Posted on 10/18/2005 12:08:09 AM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace
BOURNE – Hurricane Katrina evacuees hastily handed $2,000 in federal relief money last month have been living it up on Cape Cod, blowing cash on booze and strippers, a Herald investigation has found.
Herald reporters witnessed blatant public drinking at a Falmouth strip mall by Katrina victims living at taxpayer expense at Camp Edwards on Otis Air Force Base. And strippers at Zachary's nightclub in Mashpee, a few miles from the Bourne base, report giving lap dances to several evacuees.
``They were tipping me $5 a pop,'' said a Zachary's dancer named Angel. ``I told them I felt bad taking their money. But I still took it.''
Another dancer said a large group from the military base was in Zachary's recently and she gave lap dances to several of the victims.
``Some spend good money, but others don't,'' she said.
An assistant club manager, who gave his name only as Michael, acknowledged yesterday that the strip joint is popular with people from Camp Edwards.
``It's no different for someone who lives at Camp Edwards or is stationed at Camp Edwards. As long as they have the proper ID they can go in,'' he said.
On Oct. 5, the Herald observed a virtual parade of evacuees from a bus stop in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Falmouth to nearby liquor stores. Some emerged and openly swilled from brown-bagged containers, while others poured booze into jugs or plastic cups and casually sipped drinks at the Wal-Mart bus stop.
The refugees have access to daily trolley service from Camp Edwards to the Falmouth Mall.
One elderly man poured a bottle of Ruble vodka into a water bottle and spent the afternoon sipping the liquor outside the Wal-Mart. Two other men were seen buying 32-ounce Coors Light cans at George's Liquors and drinking at the bus stop.
Last Tuesday, one 52-year-old evacuee, who told a reporter he was originally from Cuba, stood in the rain outside Wal-Mart for several hours drinking gin and orange juice from a thermos. The same day, a female evacuee bought ice at a supermarket and roughly $30 worth of hard liquor before being driven in a car back to Camp Edwards. Evacuees are banned from bringing booze onto the base.
One Camp Edwards source said evacuees swiped liquor off shelves at the U.S. Coast Guard store on the base and drank it in the aisles.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has issued more than $1.5 billion to 607,000 Katrina victims in the form of individual cash handouts of $2,000. There are no restrictions on how the money can be spent, FEMA officials said.
Gov. Mitt Romney and the Legislature approved a $25 million emergency aid package to feed and house 235 of the evacuees at Camp Edwards. As of mid-September, the Red Cross had doled out another $25,000 in debit cards for victims sent to the Bay State.
The Camp Edwards residents have been treated to Red Sox and New Orleans Saints games, Boston Duck Tours, a chowder fest, concerts, and free cell phone and Internet service, as well as cookouts sponsored by Romney and U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.).
Since the Sept. 8 arrival of the original 235 evacuees, a handful of unruly drunks have been taken into protective custody, according to law enforcement officials.
More than half the evacuees have left Camp Edwards for other housing, and 114 refugees remain at the encampment, which is slated for shutdown Thursday.
Falmouth police Chief David Cusolita said police cracked down on public drinking at the Wal-Mart after complaints last month but he reported no recent incidents.
Barnstable Sheriff Jim Cummings said some of the intoxicated refugees were taken into custody by state police, while others were escorted to their dorms.
Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread ...
/sarc
And this surprises you?
The people who are still in shelters are going to be disfunctional. Most people went to shelters, signed up for aid, then got in touch with their friends or relatives and moved on.
The people who stayed in shelters longer than a week are almost always going to be those with mental or emotional problems, substance abuse issues or con artists.
People who go out, get a new job and start a new life don't make a good front page story.
Reparations in action. You are very correct, give them 1 mil and the rich would have it back within the year.
A post on radio-info.com's Boston board, by Ed Beal the Rap King (verbatim):
"94.5 morning show , talk about The Boston Herald front page about Katrina evacuees Boozing it up and going to strip clubs . 94.5 Morning show said who care , what they ( Katrina Evacuees ) been through , let them booze it up and go to strip joints . I think the Herald should be a shame of themselves , for puttin this junk on there front page ( or any page ) . Last time i check , going to a strip club and buying booze are not against the law . Boston Herald said that you,re paying for Katrina evacuees to booze and go to the strip club . I say , so what ! are they braking the law ( OK public drinking , Wow ! no one in MA does that ) . These people loss there home's , Loss there Jobs and loss sum friends and loss sum Family members and the our great government let these people down . Lets be real , If someone gave me money and said do whatever you want with the money , I will take care of me and my family and whatever money left over , I will entertain myself ( Beer , Nightclub , Foxwoods ) . Do the Boston Herald think that only Katrina Evacuees are spending government money on Booze and Strip Clubs and Walfare and Social Security people are not spending government money on that ? Boston Herald need to stop making the public think that all of the Katrina Evacuees are boozing it up and going to strip Clubs . For the first time , Im not bashing Jamn 94.5 . I an on 94.5 side , on this subject ."
My response to Mr. Beal:
Our tax money is going to help these people who lost their homes rebuild
their lives. They're spending it on booze and strip joints.
Let me give you an example: Your house burned down. You lost everything. Your neighbors take up a collection to help you out and you spend the money
on booze and strip clubs.
Well, maybe Dylan was right when he said "When you ain't got nothin',
you got nothin' to lose" but when you have a situation where our government
gives money to needy people and they waste it like this...
let them booze it up and
> go to strip joints .
Right, we lost everything so let's just drink ourselves to death, even
though people do want to help us.
Did Boons Farm go out of business?
Had folks evacuated been given the cards from the Red Cross, money from FEMA, and food stamps when they left shelters, some might have found housing and jobs. I still don not understand why people in a shelter, with food, clothing, and housing provided needed food stamps.
Many [but not all] of the people still in shelters were dysfunctional before the Hurricane hit .. being in a shelter did not do it to them.
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