Monticello Live

The City Council approved Mayor Zack Tucker’s plan to begin reducing the city’s ongoing battle against residential flooding.
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Tornado sirens are currently being installed in the Monticello area, including the show areas near the library, hospital, and Old Troy Road water tower.

A total of 18 sirens will be installed, most on their own self-standing towers.

In response to many resident’s questions, The sirens will be tested weekly (silently), and audibly tested monthly or quarterly.

The Monticello City Council met Tuesday evening, and discussed locations of the weather warnig sirens, passed a resolution authorizing the use of city property for the placement of weather warning sirens, and approved money to pay for the City’s Code Red weather warning system.

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Due to technical difficulties, the video from the Quorum Court meeting is unavailabe.

The screens below, however, provide the audio from the meeting.

After several years of attempting to get governmental assistance to help fund tornado sirens for Drew County, we’ve finally got funding to assist with the purchase of 27 tower sirens, which will be scattered around the county.

But as the years have passed by, many feel that the towers have been surpassed by digital technology, as the best way to go, to notify county residents of impending disanter, should it occur.

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Around 50 utility trucks and 100 energy restoration workers are currently in Monticello, being staged for the ice storm that is forecast for Monday and Tuesday.

ABC and Pike are based out of Tennessee; Diversified is from Alabama; Musgrove is out of Florida.

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This morning’s NOAA forecast, which forecast a 60% chance of “Wintery Mix” of ice, has now been changed to a 70% chance or “only” rain, for this afternoon.

 When a member of the Public Defender’s office stopped by their office, Saturday evening, to pick up a file, they found the building ramsacked, window blinds destroyed, tables turned over, and files strew all over the desks and floor.

A trail of mischief led them to a back office where the masked suspect was found sleeping in the corner of another room.

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Dense fog covers Drew County, this morning, so please allow extra time for travel.

Dense fog is covering Drew County like a thick blanket, this morning.

Please give yourself some extra driving time for safety.

Drew County has had several trees fall, in recent days, some bringing power lines down with them.

Saturday night, Rock Springs Road had a tree blocking traffic, around midnight.
Friday, the Bowser Road and Babin Drive intersection had a tree and brush fire caused by a tree falling on an electric line.

Earlier in the week, HWY 278 East, along with a few other county roads had reports of fallen trees.

Please use caution; just because a power line is down, doesn’t mean that it is not ”hot,” as was the case with this Barkada Road tree, also on Friday.

Photo courtesy of MLive reader.

A family on HWY 278 West took advantage of the cooler temperatures, to build their own “super water slide” Saturday.

By putting a HUGE sheet of plastic on a hill, and using a nearby water sprinkler, everyone involed enjoyed the party.

This large tree, on HWY 35 East around 4pm, is one of multiple tree that fell, due to the thunderstorms that passed through Drew County, Thursday afternoon.

Both state and county road crews were called out to clear the roads, as law enforcement helped located the bloakcages, and deal with passing traffic.

A strong wind led to a temporary road closing on HWY 172, around 11 am Sunday morning, after this large tree fell across the roadway.

A Drew County Sheriff’s deputy controlled trafic, whle AHTD cleared the roadway.

Photo submitted by a MLive reader.

Thanks to the MLive reader who shared this rainbow photo with us.

Heavy rain fell across Drew County, Sunday morning, causing several roads to be underwater, in places; sending at least three vehicles into crashes, especially around 11 am.

On Old Dermott Road, a Toyota was traveling toward HWY 35, hydroplaned after hitting some water over the roadway, then struck a tree and rolled over.

The driver was transported to DMH by SEEMS.

The Fire & rescue Team and Sheriff’s Dept. responded to the call.

Another vehicle was invoplved in a  single vehicle acciden, east of the Pine Hill / HWy 293 intersection, MASI and DCSO worked that accident.

Yet another vehicle, this time a Lincoln, ran off of HWY 425, near lacey, crossing into the trees, next to the highway.  DCSO also responded to that accident.

Finally, a tree was reported to have fallen across HWY 35 West, near Rock Springs, blocking both lanes of the highway.

The National Weather Service has confirmed that Tuesday night’s storm was a tornado.

It was classified as an EF-0.  Although weak, it did have a circular rotation, and measured 3 miles long by 50 yards wide.

These photos were sent in by an MLive reader. Thank you for sharing them.

Shown here is a Drew County Sheriff’s patrol car, which was damaged when a tree fell in it.

Pictured below are two MFD firemen responding to a call where a tree fell on power lines, causing a fire.  Two vehicle, driving in the blowing sheets of rain, collided with the tree, lying across the road.  No one was injured.

Both of these photos were included in the Good Morning America report.

Thanks to everyone who submitted storm damage photos to MLive to share with our readers.

ABC”s Good Morning America arrived at what is left of  UAM’s demolished horse barn, to cover Monticello’s severe weather, Tuesday night, in their program this morning.

Reporter Alex Perez, along with three members of their tech staff, arrived in Monticello around 4:30 to set up for the national broadcast.

Click here to watch the Good Morning America segment.

Some of MLive photos were included in the segment.

A MLive reader sighted a pair of White-tailed Kites just off 16 Section Rroad, near the cemetery, recently.

She submitted the photos to Whatbird.com and the birds were verified as White-tailed Kites.

Those are scarce in our area and usually restricted to the south Texas  and Mexico area.

Thanks for sharing your discovery.