Posted on 09/12/2005 10:22:15 PM PDT by Revel
Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee commandeers Sam's Wal-Mart stores Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee said he has "commandered" the Sam's and Wal-Mart stores in the parish and ordered them to open as soon as possible.
Lee said he took the action after he learned that a Wal-Mart store wanted to open recently but was told by FEMA officials that it could not.
"I am upset with FEMA and some of their regulations," Lee said.
After talking about the situation concerning the Wal-Mart on Thursday, Lee said he briefly talked to Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans on Friday. He asked her to check on the situation and find out if there was a legitimate reason to keep the store closed.
But because of communication difficulties, he did not hear back and took the situation in his own hands.
Lee said he gave handwritten notes to Wal-Mart stores in Harvey and Kenner saying they were ordered to open as soon as possible. Lee said Parish President Aaron Broussard agreed with the decision.
Lee said anyone from FEMA who tries to close either store will be arrested by deputies.
"We're encouraging the businesses to get up and going."
On other topics, Lee said he had 40 deputies who didn't report for duty for the storm. One who tried to return was told not to waste his time.
"As far as I am concerned (he) will never get a job in law enforcement again," Lee said.
Those people should have left the low-lying city before the hurricane. After the event, they wanted to invade the part of the area that wasn't destroyed. While trucks and boats full of supplies were on their way to the city, some residents decided (after being told by Mayor Nagin to go to the West Bank and look for "resources") to stream across the bridge. Harry Lee decided that this wasn't going to happen and posted armed guards at the crossing point.
He may have over compensated by blocking everyone out, but considering the Mayor's statement, I can see why.
They were the people that Nagin should have evacuated before the storm. Many people were afraid to go to the Superdome because they knew what had happened there when it was used as a storm shelter before. I don't blame them because we see that they were right about what they thought would happen there. Most of the people in Jefferson Parish had evacuated. They were trying to protect property more than anything.
Perhaps, the Sheriff and deputies didn't even know how bad it was in New Orleans, but still if you see a woman and her children desperate to escape the city and you threaten to shoot them, that is just a low life miserable thing to do in my opinion.
That's because Halliburton was given a contract to be the exclusive pampers and bottled water retailer there.
Well it would make sense for FEMA to want to use any operational radio towers in the area.
Can't you just hear the whining now? "WalMart opens up right away for whites in Jefferson Parrish so they can add extensions on their homes and renovate their kitches. We can't get a little corner store open so we can feed or children or diaper our babies in any black area."
No tax money = no pay check.
This is a story about Jefferson Parish, not Orleans. :-)
Ah, that explains what Nagin said on TV Sunday. He claimed the Federal government is racist because New Orleans victims were blocked at a bridge from entering a neighboring parish.
Now we have the rest of the story.
The Times-Picayue is not a reliable news source. They're just another blog - they don't even have a printing press.
Said some of his deputies who had run away asked to be reinstated. He told 'em. No way. I can never trust you again.
Wrong.
Gretna was where the bride was leading to and Lee is not connected with Gretna. He is west of NO in Jefferson.
You might want to know who you are maligning before you do so.
"Gretna was where the bride was leading to and Lee is not connected with Gretna. He is west of NO in Jefferson."
Gretna is in Jefferson Parish. The reports said that the police in Gretna and Jefferson Parish deputies were both on the bridge.
Heck that place was toxic long before this mess happened.
And they will blame Bush...
Jefferson Parish is not New Orleans, they have not had a mandatory evacuation. There are areas there that had no damage from the floods. Harry Lee doesn't mess around.
Minor correction - it was the state Homeland Security Department that turned the Red Cross away. States don't have a FEMA, though some might have a SEMA. :)
Seems like he's a dang fine American to me.
But did the bridge go to Algiers part of orleans parish. Why would Harry Lee give a darn about Algiers?
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