The Situation, The Plan and a Request
Okay everybody, our progressively more and more surreal stay in West Memphis is coming to a close. We have managed to find quite a few people (the post below has a list) who made their way out in various directions, we are also still looking for many (another post right below this one).
Alexis and I have experienced an amazing array of good fortune all of a sudden. I have made contact with my Mother, Father, Sister, and Grandmother and they are all okay. We have also made a very bizarre discovery about the state of the city.
On a lark I tried my landlord’s landline and it worked! He had stayed to ride it out and had no idea that he was in the middle of one of the most massive disaters in American History ™. It seems that the area around St Charles and Napoleon are almost unscathed. He said that the power was out and he was just waiting for the people to return and the powert to come back on. He had no idea of the violent chaos a mere 20 minute walk away at Canal St. He is currently there with about 4 other people. I told him where the food stores, water supplies, booze, and parlor games in my apartment were and told I would get him updates. I then proceeded to explain what the newcasts were saying and caution him about the verious hazards. I’m contacting FEMA and letting them know here he is to try to get him out.
From what can gather it is going to be months before we can return and even then it will be a harsh envirnoment. Current projections say 4 months till people are allowed back in and 6 mos. til the water is pumped out, that is assuming we don’t get another storm our way before the end of Hurricane Season. That would make us dry at just about Carnival time. If the city is open I WILL be there to march with my Krewe Mardi Gras morning and there will be a Rumpus Toast even if I have to make it myself!
As far as returning I do not know how viable that may be. Even with the majority of the physical work done the economic factors as well as the truly assinine level of violence may preclude it. Our current plan is headed for Bloomington, IN to see my fiancee’s family and then off to NYC where some dear friends have set us up with digs and work. If we have to permanently relocate Bloomington is probably going to be it. Time and recon will tell.
This evening was an odd one, we went to a local Baptist Church that was putting on a dinner for the refugees. The Doodler, Lex, Esther, Gina Forsyth and I joined the large and varied crowd of New Orleanians for some really good fried chicken and some classic southern style proselytizing. Fortunately the later was in sparing amounts, and it did me good to see church folk actually living up to the values they espouse. Being from N.O. most of my interactions with the extremely religious have involved microcephalic fire and brimstone at Mardi Gras and Baptist ministers with huge diamonds, huge waistlines, and really expensive cars. This was a very nice change of pace.
Gina Forsyth brought her guitar and fiddle and did a few cajun tunes for those gathered to eat. We had rescued her cats, car and guitar from the city on our way out (incidentally allowing us to get more people out), and she joined us here yesterday direct from touring Denmark. We then made our getaway right before the Bible Study. Many thanks to those good people, but I prefer to skip the God Talk(tm). Debating beliefs is something I will have time for later. Fantastic chicken though!
Now for that request: please survey the lists below and pass the info on. We should let as many people as possible know who we have found and have as many ears to the ground about the missing as possible.
Be safe and take care of each other.
September 1st, 2005 at 6:45 am
You Are All In Our Mind
September 1st, 2005 at 8:29 am
Is Blair on the lost or found list?
September 1st, 2005 at 8:36 am
News on Coleen Salley from her daughter!
Dear Dale,
Thanks for your well wishes and concern.
Coleen left for Hawaii on a vacation on Friday before we knew how dangerous
this was going to be for New Orleans. She will probably come here to
Portland or to my brother in Southern California for awhile to ride this
thing out.
She lives in the French Quarter and I hear that is still somewhat dry. I’m
concerned about looters at this point but it looks like more National
Guardsmen have moved in.
My brother, David, and his family also live in New Orleans and they went to
Baton Rouge. Unfortunately, they live by the Lakefront about 1 mile from
where the levee breached. I believe their house is completely submerged and
has been since yesterday morning.
I’m just glad my family is alive. Please send good thoughts and prayers to
New Orleans!
Best,
Genevieve
P.S. An ornament can be sent here to me and I’ll give it to her: 6909 SE
36th Ave., Portland, OR 97202. Thanks.
September 1st, 2005 at 8:56 am
Blair Kolb is in Des Moines, IA. He moved there quite some time before the storm. His wife and son were in Hammond and we have no word.
September 1st, 2005 at 9:07 am
Hi, saw your post on live journal and I’m glad to know Dudley and Esther made it out ok. Please tell them Kim in Chicago(I used to live in New Orleans) says hello and I’m glad they are safe. Mucho thanks!
September 1st, 2005 at 11:46 am
Bill Delaney and Pat Delaney are fine…mom bugged out….I stayed…not the greatest move…about 3pm sunday as the water in lakeview was approaching the fire dept. came and picked me and one of my mom’s neighbors up in a boat and dropped us off on the Filmore ave. bridge to spend the night with about 70 other people (25% of which were elderly)….after some time the fire dept came back and suggested we hike up to the Robert E Lee bridge because it was somewhat higher….and water was slowly creeping up on both sides…we hiked and found out that the fire station there was abandoned….so then we hiked back to filmore bridge to spen the night….morning came and then the first signs of panic began to rear it’s ugly head as water and exposure were becomming a factor early in the morning..one elderly man went into a non-responsive state(Comatose perhaps)..and me and my new buddy Paul Shriner…decided to make a move and hike down to the pumping station by Delgado “because there will probably be someone there”….it was underwater…we then proceded down the railroad tracks towards metarie….after about a mile of walking we came upon two guys who said they had opened up this Baptist Church complex located by the cemeteries which was loaded with Bottled water and snack food - batteries - a flashlight- (no I have not found God…but it is somewhat ironic)…after about a hour FEMA found us and transported us to the evac site at the parish line where I talked to The weather channel and we were then transported to the shelter in Tibidaux at Nichols state University when food was brought in one of the guys driving the food truck gave me the shirt off his back(Literally right then!!!) we spent the night there and luckily someone had a (working) phone which I used to contact the FAM they came and got me and
I am now currently in Baton Rouge- Mom is in Reserve…..so there You have it…Bill Delaney - latenightbill@yahoo.com
September 1st, 2005 at 11:50 am
George…
call me when you’re in NYC. Let me know what you need…
Lyn
September 1st, 2005 at 1:14 pm
so how are my radio people?
September 1st, 2005 at 10:47 pm
Hi. Saw your blog on a news article and had to check it out and extend an invitation. If New Orleans has to postpone the 2006 Mardi Gras season, you are welcome to come celebrate with us in Mobile, Alabama. Our party isn’t as big, but it’s a lot of fun! And that goes for everyone from New Orleans. Our hearts go out to all of you.
September 1st, 2005 at 11:25 pm
Hi, I am a friend of Harmony St. Charles. She asked me to let everyone on her “blogroll” know that she, her family & all her pets are fine. They are with other family members in Georgia. She doesn’t have internet right now and will update as soon as she can. I hope that you and your family are also ok too.
September 2nd, 2005 at 6:29 am
Hi all, I belong to Move On, Org, they are organizing people who have housing and connecting them with people who need it. If you need housing or can offer housing check it out. **Claudia
http://www.hurricanehousing.org
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:22 am
For what it’s worth, Larry Dixon and Mercedes Lackey are putting people up in the Oklahoma area.
Info here:
http://www.gryphonking.com/
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:13 am
I read about your blog on the BBC website. The devastation in New Orleans is unbelievable. I just wanted to let you know that people in Britain like me (and all here in my office) send our best wishes (and in due course will be sending cash) to those affected.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:23 am
In case you hadn’t heard the crushing news about WWOZ…
The station, including the transmitter system, is under water. Many volunteer DJs had their own collections of rare records at the station that have probably all been lost. There is no idea of when OZ will be able to broadcast again.
Anyway, Loki, call me and Nito when you get to Bloomington.
–Nate http://nate.totallybooty.com/
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:22 pm
I don’t know you at all but thought I’d leave a note. I just happened upon your site because I was looking for two former Bloomingtonians who moved long ago to N.O., a jazz writer (he’s OK!) and a caterer (still no word). I’m glad you are all right and that you effected some more escapes along the way. I know Bloomington will treat you well!
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:46 pm
To all and to forward…
MoveOn.org has set up a site for people offering help, places to stay, etc.
This morning, we’ve launched an emergency national housing drive to connect your empty beds with hurricane victims who desperately need a place to wait out the storm. You can post your offer of housing (a spare room, extra bed, even a decent couch) and search for available housing online at:
http://www.hurricanehousing.org
Housing is most urgently needed within reasonable driving distance (about 300 miles) of the affected areas in the Southeast, especially New Orleans.
Please forward this message to anyone you know in the region who might be able to help.
The process is simple:
You can sign up to become a host by posting a description of whatever housing you have available, along with contact information. You can change or remove your offer at any time.
Hurricane victims, local and national relief organizations, friends and relatives can search the site for housing. We’ll do everything we can to get your offers where they are needed most. Many shelters actually already have Internet access, but folks without ‘net access can still make use of the site through case workers and family members.
Hurricane victims or relief agencies will contact hosts and together decide if it’s a good match and make the necessary travel arrangements. The host’s address is not released until a particular match is agreed on.
If hosting doesn’t work for you, please consider donating to the Red Cross to help with the enormous tasks of rescue and recovery. You can give online at:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=859
As progressives, we share a core belief that we are all in this together, and today is an important chance to put that idea to work. There are thousands of families who have just lost everything and need a place to stay dry. Let’s do what we can to help.
http://www.hurricanehousing.org
Thanks for being there when it matters most.
—Noah Winer and the whole MoveOn.org Civic Action Team
Thursday, September 1st, 2005
Lyn
September 9th, 2005 at 9:23 pm
Just wanted to drop a note and say how glad we are that Dudley and Esther got out ok. We found out through a friend of a friend tht he had made it but were glad to read he was doing ok. Pleas pass on that Susan sends her thoughts and prayers. I’m an old friend of Dudley’s from St Louis. If there is anything Rich and I can do, drop us a post.
September 1st, 2006 at 10:11 am
[...] Last Year’s Posts This Day: One year ago I was looking for many friends and family. Thanks to the wonders of the internet I had already found many people, but to this day there are those I have not yet found. It was also the day that we got news that our new apartment had made it safely through the deluge and began to make plans for the rest of our exile. [...]