For Release: Friday, April 29, 2011
Contact: Mary Shalapin, 618-233-8026

COSTELLO TOURS CAIRO, OLIVE BRANCH, ALEXANDER, PULASKI AND JACKSON COUNTIES WITH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS

Carbondale, IL - U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) spent all day Thursday and Thursday evening in Grand Tower and Jackson County, meeting with officials to coordinate relief efforts.

On Friday, Congressman Costello spent all afternoon with Colonel Thomas O’Hara, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District and other Corps personnel to get an aerial view of the waterway system from the Metro East to Cairo. Costello then met with Cairo Mayor, Judson Childs, and spoke with emergency management officials.

"While there are sand boils in various areas of the system, the Corps and local levee officials appear to have matters under control,” said Costello. “Everyone is doing their best, working together to prevent major flooding throughout the system. A lot will depend on weather conditions in the next several days."

Costello intends to continue getting frequent updates on the situation, daily. For now, he says, "I intend to stay out of the way of the professionals doing their jobs and will continue to respond to officials when needed.”

Costello did not hold a press conference on Thursday or Friday but is available to speak to the media if they have questions. Anyone in the media interested in speaking to the Congressman should contact his District Director, Mary Shalapin, via email at mary.shalapin@mail.house.gov.

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