Letters to the Editor If you would like to send GCN a letter, Email at: News@gulfcoastnews.com. Filed 9/29/08 Dear Editor: Despite the fact that my retirement savings have dropped 29% in the past four quarters, I am strongly against the president's plan to prop up the financial institutions that created the mortgage backed securities debacle. I ask that the Senate not vote in favor of this proposal. I believe that the support of US debt, such as Treasury bonds and such, would warrant intervention. However, this pre-emptive strike, a continuation of Bush Doctrine, is very troublesome in that the Fed, top economic advisors, and respected academicians don't have any means to determine what will or will not happen with or without intervention. History has shown a tremendous amount of resiliency in the capital markets since the 1920's. Let's not jump to conclusions until we actually know what we are going to treat. If the effect on homeownership is of great fear, push for a proposal to allow homeowners to to shift, tax-free and penalty-free their retirement or 401K funds into their home investments, eliminating a mortgage or moving an account from non-performing to performing. Really what I want is a program that will benefit the millions of people like me. Allow me to payoff or re-negotiate my mortgage to reflect the economic times. I don't want the Wall Street executives patting themselves on the back claiming a multi-million dollar victory at taxpayer’s expense.
Frank Underwood ____________________________ Dear Editor: Well, it's something that was going to happen, the taxpayers of this country are up in arms about the bailout. That is, just about everyone except those who are going to receive severance packages - more than everyone makes in a lifetime. Now, I ask those in Congress, why give severance packages to those who brought the companies down? Guess, it's so they will co-operate in the bailout - no severance pay - no bailout. What blackmail. And we are letting them do it. I ask congress, to look at this carefully, we can't afford this, # 1, and # 2, why are you using our money and our children and grand children's money to pay off bad decision makers? Get rid of the bums, take over their businesses and get everyday people plus experts to help put it back together. Remember, those "smarter than thou" folks who were overlooking this, didn't do their jobs either. So don't depend on them to watch the hen house, get plain, ordinary citizens with common sense to help out. It will make a difference. And I hope when loan modifications, etc. are worked out, we get the money back in the treasury, let the homeowner's pay back Uncle Sam and let the lender's, with strict guidelines and complete disclosure, get back to business. No more "funny" loans, no more stated income loans, no more loans with credit counseling. Everyone should have to take at least an 8 hour course sanctioned by FHA. No one should be above this and if they are, they are usually the ones who belly up along with the poor old soul who just lost his job.
Lorraine Santos
Received
9/13/08 I am asking the council NOT to approve the millage rate that is recommended by the Mayor . The administration will argue, why not? We are not raising your taxes and our millage rate remain the same. Well if our property values had not just gone up with the new property reappraisals I would also agree. Don't we all know some values went up as much as 50%.That will mean more dollars for taxes than last year. Only a politician could argue that a bigger tax bill is not a tax increase. Did the Mayor and his administration crunch the numbers to see how many more dollars most would pay in taxes. Yes, well how much? No, why not? Ask any citizen if there tax bill goes up do they consider that a tax increase? We have a lot of retired, people on social security or disability. Any increase will be felt. Another problem I want addressed is why can't property taxes be more equitable. We have several tax credit apartments and single family homes in this city already, some occupied, some still being built. They are not paying their fair share of taxes, I understand the desire to attract new business. You on the council are supposed to protect the interests of all your constituents. Here is example that I am obviously aware of. My husband pays about 2000 on a fourplex he owns. The apartments on 28th St with their tax credits only pay about 22000. So about 10% more but they have 50 times more units . How is that even remotely fair? Again Council Members, if millage rates remains the same as requested , tax bills will increase for everyone in the city who pays property taxes. This is directed to the President of the council. Mr. President, I have sent you several questions. I have never received an answer. The questions were not rhetorical. I expected the courtesy of an reply. Are you above answering just ordinary question from citizens? This is again directed to the entire council. I noticed a new logo that was in an ad in the paper, and on a water tower. I was at a council meeting when it was voted down. Can you explain how this was allowed to happen. We still don't have adequate water and sewer throughout the city, yet you want to spend 9.5 million on water meters. Let's get the basics done first, and then worry about the electronic water meters. What good is that going to do when people don't have adequate water and sewers? New meters were put in the Orange Grove area and bills actually went down. So the projected 10% increase may not be a reality. The new grant for housing. Already I have heard that some city employees want to use the money to purchase houses, not in Gulfport, in one of the neighboring cities. I hope that is just a rumors, is it? What safeguards will the administration implement to insure the money is appropriated correctly. This grant was given to the city to stimulate home ownership for low to moderate income families in Gulfport. Thank you for listening, I expect answers to my questions or would like the reason no one wants to answer them.
Lorraine
Santos Received 9/12/08
Dear Editor, RE: Photo Essay Keith and Gara Gillentine: Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate you sharing this with me, and for using Gulf Coast News to help get the information out. I would be remiss if I didn't say that I couldn't do these things that I do were it not for the latitude I get from Mayor Holloway, who, by the way, was a resident of Oxford around 1960. I also have a good technical person, web consultant Renny Sherman, who has set things up so even an idiot like me can transmit them to the world. Anyway, thanks again for the feedback. Vincent Creel Received 8/22/08 Dear Editor, Received 7/5/08
Dear Editor:
Received 6/13/08 When I first read the story concerning FEMA's icy idea, I was in disbelief. Mary Hudak's statement was the coldest remark I've heard in awhile – one that left my jaw dropped for about five minutes. However, the remark is one that manages to reflect the overall pattern of stupid ideas perpetuated by FEMA since DAY ONE of Katrina. . . ideas that have added to the delay of people getting back into their homes! First of all, I find the Hudak remark quite insensitive, unmerciful, and down right stupid. Ice as a comfort? Well, yes, to a degree, especially if you're able to create a Mint Julep out of the leftover thickly humid hurricane air. But, I dare Hudak to position herself outside in the Mississippi sun with 90+ degree temps, 100 percent humidity, and a heat index of God-knows-what without ice! As if people don't have enough to worry about during hurricane season, they now have to add some ice straps to their bootstraps lest they have to spend a week in the humid heat of a storm's aftermath before help arrives. In addition, John McKay's remark about being disappointed but understanding that "they're trying to save money and help our country get out of debt" is lacking real thought. For example, I have a small freezer. If I put 2 or 3 gallon jugs of water in it, where will my food go? Not everyone has a huge side-by-side, or a deepfreeze with extra space. Generally, people unable to evacuate are the ones who cannot afford to do so and also the ones who would probably be renting and/or living in small houses or apartments with smaller refrigerators. Now suppose that you are riding out a hurricane and you have your 3 gallons of frozen water, known as ice, which you put into a large cooler (that you had to go buy with your last few dollars), and then the storm worsens and you have to decide whether to get into a tree as your house is about to disintegrate. . . should you save the cooler and the ice as you try to climb off of the roof into the tree? Can you hold the cooler and hold onto the tree? Maybe you could ride the surge on top of the cooler thus saving yourself and the ice? As for debt, I ask why is Laura Bush helping to raise billions for rebuilding Afghanistan when we can't even help our own coast get the job done and why is it that since 2001, the U.S. has given $21 billion and now we're dedicating $10.2 billion more?! Why is it that no one is saying anything like: those Afghans want everything handed to them, they want the government of other countries to give them a house and build a school for their kids, they're lazy, they just need some bootstraps and resilience and then they can help themselves. Why the double standard concerning "handouts?" When thinking of debt, apply that mindset to other countries and the Iraq war instead of our own people who are or will be in need and then decide what to do about "debt." When our very own people become caught up in the aftermath of a hurricane, they aren't the ones responsible for getting the country out of debt by not having ICE available to them because it's suddenly considered a "comfort" item by FEMA and Mary Hudak and the country needs help in getting out of debt!
Gara Gillentine
Received 6/7/08 Received 5/28/08
Dear Editor: Received 5/25/08 Dear Editor, I welcome the action by Congressman Taylor, and for his interest in Amtrak's Sunset Limited serving coastal Mississippi. I would point out, though, that while the $1 million is welcome and would be useful to getting more frequent service, all that is needed is Congress to tell the Amtrak Board to do the job with the money that they've had sitting idle since Hurricane Katrina, and start running the train! Please convey the thanks of all those who live in Congressman Taylor's district who are waiting for restoration of service TO Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Thusly reinstating America's only transcontinental passenger rail service.
Allan Thomas Received 5/25/08 Dear Editor: I
would like to thank Congressman Gene Taylor for his efforts to restore
the Sunset Limited Amtrak service to the Mississippi gulf coast. With
gas prices hitting new highs and threatening to wreck the worlds
economy, a passenger rail link is vital to our tourist industry as well
as the travel options of our people. I would encourage Rep. Taylor and
both of our Senators to provide for the restoration of a dual track line
that existed in the 1960s. This would allow higher passenger rail use as
well as higher freight traffic. All the coast cities that have Amtrak
stops should begin preparing their train stations to accommodate the
traffic. Received 5/24/08 Dear Editor:
The Dedeaux Road property that the City of Gulfport purchased, 10 acres
for $1,585,000, breaks down to $158,500 per acre. The original asking
price was $1,750,000 for the ten acres, which breaks down to $175,000
per acre. The City of Gulfport needed 6.4 acres to build the new
community center and FEMA insisted that it had to be on the front of the
property. The lot size for the "old" Charles Walker site was approximately 386304 sq. ft. or about 8 + acres. The Mayor kept saying that FEMA requires the city to purchase the same amount of land that the Charles Walker originally sat on. When is this Mayor and administration going to start telling the truth. Please Google Charles Walker Community Center and read all the information that FEMA has posted on the web site. Very interesting and not much was told to us, the taxpayers who eventually end up paying for all this stuff. It's the usual lies, lies, and more lies that come from City Hall and probably the only city council person who actually knows the truth and does not share it is the council representative from that Ward. I am enclosing a copy of the plat for this property so you can see what the "old" Charles Walker Center's property looked like and the measurements. Charles Walker could have been built on the northern part of the property or where the new West Side Community Center is now being built. What a waste of taxpayer's money!!! D. J. Best, Gulfport Received 5/21/08 Dear Editor: This is in regards to the many Katrina Cottages that were not used for the designated purpose and who did they go to. I and I am sure a lot of other people would like to know where they went and under whose authority. Also this cottage programs caseworkers seem to have a problem contacting the very people they were hired to help. I had applied and was assigned a caseworker. After trying for many times to get this person to contact me I as of yet have not heard from her. It seems that it would be better for all concerned that funds appropriated for disaster relief be used for that purpose. Maybe in the future an independent organization that had no ties to the community or state should be the ones to administer the program as there seems to be a lot of shortfalls with the people handling things now and not just at the local level.
Thank you Received 4/11/08 Dear Editor, It was nice to hear and read about Senator Roger Wicker working to help the Mississippi Gulf Coast continue to recover by successfully extending GO Zone Legislation that was set to expire. This legislation has and will continue to help struggling home and business owners to get on their feet by offering tax incentives. He has been on the Coast on numerous occasions and Katrina Recovery was the main topic of his maiden speech in the United States Senate. It's good to see that Senator Wicker is following up and delivering results for us. Now, maybe Congressman Taylor can get it through the House. These days there are few politicians who actually do what they say they are going to do. I believe Senator Roger Wicker is someone who we can depend on and trust as we continue to recover from Katrina.
Wendy
Barthe Peavy Received 4/2/08 Your article on health care dated 3/26/08 was right on target. I am so glad that someone is saying publicly what we have been trying to get across for over two years. There are people who have no access to health care here in South Mississippi as they have no health insurance, OR cannot afford to pay the deductibles, OR cannot afford to pay the rising co-pays OR cannot afford prescriptions OR they are underinsured as they thought their insurance covered their care, but did not. Our free medical clinic opened in response to Katrina and stays open because many Coast residents still require free health care. How can they possibly rebuild their homes and lives when costs are rising? You were correct ... very often they do not seek medical treatment (because of economics), postponing care until they become very ill and end up in an emergency room. Since the state of emergency was not renewed in January, the Mississippi Medical Board of Licensure has refused to issue temporary medical licenses to out-of-state physicians who were traveling to our clinic to provide free medical care. We are operating solely with 3 retired local physicians for 2 1/2 days a week. Prior to the MS Board's refusal, we had at least one physician offering services five days a week from 900 AM until 500 PM. I had to call and cancel physicians who were scheduled to serve in our clinic the remainder of January as well as February and March. How disappointing for our patients and others who came to volunteer in our clinic. We appreciate your efforts at being our "watchdog" for recovery. Keep it up. Tell the real story then perhaps things will change for the better for all Coast citizens. God bless you, Received 3/30/08 To the Editor: The developer (DDR) of the property on the northwest and southwest side of Dedeaux Road along Hwy. 605, wants the city to change their text amendment on the B-2 zoning to protect their property. According to Larry Jones, Urban Development Director for the City of Gulfport. A so called "public meeting" was to be held on Thursday, March 27, 2008 during the regular planning commission meeting. Boy, a "public meeting" during a regular commission meeting, sure is a first!!! The changes where given to the members just a short while prior to the meeting for them to read, digest, have questions ready to ask, etc. so it could be voted on at the meeting. There was no time allotted for the public to speak, maybe because they hoped no public would be there. The new changes where about 8 pages long, single spaced. If there was a notice in the paper regarding a public meeting it had to appear in the legal notices in very small print. The only people there where the ones from the city or connected to the city who where asked to be there. David Nichols, former city employee stated he was asked to be in attendance (I think he said asked by the Mayor) to answer questions. Funny, not one person who has B-2 zoning was in attendance. This text amendment affects their property. This notice should have been in large print, a separate ad in the paper equal to the Duany ad that appeared in the paper. And with zoning changes, letters should have gone out to all owners of B-2 property. Could it be, the Mayor and the city administration does not want property owners to have input in the changes. Sure sounds like it to me. Purpose and intent of this change is attached to this letter. And I hope Gulf Coast News prints that as a separate news article. If the people who own or purchased the property on Lorraine (now 605) and Dedeaux, did not like the zoning, requirements, etc. then why did they even consider developing it. Is it to protect us, as there's very few homes around this area, or is it to have control on what a building looks like? Does the city want the franchise businesses to change their logo to suit what the administration wants and what they think their logo should be like (should Target get rid of their red bullet on their building?). This should not be shoved down the property owner's throats. This should be done democratically by noticing owners about the meeting and sending them a copy of the text amendment to read and digest so a meeting with dialog from everyone can be held. Or does the city not want that. At the planning commission meeting, this item was not voted on, thank goodness, it was moved and seconded to have a workshop wherein the planning commission and city council could go to the table and discuss this change. The public meeting was put on hold until a workshop is held. I the administration now going to allow a public meeting, or will they railroad this change down everyone throats with a legitimate hearing. Will the city attorney speak up for the citizens rights, or will he cow down to the administration. We'll see. D. J. Best, Gulfport
Received 3/13/08
Received 3/5/08 One would be hard pressed to find a president of the United States with less experience in foreign affairs, the economy, or national security than Obama. Yes, his slogan has been that change and hope is more important than experience. Of course, he would not be able to use experience as his slogan since his, especially as compared to Hillary’s, has been very little. Suppose you just became elected President of the United States of America and you had two choices for Secretary of State and for Secretary of Defense, Hillary or Obama. If you were in your right mind, Hillary would be your choice. So, why vote for a person who could not fill those positions? Would you hire a principal of a school who has never taught? Would you hire the CEO of your company who has never worked in that industry? If your answer is no to these questions, then why would you hire a president without experience. Let’s be real.
Sincerely, Received 3/5/08 A matter of experience. A matter of experience, or lack thereof, has been a major area of focus and debate in conjunction with the current presidential campaign. It has been mentioned many times that experience matters much more than having just a vision for change. Then there are those that contend that the experience does not matter and that all you need is a vision. In line with the matter of experience, I would like to ask the following; Has there been a major corporation wherein a junior executive, with less than four years on the job, has become the CEO of that corporation? Has there been a reputable Law firm wherein a junior Lawyer, with less than four years on the job, has become a full partner or was assigned a major case for that firm? Has there been a Police Department or Fire department wherein a rookie officer/firefighter, with less than four years on the job, has become the chief of Police or the Fire Captain? Has there been a major media outlet, such as a newspaper, magazine, or news outlet such as CNN, where a junior reporter, with less than four years on the job, has become the Editor in Chief or an anchor for the news? The list could run on. The major point here is that in each and every case experience does matter. Across all aspects of our society, it has been proven that those with the experience on the job are those that have earned the right to move up into a position of leadership. Therefore, it is also true with decidedly the most important leadership job in our country, if not the world. To be the President of the United States requires experience. Having a vision for change is a good thing. Not having the proven experience to see that vision carried out is quite another. With the current state of our nation, the job of our next President will be one of the toughest in history. The rising deficit, our declining economy and jobs market, the meltdown in both the financial and housing markets, Global warming and its potential impacts, the immigration crisis and the War in Iraq and Afghanistan, are just some of the critical challenges that our next President must address. It is going to take much more than just a vision to take on the issues facing our nation and its people. It is going to take experience, a lot of experience. I urge that the people of America consider this fact as they continue with the process of choosing who is to sit in the Oval Office come next January. As I have stated vision is a good thing. It has been at the heart and soul of our nation since the founding. It took great vision to challenge the powers of the time and give birth to the oldest democracy on our planet. However without proven experience the vision would have been lost. Experience does matter. Regards, Ken & Georgette Marshall Received 2/21/08 Dear Editor: FEMA is working aggressively to expedite occupant relocation to more suitable and long-term housing following the results of preliminary air quality tests from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our first priority is occupants with health concerns and those most susceptible to health risks such as the elderly, households with young children and those with respiratory challenges. This expedited relocation is part of our ongoing efforts to close all group sites and relocate families by June 1, 2008.
FEMA applicants relocating to apartments because of formaldehyde concerns will not be required to pay the $50 per month increase on their rental unit until September. This was scheduled to begin March 1. Each family occupying the 111 units tested by the CDC in Mississippi will receive the specific results for their home, and all other occupants may request testing. FEMA caseworkers will continue to help residents identify alternate housing and access information that can lead to self-sufficiency and a sustainable future. Occupants with formaldehyde or housing questions should call FEMA at (866) 562-2381 or TTY (800) 462-7585. FEMA operators are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. CDC specialists will respond to health-related concerns at (800) CDC-INFO. More information is available at www.fema.gov or www.cdc.gov. Occupants with health-related concerns are encouraged to attend any of the Public Availability Sessions that will be conducted by CDC specialists. FEMA representatives will be available to discuss housing options with occupants on an individual case basis. Sessions are scheduled for the following:
Mon. Mar 3, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Mon. Mar 3, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Tue. Mar 4, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tue. Mar 4, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Wed. Mar 5, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Thu. Mar 6, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Thu. Mar 6,
6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Sidney L. Melton
Received 1/27/08 Without GCN, political stories with bite would be nonexistent, as evidenced by the bland reporting of WLOX and SunHerald. Please keep up the sharp investigative reporting that should lead to a journalistic excellence/service award. You already have one from me.
Jim Pankey, USN (Ret.) Received 1/18/08 Received 12/21/07 The proposed expansion of the Port of Gulfport will forever define the quality of life of the residents of the Gulf Coast. Never has our community faced such a monumental turning point. If allowed we will have opened the door forever to economic development without regard to quality of life. To have given the plan to fill 112 acres of the Gulf and dredge a 700 foot channel any discussion or consideration is a tragic disregard for the future health of our community. In the last two years we have as individuals and as a community been force by hurricane Katrina to reevaluate our priorities. Should we not take stock in th e simple beauty of our Coast and vow to place protecting that beauty at the top of our lists? When the winds of storms come and go we are left with the damage that they inevitably leave in their wake. The question before us all is what damage is worse and longer lasting that of the forces of nature or the foolishness of man. I beg of anyone that agrees with this assessment regarding the proposed port expansion to speak out to all concerned and be heard from the warm Gulf waters and sands of our beautiful beaches to the cold concrete and steel structures of our state capitol. The true evaluation of economic development is not the quantity of dollars produced, but the degree of quality in which our lives are enhanced.
Randy Tarver Received 12/21/07 Hello all, I came across the story you ran on the new drug card and I would like to let you know that it really does work! I was skeptical, but I went to the site and printed it off to use and let me tell you I was able to use it at Fred's and I got about half off on my meds. This is great news, especially since my Mother is not doing so well lately and has to take so many prescriptions. It is good that some body is doing something to help us out. Thank you and happy holidays. Greg Free Drug Card Available for Mississippians to Help Lower Drug Costs at Pharmacies - GCN Received 12/16/07 I cannot believe anyone would support Brett Warr as a possible appointee for Trent Lott's soon-to-be vacated seat. We need a Strong, Intelligent, and Formidable force in that seat! This man cannot get anything done in the City of Gulfport, with MILLIONS in Federal money resources available. How's he going to help us in Washington? All he's done so far is get new facades on the fronts of empty buildings (at least one of which his family owns-or used to) and have proto-type lights put up on Hwy. 90. He may have gotten a few other piddly things done, but not enough to garner news. And now people want him to represent us in the Senate? This is old time politics, and daddy will be behind the scenes pulling all the puppet strings! Appointing him would be the worse possible thing for Mississippi in the Senate. BTW, I am a die-hard Conservative/Republican and a Southern Baptist, just like Warr, but the man CANNOT do the job. If anyone noticed, he broke the state seat belt laws in his campaign commercials by being filmed riding around in his truck with his kids STANDING in the seat of the moving vehicle. Instead of getting ticketed for non-use of seat belts and endangering the lives of his children, he gets elected mayor!
There is so much inside squabbling amongst him and the City Council, one
wonders that if he can't get along with 10 or less people, how is he
going to do all the schmoozing required in
Washington
to get anything done? Mrs. LB in BSL Received 11/19/07
To the Editor:
Editor: Here is a GCN
story where you can find the links to the maps:
Received 11/18/07 Okay can someone tell me why there is so much concern about the MEMA cottages being offered. My Father in law lost his home and was told he would be able to receive a cottage to live in and get him out of the FEMA trailer he is in. He bought some land (which is in the annex area of Bay Saint Louis). He cleared it and was trying to put the cottage on it and was denied by the city. I just don't understand. How can the city turn down people the right to live on their property. He is a veteran and had worked hard until he got hurt. He is now receiving Social Security and wants to get on with his life. If the city could get off of their high horse and look at each case separately maybe people will return. The reason according to the news is that people are worried about their property dropping in value because of these cottages. That is the problem here---- do you want cottages where people can live and start paying back taxes or do you want empty lots and the upnose in the air people paying more taxes for their property. I just don't understand I thought this was America where we can live here freely without prejudices. Guess it doesn't work in Bay Saint Louis.
Name Withheld, Received 10/15/07 To the Editor: I recently came across a posting on a hurricane-related on-line bulletin board that criticized news reports saying that 98% of the coastal population had returned to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The poster described this claim as a kind of “horrible attempt” on the part of the media at making it seem like things here are getting back to normal. My response, based on my own perhaps less-than-scientific observations, is that I think there are really two separate questions here. First, has the population of the Mississippi Gulf Coast returned to close to what it was prior to Katrina? And second, have things returned to normal? Being here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast since just after Katrina, I would say that -- depending on how you define the "Coast" -- the answer to the first question may very well be "yes, or close to it." And the answer to the second question is a definitive "no, not even close, nor any end in sight." I am not a Katrina survivor, but in some ways my perspective is perhaps the next best thing (acknowledging that there is a huge gap between the two). I watched the horror of Aug. 29 and the days that followed unfold while still living in distant Montana, and realized I needed to do something. My initial visit to the Coast -- all the way from Dauphin Island, Alabama, across Mississippi, to New Orleans -- was in October, barely five weeks after Katrina, when things were still very much in crisis stage across the region. I relocated full-time to the Coast in November 2005, and had the experience of living in a tent in Pearlington (Ground Zero for Katrina) for months, then in my van all across the Coast for several weeks thereafter, and then on my "new" office floor in Biloxi while waiting for some sort of housing to become available. And I have suffered many of the privations of others on the Coast due to the way the economy and powers that be have failed to address many of the problems that continue to keep this area down and people in a state of stasis. So while I in no way can claim any of the trauma, heartache, irreparable loss, or life devastation as those who went through Katrina and lost so much, I have been here through virtually every post-storm stage and have shared and experienced some of their struggle and hardship. And I have heard story after story after story (as does anyone here who scratches anywhere below the surface) of heroism, strength, and horror. In some ways, on the most superficial levels, things almost seem normal now on much of the Coast compared to how it was in the days immediately following Katrina. Roads have been reopened (even two lanes of the bridge across St. Louis Bay, which was wiped out by Katrina), many businesses and some houses have been rebuilt or repaired, major casinos have opened in record time, and many people are back at work. Judging by the traffic on the roads, the population has certainly rebounded, though the blocks inland from the beach or the bays remain mostly denuded of houses and lives. What has happened is that there have been major disruptions in the population. Many original inhabitants are still living in FEMA trailers two years after the storm, or they have moved miles inland to northern parts of the coastal counties and into the next tier of counties. Meanwhile, judging by the number of Louisiana license tags on the roads, many people have moved into Mississippi from New Orleans and environs. And there are many newcomers to the area -- some legal and all-too-many illegal -- who, like me, have arrived post-Katrina. I think the news report that inspired the on-line thread in fact showed all too clearly the devastation that remains largely un-rebuilt in the wide swaths of land inundated by Katrina's deadly surge. It is no exaggeration to say that one can go for hundreds of miles, from Alabama across Mississippi and Louisiana and into Texas, and see hardly anything but slab after slab after slab along that entire stretch of coastline hit first by Katrina and then by Rita. The vision remains overwhelming even today. I think that many people around the country fail to perceive that this destruction has not been remediated, and is unlikely to be remediated for years, perhaps decades, to come. Sometimes it is almost comical, like the time recently when I was on an elevator at the IP Casino in Biloxi on may way to yet another GO Zone conference. A visitor on the elevator suddenly spoke up, asking, "Does anyone know what hurricane hit here?" There was utter silence among the people on-board, as each of us tried to evaluate whether this guy was joking or serious. I finally determined he was serious and was first to reply: "Uh, Katrina . . . ???" To which this bewildered visitor replied in apparent awe, "Ohhhhhh." I have had people telephoning for insurance companies in Pittsburgh ask me if we had hurricanes in this area (I'm not making any of this up). And many people I have spoken with have assumed that most things are back to normal here. What is truly astounding to me is the extent to which the response of governments on every level, from the federal, to the state, to the county/parish, to the local level, have failed to remediate many of the most pressing issues still confronting literally tens of thousands of people whose lives were smashed to pieces by the storm. And this is despite the massive outpouring of spending that (as the Biloxi SunHerald article noted) would have been enough to build two new $150,000 houses for every displaced family on the coast and buy them a new car besides. And therein lies the rub: Who has really benefited from all this money? For the most part, contractors (some major, like Bechtel and Halliburton, others not so major), insurance companies, banks, trailer manufacturers (Indiana, home of the RV industry, was the big winner of Katrina money at least in the initial stages), and let us not forget government bureaucracies and bureaucrats. A lot is made of fraud, but the so-called "legitimate" recipients of so much of the money dwarf the fraudsters, and still the people who need the assistance the most have gotten little, if anything, for their trouble. I think in general recovery, such as it is, truly is far more advanced here in Mississippi than in Louisiana (where I also have first-hand experience of the devastation), where things really are in a terrible shape in many places. And that is a major reason why Mississippians tend to pride themselves on the progress they have made compared with their neighbors to the west where rampant corruption, incompetence, and just plain mismanagement have retarded the recovery even more than over here. And the efforts and struggles of many in both states are nothing short of Herculean. Meanwhile, I think it is safe to say that there could be a whole lot more done over here, too, and that in many cases local governments have been more of a hindrance than a help, whether through a general lack of imagination or a regressive commitment to doing things the way they were done before the storm to, in some cases, a fairly obvious plan to discourage poor former residents from returning to their homes near the coast in favor of more upscale new residents and pursuits. I visited parts of Turkey two years after the major earthquake that devastated that country in the late '90s and was shocked that many people were still living in trailers and tents. And yet here we are in the United States of America, the wealthiest and most powerful nation on earth, and two years after Katrina tens of thousands of people are still living in trailers and are otherwise displaced from their homes. And there is no resolution in sight. I think our response to Katrina really goes to the heart of what kind of nation, what kind of people, we are. I have said from the very start, do we wish to be like a Bangladesh, a Nigeria, or any number of Third World countries where people are left to fend for themselves, or are we an America where we help each other out and pull up those who, through no fault of their own, wound up being devastated by a natural disaster? The many thousands of volunteers and the millions in private donations that have poured into the Gulf Coast are tributes to that better America. Unfortunately, despite what may have been lofty intents, the official response has failed miserably and, unless there are major though unlikely adjustments, will continue to fail. We pride ourselves on our efficiency, but I am afraid that efficiency is little in evidence in these parts, unless efficiency is judged by moving enormous amounts of money and effort to pursuits that to a large degree miss their mark (or what should be their mark). I think part of this mismatch was summed up by a statement issued by FEMA immediately after this year's devastating tornadoes in Kansas. "We want people to know we're here for the long term," the statement said, or words to that effect. And that is exactly what is wrong. FEMA and all the other agencies should be there to get people back on their feet and back in their homes in the shortest possible time and let them get on with living their lives and charting their own destinies, as is the American way. Having a paternalist bureaucracy malingering in their towns and their lives for years on end is not what they want or need. Get in, get on with it, and get out -- that should be the guiding principle, not how long we can stay and how much money we can pour down drains that do not put people back in their homes or in control of their lives. And that is my (perhaps long-winded) view of the situation from here on the ground on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Frank J. Yacenda
Received 9/12/07
Received 8/30/07 In April of 2006, I joined my first mission team and traveled to Pearlington, MS. to do some recovery work with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (http://www.pcusa.org/pda/). I discovered your site when I was researching my trip and have continued to use it as a valuable way to keep an eye on a place I have come to call my second home. Thank you for doing the work that you do. I am returning with a team in October and can hardly wait to get on the ground and start working. I watched the anniversary coverage and as good as it was, it didn't do justice to a part of this country that boasts some of the strongest and kindest people I have ever met. In Pearlington, there are some women at the First Baptist Church that feed all the volunteers everyday in the church hall. I have to say, I looked forward to this each day with gusto. Sure the food was amazing, but it was the spirit that hooked me. These were folks who had suffered losses in the storm, yet felt compelled to spend their time and energy making us feel welcome during our stay. There was hugging and singing and praying...boy, did we feel welcome. Tears ran down their cheeks as they thanked us for leaving our lives behind for a little while so that we might help them. All the while, I couldn't help but think that I was actually getting so much more than I was giving. They generously offered the gift of grace every day. Please let the great people of the Gulf Coast and especially my friends in Pearlington know that they are not forgotten and as long as I have a voice, I will spread the word that when the South rises this time, it will be glorious!!!
Respectfully,
Received 7/20/07 Thank you,
Eddie Blanco Received 7/20/07 Thanks for including the link to WLOX-TV's
recent coverage of the forced closure of the acclaimed God's Katrina
Kitchen's volunteer services on the Gulf Coast. A colleague also sent me
AP's coverage of the story.
Received 6/24/07 Many readers likely are unaware that life as we know it in this country may be changed indelibly and irreversibly based on votes to be taken this week in the U.S. Senate. Further, Mississippians should know that their esteemed U.S. Senator, Trent Lott, has taken it upon himself to lead the charge in bringing about this change, supported neither by the vast majority of Americans nor Mississippians. Where and why Sen. Lott went off the tracks on the ill-begotten Senate Immigration Bill is a matter of conjecture: Is it playing-up to a lame-duck President, a bow to big money interests pushing this legislation, or a way to make a misconceived mark for himself at career's end? Regardless, the result may well be the undoing of honest, hard-working American citizens and legal residents. One letter writer says we should close our eyes, ears, and mouths and put our trust in the good Senator. Never mind that democracy depends on voters doing just the opposite -- this advice leads to selling this country down the river once and for all. Meanwhile, Sen. Lott denounces talk radio: "We have to deal with that problem." And amendments to moderate the bill's worst elements? "No big deal -- you just pitch those before you get to the Rotunda." Sen. Lott is, however, right about one thing: Something must be done. What must be done is that this monstrous "Grand Compromise" be brought down, once and for all, and for our government to follow the will of the American people: Enforce our borders, and enforce existing immigration law. Doing that will stanch, if not stop, the flow of illegals into our country, will eliminate the magnet of easy jobs, and will cut off the taxpayer-supported social services sustaining the illegal community. The majority of illegal aliens will then self-deport themselves whence they came. Let us be sure that Senators Lott and Thad Cochran hear this message loud and clear. Sincerely, Frank J. Yacenda
Received 6/20/07 Unbeknownst to Mississippi, the state is in the eye of the nation's immigration policy storm. That's because Senator Trent Lott is the key GOP vote-counter and persuader. The senator's goal is to secure enough GOP votes to combine with those of the Democratic majority to reach the 60-vote threshold necessary to limit debate (prevent a filibuster) on the Senate's immigration bill, S. 1348. This "cloture" vote would open the way for a final vote in which only 50 votes would be needed for passage. But a grassroots rebellion is frustrating Senator Lott's efforts: "Talk radio is running America. We have to deal with that problem." (June 14) A North Carolinian — who recently lived in the Los Angeles metro area, I side with the grassroots. There will be unwelcome consequences from this nation-transforming legislation. Perhaps Harvard professor and labor economist George Borjas (a Cuban immigrant) said it best in a May 17 piece in the National Review: "The economics (of the bill) are relatively simple. Low-skilled immigrants are admitted in huge numbers driving down the wages of blue-collar workers . . . Meanwhile, the social costs associated with education, health care and welfare expenditures will explode and be largely socialized." "The primary beneficiaries will be social, economic and political elites who manage to reap the benefits of mass immigration while insulating themselves and their families from the consequences. …(They) don't have their livelihoods, not to mention their children's education, threatened by mass immigration, but they will acquire the cheapest pool cleaners, housekeepers, and roofers in the Western world."* In weighing whether to support the Senate immigration bill, Mississippians --- and Americans --- are, in effect, asking themselves this question: Do we want to develop an extensive cheap-labor economy? Is it a good idea to follow southern California's lead?
Tom Shuford Received 5/22/07
Keith, I am a truck
driver/poet from Bay St. Louis, who works in a Gov.
sanctioned sweat shop industry. The general public is
completely unaware of the the US Government's role in
the long-haul trucking industry. They regulate, and
therefore sanction the worker abuse which moves our
entire economy. I am very sensitive to the issue of
globalization, immigration, and worker abuse here in
the US. I enjoyed your article
The Silent War
tremendously. It is so terribly important for people
like yourself to keep hammering away because the flock
is asleep, as you are surely aware.
Received 5/22/07
Received 4/19/07 Received 3/16/07 Greetings, We were recently in Gulfport to see what if anything was being done in your area. We were appalled at what we saw, every place we looked was heart-ache. Something MUST be done about the present administrations gross mishandling of the greatest disaster too hit our USA. We all know this is the greatest bunch of inept idiots to be in Washington in the history of our nation...it would be very interesting to know where the millions & millions of dollars went that was meant to restore the Katrina Victims. GOD BLESS YOU ALL, and lets hope some one some where gets their head out of their rump and does something positive in the Gulf Port area. We are sick and tired of hearing these politicals pointing fingers at one another while our southern friends are suffering so. Rex A.Ebnit Sanford, Mi Received 3/12/07 Keith, My wife and I have had a sail boat at Long Beach harbor for the past 11 years. We live in Meridian, the boat was our weekend home at least twice a month until we retired a few years ago, the visits became a week or two. We enjoyed the people we met from Waveland to Long Beach, we felt like part of the community (home away from home). Katrina, Katrina was the storm no one could imagine. It was far reaching, all the way to Meridian. We are back at Long Beach, and happy to say a lot of people we knew are building back. After Katrina GCN was our main source for news. Thanks for the bridge update today Loren
Received 3/11/07 Certainly the FBI has better, more realistic buildings to train in--like old Wal-Marts, tenement compounds and closed military bases throughout the nation (their are plenty of them, their buildings rotting.) Better yet, Why don't they just storm in to peoples' homes? Like maybe Cheney's or Rumsfeld's? There's a big ranch in Texas... Instead of being remembered as the hallowed hall of heroes, I guess its legacy will be 'training grounds for elite crime-fighting units.' Jim Pankey, USN (Ret.) Resident, 2002-2005
Received 3/6/07 Now it's time to take a look at the shoddy management of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, where a recent viral outbreak ravaged hundreds of the residents, all veterans and retirees. Fifty percent of staff was chopped, services were reorganized to be more efficient--and as a consequence the residents in the Home, deserving much better, suffer greater threats as the march to better economy with lowered standards of service and treatment continues under the Chief Operating Officer. The residents there wonder if anyone will come to their aid, if a congressional committee will be formed for them. Jim Pankey, USN (Ret.) Received 1/9/07 Dear Sirs: I quite frankly am at the end of the rope with the MDA grant process. Either I call and no one calls me back in the “5-7 days” promised or I get the absolute run around. We closed on October 13, 2006, 3 months ago. We were told 4-6 weeks. I waited patiently. At week 6 I call. Was told someone would call be back in 5-7 days. I waited patiently. I called again. I was told someone would call me back in 5-7 days. I waited. I called again. This time they promised a supervisor would call me back. Surprise they did, but it was not much help. Unbelievably I was then told no one ever said 4-6 weeks but its always been 8-10 weeks. (Not true, I know of a dozen others who were told the same thing). Then I was advised it was my bank’s fault they waited till Nov 7 to send back the closing papers. Well, that explain 3 weeks of delay, but not the other 5 weeks. I was advised the paperwork was mailed 3 days ago to Courthouse. I waited and went Courthouse, indeed the subordinations and covenants were filed on December 18. (More than 8 weeks after closing (ridiculous by any standards). Now its been 22 days since filing and still nothing. I called last Thursday or Friday. Got the big runaround. They would send an email and someone would call me back. GUESS WHAT!!! No one has called!! Surprise! Surprise! Some people were paid a lot of money to administer this program and believe me the Government ought to get their money back. I’ve kept my sense of humor throughout surviving Katrina with the loss of my office and substantial damage to my home, I laughed at the ineptitude of the FEMA, etc. but its difficult dealing with another agency that just doesn’t seem to have any organization or idea how much stress they add to an already stressful situation. Anyway I’ve vented so maybe I can wait another 10 weeks.
Thanks
Received 1/3/07 As a Hancock County resident in an A-8 flood zone, I was required by my Pre-Katrina mortgage company to provide Flood Coverage. When my insurance company American Bankers of Florida (Assurant) paid all my Homeowner claims, not one was written as flood damage. Every check I received was written as wind damage. I claimed a 70,000 dollar loss on my 2005 income tax as flood damage over the maximum amount of the policy under the wind payout. After the mortgage company took their share there was not much left to rebuild with and hardly any insurance company will offer Homeowners in Hancock County now unless you pay for separate flood, wind and fire. Now I have a USAA renter’s policy and a separate Federal flood policy with no wind and fire on the structure (who can afford wind and fire anymore). Like the majority of Hancock County, we are waiting on the Phase II portion of the Grant before we can even think to rebuild to new FIRM height requirements. The only charity help I received was from Operation Homefront and the Gulfport Seabee base which provided me a used 1989 trailer that is worth less than the 5000.00 dollar closing cost I paid to receive it and the 3000.00 dollars to bring it to Pre-Katrina A-8 flood zone requirements (Federal Law prevented them from giving it to me.) Oh yeah, I still have a FEMA trailer and my old flooded house that didn’t receive any wind damage other than wind driven water 32 feet high. I already filled out a needs assessment with Kathleen Johnson in August who sent someone out to my house to help me rebuild but all they did was sit and talk to my wife in the trailer and left never to return. How do I get a charity like the Amish or some other group to build me a house on stilts like all the ones I see in the news? Jon E Rench USNavy (retired) Received 12/26/06 Keith, In 2005 Congress directed the "Go Zone" area's to set up the process to make investment income tax credits available to build or rehab low to moderate income housing. For Mississippi, the applicants had to have the applications in Jackson by March 20, 2006 to try to reserve their share of the $39 - $42 million dollars worth of tax credits for our state. Mississippi has previously received and average of $3 million annually, but apparently didn't staff up for the onslaught of ten times more funding and most likely ten times more applications. It has been 9 months and there has been no news about any properties being put into service or even under construction using these funds. Do you suppose that the needed miracle is bottlenecked in Jackson? How much of the $39 - $42 million in tax credits will actually get to the coast? I think that once you get into this you will find a lot of "home cooking" going on.
Keep up the good work. Very few news
providers actually tell it like it is and I feel that you are leading
those few.
Chuck Rumsey Received
12/19/06 Received 12/7/06 My wife and I have been coming to Biloxi for the last 5 years (except for the year of the hurricane) and really had a wonderful time. But this year we cannot make it because of the out of sight hotel prices! All we read about is how the casinos and hotels want and need for people to come to Biloxi and spend their money, but with the hotel rates so high, who can afford to come to Biloxi? It looks like they (hotel and motel) owners are trying to make up for their losses in a year or two. Until the hotel rates come down and they stop trying to throw it to the people, we will take our vacation money elsewhere. Ken McMillan
Received 12/2/06 Received 12/2/06 I have just read the article. Appreciate the work that you do to keep the news coming. It would be great if our elected officials would be "HONEST" and give out the information requested. I was looking for information from GSA & Naval Eng. Dept. on the rebuilding plans since they received control of the property 3rd Nov. 2006. The December issue of "AFRH COMMUNICATOR" was also on the web site this p.m. Not one word about the Gulfport home, except for statement from the Chief Financial Officer concerning the "Gulfport Resident Fund" questions have been asked concerning that fund. I hope the Gulfport home is rebuilt prior to 2010. I do not want to go to the Wash D.C. At the present time, I'm living in a cabin near Lake Texhoma/Sherwood Shores/Gordonville,TX. I try to read the GCN everyday. Waiting to read when the "Tower" is demolished at the AFRH/Gulfport, then I will assume work will be in progress to rebuild. Thanks Again V. A. Barton, Navy Chief, Retired Received 11/10/06 Congressman Rangel, As a proud Mississippian and resident of the Katrina-ravaged Gulf Coast I would be happy to tell you “who the hell wants to live in Mississippi”. I will not waste your time with the litany of world-class writers, artists, athletes, entertainers, scientists, surgeons, astronauts, musicians, soldiers and statesmen who have called Mississippi home. I will not mention the veterans who retire here nor the snowbirds who flock to our area each year. I will not list the giants in American industry who choose to locate in Mississippi. Instead, I will tell you of the 93,000 people still housed in FEMA trailers due to the loss of over 10,000 apartment units and over 150,000 homes to Hurricane Katrina. I will tell you of the over 4,000 building permits that have been issued in Biloxi to the owners of homes and businesses destroyed a little over a year ago. I will tell you of the 13,000 Casino employees who live here and serve the many who choose to visit here. Congressman Rangel, these people went through Hell to live in Mississippi! Wendy Barthe Peavy Biloxi, MS Received 10/23/06
Hi, Keith, Their propane heater would not work. Period. 11 trouble reports were filed and at least that many people came to 'fix' it. Finally, they handed my parents a PORTABLE ELECTRIC HEATER and said that was the best they could do. So my dear old folks slept is an ice cold trailer every nite it was cold. They were afraid to run the plug-in heater while sleeping in case of fire. They also requested steps and a landing for 5 months. Finally my brother built them one. Then when FEMA took the trailer they tried to take the steps my brother built and my parents paid for!! My mom had to pull receipts for the wood to prove it was theirs. I hope I'm not bothering you too
much with all the emails, but sometimes I read the stuff with tongue in
cheek and just have to say something! Some of the BS that FEMA and the
Government from the local to the national level they feed is is such a
joke. FEMA has no idea what they are doing. They had someone "level" our
trailer last week even though we told them it was empty, had been called
in for pick up and didn't even have water or electricity going to it. I
sure wish I had some of those wasted tax dollars, don't you ??? Take
care and keep that news coming! Received 10/23/06 Dear Keith:
Received 10/20/06 On another subject... Apparently the Corps is planning to circumvent the standing protections to tidal wetlands in an effort to speed up recovery and reconstruction. Don't those arrogant assholes acknowledge that much of the reason for Katrina's extraordinary damage was the fact that so much tidal wetlands had been lost, drained , "repurposed", that there was no buffer to left to mitigate the force of the tidal surges?
It's this type of expeditious
policy-politics that guarantees that another Katrina catastrophe is
inevitable. Incidentally.
Wetlands not only serve as coastal buffers
but that are the most fecund nurseries for many species of fish and,
in the Gulf in particular, reptiles. Which should be a major
consideration in planning the future economic profile of the Gulf
Coast.
Despite the bluesky dreams of the casino mouthpieces, an economy built solely on blackjack is hardly healthy over the long run. If the Corps wants to do something to spur recovery, why doesn't it start pressuring the bureaucrats to distribute the money that is already allotted, streamline the permitting procedures and light a fire under the agencies that have seized the prerogative to establish new building regulations? As the IM-generation says, WTF? Regards, Bob Brown
Received 10/9/06
Received from the GCN Katrina Message
Board Received 9/27/06 How can our politicians get up every morning and look at themselves in the mirror. Our Government just spent over 170 million dollars repairing the New Orleans Super Dome while here in Mississippi the Federal Grant Program has stalled causing overwhelming pain and frustration for thousands of Gulf Coast residents. Reportably, FEMA's decision to rebuild the DOME was made to improve moral and create a feeling of normalcy for New Orleans residents. I also heard on the news that this was done to keep the SAINTS from leaving N.O. for San Antonio. But wait, the typical family in N.O. cannot afford the $50.00 tickets, the $5.00 hot dog and the $5.00 drink. So who were the big winners from this ridiculous expenditure of our tax dollars? I think it was Tom Benson and the owners of the $200/night hotel owners. Our Government never ceases to amaze me in its incompetence. Ron Gambrell, Biloxi. Received 9/3/06 I would like to thank you for providing the survivor connector database. I evacuated to Florida with 3 children. One child was 13 and couldn't reach her friends after Katrina. Try keeping a teenager calm with the images we saw on TV. Thanks to the database, she was kept busy searching for our friends and with each "hit" came relief that everyone was ok. My husband worked in Ocean Springs ER during the hurricane and after finally hearing from him after 3 days, we were able to find out more information on our friends, family and coworkers. Because anybody could enter information and change status, we were able to input data on everyone we heard about (at their request since they had NO computer access). If you are working on improvements for (GOD FORBID!) a next time may I suggest a few things. If there could be a differentiation between "searching for" and "missing". It was heartbreaking to see someone you know as missing only to find it was someone searching for a loved one who had really evacuated and their cell phone wasn't working. "Searching for" would still be important as I know of several people listed as missing because they were from the Gulf Coast and friends from the past were looking for them. I wouldn't consider someone living in Jackson as missing, but their friends did. Only when the "missing" searched for others did they find their own names. Other websites have the ability to enter an e-mail address that goes through the website and the recipient's e-mail is protected until they reply. An example is classmates.com. This would not be necessary for a three day evacuation, but in the case of Katrina I'm sure you felt as we all did that we'd be back home by Thursday or Friday. I didn't think of taking my address book! With everyone scattered (to this day) it would have been nice to be able to e-mail since my cell phone was down for a month. The great aspects of the database (from someone who was a frequent user) were the ability to search by city, enter each family member name (not just head of household) and free text for the address (some people put the name of their street, area or development but not a house number). The database, along with the message boards, helped in more ways than you will ever know. As an evacuee, I thank you for the amazing job you did in distributing the most valuable information-status of the Gulf Coast residents. Sherri Bass, (formerly of) Ocean Springs, MS Received 9/4/06 Congratulations to everyone at GCN for the recent nomination. It is truly deserved, and I applaud every one of you. Since Katrina I relocated to Warrensburg, Missouri, but went home (Bay St. Louis), for the anniversary. Even though I read your site EVERY day, I was horrified at what I saw. Before I left you could not ride down the beach, but we did this time, only to see nothing! It was so sad to see my home town ripped apart by Katrina...My relatives are well on their way to the finishing touches of their new home. They have certainly worked hard and I'm so proud of them, but miss them so much. I have been asked about moving back numerous times. When I heard how rent has skyrocketed.... Well, that's another story. To Perry - A fantastic story on Wal-Mart! While at home, I went to Wal-Mart, and let me tell you all... I only wish our Wal-Mart was half as good as the one in Waveland! To everyone in Bay St. Louis and Waveland - God Bless each and everyone, and my prayers are with you every day. Thanks GCN! :-) Sincerely, Sheila Heitzmann FloydReceived 9/1/06 Thanks for your article on our Waveland Wal-Mart. They have indeed been heroes around here. They were there when no one else was and I, for one, am deeply grateful to them. Jim Dalrymple, Waveland Received 8/30/06
Keith,
Congratulations on your well-deserved
nomination. As a resident of Atlanta with many family member and
friends that live in Hancock County I have relied on your on-line news
service to keep me up to date with what is happening on the Gulf
Coast. (I even use your information to inform my family in Hancock
County what is going on down there).
Keep up the good work.
Steve Kidd
Received 8/30/06 Hi, Keith, I just read the archived articles that Perry Hicks wrote in the first days following Katrina. All I can say is... Man, did he really hit the nail on the head! Memories came flooding back…the heat, the stink, the impossible sleep on damp, slanting mattresses, the desperation to get out for fear of losing our lives to disease and lack of food and water, hunting for family members (all safe and sound, albeit wet, Thank God). With all the hoopla and politicking going on to commemorate the 1 year anniversary now, it was a good reminder of how bad things were but how strong and resilient we South Mississippians are. Your GCN.com web page is a daily stop for me. I want you to know how much we appreciate your ‘real and useful news’ and hard work as well as that of your brother and friends. I’ll end this with a huge THANK YOU to you and your staff and to all the volunteers who came to help us get over the despair and get us started back to getting our lives back to normal. God Bless America and our Wonderful Citizens! Netter B in Bay St. Louis
Received from Perry Hicks 8/27/06
Received 8/16/06 I would think that the eligible people should be up in arms about the way MDA is dragging this out but the same old apathy exists. Is this ever going to take place ? Why the hold up of over a month from the time the media announced the people would be notified about their claims has only a handful been notified. I would like the see the media more involved and put some pressure on the ones responsible. James Kidd SR. Augusta, Georgia
Received
8/14/06 Just got through reading your update, and I can see how real the hurt is for you, in this past year. I hope everything is going well for you and your family, and that reporting what’s going on in your area is a form of strength for you. I made a prediction to friends after Katrina hit that 1.) The rebuilding in NOLA and the MS Gulf Coast would not be nearly what everyone thinks it will be and that 2.) The nation’s economy would not feel that many effects from Katrina. I don’t take that much pride in being right on both countsL Most folks in business, government, and societal institutions have not fully come to grips with what a deck-clearing disaster Katrina was (though Houston TX has become a stark exception to this). I’ll venture to guess that most common folks instinctively knew, though. Keith, a lot of the folks in East Biloxi haven’t been able to rebuild because RESOURCES were not available for them AT THE MOMENT THEY NEEDED THEM. And there was no way that resources COULD be made available for them, at least not beyond immediate needs. So, for a lot of homeowners and renters, there was no real choice but to move on, whether it be a (relatively) undamaged neighborhood of Biloxi or somewhere in Colorado. While a lot of people in the nation who took y’all in their communities thought this would be a temporary arrangement, there was no real thought that temporary has that certain way of becoming permanent. And that’s what a lot of people, from Gov. Haley Barbour on down, can’t get their arms around. From what I’ve read from your website, there’s no real indication they will understand the deck-clearing aspects of Katrina anytime soon. Keep the website going, for it’s a great resource.
Good luck, and
God Bless.
Received 6/23/06
Perhaps I’m
wrong, but mayor Skellie of Long Beach, may have things going his
way. I site the pending agreement with the state over repairing
and enlarging their harbor, since gaming will be prohibited, in
the harbor area. Technically speaking you can now put a Casino
anywhere on land within 800 feet of the water. However, the
Mississippi Gaming Commission mandates that any casino developer
owning property on the north side of Highway 90 must also own, or
lease land on the beach side, of the highway. And of course, the
only beach side land is in the Long Beach harbor. For gaming to get a foothold, the city would have to approve
any potential casino site, and make the appropriate zoning change.
But, even then the Gaming commission has the final say, and so far
no Casino development has been allowed on land across from public
beaches. The Long Beach harbor is the only location, which has no
conflict with a public beach . Perhaps, this has some bearing on why the recent meeting, to
discuss next Tuesday’s referendum never occurred. As reported, no
official action could be taken because there was no quorum. Only
three of the seven board members - Richard Notter, Richard Burton
and Charlie Boggs - showed up. But, why would you meet to discuss
an issue, which may be neutralized, by the harbor agreement? The only issue clouding my theory would be the status of the
private pre-Katrina harbor leases. However, it wouldn’t seem
logical, or legal, to establish a no gaming agreement, if a
current lease holder could upset the applecart. It would be a
blatant political farce, to create a no gaming zone, and then
permit someone from within the zone, to use their lease as the
basis for establishing a casino north of the highway. If the mayor
wasn’t on record opposing Long Beach casinos, I might be
suspicious, but I wonder if he has something else in mind. The no
gambling harbor agreement looks like a perfect weapon, for
slamming the door shut on Long Beach casinos? And if that‘s the
case, then next Tuesday’s referendum would be a waste of time and
money. Robert Hayes, former Coast resident, now living in Ellisville,
MS.........
Received 6/12/06
Received 6/11/06 by GCN Contributing
Writer Eric Cox and Forward to GCN. The letter refers to Eric's
article, "Post Katrina
Rifts." - Editor
I was wowed by your humility and honesty
in your post and also in the letter sent to GCN.
Thank you for your voice. I truly
understand how it must feel to be in your shoes. You sound a bit
like myself actually.
Personally, I have only experienced
gratitude from the people that we have helped.
And yes, they are the elderly and mostly
poor. So then I truly believe you hit a nerve with the facts you
raised. I just hope and pray that it hits home to the ones that need
it.
You are an excellent writer and "issue
taker", lol. keep it up. I am in your shadows in just trying to drum
up interest in getting my little corner of the rest of our nation to
help the Gulf Coast. It's not easy. Even with faith-based
organizations that come down to help you run into all sorts of
issues. Such as the people that refuse to come humble and really
willing to help, but just there to make themselves look good. That's
a real stinker. I know volunteer leaders that have had workers that
they arranged to come actually snap their fingers at them expecting
"room service" type quality.
So really, all throughout this entire
effort, you can find the bad. However the good is always evident and
eternally present. Simply because thats the way God is. He prevails
throughout, no matter what.
Consider; no matter how bad the
situation is, Gods nature demands that good comes from it
eventually. This understanding is what keeps Christians doing what
they do. No matter what.
Yours Truly,
Mary Simmons
Millington, TN
Received 6/8/06
I have lived
in Hancock County for the past 19yrs. As a child growing up in New
Orleans my summers were spent in Bay St.Louis. Because of that I moved
here in 1987. I worked for the New Orleans Police department from 1974
until 1996 when I retired under a disability pension. I sat through
many hurricanes as a child and later working some of them as a police
officer. Even though we did not actually have one hit New Orleans we
were always prepared (supposedly). My family and I are going to live
back in Hancock county but about 30 miles from the beach( our house
was 2 miles north of the beach). I have seen a lot in my 50yrs but can
tell you that I have never seen more togetherness between people here
is Mississippi that was shown from Hurricane Katrina. All eyes are on
New Orleans but I can tell you that city will never come together as
the coast of Mississippi has. Maybe all the elected officials in
Washington needs to spend some time on the coast and see how true
Americans can work together. I am proud to be a Mississippian(
transplanted) and all I can say is that we will move forward and show
the rest of the World we can survive.
Received 5/16/06
Keith,
Hi. I grew up in Pass Christian. I left for College after
graduating from Pass High in 1971 and have not lived there since,
but it has always been "Home" to me. I was there before, during and
after Camille which had a profound impact on me. I've been saddened
to read and hear all the controversy concerning Mayor McDonald, and
concerned about the future of my hometown.
Today I was sent a copy of the article "City At a Crossroads"
which appeared in the Gulf Coast News. It was good to hear a more
positive prospective on the issue and I thank you for it.
Hugh W. Griffon, Jr.
Truck Driver
Hoopeston, IL
Received 5/15/06 I applaud the governor for getting assistance to all the Mississippi residents who lost their homes outside the flood zone (MDA Grants). But what are they doing for the citizens who live within a Pre-Katrina FIRM flood zone, who were compliant and fully insured? My insurance paid off my house and all my personal property, but I cannot get SBA or FEMA to provide a loan or Grant to rebuild with nor can I afford to insure with it's new astronomical rates. I finally decided enough and paid 5K cash for a single wide trailer and 10 K worth of improvements just to make it Pre Katrina compliant in a flood zone again. Now, I can't afford to insure it and no one is giving me a grant or mitigation $ to make it Post-Katrina compliant when they update the FIRM maps. Any Suggestions by your readers would be appreciated, Hancock County no matter how @#$%ed up has been my home for the past 7 years. Jon E. Rench
Received 5/5/06 Received this
message from Kathy Pinn in Waveland regarding the
GCN article on what Waveland needs...Mark Proulx
Yes, I've already received inquiries and offers for help. Thank you
so much. A lot of people must read GCN.
I have to change one thing in my article.
I wrote that south of the tracks the estimated cost is $5 million.
That was incorrect.
The latest information received last week is that to rebuild the
infrastructure south of the tracks in Waveland will be $22 million.
FEMA has a 90-10 match and MEMA will give us 5%
of that if we have the other 5% which would be approximately $1.1
million.
Please correct this for me.
Thanks, and a special thank you for Waveland and the response we are
getting.
The Waveland website is being reworked and can currently be accessed
at
www.wavelandcity.com
--
Kathy Pinn
City of Waveland
335 Coleman Avenue Waveland, MS 39576 228-467-3425
Received 4/30/06
I recently read an article that was posted
by your senior editor concerning illegal immigration. Your editor
posed the question what do we do since the politicians are not
interested in enforcing the laws concerning illegal immigration what
should we do?
There are several options concerning this
matter and so I will begin with the most logical. The first option is
to nominate and vote for a candidate who will uphold the laws. After
all the politicians are our elected officials and work for us. We do
not work for them. If this means voting for a third party candidate so
be it!
The second option would be to boycott any
and all businesses who hire illegal immigrants. In the short term yes
this may hurt the state; however, big business who eventually cave
because they would lose millions.
The minute man project is also asking for
funds to build a wall on the US- Mexico border. Since the federal
Government will not protect the people this organization will. Your
readers may make a donation for the construction of this wall at
www.weneedafence.com .
I am asking you pass this information on
to your readers. I fear that if we do not secure our borders now soon
we will have no borders. May God bless America.
Sincerely,
John David Sessums
Received 4/27/06
FEMA? A Four-Letter Word
I am from St. Bernard Parish. We are waiting for help. It isn't coming fast enough. I pray for a FEMA trailer. I was a business owner and the storm wiped us out. Our home and business are gone and there is no money coming in. FEMA wont help us because we insured our property. If that makes sense to you, please help me understand. Why would they not help the people who were paying the premiums on their federal flood insurance policy? They drop us for taking care of ourselves. Is there something wrong with that picture, or is it just me?
D. Bordelon
Received 4/26/06
Dear Editor, I am passing along this info as I think it is VERY important to know exactly what one is doing when one is pressured to sign these new FEMA Travel Trailer Lease Agreements. For the past 3 weeks we have been contacted or approached by FEMA Reps or Contractors about signing a lease for our 8' x 30' Handicap accessible travel trailer. We did not refuse to sign the lease, but have not signed to date. We only questioned the part of the lease that states we may have to pay "fair market value" for use of the travel trailer. It took several phone calls, dealing with one extremely condescending woman, and 2 supervisors to get FEMA's dollar amount for "fair market value". I was quoted a price of $502.00 PER MONTH for this 8' x 30' tin can that we cannot even safely stay in during a heavy rain. A 2 bedroom Mobile home is going to be around $780.00 per month, as I was told my the FEMA Rep today. I have notified both Senator Lott's and Congressman Taylor's offices about this matter. On the one hand, I think I can see where this is going. If everyone who has Assisted or Temporary Living Expenses coverage on their insurance signs the lease, FEMA could recoup some of their expenses and force these insurance thieves to cough up some money one way or another via the leases. On the other hand, since FEMA is a Federal Government Program, they must act fairly and without bias. Which means that everyone in a FEMA trailer must sign the lease. Those who had no insurance at all must also sign the leases and will end up being so far in debt they will never get out. I don't want to double-dip. I feel that is wrong. IF there is a way for my insurance company to be forced to reimburse FEMA and me some of MY money, that would be lovely. What I don't want to do is get roped into a lease that could end up costing me thousands for very unsuitable living conditions. Be warned that these Lease people are
very aggressive and some were downright rude and got nasty when I
asked for the lease to be changed to the actual dollar amount. I would
appreciate any feedback/response via this site from others who are
dealing with the same attitudes and pressure. This has gotten us so
stressed out we have decided to move back into the house with bare
concrete floors, primer coated walls, and no kitchen or A/C rather
than dealing with any more hassle. God Bless, Everyone! We will
survive this, but it sure helps to vent now and then!
Received from Mark Proulx 4/25/06 This is from a very good friend of mine who had a house on the canal right near Henderson Point in Pass Christian. Her house was obliterated, to say the least. My family have been helping her clear the land over there, but it looks like it may be a very long time before anyone builds over there. Here is her update...Mark No Longer Barefoot and Homeless
Mark,
After the devastation of hurricane Katrina we had originally planned
to rebuild on our waterfront property. Indecision by the local
government and uncertainty about the status of the railroad, a new
East-West corridor and the fact our neighborhood is still guarded by
a police barricade led us to the conclusion that we needed to look
for a place to live, a place that once again we could call our
own. We found it and we are now officially in it!!
We found a place (2700 square feet, pool, 2-car garage and a
workshop/barn) on 5 acres of partly wooded land and closed on March
24. I feel at home already, although Larry is adjusting more
slowly. I will provide more details about our place along with
pictures later. With the workshop, solarium and garage, we have
twice the square footage we had, and I think I could get lost in
here, sorta. The fireflies are twinkling out
there now and I have to haul the garbage to the end of the driveway
with a wagon (or the car) but the sky is clear and bright and the
stars are amazing.
We miss the water but we still own that land. The neighborhood there for the most part has not been cleaned up completely and it still looks like a wasteland. The only road into our old neighborhood is still barricaded by police and has a curfew. It is the only neighborhood on the coast still like this. With no one around us planning to rebuild it was going to be hard to build a dream home in the midst of the waste and live in it knowing that eminent domain might be declared and our place taken from us for the new Hwy 90.
Anyway! here we are, no longer barefoot and homeless.
Received 4/6/06 Dear Keith Burton:
I don't know who you are beyond apparently being some old coot with
nothing better to do than circulate your personal, and none-too-bright
opinion as some sort of gospel, but I've gotten two complaints about
your opinion that people with animals may have to leave them behind
when evacuating for a storm. While that might be your own personal
policy because, like many nonprogressive and ill-informed people, you
don't like, or even hate, animals, it's not the policy of enlightened
people who care about animals and regard them as members of the
family, nor is it the policy of the thousands of volunteers who
slaved, and are still slaving, to help the trusting animals abandoned
by their owners during hurricane Katrina. No one has to leave their
animals behind, of course--that's a choice they make willingly. When
you say otherwise, all you're doing is publicly confirming your own
lack of morality. In more enlightened states (states with a greater
population of educated people), abandoning an animal is a crime, of
course, and carries penalties.
Because people left their animals to starve, drown, suffer, get
eaten by other animals, die of thirst and heat
stroke and other things that happened to abandoned pets after
hurricane Katrina, causing tremendous inconvenience and expense for
others who then had to assume responsibility for the unwanted animals,
legislation has now been introduced which mandates that pets have to
be accommodated in evacuation scenarios. I hope that codifying the
obvious will pave the way towards eventually being able to charge
people who abandon animals with a crime, as they should be. There may
be mitigating circumstances that can be considered by a judge, of
course, but the overall notion that abandoning a dependent creature is
a crime is a great step towards creating a moral society.
Terri Mitchell
GCN Response:
Terri, You obviously didn't read
all of my
recommendation. I said people should find a location elsewhere
ahead of time to take their pets.
"If you have pets, you may have to leave them
behind. I know this is difficult, but keep in mind that pets are not
often allowed at hotels and never in shelters. It is better to
evacuate to a safe out-of-town location planned ahead of time that has
nearby facilities for pets."
I know of people during Katrina that
nearly lost their own lives by not evacuating so that they could watch
their pets and did not leave when they should have. My intent is to
get people to think and do what is right. I am neither an "Old Coot"
or a person that doesn't have animals. I have pets that I consider
part of my family and I made sure I had them with me. But people often
do the wrong things. Those that failed to evacuate and stayed with
their pets, lost them to the flooding while trying to save their own
lives by hanging on to trees. Calling me names does nothing against
the truth involving situations of life or death when people don't
think. People that lost their pets in New Orleans when they were
forced from their homes and had to be evacuated by helicopters,
leaving loved pets behind, had no choice and was tragic. It is my hope
that people will read my recommendation understanding the seriousness
of the situation and plan accordingly. You clearly do not realize the
scope of the dangers people faced here, nor understand the true loss
of those people and their pets, which is what I seek to avoid in my
recommendation.
Keith Burton - GulfCoastNews.com
Received 4/4/06
When we moved away from the Coast a
little over 3 months ago, we were somewhat amazed at the growth we
found in the Hattiesburg area. In fact, it was this rampant growth
which actually pushed us a little further north, to near Ellisville,
MS. ..................Being retired has also made it possible, for
my wife and I, to visit a number of other areas. To say growth is
evident would be an understatement, and it looks to us as though
much of this is permanent. In fact, many conversations have given us
the impression that one heck of a lot of folks have moved this way
and are not going back. We are told that around Hattiesburg, there
are over 20,000 new residents, and Poplaville, and Picayune, have
literally doubled in size, and growing. Obviously, none of this is a
surprise, but it has to be factor, in why the Coast is not
rebounding as quick as many expected. I tend to look at it this way.
If all you had was an average job, you can easily find employment
around here to match your pre-Katrina existence, and live a lot
cheaper than you could on the Coast. My 60 years near Long Beach,
was a good life, but it changed. Returning to visit our son, on
several occasions, has unfortunately only confirmed our decision.
And oddly enough even our son has become discouraged. He plans to
remain long enough to stash away enough money to make a move
himself. And a number of our old friends have indicated that our
move has made them seriously consider going somewhere else. Maybe
I'm wrong, but it seems the Coast could be on the verge of loosing
more people than it can afford to loose. Oh, growth will indeed
return, but the path could be a lot longer. And ANY type, of storm
this year would likely be the last straw, for thousands
more................. I would love to see some updated figures, on
population shifts, but I'll bet the trend continues, with more vigor
than many Coast leaders would care to acknowledge, or perhaps even
yet realize.
Received March 30,
2006 Kudos to you and your staff. For those of us that have had most of our major life changes occur in Biloxi your information has been crucial to planning and sanity! I just read your article entitled, “What I’ve Learned from Katrina” and felt compelled to write. I have not been back to Biloxi post Katrina in large part secondary to work issues. I do keep up with the happenings through various websites and the reports of both folks that live there and folks that have shared their experiences with assisting the folks there. My husband spent six weeks in the fall in Biloxi assisting Bell South in trying to get communications reestablished. Multiple friends and acquaintances have made the trek to assist in whatever ways they can, from gutting ruined homes to sheetrocking and serving meals. Without fail, each of them have reported two remarks, “You can’t possibly understand what it’s like unless you’re there” and that it is they who have received a gift, the gift of peace and love that accompany working hard in service of your fellow man. Without exception I have also been told, “I’ve never seen such determined people. Their lives as they knew it were destroyed and still they seek to make things as right as they can and are so grateful for any assistance.” Perhaps that is the true spirit of all Biloxians – near or far. God be with you all. Lynne Sherry Sposito Received March 27, 2006 Good Afternoon Keith, I hope all is well for you and your staff. I just wanted to drop you a line and say “hello”. I read your site from top to bottom once a week and I appreciate your dedication to Jackson County by running our weekly updates. Please keep up the good work. Thanks, Ken Flanagan JC Public Information Officer Received March 13, 2006 Keith, You gotta add this to the Letters to the Editor section. This is from Mike Cuevas in BSL. She also sent me a personal thank you for the response she's received. Mark
The response continues ...
GulfCoastNews.com has struck again. Thanks, thanks, thanks! A couple
formerly of Long Beach, MS read the needs list on the site and is
sending the four Motorola radios needed by our building department -
and - a Navy officer, located at the SEABEE base in Gulfport, is
sending out the list to his contacts with his personal pleas for help
with the office supplies and donations.
GulfCoastNews.com is really sparking new interest and new help for BSL.
The new site showing the needs list has rendered us real help.
Thanks, Mark, and to your editor. We will be forever grateful for all
of your help to Bay Saint Louis through this recovery.
This is the shot in the arm we needed. Real care and real help.
I'll keep you posted on our progress.
Mike Cuevas
Sent: Monday, March 06, 2006 9:34 AM
Subject: thank you
I wish to thank you - and all your associates - for this website.
My husband & I were employed with Grand Casino, Gulfport, for the
past twelve years. As you may know, Harrah's Entertainment took
over our Grand, right before the hurricane. This was a blessing
for us; they allowed us to transfer, and maintain our seniority,
and health benefits, along with our 401K savings.
Since our beautiful house was taken down to the slab, we did
relocate with our jobs, to Council Bluffs, Iowa. There is a
Harrah's here, and we are getting ready for the grand opening of
another Harrah's property, the Horseshoe.
We will return to the coast just as soon as Harrah's rebuilds in
Biloxi. I realize the Grand in Gulfport has been sold to the
Copa.
I wanted to take the time to simply say "thank you" for your
wonderful online coverage and contact information. I miss the
coast ... and am anxious to return. I turn to your website,
daily, for updates.
We need to be informed of any happenings down there.
Just wanted you to know your services are greatly appreciated, and
I look forward to your website information, daily.
Sincerely,
Laurie & Mark Kisslinger
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 2:39 PM
Subject: relief v. recovery
Mr. Keith,
I'm curious. Could you tell me the
difference between recovery and relief mode? How can you tell
exactly which mode the Coast is in? What criteria will you use to
decide that we have finally moved into recovery mode? Is it
possible that some areas of the Coast are in recovery mode, while
others remain in relief? How long will the Coast remain in relief
mode? Just curious,
James Collins
jcollins@bryantdukes.com
GCN's Answer.... James, You have asked a very good question. While many people, including politicians and major news media have reported that the Coast is in recovery, the truth is that people in FEMA trailers, tents and shelters are still receiving relief. The trailers are a form of relief too as they will not do for long term housing and it is a mistake to assume that people's lives should now be defined within the confines of a 28 foot travel trailer. There are also hundreds of volunteers still helping families and debris removal is still moving slowly.
Recovery implies that people have
restarted their lives in their homes, and businesses are rebuilding,
that isn't the case except in incremental ways. What is different
about Katrina is the near total loss of tens of thousands of homes on
the Coast and in Louisiana. In past storms, there was some loss and
lots of damage. But not the total loss of whole neighborhoods and
business centers.
On the Coast, almost no reconstruction is
underway, only repairs to surviving structures. My feeling on this is
that until reconstruction of totally destroyed homes
and neighborhoods gets underway, and an increasing number of FEMA
trailers are turned back in, the Coast remains in relief mode.
In Waveland, Bay St. Louis, Pass
Christian, Long Beach, beachfront Biloxi and Gulfport and nearly all
of Biloxi's Point Cadet, and over half of D'Iberville, there is near
total destruction. This is unprecedented in my 40 years of living on
the Coast and I am a Camille survivor.
Debris removal varies depending on the
city, but most Coast cities are only at about 50 percent in removing
the debris, and this is not counting the homes that have to be removed
on private property, which is further behind.
Also, many of the businesses have yet to
return. The city governments are also in relief mode as they are still
receiving assistance, but some are in dire financial shape.
Yes, some communities, such as Biloxi are
doing better, but this is a relative term. Large sections of Biloxi
remain in truly terrible condition and a large part of the population
still is without homes (this also includes apartments). While the
interior and highland sections of Coast cities are in recovery, these
areas are not the cities in whole. This distinction is what is
confusing some people. Those areas that defined what made the "Coast"
the "Coast" are what has been lost.
Two particularly major issues are the
recovery of Keesler and the rebuilding of the U.S. 90 bridges. While
Keesler has been cleaned up, it is operating with about half its full
time staff and its hospital isn't open. And rebuilding the bridges,
especially the critical Biloxi-Ocean Springs Bridge, are stalled.
Without them, economic recovery is in serious jeopardy.
There is also the need for another 9,000
FEMA trailers in Mississippi, which means people still do not have a
place to live. What so many people fail to understand is that all this
help is relief. As a result, the Coast remains in relief mode.
The true situation is this,it may be
another six months to a year before the "Coast" actually is in
recovery. Some may argue with my assessment, but even my assessment is
optimistic.
;
Keith Burton- GCN Editor
Posted 1/31/06
It is amazing and still gut wrenching to see the photos of the sheer devastation that hit the Gulf Coast region. Having lived in the MS/LA area for over 10 years, it makes me sad to see so many landmarks and places I enjoyed destroyed or completely gone.
These are the photos the world needs to see so that they can begin
to comprehend what still is happening there.
God Bless You All!!
Sandi Bilbo
Rockland, Maine
Posted 1/18/06 I was inspired to compile a recap of 2005. It seems difficult to remember prior to August 29, 2005, for that is the day my world changed forever. Katrina took my friends, my home, my possessions, my business, my life from me. Yet thru all the devastation, I found opportunity. Opportunities to make new friends, help build a new home, replace possessions with those worthy of attaining, expand my business to meet various needs, and in the process creating a new life far superior to the old. I posted the following synopsis in a forum I frequent. It was suggested that I send it to everyone I could. What better place to start than the editor of our local paper. “The year 2005 has proven an awakening for me. I have witnessed over consuming, over indulging, and over zealous return to humbling, basic existence. I learned through courage, defiance, and empathy to forgive, forget, and fortify those around me. The knowledge of the assault regardless of race, social status, or possessions, inspired vivification while attempting to unearth a resemblance of past existence. In retrospect, that life no longer exists nor ever will. It appears empty yet meaningful for it has given an indication of a pathless journey that now exposes the shallow existence endured. Blessed are those who have seen this blinding light, those who have embraced its glory, for those are new leaders, those are awake, those are the quiet that will ring loud. To have survived this heralding experience then allow ancient ways to prevail would prove ignorance to growth. For inside now grows a courage that few can attempt to accost, an overwhelming magnitude for equality, an unstoppable vision that will bring ridicule, insult, and fear before it can inspire, stimulate, and unite. Katrina invaded my being but she created a new foundation that no tempest can devastate. Change is an inevitable part of life but a new South is rising from the fragments that were once my life.” It is my thoughts and feelings about Hurricane Katrina and the rationale she revealed to me. I know others share this revelation but few can comprehend the magnitude of what is to come. Katrina has proven the “Clean Sweep Queen of the Century” for her unbiased ability to bring equality thru destruction will not stop until she reveals the corruption, waste, and neglect of our country, judicially, legally, and morally. Hurricane Katrina ‘Person of the Year’ for she will reveal for years to come. Toni Moran Becker Pass Christian, MS newSouthrising@gmail.com Posted 1/17/06 Mark- Sir,
I would like to thank all the people of Gulfport for your hospitality.
I came to your town the first of January. I had been sitting in my
home in Michigan with a burning need to do something.
I did not expect people to be so nice. You let me into your home. You
thanked me for the little bit I did. You worked along side me. You fed
me. You provided me shelter.
You will have a place in my heart for a very long time.
Thank You
Jim Maddix
Mason Michigan
I wanted to comment on a reference in one of your articles citing the
number of out of state folks on the gulf coast returning to the gaming
industry. I lost my St. Charles condo, but was unable to return to Biloxi
for four months simply because there was no place to stay. I've been in
Atlanta, but returned to Biloxi last Wed. for the first time since
Katrina. Because I flew to Biloxi, I rented a car from National at the
airport. What struck me about the car rental lots at the airport was all
the rental cars had license plates from many different states. None were
from Mississippi. Since I rented a car with Jersey tags, I felt this made
me look more like a spectator instead of a devastated resident with losses
from Katrina. I'm like everyone else-I just happened to rent a car with
out of state tags. Please make your readers aware that all out of state
cars may not necessarily be driven by spectators; most of the gulf coast
cars were destroyed in the storm and car rental agencies are "borrowing"
available cars from their other locations. Only when I made it clear to
my Biloxi neighbors that I, too, had losses was I accepted. Keith, When I was in Bay St. Louis in October, salvaging what I could from my
house in the Old Town area (it took 5
Keith – I’ve just come across GCN and would like to say excellent reporting. Couldn’t agree with you more on almost every issue. Really liked the old articles from Publius.
On the subject of emergency
grant funds of $7.8M your dead on. It was Trent Lott who got us those
funds, his excellent chief of staff in DC and support team
took up the cause without hesitation. An
honorable mention should go to Mayor Holloway who carried the housing
budget to the state capital Everyone’s a Hurricane and disaster relief specialist and critic in post Katrina but I would say the immediate disaster relief and post Katrina problems would have been better handled if they called in a world class contingency contractor like Halliburton’s Kellogg Brown & Root to run the entire Gulf Coast recovery. For example our situation was no more different then Haiti, Somalia, Bosnia or Iraq. KBR is who the USG and military relies upon for logistics and life support activities. There is no reason we couldn’t have done the same. In fact the same contract they use overseas is applicable to CONUS as well, it’s already in place for situations such as this. FEMA needs to pack up and move on as well. People state we are at 25% unemployment but what do you expect as long as there is free money. No one wants to work when they get a paycheck for sitting at the house or free hotel rooms in Destin. This is causing delays in reconstruction, crisis in small businesses trying to regain a foothold and causing costs to soar out of control. What happened to self sufficiency? The great depression taught generations of Americans to do for themselves and their families. Communities used to take care of one another. Katrina so far will have an opposite affect. It is teaching us to expect handouts and pass the burden of responsibility upon governments, who are all too eager to control are lives already, in lieu of teaching persistence, determination, discipline and hard work. If it wasn’t for the military and volunteers from across the US and the faith based groups this place would still be hurting.
God Bless!
Mr. Burton, Mr. Burton,
|
feet of water), I noticed quite a few cars with out-of-town plates driving
slowly up and down the street past my house -- people sightseeing while I
was working in my respirator and rubber gloves. It was a very strange
feeling.