Report from Lacombe, Louisiana on what's REALLY happening

[theHandpuppet]

Just got off the phone with a friend who just managed to return to her home after being crowded in a single hotel room with her grandson and a half dozen other evacuees. She wanted folks to know that despite the glowing reports you may be seeing now from the MSM, help is NOT getting to many folks devastated by Katrina.

She said it is impossible to get through to FEMA or to the Red Cross, despite the litany of 800 numbers supposedly set up for this purpose. Many outlying areas have seen no or virtually no presence from relief organizations, including federal agencies.

She also stressed that these photo ops with Bush hugging Katrina survivors and interviews with evacuees who supposedly support Pretzel boy are total BULLSHIT. She said everyone down there hates his fucking guts and figure he's pretty much ruined our country for the generations to come who will be paying for it.

Finally, she asked about the march on Washington and if folks were still going, and wanted those who will march not to forget about the crime Bush has committed against the folks on our own Gulf Coast.

Anyway, passing this along because the story of Katrina is a long way from being over.

Battle on!

[CottonBear]

1. Thanks for the information from Lacombe, LA.

My in-laws evacuated from there to Kentucky. Our (now unemployed) nephew has gone back down to work on the house. I know they got some kind of Red Cross debit cards but they haven't mentioned any FEMA or any other help in the area. They were lucky to not have been flooded but they did have trees destroy utilites, the septic system and part of the roof. There wasn't electricity or phone service as of last weekend.

My sister-in-law says she'll still vote Republican because of abortion and gay marriage. :eyes:

[mtnester]

7. I am curious as to how your family dinners go with your sister in law

You must have more self control than I could ever hope to have, even if I were medicated.

[CottonBear]

12. Mr. CB and his sister simply do not discuss politics. We avoid politics

in order to enjoy time with our family. His family has no idea why he's not a Republican but there is no reason to discuss politics. It is too emotional and upsetting and they will NEVER change their minds. So, we enjoy the time we have to spend with what little close family we have.

I rarely discuss politics with my mom and she refuses to reveal her opinions on politics. I'm sure she votes Republican. My dad was a HUGE Republican and very prominent in local and state politics.

Mr CB and I have only one parent (my mom) alive and he only has one sibling, his sister. I have 2 siblings. I have no grandparents alive nor does Mr. CB.

[mtnester]

27. I tried in vain to get my sister to see why she should not vote for GW

last November


She, just 2 months ago, had a huge change of heart.

My sister is struggling to get back into financial recovery, and has a 4 year old...she was a member of the GW would never harm me or mine mindset...she found out the hard way when some of her benefits were simply cut from her. Never mind that her sister, who loves her, warned her.

Her turning point? She decided to watch Fahrenheit 9/11 on her own...I never told her about it, she had a date, and they kept the date affordable by watching a video instead of going to the movies.

She called me foaming at the mouth the next day. Sorry as hell she did not listen to me.

My brother turned last week...his reason? . . . Katrina...simply the sorry mess our government made of the rescue and relief for Katrina victims. He said anyone who can stay on vacation while watching people he is responsible for trying to help while they die (and he IS responsible for trying to help them dammit, that is part of his JOB) is a sick sack of shit.

[MissMarple]

9. The Republicans could have passed legislation years ago on abortion

and gay marriage. They are far more likely to pass a school prayer law. IMHO. What does she think they are waiting for, divine intervention? :crazy:

[MissMarple]

13. Hey, CottonBear! Look what I found out about Frist on another thread.

http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=504

[CottonBear]

16. Thanks. Frist is such a hypocrite. Again, it's what he says that matters

not what he does. :(

[MissMarple]

20. Here's another from the same thread. From the original post.

Crooked and hypocritical.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/20/AR2005092001767.html

[CottonBear]

14. It doesn't matter what they do, it's what they SAY that counts. n/t

[jazzjunkysue]

33. They'll never dump Roe or find Bin Laden: They'd lose all their votes.

It's in no danger, and W knew it when he appointed Roberts. The right wing lunatics are already pissed that W re-negged, yet again.

If they solve the abortion issue, the base will fall asleep and have no reason to vote.

[livetohike]

2. I have friends in Lacombe - they said they haven't seen

a FEMA or Red Cross person yet.

[CottonBear]

19. Wow. And Lacombe wasn't even flooded like Slidell. Go figure.

:(

[theHandpuppet]

23. Lots of trees and power lines were downed.

Electricity still not on in many areas. Structural damage to many homes, particularly to roofs. Some roads impassable.

[livetohike]

29. My friends had a lot of trees down, roof damage

and water in their house, but no flooding.

[caligirl]

3. My husband and I were debating whether to attend ours in SFO Saturday,

after reading this i think we have to make it.

[pitohui]

4. how to get aid in lacombe, big branch, mandeville

tell yr friend that many in western st. tammany have found that they can get their FEMA payment much faster if they go online

not too far from lacombe the mandeville public library is open & has computers available free to the public, w. high speed internet service, so that you can log on & submit yr bank acct information to FEMA

you do not need to show a library card for mandeville to use this service

ea. household in an area under mandatory evac is entitled to $2,000 & while i had quite a bit of damage neighbors w. NO damage are telling me they still got the $$$ to assist their evac expenses

so please be sure to get her to file or to file for her if she doesn't mind sharing her bank acct information

she will not likely get a separate debit card, the money will show up in her bank acct & she can use her regular debit card or checks

if yr friend does not have insurance coverage, she may be entitled to more than the barebones $2,000

she likely also has un-insured losses, such as lost days from work, that will qualify her for assistance since she did evac & couldn't be at a job

can you call her friend & let her know if she gets online she WILL get the cash from FEMA? there are other libraries open in western st. tammany for ppl having trouble getting their FEMA checks but i believe the mandeville library branch would be closest

this is not just a theory, our household has now received our money

good luck to yr friend

ST. TAMMANY PARISH LIBRARIES: Free internet service is available at most libraries for FEMA registration. Free copies and other assistance at the libraries to assist citizens in this time of crisis. The Covington, Robert Road/Slidell, Mandeville, Lee Road, Abita, Folsom and Causeway Branches are now open (closed Sunday). The larger branches will be open 8:00 am to 6:00 pm & smaller branches 9:00 am to 6:00 pm The Pearl River and Lacombe branches are closed until power is restored. Citizens have access to internet work stations at the libraries to contact FEMA, the Red Cross, and other agencies providing emergency assistance. There are 28 computers at the Covington Branch. Library telephones are available for patron use as service allows. Hurricane Katrina destroyed the Pontchartrain/Slidell branch and severely damaged the Madisonville Branch. Library staff is working hard to restore service at the other branches as soon as possible. Patrons may drop off books (including hurricane damaged books) at the Covington Branch at 310 West 21st Avenue. Fines are suspended until the end of the year. Library staff who have not already reported for duty are asked to report to the Covington Headquarters as soon as possible. You may access their website for more information atwww.sttammany.lib.la.us or call the Covington Branch at 985-871-1219

[theHandpuppet]

21. Thank you so much!

I just called my friend and she said they will head on over to the Mandeville library. Thanks for passing along this info!

[BOSSHOG]

5. I live 30 miles northeast of Lacombe

and we are like on another planet; our destruction is less. FEMA and Red Cross has pretty good presence up here. We got a $274.00 food debit card from Red Cross. Those with children get a larger amount. I want to get to Slidell near Lacombe soon but the Slidell PD PR guy was on the radio yesterday and said Slidell was one big parking lot. Now folks are evacuating from Texas because of Rita and I-10 is closed through Orleans Parrish in Louisiana and the five mile twin span across Lake Pontchartrain is out.

Folks round are here are praising the lord. Don't know why; my rational mind isn't accepting the notion.

[pitohui]

8. i hear you bosshog

the lord is going to have to try a whole hell of a lot harder if he wants to hear any praises from me any time soon

i'm not job, you can't keep kicking me in the head & expect me to say hosanna

yes, i'm pissed, this size of disaster is completely uncalled-for

that is just the way i feel

since you can get online do contact fema online, their website seems funky but the $$$ will come

much easier than fighting the telephone issues

[CottonBear]

18. That sounds like a big mess: Texans evacuating through LA & MS.

Are they going north through MS to Jackson and Meridian? The hurricane season last until November. At this rate, the entire Southeast and Gulf Coast will be a disaster zone. Remind me again, why are the folks down there praising the lord? :eyes:
:scared:

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. Re: 9-24 March: . . . Make Levee Not War!

[MissMarple]

22. Clever! Quite cogent.

Much better than the old guns and butter reference. :)

[txindy]

10. Had to give you the 5th recommendation for the truth.

This report doesn't surprise me one bit, I'm sorry to say.

[Double T]

11. I have had the feeling that things in the disaster areas were NOT going...

as well as the MSM would like us to believe. As has ALWAYS been the case with the bush administration, the bullshit message sent through the pundit media is the farthest thing from the actual truth or reality. Thank you for the reality check!!!!!

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Thanks for the info and gulf coast recovery will go on for at

least ten years

[tlsmith1963]

17. Oh, I Don't Think People Will Forget Katrina This Weekend

To me, Katrina was the last straw. Bush & the others have to go *now*! I'm sure that many others feel the way I do. Because of the lousy response to Katrina, we now know just how bad Bush is for this country. If he doesn't go, America may collapse at some point. For the good of this country, we cannot keep the neocons in power any longer.

Tammy

[theHandpuppet]

25. Yes, but as another poster has already testified...

Too many will still vote for Shithead and the GOP to keep gays from marrying. I probably shouldn't say this, but I hope the boxes of supplies my partner and I sent down for hurricane relief didn't go to a bunch of homophobic bigots.

[Nothing Without Hope]

24. The Red Cross has actually HINDERED efforts in some places - it was asked

to LEAVE by the CEO of DeKalb County, Georgia:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4824910
thread title: Diminishing returns: DeKalb County (GA) CEO asks the Red Cross to LEAVE

Meanwhile, even in New Orleans, which is overrun with military personnel and trucks, bodies lie rotting in the streets - and who knows how many hundreds more in attics? And people are STILL dying of starvation and dehydration:

Rember this powerful photo, taken when a group of California National Guard DISOBEYED FEMA ORDERS and rescued a New Orleans man who was unconscious in his home. This was on the same day as Bush's heavily staged speech in New Orleans, the same day that Brian Williams described the swarming military and police elsewhere in the city:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9314188/#050916
BRIAN WILLIAMS blogged on Sept 16: It is impossible to over-emphasize the extent to which this area is under government occupation, and portions of it under government-enforced lockdown. Police cars rule the streets. They (along with Humvees, ambulances, fire apparatus, FEMA trucks and all official-looking SUVs) are generally not stopped at checkpoints and roadblocks. All other vehicles are subject to long lines and snap judgments and must PROVE they have vital business inside the vast roped-off regions here. If we did not have the services of an off-duty law enforcement officer, we could not do our jobs in the course of a work day and get back in time to put together the broadcast and get on the air....

There can be no question that there were hundreds of personnel who COULD have saved Mr. Hollingsworth and who knows how many hundreds of others lying near death in their homes but DID NOT:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/14/12516/3649



Mr. Hollingsworth was rescued - AGAINST FEMA ORDERS - ON SEPTEMBER 16. How many other people are still dying or have died within the last few days, not only in heavily militarized New Orleans but in all the other "forgotten" communities across the devastated area? Places like Bogalusa or others we haven't even heard about?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4826142

[Arkansas Granny]

30. Unfortunately, Mr. Hollingworth died yesterday from complications

due to dehydration and malnutrition. Story here:

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/12690628.htm

[Nothing Without Hope]

34. Thank you. Another death on the hands of the Bush Administration,

as if they cared. Tragedy.

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/12690628.htm
Posted on Tue, Sep. 20, 2005

Katrina survivor dies days after rescue from New Orleans home

Associated Press

(snip)

At the request of his wife, Lillian, military personnel and other authorities who helped rescue him will serve as pallbearers, along with his son, Wesley, the California National Guard said in a statement.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency had issued orders to rescue workers not to enter Katrina-ravaged homes unless they heard the cries of survivors. However, a National Guard team disobeyed orders after seeing Hollingsworth's foot protruding from the rubble of a home.

The guard team bashed open the door and found Hollingsworth unconscious and emaciated. Rescue workers immediately gave him saline solution through an IV and rushed him to a local hospital.

He died with his wife and daughter at his side, said Tracy Sayge, a spokesman for the California National Guard.

When he was rescued, the California National Guard unit broke FEMA rules to do so. How many others have died this past two weeks, huddled in their attics, slipping into final unconsciousness while thousands of military personnel milled around only a few miles away? And what about all those little communities that have never been on FEMA's list of places worth saving, people worth keeping from death?

This is genocide. I can't euphemise this any longer.

[GayCanuck]

26. Frankly

I think bush bungled the whole Katrina matter because he just doesn't give a crap; he can't run again so it's no skin off his nose. The repukes care, though because not only is bush taking your country down but he's taking his own party down with him.

[izzybeans]

28. Can't they start working with the phone companies to set this up more

efficiently. Sheesh! How long has it been now? This is fucked.

[Lindsay]

31. Thanks for posting.

I love that we get better information from each other than from corporate media or the government. I'm glad somebody had some answers, too.

Love to my troubled brothers and sisters in the Gulf Coast area. I hope we all see better days soon.

[Name removed]

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