Wet days didn’t dampen the spirits of those in Vicksburg
Published 10:56 am Monday, November 9, 2015
It has been a soggy week in the River City but the weather has not dampened the spirits or the positive actions from residents. Elections were held Tuesday with locals welcoming familiar faces back into their elected city and county positions. Some new faces will also take office in January.
Recapping some of this week’s highlights include the donation of an 11-acre tract of land to the Vicksburg National Military Park by the Civil War Trust. The property is located off North Frontage Road and lies just west of the Iowa Memorial. The land was purchased by the Civil War Trust and is the first land the Civil War Trust has saved associated with the siege of Vicksburg. After the 11 acres is added to the VNMP, it will mean 12,000 acres of battlefield parks are linked to the Vicksburg campaign and the siege of the city.
•Vicksburg welcomed Navy veteran Chris Ring to town as a stop on his journey swimming the entire length of the Mississippi River. Ring’s goal is to inform the public about Gold Star families, who are families that have lost a loved one in service to the country.
•Entergy employees volunteered their time to help clean up the Beulah Cemetery, which is the 14.5-acre historic cemetery — the only place African Americans could be buried in the 1800s unless one had a gravesite next to your church. The cemetery also has around 130 military graves.
•The Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation wrapped up a successful run of their Classics in the Courtyard. The executive director of the SCHC said they had record attendance. The SCHC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the diverse cultural heritage of Vicksburg, Mississippi, the Mississippi Delta, and the American South.
•Both Warren Central High School and Vicksburg High School will advance to the first level of their respective state playoff games. The WCHS Vikings will face off Tupelo at home in the Class 6A playoffs, the first time since 2004 that Warren Central will host a playoff game. The VHS Gators will travel to Oxford for the 2-5A Region first round game.
•The holiday season got kicked off this week, with Mingle & Jingle, a holiday open house event hosted by local businesses along the North and South Frontage Roads and surrounding areas. Participating owners hope to make Mingle & Jingle an annual event.