."When Things Get Bad, We Get Good"

~ Marshall Ramsey

 www.marshallramsey.com

My fellow Americans, Mississippians and Jones Countians, It is a great day to be an American and an even better day to be a Mississippian! 

My thoughts are somewhat sporadic this morning as there is so much going on in our great community, State and Country! I will try to be brief in my comments and pull this all together for you, so bear with me.

First I want to express to you how proud to be an American I am these days. (Although this is a feeling I don't lose, it just gets amped up at times). The news of hearing one of the world's most notable terrorist threats has been neutralized is great news indeed! While I don't rejoice at the loss of human life, I do rejoice that the matter rests solely in God's hands and the rest of us can sleep a little easier at night.

THANK YOU to the men and women of our armed services. I don't think it can be said enough. Not only thank you to the special ops team who carried out the mission on the ground but to all the support forces and all the leadership, politicians, civilians and everyone else who make our military the greatest force in the world and have allowed our armed service men and women to keep me and my family safe.

As I watched the news reports coming in that Sunday night and since then, several reports talked about all the destruction and loss of life that occurred on September 11. The photos and news reels from those days brought back so many memories. While I don't pretend to know an ounce of the pain and horror New Yorkers and others experienced in those days and days since the attacks, I couldn't help but recall what my friends and family went through trying to determine where our loved ones were; wanting to be assured everyone was safe. It is something I hope no one ever has to experience again on that magnitude.

Unfortunately there are several in our own state who have recently felt similar rushes of emotion, been dislocated and displaced and have lost a lot (if not everything). The tornados and high winds that have ripped through the southeast recently have caused so much destruction but they have also left a call to action; a call that many Mississippians have answered without question or hesitation. Yes, we are here and we are here to help. I have been so moved by the response of the people and organizations in our area. You truly have stepped up in a time of need and you continue to do so.

The people of Jones County know all too well what it means to be on the receiving end of a natural disaster and without a second thought you have answered the call. The out pouring of donations, money, time and services has just been amazing. It is no wonder our state leads the nation in charitable giving. I am sure if someone were recording it we would also lead the nation as "the state most likely to help our neighbors in time of need".

Just as bad as the disasters on our east "banks". I fear we will soon be rushing to help those on our west banks. I can't help but be inundated with all the information of flooding from the Mississippi river into Memphis and the Delta. As you know the Delta is my home and is where a large majority of my family still reside.

Having grown up with a weekend house on the river I know all too well what it is like to see the waters rise and not be able to do anything about it. While thankfully we never had a flood this severe in our time there, I can't help but feel helpless for all my friends and family in the area. Floods, kind of like hurricanes, are one of those natural weather events you have to prepare your best for and just wait and watch it happen.

With so many recovery efforts underway in and around our state, I encourage you to be vigilant in your giving and your response. If you have the physical ability and the resources, please help out on the ground through one of the coordinated response teams. If you have the means to donate money and supplies I encourage you to use your gifts in that manner and at the very least, please continue to pray and be ready to respond when the times comes.

There are several coordinated response efforts from Jones County to the tornado victims of Mississippi and Alabama. If you need assistance finding an effort to get plugged in to, call us at the chamber and we can help you find those resources.

SBA Stands Ready to Assist Mississippi Residents Affected by Severe Storms, Tornadoes, High Winds and Flooding

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible up to $40,000 to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed personal property. 

Businesses and private non-profit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. The SBA may increase a loan up to 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage to real estate and/or leasehold improvements, as verified by SBA, to make improvements that lessen the risk of property damage by future disasters of the same kind.

For small businesses and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

Interest rates are as low as 2.563 percent for homeowners and renters, 3 percent for non-profit organizations and 4 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant's financial condition.

Those affected by this disaster may fill out a loan application online by visiting SBA's secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. 

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is June 28, 2011. The deadline to return economic injury applications is January 30, 2012.