The National Guard is also stationed at the Central Mall. Reporter Mary Meaux just came back and said they plan to be there from 9-6, giving out food, water and ice in the parking lot.
If you've noticed, I haven't had as many updates as I used to, but that's because at this point it's really only more of the same as far as updates are coming in. I try to only update this blog when we have something new come our way.
But, with all these photos I've been taking day after day, I'll have another photo blog up here at some point.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Friday, September 19, 2008
POD point in Groves
Driving around, I haven't seen much military personnel out and about, but finally, earlier I found some on my way to Bridge City. The POD for food, ice, and water has finally been established in Groves at the First Baptist Church. I can only imagine that they will go untill they're out of supplies, or perhaps they're doing it like the hot meals people and doing a few hours at noon, or in the afternoon.
I did get to Bridge City for a late afternoon press conference, where Judge Carl Thibodeaux and the mayors of surrounding cities came together to give a little information on their respective communities.
Following that, the media took a tour of Bridge City, of which the tour took a spin down Norbert where my brother-in-law's house resides. All in all, about 14 Port Arthur Police officers lost their homes in the storm, but due to mandatory 12-hour shifts, none can really take off enough to get home and take care of business.
I will say that I was pretty sure my brother-in-law's home was one of the worst neighbohoods in Bridge City...untill we kept moving down the street and onto Hardy. At least on Norbert you can see the road. The storm surge water on Hardy took out the bottom halfs of homes and garages, leaving splintered wood and piles of bricks at the base of skeleton home structures.
One good bit of good news I received: my wife may be coming back tomorrow. And I cannot wait 'till she gets here.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
I did get to Bridge City for a late afternoon press conference, where Judge Carl Thibodeaux and the mayors of surrounding cities came together to give a little information on their respective communities.
Following that, the media took a tour of Bridge City, of which the tour took a spin down Norbert where my brother-in-law's house resides. All in all, about 14 Port Arthur Police officers lost their homes in the storm, but due to mandatory 12-hour shifts, none can really take off enough to get home and take care of business.
I will say that I was pretty sure my brother-in-law's home was one of the worst neighbohoods in Bridge City...untill we kept moving down the street and onto Hardy. At least on Norbert you can see the road. The storm surge water on Hardy took out the bottom halfs of homes and garages, leaving splintered wood and piles of bricks at the base of skeleton home structures.
One good bit of good news I received: my wife may be coming back tomorrow. And I cannot wait 'till she gets here.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
There's no movie like a Pollabear movie
Joe Deshotel of Pollabear.org has been very kind to let me post his videos from touring the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Ike in Southeast Texas.
Here's some from his tour into Orange County yesterday. We start by crossing into Bridge City...
And here, Joe tours downtown Orange, near the Sabine River...
And lastly, Joe comes upon a staging ground for federal at the 16th Street H.E.B store...
We've come upon a very trying time here in Southeast Texas. It's trying from everyone involved, from parents to kids who don't understand why all the adults are so upset and stressed. No matter how dark it is in the middle of a tunnel, just remember there's always light at the other end.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Here's some from his tour into Orange County yesterday. We start by crossing into Bridge City...
And here, Joe tours downtown Orange, near the Sabine River...
And lastly, Joe comes upon a staging ground for federal at the 16th Street H.E.B store...
We've come upon a very trying time here in Southeast Texas. It's trying from everyone involved, from parents to kids who don't understand why all the adults are so upset and stressed. No matter how dark it is in the middle of a tunnel, just remember there's always light at the other end.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Photo Blog 3: Bridge under troubled water
Bridge City that is.
First, let me be fair and say I'm only writing what I saw. I don't know many people personally in Bridge City, other than my brother-in-law, Ben.
His house is on Norbert. If you Google map Norbert, you'll please note that it is the last street in Bridge City to the South East. Directly behind his house...marsh...then Sabine Lake.
The road blocks were up on the way into town, minus one space big enough for a single lane of traffic to get onto the bridge. I had no clue what I was prepared to see; especially since it hadn't been 48 hours yet since I had received footage of the city under water.
As we made the descent into town, the water evidence was clear. Debris. Marsh grass. It all littered the road way, but had been pushed back by those who had managed to get in before us to clear the roads. The approach way was fine...and then we hit what used to be town.
The Budget Motel, to the right, right before you get to Ferry Road...gone...splinters, and remnants of a wall.
Four feet high piles of debris pushed to both sides of the street. Roofs off businesses. Awnings off. Signs off posts. Visible water lines on every business and home, averaging at least four and a half feet.
As we made our way down Roberts, then to Jones on the path to Norbert, we could smell the marsh mud...the dead fish. We could see yards and driveways covered in marsh mud. Streets still feet deep in water. Residents in snake boots clomping through the mud to get salvagable belongings out of their homes.
We got to Norbert and saw his home. Dried marsh mud covering his driveway. A visible waterline, visibly up the brick siding and higher than some of his windows.
As he raised his garage door, a stench of festering marsh mud and fish was overwhelming, so much that my eyes watered every second in there. Fridges toppled over piles of wet clothes, tools strewn about...mud covering his lawn equipment and four-wheeler. Guns knocked into the water.
In the backyard, a pool-full of who-knows-what. Patio furniture tossed about.
As we walked into the house, I couldn't tell where the floor started and ended...then I realized I was staring down into three inches of standing, marsh muddy water on top of his once white carpet. Dead fish floating in the wakes of our feet.
Apparently Ike's winds and driving rain made it's way into the house. Stuff from the kitchen and cabinets were in the dining room. Items from the dining room were in the living room. Items from the living room were in the other living room, and vice-versa. The floors were covered in wet, soggy food boxes and photo frames, which I then began collecting to salvage before they dried onto their glass casings and photos albums lost forever.
It's amazing, but apparently 110 mph winds can toss dressers, beds, entertainment centers and tables and chairs around pretty good. Amid the standing mud, I managed to get many, many photos he would need for insurance purposes. One such photo stands out. This one.
The items, replaceable, however the scorn and resentment felt towards the force of nature which came through unwanted can almost be felt through these helpless, lifeless victims.
We got what we could out, but it will take more runs there and back to salvage what's left to be salvaged. With every house in the area marked with the same, high water line, this is a tale that will be told time after time after time, with only the names to be changed.
I do have Pollabear.org's videos of Orange County, and I will quickly post them to follow up this blog. I'll do it quick; I need to get the sight of my brother-in-law's house out of my mind. Some of it's too hard to bear.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
First, let me be fair and say I'm only writing what I saw. I don't know many people personally in Bridge City, other than my brother-in-law, Ben.
His house is on Norbert. If you Google map Norbert, you'll please note that it is the last street in Bridge City to the South East. Directly behind his house...marsh...then Sabine Lake.
The road blocks were up on the way into town, minus one space big enough for a single lane of traffic to get onto the bridge. I had no clue what I was prepared to see; especially since it hadn't been 48 hours yet since I had received footage of the city under water.
As we made the descent into town, the water evidence was clear. Debris. Marsh grass. It all littered the road way, but had been pushed back by those who had managed to get in before us to clear the roads. The approach way was fine...and then we hit what used to be town.
The Budget Motel, to the right, right before you get to Ferry Road...gone...splinters, and remnants of a wall.
Four feet high piles of debris pushed to both sides of the street. Roofs off businesses. Awnings off. Signs off posts. Visible water lines on every business and home, averaging at least four and a half feet.
As we made our way down Roberts, then to Jones on the path to Norbert, we could smell the marsh mud...the dead fish. We could see yards and driveways covered in marsh mud. Streets still feet deep in water. Residents in snake boots clomping through the mud to get salvagable belongings out of their homes.
We got to Norbert and saw his home. Dried marsh mud covering his driveway. A visible waterline, visibly up the brick siding and higher than some of his windows.
As he raised his garage door, a stench of festering marsh mud and fish was overwhelming, so much that my eyes watered every second in there. Fridges toppled over piles of wet clothes, tools strewn about...mud covering his lawn equipment and four-wheeler. Guns knocked into the water.
In the backyard, a pool-full of who-knows-what. Patio furniture tossed about.
As we walked into the house, I couldn't tell where the floor started and ended...then I realized I was staring down into three inches of standing, marsh muddy water on top of his once white carpet. Dead fish floating in the wakes of our feet.
Apparently Ike's winds and driving rain made it's way into the house. Stuff from the kitchen and cabinets were in the dining room. Items from the dining room were in the living room. Items from the living room were in the other living room, and vice-versa. The floors were covered in wet, soggy food boxes and photo frames, which I then began collecting to salvage before they dried onto their glass casings and photos albums lost forever.
It's amazing, but apparently 110 mph winds can toss dressers, beds, entertainment centers and tables and chairs around pretty good. Amid the standing mud, I managed to get many, many photos he would need for insurance purposes. One such photo stands out. This one.
The items, replaceable, however the scorn and resentment felt towards the force of nature which came through unwanted can almost be felt through these helpless, lifeless victims.
We got what we could out, but it will take more runs there and back to salvage what's left to be salvaged. With every house in the area marked with the same, high water line, this is a tale that will be told time after time after time, with only the names to be changed.
I do have Pollabear.org's videos of Orange County, and I will quickly post them to follow up this blog. I'll do it quick; I need to get the sight of my brother-in-law's house out of my mind. Some of it's too hard to bear.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Photo Blog 2: When times are tough...people are nicer
I say that because I don't know how many people I've met over the last few days that have the most positive attitude, despite this last storm we've gone through.
This morning, I was taking pictures at Gilliam Circle in Port Arthur, where tons of cars kept a constant, near mile long line of residents coming for food, ice, and a case of bottled water.
The first thing I noticed was this kid sitting on top of a stack of bottled water cases. Then I realized what he was doing. He was sitting up there while his grandfather was loading the water into the cars that came up. When his grandfather needed another case, he'd get one ready for him. I had to take that picture.
His name is Dalvin Warrick. He's seven years old and instead of sleeping in or playing outside, or anything else a seven year old would rather be doing, he was helping his grandfather, A.J. Thomas, help other people.
I got a chance to speak to Thomas as he was loading the cases of bottled water into a total strangers car, and he said something very befitting of a fellow neighbor in a trying time. "If our entire community came together as a whole in the city's hour of need, we can get this city back on it's feet in no time," he said.
How very selfless. How very true.
The Red Cross and Convoy of Hope teams were extremely eager to get the job done and well. They were very organized; I could tell this was not their first rodeo.
They were kind and courteous, and stayed to give out the essential goods right down to the last box.
I was offered dinner twice today by people I've never even met. The only reason I turned down the second meal was because I just got done eating the first. The first, being a big ol' pot of red beans and some rice, with a splash of habanero sauce. I'm telling you, I've been lucky. I haven't had to dive into a M.R.E, although it's still sitting on the counter in the kitchen, where's it's been since I almost ate it yesterday.
During Hurricane Rita, I lived off of peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches for days. Today, I've officially had my first Ike P.B. and J.
I also got a chance to tour Bridge City yesterday. But first, let me wrap up this blog. All I can tell you is, I have never seen first hand what I saw yesterday at my brother-in-law's house.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
This morning, I was taking pictures at Gilliam Circle in Port Arthur, where tons of cars kept a constant, near mile long line of residents coming for food, ice, and a case of bottled water.
The first thing I noticed was this kid sitting on top of a stack of bottled water cases. Then I realized what he was doing. He was sitting up there while his grandfather was loading the water into the cars that came up. When his grandfather needed another case, he'd get one ready for him. I had to take that picture.
His name is Dalvin Warrick. He's seven years old and instead of sleeping in or playing outside, or anything else a seven year old would rather be doing, he was helping his grandfather, A.J. Thomas, help other people.
I got a chance to speak to Thomas as he was loading the cases of bottled water into a total strangers car, and he said something very befitting of a fellow neighbor in a trying time. "If our entire community came together as a whole in the city's hour of need, we can get this city back on it's feet in no time," he said.
How very selfless. How very true.
The Red Cross and Convoy of Hope teams were extremely eager to get the job done and well. They were very organized; I could tell this was not their first rodeo.
They were kind and courteous, and stayed to give out the essential goods right down to the last box.
I was offered dinner twice today by people I've never even met. The only reason I turned down the second meal was because I just got done eating the first. The first, being a big ol' pot of red beans and some rice, with a splash of habanero sauce. I'm telling you, I've been lucky. I haven't had to dive into a M.R.E, although it's still sitting on the counter in the kitchen, where's it's been since I almost ate it yesterday.
During Hurricane Rita, I lived off of peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches for days. Today, I've officially had my first Ike P.B. and J.
I also got a chance to tour Bridge City yesterday. But first, let me wrap up this blog. All I can tell you is, I have never seen first hand what I saw yesterday at my brother-in-law's house.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
More places that are open
Driving through Port Neches, I saw H-E-B busy, with a lot of volunteers working. I heard they're distributing free ice, and I think they're letting people shop. The gas lines are still extremely long.
Going down Nall towards Magnolia, I saw Market Basket open, with people going in and out as they please...no line, but I think they were just starting to open up yesterday.
Also, many of the gas stations with goods inside are beginning open up, even though they don't have gas just yet. Probably selling cigarettes and alcohol, soft drinks, whatever they have to make money right now.
I saw a line of cars around the Jack-In-The-Box on Magnolia, but be warned...I don't know if they all pulled in because they saw cars in the parking lot and doors open.
Yesterday, Cody Pastorella and I pulled into the Jack-In-The-Box on 365 in Port Arthur because we saw people taking food out of the back. We thought they were giving the food away, but when we got out and asked them, they said they were only giving the food away to the employees that worked there, and that's what I think I and other people may have seen in Port Neches.
Give me a few and I'll pop some more pictures up here.
Mike Tobias, The News
Going down Nall towards Magnolia, I saw Market Basket open, with people going in and out as they please...no line, but I think they were just starting to open up yesterday.
Also, many of the gas stations with goods inside are beginning open up, even though they don't have gas just yet. Probably selling cigarettes and alcohol, soft drinks, whatever they have to make money right now.
I saw a line of cars around the Jack-In-The-Box on Magnolia, but be warned...I don't know if they all pulled in because they saw cars in the parking lot and doors open.
Yesterday, Cody Pastorella and I pulled into the Jack-In-The-Box on 365 in Port Arthur because we saw people taking food out of the back. We thought they were giving the food away, but when we got out and asked them, they said they were only giving the food away to the employees that worked there, and that's what I think I and other people may have seen in Port Neches.
Give me a few and I'll pop some more pictures up here.
Mike Tobias, The News
Day 3: Food Distribution in the area
I just went to two places...Gilliam Circle in Port Arthur and First Baptist Church in Nederland, both of whom have places distributing food, water, and ice in a drive-up service.
At Gilliam Circle, the line is snaking around the entire circle, coming from Thomas Blvd., and beginning on Woodworth/Memorial. They have an organization called Convoy of Hope and are partnering with local volunteers to help distribute the necessities into patrons vehicles. I believe what they were telling me is they were doing it as long as they had supplies, and they had plenty to go around. So much that if you had more than one family, you could get the supplies for both in one car.
They just finished up lunch time distribution in Nederland, but they have said they will be back in the late afternoon for a dinner distribution of heater meals and ice.
I will post pictures of this as soon as I can.
Also, gas stations are beginning to open up sparatically throughout the area. The Shell station at 25th Street and Memorial is open, but lines are forming.
In Nederland, a couple of places have begun opening for business. Market Basket is allowing a few people to go in at a time for groceries; some Seafood Deli down near McDonald's has an open sign out front on a piece of plywood; Domino's is open and a line of cars is beginning to form around that. I had heard a rumor that Touchdown Gas Station was opening with gas, but that turned out to be false. Their store is open, but they have no gas.
Stay with me as I continue to drive around.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
At Gilliam Circle, the line is snaking around the entire circle, coming from Thomas Blvd., and beginning on Woodworth/Memorial. They have an organization called Convoy of Hope and are partnering with local volunteers to help distribute the necessities into patrons vehicles. I believe what they were telling me is they were doing it as long as they had supplies, and they had plenty to go around. So much that if you had more than one family, you could get the supplies for both in one car.
They just finished up lunch time distribution in Nederland, but they have said they will be back in the late afternoon for a dinner distribution of heater meals and ice.
I will post pictures of this as soon as I can.
Also, gas stations are beginning to open up sparatically throughout the area. The Shell station at 25th Street and Memorial is open, but lines are forming.
In Nederland, a couple of places have begun opening for business. Market Basket is allowing a few people to go in at a time for groceries; some Seafood Deli down near McDonald's has an open sign out front on a piece of plywood; Domino's is open and a line of cars is beginning to form around that. I had heard a rumor that Touchdown Gas Station was opening with gas, but that turned out to be false. Their store is open, but they have no gas.
Stay with me as I continue to drive around.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Photo Blog 1: Finally...some PHOTOS!
It's another day here in Southeast Texas, and finally, I'm getting a chance to post some photos I've taken in the area.
Contrary to popular belief, that's actually what I do at The Port Arthur News.
Here's what I have so far...I will add descriptions shortly...for those that need describing.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Contrary to popular belief, that's actually what I do at The Port Arthur News.
Here's what I have so far...I will add descriptions shortly...for those that need describing.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Monday, September 15, 2008
The Pollabear stalks its prey...with a camera
I'm sure glad I have a friend in Joe Deshotel, Jr. of Pollabear.org. Once again, he's out roaming around and gathering the footage we need to tell you that the area is still damaged and staying away is still the best option for you.
That being said, here's some footage from Beaumont of the Federal Aid rolling in, and of the staging grounds for officials at Ford Park.
I feel like I've seen this before, oh yeah, we did. Three years ago. It's like deja vu all over again.
And here's some more Pollabear.org video of the area.
Yet another reason to stay away for now...we have very little gas in the area. Seriously, I drove around today and saw three gas stations open. Wal-Mart on Highway 69, Wal-Mart on Twin City and H-E-B on 365. All have lines starting on the highways and snaking around the grocery store's parking lots.
If that's not a two, or at least three hour wait, I would be suprised.
Thanks, Joe and once again, thank you Pollabear.org.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
That being said, here's some footage from Beaumont of the Federal Aid rolling in, and of the staging grounds for officials at Ford Park.
I feel like I've seen this before, oh yeah, we did. Three years ago. It's like deja vu all over again.
And here's some more Pollabear.org video of the area.
Yet another reason to stay away for now...we have very little gas in the area. Seriously, I drove around today and saw three gas stations open. Wal-Mart on Highway 69, Wal-Mart on Twin City and H-E-B on 365. All have lines starting on the highways and snaking around the grocery store's parking lots.
If that's not a two, or at least three hour wait, I would be suprised.
Thanks, Joe and once again, thank you Pollabear.org.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Beauxart Gardens and Nederland
Beauxart Gardens suffered some damage to mobile homes, aluminum roofs, garages, carports, fences and trees. While most of spurlock road on each side of HWY 69 has extreme damage to powerlines, most fared pretty well in Beauxart Gardens, as far as homes are concerned. In fact, as we have moved into Nederland, most of the city probably came out similar to Rita. Some have damage, others do not. It seems there were more misses but the homes that were affected, were hit very hard.
The Cheverolet Filling Station on Nederland Ave and HWY 69 is demolished, 'The Old Easy Mart.' The RV Park on the 69 end of Avenue H has a great deal of destruction. Also on that end of AVE H there is a house with its garage caved in. Fellowship Baptist Church has most of its front side of the old building, ripped away. Bricks are everywhere. We will continue reporting on Nederland and the rest of the Mid and South County areas in the coming hours.
Our press time is approaching so we are going to have to focus on that for the next few hours.
Mike Tobias, Cody Pastorella/Port Arthur News
The Cheverolet Filling Station on Nederland Ave and HWY 69 is demolished, 'The Old Easy Mart.' The RV Park on the 69 end of Avenue H has a great deal of destruction. Also on that end of AVE H there is a house with its garage caved in. Fellowship Baptist Church has most of its front side of the old building, ripped away. Bricks are everywhere. We will continue reporting on Nederland and the rest of the Mid and South County areas in the coming hours.
Our press time is approaching so we are going to have to focus on that for the next few hours.
Mike Tobias, Cody Pastorella/Port Arthur News
No way out of 73 west bound
We hit a bit of a road block on our way to Taylor's Landing and Belle Oaks. There is a very large barge resting across both East and Westbound lanes down HWY 73. Everything in that area is pretty well torn up. On the J.D. Murphy side of 73, the small neighborhood, on 73 and Portland Street, all but two houses were almost completely underwater. There are two houses in the addition that are on peers. Those houses are about 14 feet high and they probably even took in some water. Most of the people who live in that neighborhood are camping out, waiting for the water to receed and they are there to protect their belongings. It was not a pretty sight. Everything from cattle herds to aligators to birds and fish were killed during the storm. Debris is everywhere. The smell was awful as well.
Also, heading down north bound HWY 69, there are at least two hour waits for gasoline at Wal-Mart.
We will post more later.
Mike Tobias, Cody Pastorella/Port Arthur News
Also, heading down north bound HWY 69, there are at least two hour waits for gasoline at Wal-Mart.
We will post more later.
Mike Tobias, Cody Pastorella/Port Arthur News
Day 2: Driving around
Headed out with reporter Cody Pastorella... Just took a spin by the apartments at 39th street and Memorial in Port Arthur... they look fine... way less damage than Rita... No damage was visible from the road.
We are heading out to Belle Oaks and Taylor's Landing. We understand that some of that area did not fair well but we will give an update soon.
Mike Tobias, Cody Pastorella/Port Arthur News
We are heading out to Belle Oaks and Taylor's Landing. We understand that some of that area did not fair well but we will give an update soon.
Mike Tobias, Cody Pastorella/Port Arthur News
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Answering back to a few comments
I've had a few left on this blog and I feel much obliged to answer back to those who've faithfully taken the time to keep up with me/us at The Port Arthur News.
To Jill in Indy (a.k.a. rollinglotus)
I know exactly the neighborhood you are talking about...Kilarney Street. It' right off of Holmes Road. I used to live near the corner of Holmes and Viterbo, smack dab up against the airport.
Well, the good news IS that all the reports are indicating that there was no flooding in Nederland, Groves or really the interior of the Port Arthur seawall area. I know some of the Beauxart Garden area is pretty low lying though; there's a lake out off of Beauxart Garden road in a neighborhood near West Port Arthur Road. And then there's the water area near where Dorothy's Front Porch used to be.
Has your brother and son contacted you yet? I drove by Spurlock on my way down South Highway 69, and all the power lines down Spurlock going towards Holmes Road were down, covering the roadways and making passage impossible. Also, there are trees blocking the roadway on Viterbo, so he may have trouble getting out and getting to a place where he can make a phone call. His only way out after those two paths are down West Port Arthur Road.
As for your sister, she is really one of the lucky ones if her house is standing dry of storm surge, because there are literally entire neighborhoods that are only accessible now by boat untill the water recedes.
Trust me, I'm good and prepared to drive around and get the job done. Thanks for keeping up in Indy...btw, what part of Indy? I was born in Berrien Springs, Michigan, just north of South Bend.
---------------------------
Now to Lynn and Jerome Mauricio...
All the information we get is brought to us by the Southeast Texas Emergency Management offices, and they distribute their releases to us via website. That website is accessible to the public at setinfo.org.
Click on the news releases link near the top left corner of the page and you'll get them all in chronological order from the top down.
But being a newspaper, we also go around and get stories of our own, so for the best of both worlds go ahead and check panews.com, or setinfo.org for the official releases.
Thank you both for reading.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
To Jill in Indy (a.k.a. rollinglotus)
I know exactly the neighborhood you are talking about...Kilarney Street. It' right off of Holmes Road. I used to live near the corner of Holmes and Viterbo, smack dab up against the airport.
Well, the good news IS that all the reports are indicating that there was no flooding in Nederland, Groves or really the interior of the Port Arthur seawall area. I know some of the Beauxart Garden area is pretty low lying though; there's a lake out off of Beauxart Garden road in a neighborhood near West Port Arthur Road. And then there's the water area near where Dorothy's Front Porch used to be.
Has your brother and son contacted you yet? I drove by Spurlock on my way down South Highway 69, and all the power lines down Spurlock going towards Holmes Road were down, covering the roadways and making passage impossible. Also, there are trees blocking the roadway on Viterbo, so he may have trouble getting out and getting to a place where he can make a phone call. His only way out after those two paths are down West Port Arthur Road.
As for your sister, she is really one of the lucky ones if her house is standing dry of storm surge, because there are literally entire neighborhoods that are only accessible now by boat untill the water recedes.
Trust me, I'm good and prepared to drive around and get the job done. Thanks for keeping up in Indy...btw, what part of Indy? I was born in Berrien Springs, Michigan, just north of South Bend.
---------------------------
Now to Lynn and Jerome Mauricio...
All the information we get is brought to us by the Southeast Texas Emergency Management offices, and they distribute their releases to us via website. That website is accessible to the public at setinfo.org.
Click on the news releases link near the top left corner of the page and you'll get them all in chronological order from the top down.
But being a newspaper, we also go around and get stories of our own, so for the best of both worlds go ahead and check panews.com, or setinfo.org for the official releases.
Thank you both for reading.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
The Pollabear strikes again!
Well, another day, another video by Pollabear.org's Joe Deshotel, Jr.
As you can see, the Montagne Center at Lamar University in Beaumont has become another victim of yet another storm. Rita imploded it and had severe roof damage, and from what I see here, you can just about see through the walls of the arena.
Lake MLK has made it's return, with standing water once again blocking the road way under the overpasses.
And it's not my imagination, because that's the third Jack in the Box sign I've seen down in our area. They are not very hurricane friendly, and someone in charge of putting these up need to seriosly take into consideration the area of the country we are in.
See what I mean about the convoys of help on the way? And, this video being shot Sunday afternoon, shows that help is just arriving. Help has to have time to do its job...BEFORE YOU RETURN!
Kudos to Joe. And Kudos to Pollabear.org.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
As you can see, the Montagne Center at Lamar University in Beaumont has become another victim of yet another storm. Rita imploded it and had severe roof damage, and from what I see here, you can just about see through the walls of the arena.
Lake MLK has made it's return, with standing water once again blocking the road way under the overpasses.
And it's not my imagination, because that's the third Jack in the Box sign I've seen down in our area. They are not very hurricane friendly, and someone in charge of putting these up need to seriosly take into consideration the area of the country we are in.
See what I mean about the convoys of help on the way? And, this video being shot Sunday afternoon, shows that help is just arriving. Help has to have time to do its job...BEFORE YOU RETURN!
Kudos to Joe. And Kudos to Pollabear.org.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
The verdict...
In my opinion, Southeast Texas has fared better with Ike than we did with Rita.
But still, at the same time as I say that, imagine the devestation that would have to happen to be classified as 'worse' than Rita.
There is structual damage to homes throughout the Golden Triangle. As soon as I got in today, driving down I-10 to Highway 69 South (which is really the only way possible from I-10 West of Orange), we could see trees down, power lines down, entire side walls of large buildings down. Office buildings with interior office space visible. Debris on the roads. An army of Entergy and energy trucks heading into town.
But what I didn't see was the need for the myriad of blue roofs that we had with Rita.
Roofs were spared. There aren't entire neighborhoods that are gone, rather, maybe, one in every ten or fifteen homes recieved damage.
The City of Groves was working fast today, getting debris moved off the roadways making them passable. Monroe is clear all the way down from Twin City Highway, and the city workers were literally working from street to street clearing it all.
There are some trees down on homes. There's a house on the 6400 block of Jefferson with a tree branch smashed on top of a truck. But, the truck was the only thing that saved the entire block from losing the power lines that the green part of the branch was resting on.
There's a house down Garfield, at the corner of Madison, that had a tree crash down on it.
There are sparatic, VERY SPARATIC, businesses open. In fact, now that I say that, I don't recall seeing nothing but a few gasless gas stations.
Bruce's Market Basket has structural damage to the facade and it looks like the roof on the west end of the building has suffered. And in front of the store, Spanky's Liquor is out of commission. It had to be a slight tornado in the area that did it...the roof peeled back and front wall came crashing down.
On a positive note, much of the liquor was spared.
When we first came in, we hit Orange. The water is receding and fast. That's good news for Orange residents, AND Bridge City residents.
However, with the water as high as it got (in parts of Bridge City, it was up to the eves of the homes), many of the residents are looking at severe losses and property damage.
Port Arthur neighborhoods off of Woodworth have green waste throughout the streets. Lamar State College-Port Arthur's campus is littered with what I think is the roofing of the Gate's Library. The Port Arthur Administration Building's vertical column windows were all blown out, leaving the elevator area exposed to the outside elements.
There is running water in Groves. But, that doesn't mean everyone should come back...there is still no power, and Entergy crews have said that because of severe damage to their Beaumont infrastructure, they don't expect to get power back in Mid, South County neighborhoods before they get those up and going. It has to be done in that order.
So, evacuees, you may very well be in a better situation evacuated than back here. Please take that into consideration before you just up and come back.
I haven't been to Port Neches or Nederland yet, but I did run by Memorial's stadium and saw that their new, jumbotron scoreboard stayed up and unharmed.
Which is good news for PN-G and Nederland fans worried about their own. I'll blog that tomorrow.
Hopefully, I'll get it to where I can blog about certain areas right after I drive by them. Hopefully here, we'll have another Pollabear.org video of Ike damage soon, so stay put.
Mike Tobias, The Port Arthur News
But still, at the same time as I say that, imagine the devestation that would have to happen to be classified as 'worse' than Rita.
There is structual damage to homes throughout the Golden Triangle. As soon as I got in today, driving down I-10 to Highway 69 South (which is really the only way possible from I-10 West of Orange), we could see trees down, power lines down, entire side walls of large buildings down. Office buildings with interior office space visible. Debris on the roads. An army of Entergy and energy trucks heading into town.
But what I didn't see was the need for the myriad of blue roofs that we had with Rita.
Roofs were spared. There aren't entire neighborhoods that are gone, rather, maybe, one in every ten or fifteen homes recieved damage.
The City of Groves was working fast today, getting debris moved off the roadways making them passable. Monroe is clear all the way down from Twin City Highway, and the city workers were literally working from street to street clearing it all.
There are some trees down on homes. There's a house on the 6400 block of Jefferson with a tree branch smashed on top of a truck. But, the truck was the only thing that saved the entire block from losing the power lines that the green part of the branch was resting on.
There's a house down Garfield, at the corner of Madison, that had a tree crash down on it.
There are sparatic, VERY SPARATIC, businesses open. In fact, now that I say that, I don't recall seeing nothing but a few gasless gas stations.
Bruce's Market Basket has structural damage to the facade and it looks like the roof on the west end of the building has suffered. And in front of the store, Spanky's Liquor is out of commission. It had to be a slight tornado in the area that did it...the roof peeled back and front wall came crashing down.
On a positive note, much of the liquor was spared.
When we first came in, we hit Orange. The water is receding and fast. That's good news for Orange residents, AND Bridge City residents.
However, with the water as high as it got (in parts of Bridge City, it was up to the eves of the homes), many of the residents are looking at severe losses and property damage.
Port Arthur neighborhoods off of Woodworth have green waste throughout the streets. Lamar State College-Port Arthur's campus is littered with what I think is the roofing of the Gate's Library. The Port Arthur Administration Building's vertical column windows were all blown out, leaving the elevator area exposed to the outside elements.
There is running water in Groves. But, that doesn't mean everyone should come back...there is still no power, and Entergy crews have said that because of severe damage to their Beaumont infrastructure, they don't expect to get power back in Mid, South County neighborhoods before they get those up and going. It has to be done in that order.
So, evacuees, you may very well be in a better situation evacuated than back here. Please take that into consideration before you just up and come back.
I haven't been to Port Neches or Nederland yet, but I did run by Memorial's stadium and saw that their new, jumbotron scoreboard stayed up and unharmed.
Which is good news for PN-G and Nederland fans worried about their own. I'll blog that tomorrow.
Hopefully, I'll get it to where I can blog about certain areas right after I drive by them. Hopefully here, we'll have another Pollabear.org video of Ike damage soon, so stay put.
Mike Tobias, The Port Arthur News
Day 1: Heavy traffic as I head back in
I'm currently on I-10 in Louisiana, just passed through Lafayette and now I'm in Rayne. There's a steady flow of traffic and a lot of energy crew trucks and other construction vehicles heading for Southeast Texas.
Despite all that, we're cruising at a steady 70 mph. I should actually get into Port Arthur about noon or so.
On the way in, we stopped at a McDonald's to grab a bite to eat and we ran into a couple of guys from Hackberry...both of whom said their houses are under water. It wasn't because of the rain so much, but the storm surge from Hurricane Ike left the surge water sitting and it's still sitting in and around their homes.
When we told them we were heading back to Port Arthur they both raised their eyebrows and said 'Good Luck.' I don't think he knows anything more than any of us, because all we're hearing is that Orange County got it pretty bad. I know Mid and parts of South County didn't flood; My Groves neighborhood didn't flood.
Gosh, there is just a line of energy trucks up ahead. It's like a never-ending caravan. Well, at least they're getting there as fast as they can.
And I'm hot on their tail!
The Port Arthur News will be putting out a printed edition tomorrow, probably distributed locally where accessible, possibly to as many subscribers homes as we can get it to. I'm just a couple hours away from getting home and getting right into it all.
For those of y'all on your way in (and hopefully, there's not many), here's a list of road closures put out by the Southeast Texas Emergency Management Office.
IMPASSIBLE ROADWAYS
(DUE TO WATER / DEBRIS / TREES / DOWNED POWER LINES)
FM 105 (ORANGE COUNTY) AT COW BAYOU
SH 87 (ORANGE COUNTY) INTO BRIDGE CITY
FM 1132 (ORANGE COUNTY)
FM 2246 (JASPER COUNTY)
FM 105 (JASPER COUNTY) IN EVADALE
IH 10 AT MP 828 (CHAMBERS COUNTY)
IH 10 AT SH 12 (ORANGE COUNTY) : WESTBOUND LANES OPEN: ONLY ONE EASTBOUND LANE OPEN
IH 10 E AT FM 365 (JEFFERSON COUNTY): LOW HANGING POWER LINES – TTST WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PASS
HWY 73 (ORANGE COUNTY) AT VETERAN’S MEMORIAL BRIDGE
IH 10 (NORTHBOUND SERVICE ROAD) IN ROSE CITY
IH 10 EB AT MP #862 (ORANGE COUNTY)
HWY 124 – 6 MILES SOUTH OF WINNIE
IH 10 EB AT MP #54 IN STATE OF LOUISIANA
HWY 73 EAST OF ENGLAND ROAD (BOTH SIDES OF ROAD)
HWY 124 EB AT CRAIGEN ROAD
HWY 124 SOUTH OF FM 365 (BOTH LANES BLOCKED)
IH 10 EASTBOUND CLOSED FROM SHELDON TO FM 2100 IN BAYTOWN (HARRIS COUNTY)
SH 124 (JEFFERSON COUNTY) BETWEEN FM 1941 AND SPINDLETOP BAYOU: COWS ROAMING FREE AND DEBRIS INCLUDING DEAD LIVESTOCK
Keep reading. I'll keep posting as I drive around.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Despite all that, we're cruising at a steady 70 mph. I should actually get into Port Arthur about noon or so.
On the way in, we stopped at a McDonald's to grab a bite to eat and we ran into a couple of guys from Hackberry...both of whom said their houses are under water. It wasn't because of the rain so much, but the storm surge from Hurricane Ike left the surge water sitting and it's still sitting in and around their homes.
When we told them we were heading back to Port Arthur they both raised their eyebrows and said 'Good Luck.' I don't think he knows anything more than any of us, because all we're hearing is that Orange County got it pretty bad. I know Mid and parts of South County didn't flood; My Groves neighborhood didn't flood.
Gosh, there is just a line of energy trucks up ahead. It's like a never-ending caravan. Well, at least they're getting there as fast as they can.
And I'm hot on their tail!
The Port Arthur News will be putting out a printed edition tomorrow, probably distributed locally where accessible, possibly to as many subscribers homes as we can get it to. I'm just a couple hours away from getting home and getting right into it all.
For those of y'all on your way in (and hopefully, there's not many), here's a list of road closures put out by the Southeast Texas Emergency Management Office.
IMPASSIBLE ROADWAYS
(DUE TO WATER / DEBRIS / TREES / DOWNED POWER LINES)
FM 105 (ORANGE COUNTY) AT COW BAYOU
SH 87 (ORANGE COUNTY) INTO BRIDGE CITY
FM 1132 (ORANGE COUNTY)
FM 2246 (JASPER COUNTY)
FM 105 (JASPER COUNTY) IN EVADALE
IH 10 AT MP 828 (CHAMBERS COUNTY)
IH 10 AT SH 12 (ORANGE COUNTY) : WESTBOUND LANES OPEN: ONLY ONE EASTBOUND LANE OPEN
IH 10 E AT FM 365 (JEFFERSON COUNTY): LOW HANGING POWER LINES – TTST WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PASS
HWY 73 (ORANGE COUNTY) AT VETERAN’S MEMORIAL BRIDGE
IH 10 (NORTHBOUND SERVICE ROAD) IN ROSE CITY
IH 10 EB AT MP #862 (ORANGE COUNTY)
HWY 124 – 6 MILES SOUTH OF WINNIE
IH 10 EB AT MP #54 IN STATE OF LOUISIANA
HWY 73 EAST OF ENGLAND ROAD (BOTH SIDES OF ROAD)
HWY 124 EB AT CRAIGEN ROAD
HWY 124 SOUTH OF FM 365 (BOTH LANES BLOCKED)
IH 10 EASTBOUND CLOSED FROM SHELDON TO FM 2100 IN BAYTOWN (HARRIS COUNTY)
SH 124 (JEFFERSON COUNTY) BETWEEN FM 1941 AND SPINDLETOP BAYOU: COWS ROAMING FREE AND DEBRIS INCLUDING DEAD LIVESTOCK
Keep reading. I'll keep posting as I drive around.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
This Pollabear doesn't hibernate
My good pal, Joe Deshotel, Jr., with Pollabear.org is doing a heck of a job doing his community duty by gathering visuals of the destruction brought forth by Hurricane Ike.
Layman's terms: He's going around with a video camera.
And he's doing a heck of a job, too. Here's a few more videos he's graciously shared with The Port Arthur News.
Again, we wish to stress to those watching from afar, note all the standing water and debris Joe's driving through around the Beaumont neighborhoods. Yeah, crews are just now going to get started trying to clear it all. Which means it's still not safe to be driving down the road. Joe understands that he himself is taking a risk, so you don't have to.
Here's a video showing Ike's wake along Jimmy Johnson Blvd. in Port Arthur.
It looks like he started around Jimmy Johnson, then went down to 9th Avenue...dude...was that the Port Arthur Bowling Alley all torn up again?!? Dude, that's so weak. I don't think they've even finished fixing it up from Rita yet. Now I'll never get to karaoke.
Note all the powerlines down along standing water as he drives around downtown Port Arthur and Procter Street.
I think he wraps up that last video around Bruce's Market Basket in Groves, and I guess that blue and red building is Spanky's? Is it? I'm not sure, haven't lived there long enough to tell.
Again, we're bringing you these videos and we will continue to update our readers with the latest information and all the pictures and videos we can get our hands on. So stay with The Port Arthur News and the Writers on the Storm blog for some good ol' fashioned fun.
Thanks again to Joe Deshotel, Jr. and Pollabear.org.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Layman's terms: He's going around with a video camera.
And he's doing a heck of a job, too. Here's a few more videos he's graciously shared with The Port Arthur News.
Again, we wish to stress to those watching from afar, note all the standing water and debris Joe's driving through around the Beaumont neighborhoods. Yeah, crews are just now going to get started trying to clear it all. Which means it's still not safe to be driving down the road. Joe understands that he himself is taking a risk, so you don't have to.
Here's a video showing Ike's wake along Jimmy Johnson Blvd. in Port Arthur.
It looks like he started around Jimmy Johnson, then went down to 9th Avenue...dude...was that the Port Arthur Bowling Alley all torn up again?!? Dude, that's so weak. I don't think they've even finished fixing it up from Rita yet. Now I'll never get to karaoke.
Note all the powerlines down along standing water as he drives around downtown Port Arthur and Procter Street.
I think he wraps up that last video around Bruce's Market Basket in Groves, and I guess that blue and red building is Spanky's? Is it? I'm not sure, haven't lived there long enough to tell.
Again, we're bringing you these videos and we will continue to update our readers with the latest information and all the pictures and videos we can get our hands on. So stay with The Port Arthur News and the Writers on the Storm blog for some good ol' fashioned fun.
Thanks again to Joe Deshotel, Jr. and Pollabear.org.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Itchin' to get back...to where I once belonged
Get it...it's a Beatles song.
Yup, I've been out and about, watching The Weather Channel, keeping track of all the news updates that are coming into us from the Southeast Texas Emergency Management Office. Our website has been continuously updated as we get the information, and we're getting it straight from the source. No speculation here.
But I can only take so much. At 7 a.m., I leave back for Southeast Texas to get to do what I do best...cover the news.
I should get back tomorrow about noon, so if anyone has any questions about a particular area I will correspond back what I've seen.I will try to get around as much as possible, but I don't know how tough that can prove.
The footage from home near Bridge City and Sabine Pass does not look good, with all that water just sitting there.
As much as y'all may want to get back and just see, it's best you heed the warnings and don't. Remember, there are no emergency personnel readily available to rescue you if you get a flat tire from debris in the road. Also, many cell phone circuits are down and calls are not going through. Staying away may be the most frustrating, but by far the smartest thing to do.
Around here in Slidell, people have the storm buzz. Everyone's talking about it, and about how they couldn't believe this area got as much effect from the outer bands as we did.
At IHOP this morning, that was the talk as sat and ate our meal. As coverage of the storm was carried on area radio and television, the Greater New Orleans area was breathing a sigh of relief for the bullet dodged.
All the while, I could only think of home...Southeast Texas...where we weren't so lucky this time.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Yup, I've been out and about, watching The Weather Channel, keeping track of all the news updates that are coming into us from the Southeast Texas Emergency Management Office. Our website has been continuously updated as we get the information, and we're getting it straight from the source. No speculation here.
But I can only take so much. At 7 a.m., I leave back for Southeast Texas to get to do what I do best...cover the news.
I should get back tomorrow about noon, so if anyone has any questions about a particular area I will correspond back what I've seen.I will try to get around as much as possible, but I don't know how tough that can prove.
The footage from home near Bridge City and Sabine Pass does not look good, with all that water just sitting there.
As much as y'all may want to get back and just see, it's best you heed the warnings and don't. Remember, there are no emergency personnel readily available to rescue you if you get a flat tire from debris in the road. Also, many cell phone circuits are down and calls are not going through. Staying away may be the most frustrating, but by far the smartest thing to do.
Around here in Slidell, people have the storm buzz. Everyone's talking about it, and about how they couldn't believe this area got as much effect from the outer bands as we did.
At IHOP this morning, that was the talk as sat and ate our meal. As coverage of the storm was carried on area radio and television, the Greater New Orleans area was breathing a sigh of relief for the bullet dodged.
All the while, I could only think of home...Southeast Texas...where we weren't so lucky this time.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
O.K. So...I fell asleep...
Yup, I was all vigilant about manning the computer until the storm hit, then for some reason at about 4 a.m., I fell asleep at my computer. Not that my job is boring, but, I guess it was just the right amount of time and quietness that just knocked me out.
But I have heard some news from my brother-in-law, who works for the Port Arthur Police. Apparently much of Groves and Port Arthur has not seen much rising, flooding water. Not much more than some clogged or backed up sewers in the streets.
Good news: My house is OKAY!! WHOO HOO!!
Good news: The Port Arthur seawall was NOT BREACHED (two feet shy).
The bad news: My brother-in-law lives in Bridge City.
Bridge City did get a four foot above normal storm surge, which has at this point gotten into many neighborhood homes...including his. And, for those wishing to know that area, he lived off Texas Avenue, to the right, down a street called Rachel. And you just kept going further back, I believe you pass a school on the way, and I can't remember right now what the name of his street is...but, its the neighborhood near the river, east off Texas Avenue, down a street called Rachel.
From what the radar looks like, the storm is not over yet. It's still over Southeast Texas, so just because daylight is breaking does not mean its safe to come back or go outside. There is still curfew in order for the area, and if you still have power, stay inside, otherwise do not go out just to wander around. There's debris all over the roads and you'll just get into the first responders' way.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
But I have heard some news from my brother-in-law, who works for the Port Arthur Police. Apparently much of Groves and Port Arthur has not seen much rising, flooding water. Not much more than some clogged or backed up sewers in the streets.
Good news: My house is OKAY!! WHOO HOO!!
Good news: The Port Arthur seawall was NOT BREACHED (two feet shy).
The bad news: My brother-in-law lives in Bridge City.
Bridge City did get a four foot above normal storm surge, which has at this point gotten into many neighborhood homes...including his. And, for those wishing to know that area, he lived off Texas Avenue, to the right, down a street called Rachel. And you just kept going further back, I believe you pass a school on the way, and I can't remember right now what the name of his street is...but, its the neighborhood near the river, east off Texas Avenue, down a street called Rachel.
From what the radar looks like, the storm is not over yet. It's still over Southeast Texas, so just because daylight is breaking does not mean its safe to come back or go outside. There is still curfew in order for the area, and if you still have power, stay inside, otherwise do not go out just to wander around. There's debris all over the roads and you'll just get into the first responders' way.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
A gift from a friend
Man, I'm sure I've been refreshing my web pages, but I seem to have missed a comment on the blog from my good pal Joe Deshotel, who runs the pollabear.org blog. Seems he ventured down to the Port Arthur seawall earlier today and took some video of the winds and waves picking up.
It took me two or three times to watch it, but I think somewhere in there, there's a dude actually trying to fly a kite. You've gotta be kidding me. There's a freakin' hurricane on the way!
And, is that Angel San Juan out there, being the roving reporter? Way to go, Angel (if it's you), wish I could be out there.
This was the second of two videos Joe took as he drove around Beaumont Friday as the storm was approaching off yonder. Check this out, it looks like a ghost town!
Yikes. Not a soul there. Crockett Stree empty. Pearl Street empty.
Did you watch the video? I like the first person perspective...makes you feel like your right there in the truck with them.
Thanks Joe, and Pollabear.org.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
It took me two or three times to watch it, but I think somewhere in there, there's a dude actually trying to fly a kite. You've gotta be kidding me. There's a freakin' hurricane on the way!
And, is that Angel San Juan out there, being the roving reporter? Way to go, Angel (if it's you), wish I could be out there.
This was the second of two videos Joe took as he drove around Beaumont Friday as the storm was approaching off yonder. Check this out, it looks like a ghost town!
Yikes. Not a soul there. Crockett Stree empty. Pearl Street empty.
Did you watch the video? I like the first person perspective...makes you feel like your right there in the truck with them.
Thanks Joe, and Pollabear.org.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Friday, September 12, 2008
2 a.m. And all's well. I hope.
Well, we've passed the 2 a.m. update, and Ike has officially come onto Texas. As I'm gathering information, I have KFDM's streaming webcast going and I'm having a great time listening to the e-mails they are getting in from people who stayed behind.
And I still can't believe they actually stayed behind.
Because looking at the radar and watching the tide date on my computer, the water levels are getting near 14 feet above normal, with high tide still about an hour and a half away. It won't take much more to top the seawall at Port Arthur. Maybe another five feet or so.
I just checked the Entergy website again. Yeah, much of Mid-County is now without power. If you want to check on your neighborhood, just go to Entergy-Texas.com and zoom in. It's actually pretty easy to get around that website...kudos to them for making it very user friendly.
I'll be up as long as I can, updating the website. Speaking of updating the website...how'd you like the promo for the blog on the rotating homepage picture? That's a real Ike photo, taken by our friends at the Associated Press down in Bacliff.
I don't know how set up the photo was...in instances like that, the photographer probably saw the guy holding himself up while showing off to his friends, then the photographer probably went and asked him to do it again.
A little secret of the trade sometimes necessary to get a point across.
O.K. I'm monitoring the radar right now on the web and Southeast Texas is receiving some pretty heavy wind and rain. I live in Groves, but this is the first time my home will be put to the street flooding test. All I can hope for is as little damage as possible before I can get back and get it cleaned up.
We have just over an hour and a half before the "peak" of this thing comes over, but this storm is so big the reports are saying that it will be another seven before it's all really over.
For now, I'm just gonna chill and get the updates. If I don't fall asleep, they'll be posted pretty timely. I shouldn't though...I have my mom's chocolate cake to keep me up.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
And I still can't believe they actually stayed behind.
Because looking at the radar and watching the tide date on my computer, the water levels are getting near 14 feet above normal, with high tide still about an hour and a half away. It won't take much more to top the seawall at Port Arthur. Maybe another five feet or so.
I just checked the Entergy website again. Yeah, much of Mid-County is now without power. If you want to check on your neighborhood, just go to Entergy-Texas.com and zoom in. It's actually pretty easy to get around that website...kudos to them for making it very user friendly.
I'll be up as long as I can, updating the website. Speaking of updating the website...how'd you like the promo for the blog on the rotating homepage picture? That's a real Ike photo, taken by our friends at the Associated Press down in Bacliff.
I don't know how set up the photo was...in instances like that, the photographer probably saw the guy holding himself up while showing off to his friends, then the photographer probably went and asked him to do it again.
A little secret of the trade sometimes necessary to get a point across.
O.K. I'm monitoring the radar right now on the web and Southeast Texas is receiving some pretty heavy wind and rain. I live in Groves, but this is the first time my home will be put to the street flooding test. All I can hope for is as little damage as possible before I can get back and get it cleaned up.
We have just over an hour and a half before the "peak" of this thing comes over, but this storm is so big the reports are saying that it will be another seven before it's all really over.
For now, I'm just gonna chill and get the updates. If I don't fall asleep, they'll be posted pretty timely. I shouldn't though...I have my mom's chocolate cake to keep me up.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
It's just like I'm there...only different
From the looks of things I'm safely bunkered down for the night.
I have all the comforts of home...except I'm not home...again, I'm in Slidell, LA.
But, I have my laptop and my dad's computer with dozens of area websites up as we at The News are constantly getting information and putting it on panews.com. I'm enjoying the folks over there at KLVI and their streaming audio newscast, as I always seem to do in situations like this. Harold Mann is a good friend of mine, and I always make sure to tell him how much I appreciate what they do as Southeast Texas scatters.
It's a little reassuring what I'm hearing from some of the people calling in that stayed behind. There was a caller on a few minutes ago who lived on 27th Street in Nederland who still had power. This, as the storm is slowly making its way across shore.
With my house in Groves/Mid-County, I'm a little relieved at that news.
For those eyeing the web, as much as I'd like to say stay here at panews.com, we recognize other news organizations abilities to do what they do best. The radio guys have a live stream going and KFDM Channel 6 is doing periodic live video streams. The next one is in an hour at 10 p.m.
Managing Editor Amy Moore and I have been vigilantly gathering any information we can and will continue to do so until we fall asleep at our computers. So stay with us and feel free to let us know how you're doing. Again, if you have any questions, comment with them.
Untill next time...
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
I have all the comforts of home...except I'm not home...again, I'm in Slidell, LA.
But, I have my laptop and my dad's computer with dozens of area websites up as we at The News are constantly getting information and putting it on panews.com. I'm enjoying the folks over there at KLVI and their streaming audio newscast, as I always seem to do in situations like this. Harold Mann is a good friend of mine, and I always make sure to tell him how much I appreciate what they do as Southeast Texas scatters.
It's a little reassuring what I'm hearing from some of the people calling in that stayed behind. There was a caller on a few minutes ago who lived on 27th Street in Nederland who still had power. This, as the storm is slowly making its way across shore.
With my house in Groves/Mid-County, I'm a little relieved at that news.
For those eyeing the web, as much as I'd like to say stay here at panews.com, we recognize other news organizations abilities to do what they do best. The radio guys have a live stream going and KFDM Channel 6 is doing periodic live video streams. The next one is in an hour at 10 p.m.
Managing Editor Amy Moore and I have been vigilantly gathering any information we can and will continue to do so until we fall asleep at our computers. So stay with us and feel free to let us know how you're doing. Again, if you have any questions, comment with them.
Untill next time...
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
No place at the Inn...so to speak
Well, for those of y'all still trying to make your way out, I'm finding from people who are travelling and in contact with me that hotels south of I-20, from Texas through Louisana and into Mississippi are hard to come by.
No hotels available here in Slidell. Nothing North in Jackson, Mississippi. There's really nothing until you get maybe into Florida. I'm hearing news about beach cabins and rooms still available in Pensacola, but that just depends on how far away from Southeast Texas you want to get.
I actually went to a hotel over here just to see if they had rooms. They said no, and I asked if that was pretty consistent with the weather sitation right now. The man at the Holiday Inn just looked at me and held up a list of 20 area hotels, all crossed through with red ink.
I just got through calling them all, he said. Nothing.
If there's anyone still thinking of getting out of the area, north may be the way to go that's feesable on a tank of gas.
I have no problem getting gas here in Slidell. The TA Travel Center had no lines, and full tanks. Which is good, because I'm looking to head back to work at The News Sunday.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
No hotels available here in Slidell. Nothing North in Jackson, Mississippi. There's really nothing until you get maybe into Florida. I'm hearing news about beach cabins and rooms still available in Pensacola, but that just depends on how far away from Southeast Texas you want to get.
I actually went to a hotel over here just to see if they had rooms. They said no, and I asked if that was pretty consistent with the weather sitation right now. The man at the Holiday Inn just looked at me and held up a list of 20 area hotels, all crossed through with red ink.
I just got through calling them all, he said. Nothing.
If there's anyone still thinking of getting out of the area, north may be the way to go that's feesable on a tank of gas.
I have no problem getting gas here in Slidell. The TA Travel Center had no lines, and full tanks. Which is good, because I'm looking to head back to work at The News Sunday.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Off by a foot
O.K. So,I was just watching the Weather Channel (who isn't), and Jim Cantorre just said that Port Arthur should expect a storm surge of 20 feet and that the seawall there can only hold a 14-foot storm surge. I though it was 15. But, he's the expert.
He's already moved to an upper level balcony view on the Galveston Island, and the camera is pointing down so we can see the water crashing over the seawall. Still looks very ominous.
The aerial views of Galveston/Crystal Beach show the storm surge already visible. Water has crept inland and covers the ground. Here in Slidell, all the way here in Slidell, we have a flood warning. Cities to the south of us are being inundated by the storm surge.
Very troubling to see.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
He's already moved to an upper level balcony view on the Galveston Island, and the camera is pointing down so we can see the water crashing over the seawall. Still looks very ominous.
The aerial views of Galveston/Crystal Beach show the storm surge already visible. Water has crept inland and covers the ground. Here in Slidell, all the way here in Slidell, we have a flood warning. Cities to the south of us are being inundated by the storm surge.
Very troubling to see.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Home, Sweet, Home...in Slidell
Well, it got a little difficult to post anymore last night, but I hit another traffic snarl near Baton Rougue and I finally made it into Slidell just after 11 pm. So for those math wizards out there, a normal four hour trip took about six. I would hope that means that much of the traffic is out of Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana, because as I'm sitting here watching the weather I'm seeing shots of water spilling over the Galveston seawall.
That's a bizzare image, because I know how tall that thing is. I just hope it holds up against the storm surge. For that matter, I hope OUR seawall holds up against the storm surge. I know Port Arthur's is built to handle at least a 15-foot surge and a Catagory 3 storm. I guess it'll all be put up to the test in the next 24 hours.
Here in Slidell, we're already seeing the effects of the outer bands of Ike as it passes West, just South of us. I bunked down near a window and woke up as sustained, tropical storm force winds came through this morning. Paige and I both woke up and went outside and stood in it. It was eerie. It was warm. And it was what apparently fueled a few tornadoes near our area.
We then went back inside.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
That's a bizzare image, because I know how tall that thing is. I just hope it holds up against the storm surge. For that matter, I hope OUR seawall holds up against the storm surge. I know Port Arthur's is built to handle at least a 15-foot surge and a Catagory 3 storm. I guess it'll all be put up to the test in the next 24 hours.
Here in Slidell, we're already seeing the effects of the outer bands of Ike as it passes West, just South of us. I bunked down near a window and woke up as sustained, tropical storm force winds came through this morning. Paige and I both woke up and went outside and stood in it. It was eerie. It was warm. And it was what apparently fueled a few tornadoes near our area.
We then went back inside.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Making evacuation progress
O.k. I am now passing through Jennings, LA, and with the setting sun directly shining in my rearview mirror, I'm cruising at a lofty 75 mph on I-10 East.The road is full of people seemingly eager, like me, to get where they're going.
It's also full of people who seemingly like to make daredevil cuts into other people's lanes.
Must keep on trucking. Ithink I can, I think I can...
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
It's also full of people who seemingly like to make daredevil cuts into other people's lanes.
Must keep on trucking. Ithink I can, I think I can...
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Another day...another manditory evacuation
Well, folks, we're at it again. Another perfectly good weekend ruined by a force of nature. I am currently blogging live from my BlackBerry on the road from Groves to Slidell, LA, doing my part to heed the 6:30 am manditory evacuation that was called just as I woke up this morning.
Did that ruin anyone else's day...or just mine?
I figured the gas lines at local stations would start to get real long real fast, so as soon as I found out about the call to leave, I went and got both Paige and my car filled up, packed, got the house secure and got her on her way out of town before 8 am.
And now I'm sitting in steady traffic, going through Lake Charles. It's a notch above stop and go, but I'm sure I'll make it to Slidell in no time.
If your on the road, already out of town or planning to ride the storm out, feel free to use this blog as a forum. If you have any questions or would like any updates on the storm, just ask. Or, if you want to just share your hurricane story as the storm progresses, feel free to post it as a comment.
We'll be periodically posting blogs and updating the web, so be sure to stay with www.panews.com for further Hurricane Ike updates. Remember, no matter where you roam, you're always home at panews.com.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Did that ruin anyone else's day...or just mine?
I figured the gas lines at local stations would start to get real long real fast, so as soon as I found out about the call to leave, I went and got both Paige and my car filled up, packed, got the house secure and got her on her way out of town before 8 am.
And now I'm sitting in steady traffic, going through Lake Charles. It's a notch above stop and go, but I'm sure I'll make it to Slidell in no time.
If your on the road, already out of town or planning to ride the storm out, feel free to use this blog as a forum. If you have any questions or would like any updates on the storm, just ask. Or, if you want to just share your hurricane story as the storm progresses, feel free to post it as a comment.
We'll be periodically posting blogs and updating the web, so be sure to stay with www.panews.com for further Hurricane Ike updates. Remember, no matter where you roam, you're always home at panews.com.
Mike Tobias, Port Arthur News
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Returning to normal; kudos to staffers
Life is rapidly returning to normal in Southeast Texas and we call all be thankful this time it is not a “new normal,” as it was after Hurricane Rita.
Businesses are reopening at a rapid clip. I missed picking up a batch of fresh bananas Tuesday evening at my local grocer, but the peaches were delicious and I’m sure the bananas will be back on the shelf today.
A word here about our dedicated staff in the News Department, at the press and in other departments of the paper. Obviously when a mandatory evacuation is called, we can only operate with volunteer employees who show up to their jobs because of their dedication.
The ENTIRE news department was available for work even though it was a holiday weekend. Stories like the evacuation and the possibility of a hurricane are the reason most of us became journalists, so we weren’t going to miss the opportunity to provide important information to our community.
We aren’t fortune tellers and like the rest of the people in the area, we were concerned that the effects of the storm would be severe enough here to cause us to lose power. Publisher Roger Underwood made the necessary arrangements for us to set up shop at a sister paper in Huntsville. I don’t know how he did it but he somehow secured some room at a bed and breakfast when the word was out that no more rooms were available anywhere.
News staffers worked like ants to keep our Web page updated with the latest news from the Emergency Operations Center. We knew most of our readers were heading out of town and panews.com would be their connection to home.
I want to take this opportunity to mention some names of people who went above and beyond the call of duty. Amy Moore, Mike Tobias, Sherry Koonce, David Ball, Mary Meaux and Darragh Doiron gathered information to keep the Web up to date and to put in the paper even though there weren’t many people left to deliver it do. Tonya Whitaker and Cody Pastorella were a great help in editing and producing pages. Our partners at The Orange Leader, especially Gabe Pruett, Debby Schamber and Tommy Mann, helped us out while doing their own thing.
Some of them worked until the last munute before having to take care of their families. Others actually worked while they were evacuated, reporting on Southeast Texans in other places.
I won’t even venture to name all the folks in the other department who went above and beyond, but they have the great appreciation of the newsroom and deserve the appreciation of the community as well.
Businesses are reopening at a rapid clip. I missed picking up a batch of fresh bananas Tuesday evening at my local grocer, but the peaches were delicious and I’m sure the bananas will be back on the shelf today.
A word here about our dedicated staff in the News Department, at the press and in other departments of the paper. Obviously when a mandatory evacuation is called, we can only operate with volunteer employees who show up to their jobs because of their dedication.
The ENTIRE news department was available for work even though it was a holiday weekend. Stories like the evacuation and the possibility of a hurricane are the reason most of us became journalists, so we weren’t going to miss the opportunity to provide important information to our community.
We aren’t fortune tellers and like the rest of the people in the area, we were concerned that the effects of the storm would be severe enough here to cause us to lose power. Publisher Roger Underwood made the necessary arrangements for us to set up shop at a sister paper in Huntsville. I don’t know how he did it but he somehow secured some room at a bed and breakfast when the word was out that no more rooms were available anywhere.
News staffers worked like ants to keep our Web page updated with the latest news from the Emergency Operations Center. We knew most of our readers were heading out of town and panews.com would be their connection to home.
I want to take this opportunity to mention some names of people who went above and beyond the call of duty. Amy Moore, Mike Tobias, Sherry Koonce, David Ball, Mary Meaux and Darragh Doiron gathered information to keep the Web up to date and to put in the paper even though there weren’t many people left to deliver it do. Tonya Whitaker and Cody Pastorella were a great help in editing and producing pages. Our partners at The Orange Leader, especially Gabe Pruett, Debby Schamber and Tommy Mann, helped us out while doing their own thing.
Some of them worked until the last munute before having to take care of their families. Others actually worked while they were evacuated, reporting on Southeast Texans in other places.
I won’t even venture to name all the folks in the other department who went above and beyond, but they have the great appreciation of the newsroom and deserve the appreciation of the community as well.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Almost a ghost town
It's not quite like it was after Hurricane Rita, but there is almost no traffic on the roads in South and Mid-Jefferson County. On my way in to work this morning, while driving down Twin City Highway, as I topped the overpass over Spur 136 I could see behind me into Port Arthur past Jefferson City and ahead of me to Saba Lane and there were no other cars on the road. I finally saw another car, a Port Arthur police officer, when I reached Jimmy Johnson. There was a little more activity at lunch time, but not much more. It will be nice when some people — and some life — return to town.
Missy Sturdivant of Groves makes front page
Missy Sturdivant of Groves, wife of former PN-G soccer coach Spikes Sturdivant, was on the front page of the Longview News-Journal's web site, www.news-journal.com, Monday morning. Southeast Texans are making news with their evacuation even if we missed the storm.
Emergency Management meeting
Reporter Sherry Koonce has been in contact with Jefferson County County Judge Ronald Walker and he told her a meeting was scheduled for 11 a.m. to decide whether to call off the mandatory evacuation. They are concerned that they are sending people into the path of the storm instead of keeping them safe in their homes.
Should the evacuation be called off?
Hurricane Gustav has now made landfall in Louisiana about 200 miles from Southeast Texas but the mandatory evacuation is still in effect for Port Arthur, Beaumont, Mid-County, Orange Counties cities and others. Should the evacuation be called off? What is your opinion and your experience? Are you now in the path of the storm because you left the Golden Triangle? Stay logged in to panews.com and we will advise you as soon as we get work that the mandatory evacuation has been called off.
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