Katrina Still A Disaster In Mississippi

A Salvation Army volunteer who has just returned from Biloxi, MS called in to the Paul Finebaum show and described his experiences. He said that people are still living under tarps for shelter; that WalMart had handed out gift cards to storm victims but that the cards could not be used because people had no way to get to a WalMart; and that there are football-field size warehouses full of relief supplies that can't be delivered because of a lack of trucks. He also said that the place still reeks with the stench of dead animals. He also asked Finebaum why it is that the news media seems to have forgotten all about what happened in Mississippi when Katrina struck.

I have not been down to the Gulf coast, but I have spoken to my uncle who lives in Ocean Springs and works at Kessler AFB. He tells me that Hurricane Katrina caused massive damage and that it will be a long time before things are back to normal.

I live here, and the most affected areas are like a Nuke went off. Death, stench, tarps, tents, no power or water are the norm (South of the tracks). Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian, and Waveland have stated that they may never rebuild. There are very few people living there, few have jobs, and there is virtually no tax base left.

I have two businesses in Gulfport, and one is destroyed. The other is making no money, as all money is going to recovery/rebuilding. I have two family members living with me due to their homes being totally destroyed. We will rebuild, but we still have no insurance settlement in hand.

FEMA is doing all that it can, and private parties are doing a yeoman's job. Some areas are coming back at a surprising rate, but the worst hit areas may never return. Insurance companies are trying to cut losses, and many are not receiving fair compensation.

It is not a pretty situation, and except for President Bush, FEMA, private Churches and the Red Cross, we feel somewhat forgotten.

LLS

My wife went last Friday as part of a group sponsored by PRC http://www.prccompassion.org/. Which is a group of churches in the Baton Rouge area that have been doing some great work.

The group was cooking 600 meals for people in Long Beach Miss. That's just west of Gulf Port on the beach. They were setup in the parking lot of the Walmart.

She said the area is devastated. The beach highway has only one of it's four lanes left. We had stayed with some friends in an apartment in Pass Christian early this summer. Only the slab is left.

Officials were to start Monday demolishing buildings from the beach 2 block inland. The first phase was to take every unrepairable building for 20 miles at a time.

Although, I'm from Baton Rouge we have a lot friends on the Miss coast. It will take a long time for them to rebuild but they will. Unfortunately, NOLA's image has tarnished Louisiana and has hogged a lot of the media attention.

BTW-Churches are doing a lot of good work in all of the areas. Gov't is sometimes tied up by regulations and is slower to respond. A lot of people just came down to help on their own. It's is amazing how great this country is to have folks that will volunteer and help people that they don't even know.

You can try looking on WLOX web site for some pictures.

I really appreciate all of the offers for help. We are doing fine, much better than most. We had insurance (flood) on the two homes we lost. The business will cost us, but that is the American way. I love Capitalism, as it gives back in proportion to what you put into it! :-)

GOD bless you all!

LLS

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