The newsroom has been a buzz lately because of the rising Mississippi River projected to crest Friday, Jan. 15 at 50.5 feet. Luckily the predicted crest has lowered over the past week and things aren’t looking as bad as they could have been, but for some it’s still impacting their life greatly.

This was the basis of Terri Frazier’s idea for us to visit the Ford and Kings neighborhoods to talk to the people who were really feeling the impact of the flood. We met all kinds of people with different ideas on how they thought the flooding should be handled. Some were taking it in stride feeling like they have been through this so many times they knew how high the water would get and didn’t feel like their home would be in the mix.

“We see water all the time,” Felix Younger Jr. said. “It doesn’t faze us.”

Others were taking all precautions just in case the water did enter in their home by taking the familiar trip into town to make sure their belongs would be safe and sound.

There were those who felt helpless and hopeless. People who didn’t know where to go or what to do. These people said no one had reached out to help them or shown them the way to safety. Some were angry for lack of help when they have to pay the same taxes as other city residents. John Jones called for social change and wanted everyone to know that people living in his subdivision were not treated the same as people downtown.

Now, I don’t know if the people who feel this way didn’t notice help being offered or if they honestly didn’t know where to turn for help, but I hope communication becomes clearer between people offering help and those in need.

I hope these people are not neglected in their time of need and civic organizations around town offer them a helping hand.

I know patrol by law enforcement has been stepped up with officers and deputies offering help to those in need. Hopefully, this will prevent anyone being injured or any houses from being burglarized. Time will tell what will come from the flood.

They say a January flood is not usual and this type of rising water does not typically happen until springtime. I’m not sure what this means for the coming spring, but I can’t help but feel a little bit safer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers here in Vicksburg. I feel like if anyone can help, these people will know how to deal with the rising water.

Every city I’ve ever lived in has been on a river, the Tennessee River, the Alabama River, the Black Warrior River, but I’ve never seen the fervor and the strength of anything like the mighty Mississippi. Let’s all hope for safety.