Katrina Live Thread, Part XIV

Various ^ | 2 September 2005 | Various

[plushaye]

It worse gets worse. Listen to this Reuters article slap at Rummy. Really twisted.

"Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld toured a medical facility at New Orleans' international airport on Sunday. He spoke and shook hands with military and rescue officials but walked right by a dozen refugees lying on stretchers just feet away from him, most of them extremely sick or handicapped."

[CedarDave]

Is that an accurate number, or just one he's pulling out of his butt (with correction later). Any LA people know?

[pitinkie]

I cant take any credit...someone penned that nickname for her awhile back!

[rollo tomasi]

Will anyone have the stomach to watch 60 minutes tonight?

The promo talked about who and what caused the levee to break.

Should be one big pile of hit pieces served piping hot with the truth left out on the side.

[Spktyr]

I was afraid it was going to be blue-on-blue casualties.

Just another example of how totally incompetent the NOPD is. Hell, the whole local and state government. NOPD must have wanted to show how tough they were after the last few days or some such BS.

[LadyBuzz]

How come Rita looks skinny on her TV commercials?

I've noticed that also - kinda funny huh?

[buickmackane]

http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050904/NEWS01/509040333/1002

This article shows the drain on our local resources. In the beginning, people will welcome the refugees with open arms, but wait till time passes, the novelty wears off and reality sets in. It has probably already come to pass that a resident of Rapides Parish can't find a job or rent an apartment because a refugee already snapped it up. This situation is going to be with us long after Jesse Jackson shifts the media's attention to some other location.

---

Starting over in Cenla

By Emily Peters
epeters@thetowntalk.com
(318) 487-6372

After sweltering on top of a building for nearly three days before rescue boats came to save her from the abyss of New Orleans sludge, June Taylor decided she wouldn't wait around anymore.

She evacuated to her daughter's house in Alexandria and immediately sprang into action to start a new life for herself in Central Louisiana.

Friday morning, she flitted around town making stops at the Social Security office and the state departments of Motor Vehicles, Labor and Social Services.

"I'm beginning again," she said, sporting clean clothes borrowed from her daughter. "I am amazed at the efficiency of Alexandria. These are beautiful, compassionate people. It's a wonderful new place to start."

Taylor is one of thousands of evacuees in Central Louisiana who are considering a new life here since New Orleans may not be able to offer them a livelihood for months to come.

Many already have started to look for jobs and residences. Some will stay for months as New Orleans recovers, and others are planning to stay permanently.

"I think for several months, we'll have 7,000 to 8,000 more people in this area," said Elton Pody, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce of Central Louisiana. Rhonda Reap-Curiel with the Chamber of Commerce is confident there are plenty of jobs to employ all of these people. She's asking every business in the area to register their openings on www.laworks.net.

Kissey Smith probably will be checking out that job Web site.

When she floated her autistic godson out of the floodwaters on a mattress, she left behind her house and a management job at Goodwill Southeastern Louisiana. While waiting in line Friday to apply for food stamps, she flipped through a Rapides Parish telephone book to find out where to apply for a job.

"I just know I'm never going back to New Orleans," she said. "I guess I'll work wherever there is a job available."

Some local businesses, including Eddie's Barbecue, already have started hiring evacuees. Other employment opportunities are available in health care and at StarTek, a call center, while many national companies will offer transfers for their displaced workers to relocate here. Displaced school employees may apply with the local district, and companies have included advertisements in today's Town Talk for production operators, millwrights, forklift operators and construction workers.

Housing is another story.

While new housing developments are booming just north of the Red River, Pody said the choices of rental properties are slim and getting slimmer.

"Everything we have has been taken," said Debbie Stevens, who manages various large apartment complexes under White Property Management in Rapides Parish. Evacuees have rented her last 50 to 60 apartment units, most on a month-to-month basis, she said.

Property owners are asked to report any vacant rental spaces to www.hurricanehousing.net, and evacuees may check that site starting Tuesday.

"We've looked for apartments, but they're all booked up," said evacuee Mark Chanove, but that won't dissuade him.

Chanove is a native of Alexandria, who already has updated his resume and is talking to area employers. He is prepared to stay in Alexandria for the long haul and will enroll his young children in local schools.

Local officials have discussed using Wooddale Park, a public housing unit, and barracks at the former England Air Force Base to temporarily house evacuees who can't find other places. But no final decisions have been made.

Taylor, 52, said she will consider temporary housing since her daughter has three children and a husband in Iraq.

"I just need to get out on my own," she said.

Town Talk reporter Andrew Griffin contributed to this report.


Originally published September 4, 2005

[CedarDave]

Notice the article is from an Australian paper.

[pitinkie]

I cant!! I just had to turn off CNN cause now Andy has JJ on and he is spouting lies again!

[hipaatwo]

I have no idea if the number is accurate or not. Not like wheezy Cosby asked him.

[Peach]

Can you imagine being more stupid than forgetting to put the plug in the boat?

Oh, and filling up the boat with so many personal care minions that there's no room for survivors. Priceless.

[Peach]

I've laughed harder at that article than anything I've read in days. We'll just have to say an extra prayer for forgiveness tonight :-)

[SamAdams76]

Mr. Hand: "Am I hallucinating here? Just what in the hell do you think you're doing in that leaky boat?"

Jeff Spicoli: "Learning 'bout U.S. history, getting stoned and having some fun. All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine! Hey...(pointing towards Whoraldo) I know that dude!"

[BurbankKarl]

Efforts by Hollywood actor Sean Penn, pictured May 2005, to aid New Orleans victims stranded by Hurricane Katrina foundered badly, when the boat he was piloting to launch a rescue attempt sprang a leak.(AFP/File/Pascal Guyot)

Who is the U Boat Commander?

[Peach]

I certainly won't expect a US paper to report on one of its icons (gag) being such an idiot.

[conservative cat]

ROFLMAO. That was needed humor.

[TexKat]

Just another example of how totally incompetent the NOPD is. Hell, the whole local and state government. NOPD must have wanted to show how tough they were after the last few days or some such BS.

Hold your statements until you read a little further down the thread like post #6697. There have been 3 different versions reported on Fox News alone of what happened.

[hipaatwo]

We'll just have to say an extra prayer for forgiveness tonight :-)



I'm Jewish. I don't have to repent for my sins until October 12th on Yom Kippur :)

[conservative cat]

Is it Amanpour? The war whore?

[Peach]

And you forgot to caption that he had so many people with him, including his personal photographer, that he didn't have room for anyone to be rescued. LOL