Race Relations - Why the Katrina Reporting Matters

Conscientious parents teach personal responsibility for one’s actions as a core value. This is not a demand for perfection, but ownership of an outcome. People make mistakes, but only rarely do they cause global damage. Unfortunately, the hysteria from the Katrina aftermath is one of those rare events.

NOLA’s Times Picayune has made the first attempt to meet the personal responsibility expectation. Given that their town suffered the most image-damage, it makes sense that they would step up first – but they should not stand alone. Why, then, is the major media not running this story on its front pages?

The Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) chastised “the blogosphere” last night for not embracing the “self-correcting media”, which tremulously spoke out in the form of that Times Picayune article. In an article titled MSM Outs Self; Bloggers Pounce, Edward B. Colby wrote:

“…this important example of self-scrutiny, far from drawing admiration, has attracted vituperation from that portion of the blogosphere eager, as always, to jump on what it still quaintly refers to as the MSM.”

The short answer to why this would be, from my perspective, is that it’s not loud enough, it’s not being carried widely enough – it’s just not nearly enough. NOLA.com’s journalists should be the first of many, not “the latest work of a couple of reporters doing what they're supposed to do -- setting the record straight”.

The demographics of New Orleans allowed the post-Katrina panic to be framed by race, and the effects go far beyond the tattered image of The Big Easy. While I’m sorry that publications like the ever-confounded BBC are terminally stuck in the “What’s wrong with America” loop, it’s the domestic fall-out that worries me.

For instance, yesterday’s Daily Terrorism Brief from Stratfor said in part,

“Sources report, however, that many of the communities that have seen a sudden, large influx of refugees have expressed apprehension about the possibility that the out-of-towners will constitute an undesirable or dangerous element, especially in light of the looting that gripped New Orleans immediately following the disaster. This concern is being exacerbated by the numerous white-supremacy groups that are spreading negative rumors about refugees and posting racist rhetoric on their Web sites.”

The universal horror and outrage has led to scrutiny of the criminal records of the evacuees – an astounding step - spurred by fear and suspicion of anyone associated with the Superdome / Convention Center havoc. I’m certain the white supremacists are not going to help an unwitting and media-led audience understand the culture of poverty – much less investigate why a new environment may allow the evacuees to break the trend. This comment from one of my own articles is a great example.

The panic and hysteria also led (as always) to that vastly over-played trump card – race – by anybody standing near a microphone or a camera. No matter how hard writers have tried to separate the racial component (myself included), it’s an impossible tide to turn...because people believe the media.

As Earl Hutchinson wrote in his article “Playing the Katrina Race Card”,

"The heavy handed rush to openly or subtly to paint the tragedy of New Orleans as yet another terrible example of the black-white divide in America does a horrible disservice to the poor and needy that are suffering. Admittedly a majority of them are black, but many of the victims are white too. This stirs fear, anger, and latent racism in many whites. It stirs the same fear anger, and racial antipathies among many blacks."

This is why at least one blogger (me) is pretty unimpressed so far with the low-key and hesitant self-examination to date. If MSM = "Mainstream Media", then NOLA.com is the minor leagues. Until the major players are willing to give as much attention to their role in exacerbating the situation, it's premature to sanctimoniously claim that the MSM has “self-corrected”.

Polimom said this @ 9:10 AM 1 more opinions you may not like

Hype or Reality?

It’s hard to know what to make of this story, running on NOLA.com. Is it damage control, or reality? Here are some excerpts:

Rumors of deaths greatly exaggerated

The picture that emerged was one of the impoverished, masses of flood victims resorting to utter depravity, randomly attacking each other, as well as the police trying to protect them and the rescue workers trying to save them. Nagin told Winfrey the crowd has descended to an "almost animalistic state."

Four weeks after the storm, few of the widely reported atrocities have been backed with evidence. The piles of bodies never materialized, and soldiers, police officers and rescue personnel on the front lines say that although anarchy reigned at times and people suffered unimaginable indignities, most of the worst crimes reported at the time never happened.

Certainly the stories from the Superdome and the Convention Center are among the most horrifying I’ve ever heard. I absolutely believe there was looting, gunfire, and mayhem. The city definitely was burning and exploding, and people died. It wasn’t all a fantasy spurred by panic and hysteria.

BUT - another reality is that the media, too, fell victim to the panic. Furthermore, I believe they self-perpetuated their own hysteria.

The media have some really bad habits, not the least of which is “spinning” a story for the greatest dramatic effect. In their race against one another to report the most gruesome acts, the most depraved crimes, or the most heroic rescues, they intensify situations exponentially. A thousand reporters hearing the same incident, but describing different details to provide a unique story, create a thousand different events to a credulous audience.

The looting and violence were real. No two ways about it, and I don’t mean hungry people looking for food either. Folks – you just cannot eat a TV. Truly.

The gunfire in the streets was real. I don’t think anybody really doubts that.

What I do NOT believe is that the entire city of New Orleans went insane. Nor do I think that what happened there is in any way indicative of failed social programs throughout American society. The problems in New Orleans do not necessarily translate elsewhere, and some responsible party really needs to get in front of the confusion this tragedy has created.

A significant amount of what we were told was going on in New Orleans was true. Unfortunately, even had it all been made up, it wouldn’t matter, because people believed it then, and they believe it still.

Polimom said this @ 9:51 AM 2 more opinions you may not like

Algiers - Come Home

From several sources, including the Houston Chronicle:

Nagin said he wanted residents of the Algiers neighborhood, which has electricity and water, to start returning as early as Monday or Tuesday, followed by people in other ZIP codes.

And while a cautionary note has been sounded several times in the past by Thad Allen, this time he said,

"The city can continue allowing business operators to return to unaffected areas and letting residents return to the West Bank and Algiers"

I think it's official. Time to go home, my friends.

Polimom said this @ 9:03 PM 6 more opinions you may not like

Clearing the air about post-Katrina events

Since Reuters ran the story about “Ft. Pelican”, there have been any number of queries and emails, both for and against what happened. Unfortunately – like all news stories – the story is incomplete, leaving room for speculation and interpretation.

When events were unfolding, thousands of people on the outside (and some very afraid people on the inside) were depending on me to help them. That was not the time, in my opinion, to lose focus, and I was as carefully neutral, politically, as I could be – only diverging on rare occasions that provoked me strongly. As a result of this careful approach, there seems to be some confusion on a number of issues, and it’s time to clear the air a bit.

First – From my side of events, race never entered the equation. I never asked what “color” anybody was, at any time. The question was, and is, totally irrelevant. It bothers me that people insist on viewing the world so narrowly. As long as I’m “clearing the air”, though, not everyone involved in Algiers was white, and I myself am of mixed ancestry.

I am aware that a few groups have cited my blog to prove their positions. Early on, I reacted strongly to the Democratic Underground, primarily because they interpreted events in an information vacuum. I really resented (and still do) the assumptions made there.

However, a highly offensive White Supremacist group – The Vanguard News Network - also spun events, and while I didn’t have time then to address them publicly, I did write a letter to their webmaster, which was posted to their site (search on "polimom"). This group’s entire ideology disgusts me. (Note: their site contains incredibly vulgar language.)

And that’s about all the spare cycles I had for any of those groups at the time.

Second – While Reuters wire services provided the story itself, MSNBC.com added what I consider to be a misleading and inflammatory title for it: “Residents recall vigilante justice after Katrina”. The term vigilante puts an unfortunate spin on events. From Merriam Webster online:

Main Entry: vig·i·lan·te
Pronunciation: "vi-j&-'lan-tE
Function: noun
Etymology: Spanish, watchman, guard, from vigilante vigilant, from Latin vigilant-, vigilans: a member of a volunteer committee organized to suppress and punish crime summarily (as when the processes of law appear inadequate); broadly : a self-appointed doer of justice

None of the people I know or worked with during the Katrina chaos were “punishing crime summarily”. Every incident occurred in a self-defense situation. Furthermore, the thought of armed groups roaming streets in order to "punish" without due process of law, appalls me. I can’t say there were no vigilante groups in Algiers (or anywhere else), but I can say I don’t know them.

Third – There was never a direct request for weapons. There was a request for supplies, via which I also helped people obtain gasoline, batteries, and chainsaws.

Fourth – The right to keep and bear arms is a point of heated debate – but it is nonetheless a right. Weapons (in general) scare me; I don’t keep one. But when order is gone (it was), and the authorities are afraid (they were), the thought that anyone would be expected to sit defenseless, while the city is exploding and burning, men are peering into windows, and gunfire is sounding all around, is incredibly naïve. I personally know only a few people – Quakers and Pacifists all their lives – who would have handled things differently. I admire them, but I am not of the same mind.

Neutrality was necessary, but very hard to maintain. I’m glad to be moving on.

Polimom said this @ 9:47 AM 3 more opinions you may not like

Algiers Post-Rita (Are we there yet?)

I am sooooo ready for a party. What a month! But what’s the point of having a party when the hosts aren’t at home yet?

Yes, I know - many folks went into Algiers over the last couple of weeks. Some even stayed! But nasty Rita managed to confound officials all over again, and folks were getting turned back at the Parish line who had only gone out for groceries. (That has to have been incredibly frustrating!)

Between one thing and another, it’s still not clear whether anybody has remembered that Algiers was not under a mandatory evacuation, and they are allowed to be there. (Note: I’ve been told that particular communication failure has been fixed.)

There is news, however, about conditions and services in Algiers. It's posted in the forums, under "Information from Officials". (Click here for the latest release from Jackie Clarkson.)

So – Algiers came through Rita fine. No surprises. And the backseat of the car is again filled with chirpy voices, “Are we there yet? Can we go home now?” {smile}

Officially, the answer is… "We’re not sure”. Unofficially, if people don’t use the elevated expressway, there are numerous ways around and in. Of course, if I were planning to return from someplace like North Dakota or Alaska, I’d want something a little more concrete.

To that end, I’ve raised the question yet again. If there’s no official announcement by… say… noon on Monday, I think we’ll have to have another geography lesson for the Orleans officials. Til then, Algiers is still on hold – I think.

Sigh….

Update: Sept 24 4:00pm - I've posted an email in the forums for you to read, here. Also, a forum topic here to read.

Polimom said this @ 1:03 PM 2 more opinions you may not like

I Need a Better Diet

The constant influx of floods, storms, death, and destruction is taking a toll on my normally good humor.

In stressful times, some people eat chocolate, while others gorge on cherry pie (my personal favorite). This works really well on a short term basis, but in the face of nearly five weeks of non-stop stress, even the most devout chocoholics are running some risks with this approach. By now, there’s not much point in going through the trouble of actually ingesting the stuff – may as well just tape those morsels right onto your hips.

In hopes of finding lighter material to talk about this morning – just for a novel change of pace – I went everywhere I could think of online… and guess what? I found even MORE death and destruction. It’s everywhere. No wonder I’m getting depressed!

We all know that National Obesity is a real problem – it’s yet another of the really depressing things frequently in the news. Maybe the problem with Fat America (excuse my bluntness) is the result of non-stop comfort food? Seriously! (Okay, maybe not totally serious…)

For my own mental health, I finally went to my two fail-safe sites: Dave Barry’s Blog, and The Onion. I’m happy to say they both delivered precisely what I needed – some fat free stress relief.

You may or may not agree with the political slants at either of those sites, but as Dave said, in an interview earlier this month,

“Oh yeah. First of all, anxiety is a good source of humor. Bad times equals good humor. People love -- going back to what I said -- we love that release that comes from being able to just laugh for a minute at how bad things are."

Go eat.

Polimom said this @ 10:16 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

A Windy "Non-Event"

It was good and noisy here about 2 a.m. The wind finally got more serious, and for about 3 1/2 hours, it was howling. It's still blowing blue blazes, but from the NNW now. As far as I can tell, the power didn't even flicker.

The worst casualty here was sleep, particularly for our 4-month-old labrador puppy. She's beside herself still, this morning - torn between fascination with the blowing leaves (she wants to chase them) and anxiety about the strangeness. On the other hand, the stray cat we brought inside to shelter in a spare bedroom looks perfectly relaxed. Go figure. He'll probably want to stay.

All in all, I'd have to call this a "non-event" in Katy, particularly in comparison to expectations a few days ago. I'm really very tired of hurricanes now.

Polimom said this @ 7:04 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

Finally - A (very) Little Bit...

It feels as if I've been waiting for Rita for years, not days. At last, she's starting to make an entrance. Wind predictions for our area, tonight, are for gusts 50-60 mph. So far, I'd estimate them at about half of that.

We've been watching the storm's progress on our local radar as the outer edges slowly moved further inland, and about 3 hours ago, we were finally able to see the line of clouds to the east.

It was beautiful, in fact. The sky directly above was an intense, almost electric blue, with very dark grey-green clouds scudding across. And amazingly, there was a rainbow spanning the sky, framing the coming darkness.

So - with flashlights placed strategically around the house (but hopeful the power will hold), we're ready. And we're relieved...

Polimom said this @ 7:49 PM 2 more opinions you may not like

Conditions in Katy - 3:00pm Friday

The wind is just starting to pick up a bit now, although in general I'd still describe this as a brisk breeze. Still sunny, too, though the clouds are increasing.

Most of my neighbors who hit the roads for points west and/or north returned home this morning. They all had horror stories to tell. One of them never got out of Katy! (wow...)

I walked around a bit with my camera, hoping to get shots of preparations in my neighborhood, but found only two houses with plywood on the windows.

Actually, one of them improvised with fence boards, and I've seen other interesting ideas, including sheets (outside the windows) and cardboard (inside the windows). (Note: I'm not suggesting these as a solution by any means... lol... )

I haven't decided yet whether the lack of preparation suggests confidence that the storm would miss, or inability to locate materials (that's my excuse). I suppose my first guess (Wednesday evening) that people would use the plywood as a food source is still viable.

The two primary emotions I've encountered on the block are
1) nonchalance, or 2) panic. Doesn't matter much at this point, though, what one thinks will happen. The game is now in play.

More later...

Polimom said this @ 3:03 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

Rita Update for Algiers

I can't believe this. I feel positively schizophrenic at the moment - focused on my own backyard, and fully aware of/integrated with Algiers. Decidedly odd...

Odder still (for me) - the situation there is apparently rather a lot worse than where I am. Certainly this is much different from the early Rita expectations.

From the email:

My cousin is staying in my home on Horace. Power out since midnight, 2" rain and police patrolling so far.

And another:

Rita is on her way. Winds gusted to 48 mph this morning here in NO. It's been raining pretty much on and off since last night. A tree across the street was just too wet and weak and fell over in the night. Heard things bouncing off the walls of our house and the house next door. Looked this morning, no damage, just a lot of noise. We're currently under a tornado watch til 6PM and are being told that if we won't leave, we need to write our social security numbers on our arms in Sharpie so they can identify us.

Lost power for most of the night last night, but it came on gratefully this morning about 6AM. Cable is gone again, so back to dialup. If the wind keeps increasing the power may go again, so wanted to let you all know that we're fine.

So far (other than the obviously fragile power lines and trees), this sounds like a fairly normal storm, and Algiers has weathered many. I'm keeping my hopes up...

Update: 1:45pm Friday - Algiers - Since I can't guarantee my ability to blog or check emails in the next 24 hours or so, I've set up a Rita forum for you. Feel free to update one another, either here in comments, or over there.

Polimom said this @ 12:27 PM 4 more opinions you may not like

Levees Breached Already - New Orleans

I was worried about this last night, finally posting about it earlier this morning. Apparently, things are already breaking in New Orleans. (That didn't take long, did it?)
MSNBC.com is running this story, which says in part,

"Dozens of New Orleans blocks were underwater after rain poured over a patched levee in the form of a waterfall at least 30 feet wide, confirming fears that the city's weakened levees would not be able to handle the additional rainfall.

Water was waist deep and rising fast on the street that runs next to the canal."

From a NOLA.com story:

"Water poured over a patched levee Friday, cascading into one of the city's lowest-lying neighborhoods and heightening fears that Hurricane Rita would re-flood this devastated city."

As terrible as it's been to watch the power struggle and squabbling betweeen Mayor Nagin and the federal authorities, I'm very glad, at the moment, that Nagin backed down.

Polimom said this @ 10:06 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

The Katrita Phenomenon

Since I can’t distinguish the panic surrounding Rita from the psychological horrors of Katrina, I’ve started thinking of this whole debacle as the "Katrita" Phenomenon. The entire Texas coastal region is suffering from its effects, and it’s absolutely astonishing.

I’ve been reading through my blog entries over the last week, and can easily see my own affliction, right from the start. Why else would a seasoned hurricane “survivor” (we all are down here) have written a post called, “Me? Nervous? U Betcha!” for a tropical depression?

Intellectually, I and other long-term Gulf Coast dwellers know that Katrina's impact on New Orleans was unique, and that the vast damage elsewhere was primarily right along the coast. Emotionally, the images are too fresh in our minds to separate from the current reality.

Under normal circumstances (sans Katrina), we’d likely have started watching Rita very carefully sometime on Tuesday – but by Tuesday, people were full-tilt into the evacuation. This behavior varies so widely from the normal mode, I can hardly comprehend it.

By Wednesday night, Rita was one of the scariest storms I’ve ever seen - but still days away. That was the night I considered leaving – and might have, had the evacuation routes out of the Houston metro area not already been grid-locked. That night, I was really scared – because I knew I wasn’t going to be able to leave. Two days yet to go, and the routes out were at a stand-still.

Since that terrifying Wednesday night, my area has watched Rita turn to the northeast, not only taking us out of the direct path, but also putting the Houston area on the “good side” of the storm. Coastal areas are still at risk, of course, by their very nature, proximity notwithstanding.

I still see neighbors leaving this morning, although I really can’t understand what destination might be achievable. More to the point - what is it that they're fleeing? Conditions on the roads are likely far worse than here at home, regardless of Rita’s landfall. I’d much rather be in my house than out of gas, or overheated and stalled, on a congested highway. Is that what happened to this bus?

The panic has driven incredible numbers of people from homes that are not threatened substantially, impeding (and possibly endangering) the mandatory evacuees from the lower-lying coastal communities.

Why are so many people still fleeing my area? The Katrita Phenomenon. For the next decade, psychologists and sociologists are going to have an absolute field day.

Polimom said this @ 7:40 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

Katy's lookin' good... unlike elsewhere

I'm feeling fairly secure, here in Katy. Rita has gone off to the NE of me, and our forecast looks less dangerous by the minute. My home (and those around me) can easily withstand the currently predicted gusts to 65 mph. Obviously, like everyone else, I'm still alert. It's pretty unlikely at this point, though, that my location will be in severe danger.

My relief has given me the mental energy to go have a look at the predictions and expectations for New Orleans. Over on NOLA.com, I found a headline referring to “seepage” along the Lower Ninth Ward levee. What does that mean? Dunno – but it can’t be good. This link shows several pictures, and accompanying text that includes mention of increasing water there. I’m having some trouble understanding why this is the only place I’ve found mention of the seepage. Did I miss something the last few days?

While I was still thinking about seeping levees in New Orleans, I meandered over to WWLTV.com, and paid a visit to the weather forums. Meteorologist Brad Panovich has been posting, and his latest update (and ensuing thread) is here. He sees the storm coming ashore (most likely) at Lake Charles, with the possibility of a late turn further east.

Most of the predictions I've read this morning confirm this, but are also now suggesting 3-5 inches of rain for New Orleans (which is under a Tropical Storm warning).

Taken together, I don’t like the sound of things there. Algiers, I believe, will come out just fine from this storm. However, the thought of a lot of rain combined with a seeping levee on the East Bank makes my head throb.

About the only good news, if something breaks there again, is pretty much everybody is already out of that area.

More than anything, though - I really hope the traffic situation didn't crater as horribly over toward Rita's main strike zone, and that those people are long gone.

Polimom said this @ 9:45 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

Texas - a Model of Emergency Preparedness

The Citizens of the Gulf Region of the State of Texas have shown themselves to have astounding generosity of spirit. Since Katrina, I have (for the first time I can remember) been proud to live here. Truly, the people here are wonderful. Before I say anything else with this post, I really wanted to emphasize that.

Okay. That’s clear. So here comes a major rant (you can just use the “back” button on your browser if you want to avoid this).

I want to talk for just a little second or two about the abysmally short-sighted stupidity shown by this state’s emergency preparations officials.

I – lowly citizen me – knew five days ago that there was a problem coming in the form of another probable hurricane. I also knew gasoline shortages sprang up immediately in the Katrina crisis. Do you think anybody might have thought to order up a little extra gasoline?

How about plywood? They’ve been sold out, everywhere, almost all week. Was that all there was in the entire country? No extra stock anywhere to ship down this-away?

Hello?

Worst of all (and enhanced dramatically by that little gasoline snafu) - There’s been a staggering amount of patronizing about the State of Louisiana, and how they handled their emergency preparations. But I don’t remember reading that evacuation routes were complete parking lots. For two days! Maybe somebody should have asked Louisiana how to set up the evacuation routes so they can point all lanes of traffic OUT?

Residents of the Houston metro area, and those unfortunates from the coastal communities below it, have been parked for 10 hours and more, in 100 degree (plus) heat, no air-conditioning… People are pushing their cars to conserve gas, or driving 5 miles in 12 hours!

What is going on here?? Stupid stupid stupid.

End of rant.

Polimom said this @ 4:55 PM 5 more opinions you may not like

Cat 4 Rita

The NHC/NOAA has updated its information. Rita is a Cat 4, with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph. That’s good news. However, the projected track is fundamentally unchanged, and it hasn’t weakened much further than it had a couple of hours ago.

For everybody watching in fear for New Orleans, though, I found this statement (from NHC/NOAA Discussion #21 heartening:

THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN EXTENDED EASTWARD AND NORTHWARD ALONG THE LOUISIANA COAST. ANY TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN THE NEW ORLEANS AREA ARE EXPECTED TO BE CONFINED TO A FEW SQUALLS ASSOCIATED WITH QUICKLY MOVING
RAINBANDS.

For those of you who have family and/or friends attempting to travel the evacuation routes – my sympathy. The evacuation system in Texas has proven to be a total embarrassment.

I've pulled up some forecasts from the National Weather Service, just to satisfy my own curiousity. The latest outlook for Katy (my location) is linked here. This is what they say about Friday night for us:

Periods of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Some of the storms could be severe, with heavy rain. Low around 76. Windy, with a north wind between 40 and 50 mph, with gusts as high as 70 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Here’s the forecast for Beaumont, and for Lake Charles.

All of this, of course, is sure to change the next time they update.

Polimom said this @ 4:33 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

Several Updates about Rita

Things are changing minute by minute. Rather than try to paraphrase these, I think on this post I'll just give you the links I am looking at right now:

Jeff Master's Wunder Blog has an excellent discussion and graphic about the coastal flooding potential.

This morning, Eric Berger's SciGuy blog gave very helpful info regarding when to expect the winds to start up in the Houston area.

The Wunder Blog (linked above) and this Houston Chronicle article, both hold out hope for everyone in the form of potential weakening to a Cat 3.

The news from Katy is much brighter now, and I'm less stressed about staying. For all of you, though, who are along the coastal areas - if you haven't left yet, GET GOING!

When this is all over (again), I hope everyone checks back into the neighborhood forums. I'll be looking for you there...

Polimom said this @ 11:23 AM 2 more opinions you may not like

Rita is REALLY causing problems

Well now – isn’t this dandy? Rita is really becoming a problem all the way around, yes?

This is from my email:

"We are staying in a trailer in Lafayette. At this point they are calling for voluntary evacuation of mobile homes here. Is there a chance we can go to our home in Park Timbers where it will be safe?"

My gut instinct is to say, “No”, although I really don’t like that answer. Algiers is not likely to have any trouble handling this… unless Rita takes a hard turn and deals another direct blow. In that case, those river levees, already stressed by the many loose ships, would be a worry (not to mention the existing conditions across the river).

NOLA.com is running an AP article right now, titled “Rain falling in New Orleans, raising fears of new flooding”. The last paragraph says,

On the Road to Nowhere

I went to bed very late last night (early this morning, really) full of anxiety. The 10 pm update from the National Hurricane Center had shifted Rita’s track to the north, across Freeport, and put Katy just NE of the center. That projection scared me so badly, I couldn’t even blog about it.

So I went to bed instead. Best thing I could’ve done, since worrying about yesterday’s news has little bearing 9 hours later. This morning’s projected path has shifted yet again, now bringing the storm ashore at Galveston.

This is such a vicious storm, and it is following so closely on Katrina, that people are quite properly trying to get out of its path. The problem is… who needs to get out, and where can one go? The “who” seems to be changing hourly, and the where? That’s anybody’s guess.

By all accounts, heading north or west are not good options now. Gasoline is in short supply, and the evacuation routes are parking lots. This is from an email late last night, from someone whose family is trying to evacuate:

I am sitting in Sulphur, LA on the phone with my sister from Kemah ,Tx who is in the process of evacuating to San Antonio very very slowly. They thought they were leaving early enough to avoid the rush. It is now midnight, She left Kemah at 3:00 PM today and it has taken her 9 hours to make it to Houston.

I have a nephew from Texas City that is going in the direction of Sam Rayburn and left at 5:00 and 7 hours later he has made it to Baytown. He says the same thing all exits and most highways are closed. They both had a hard time finding gas today and now understand why many cars and trucks are being left on the roadside.

As Rita shifts and dances about in the next hours, more folks will be loading their cars and heading out. The biggest evacuation in history is going to highlight a whole new set of problems regarding emergency preparedness. I can’t imagine trying to ride out a hurricane, on the highway, with my family and pets (but no gas).

Just as well I’m planning to sit it out at home.

Polimom said this @ 7:58 AM 2 more opinions you may not like

I Recommend Cherry Pie

I'm feeling much better, now that I've polished off the last of the cherry pie and had a drive around Katy. It's wondrous what a home-made pie can do for the soul! Best thing I can think of for Hurricane Anxiety!

The drive around Katy was interesting. It's an absolute zoo out there on the roads, folks! Even the staff at the pet store was coming apart at the seams. (We were there for a scheduled puppy training class, that got cancelled - seems the instructor is evacuating from the Galveston area tonight.)

One of the things that struck me during my drive was that I saw only one window boarded. But every supply store for miles around is completely sold out of plywood. So where is it? Unless I start seeing windows being covered tomorrow, I'm just going to assume folks are planning to dine on plywood if their food runs out.

The gas situation is a joke, too. Mason Road (a main N-S artery) was bumper to bumper for miles. It wasn't until I'd crawled my way through 5 or 6 intersections that I found the source... the right lane was a gas line for one of the few open stations.

All in all, though, I'm feeling better about things. Not because I don't think we're gonna have a storm, cuz we definitely are. Certainly not because everybody's calmly going about their normal routines, cuz they're not. Guess it must be that cherry pie workin' on me.

Polimom said this @ 8:01 PM 1 more opinions you may not like

Just Keep Breathin'

In... and out.... Breathe, Polimom.... relax....

lol - sort of.

If anyone had asked me a week ago whether Katy was a good place to be (in this area) for a hurricane, I'd have said yes. I may even have had the conversation with a few of you! But that was in the abstract, and I was visualizing the many lesser storms I've ridden out in the past.

The truth of the matter is, we're on the wrong side of this storm's track. I'd be thrilled if somebody could share some wind projections that differ from those I've already seen, because the ones I've looked at indicate that Katy will likely have winds roughly 20 mph from whatever Houston gets. In fact, unless I'm totally reading all this wrong, the winds here may be higher than the projections for Galveston.

Thankfully (for us in Katy) we will not have problems, at all, with storm surge. We're much too far inland. The coastal residents are facing a truly dire threat. For us, it's just the wind, and possibly tornadoes. Knowing that, I found this statement, from weather.com, immensely comforting:

If there is any good news at this point, it is the fact that it is very difficult for a hurricane to maintain category 5 status for an lengthy period of time. Near-perfect to perfect atmospheric conditions are necessary for a category 5 hurricane to exist and these "perfect" conditions are first - difficult to come by and second - do not remain in place for a long period of time. So although Rita is currently a category 5 hurricane, fluctuations in intensity is likely.

About half of the neighbors on my street are evacuating. The few gas stations here that are not sold out have hour-long lines. There are no batteries, plywood, or bottled water at any of the stores near here.

I gotta tell ya - it's really hard to think straight, when a Cat 5 Hurricane with sustained winds of 165 mph is moving toward you. Rita really needs to back down some.

Polimom said this @ 5:05 PM 5 more opinions you may not like

A Smile for Algiers

In the midst of the post-Katrina madness, when the city of New Orleans was descending into madness, gunfire, and explosions, Algiers rallied to help the neighbors who stayed behind.

For those MANY of you who responded during that crazy week, with support, messages, and offers of direct help, this article is for you:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9426745/

While the people involved in the story above are from the Point, all of Algiers responded. You are an amazing community.

And just for the record: The title is misleading in the extreme, to me. There's nothing about self-defense, in the midst of anarchy, that qualifies as vigilante justice.

Polimom said this @ 4:47 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

Take Your Best Guess

The worst part about hurricanes is not knowing where they’ll hit, and Rita is no exception. Decisions can only be made on a “best guess” basis, knowing things can change right up til landfall.

For those who have written, asking what I’m going to do: I’m staying. I say that, knowing we’re on high ground, and roughly 50 miles inland. I am nervous about our choice on this one, though, because of the northerly turn the storm is expected to take after Rita hits land.

The Kinetic Analysis Corporation and University of Central Florida (KAC/UCF) has been updating the projected damage estimates based on a complex-beyond-comprehension algorithm that includes flooding and wind predictions. Every time the landfall coordinates change, all these projections change accordingly.

To understand my quandary, here’s the data from the projection site that I'm looking at:

• Fulshear (Ft. Bend County): - 11 miles from me, currently projecting 82 mph
• Katy city (Waller County):- 10 miles – currently 76
• Brookshire (also Waller County): - 16 miles from me, currently projecting 79 mph

An hour ago, Fulshear was estimated at 98 mph. Similarly, my dad’s house in Houston is currently projected to see 70 mph. An hour ago, it said 77. So - it's clearly hard to know.

To put this into perspective, the Houston Chronicle ran an article yesterday that included this paragraph:

"Wes Johnson, spokesman for Houston's Public Works and Engineering Department, said most Houston homes were constructed to withstand 90 mph wind speeds prior to 2000, which is when the city required new homes to meet a 110 mph standard."

Just at the moment, we’re well within these ranges. If things change, though, I’ll be relying on the evacuation information, like everybody else...which can be found here (again courtesy of the Houston Chronicle).

More later…

Polimom said this @ 12:00 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

"We're the Government, and we're here to help"

FEMA and the Red Cross are no doubt standing ready - again - to swoop into a hurricane-devastated region. Since parts of Texas are likely to be faced with some of the same issues as LA and MS, there are some things to know about how that might look.

A Washington Post article, "By Hook or by Crook", describes some of the problems encountered by local officials in MS. For instance:

"Gulfport is badly in need of generators to keep its pumping stations working;sewage was beginning to come out of manhole covers, and Warr feared an outbreak of disease. He put in an order for 157 generators with FEMA and did the paperwork. Then he got a call from Washington. The voice on the other end of theline told him that the generators couldn't be sent without a specific address. "Send them to City Hall," Warr said he replied. "I've got 157 places they need to go." He never got the generators."

Polimom said this @ 9:39 AM 2 more opinions you may not like

A Parental Balancing Act

Wow. Rita is picking up strength at an astonishing rate. A Cat 4 already???? She’s still 2 ½ days away!

Now we start the parental dance with our children – walking the fine line between discussions grounded in reality and reassurance that no matter how it plays out, it won’t look like New Orleans after Katrina.

It won’t be easy to do. This part of the country was fully engulfed by the last storm’s aftermath. Our schools are packed with children who either evacuated, or were rescued – children who have lost everything. Families all over the area have donated time, clothing, money, put together fund raisers, hosted others… there is complete understanding here of what a major hurricane can do. Knowing that we won’t be swept away in our location does not minimize the terrible destruction that is likely to smash our friends and family at lower elevations.

So far, my child seems to have internalized the reassurance I’ve given ever since Rita was TD18, innocent and far from us. Like other parents, I’ll be listening for the tell-tale signs of anxiety in the next couple of days.

I still believe we’ll be fine here. I fully expect wind damage, but at 142’ above sea level, circumstances are much different in Katy than in Houston (much less New Orleans or the Mississippi coast). Our streets flood with torrential rain – but they all do. Storm drains can only handle so much water per minute. They’ll eventually drain.

Better yet, officials in Texas are organized and moving rapidly, and the federal administration (read: Bush) is unlikely to forget a lesson so recently taught. Unfortunately, I've seen nothing in the recent FEMA or Red Cross actions that indicate improvement in process.

The best news, though, is it’s only Wednesday. Lots of time yet for Rita to take a less fearsome track, or weaken. Fingers crossed…

Polimom said this @ 7:28 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

Watching Rita... from Katy

This really is an astounding turn of events. Just over three weeks ago, I was worrying about friends and family sitting in the path of Katrina. This evening, I'm watching another storm track toward me, here in Katy.

Current models seem to indicate that the center of Hurricane Rita will pass to the southwest of us, putting the Houston area on the dreaded northeast side. A track further east may possibly put us right in the eye.
The good news (and this is very good news!) is that in Katy, we're not sitting below sea-level, surrounded on all sides by water. The bad news is.... well... I don't know what to expect yet. This is from the latest bulletin from my email weather update:

Voluntary evacuations are also in progress this evening for low lying areas of chambers county, harris county, and the cities of houston, seabrook and baytown. Decisions concerning evacuations for other counties and communities will be made either later this evening or on Wednesday.

The SciGuy just posted a link to a site that projects damage estimates. Katy is listed in Waller County (I'm actually in Ft. Bend), and the projected wind speeds are similar to those of Galveston.

My understanding of those wind projections, btw, is that they were based on the strength of the storm earlier today. I expect these numbers will change, and not for the better. Significant strengthening is now expected, according to several sources, including MSNBC.com.

I'm relieved more than I can say that my Algerine houseguests left yesterday, headed back to New Orleans. This is about the last thing people who have gone through Katrina need.

Polimom said this @ 7:12 PM 1 more opinions you may not like

Another Day in the Asylum...

I feel like I'm spinning in circles. If somebody doesn't give the leadership and officials a metaphoric smack across the face to relieve the hysterics, I think we're ALL gonna go off the deep end.

The quote below is from a comment just posted to the polimom forums - a response made directly to Jeff Arnold's helpful but clearly uncirculated clarification about the re-entry. (Do the people at the checkpoints have access to Polimom? How about the Mayor??? Obviously not...)

"Algiers Lockdown Separates Families"

As I returned from work last night at about 6pm, and got off at the Terry Pkwy exit, and saw the NOPD roadblocks. There were others in cars ahead of me, some of whom apparently had already come back to Algiers, had gone to Jefferson to shop or work, and were trying to get back to their family. NOPD was powerless to do anything but say "contact the mayor's office," and tell them to turn around. Who knows where they spent the night.

The poor timing of Mayor Nagin's inept lockdown - absolutely no warning - is now separating families from the only person who can evacuate them properly - the one with the vehicle.

Polimom said this @ 12:17 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

Can I Come Stay With You?

If this just don’t beat all. They finally give the green light for Algiers to go home, and it already feels like stealing home plate. Do you run for it? Or hunker down in the current “safe” location. Just at the moment, the answer to that question depends on one’s definition of safety, and the whims of the weather gods.

Rita is now a hurricane, but there is a bit of good news this morning. The NHC computer models have a slightly better outlook for the battered Louisiana coast, and also for the hosts of so many in the SE Texas area. As one of the many in the region trying to hang on to my sanity, I'm following the Chronicle's SciGuy blog - he's excellent, and occasionally prescient.

For those folks who are sheltering anywhere in the Houston area, though, it must feel somewhat karmic. This family, for instance, must be frazzled beyond belief (from the Houston Chronicle):

Just-settled family may have to flee again

Myself – I’m sitting in Katy, about 20 miles west of Houston. We’re unlikely to have any major problems here, and even if Rita runs straight up the ship channel from Galveston, we'll probably be okay. It’s a bit of a gamble, as ever. Maybe if Rita heads my way, I can go stay with folks in Algiers…?

Polimom said this @ 8:44 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

Thank You Jeff Arnold

Yet again, State Representative Jeff Arnold has come through with an answer to questions about Algiers. I continue to be confounded by the almost complete failure of the rest of the elected officials to speak to this group of people.

So - later I'll go off on a rant. For now - here is Jeff Arnold's response to the question about Nagin's announcement yesterday (as posted in the polimom forums):

"Nagin's press conference does not apply to Algiers, However if Tropical Storm Rita becomes more of a threat there will be an evacuation of Algiers. I would guess that it would be mandatory if issued. So, here we go again but you can go home, you just might not be able to stay.
Jeff Arnold, Your Algiers State Rep."

Thank you, Representative Arnold.

Polimom said this @ 7:01 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

An Update - Sort of...

I can't find anything, anywhere, about whether Algiers residents can continue to come home, now that the re-entry has been suspended. And as ever, there's nobody to ask. Here are the mentions I can find that seem most relevant to the situation for Algerines on the road, in the current press:

From NOLA.com:

"New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin on Monday urged residents to cancel any plans of returning to the city due to the threat posed by Tropical Storm Rita."

From WWLTV.com:

"Nagin also urged everyone already settled back into Algiers to be ready to evacuate as early as Wednesday."

My interpretation of all this (and it's merely my opinion) is - while they may not stop entry to Algiers coming up the West Bank Expwy. tomorrow, it may not gain much if they order an evacuation Wednesday. If you're somewhere comfortable and they'll put up with you another day or two, you might want to stay put. It will be very hard to find shelter anywhere on the Gulf Coast if they have to evacuate again.

If I get some official input that suggests some other course of action, I'll let you know.

Polimom said this @ 6:05 PM 2 more opinions you may not like

Suspended Re-Entry

Once bitten, twice shy. There is absolutely no chance Nagin and the other authorities/officials are going to take any chances on Rita. Therefore, they've just announced that they're suspending re-entry into New Orleans.

As ever, I came away uncertain what that means for Algiers, which was opened just this morning. Can they continue to enter? Seems unlikely, yet some are already on the way, but haven't arrived yet. All I heard about those already there is that people who have already returned need to "be flexible". Hopefully some clarification will be forthcoming.

If Rita turns northward, Nagin said one of the projected trajectories suggests the storm could pass to the west of New Orleans, leaving the city on the more dangerous eastern side. Any sign of a northerly turn will likely result in a full evacuation (assuming they leave it that long).

So - everybody's playing the waiting game again...

Polimom said this @ 4:15 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

Stupid is as Stupid Does

Sorry - I just couldn't resist sharing this story from WWLTV.com. Here's an excerpt:

"In a church-run assisted living home close to a heavily looted Wal-Mart in the lower Garden District, a team of guardsmen found new bicycles, stereos and clothing. Someone associated with the church, who refused to give his name, said at least seven rooms in the four-story residence were filled with goods believed to be stolen."

I really love the guy who was loading a moving van with cool new stuff. When asked about the 8-foot tall pile of auto parts, new motorcycle, and video game with pawn ticket still attached, he just had no idea where all those goodies came from!

What a bunch of idiots.

Polimom said this @ 2:52 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

Livin' on the Edge

Barring divine intervention, some part of the Gulf Coast is going to have to deal with this next storm. Once Rita’s in the Gulf, that’s the only end game.

There have been debates ad nauseum about New Orleans’ exposure, and whether it makes sense to re-build on a site below the water surrounding it. These conversations aren’t just happening in the world press or popular blogs, either. I’ve had them on my own front porch with friends and neighbors.

No doubt about it, New Orleans is vulnerable – but are they the only ones? What would happen if Rita makes a bee-line for…say… Houston? As a Cat 4? At the right angle?

In February of this year, Eric Berger (the Houston Chronicle’s “SciGuy”), published an article describing what would happen with our own “perfect storm”. On the SciGuy’s blog this morning, he brought this up, and highlighted several relevant paragraphs, including this one:

"A landfall here would allow its powerful upper-right quadrant, where the waves move in the same direction as the storm, to overflow Galveston Bay. Within an hour or two, a storm surge, topping out at 20 feet or more, would flood the homes of 600,000 people in Harris County. The surge also would block the natural drainage of flooded inland bayous and streams for a day or more."

Not only that, but Houston is currently accommodating over 200,000 additional people, and everybody is helping to their absolute limit. I’m trying to visualize the emotional cost this would have on the hundreds of thousands of evacuees and existing residents, who are already stretched to capacity.

What, then, does this mean to those concerned about rebuilding New Orleans? Well... would they re-build Houston? For me, at least, it means that the world is full of dangers, whether man-made or natural, and every place has risks. California has earthquakes, the far North has blizzards, and the Gulf Coast has hurricanes. But all these places have cultures, and traditions, that cannot be recreated in a random environment. Their very locations, in fact, are what gave each its uniqueness.

So - we build smarter, we learn from mistakes, and we absolutely don’t give up. This next week, though, is going to be very tense for an awful lot of people.

Polimom said this @ 1:22 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

The Homecoming

After three weeks, a part of the city is officially coming home today – “my” little corner of New Orleans. My imagination is on the road with them, right now, as they pass formerly familiar landmarks and see, at last, what the future will look like.

As they pass the checkpoints, they’ll have been handed the “Guidelines for Re-entry” – a grim document that seems more suited to a nuclear bomb site than a homecoming. Obviously written with an eye toward the East Bank of Orleans Parish, these guidelines will nonetheless bring the reality of the catastrophe into sharp, personal focus. For instance,

“Access to medical services is extremely limited at this time.”

Where will they go if a chainsaw slips and gashes a leg? How will they know that? Another indication of this new reality:

“…you may not be outside between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. either in a vehicle or on foot.”

Clearly, security will be very tight. Yet Algiers is not the East Bank, and the situation is much different. They have power, potable water, and soon (hopefully) schools. If any part of the city will be able to maintain the pulse, while the rest tries to come out of cardiac arrest, it is Algiers.

I’ll be watching, today, while CNN covers their re-entry, trying to match the faces on my television with the thousands of polimom readers, and looking for friends and acquaintances from years ago.

It is going to be a sobering, challenging homecoming. There will no doubt be many who will decide to leave, and I have no trouble understanding such a decision. In many ways, I think their road will be the hardest. For those who stay, though – I’m looking forward to meeting many of them when I come to visit…soon.

Polimom said this @ 7:47 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

Me? Nervous? U Betcha!

I’ve never had second-sight – at least, not in the way I think of it. I don’t have premonitions of disaster, I've never found treasure buried by a miserly former property-owner, and I can’t solve a crime by touching the murder weapon. So why, when I read that a tropical depression is forming up in the Bahamas, does my stomach clench?

Tropical Depression 18. Sounds perfectly innocuous in the abstract, but hurricane watches have gone up already for the Florida Keys, and if things progress as currently predicted, TD 18 will become Hurricane Rita. From there, it just gets scary. CNN said,

Forecasters said the storm's projected path would take it through the Straits of Florida between South Florida from Cuba. By Wednesday morning, the storm could become a hurricane and move into the Gulf of Mexico.

People in Florida will absolutely understand this situation, and my helpless horror. They took it in the teeth again and again last year, and they’re still reeling. Yet as terrible as the damage was (and is) there, if New Orleans takes even a glancing blow, I can hardly begin to imagine the consequences.

As it happens, the National Hurricane Center currently projects the landfall to be in Texas. But as everybody along the Gulf Coast knows, hurricanes are capricious, and there’s no telling what this may (or may not!) become. I'm not panicky yet - I've lived too many years with hurricane threats to think the sky is falling every time it rains. I guarantee, though, that I'm keeping my eye on this one.

Polimom said this @ 11:36 AM 2 more opinions you may not like

Schools too? NOW you're cooking!

Here's news to brighten the hearts of Algiers families.

From the AP, via WWLTV.com's blog:

11:33 A.M. - (AP) Orleans Parish public school officials hope to launch the system's 2005-20006 term by November 1st on the West Bank, where a team of experts this week found most school buildings had sustained little storm damage.

The plan is to start registration of teachers and students on September 26.

Registration September 26? That's wonderfully ambitious! You're gonna be in business if this comes off the ground, Algiers!

Read the full article for more details, though. NOLA.com also has the story, with more information, here.

Polimom said this @ 7:11 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

The Publicly Personal Katrina

Most of the media focus has moved past my little blog now, and I can finally go back to talking “to myself” (so to speak). It’s interesting that through it all I stayed the external point of contact for my Algiers “family” that I started out to be.

For the many thousands who, like me, have deep connections to the Gulf Coast region, the Katrina tragedy is an intensely personal story that has played out in front of a global audience. Events in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama have been, and doubtless will continue to be, publicly personal - a bizarre oxymoron.

The experiences of my 'second family' turn out to be typical of the wider picture. Some of them evacuated before the storm, some left after, and several of them stayed. One of the evacuees, who could not initially be located, “found” me through this blog, of all things. He wrote to me late one night, in the midst of the chaos, to “check in”, having absolutely no idea he was writing to someone who had been searching for him for days. Amazing.

These folks have remained my touch-stone to Algiers over the many years since I left Louisiana, and I can’t begin to say how strange it’s been to read about some of them recently in the newspapers. Talking to them, whether face-to-face or by phone, gives a sense of intimacy that is obliterated by the interpretive media.

Take my “baby brother”, for instance. He grew up listening to me sing, “Puff the Magic Dragon”, and later watched (no doubt in horror) as I tried to find my feet as a young adult. I know I’ll always see him through a time warp, the toddling happy boy I called “Charlie Brown”.

That little boy long since grew up, and has now survived one of the toughest trials ever put to someone in his line of work. As his Chief put it in this BBC article,

"In the annals of history, no police department in the history of the world was asked to do what we were asked."

Now that the most severe danger has passed, I’m relieved and proud of him beyond words, even as I shake my head in chagrin (but not in surprise) at his language in a recent article in the Minneapolis/St. Paul City Pages. Note: This link contains strong adult language.

His mother, who has been my houseguest since 5 days after the storm, also had a survivor story. It, too, was described in the City Pages. Reading that story, and hearing it first hand, are much different. It took her nearly two days to reach my house in Katy, and to say it was a personal triumph for her understates it badly. She’d never driven by herself any further than the New Orleans airport, had just had surgery, and was bringing all her pets and a cello!

That cello, by the way, has rejoined the granddaughter who plays it, in Alexandria, where she and her family are rebuilding their lives. Like everyone affected by the storm, it's hard for them; new friends, new schools, new ways… They’re part of the larger Katrina story that will be told for years to come - a personal tale that belongs to the world.

Polimom said this @ 9:15 AM 2 more opinions you may not like

"A" does not necessarily equal "B"

Being poor in New Orleans ("A") does not make one a criminal ("B"). Conversely, the criminals recently shown on TV were not necessarily poor. Assumptions are being made by the media and politicians that are based on flawed logic.

Nagin put the problem right on the table yesterday when he spoke directly to the criminal element, saying, “Don’t come back.” WWLTV.com ran the story, which included

“a warning to the criminals and drug gangs who used to dominate certain parts of the city Thursday, saying they aren’t wanted back.”

So who are these criminals? What are those parts of the city? They may not be who you think they are… and they have infested MANY parts of New Orleans.

There’s a lot of heated debate going on right now about the problems in the Crescent City. For some unknown reason, this is being treated as “news”. One would think nobody knew that the police, regardless of race, could not safely enter some areas at all. The police only enter those places in large groups.

I wonder if anybody recalls how Jo Ellen Smith Memorial Hospital got its name? I remember. That was Algiers, folks.

There is indeed tremendous poverty in New Orleans. It’s pervasive. But in and of itself, it is little different from urban poverty throughout the United States. And while New Orleans’ population is primarily black, there are also many other races who are poor. We all saw them on our televisions – but the poor, whether white or black, did not cause the violent breakdown of order after the storm.

If the criminal element is, as Nagin seems to think, not in the city right now, where are they? Watch the news – I’m sure you’ll hear about them. They’ll be the ones causing problems in their new locales. Not because they’re poor. Because they are violent, opportunistic criminals, and they've been increasingly dangerous in New Orleans.

Interestingly, I think Nagin may be right about the city being safer than it’s been for a long time. One of the many Algiers folks who went back in after the storm to help has been working in the “former” Fischer projects area. She and her husband have been doing amazing things there: rescuing animals trapped under debris, arranging transportation (via the military) for the ill or infirm to West Jeff. Med. Center, distributing food - you name it. And as she pointed out, a month ago, they couldn’t have safely entered the area alone.

The New Orleans poor definitely need the attention of society, as do the poor everywhere. What seems to be going unstated is that people have been afraid to do much. You could be killed trying to help. There's a hospital named for someone who tried.

However it was done, the criminal element, for now, does not seem to be present. I have no idea how to keep them from coming back, but I sure hope New Orleans can find a way. That will help the poor more than television hysterics ever will.

Polimom said this @ 11:45 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

Thank You

Nineteen days ago, I started blogging about Algiers. That Sunday – August 28 – was when my childhood friends and “second family” set me up as the external Point of Contact for checking in after the storm. None of us expected that the aftermath of Katrina would engulf our lives so totally.

Over the past 19 days, thousands of people have visited the Polimom blog, looking for information about their overlooked piece of devastated Orleans Parish. New Orleans is a mysterious place to those who don’t know it intimately, and the media showed only devastation there, leaving thousands of panicked evacuees frantic for news. In that first week, information was almost totally unavailable, or just flat-out misleading.

Now Algiers is going home.

The information and discussions in the forums have turned to the “how” of the next steps; What to do about schools? Insurance? The dratted refrigerators? The panic has passed. There’s a lot to do and think about, but before the next phase takes everyone totally away, I want to take a moment to say thank you.

To the people who stayed behind and rode out the storm, and their friends and families - Thank you for trusting me with your fears and hopes. The terrified phone calls in the middle of the night, the worried friends and crying parents with whom I spoke and tried to soothe – all of these demonstrated a faith, and a need, that humbled me.

To the people who strove to get information out – Thank you for helping your friends and neighbors. Those who stayed in or went back, those who are seeking information to share in the forums and/or providing technical support – you epitomize the term “community”.

Somebody asked me yesterday what I’ve been doing “for myself” over the last weeks, to keep myself sane. I was completely stumped by the question, and floundered. It wasn’t until I woke up this morning that I realized why. Helping you is, in fact, what I’ve been doing for myself. Thank you for filling my heart.

Polimom said this @ 8:24 AM 3 more opinions you may not like

Monday Morning - Algiers!

Yup - just in case anybody isn't listening to the radio right now.... Monday morning they reopen Algiers.

More soon...

Update 12:44 pm:

WWLTV.com has more specifics.

Update:

WWLTV has a brief summary online here, courtesy of Brett Martel / Associated Press.

Other details of interest that I'll put out as they hit the wider news media include specific zipcodes (the mayor named them), and how they will handle the checkpoints. Any announcements from officials will be posted as we get them, in the polimom.com forums, here.

Polimom said this @ 10:47 AM 6 more opinions you may not like

Time to get LOUD about Schools

WWL radio's ticker update, scrolling across the main page, is listing the most recent information about schools. I'm not at all surprised to see that Orleans Parish lists as "out for the year" - but it makes me angry nonetheless. What are they thinking?

Like many of you, I’m also a parent. Among many other things, that means I am continuously factoring the needs of my children into my decisions. It influences everything: where I eat, where I shop, and above all where I live. Because where one lives means friends, quality of life, and education. Schools.

Those people of Orleans Parish who (hopefully) can officially come back to their homes next week have a truly agonizing problem ahead. These areas, although not heavily damaged by flooding, or totally destroyed by the blast of Katrina’s rage, are part of a parish that has been crippled. Many people want to come home and help rebuild their communities and lives.

I was listening, just a moment ago, to WWL's live radio broadcast, and was pleased to hear an Algiers resident call in about exactly this problem: How can Algiers families come home without schools?

A letter published on NOLA.com, stated the problem clearly, in part quoted here:

No - a city cannot exist without children. A polimom reader was quite blunt:

"We operate our dental practice in Algiers and are concerned about rumors that the school board will cancel school this year. We want to strongly say that if we don't get the kids back we won't get many of the parents back."

One can’t be much more direct than this. As every parent knows, changing schools can be a painful experience, even in the best of times. These are not the best of times, and these kids have gone through a lot already.

If it’s true that Algiers schools are physically undamaged, then the officials need to step up and find a way to get these schools open. If the obviously broken school budget can't be used, then it is the State of Louisiana's responsibility to make this happen - and the electorate needs to make this clear.

Polimom said this @ 8:23 AM 8 more opinions you may not like

Phased Repopulation - Announcement Today

Last night, there were many emails from folks who wondered whether the mayor had given the green light for an "official" return yet. The short answer is, "No", but Rep. Jeff Arnold communicated to you that an announcement will be made today.

This morning, CNN is reporting that Nagin's expected statement will define "a 'phased repopulation' plan Thursday that will bring 180,000 residents back into the city in the next two weeks."

I'm waiting with bated breath...

Polimom said this @ 6:10 AM 1 more opinions you may not like

Eschew Obfuscation

The left hand has not been talking to the right, and there have been assumptions made all around.

Yesterday, as all surely know by now, Mayor Nagin reversed position abruptly by stating he would allow residents of the unflooded areas to return home. That was released (near as I can determine) in the afternoon. Yet the Times-Picayune went to print yesterday stating that Algiers is open while the rest of the parish is closed. That page confounded me so completely, in fact, that I got up at 5:30 a.m. this morning, just to see whether the print version was pdf’ed and available that early. Yup – like most newspapers, they go to print very early in the morning.

So why did the paper say Algiers was open so many hours before Mayor Nagin’s “reversal”?

Odder still – yesterday, I had an email from someone who had copied/pasted an article that said, "The return, which the mayor hopes to launch early next week, would involve the French Quarter, Central Business District and Uptown, Nagin said. None of those areas were flooded. Algiers, which was also spared flooding damage, has been open since the storm and not subject to the mandatory evacuation that covers
the rest of the city."

That reader and I spent a great deal of time yesterday evening trying to relocate the article, but we found nothing stating Algiers had been open since the storm. Because that statement is not out there anymore, I hesitated to tell you about it – but it fits the larger picture so well.

This morning, NOLA.com has a more comprehensive article about the return. It appears that some mental separation is taking hold about Algiers, but there is still some vagueness. Among other things, it sounds like the Mayor is non-committal about a firm date. There are statements like “Unflooded portions of New Orleans may be opened to residents as early as Monday” and “pending results of federal tests measuring the toxicity of the city's air and water”. Does that mean if test results are not good Uptown, Algiers won’t be opened?

Another statement that is interesting is, “He plans to enforce a dusk-to-dawn curfew.” The statement itself is pretty clear… but it follows a sentence about restoration of services on the East Bank. Will that then be parish-wide? One assumes so – but there have been far too many assumptions.

And just to cap off my morning tour of available information, will residents from the West Bank of Orleans Parish be allowed to enter Gretna to buy supplies while businesses try to resume in Algiers? It seems as if this should be a “no-brainer”, yet another article this morning, by reporter Matt Scallon (again via NOLA.com), includes a statement from Aaron Broussard, who is quoted as saying, “Plaquemines Parish residents also will be allowed into the parish because Jefferson Parish is a major access route into the area.” Does Algiers need a separate statement, do you think?
(Update 9:33 am - I just posted an email from Rep. Tucker about Jeff. Parish roadblocks.)

Is it just my imagination, or are things still as clear as mud?

Polimom said this @ 8:13 AM 8 more opinions you may not like

I'm Speechless

This is really amazing. Truly astounding.

In today's Times-Picayune (print version), Page 2, left column... under the Parish Updates... for Orleans.... it says:

"Algiers open; rest of parish closed."

You can view the image here: (You need the Adobe Reader.)

Remember that bus?

Polimom said this @ 5:49 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

How About Monday?

From NOLA.com:

Nagin says some residents can return Monday

In a drastic revision of earlier predictions, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said today that he expects to begin allowing residents in areas that did not flood to return to their homes. Those areas are Uptown, Algiers, the Central Business District and the French Quarter. Potable water may be available in some of those areas by the end of next week, Nagin said

Well I'll be! How 'bout that?

Polimom said this @ 4:44 PM 2 more opinions you may not like

More of the Same

Late last night, Representative Jeff Arnold posted an update. I know you'll all be stunned to hear that, "The City of New Orleans according to State Police is still closed."

An Algerine posted an excellent comment, which I've taken the liberty of quoting:

"My wife and I (and our 2 cats) evacuated to Texas where she has family. Our home is in Algiers Point, and I work for Pelican Publishing Company in Gretna. I have an entry pass for Jefferson Parish from Aaron Broussard to return to work at Pelican and help "Jumpstart Jefferson" after this Katrina tragedy. Mayor Nagin needs to realize that by keeping Algiers closed, he is working AGAINST the Jefferson Parish attempt to rebuild, since I'm sure I'm not the only Algiers resident who has a job waiting in a neighboring westbank town.

Mayor Nagin has enough problems on his hands without listening to the pleas of Algiers residents to return home. He needs to realize that he will make more progress in rebuilding by letting people back into the areas that CAN be rebuilt. I hope that
Aaron Broussard will put pressure on Mayor Nagin to let those of us in Algiers who are vital to the Jefferson Parish workforce return and start rebuilding our LIVES."

Now, Jefferson Parish has enormous problems of its own, but whatever one may say for or against their leadership, there are some take-charge folks over there. From the most immediate chaos after the storm to today, they have been making proactive decisions. They have jobs starting back up and people have been in to secure their homes.

The parishes of the Greater New Orleans area are economically co-dependent, and as recent posts and comments are beginning to show, the ongoing confusion in Orleans is likely to have an impact on the surrounding efforts. I can't imagine the Jeff. Parish folks aren't concerned.

Polimom said this @ 9:19 AM 1 more opinions you may not like

There's Nobody Driving the Bus!

I’m having a really bad dream. In my dream, I’m a passenger on a bus that is driving down an unfamiliar road. I don’t know how I got here. I know I didn’t buy a ticket for wherever we’re going.

The bus is full of people. They are standing in the aisles, and all the seats are all filled with older people and sleeping children. Every now and then, the bus stops and a few people get off.

In my dream, I struggle to make my way toward the front of the bus. It’s really difficult, because I have to step over and around people, and in the way of dreams, the bus seems to be miles long. Surely there can’t be this many people on a bus? Every person I pass calls out to me, “Where are we going?” and “Are we there yet?” I want to answer them, but I’m just as lost as they are.

At last I make it to the front of the bus, to the driver’s spot – only to discover that it’s the only empty seat.

Polimom said this @ 2:51 PM 11 more opinions you may not like

Updates

There seems to be a consensus this morning about the question of a return, however briefly, to Algiers. We received an update from Rep. Jim Tucker, and I've promoted all recent correspondence to the polimom.com home page for wider review. We also have Rep. Jeff Arnold communicating directly with you now. All of these types of communication are in the "Information from Officials" forum.

Related to returning: I recommend reading both the comments in the blogs, and postings in the forums. People are indeed coming and going, but it is not always smooth. Here's something from the mail that underscores the current short-sightedness:

"I live in Algiers right off General Myer down from the Breaux Mart. Today (Sunday 9/11) I had power on at my house around 5:30 pm. I went back to my friends house in LaPlace to get my belongings, plus my company in ST. Rose is up and running and I'm working everyday. I had planned to go and stay at my house tonight, but the Jefferson Parish Police denied me access to my house. I was on interstate 90 / westbank expressway. My question is, if I have power at my house and I'm working why can't I pass through Jefferson Parish. I worked today and didn't get off until 8:00pm. I had to come back to my friends house and stay."

Finally - a quick administrative note: Many folks are posting and writing about rental property. I've opened a new forum (Real Estate) so people can hopefully find one another more easily.

Update 9:30 am: The question about Schools is coming up in a lot of correspondence. There is a forum for this, also. I think (imho) this question needs to be emphasized.

More later...

Polimom said this @ 8:00 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

Polimom is a Blogger

This is a blog. What that means is that I post opinions... and I'm fixin' to do just that. This is NOT official information, but merely my own thoughts on the matter, bolstered by information coming to me from Algiers. (Official information is confined to polimom.com.)

The official line about returning to Algiers is still (as near as I can tell), "Not yet". I understand, intellectually, why this is. Much of the area is still without power (although it's coming back fast - Eliza St. is back on now). There are downed power lines, some of which may now be live. There's no gasoline for cars or generators.

However, I was just called by the people on the Point who have been trying so hard to keep your pets and homes safe. They can no longer enter houses, even with permission from the owner. The National Guard was understanding, but said they cannot enter anywhere without a house key. (Again, I fully see why this would be.)

The truth is, people are getting into Algiers just fine. Quite a few of them have gone to their homes, secured against further damage (tarps and boards...), rescued their pets, and left again. Some have stayed.

Being part of Orleans Parish, but relatively undamaged, seems to be a disadvantage for Algiers residents at this point in time. Information is unclear, and often irrelevant. I'm sure it's not deliberate... but it is what it is.

I cannot advise anyone on whether they should return to secure their homes right now. Everybody will have to make their own decisions. I'm pretty sure, though, that if it were me, I would be going.

Polimom said this @ 10:06 AM 3 more opinions you may not like

A bit of frustration - from Polimom

Algiers,

I have just "unpublished" a blog entry. I'm so sorry, but I am confounded at the moment.

In the space of just an hour, there were two posts to the forums that seem to conflict with one another. These posts remain active on polimom.com, but I have pulled them from the home page, and I am working to resolve the confusion.

Bear with me....

Polimom said this @ 8:29 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

Some info from Officials

There have been a couple posts on polimom.com (in the last few minutes) from officials, to Algiers.

One is from Jackie Clarkson, who was apparently interviewed for the Today Show. Her letter about it has a few more details on the progress in Algiers.

There was also a post for the NOPD, asking for some help with housing. You can find it here.

Finally - There are concerns and questions about how families can come back without schools. I'm absolutely relaying your concerns back up the communication tree, and voicing several of my own while I'm at it. No word yet; we'll have to keep at it.

More later...

Polimom said this @ 12:14 PM 8 more opinions you may not like

Photos from Algiers - and elsewhere

You all know that communication with Algiers, other than the Point, has been intermittent at best. As a result, we've not had a lot of information. I have, however, been talking with a couple of people there, and one of them drove out to Baton Rouge last night so he could upload these for you. Thank you, Phil!

Phil took pictures all over, so when you visit his site, use the "up" button to go up a level or two. On each page of photos, there are small right-left arrows that scroll the pictures horizontally. He has shots from Jefferson Parish, the East Bank, the River... and it's a sobering view. The photos are here: http://www.nopd4.org/Algiers.htm, and the link has also been added to polimom.com.

Polimom said this @ 6:43 AM 1 more opinions you may not like

Power Going On!

I just got a call from the Point (Elmira St). The lights are ON! (and the a/c is running...)

Polimom said this @ 7:53 PM 8 more opinions you may not like

Local relief information, and some updates

Relief supplies for / in Algiers are being spearheaded by the South Baton Rouge Church of Christ. They have set up a warehouse on Mardi Gras Blvd., and are distributing food, medicines, and other necessities throughout Algiers. (They are coordinating efforts in other parts of the region as well.)

The Church has a website, here: http://sbrcc.org/, for general information. If you have supplies that you are trying to get into the area, contact Mike Reaves at (225) 927-4673 (HOPE).

Also - The folks on the Point are getting just a bit overwhelmed by the many direct phone calls. They are online now (generators are very cool!), and have asked that general queries please be posted in the polimom.com forums. If you have information that is confidential or sensitive, please send a message to polimom's email, and we'll get it to them.

Things are moving at an astonishing pace all over Algiers. I'm told that lights were visible "down towards DeGaulle" last night, and some of the major stores are starting to re-stock. Things are looking up!

More later...

Polimom said this @ 11:43 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

Gumbo and Jambalaya

There are many thousands of people displaced right now from their homes. Even with authorities and officials working at a frantic pace with volunteers from around the world, it will be some time before residents in even lightly affected areas can resume their lives.

I know that many are in shelters and temporary facilities, but there are also people staying with friends, family, and caring strangers all around the country. I gotta tell ya, hosting people from the New Orleans area, in particular, has some decided advantages.

My "second mom" is here with me (along with her menagerie of pets!) - and as it happens, she is an excellent cook. Knowing, now, that she'll be able to return to her part of town (Algiers) in just a couple of weeks has given her the emotional space to integrate here. To my joy, she intends to stock our freezer with Cajun yummies.

To pull this off, of course, she has had to find the local grocers and shops, and get this!: she's running into people she knows all over the place, doing the same thing! They have told her they, also, are bringing this key piece of New Orleans culture to the kitchens of families with whom they're staying.

It's a warm fuzzy (for me) to imagine Cajun recipes being cooked up in kitchens all around the country. Recipes and local cuisine may never look the same! (I think that's a good thing!)

Polimom said this @ 10:19 AM 5 more opinions you may not like

A Stronger Community

Algiers is proving its mettle through one of the most wrenching, terrible events ever experienced in the United States. Its residents are resilient and devoted, and will no doubt have a central role in the rebuilding to come.

For many in Algiers, the immediate crisis has passed, and the next phase is beginning. In coming days, its residents will have time to ponder the wider view of the destruction, and its implications. It is horrifying to read about the misery and devastation that has visited the entire region. Adding insult to injury is the speculation and discussion about whether New Orleans can, or should, be rebuilt at all.

IMHO (in my humble opinion), this is moot, and sheer nonsense to boot. How can there be any question, when people feel this way:

"I loved AP before today, but after meeting so many inspirational people all in such close proximity to my beloved (and miraculously totally unscathed) house, I cannot imagine living anywhere else, and am more enthusiastic than ever about rebuilding New Orleans."

and this way:

"We WILL continue to embrace the diversity of our very unique society. Damn those that suggest that consideration should be made regarding rebuilding our very, very special City. We have gifted the world with our food, our music, our culture and most importantly OUR people. Each and every one of you is special, VERY special.

I received word that my shop had been looted and trashed. I could relocate...I WON'T. I CHOOSE to live in New Orleans." (read the full email here)

From where I sit, there really isn't any question about whether or not New Orleans will be rebuilt. The heart of it - the Community - has never been stronger.

Polimom said this @ 3:18 PM 8 more opinions you may not like

From Jackie Clarkson to Algiers

Algiers folks -

We have established a line of communication to Jackie Clarkson, and this morning she sent a message to all of you. It is posted here in the Algiers Forums, on Polimom.com.

The long and the short of it is that yes, they are bringing Algiers back up very fast, and it looks like you will be able to head home sooner, rather than later.

It's been very hard on you, living in limbo, wondering whether the fate of the rest of Orleans Parish will affect your ability to go home. Two weeks sounds oh so much better than the many alternatives... and a sense of the timeline will doubtless give you some peace of mind.

More later...

Polimom said this @ 9:49 AM 2 more opinions you may not like

Better and Better - Hang in there!

The Algiers community is really pulling together beautifully! I'm so glad to see the dialogues and information-exchanges happening now in the Algiers forums. You are awesome!

Among other things, there is an Insurance area, and people are starting to post about FEMA. Those with questions for IU have a topic, also.

For the Point - Fort Pelican came online tonight, officially! They will be handling Point queries, now, electronically. They have responded already to lots of questions; what a relief for everyone!

We need a couple more folks to hook up from elsewhere in Algiers yet, but I am hoping for that pretty soon. Once that happens, you will be fully functioning as a virtual community!

Everybody keep pulling together - you're getting there!

More tomorrow...

Polimom said this @ 9:22 PM 3 more opinions you may not like

Some Things about Forums and Comments

We've had a lot more information the last couple of days out of Algiers. Thanks so much to everyone who is trying to give feedback to their neighbors and community.

This has, indeed, formed into a virtual community. What an amazing thing to watch! But remember, please, that everything you say in the comments and the forums is publically available. This is still the world wide web - an internet full of strangers.

Personal information and details should not be made available where "just anyone" can find them. There are any number of reasons for this, including security of your homes and identity theft.

Also - People are extremely stressed, particularly those who have not had direct feedback about their particular homes and loved ones. Unless you have specifics to provide for somebody, try to avoid generalities that might panic someone unnecessarily.

As an example - residential looting or destroyed house reports should not be reported as a generality. If you have specific addresses but are not sure how to contact an individual, please send an email to polimom. I'll try to track down the affected party.

This is a very difficult time for everyone.

More later...

Polimom said this @ 2:08 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

From the Mail and Comments

Good morning!

Yesterday felt downright schizophrenic to me. There was so much conflicting information coming from "official" sources that obviously contradicted the reality coming from Algiers itself.... I'm sorry for those of you who no doubt followed all that with bewilderment. I posted a topic about the Mayor's announcement in the forums. It might be a good place to discuss the situation. There's a lot to talk about at the moment.

I have a few things to share from others, not the least of which are some actual PICTURES! Thank you thank you Alastair! (I recommend using the slideshow...) Click here: http://algierspointimages.shutterfly.com/action/

Another person sent a fairly comprehensive description of how they went back in, what they saw generally and in Rue Parc Fontaine, etc. I've posted that email here: http://www.polimom.com/node/120/289#comment-289

And finally - I was asked to post this particular email by the sender. I don't have a forum for the topic, and am not planning to open one, although I have heard this message from many of you. Please know that your letters have all been received with gratitude (and often with tears). I'm just glad to have helped some.

"I have no idea who you are; why you are so concerned about our Point; and have no idea how to log on to your blog (please give me directions if you have time). Every day, many many many times a day, I go to your blog. In any case, once we have returned, something, even if it is my house, will be named in honor of you. Where you came from, I don't know. I don't really understand blogs.

To me, you are this mystery person who has kept the Point together. Thru you, I got in contact with someone who went to my house to see its condition. It is in pretty good condition. Do you have any idea what that means to me and my family? That everything we have is not lost? I hope you do. We can now go on trying to help without worrying that we have nowhere to return to.

God bless you. You will forever be remembered in the Point. Please send this to all of your readers"

For me, it is indescribably rewarding to have helped all of you over the last ten days. Communities need one another, and people need hope. You are very welcome.

More later...

UPDATE: I have posted an email from Rep. Jim Tucker (with permission from the sender). You can read it here: http://www.polimom.com/node/146

Polimom said this @ 7:29 AM 4 more opinions you may not like

Except People "currently located in Algiers"

Thank you, comments!

Gotta wonder why they're paying salaries to the people in the LRC. I absolutely KNOW I told him where I was gonna put that information. (BTW - Him = "Reggie")

So - yes, the last paragraph on this article: http://www.nola.com/cityofno/ says the following,

"Those persons who are currently located in Algiers on the West Bank side of Orleans Parish are hereby excepted from this Order."

Polimom said this @ 9:08 PM 2 more opinions you may not like

The Word from the LRC

I was just called with the official answer from the Legislative Resource Center. They tell me this comes from Representatives Arnold and Tucker.

They are clearing the parish, and "physically removing people from both the East and West Banks at this time."

If you are seen on the streets, "they'll ask you to leave or physically remove you".

I asked, just to be clear, whether we were talking about a permanent return, or just to get belongings. The Orleans Parish stance, apparently, is not even to come in and leave again.

They would not comment on any timeline, other than the West Bank may possibly be able to get in before the rest of the parish.

I guess the short answer is, "No".

Polimom said this @ 7:07 PM 6 more opinions you may not like

So Nice to Have News

What a relief it is to start having real-time feedback from Algiers. Here's some more:

They're clearing the streets fast and furious with Caterpillars - just pushing the trees and branches right down to the intersections. Kabel got cleared today.

The person I just spoke with talked to some military folks. He was told that Algiers is divided into nine sections, each being separately patrolled. (This particular patrol was on foot, carrying M-16s.)

North Houston Power is also working hard in Algiers. They're apparently hoping to light up a couple of places by tonight (!!).

Also - if you have a pet concern in the Walnut Bend or New Aurora area, either e-mail me or post your query, general location, and a phone number in the pets forum.

Please - do NOT post information in the forum or comments that exposes your home's security (like key info, etc.).

Wow! More later...

Polimom said this @ 6:45 PM 3 more opinions you may not like

From Algiers - New Aurora

At last, we have eyes into the rest of Algiers. We've had quite a few comments and posts reporting from there, and I just had a long phone conversation with someone in New Aurora.

The scenes described today have been consistent from everyone. There is an astounding amount of debris in the streets, and so many trees are down that one cannot judge the damage to a house without passing through them. Entire streets are totally impassable.

The police and military are present, and for the last three days, security has improved (according to someone who talked to the police). Yes, the Breaux Mart is pretty much gutted, but there are regular patrols now.

Entergy is heavily represented in Algiers, today, concentrating on the major thoroughfares. There are so many lines down, entangled in the debris, that it is going to be a monumental task to restore power.

So - for the most part, this is all pretty good news! Many folks have been able to enter Algiers with the Jefferson Parish returnees. Since there have been one or two posts from people who came back out, I gather the parish line is less rigid than it was.

Even better - for those of you who have been so very concerned about loved ones who stayed behind - there are people there now who will try to go and check on them. Use the New Aurora topic to post your queries, and we'll pass them through.

More later...

Polimom said this @ 6:16 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

If You Want To Petition...

Friends,

The day is passing, and there is still no word about getting into Algiers. I'm still optimistic, actually, that somebody will make a response. In the eventuality that they do not, or the answer is still "No", I have taken the petition out of Draft status and posted it in its own area.

It may very well be that you do not wish to pursue this approach, knowing how complex the situation is. However, if it is the will of the Algiers community online to make this attempt, we should probably have that ready to go if needed.

The petition can be found here in the forum.

Polimom said this @ 1:22 PM 2 more opinions you may not like

Waiting (again) for Word

Algiers folks,

We're still waiting for an answer from Jeff Arnold about an officially sanctioned return to Algiers to feed/rescue pets, assess damage, and collect belongings. We need to press for a defined event.

I've been on the phones with them all morning, trying to emphasize the importance of timely information - especially if they are going to allow something later this week. People will need to get to the correct side of Louisiana (from wherever they are) to access the city, so timeliness is crucial.

As of this moment in time, the official stance, still, is that Algiers is not authorized to pass through Jefferson Parish to get to Algiers. I'm hoping for a better answer soon.

Hang in there.... more soon....

Update: I hope it turns out to be unnecessary, but I've posted a Draft petition in the forum, here. Just in case...

Polimom said this @ 8:23 AM 4 more opinions you may not like

"Meals Without Wheels" - and a Pet Update

"Fort Pelican" has morphed into "Meals Without Wheels" on AP - much better!!!! They've connected with some of the elderly that you've written to us about, and the community is again able to help one another. Security is a good thing.

Supplies are coming into Algiers, now, from various places. That's timely, because the supplies are now dwindling, and the elderly have a lot of trouble with the MREs. Thank you, world!

On the Point, they were visited by the Baton Rouge Church of Christ, who brought lots of food and water. The Church will be bringing more tomorrow, they say. I don't know who, or how much, went to the rest of Algiers, but I feel confident they are not forgotten.

And about those pets: I just posted information about pets they currently know about on the Point. (In the forums, under pets). We still don't have a reliable foothold in the rest of Algiers. Hang tight...

Also - The Baton Rouge SPCA says they are going to come in (maybe tomorrow?) and try to rescue as many as they can find. I'm not the point of contact on this. Vinnie's information is in the pet forum.

Good night, everybody.

Polimom said this @ 7:19 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

Your Pets

This is really turning into a crazy day. Sorry to be posting so many small updates, but things are very fluid right now. Hopefully it will settle down soon.

Many people have written about help for the pets locked up in their homes. Unfortunately, most of those notes have included other information and concerns, and it is hard to sort this type of query.

If you've written about help for your fluffy/feathered/scaled friends, could you please post your query to the Pets topic in the forums?

Polimom said this @ 1:28 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

More News from Algiers

Note: there's a good update in the comments.

Just had another call from Algiers, and wanted to pass these tidbits along:

First - This person recommends NOT trying to come in. They've already had one flat tire today. Trees are down all over the place, and there's lots of debris in the roads.

They tell me that "most everything is intact", generally. Yes, as we know, wind and trees and flying whatevers have damaged things, but overall it looks good in the larger Algiers area.

Police are actively guarding the majority of businesses.... and speaking of the police, they are coming in from everywhere! A warm hello and thank you to people from Maricopa County, Arizona!

Aurora Shopping Center is guarded and mostly intact (except for the cell phone store.... those outta be dandy paperweights!)

St. Andrew's is also intact, with the exception of the walkway covering (amazing).

The police took over Walmart. They control it and are using that as yet another support location.

I'm so very glad to be able to share this! More later...

Polimom said this @ 12:35 PM 8 more opinions you may not like

Something a little different...

I've never tried to do a radio interview before, much less transatlantic with the BBC. I took a call this morning, though, from the UK for precisely that purpose. Really odd experience, at least for me. Unfortunately, the connection was not good, so I would be surprised if they can use any of it.

I wanted to tell you about it, though, because so many around the world do know and care about you - all of you. International ip addresses visit polimom's blogspot frequently, and I've had several very nice messages of support. Here's an example:

"I am so remote from all of your sufferings, but your blog has been inspirational to many people and I've even seen it quoted on some major UK news agencies. Your story has caught my attention and I, like many here, feel so helpless as to know how to help.

It strikes me as incredible that your 1st world form of communication has been used in a '3rd world' situation (ie no other form of comms, danger, lack of everything).

Thank you, world, for your warm thoughts and messages.

Polimom said this @ 11:46 AM 2 more opinions you may not like

Hello to the Point!

Generators, laptops, and dialup - let's hope this is working.... (I love modern technology!)

The folks down on Pelican Street are trying to connect right now. They think they can get online, and they were going to send an email when they got on, so I could tell you. I haven't heard from them, but I'm worried the email won't work.... didn't want to miss the opportunity, so I'm posting anyway.

Certainly, they will see it eventually, but it would be cool if they're watching right now, dontcha think?

Tell them howdy!

Polimom said this @ 10:43 AM 6 more opinions you may not like

Update from Algiers

Just had a call from Gen Collins (near Holiday & MacArthur), and have just a little to share:

The phones in the area have started to work sporadically (on again off again). So keep trying...

Overall, this area looks pretty good. He reported seeing a policeman at every drugstore, and there are far fewer people "out on the streets", generally.

Also, the 4th District PD has apparently set up some kind of temporary location at Havens Elementary School. (Update: Yup, probably Habans. Notes being handed to me..... sigh.....)

More soon...

Polimom said this @ 10:12 AM 3 more opinions you may not like

A Gordian Knot

It is evident that being part of Orleans Parish is not helping the West Bank right now. It is understandable (and correct) that Orleans’ attention is focused elsewhere; the mind absolutely boggles trying to contemplate not only the current horrors, but the massive challenges still to come. Yet the situation across the river is radically different: light (to no) flooding, water and gas intact, etc.

I also see the logistics issue that Jefferson Parish has with Algiers, particularly over the next several days. Harry Lee will have problems enough trying to determine who belongs where with his own people. There's also the larger question of security. Undamaged areas are not necessarily safe areas, as recent events have shown.

You have had some good thoughts about the issue, and I definitely think something should be tried. One proactive suggestion is to bring up a page to host a petition. I've never tried to organize a petition, but experience elsewhere has consistently shown that those with a problem get better response if they can suggest solutions.

What if Algiers proposed specifics, such as: come through on the West Bank Expressway, to Terry Parkway exit (to access De Gaulle), beginning... say... next Monday, for 3 days or something, then out, like Jefferson Parish. From what I understand, the Jefferson Parish folks will be back out by then, so Algiers would not confuse the issue there. Somebody else suggested they screen using the Algiers zipcodes: 70131 and 70114. Makes sense to me.

It's also difficult to determine where a petition should be directed. The Governor? A General? Lower levels of government may not be helpful, considering Orleans is under martial law.

I'm confident we have the technical resources to put something together. What do you think? I've opened a discussion topic for this in the forum here: http://www.polimom.com/forum/45

Polimom said this @ 7:42 AM 16 more opinions you may not like

Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson

Some discussion about Algiers' role in the rebuild, and residents' ability to return, seems to be starting up.

This is from the comments:

"I just listened to Jackie Clarkson on WWL radio (Sep 4th, 7:30pm CST) state that people from Algiers are NOT going to be allowed back and that Algiers may be going into Military lock down due to the fact that many authorities and agencies are basing out of Algiers.She also said, there was minimal roof damage, there is till running water and flushing toilets"

Jackie Clarkson also discussed Algiers at some length (relatively speaking), in this article (posted on the forum from NOLA.com)

Polimom said this @ 4:47 PM 8 more opinions you may not like

Excuse me?

I’ve been so focused on this effort for Algiers that I really haven’t had much time to poke around the online community and catch up on the “chatter”. I took a few minutes this morning to run a couple of things down, and I’m good and mad about something. Forgive me, but I’m going to take a moment to vent.

Some of the background noise I’ve been filtering out has been about racism, and the strong criticism of authorities’ disaster response. Under normal circumstances, I’d have had a fair bit to say on these subjects, but I’ve been working under the assumption that the crisis is now, and the time for throwing mud and pointing fingers will come soon enough.

Having said all that, I was horrified to come across this discussion at the Democratic Underground, about "the other side of the tracks". I would have ignored it for the ignorant raving it obviously is, had they not stated that they’ve forwarded excerpts from Polimom.blogspot.com to CNN.

This is absolutely incredible. They’ve made assumptions about the racial and economic make-up of the Algiers community based on… what? I’m really not sure. I have to assume they’ve never, ever, been to Algiers. (They even used statements from people NOT on Algiers Point to support this.)

Algiers is a big place, although from the community feeling here on Polimom this week, you may not know this. Algiers is diverse, both racially and economically. Saying the Point is “affluent” reflects the trend in recent years to reclaim and remodel the cottages and shotgun houses – but it is hardly some kind of white enclave filled with vigilantes.

Since the phones finally died Wednesday night in the rest of Algiers, the vast majority of my information has been about the Point. But I grew up in that “other” part of Algiers, and I’m having trouble imagining my old neighborhood being described by anyone as a white vigilante enclave. (That’s a funny thought, actually).

Just out of curiosity – how can these people tell, from reading my blog, what race any of the individuals involved are? For that matter, they don’t know my ancestry, nor that of the looters. Maybe they are just showing us their own ignorant prejudices?

End of rant. For now.

Polimom said this @ 3:12 PM 16 more opinions you may not like

Important - St. Bernard Parish

Update from St. Bernard: You can use this url: http://gpsvisualizer.com/ to get the exact coordinates of people who still need to be pulled out of St. Bernard.

Friends,

I was contacted by the people trying to coordinate the relief effort in St. Bernard Parish last night, and I'm hoping to start giving them some help over on Polimom.com.

However, they just sent me this request for immediate posting, in hopes of connecting with the wider world watching this blog site.

THE NATIONAL GUARD IS DOING THEIR FINAL FLY OVER ST BERNARD PARISH. IF YOUHAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE YOU KNOW ARE STILL ALIVE IN THE PARISH AND IN NEED OF RESCUE, WE MUST HAVE THAT INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY!!!

They need an exact address and number of people. If you have information, call one of these numbers:

606-780-4087
606-356-6969
or email: mathrobin@alltel.net

The people at that location are working with the National Guard.

Polimom said this @ 12:26 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

The Information You've Sent

What a let down. I really was hopeful for a while this morning that Algiers could at least get in, check damage, and leave again. We'll keep trying....

In the meantime, I've got a little help now in the forums, and I'm going to start trying to post the hundreds of emails you've sent about how and where you are, who you are looking for, etc. It may take a while, though... I've heard from so many wandering souls.

If you'd rather I didn't take this approach (maybe you have more information now than when you wrote to me last), feel free to post your current info directly to the appropriate section of your forum.

There seem to be several people who have input about various parts of Algiers, so if you're wondering about your block or neighborhood, you might have success that way.

Also - there's a section for checking in, and for missing people. Hopefully we can get everybody accounted for.

More later...

Polimom said this @ 12:06 PM 5 more opinions you may not like

Coming Home - Geographical Disadvantage

So - here's where we are right now about Algiers:

I've spoken three times now with the Legislative Resource Center, who has been trying to work the issue with the authorities over on the West Bank.

The answer is no.

Orleans Parish is NOT authorized to return, and Jefferson Parish authorities will not allow Algiers to pass through.

The problem, of course, is that "there's still so much water in Orleans Parish". I confess that the conversation became somewhat circular, as I continued to point out that Orleans Parish includes a dry place on the West Bank, and they continued to be understanding... but inflexible.

They suggested I try to talk to the Jefferson Parish authorities about it. I did try...the circuits are busy there (duh).

I'm so sorry.

Polimom said this @ 11:29 AM 2 more opinions you may not like

It's a small world

I have to share one of the many truly odd things that typify this crisis (for me).

I know you all remember about the person down on the Point whose van was "jacked" earlier this week. Among other things, his credit cards were in there, and he managed to contact his credit card company this morning.

Seems that credit card has been making charges all over Fort Bend County, Texas, the last few days. And guess where I'm writing from right now....? Too funny.

Still waiting for a definitive response about getting to Algiers. Jefferson Parish being in the way is potentially going to be a real problem. Hang tight...

Polimom said this @ 10:48 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

An Update while we're waiting

I still don't have a clear answer about a return. The good news is that they seem to understand the question! One way or another, we'll know something soon.

In the meantime, I have a (very little) bit of info about the overall security in Algiers.

The Point patrols continued throughout the night, and the people I talked to this morning are feeling much safer. As a result, I've asked for some reconnaisance, (only if it can happen safely), into other parts of Algiers. They're starting to feed back some much-needed info:

• They say the military presence extends down General Meyer, at least to Kabel, and things looked pretty quiet to there from the Point. (That's as far as they went.)


• However, for those thinking of coming into Algiers from Jefferson Parish.... somebody went toward Gretna, and that is not a permeable barrier. There are barricades at the Parish line, and they are guarding with shotguns.

More soon...

Polimom said this @ 10:25 AM 3 more opinions you may not like

I know you're wondering...

Good morning world!

I'm sure you've heard by now that Jefferson Parish has announced they will be letting their residents back in, starting tomorrow, for damage assessment and to grab some personal belongings.

As we are all aware, one has to pass through Jefferson Parish to get to Algiers. I'm working now to finally pin this question down. It's high time somebody remembered that Orleans Parish has other places that need official information.

More soon - as soon as I hear.

Update - 10 am - Everybody be patient. I've got some of the info we need, but the question is too important to jump the gun. I'm waiting for clarification on a few details. Soon......

Polimom said this @ 7:27 AM 7 more opinions you may not like

The Nightly News

It's noisy on AP tonight. There are three helicopters cruising up and down the streets, shining huge spotlights at the houses and surrounding yards. At only 20-30 feet elevation, they are apparently generating a welcome breeze, and of course their significance is huge!

Along with the helicopters, there are two Armored Patrol Carriers, each carrying 15 or 20 people. These are rolling right over the downed trees, shining their own spotlights all about the houses.

I wish I knew what progress is being made in the rest of Algiers, but it's evident that the area is being secured. Let's hope it goes smoothly, so recovery can start soon.

Good night, everybody.

Polimom said this @ 11:41 PM 4 more opinions you may not like

More Good News

The authorities are present on the Point also. Sounds like they've spread all around Algiers, now.

I just heard that a SWAT team was patrolling today on the levee in a pick-up. They were observed checking doors to see if they were secured, and they managed to come across a couple of young men down on Patterson who were breaking in.

They didn't ask them to go away. They apparently arrested them. (I have no idea where they might be able to take people.)

No further word about anyone being told to leave. With any luck at all, things will settle down fast now, and it won't be an issue.

And before you ask.... No, you can't go back. Algiers is effectively an island, with a burning flooded city across the river, and what sounds like some serious problems still down the expressway. Can't get there from here.

Be patient.

Polimom said this @ 5:26 PM 15 more opinions you may not like

Coming online - Algiers

The propogation for a supporting forum and information clearinghouse, by community, is finally moving through the world.

The site is still fairly raw, but the intent is to start getting people back in touch, to check in on a local level, and find out about their neighborhoods, more specifically. Global information (like when they start letting people go home) will hit this blog, also.

Currently, important information for the wider community is going to the home page, and everything else is being set up into forums. So far, there's only an Algiers Forum, serving both the Point and Lower Algiers. But I need a hand.

If you'd like to help add the neighborhoods / streets for either forum, please let me know. And since I'm still pretty busy blogging this, I could also use an admin or two.

We have dedicated server and site support for this, and I am very grateful to "some people from Algiers" for pulling things together.

http://www.polimom.com/
(This was not the original intent for the domain name... but it is what it is)

Polimom said this @ 12:45 PM 5 more opinions you may not like

Vignettes

Some from the mail and some from the phone. All from Algiers...

"We can't fire a warning shot - shooting will bring armed residents from all around the area immediately. I feel really sorry for looters who try to come in here."

"My brother-in-law had been uptown in the Carrolton/Claiborne area with no way to get out. I told him that my pickup was in Algiers with a full tank of gas if he could get to it.

He and a neighbor and 2 dogs were able to make their way up to the bridge area, get on a hijacked RTA bus (with the dogs-which no one wanted to let on) and cross the bridge. They let them out on Stumpf Blvd.and they walked up in to the Point.
Upon reaching my home they found my truck with a flat tire. Could be why it had not been stolen. Also there is lock on the gas cap - so no one had siphoned. They were able to change the tire while shooting was going on up the street on Vallette with help from the Griffins across the street. Apparently the Griffins questioned them extensively before remembering him as my brother in law and helping with the tire. Thank you to the Griffins for helping out. I truly owe them one."

"It was a very quiet night here on "our" block watch. We heard some gunfire, but it was some distance from us."

"We have access to a cigarette machine, but it has stopped taking quarters. Still takes bills, though..."

"In the night, we saw a mini-convey of police patrolling - about 3 cars together. They passed by several times."

More later...

Polimom said this @ 12:38 PM 1 more opinions you may not like

Have a look for yourselves!

This is really great! Zero in on the blocks to see your area...

http://ngs.woc.noaa.gov/katrina/090E29M_KATRINA.HTM

More later...

Polimom said this @ 12:15 PM 3 more opinions you may not like

Some actual news!

I have a couple of things:

I just had a call from Algiers. They saw some National Guard unloading equipment at the Post Office on McArthur. So sounds like they're setting up there.

Another source tells me that the gated community between Thayer and Atlantic near Pelican (Riverside?) will be host to operations for the FBI and the military.

Finally - the National Guard is keeping the water treatment plant in Algiers safe.

More soon...

Polimom said this @ 10:31 AM 6 more opinions you may not like

Chateau Living Center Information

For those many people trying to track down the evacuees from the Chateau Living Center in Kenner:

They are in two facilities in Corpus Christie, TX:

• Lynn Haven Nursing Home
  (361) 882-1948 (ask for Victoria)


• Harbor View Care Center
  (361) 888-5511 (I don't have a name)

Please note: they only have people from Chateau Living Center. I'll post as I learn more.

Polimom said this @ 9:43 AM 1 more opinions you may not like

The Fires (a good morning update)

That warehouse fire that's going down by the river is really a hot blaze. I hear that sometime around midnight, it really cranked up again - flames estimated to be well over 100 feet high. With that, there are intermittent popping noises, presumably from whatever is burning there.

I could hear these pops through the phone - kind of reminded me of firecrackers going off in half-second or one-second intervals. Wonder what's in those warehouses?

The folks down on Pelican St. say that someone was prowling around the block last night. They know because they've scattered some aluminum cans about as an alert system. They called out several times, and then finally shouted that they were going to shoot. Whoever it was said, "Don't shoot!", and took off. Guess they really didn't want to get shot, because they didn't come back.

About 8 families/folks pulled out of the area around Pelican late yesterday. I know you're wondering who's still there, so I have these names: Louis, Gregg, Vinnie, Garrath, Mrs. P., Kenneth, Roland, and David.

Finally - still no real-live National Guard seen. Whatever they were doing initially yesterday, they haven't made their presence known in person yet.

Good morning world!

Polimom said this @ 7:56 AM 13 more opinions you may not like

I see I need to clarify those barricades

I need to revisit, I think, the description of the barricades and the evacuees.

I did not say the barricades were to keep people from doing damage. The reasons for the barricades, I was told, included the evacuees' safety (there are flooded streets near some exits), and the lack of any relief or aid available there for them.

I have had so many questions about the looting around Algiers, and whether that was the result of, or enhanced by, the people who crossed the CCC. The reality is that the looters on the West Bank are from.... well.... the West Bank.

Polimom said this @ 9:31 PM 3 more opinions you may not like

A Night for Sleep

It's night again, everybody.

However far you had to journey to be able to read this, here in the Central Time Zone, it's been dark for a while. I really do hope that everyone can get some rest for a change, whether they're still in their houses or camped out on a motel room floor. Everyone certainly needs it.

Now that the troops have arrived, I'd like to think gunfire will stop. I never for a minute believed the official line given to me today about how all that shooting was only happening on the east side of the river. (Did they actually think that was believable?) Now that evacuees are arriving at destinations and checking in, more and more stories of the incredible insanity are being told - by people who were in it.

One of the people sheltering here with me in Texas told me she could only afford to have five incidents.... because while she did have a gun, she only had five bullets. When she was awakened two nights ago and confronted by a man's face looking into her window, she decided that five probably wasn't going to be enough.

I'm told that the police who are patrolling the Point are being quite resolute about people staying in their houses. I'm pretty confident that the residents, at least, will abide by that, if only to leave a clear target.

I'm relieved beyond words to see control coming in. Not a moment too soon.

Maybe tomorrow, we can start thinking about what's coming next. Until then, I wish everyone a quiet night.

Polimom said this @ 7:37 PM 5 more opinions you may not like

The Geographically Challenged Media

This just came in from the comments, and I want to share it more widely. Not only has she given some useful information generally, she has pointed out an issue has been frustrating me for some time.

"The Subway fire on Tchoupitoulas near the W Hotel was NOT put out. There is no water pressure for them to use to do this. In fact the fire consumed the Subway bldg up to the roof and then caught the adjacent building on fire as well. No word yet if that ever stopped.

Also, there was a warehouse on fire. The news kept saying it was in Algiers, but when they zoomed in on the building, there was a 947- phone number on the wall, which is a Bywater extension. I think the curves in the river messed up their orientation. Then again, one reporter said that Metairie was on the Westbank!"

I was actually on the phone at one point today with Algiers, hearing about the fire across the river as they looked at it. Simultaneously, I saw a ticker update across the tv screen about the fire burning "across the river from the French Quarter". No wonder people can't figure out what's going on!

Just wanted to rant for a sec - all done now.

More later...

Polimom said this @ 6:07 PM 3 more opinions you may not like

Some Mail

Nursing Home Evacuees
Does anyone have information regarding the residents who were evacuated from the Chateau Living Center (a nursing home) in Kenner?

Returning Home?
I've had many queries from people who wonder whether the arrival of the National Guard in Algiers means that they can now come home.

I'm hoping to make contact with whoever is in charge of the NG in Algiers. If I manage to connect, and if they'll tell me anything about timelines for return, I'll let you know. Until then, though, I am still working on the last information I had - which is that they are requiring everyone to leave. That would seem (to me) to preclude a return... yet.

Polimom said this @ 4:52 PM 1 more opinions you may not like

Short Update

The first stages of the National Guard effort are apparently being supported by the Police Department. Currently, officers are asking for identification, and telling everyone to return to, and stay in, their homes.

A real live National Guardsman (Guardperson?) has not actually been sighted yet by my sources in AP.

More soon...

Polimom said this @ 4:15 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

The CCC Exodus

For those of you who have been so worried about what would happen when the thousands of refugees who were directed across the CCC came off into Algiers - I was just told that Sheriff Lee set up barricades at the exits. They were not allowed off the expressway, both for their own safety (side streets flooded), and because there was no help avaible for them if they got off.

Buses were coming to get them from the expressway. Just thought I'd let you know...

Polimom said this @ 3:39 PM 2 more opinions you may not like

National Guard in Algiers - and a request

It's happening now. The Point is reporting that the National Guard is in Algiers, and is going door-to-door telling everyone they have to leave.

Does anybody out there have a car with a spare set of keys that can be used by folks who don't have transportation.

I don't know yet what their options are (can they catch a bus?), nor do I have any feel for how much time they'll be given.

If you have a vehicle with spare keys (stashed), and you are interested, please email me privately (don't use the comments).

Polimom said this @ 1:57 PM 12 more opinions you may not like

Hopeful Feeling

Hello Algiers!

I've heard from so very many travelers today. Seems like people are starting to arrive at their destinations. I'm so glad you're checking in.

Live video on my tv is showing a great deal of activity, now, in the city. I'm sure you're all watching. Troops are arriving, and more are on their way. Some folks in New Hampshire let me know that New England's support effort will be staging in Alexandria.

I talked to the Point a little bit ago; they were worried about the thick, billowing black smoke and circling helicopters. I told them I think that's probably the ship I've heard is burning on the river. That was the only thing going on, right then, that was worrisome! What a nice change for them.

I feel more hopeful now. I really would like to get back to where we started with this thing - focusing on good news and trying to help!

It's really been a long week, don't ya think?

Polimom said this @ 1:13 PM 3 more opinions you may not like

Anybody talking to New Aurora?

Since Wednesday evening, I have only been able to call into AP. In my mailbox are a couple of queries about some people in there, at least one of whom has a medical condition.

Has anybody got a line in? Thanks...

Polimom said this @ 11:01 AM 1 more opinions you may not like

From the Firehouse

I called to touch base with the firehouse about supplies, news, etc. Chief Holmes assures me that everything is fine. He informed me that Rep. Arnold is sending two truckloads of food trucks for distribution. They are delivering them to the Little Sisters of the Poor. That's a good thing.

I asked him if he has any information about power. I understood him to say that the focus is on the "infrastructure", bringing up the business and financial sections (like the CBD) first. I asked him about the power in Gretna, and he was not aware that they have power. Maybe they don't? Hmmm.

Finally, I asked about the gunfire. He said he has not heard any (?), and that all the problems are on the East Bank. I gave him specifics (see previous posts), and he said he'd "pass the information along". Once I got specific, he recalled "hearing something about it". I strongly suggested he / they check in with Vinnie's block.

So - this really is very interesting. Not sure what to make of it.....

Polimom said this @ 10:32 AM 6 more opinions you may not like

Rumor control - power, looting, and squatting

There are rumors floating everywhere, of course, and it's hard to confirm some of them, but these three subjects popped out at me.

1. Power: I was told this morning that yes, some lights are on in Gretna (it can be seen in the night). Specific to AP: I was informed that two Entergy trucks have been seen since Katrina. Neither was carrying repair equipment, and no activity has been spotted yet. They may still be assessing.
2. Looting: The looting on AP seems to be confined so far to businesses / commercial buildings. However, it is very hard to know for sure.
3. Not sure what to make of the term "squatting". There are implications to it that bother me.

Polimom said this @ 9:53 AM 2 more opinions you may not like

Some items from the mail

Here are a couple of things that have been burning a hole in my inbox. Also - I recommend that everyone try to read the various comments that are sometimes posted to particular updates/articles. There's info there, too. I've tried to move through them, but I'm sure I've missed some things.

Okay, here we go:

Rue Parc Fontaine condos management says:

"We regret that we have not been able to enter the area and cannot do so until the local authorities allow us to do so. We are attempting to set up an information site on our website http://www.shadowlakemgt.com/. Please keep checking back."

Some thoughts on traveling, or finding gas if you are trying to move about the surrounding areas:

I have been / will be passing along the many messages I've received for Vinnie and his neighbors.

From their side - so far, their (somewhat augmented, thanks!) supplies are holding up well. The main item on the current "wish list" is gasoline. I've heard from several folks about gas cans here and there, but since it has never been specifically requested, it may be that there is a lot more out there.

And to those who have sent information about supplies available in your homes - I've contacted several of you directly, as the need came up. If you haven't heard from me, it is because the call for more (of something or another...) has not come. The OPFD, which is set up in the firehouse on Opelousas also has my number, for the same reason. Thank you, everybody.

Polimom said this @ 9:37 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

Some administrative stuff

I have been offered technical support by some Algiers-connected folks. Their programmers are setting up something more robust on dedicated servers. I've sent them a taxonomy - we're waiting right now for the DNS propogation (for those who are not technical, that mostly means we're just waiting for the domain to distribute through the web.... sort of..... lol).

Like many, I've been frustrated somewhat by the larger, city or parish-wide forums. Although it worries me a little to have people going to so many different places to post, I am still waiting.... and there is need. This link will bring you to a more geographically-structured forum, so you can start connecting with people from your neighborhood(s).

Still working on the mail... bear with me....

Polimom said this @ 7:57 AM 3 more opinions you may not like

A few leaving now, and short Point update

For those of you wondering who is leaving this morning (and when): Julie, Patrick, and their neighbor Marie Ballay are on their way.

Also - I spoke with Gregg. They, too, are fine this morning, and although they had a less quiet night, nothing approached them.

Polimom said this @ 7:02 AM 8 more opinions you may not like

Quiet on the Point

The night was quiet on the Point (other than the explosions across the river). Julie tells me they didn't even hear any gunfire.

Several folks will be pulling out of there in the next little while. When I have the information, I will let you know who is leaving.

Yesterday's violence put me way behind with correspondence. I'm working now on a more general update from many very helpful emails.

More soon...

Polimom said this @ 5:59 AM 5 more opinions you may not like

Explosion

4:30 a.m. - Call from Vinnie - explosions across the river from the Point. Message said house rocked harder than from the storm. I missed the call and am trying to reach him back.

Update: 5:10 am - Haven't reached Vinnie. CNN has a "breaking news" ticker running now, saying the explosions are "where the railroad cars are housed" around Chartres St.

UPDATE: 5:20 am - Got through to the neighborhood. Julie and Patrick and neighbors are fine. They tell me that others are just not answering phones right now.

Polimom said this @ 4:44 AM 2 more opinions you may not like

Algiers Under Seige

There are an estimated 100 people still in their homes on the Point, and they know their neighborhood is one of the few lucky ones. In the immediate aftermath of Katrina, when it was apparent that the city across the river was in horrific trouble, this small community pulled together to take care of one another for the long haul. They certainly didn't expect to be facing down armed intruders today on their front porches.

I talked tonight to Julie and Patrick. They sheltered in a tall hotel (known as a vertical evacuation), and then were able to return to their home on the Point. They'd prepared as they'd been told, putting aside supplies and food.

The first day or two after the storm, Julie tells me, brought them closer to their community than ever. They met neighbors they'd only waved to in the past, and everybody settled in to keep things going against the day all could come home.

She's wonderful to talk to, by the way - lyrical with her manner of speech. So hearing what's going on now, from her, was surreal.

There have been quite a few shooting episodes today on the Point. Depending on who you ask, there are two? four? more? dead. So far, the dead are all looters.

They've barricaded their streets - downed tree limbs on one end and a neighbor's vehicle on the other.

They are targets. Sitting ducks. And they know it. There is total social breakdown across the river, and the madness is spreading. There is a sense of impending disaster, personified in the hysterical, desperate survivors from ravaged New Orleans.

There are small groups of armed residents walking the streets in Algiers. I understand completely why they would want to do that - but it's amplifying the anxiety. And as Julie put it, "We've loved living here. This sickens me, and I don't want to have to kill anybody. We should be trying to help one another."

They came through Katrina relatively unscathed, while so many others are suffering horribly. They feel that they've been forgotten utterly as a result. There are armed looters walking openly on their streets, and they are facing them alone.

Somebody needs to get some help to these folks. Many of them want desperately to get out, but they can't see a path to safety through the incredible violence surrounding them. Are there no authorities left on the West Bank? Is everybody gone?

For Algiers, the storm is coming again.

Polimom said this @ 7:44 PM 6 more opinions you may not like

woldenberg health care center and villas

For those of you asking about the Woldenberg evacuees, I just received this information from a helpful reader:

Thank you very much for sending.

Polimom said this @ 5:03 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

Address Checks are Suspended

For obvious reasons, the people inside the Point who have been trying to take a look at houses for those who are anxious will not be able to do this for now.

They will be limiting themselves to supply runs only.

And a reminder - if you have supplies in your home that you feel could be useful to those still on the Point, do NOT use the comments function on the blog. Contact me directly at polimom@hotmail.com. I also need a way to contact you, either by phone or fax.

More later...

Polimom said this @ 3:22 PM 4 more opinions you may not like

Shooting on the Point

Before I even start this post, you need to know that the residents on the Point who were involved are all okay. Repeat: they are okay.

They've just had a shooting incident on Pelican.

Everybody (the residents) were sitting outside on their porches, and three 'guys' came walking down the street with a gun. Somebody opened fire (no details), and a regular firefight started. They estimate that 25 shots were fired.

Of the three 'guys', two were hit (one in the back and the other in the shoulder). All three got away.

Also - while we're on this - I'm also told there is / has been (not sure if it's now) shooting in the Convention Center and the Superdome, and they are also setting fires in the Superdome.

Polimom said this @ 3:03 PM 2 more opinions you may not like

The Real Deal

This post is really for those of you who are thinking of returning right away, whether to help on the Point, or simply to check up on things and get some personal items. I'm not trying to tell you what to do. You're all grown-ups... but you should know what's there when you make your decision.

I'm told that the looting in Algiers Point has been fairly small thus far, and pretty much confined to stores or businesses. Homes are being left alone still. And as you (hopefully) all know by now, Algiers still has running water, gas, and intermittent phone service.

However, there are groups of "young men" walking around in the streets, who don't live there. People are extremely tense.

Yesterday, when somebody tried to break into a neighborhood store, the owner was inside, and armed. I'm told he fired, but I don't think he hit anyone.

The carjacking issue is real, and very dangerous. This has been pretty widely reported on the national news, and as I mentioned earlier, they got Vinnie's van.

Here's how it went down: Vinnie was in his van, and a champagne-colored Corolla pulled up. It was driven by a young woman, and there were two passengers (young men). These guys approached Vinnie and asked him for directions, then hit him and took his keys. Vinnie had to jump out of the van. The guys had a maul.

I don't know, in all honesty, what I'd do if my house was there, and I was not. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do - but you should have your eyes open to the situation.

Polimom said this @ 2:18 PM 4 more opinions you may not like

From the mail

• "we are looking for information regarding the patients who
  were transferred from the Waldenbourg Nursing Home before the storm- to which shelter have they been sent??"

• "My grandmother says that everyone in the Point condos is ok. It appears that the walls that were blown out were due to the people who evacuated not nailing their shutters down. As far as I know, most have left the building and left the city safely"

Polimom said this @ 2:10 PM 1 more opinions you may not like

From the Forum

I have not confirmed the post I've quoted below. However, it was an eye-grabber. For those of you who haven't seen it...

Go to the » N.O. Town Hall forum
9108. ALGIERS - LOWER COAST by AdrienneSage, 9/1/05 14:18 ET
I heard from my husband who is on the Lower Coast with a handful of other neighbors. They are armed and patroling on horseback, 4-wheelers. 4th district police are at the bottom of bridge preventing people from coming into Lower Coast or Plaq. parish. 4th district police took them to Breaux Mart yesterday and allowed them to take out food and water. They have a generator, television etc. He told me that Entergy is restoring power to Algiers and it will be a while before they get to the lower coast.

Polimom said this @ 1:26 PM 1 more opinions you may not like

Updates for the Point

First and foremost - there have been a few queries about individuals who did not evacuate, and from whom there has been no word. I have passed those on, and will let you know when I can.

There have also been some queries about the condition of the levee. I'm told that the water level has dropped in the river. All is okay, at least on the Point. They have not heard anything about problems further downriver.

If you are reading this blog, and your home was remodeled by Vinnie (you know who you are and where those houses are...) - he said to tell you they are all great. He gave me four specific addresses, and I forgot to ask whether there are others he's done that he hasn't checked. If you're curious whether yours is in my list, please write... I'd love to share some good news with you!

To the many folks who have asked about the 300 / 400 blocks of Elmira... there are apparently neighbors there who stayed, and they're keeping the best eye on things they can.

The 300 / 400 blocks of Verrett look really good. He's going to go back and check the 200 block.

Verrett at Patterson - house is fine.

700 / 800 blocks of Pelican - no problems, other than a couple of houses with some shingles blown off.

Specific addresses that I had ready to go have been passed on. I'll let you know.

More to come...

Polimom said this @ 12:04 PM 6 more opinions you may not like

News - and Requests - from the Point

We're working to get some organization into place on the Point. As has been posted elsewhere, Vinnie Pervel and others are still there, doing their best to hold things together. As it happens, Vinnie's van has now been car-jacked. He is okay, but his transportation is gone. Grrrrrr........

NOTE: Vinnie's number went out earlier (he was fine with it), but he's getting slammed now. I'm working on an Algiers-specific forum, where we can get the issues sorted by topic, street, etc. Until that comes online in a bit, could you please hang on w/ requests about specific addresses?

Some topics I'm trying to bring online right now:
Neighborhood-wide issues
Street-specific discussions
People-connections
Pets

Another topic that I will NOT put in the public forum concerns available supplies. If you have items still in your home that would be useful to the people trying to hold the Point together, please email me directly at polimom@hotmail.com. Please - do NOT use the comments function of this blog to post any information about contents of homes. (I know you understand why...)

If you have other topic ideas, let me know.

Last item for now - My friends and family are all pulling out sometime today, and I have now lost my ears completely into other parts of Algiers. I've been sent several phone numbers for folks still there, but all circuits are busy. Don't know when, or if, I'll be able to give any specifics about other parts of Algiers for a while. I'm so sorry...

More later...

Polimom said this @ 10:35 AM 1 more opinions you may not like

Some News

I just spoke with the OPFD. Here's what I have:

1. So far, the only staging operation happening on Algiers Point is the Orleans Parish Fire Department. Until power can be at least somewhat restored (nope - no idea when), larger-scale efforts from the Point probably won't launch. So no need or request for support housing yet. There is activity on the Point, though. That's a good thing!


2. He says people who made it out of town should not try to come back right now. The conditions on the roads are actually very dangerous (car-jackings, for instance). Try to accept the possibility of four weeks or so.

Some other information I have about conditions (from other sources) for you to bear in mind:

• There is no way to replenish food.


• There is no gas. This one really is causing wider problems for the people who managed to get out (and their hosts). Communities around the ravaged parts of the Coast were not prepared for an influx of a million people. Gasoline is hard to get. People are waiting in line for hours, only to have the pumps go dry before they could get any. Furthermore, stations that depend on electricity to pump the supply may have gas, but have no way to get it into a car.

So - the upshot is.... everybody stay calm, take a deep breath, and try to be patient. Hopefully, four weeks is a "worst-case" scenario.

More later...

Polimom said this @ 9:08 AM 2 more opinions you may not like

An administrative note, and a favor

Good morning Algiers -

I am trying to set up some firmer structure to support the Algiers-specific information. Hopefully we can get organized and settle in for the long haul with a plan. As things come together, I'll let you know.

Among other things, I've set up a dedicated email account at polimom@hotmail.com. When you write, please, try to be specific in the subject line so I can sort things.

Here's the favor:

My second mom, who has been one of my ears, lost her phone service last night. I don't know whether that is specific to her line or geographical. (She is not on the Point.)

From emails and comments, I understand that quite a few of you have friends and family still in Algiers. If you think any of them would be interested in trying to help with what we're doing here on Polimom Says, please contact me.

Polimom said this @ 8:06 AM 1 more opinions you may not like

A little news

A reader has sent this link to a picture of the Dry Dock. As s/he pointed out, the buildings behind look okay...

Also - from the Times-Picayune (Nola.com) update page: Alert in Algiers

And on a personal note - I have finally heard from our missing family member. :>

Polimom said this @ 10:25 PM 11 more opinions you may not like

Information is Hard to Get

I'm posting this mostly to the many who want to know when they can come home, if only to check the damage and grab some belongings (as they've said they're going to allow for Jefferson Parish).

I have arranged a call tomorrow with officials, and I plan to at least ask the question. I will absolutely post anything I learn.

I have to confess, though, that I have doubts about even the Jeff. Parish return actually happening. There are something like 1 million refugees - and a pretty large percentage of those are from Jeff. That sounds pretty unmanageable (imho).

About the looting: yes, it is happening. Breaux Mart and CVS, I'm told, have been hit hard. Last night, looters were going up and down Kabel Drive, to and from those stores. They weren't looting the houses, that I've heard.

Scary place all over... which is one reason why houses are only being looked at from the street for damage. Many are armed, and all are scared. So far, though, the all-out war zone we're seeing on TV is NOT being repeated in Algiers.

Polimom said this @ 7:51 PM 6 more opinions you may not like

Some Specifics

Okay - some specific requests. Please keep in mind these observations are all from the street. People are getting pretty jumpy there now, and it is probably unwise to approach a stranger's house.

Re: Tout Suite - the building, at least, is fine. Still boarded, so no looting I think. They haven't seen Jill.

• 329 Eliza - good


• 501 Pelican - good


• 420 Pacific - house is in good shape, although the neighbor's tree has fallen into your front yard (missed the house, though!)


• 538 Pacific - good


• Olivier - house in good shape, but the garage / apt. in the back seems to have some damage.


• Belleville Street - Mr. Gardner is there and is "doing fine". Said to pass along that the houses across the street (338 and 340) are good, also.... and the car is fine (I guess somebody knows what that means).

I'm trying to compile and group those that are still in my inbox, but it might be a bit slow getting some of these. Hang in there.... really, it's a miraculous situation - be hopeful!

I've seen a few postings from people who also are in contact with the Point. If you know anyone who is still in Algiers, and might be willing to help, can you ask them to get in touch with me? Thanks!

Polimom said this @ 7:15 PM 18 more opinions you may not like

gorditafer

Somebody with the handle "gorditafer" posted about a house on Belleville. Can you please contact me direct at polimom@hotmail.com. (Note: nothing wrong with the house.... messages.....)

Polimom said this @ 7:07 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

No - there's no power

I keep seeing rumors floating around on the boards about power in Algiers. The short answer is, "there is NO power in Algiers".

The long answer is that rumors are everywhere, including Algiers. But nobody I've talked to actually has power, or knows of anybody with it.

What Algiers DOES have, that really is amazing, is water, gas, and phones.

Oh - and about those phones - I have received a few calls from Algiers Point now. So I know of at least one house that is working pretty well. That may not be universal. I have gotten through to them, however, almost every time.

And while the cell phones are not working, I've been told that text messaging does seem to be getting through. If all else fails, try that. (I haven't tried it yet, but I plan to.)

Neighborhood updates coming in a few...

Polimom said this @ 5:57 PM 1 more opinions you may not like

Just wonderin....

Folks - knowing that the Point was (relatively) spared, and also knowing that nobody can come home for quite a while... is anybody interested in allowing their empty homes to be used in some fashion?

I'm kind of thinking out loud here.... bear with me.....

There are obvious concerns, not the least of which surround personal valuables, etc.

What (if anything) might make sense? If they set up "command operations" on the Point, I suspect there'll be some housing needs. I guess that's one approach.

If they are trying to shelter the masses from across the river, that's somewhat more problematic - but it's an obvious need.

Maybe there's some way for the authorities to make a "case-by-case" request for shelter, and if somebody was willing, they could make their home available in that instance.

Let me know what you think. I feel that there's some potential to the idea, but discussion would be good. The local authorities may not have the cycles right now to even consider any ideas.... but it's worth thinking about.

If anybody's interested, I'm willing to talk to the folks "on the scene".

Polimom said this @ 1:36 PM 16 more opinions you may not like

From the mailbox

I've received lots of mail the last two days. Some have been answered at a general level in other posts, and some are stacked up. I want you to know that I am looking at them as they come in, though, and trying to stay in front of things. A couple of recent items struck me, and I wanted to respond more widely.

A reader asked:

"My husband is a New Oleans Firefighter and I have not heard from him in over 24 hours. I read that the station on Opelousas is setting up camp for the NOFD, can you can you confirm that?"

Yup, I think so. I found this out as a result of the blurb I ran earlier about the restaurant food going to the firehouse. My b-i-law tells me they have set up a base of operations right there on Opelousas. I'm told they have armed escorts.

From a comment:

"We feel blessed that there is so little damage in AP...but is it correct to assume we should not try to get back? Is thre any way to make our place available to someone who needs shelter?"

Jaxin, you are quite right - you should not try to get back yet.

Your question about making your place available for shelter struck me as a really interesting idea. I suspect it's a little early yet to act on, but I'm setting up a connection w/ the authorities to "ping" this off of them. What a nice thought. I'll let you know what I find out.

Thanks also, everyone, for the kind thoughts and messages. My best to you and yours, also.

Polimom said this @ 1:09 PM 4 more opinions you may not like

More Good News!

Ha - I love hearing good news!

They've announced on the radio that the water levels have stabilized. Not rising any more! Major effort going now to close those breaches. (I got to listen to the local radio over the phone - too funny!)

And so you know all is not terrible - the people on Slidell St. on the Point are having steak right now. They wanted you to know.

For those asking about Eliza Street - they walked the first four blocks this morning. Everything they saw (100s, 200s, and 300s) looked fine. No major problems noticed.

Regarding Bermuda St - it might feel good to hear that the magnolia tree in the park is still standing.

More later...

Polimom said this @ 12:21 PM 9 more opinions you may not like

Good News, Bad News, and Just News

First, some good news for a few folks:

My "b-i-law" went by a couple of addresses as he was handling some other things this morning. I've debated about posting these on the main page (for a number of reasons) but basically decided that since the comments are public, and there are many address queries out there in the world, it probably doesn't make much difference. If somebody has concerns about this, let me know.

Note that all observations were from the street only.

416 Eliza - "real good" - some gutter downspounts down, but that's about all he saw.
326 Pelican - also "real good"
214 Delaronde - "very good shape" (he seemed impressed with this one's condition, but notes he couldn't view the roof)

That's all I have so far for specifics. I'll post as I get them, unless someone asks me not to.

Here's some "just news":

A restaurant up on the Point (not entirely sure which one) cleaned out its freezer(s) and took the entire pickup truck load of food over to the firehouse. I gather they plan to get it distributed around...

It looks like some of the rescue operations are being staged now from the Algiers levee. I'm told there's 1/4 mile worth of Fish and Wildlife boats launching from there.

And now the bad news...

This is a difficult post to make, but I don't know how to avoid it and still be honestly reporting what I'm hearing. Please understand that my friends and family who are there can't be considered "unbiased news sources". Don't panic... although this won't be a surprise.

We all know that order is breaking down throughout the city. It is starting to be noticed now on the Point (haven't talked to Kabel Drive yet today). Looters were seen in the streets last night, and a couple of bars were supposedly looted.

It's likely that I'll be losing one of my "voices inside" soon. They are concerned about the growing unrest and will probably try to get out. That will likely mean I won't have any more specifics on addresses, but we'll see.

More later...

Polimom said this @ 11:43 AM 3 more opinions you may not like

People who want to come home already

No. No and no.

Please, folks. Take a deep breath and try to think rationally.

Yes, Algiers seems to be an island. Certainly it appears to have ducked the devastation continuing to build across the river. Even in comparison to the rest of the West Bank, Algiers came out ahead somehow. But it's not over yet. Furthermore, there's some real damage in Algiers too. No major flooding didn't keep the trees vertical.

I'm told (and I've read) that they are not allowing anyone to approach the city, other than emergency services. Given that everybody is under martial law now, I doubt that there is any room for discussion at the road barriers, either.

I'd love to think that they'll let Algiers be set up as a haven and bastion - a base from which the rebuilding can be launched. I have to believe that when the city officials (and FEMA, et al) can come up for air, they will ask for help from those who are able to do so.

In the meanwhile, everybody's just got to wait.... and hope.

Polimom said this @ 10:03 AM 14 more opinions you may not like

Houston info - Schools and Shelters

Sounds like they're starting to get more serious with the exodus out of the city. I don't know how many will be coming to Houston, but the Houston Chronicle online is running this headline on the article:
Buses prepared to bring Superdome refugees to Astrodome

I know that there are many people already here in the area, so here's some information gleaned from local papers and school districts. Please note that this is by no means exhaustive. I'll update as I can and permanently link this post if it proves useful.

Schools

HISD has already announced measures to enroll and accommodate evacuated kids. KPRC is running an informative article here.

KISD (Katy) has just met, and I'm waiting for an official statement from them. They have told us informally, however, that they are enrolling; students can just go to the school local to where they are staying.

Cyfair - checking

Spring Branch - Checking


Shelters

Other stations locally are now carrying the story about moving Superdome refugees to the Astrodome.... so I'm thinking that's real.

The Houston area Red Cross has opened six shelters, listed here. I also heard on the local radio this morning that they are asking for blood donations to replenish supplies. Much of their inventory has gone to the Katrina efforts.

Here are some warm fuzzies from around the area:

"Fire Department Takes in Evacuees"

"Good Neighbors in Houston"

And here's a bad one (this really ticks me off):

Houston-Area Hotel Charges $200 For $79 Room

Polimom said this @ 9:12 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

Rumors about the levee

I've seen lots of "chatter" on various forums about "punching a hole" in the levee to relieve the flooding in the city. Frankly, that doesn't make any sense. Punching a hole in the Algiers levee would not help the east side of the city in any way.

There is, of course, a ship on the levee just down from the Point. I suppose it's possible that there is a bit of seepage around it, but since the people in Algiers have not heard any warnings of water coming through, and they are still dry this morning (just checked), I think it's okay. Given what a break in that levee would do to Algiers, I'm absolutely confident they would hear about it.

To clarify about that ship: I'm told that it is not embedded in the levee embankment per se. It is partially on top of the dirt, but mostly it is on the concrete that faces the river. Word is that they (officials) are leaving it altogether alone, to avoid damage to the levee.

Hope that helps. More later as I hear.

Polimom said this @ 6:03 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

An Uneasy Night

I wish I could end this day with some good news for all of you... but I can't. Things are unraveling in the city at an extraordinary clip, and I cannot begin to comprehend the horror.

WWLTV.com reports that Mayor Nagin has stated the 3,000 pound bags (actually, I was told "sand cargo boxes") never arrived - so the attempt to stop the breaches was not successful. Furthermore, the pumps there at the 17th Street canal have now failed.

I'm so very sad. Yet Algiers was spared, and I've managed to connect to all but one of my friends and loved ones - those who stayed, and those who evacuated.

I hope, when I come back online in the morning, things will be somehow better.

Polimom said this @ 9:54 PM 4 more opinions you may not like

Rumors are Rampant

Just a quick note -

Apparently, the Police Chief has said that things are actually calm in the Superdome, contrary to stories hitting the world. (Gotta tell ya - it makes me nervous to contradict CNN...) It is true that people are not allowed to leave, but then... where would they go? Hard to know what's real about now.

About the looting - folks, this is really out of control. Apparently, the Walmart in Algiers was looted for guns, beer, and jewelry. Food I could maybe understand.... but this sounds like complete and utter social breakdown. Scary.

There have also been some shootings, stemming from the looting, and a New Orleans Police Officer was shot. He is in the hospital, in stable condition (thank goodness!), and the shooter (who was also shot), is also in the hospital.

Finally - Slidell reports that the storm surge they experienced was fifteen feet high, and traveled more than a mile inland. Incredible.

Polimom said this @ 8:30 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

More from Algiers

Many of you have written to ask about specific addresses. I have passed these along to my friends there on the Point. However, they will not be able to get out again until perhaps sometime tomorrow. I'll let you know what I find out.

Don't know if I've told you that they seem to have only one radio station working there (is this possible?), and any news they have comes from that source.... or me. I've found myself in the very odd position of keeping them in the loop on events in the city.

Still quiet in old Algiers, although they're seeing quite a few helicopters flying overhead. (Earlier, the aerial activity was across the river.)

They also saw a big dump truck of some kind, pushing and moving downed trees off the road on Opelousas Street. Can't imagine there are any organized clean-up efforts underway yet, so I'm guessing that's a civic-minded individual trying to jump start life. We're going to need many of those types of folks in the coming months.

Polimom said this @ 7:58 PM 12 more opinions you may not like

East Bank Notification

This just hit on http://www.wwltv.com/:

ALL RESIDENTS ON THE EAST BANK OF ORLEANS AND JEFFERSON REMAINING IN THE METRO AREA ARE BEING TOLD TO EVACUATE AS EFFORTS TO SANDBAG THE LEVEE BREAK HAVE ENDED. THE PUMPS IN THAT AREA ARE EXPECTED TO FAIL SOON AND 12-15 FEET OF WATER
ARE EXPECTED IN THE ENTIRE EAST BANK.

This is so hard to watch... ___________________________________________________

UPDATE: They've changed the wording:

****ALL RESIDENTS ON THE EAST BANK OF ORLEANS AND JEFFERSON REMAINING IN THE METRO AREA ARE BEING TOLD TO EVACUATE AS EFFORTS TO SANDBAG THE LEVEE BREAK HAVE ENDED. THE PUMPS IN THAT AREA ARE EXPECTED TO FAIL SOON AND 9 FEET OF WATER IS EXPECTED IN THE ENTIRE EAST BANK. WITHIN THE NEXT 12-15 HOURS****

Polimom said this @ 6:32 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

Some Conflicting Reports about Mandatory Evacuation

It's not clear to me whether there has actually been a call yet for a full-scale evacuation. I've seen headlines that indicate this, but the articles don't sound definitive. I do hear a great deal of concern, and in that eventuality, it's sure hard to figure out how to get out of there!

I have just called to see whether there are known routes out of the area from the West Bank. I am told that the following roads are available:

Travel down the West Bank Expressway to Boutte.
At Boutte, get on I-310, and take it to either the Airline Hwy Exit (toward Baton Rouge), or take I-310 all the way to I-10.

I read somewhere (NOLA forums) that people should take Hwy 1 out of Boutte. Sandy says she understands Hwy 1 to be under water.

Also - one cannot get onto I-10 before Bonabel - the rr underpass and entrances are all flooded.

Polimom said this @ 5:35 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

Another update

Just talked to Algiers....

According to the information they're getting - the source of the flooding in the city has been found. There are apparently 3 breaches now at the 17th St. Canal levee. (They only knew about one before, I think.) The CBD (Central Business District) is continuing to flood, but the closer one moves toward the river, the dryer it is.

The officials apparently estimate that they will be able to pump out 1" per hour. Assuming no further influx or rainfall.... they're looking at 6 weeks before they can get the water down. Nobody's coming back anytime soon.

Sheriff Lee has been calling for all flat-bottomed fishing boats, to be brought for the rescue operations. They are starting to move the rescued folks to the Sports Arena.

Local to Algiers
Trees and wires are down everywhere. Most streets are impassable.

Someone inquired about the NSA (Navy station). Yes, they took quite a bit of damage.

Re: Specific addresses on the Point. I don't have any details on particular homes yet, sorry, other than what I've reported so far. I'll see whether anybody can do a walk-by on some of the addresses I've been asked about, a bit later.

Re: Forest Isle / Tall Timbers area. I'm told that last night, they had some water in the streets, and maybe up to an inch or two in some ground floors. It's pretty much all drained off there now, though.

More later...

Polimom said this @ 4:42 PM 5 more opinions you may not like

Light in the Darkness

Like all of you, I am in anguish over what is happening in New Orleans. As relieved as I am about the situation in Algiers, I know that the people in the rest of the city and surrounding areas are living through absolute hell on earth right now.

I am very afraid for the "Big Easy". I am terrified for my baby brother, who is a Police Officer working in the midst of the madness right now. I'm sick as I read the horrific descriptions of the destruction, flooding, fires, and looting.

Just as you are.

So when this was shared with me today, I thought it might help you, too. The human spirit shines in the woman who called the local police department substation today.

She told them she knows that everything in her freezer is going to perish without electricity - and so she's started cooking. She plans to cook it all, knowing she can't possibly consume it or store it. So she has told the people at the substation to please come by, as/if they are able, and eat.

Bless you, Sandy, for sharing and caring.

Polimom said this @ 2:31 PM 2 more opinions you may not like

Report from Algiers Point

They (my family/friends) did a walkabout around the Point, and called me with some details. Pretty much all good news.

Yes, there is indeed a ship, nose into the levee, at the bottom of Pacific. My second mom went close enough to take pictures, and I gather there are a couple more boats underneath the ship (!).

Oddly enough, they tell me the River is peaceful and quiet - almost a blue color (I don't think I've ever seen it that way). Kind of ironic, although the river didn't cause the damage.

Around the Point, they tell me that all the trees are damaged in some way, bar none. ALL of the trees down by the river (on the other side of the levee) are snapped in half.

Sadly but unsurprisingly, there is some property damage. They tell me that they found only two homes, though, that were "flattened" - and they believe both of these were uninhabited properties (no, I don't have the addresses). Several others are damaged badly, but those two were the only ones he described as "destroyed". Sheds and stuff are another matter.

There are some condos (the Point Condos?) that apparently are "blown out" on the upper East and West corners. Apparently you can see right through them.

The Old Courthouse had all its windows blown out.

The Library is "in fine shape", they tell me - although the big oak tree across the street blew down.

My (sort of) brother in law asked me to pass this message along: "If I could tell people anything, I'd want them to know this: somehow, it seems that every tree that fell down, managed to fall the only way it could have to avoid damaging anything.... either into streets, yards, or onto lines."

The guy who has a little corner store near my family is open for business, selling sodas and supplies til they're gone. That made me feel good.

I'll post more when I learn it. And to navelstone: the word I got was that anything right around the library came through pretty well. I hope that you and yours are as lucky as my family has been.

Polimom said this @ 1:43 PM 16 more opinions you may not like

Algiers - Phones, Water and Power

Another Algiers-specific update:

Phone
I can't speak for the rest of the city, but Algiers, at least, has sporadic phone service. However, they do not seem to be able to call out. If you have not heard from someone who you believe to still be there, keep trying to call. I am getting through more often than not...

Water
Sounds like the earlier rumor about problems with the water in Algiers were false. Everybody is still using the water.

Power
Also, Algiers has a power station that apparently remained dry. With luck, they'll come back 'online' soonest. I have read that Entergy will require a complete rebuilt of the system, but that same article also said there were isolated areas that were not as damaged. Read the article here (it was posted before the Times-Picayune was evacuated earlier today).

Polimom said this @ 12:48 PM 3 more opinions you may not like

Latest from the City

Just hung up with my second mom in Algiers. They are planning a foray down General Meyer and River Road today, and I'll hopefully learn more then. Here's what's going on now, either via radio reports, or just right out the windows:

• The radio is also reporting the ship on the levee near the foot of Pacific Street (Old Algiers / the Point). Levee fine still.
  
• "Everything from Donner Canal back to the Intercoastal Canal is questionable" in terms of flooding.
  
• The middle of Terrytown is not flooded, but perimeter streets apparently are.
  
• Sheriff Harry Lee has authorized a "shoot after one warning" if anyone is going into houses after dark.

Polimom said this @ 12:28 PM 0 more opinions you may not like

Update on New Orleans and Algiers

Panic is setting in, it sounds like. There are many reports now that looting is taking place on a large scale, and martial law has been imposed. WDSU.com has ongoing updates here: http://www.wdsu.com/weather/4913354/detail.html

It sounds as if there are several ships and barges that broke free (or were collided with by others) during the storm. I've been told by people on Algiers Point that one of the ships is on the levee further downriver (toward O.Perry Walker High School and the Police Station). Also, a barge is grounded near the Chalmette Ferry. My friends have been told that these vessels are not going to be tampered with, in hopes that the river levels will rise enough to re-float them. They can't risk trying to move them, or the levee could sustain major damage.

I'm also told now that the sky above the city is full of black smoke. That could be any number of things... none of them good.

Water still coming into the city itself, too. Most recent update at wwltv.com said, in part:

"The expectations are that the water will not stop until it reaches lake level."

Sigh...

Polimom said this @ 11:34 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

News from New Orleans

First - on a personal note - I've now talked to and confirmed the locations and safety of all but one of my 'second family'. Phew! From them, I have learned:

Algiers Point (aka Old Algiers) is dry, although there are lots of trees down. I've heard rumors that there is a break somewhere in the main waterline in Algiers, and that the water is completely unsafe. If that's true, they (the people there) don't know about it. I'm trying to confirm.

The Lutheran Church on Olivier Street has lost its steeple - it's lying in the street.

There is a "very large ship" stranded on the levee on the Point.

Something big is burning across the river right now, they say. No idea what.

Other news from them is that the waters are continuing to rise in the city. They have been told there is 4 (four) feet of water now in the French Quarter, and it's still coming in.

More later.

Polimom said this @ 9:48 AM 2 more opinions you may not like

The Point of Contact and no news... this is hard

I am straying widely from my normal blog focus. It's easier to vent here than go through the trouble of setting up another site just because people are used to finding information about crime and other ills here. Bear with me...

Sunday morning, as it became clear that New Orleans was going to get smacked hard by Katrina, I tried very hard to get my second mom, Sandy, to head West toward me (in the Houston area). I told her to load her 'critters' and just go - I'd meet her someplace along the road if she needed me to.

She just broke down. Having had recent surgery, Sandy didn't see a way to do that... and the shelters she knew of weren't going to allow her pets. My best friend from childhood (her daughter) was sheltering in a church on Opelousas Street on Algiers Point, and Sandy went to join them at the church. She promised to call me as soon as she could, and made sure her other kids had my numbers, so everybody had a point of contact outside the storm's path. I have heard nothing from them since.

One of Sandy's sons evacuated to Natchez MS. No word.

Another son is a Police Officer in New Orleans. I spoke with him Sunday about mid-day, and he was typically confident. Since then, no word.

Another son evacuated to the east, near Pensacola. So far, he's the only one I've heard from. The good news - he and his wife are fine. The bad news? I have nothing to tell him.

The national news reports are absolutely worthless. As of last night, they were still reporting that New Orleans was "spared". However, local news there has a much different story. The mayor appeared on WWLTV.com and reported that the 17th Street Canal levee has a breach two blocks long, with water rising rapidly. Mayor Nagin also stated that 80% of the city is under water. View the complete interview here.

There is so much more to New Orleans than the French Quarter, and while I treasure beignets as much as the next person, I'm frustrated as hell!

The Times-Picayune has published their newspaper online, in .pdf files, here. They also have forums that support parish announcements, and general queries. Thus far, it looks like almost all the postings are questions with very few responses. Nobody has information about much of the city, including Old Algiers.

For specific queries, I found this link: http://qso.com/satern/emailfrm.htm. I'm planning to ask them for information, and while I worry about these folks being overwhelmed with pleas, I wanted to share it for anyone who is searching.

My heart goes out to everyone there along the Central Gulf Coast region this morning. Gulfport and Biloxi, by all reports, is completely devastated. I'm so sorry - I have many happy memories of those towns when I was growing up. I'm sure the houses in which I played are gone. They were very near the beach...
More later...

Polimom said this @ 5:54 AM 0 more opinions you may not like

Oh for goodness' sake

Every person who reads this blog knows that I am highly concerned with the sex offender problems. Today, though, my attention is focused fully on the Central Gulf Coast area; I'm thinking nothing but hopeful thoughts for my friends and family there. Yet even in the midst of potential disaster, the madness continues.
The Times-Picayune (a local New Orleans newspaper) has an online forum, where hundreds of people are posting messages of support, and queries about various localities in the city. Amazingly, in the midst of all that, I found this:

The poster reminded everyone of Florida's new policy for denying public shelters to registered sex offenders, and wondered whether New Orleans is trying to do something similar.

As one of the responders wondered, if you and your children are at a public shelter in the midst of a disaster, you surely wouldn't take your eyes off your children for even an instant..... would you???? Or would you assume that since all the registered offenders were elsewhere, everyone could roam freely?

No matter how I try, I can't picture the officials at the doors to the Superdome trying to determine whether people were registered offenders. Furthermore, despite my level of involvement lately with RSO issues, I hadn't even wondered or worried about their presence in the shelters. I'm a parent, and I still accompany my child to public restrooms, even though she's plenty old enough to handle the details on her own.

At what point does parental vigilance get replaced? In my opinion, never... but in an emergency situation (such as Katrina), even raising the question makes it manifestly clear that normal concern has been replaced by outright paranoia and hysteria.

Polimom said this @ 12:45 PM 1 more opinions you may not like

Katrina

When we were young and immortal, my friends and I would greet the periodic hurricanes that came through New Orleans with Hurricane Parties. We laughed in the face of the winds and knew (as all young people know) that nothing would hurt us.

I don't think they are laughing this morning in the Crescent City, and I'm definitely not amused, even from my distant perch in Texas. Katrina appears to be taking aim at the Big Easy - and I'm very worried.

I remember taking my father's canoe into the streets after tropical storms or other hurricanes, and entertaining myself by seeing if I could walk up MacArthur Blvd. against the waist-high floodwaters. Those were little bitty storms in comparison to what is coming.

We still have many friends there, and I don't know if they have evacuated. I hope so. I can't imagine there will be anything short of complete disaster there. Holding my breath...

Update
I reached my friends, and unfortunately most of them are not able to get out. One of them is a police officer (and obviously critical), and his mother (my "second mom") just had surgery. She, and a daughter/grandchildren, have removed to a Methodist church that has four stories. Sadly, she could not take her animals with her.

Polimom said this @ 6:50 AM 0 more opinions you may not like