By Ricky Swindle

Muffler Shop Musings

Howdy, friends!

I know everyone is preparing for their very own Fourth of July celebration. I am getting ready to make some noise out on our old road with my Grand Heathens coming to jump in the pool, and blow a few dollars lighting up the sky.

They enjoy watching the fireworks and so does their Big Daddy. I say gun powder flash brings out the kid in all of us.

I was asked by my Supervisor John Thomas to be on a Panola County MEMA committee.

We are a new committee of local folks that are trying to be in place in case we experience a natural disaster of some type. Panola County needed a local MEMA group to be a liaison for our county and the State MEMA office.

The State MEMA folks are working with us to help build up our group.

This is not going to be a five or six person outfit. Each member will be calling on different county residents such as yourself to help us form all the sub-committees needed to accomplish this county goal.

We will be needing expertise in fields such as building contractors to help determine the dollar amount of damage inflicted on a property by a storm.

We will be searching for representatives of churches, civic clubs and other groups who will be ready and willing to help our local victims in times of disaster.

Also, we will be pursuing seasoned individuals who have the skill and knowledge to find and properly write grants to be attained from companies who are known to donate money in times of emergency.

This put together group will be our County’s direct contact with MEMA in the event of a disaster. Instead of having outside people to help, estimate, and deal with, you will have the benefit of contacting local folks who know you.

On a different subject, another thing we all need to think about over the holiday weekend is the Census.

The last time I looked Panola County was ranked No. 31 out of Mississippi’s 82 counties for answering the Census, 54.5 percent of us have completed it.

Folks, it’s a very simple process and there are several ways to respond. Only one family member per home is needed.

At my house we completed the survey online at www.my2020census.gov. It took less than five minutes to fill out.

You can call 1-844-330-2020 and an operator will help you with the questions.

You may also use the form you have received in the mail to respond.

The Census determines the number of representatives each state should have among other things.

Billions of federal dollars are allocated yearly through this data effecting programs such as highways, infrastructure, school lunch programs and disaster relief to name a few.

Even voting districts are adjusted according to the information received by the census.

So, do your part. It will only take a few minutes out of your day.

I do not like seeing Panola County 31^st in anything. We are better than that. There is no reason why we are not No. 1.

Take care of yourself, friends, during the holiday and remember if you think the fuse is too short to light on that firecracker, then it probably is.