We now have a 100,000 people in my town of 35,000.

[Reciprocity]

For what it's worth.

I live in Lufkin and this is what my relatives have seen and heard. I have already supplied my home and have not left the house for two days.

We have had carjackings, a stabbing over a loaf of bread ( at the grocery store my niece works at) and a shootout in a local restaurant (this is hearsay). All our stores have been raided for supplies all our shelters are full. Most folks are so exhausted (twenty hours plus in some cases.) by the time they got here, they simply could not drive any further for fear of falling asleep at the wheel. Most have simply ran out of gas. Oh and we are out of gas as well. The Wal-Mart and other major stores have little pods of folks in the parking lots huddled together stranded. Folks are camped out in the backs of their trucks along the highway. We have folks camped out at the plethora of gas stations, waiting for tankers to re-supply gas. Fistfights have broken out in line and one motorists had drawn a weapon on another motorist in a dispute. The ER at both our hospitals have announced unless it is life or death, don't come in. Yesterday we broke yet another day of record high temps at 103°.

This is what we are bracing for tonight as things stand now.

Inland locations through the Angelina county area should expect the onset of gale force winds by this evening, with tropical force winds (34-73 mph) shortly after midnight. Saturday morning will bring hurricane force winds to the area with sustained winds of 74-95 mph with higher gusts. Expect local rainfall amounts of 10-15 inches with isolated pockets up to 25 inches.

I'll take all the prayers, positive thoughts, and good vibes you all can spare, as I live in the woods with some pine trees 100 to 200 feet tall.

[WestHoustonDem]

1. We were lucky to fill two cars with gas in Brenham last night

and then turned around and came home 15 hours after leaving. We could easily have been stranded in Brenham like the folks in Lufkin. I hope the people who are stranded are far enough north to be okay. The evacuation really sucked.

[Maat]

2. You and your family are in my family's ..

nonjudgmental, positive, affirming prayers!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Sending prayers your way

stay safe.

[jobycom]

4. Sending vibes.

Good luck with the trees. You migh be without power and road access for awhile, so here are enough vibes for a few days! :-) :-) :-)

[AirmensMom]

5. Praying.

Stay safe and check in whenever you can.

:hug:

[opihimoimoi]

6. I know Charley the FireMan from Lufkin, shoulda retired by now...

and his friends Tim and wife ?? can't remem name....they have moved to Hawaii just 2 months ago...Damn, what a situation...

Hope they got nuff toilet paper in Lukin else all will stink real fast....

[Reciprocity]

12. TP and cat litter are more important than food at my house.

[villager]

7. vibes your way!

Prayers & wishes to you & yours (incl. your whole town!) Check back when/if you can!

[knowbody0]

8. Reciprocity

stay safe, my family and i send you prayers and loads of good vibes.check in when you can.know that we care about you.

[malaise]

9. I hope you're spared the worst of the storm

Stay safe.

[Mikimouse]

10. Lufkin? Really? I am a Nacogdoches person myself...

Had no idea there were DUers in that area. I wish you the very best of luck in the coming days. I will be keeping an eye on things from here for now, and if the situation gets bad in Nacogdoches, will come and get my father and bring him to Arkansas for a while until things get back to some semblance of normalcy.

[Reciprocity]

16. My husband and I are like two blueberries in an ocean of red sauce here.

Thanks y'all. I will try and post as long as I have power.

[Mikimouse]

26. I will keep you in my thoughts! Good luck...

Next timne I head down to Nac. I will PM you and maybe we can have a little DU meetup at Tony's downtown.

[moc]

28. LOL at you two blueberries

That's a cute comment!

:hi: from Richardson. Stay safe!

[yella_dawg]

19. Nacogdoches? Really?

I'm in hrmff.. cough, cough... Appleby.

I would have never dreamed that there were two DUers in this area.

[Mikimouse]

25. You have got to be kidding...Appleby??????? Hey send me a PM

both of you!

[jody]

11. Not to worry, Bush has everything under control.

:sarcasm:

I've said a special prayer for you and yours.

[spuddonna]

13. You will be in our prayers and thoughts!

We're praying for your safety... Keep us updated as you can! :(

[cally]

14. Sending prayers your way

Stay safe and let us know when the storm passes and you have power again. :hug:

[Pirate Smile]

15. Nominated. The media seems to be missing this part of the story.

As long as people aren't on the Interstate right in front of them or huddled together in the Superdome, I guess they think things are fine.

Someone needs to cover this part of the story.

[Why Syzygy]

21. Voted up

:thumbsup:

[karlrschneider]

17. Be safe!

:D
Best wishes.

[Why Syzygy]

18. Goddess bless you all

Did anyone mention that George FUBAR Bush could not man a urinal if his pee wee depended on it?

This is inhumane. Insanity. Just what we expect from, ya know, pee wee brain planning.

Let's see him wriggle out of THIS one. Piss ant.
I know a lot of other dirty words, but I respect present company.

AND THIS DUDE IS RUNNING A WAR? Oh! and expect "more bloodshed".
Good call, George.

HOW MUCH LONGER CAN WE ENDURE THIS?

[rainbow4321]

20. N Texas hospitals are trying to discharge local patients

Apparently, HCA doesn't want to get caught with it's pants down again. Our HCA facility near Dallas had middle management and the upper nursing brass frantically searching the patient floors seeing who they could get discharged ASAP to make room for evacuees and others who may need help when the storm hits around here.
We had nurses (who have not touched a patient in years) dressed in scrubs going room to room trying to triage people for discharge planning. The hospital itself it in an elevated level of "yellow"---as in staff who are not working this weekend could expect a phone call to come in. I work all weekend and am so not looking forward to this...

So far I think we have gotten 10 evacuee patients.

[txindy]

22. All the best wishes coming your way, Reciprocity.

[brook]

23. I wish for your safety, too.

May no harm come to you and yours - or any of the people who have been/will be bruted about by the storms of Nature and the unconscienable stupidity and arrogance of our 'leaders'. May they all rot in hell.

[tammywammy]

24. Heard second-hand today that Lufkin was closed

Meaning that no cars can get in or out. Is that true?

[Reciprocity]

27. I'm back. Alls well so far.

We are getting some rain right now and wind. At about four in the morning is when it starts to get scary. Thanks for all you prayers and good thoughts. You will never know how much I appreciate them. Thank you.

[dweller]

29. keep in touch

we'll reciprocate. :)

dp

[fearnobush]

30. Ohh my, I hope you live on high ground, Lufkin 12" up to 25" rain.

Your forcast to get as much as 25" of rain as the storm stalls right over top of you. Please take all precautions.

<http://www.srh.noaa.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=TXZ165&warncounty=TXC005&local_place1=Rural+Angelina+County&product1=Flood+Warning>

[denese]

31. I will hold you in my heart

Last year I sat up all night with a few hurricanes.
They can be so very terrifying. It seems like they will never end.
They do though. Stay strong.
Lots of people are sending love your way.
:hug:

[Melissa G]

32. Prayers from Austin...Good thoughts too! eom

[Pooka Fey]

33. Sending prayers and lighting a candle for all y'all.

:grouphug:

[RevolutionStartsNow]

34. Hang in there...

Our thoughts are with you.

[Jane Austin]

35. You sure have my good wishes and prayers.

I grew up in Lufkin and have relatives in Diboll,so the whole area is dear to my heart.

When I was in high school (Panthers Fight!)in the early 60's, some hurricane sent everybody up our way and people were camped everywhere.

Everybody turned out to help then, and I imagine the good people of the Piney Woods are doing that again, these 40 years later.

Hang on . . . morning will be here soon.

[dorktv]

36. Post your paypal account on here if you need some

financial aid.

[bahrbearian]

37. Hang in there, Prayers,