Water hydrant locations going on GPS

News Briefs From Across The State

By Monica Land

GPS will allow for immediate location of hydrants in the area

Fire departments in Saltillo and Tupelo are logging each of their cities’ fire hydrants’ coordinates on a GPS, WJTV reported.

Officials tell the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal that will let a captain pull up a burning building’s address on a computer while heading to a fire, and locate all of the nearby hydrants.

The firefighters can then plan for running lines and getting water on the fire.

Along with the locations of the hydrants, Tupelo Fire Chief Thomas Walker and Saltillo Fire Chief Mark Nowell say they are collecting the number of gallons each hydrant can put out per minute, aerial photographs of their locations and the hydrants’ service records.

Until then, GPS information is being used on mobile GPS devices in the trucks now.

Man identified in local lake tragedy

Lee County authorities are investigating the death of a Lee County man whose body was discovered earlier this month at a local lake.

Lee County Coroner Carolyn Gillentine Green has identified the man as Ray Strength, 74, of County Road 1283.

Sheriff Jim Johnson says the incident happened at Lake Wilhelmina at the end of County Road 1279.

He says they do not suspect foul play.

Sheriff Johnson says the man had been out fishing all day and that neighbors had gone out to look for him. The sheriff says they have also been able to recover the two person boat that it is believed Strength was in.

The body will be sent to Jackson for an autopsy.

Indicted weatherman having hard time finding job

Former WLBT meteorologist Eric Law

The lawyer for a former television meteorologist charged with inappropriate contact with a minor says the weatherman is having a hard time finding a job because of publicity in the case.

Eric Law, 32, of Madison, was indicted on four counts of sexual battery and gratification of lust, involving a 15 year-old girl.

Law worked at WLBT-TV. He was recently given a new bond that allows him to travel out of state.

Law’s attorney, Matt Baldridge, tells WLBT-TV that Law hasn’t moved out of Mississippi, but the lawyer added that Law is having a hard time finding employment because of notoriety in the case.

Trial begins in 2010 Alcorn Co. trailer explosion

The trial has begun in a lawsuit that seeks more than $4 million in the death of an Alcorn County woman, who died of lung injuries four months after a gas explosion destroyed her mobile home.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal says attorney Casey Lott told the jury in opening statements that the blast was caused by the negligence of Pacer-Pittman Propane LLC and unnamed employees.

He says they failed to follow their own rules and state law for safety after the trailer’s gas service was disrupted by a flood in 2010.

He says that negligence caused the death of 65-year-old Geraldine Mullins.

The trial is expected to last two weeks in U.S. District Court in Aberdeen.

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