80 arrived today in San Diego on a plane financed through a private donation.
Posted on 09/03/2005 8:49:17 PM PDT by SolidSupplySide
HOUSTON — With more than 220,000 hurricane refugees camped out in Texas and more coming, Gov. Rick Perry warned today that his enormous state was running out of room.
"Texas is committed to doing everything it can to help our neighbors from Louisiana, but we want to make certain that we can provide them with the medical care, food, shelter, safety, education and other services they need to start getting their lives back together," Perry said in a statement. "Local officials are beginning to notify us that they are quickly approaching capacity in the number of evacuees they believe they can assist."
About 18,500 survivors were housed in Houston's Astrodome and an adjacent meeting hall. More than 120,000 refugees were in 97 shelters in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and dozens of smaller cities across the vast state, Perry's office said, with another 100,000 in hotels and motels. Uncounted more were in churches or private homes.
Buses continued to arrive at the Astrodome, where many were redirected to other evacuation centers after people were processed and evaluated for medical conditions.
"We have notified FEMA and Louisiana officials that we are nearing capacity," said Robert Black, a spokesman for Perry.
More than 50 military and commercial flights deposited more than 7,000 evacuees at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. At Dallas' luxurious Wyndham Anatole hotel, a few guests looked forward to a quieter evening, compliments of Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, after spending Friday night on the roof of New Orleans' Baptist Memorial Hospital ferrying patients to safety.
Hospital worker James Bell felt guilty.
"I could be down (at a shelter) and have a couple families here," he said.
Evacuees also were housed at Reunion Arena in Dallas. As a few people smoked cigarettes outside, a plane emerged overhead trailing a sign that read, "Shame on You George Bush."
"As a few people smoked cigarettes outside, a plane emerged overhead trailing a sign that read, "Shame on You George Bush."
Anyone have a SAM?
Atchafalaya, I know exactly where you are and can't imagine the chaos there. I grew up not far from Charity BR and went to high school within sight almost. Airline highway used to be pretty safe around there but I understand it is now a dangerous place to linger even before this happened. My gut feeling is that you are right and BR will become the " New" New Orleans with all the worst that has to offer. My brother is an internist at the BR Clinic and is already picking up some of the slack at some triage center at LSU. Are you guys just a holding facility or do you plan to ship patients out when beds are available?
Hmmm...occasionally one hears a certain saying from world overpopulation skeptics saying that there's enough room in Texas to fit everybody in. I guess it's carrying capacity is much less than 6.1 billion.
While anyone without family should be cared for by state, local, federal "safety net", the 64 thousand dollar question I haven't seen addressed anywhere is where are the families (cousins, uncles, brothers, etc)... outside of the disaster area for the homeless?
While this is a tragedy, natural disaster of unprecedented proportions, so is the warehousing of people from one dome to the next and one government agency to the next.
Texas struggles to cope with hurricane influx
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050904/ts_alt_afp/usweatherevacuation_050904110345
Number of Katrina refugees at largest Texas shelters
By The Associated Press
Here's a look at the estimated number of Hurricane Katrina refugees across Texas on Saturday, according to state and local officials.
People displaced by the hurricane were also know to be staying in shelters at the following cities or counties: Austin, Amarillo, Beaumont, Bell County, Brenham, College Station, El Paso, Galveston County, Hardin County, Jacksonville, Lubbock, Lufkin, Marshall, Mont Belvieu, Nacogdoches County, Orange, South County and Tyler.
The list does not take into account people staying in private homes, campgrounds or places such as church-run shelters.
TEXAS:
Estimated number of refugees staying in shelters: 123,000 in 97 shelters across Texas.
Estimated number of refugees staying in hotels: 100,000.
Total: 223,000.
HOUSTON:
Astrodome, 16,000.
Reliant Center, 4,000.
Reliant Arena, 4,000.
George R. Brown Convention Center, 950.
DALLAS:
Reunion Arena, 6,660.
Dallas Convention Center, 3,100.
SAN ANTONIO:
KellyUSA, a former Air Force base, 7,086.
September 3, 2005 - 4:51 p.m. CDT
http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/gen/ap/TX_Katrina_Texas_Shelters_List.html
"HOUSTON — Linda Jeffers' only belonging besides her clothes is a small black purse which contains her entire identity now that she's lost everything to Hurricane Katrina.
As Jeffers makes her way through crowds of people she doesn't know at Houston's Astrodome, where she and thousands of others have found shelter, she tucks the purse securely beneath her arm. If she decides to sleep among the crowds, her purse becomes her pillow.
"There are things missing from around here," she said. "They are kind-of borrowing a lot of things. I don't want to say stealing."
There is always going to be a small percentage that are undesirables or sociopaths and don't want to get along, want to commit crimes," Lumpkin said. "We are going to address those as quickly as they come to our attention. We have got a lot of officers out here who find great joy in putting the bad guys in jail."
Lumpkin said there have been less than a dozen arrests for minor offenses, such as disorderly conduct and public intoxication. The most serious offense thus far was a fight that led to an aggravated assault charge.
http://www.wacotrib.com/hp/content/gen/ap/TX_Katrina_Shelter_Security.html
Unfortunetly, you are probably correct. That is why I am heading out to stock up on ammunition today. I'm sure OKC will have 10,000 or so at least within the next few days.
you don't think a 3% appraisal cap -- perry'
s proposal -- is a good safeguard against rising property taxes?!?!
plus, i have a hard time understanding why closing loopholes that allow some corporations to evade the state's business tax in a "backdoor" income tax.
Taxing companies on their payroll is an income tax. You may like new taxes but I don't like them. If someone can figure out a way to get around them so much the better, taxes are wrong and making new ones isn't the answer.
How about old Perry get to work on figuring out why HHS budgets have gone up at the cost to other programs such as roads and take care of business rather than providing insurance.
You think that Perry is a fine fiscal conservative ask him to submit a budget that's 7% less than the one he submitted. That would take care of all new taxes and allow a property tax decrease on top of that. You don't think that the bloated Texas government can't live on 7% less must be new to the state. Or want a state income tax.
You want to know about the state budget? Read the 1,100 page appropriations bill and we can have a conversation about the need for new taxes and playing shell games.
Oh, and as for caps I was around with the first sales tax went into effect and sold to the sheeple with the understanding that the 1% sales tax would never go up. Yeah, sure, I trust them like I trust a used car salesmen (with apologies to used car salesmen).
And the hurricane season is not over for the year ...
I agree; I guess I need to check out properties a little west of Alec. I hate pine trees.
the cap you are refering to is the revenue cap, which perry was for. he also pushed a 3% appraisal cap, which requires a constitutional amendment. that's both good and bad -- good, because it makes it next to impossible to change, and bad for thee same reason, since almost all the dems voted against it, along with several of the moderate republicans.
perry was never for the payroll tax. that was the option being pushed by the house leadership. if you recall, perry came out against the payroll tax in the very first special session, which doomed it. he has never advocated for a payroll tax. i recall he called it a job killer.
the hhs budget has gone up in texas and every other growing state in the union for two major reasons: 1. population growth, which forces you to increase spending on those eligible for the entitlement, 2. increased federal matching funds tied to the increasing population.
keep in mind, general revenue only makes up about half the money in our state budget. the bulk of the rest of the money is federal dollars. so 7% of general revenue for the biennium is about $5 billion. i think if you did the research you'd find that the budget perry subitted to the legislature was at least 7% less than what they passed.
and remember, when this state was in deficit, we made huge reductions -- the first reduction in general revenue since the 1940s.
...What are his politics?...
He used to be (still is imo) a democrat.
...How conservative is he?...
See above, but conservative enough to at least try to hide a big tax increase to fund public education and to give lip service to protecting Texans from the Kelo decision.
...What is his background?...
Take a look at his hair. Pampered.
...Has anyone vetted him for a run at the WH?...
No, not to my knowledge. Thank God.
80 arrived today in San Diego on a plane financed through a private donation.
Belaire High grad??, I'm originally from Lafayette but have been here for 30 years. BR is a great city and I hope it will keep it's identity; our "guts" are on the same page. Business interests from NO are buying up commercial prop. as fast as they can .
The triage center is Pete's Palace, and we keep all except patients needing acute neuro/cardio/pulmonary surgery; we've not had the means to do that. We ship as circimstances dictate. There has been talk about opening the old K Mart just W of EKL on Airline as a 500 bed hosp. (more labwork).
I cleaned my yard up yesterday and will hit it tomorrow. You should be proud of BR, we have as many refugees as Texas; we are kickig ass and taking names. The Earl is doing well; at least as I left Fri. 12A. Remind me and I'll give you a follow up.
I'd stay in NO.
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