuations begin

Hancock County Emergency Management Agency ordered mandatory evacuations beginning at 7 a.m. for residents living in lowlying areas, on or near water sources and those in travel trailers, modular homes or mobile homes, homes under construction or partial construction.

HCEMA and the American Red Cross will open a shelter at 18320 Mississippi 43 in Kiln at 7 a.m. Those seeking shelter at a public facility must wear masks and bring personal protective equipment along with regular hurricane supplies.

This story will update.

Per Hancock County EMA: Mandatory evacuation beginning Monday September 14 at 7:00 A.M. for residents living in low lying areas, on rivers and inlets, bayous, creeks and in travel trailers, modular homes or mobile homes, homes under construction or partial construction. pic.twitter.com/xRFz8L10Ht
— msema (@MSEMA) September 14, 2020

6 a.m. Monday: Tropical Storm Sally in more favorable hurricane waters

Although Sally didn't strengthen much Sunday, the National Hurricane Center continues to call for intensification today as storm continues moving west-northwest through the Gulf of Mexico toward Louisiana.

Conditions remain favorable, even more so Monday, for strengthening as the storm is impacted less by shear and moves over warm, open Gulf waters. Sally is expected to make landfall, perhaps as a Category 2, early Tuesday morning and begin its slow, gradual move through southeast Louisiana toward Mississippi.

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Sunday

Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency for Mississippi ahead of Tropical Storm Sally's arrival.
Harrison County Emergency Management Agency is offering self-service sandbags at the road department in Gulfport and the five district work centers: D'Iberville, Lyman, Long Beach, Orange Grove and Woolmarket. Bags will be provided, but residents must fill the bags themselves.

Track Hurricane Sally spaghetti models

USA Today contributed to this report.

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Pocatello High becomes home of the Indians - Idaho State Journal

Posted: 15 Sep 2020 04:16 AM PDT

Editor's Note: This is the third article in a four-part series on the history and origins of the Pocatello High School Indians mascot. Previous articles in the series were printed in the Sunday and Tuesday editions. The series will conclude with an article in Friday's newspaper.

Pocatello did not stay small for long — 1903 was the land rush and the city boomed. As early as 1907 Pocatello High School had enough students to field sports teams in baseball and football. By February of 1910 Poky High expected to graduate more than a dozen students in the spring. The city had a total of 1,240 pupils under the care of 40 faculty. Of those, 125 were in high school and they were definitely playing sports. Poky High played not only against other high schools, but also against private clubs and the Academy (later to become ISU). As the decade wore on sports continued to grow in importance. High school leagues played full seasons, but sports were still not managed by a governing state body. And Pocatello High was still not called "The Indians."

The city's Pocatello Indians baseball club continued to play throughout the region against clubs in other cities within various leagues such as the 3-B League and the Yellowstone League. On May 22, 1913, they appeared alongside a separate article for the Pocatello High School team. In August of 1915 Blackfoot "walloped" them 14-4. In June 1920, the "Pocatello Indians administered a gentle little scalping to Kelly's Bronx" in Blackfoot.

In 1922, Poky High first published its fight song. It was blatant plagiarism of a University of Illinois loyalty song, but it included a nonsense phrase that would play a larger part in Poky High's history. The line read, "Shouting defiance, Oske Wow-Wow!" (the first wow would eventually lose its initial w in the Poky version). "Oske Wow-Wow" is nothing more than an invention like "sis boom bah." College students often made up such nonsense words for cheers and songs during the first part of the 20th century. "Oske-ow-wow" had no meaning at all, but it was catchy.

In 1923 baseball games were worthy of full-page advertisements in the local paper. That year Pocatello had two teams in the regional league, the Indians and the Bears. Neither was the school team.

The 1925 yearbook opens with two illustrations. On one is an Indian riding a horse over "Ex Libris." On the next page is an Indian sitting on the ground in front of a fire smoking a pipe. The smoke drifts over and around an image of the school. The message is not clear until the last page of the yearbook marked "Finis." There an Indian on horseback with three arrows sticking out of his chest falls backward off his horse.

In 1927 Poky High's football team went undefeated, but they were not the Indians. Two years later the Pocatellian yearbook's dedication was to the railroaders who "struggled westward against insuperable obstacles, braving arrows and bullets to lay track through an Indian infested tract of desert and mountain."

In 1930 something new happened. The yearbook's basketball page is titled "Indians" beneath the team photos, and the text calls the athletes "warriors." The moniker did not seem to stick. There is no mention of Indians in the 1931-1932 yearbooks or newspapers. Whether "Indians" was used informally prior to 1930 is unknown, but there is no mention of the name in Poky High yearbooks nor in newspapers.

Then it happened. In January 1933 Pocatello High School appeared in the sports pages as "the Indians" and declared themselves "the fighting Indians" and "Pocatello Indians" in their yearbook. The reason for this is not entirely clear, however team names were becoming far more popular at the time. Idaho Falls was already the Tigers and Buhl had been known as the Indians for some time. There was also a build-up to the 100th anniversary of Fort Hall in 1934 that Pocatello was anticipating. What is clear is that Poky High did not use the name "Indians" from the beginning or throughout its entire history as is often claimed by alumni. The best evidence is that it informally began using the name in 1930 and made it official in 1932-1933.

In 1934 the yearbook mentions a new activities club called "the Medicine Men's Club... just organized this year to create more pep." What brought about this change is detailed on page 76, "About the middle of November the Pep Club disbanded and reorganized into a new group for the purpose of arousing more pep at the games. So far it has been successful as there has been more pep shown in the last half year than there was in the first half. After initiation every member must make a headdress and a breech cloth and must not be afraid of being noticed. It is a popular belief amongst the students that on account of these unique costumes it has become one of the most popular clubs of the year. Big Chief Wayne B. Whitlow is the advisor." On the next page are nine boys and Mr. Whitlow dressed in breach cloths and well-crafted headdresses. The Senior Class Prophecy page is a story about a "medicine man" seeing what happens in the future lives of graduating seniors. Both pages are filled with Indian tropes that do not bear repeating.

In 1935 it was clear Poky High was now known as "the Indians." The basketball page of the school's yearbook mentioned back to back losses that "started the Indians on the warpath for they scalped" five teams in a row. Seven times in the five summary paragraphs the team is called "the Indians". The Medicine Men again make an appearance, this time the club has 24 members. Mr. Whitlow is shown wearing the same outfit as the boys and participating in the fun. In a separate photo the Medicine Men in full regalia stand proudly beside what was perhaps the first Pocatello High School mascot — a small pony.

The next year Mr. Whitlow shows up again in the yearbook in a massive headdress with horns. The Medicine Men also appear as "one of the most original organizations in school. The costumes made by the members themselves add a great deal to the personality of the club. Mr. Whitlow, noted for his enthusiasm and loyalty... supplies the zest and inspiration."

In 1938 we gain a greater understanding of Mr. Whitlow. As the yearbook says, his "pet hobbies are truly mannish" including fishing, hunting, archery, collecting tropical fish, taxidermy, hand-tinting photographs, finding fossils, advisor for the Medicine Men and the Yell Leaders, Boy Scout leader, and in his spare time he taught biology at the school. On the same page a change in the Yell Leaders' club indicates the addition of "two charming Indian maidens to lend a more feminine touch."

Whitlow was clearly an avid outdoorsman and biologist. That he befriended a number of people on the Reservation is no surprise. Nor is it surprising that they explained to him the proper way to make things and explained cultural customs. Undoubtedly those friends saw no problem with sharing those things even for use by the school. However, no tribal vote or statement from the 1930s has been found that explicitly gave Whitlow permission to copy tribal customs for school activities.

In 1939 the Medicine Men make another appearance, but with the addition of bows and arrows along with the phrase, "Oske-Ow-Wow!" from the school fight song. That year the city was also beginning to embrace the idea of an "Indian heritage" with the impressive new Chief Theater on Main Street. Again, a pony appears with the Medicine Men in the yearbook, but this time standing next to it is a girl dressed in buckskin while one of the boys sits atop a horse. The freshmen's page is titled, "The Papooses Ride Again."

In comparison to other photos of the period, the portrayal of Native American culture by the Medicine Men at Poky High was carefully presented with an impressive attention to detail and avoidance of stereotypes. As is often said, the students clearly were attempting to be respectful of the traditions of Indians. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of how some other minorities were treated in school events. For instance, from the 1920s through the 1950s students appear sporadically in blackface. Still, the Pocatello schools were not segregated and minorities as well as foreign exchange students appear regularly in the yearbooks as members and leaders of school clubs.

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