Todd's Hurricane Song - Amazing Forums Pascagoula

HURRICANE SONG

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Sacred Gift Returned To Pass Christian Church

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Sacred Gift Returned To Pass Christian Church

A Hodge -Podge Of News

As the months pass there are so many things happening that it is difficult to write about just one situation. Housing still remains the biggest problem on the coast but there are also many other things that we have to endure post Katrina. No issue is small to the victims of this storm, everything seems monumental. Should we chance letting private citizens ignite their own fireworks this 4th of July since our area is so dry from lack of rain?

Private Citizens And Fireworks

Those of us who stayed during the storm and survived that terrible day are not the only ones having problems emotionally. Whether you stayed or evacuated, homes were destroyed or damaged and all of our lives changed drastically.

Mental Health

All counties are experiencing the lack of doctors, especially specialists. My recent admission to ER at Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula went very well, although I do know that we have lost some of our doctors. Hancock County is reporting a problem.

Lack of Surgeons

Yesterday I went on one of my searches hoping to take a few random pictures and was lucky to get one of new construction and one being lifted to required elevations. Very sad to see. Digital cameras are one of the greatest "gadgets" around but they have a ravenous appetite for batteries.



I am finding that it is growing harder for me to regularly post to my blog as I am living in all that I write about. To sum up today's post, my son in law asked, "Nana when do you think this will all end?" Oh! How I wish I could have had profound words to speak but all I managed to say after hesitating awhile was, "I really.....don't know." He looked down in sadness.

Hazards of Medication

I 'm back, but first I will give you an explanation of where I have been. Those of you who read my blog know that I have high blood pressure and have been under treatment for six years. On December 3o, 1998 I had a TIA (small stroke) and my left hand literally relaxed and "curled" up. It only lasted a moment. I knew what it was because I became interested in reading medical books and researching on the internet when my late husband contracted cancer, I actually diagnosed his illness before the doctors ... . well lets say I came close. I said he had Hodgkins disease and he was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma

I was kept over night at the hospital and released the morning of New Year's Eve with instructions to contact a physician and get treatment. It wasn't until after my husband lost his battle with cancer that I finally went to a doctor and began treatment in 2000. In 2003, I moved back to my hometown and had another TIA 3 months after my arrival. I was put on three medications to keep my blood pressure under control. After many side effects my blood pressure medication was changed on June 6th and on June 26th my pressure began falling to very low readings.


I arrived at the hospital at 730PM .


No I am not in the bed, I remained sitting in a chair. I was very calm as I sat there thinking, "I can't be dying, I feel too good". My daughter was with me and I said, "Anita I have my camera in my purse, take a couple of pictures for my blog".

My blood pressure stabilized on its own and after the results of the lab work done from analyzing my blood, I was told to not take a pill when I arose in the morning and call for an appointment with my doctor. At this time my doctor has taken me off the medication. I feel fine and, as I do read about medical conditions, I think the diuretic that was in the new blood pressure pill was the culprit. I was dehydrated and that's why my pressure took a "nosedive". I literally almost disappeared while feeling great.

A neurologist tested my two numb fingers and the ulna (elbow) is causing it. Can't lean on elbows for long periods of time. I agreed as I have spent countless hours on the PC.

I will continue reporting the happenings in Katrina's aftermath soon. There is much to write on that subject.

The Sun Herald | 06/24/2006 | 'I AM SO PROUD'

The Sun Herald | 06/24/2006 | 'I AM SO PROUD': "BILOXI - The state's first lady wasn't afraid the governor would ask her to stay; she was afraid he'd want her to leave.

'The thing that was scary for me is that I didn't want to tell Haley how bad it was because he would have wanted me to come home,' she said Friday. 'But I was here as Marsha Barbour. I wasn't here as the first lady of Mississippi.'

Marsha Barbour participated in a panel as part of the Mississippi Press Association's 140th annual convention in Biloxi on Friday, which discussed rebuilding the Coast after Katrina."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Barbour, Others Stress Coast Housing Needs At MPA Gathering

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Barbour, Others Stress Coast Housing Needs At MPA Gathering: "Gov. Haley Barbour and members of his recovery commission gave a positive face Friday to the efforts of government, faith-based organizations, businesses and individuals in rebuilding the Mississippi Gulf Coast but spotlighted housing as the region's most pressing need.

'Housing. Housing. Housing. Housing is such an integral factor,'' said Joe Cloyd of the Mississippi Development Authority as he joined others on a panel at the Mississippi Press Association's annual meeting in identifying housing as the major constraint to the recovery effort on the coast.

Barbour told the meeting of newspaper editors and publishers at the Imperial Palace Hotel in Biloxi that 'housing is going to be the long pole in the tent of recovery.''

Hurricane Katrina destroyed 70,000 homes and left 65,000 others with significant damage in the six counties that make up the state's coastal region, said Anthony Topazi, president and CEO of Mississippi Power Co., who also was a vice chairman of the recovery commission.

Those losses are significant, Barbour said, because 2,800 is the maximum number of houses ever built in Mississippi in one year.

'Even if we triple that it would take 10 years,'' Barbour said. 'We want to do it in five years.''"

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: First Phase Of Wet Debris Cleanup Finished Ahead Of Schedule In Pascagoula

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: First Phase Of Wet Debris Cleanup Finished Ahead Of Schedule In Pascagoula: "After a months of intense clean up efforts, the U.S. Coast Guard has completed the removal of wet debris from three sites in Pascagoula. The clean up is part of a pilot project with the Coast Guard and Mississippi Department of Marine Resources to remove debris from coast waterways. "

I have been on the internet for over 10 years and, what can I say, I love it! Now I have gotten into blogging about a subject that is very important to me. "Katrina" The picture of me that is shown in the sidebar was me almost two years ago. I am very honest, very outspoken, stubborn and, most importantly, I am a dreamer. You might say I viewed the world through "rose colored glasses" until Katrina came into my world. My writings oft times express the depression of the people and myself living in her wake. The lack of progress and the endless waiting is the hardest to bear. The saying, "once a dreamer, always a dreamer" applies to me too, doesn't it? So .... I will dream big for Mississippi by envisioning a prosperous future for us all.

The pics below are of the older me, taken today. Now I have no more secrets.

Because of the sameness of our existence, I will admit that the only way I know the day of the week is when I put my cursor over "time" at the bottom of my PC. So I know that today is Friday that culminates another unproductive week in regards to the citizens recovery. Late yesterday it was announced by the governor that the homeowner assistance grants have been delayed. It is such a game. No one knows if they have been approved or what amount they may get ..they just wait.

While lives literally fall apart, we are to buckle up, stop smoking, take care of our obesity, prepare for a pandemic, raise the educational test scores of our children and organize our evacuation plans for the possibility of another hurricane. In our down trodden state of existence, in my opinion, most of us give our priority to the welfare of our families and neighbors being able to survive and once again live the "American Dream".

It seems that in the last ten months there has been an inordinate amount of death especially among the seniors and I wonder if the pressure of life here has hastened their death. Has it gotten to the "survival of the fittest"?

WLOX-TV THE NEWS FOR SOUTH MISSISSIPPI

I have put the two videos shown below on again as we near the one year mark of what Katrina did to two of our larger cities on the Coast. I usually have no luck keeping the videos on but just maybe this time they will stay "put".

Once again our thanks go out to all the wonderful people around the United States that are still coming to our aid. There are, at present, 300 volunteers on the coast from Maryland

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Katrina Video Coverage

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Katrina Video Coverage: "Gulfport: Before & After Hurricane Katrina
Here's a before and after look along the beach in Gulfport, showing just how much we've lost from Hurricane Katrina."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Katrina Video Coverage

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Katrina Video Coverage: "Biloxi: Before & After Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina wiped clean some areas of Biloxi's beach front. In other places, she lifted massive casino barges onto the land. Here's a look at Biloxi before and after. "

The Sun Herald | 06/22/2006 | Afraid of heights

The Sun Herald | 06/22/2006 | Afraid of heights: "GULF PARK ESTATES - Ruth Prichard is 87 and wants to live where she has lived for 33 years, in a mobile home on a bayou in south Jackson County.

But she's afraid of heights.

Heights became an issue in her life only after Katrina, whose surge took her mobile home and left in its wake new flood-elevation requirements.

The elevation for her property, three lots on Simmons Bayou, is 12 feet off the ground or 18 feet above sea level. She's looking for another way. She wants the county to allow her to go back at a lower elevation."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: News & Video

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: News & Video: "Rebecca Powers Profiles Store Owners Johnny and Beverly Davis"

Johnny and Beverly Davis

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Landmark Gulfport Church Comes Down After 91 Years

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Landmark Gulfport Church Comes Down After 91 Years: "It's a place where several generations of families have gone to worship and to pray. Now the members of First Baptist Church in Gulfport are saying goodbye to the downtown church. Wednesday, crews began demolishing the 91-year-old church.

Katrina destroyed First Baptist Church's sanctuary as well as several adjacent buildings. Although the church has been the waterfront since 1915, the congregation decided not to rebuild there."

Just like most days, I can be found dragging the sprinklers around the yard trying to save at least a little of the lawn. Today is no exception. Why can't it rain? Next year, barring another catastrophe, I am seriously thinking about having underground sprinklers installed. My post today is more on the lighthearted side. Personally, I wear the mask of comedy more than I adorn the mask of tragedy. I love to laugh and can find humor in most things. For instance, I had written a post about my annoying neighbor that not only piled his trash in the front of my house, he did not rake his leaves and bag them as I did. He would blow them into my yard and I raked and bagged them. I have provided a link to that post.

My Neighbor

When doing work in my front yard this past spring I watched as my neighbor came down his drive almost fugitively bringing trash to the street and as always put it in front of my house. I didn't react outwardly that day. Weeks passed and his demeanor appeared to be one of fright if I was outside but it didn't deter him from putting his "junk" on my side. So... after calling to mind my Dad telling me because of my attitude at a particular time in my life that I could catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, I decided to try it with my neighbor.

As he was again putting his "stuff" out I went up to him and explained that since my property was on a slight incline that I couldn't cut the grass with his trash piled so close to my property. He kind of mumbled but never again did he put anything over the line. I wasn't content with that so whenever he came outside I began calling to him saying, "Hi! How are you today"? or "Pretty day, isn't it"? and he always responded in kind. He stopped blowing his leaves into my yard and all became as it should be with neighbors.

Last night I put my garbage out and this morning the neighbor's was there too. He is infringing again but in no way did it irritate me. I thought it was hilarious. There is a lesson to be learned here and that is "Honey" works everytime!

Clarion Herald

Clarion Herald: "Clarion Herald staff

BETH DONZE
BATON ROUGE, La. - Like many of his fellow New Orleans archdiocesan priests, Father Dennis Hayes decided to take his chances and stay put as Katrina teased the Louisiana coast, praying that the storm's Category 5 fury would spare or just nick the Arabi, La., streets around St. Louise de Marillac Church.

Surely Katrina would veer away at the last minute as so many hurricanes had done before, hoped Father Hayes, and even if the storm did end up causing damage, at least he would be on hand to minister to his parishioners' spiritual and material needs.

And so, ensconced on the second floor of the concrete-and steel St. Louise de Marillac School with his 13-year old dog Badooki, the Blessed Sacrament and his parish's sacramental registers, Father Hayes thought the worst was over by Monday morning Aug. 29 - until Arabi began to fill up like a huge bathtub."

Today alternates between sunshine and overcast skies. Harrison and Hancock counties received much needed rain this morning but Pascagoula received none. Here's hoping that this evening we may get a "mild" thunderstorm or two.

I decided to ride around at noon and look for improvements that I may have missed. I didn't see anything that justifies all the money that is said to be alloted to our area. People are still waiting anxiously for what the Homeowner's Grant Assistance Program decides to "grant" them so they can at least start rebuilding their homes. As the houses that have sat for ten months without repair fall into further dilapidation, the spirit of the people sinks even lower. You would have to live it to believe how depressing it can be.

I have made comments about the casinos, derogatory ones, but they will bring revenue to our state and cities. So any of you who plan on vacationing this year, and like to gamble, come to the Mississippi Coast and leave your money here. The casinos have prepared rooms for the tourists. My husband and I gambled because it was fun and we had the money to lose. We didn't walk up the stairs to the high roller's area, we played the slots. If you can afford to walk up those stairs by all means go!!!

The pics below will just be put in randomly, to show you a little of life in Pascagoula, soon to be one year later.

Working On It

The two pics above were taken in downtown Pascagoula. Notice the streets. All around our area there are countless "potholes" and thousands of people that have grown tired of waiting. Will it ever happen?

AP Wire | 06/19/2006 | Cyclists stop in Miss. to aid hurricane recovery

AP Wire | 06/19/2006 | Cyclists stop in Miss. to aid hurricane recovery: "MOSS POINT, Miss. - Five college students bicycling across the country to aid hurricane recovery stopped in two Mississippi cities recently.

'We're trying to spread the word across America to make everyone aware of the project we're doing, and to encourage other students to take the initiative and make a difference by developing innovative projects of their own design,' said cyclist Pegah Javidpour.

Texans Cycling America for Rebuilding Efforts are pedaling 4,000 miles from Florida to California.

The students, all natives of Houston, Texas, hope to raise awareness of the Gulf Coast's recovery needs, in addition to $15,000 for local relief organizations, Javidpour said."

Construction emerges from Katrina's shadow

Construction emerges from Katrina's shadow: "'The shock has worn off and people don't want to leave,' Jones said. 'At the start of June there was still some anxiety, but people are staying. Property values in Pascagoula are the highest they've been in a long time, and that's good.'

'I don't think the local housing market has really suffered, what there is of it,' Green said. 'People are buying; there's lots of sales of lots on the beach, (but) it's very difficult to find a decent house in Pascagoula for sale, the price has not dropped. We have faith that the market will go back.'

The boom in real estate sales has brought a corresponding increase in construction activity as contractors and home builders begin erecting new homes either on sites of former houses or on new land on the Coast or in the northern part of the county.

Numbers from the Jackson County Planning Department show that county officials have issued 254 permits for new homes since March 1. Pascagoula officials have issued 92 new home construction permits since Aug. 29, 2005, and Gautier officials have issued 51 permits for new homes and 12 for rebuilding hurricane-damaged homes, while Ocean Springs has issued 44 new permits since March."

On entering Mobile yesterday, we didn't fail to note the damage there also. Even the Exploreum showed damage around the windows from water seepage as mold was evident.


Katrina was a widespread hurricane that brought misery to thousands of people. My daughter and son in law along with their young family have suffered much from this storm but still carry hope for the future.

Another daughter from Gulfport recently told me that there is no progress at all. Nothing is being done. All of you who do not live in the area are getting news about all the money "pouring" in and the progress that is being made. It's not happening.

In spite of the bad start yesterday, we enjoyed our outing.

Yesterday was our trip to the Exploreum in Mobile, Al. We planned to go early as children become very rambunctious when they are tired. I was to meet the daughter at their house and we would all ride together. Upon my arrival, I learned they had a call in to the police as they awoke to their garage's electronic door open as well as the doors of the car in drive. At first it didn't appear that anything had been taken until they discovered the door opener on the visor was gone. The door would have to be reset but that meant missing what we had planned. Dave said we were going and they can take whatever they want. I understood his attitude as it makes the fourth time that the garage has been broken in to and chosen items stolen. This is yet another problem that Katrina has brought to our area, the criminal element. Mobile is very near to Pascagoula so not much travelling was involved and we arrived on time for our first adventure.


Dave put the girls in a tiny lift to get them and buggy up the stairs.

Anita took care of our entrance into the .....


A mummy from the British Museum in London was the attraction. It is said that Ancient Egyptians believed the process of mummification transformed the corpse into a new kind of body, one that would live forever among the gods. This particular mummy was determined to be NESPERENNUB who lived in approximately 800BC and served in the temple as a priest. Of course, no cameras were allowed.

We were given "3D glasses" and watched the process of mummification and how it became possible to determine who the mummy was without destroying the specimen. Cat scans were used to see inside the body and much info about the person can be obtained from the hieroglyphics (pictorial symbols used to represent meaning or sound) that are written on the coffins. In height, NESPERENNUB was guessed to be about 5' 4" as most egyptians at that time were short in stature and from the size of his coffin it could have been that of child. He was about 30-40 yrs. old when he died. Although this was interesting, I wondered why the movie, "The Creature From The Black Lagoon", kept entering my mind.

The Ancient Egyptians practiced what many of us would consider to be black magic. They used AMULETS that were often shaped in the form of a god or goddess to give them power over happenings in their daily lives. Mummies often had amulets placed in their coffins to give them power that would help them pass on to a new life. NESPERENNUB had seven

We saw artifacts that were said to be over 3000 yrs. old. To be truthful, I was skeptical through the entire thing but there was one thing I did like because I liked the fairy tale concept ot it. They were called SHABTIS... little figures carved from wood or stone holding a tool of work. Egyptians believed that you would have to work in the afterlife and the important people did not want to so they placed shabtis statuettes in coffins with hieroglyphics written on them explaining that, when the gods called on the person to do the work, the shabtis would come to life and do the work for them. Cute isn't it?

The excitement began for me when we went in to see the IMAX movie, "Mystery of the Nile". It was fantastic!!!! A virtual ride down the Nile. At times I was so dizzy that I remember saying to my daughter, " I think I am going to have a stroke". Somehow the big smile on my face didn't convince her. To Dave, Anita and myself, it definitely was the highlight of the entire trip. To the kids it was ........................

Time to go. Yvonne watches to see that her Dad gets down safely with Emily and the buggy.

We stopped for a BIG bite to eat and just finished before Yvonne "threw up".

A Pleasant Surprise - WLOX News

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: One Dead In Wiggins Triple Shooting

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: One Dead In Wiggins Triple Shooting: "What started out as a realtor showing a house to a couple ended in bloodshed Thursday morning in Wiggins. It happened on Colville Road just off North Magnolia Drive.

Tina Havard died at the scene. The other two, a man and a woman, were wounded in the shooting."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Suicide Threats Have Soared Since The Storm

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Suicide Threats Have Soared Since The Storm: "Phyllis Kennybrew has been a Harrison County dispatcher for six years.

'When I come in, I just feel like I can help somebody,' she said.

Kennybrew lost her home to Katrina. She does her best to keep that disappointment out of the dispatch center, because she wants 911 callers to feel comfortable when they talk with her.

'Some people just need encouragement,' she said. 'And when they call in here, if we're down, then we can't give them that support that they need.'

But since Katrina, staying upbeat in the Harrison County dispatch center hasn't been easy. The calls that come in are more agonizing than ever before.

Just ask Capt. Walter Pitts. He's noticed, 'More people are under stress for the littlest things. It just ticks them off now.'

And when people get ticked off, what they do next can be very dangerous. Sheriff George Payne has learned that lesson the hard way.

'This weekend alone we had about eight attempted suicide reports that we had to respond to and deal with,' he said.

Eight calls from people who more than likely had seen too many hurricane debris piles -- or had one too many confrontations with insurance adjusters, contractors, or FEMA agents."

Although the saying, "Time and Tide Waits For No Man" is true. wherever catastrophe strikes, it is man's nature to want the world to stop with their normal lives and wait for those stricken to catch up. I have experienced the feeling many times. The problem of adequate housing for the people would be the sign of the greatest progress in our area but the destruction was of a magnitude that the replacement of such things as signal lights and street signs are also considered major accomplishments.

There are more homes being built in Pascagoula on Washington Avenue. They have been raised to the required elevations. God forbid that a storm like Katrina should happen again because nothing could or will stand against such fury. I will have pictures to show you at a later date.

On a personal note, I have a problem with my left hand and my typing has slowed as two fingers are numb. Surprisingly, it wasn't diagnosed as carpral tunnel syndrome, as I suspected, since I have been posting since November. Being inquisitive, I looked up what having numb fingers could signify in regards to an illness. Some were not to my liking but then I recalled the doctor's reassurance when I asked the dumb question, "Am I going to die"? He simply said, "Of course not!" I hope he wasn't referring to the present moment. I will let you know after further testing.

See you soon!

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Schooner Anchors Rebuilt Restaurant In Downtown Biloxi

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Schooner Anchors Rebuilt Restaurant In Downtown Biloxi: "Joe Lancon never bought insurance for his back bay restaurant.

'I never dreamed in a million years the Ole Schooner would wash away, actually,' he said.

Once it did, Lancon knew he had to move off the water. He found a spot in the middle of downtown Biloxi.

'This was the only building I had left out of about eight buildings I own,' the restaurant owner said.

It happened to be on Howard Avenue, directly across from Nativity BVM Church."

The Sun Herald | 06/14/2006 | FLAG DAY

The Sun Herald | 06/14/2006 | FLAG DAY: "South Mississippi residents say the patriotism they feel toward the Stars and Stripes has intensified since Hurricane Katrina, and they plan to show off those strong feelings during today's Flag Day."

Roths make Longfellow a residence for first time since 1938

Roths make Longfellow a residence for first time since 1938: "PASCAGOULA -- The Drs. Roth made history this week when they purchased the Longfellow House, making it the first time in almost 70 years that the national landmark will be used as a private residence.

Randy and Tracy Roth, both Pascagoula physicians, closed on the Beach Boulevard property Thursday. The property was listed for $750,000. It was not known Friday how much the house sold for.

After Hurricane Katrina wrecked their previous historic Beach Boulevard home, the Roths and their five children have been renting a house in Mobile."

The Sun Herald | 06/13/2006 | Hard not to envy Alberto's rains

The Sun Herald | 06/13/2006 | Hard not to envy Alberto's rains: "As tropical storm Alberto closes in on the coast of Florida, it is hard not to envy some of those in its path.

Here in South Mississippi, it sometimes seems as if what Katrina did not wash away last year is going to be burned away this year.

As the first named tropical weather system of the 2006 hurricane season, Alberto's bands of rain would be a godsend to this parched coastline.

Yes, yes. We know. Be careful what you wish for."

This is all that is left of my aquatic plant, the papyrus. We have had droughts before but this one is extreme. Although I know my watering the plants and lawn every day has no beneficial effect, I am hoping that I will have enough of a moisture barrier to protect my house when the neighborhood goes up in flames. You don't think that will work do you? Neither do I but, as I have said before, I will not stand by and do nothing.

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Trump To Bring Casino Resort To Diamondhead

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Trump To Bring Casino Resort To Diamondhead: "Trump Entertainment Resorts, Inc. and Diamondhead Casino Corporation announced Monday that they intend to form a joint partnership to develop, build and operate a casino resort in Diamondhead.

The resort would be built on a minimum of 40 acres within a 404-acre tract of land owned by Mississippi Gaming Corporation, a subsidiary of Diamondhead Casino Corporation. The property fronts Interstate 10 for about two miles and the Bay of St. Louis for two miles."

Reliving Katrina

It was August 29, 2005 that the above picture was taken from the 2nd floor of my daughter's home in Delmas Estates in Pascagoula, MS. I had wanted to evacuate, not out of fear that anything was going to happen, more from just wanting to go somewhere. Maybe treat everyone to a good meal and relax in a hotel where we didn't have to make the bed or swelter in the heat when the power goes out. Waiting on a hurricane is not "fun", we were not going to have a "hurricane party". It's a miserable way to exist. Their reason for staying was the daughter had a new baby girl born on August 12th and three other young children. The newborn would not have gotten proper care at the most fragile time in an infant's life. After envisioning myself driving on the highways alone and not wanting to leave them, I decided to stay.

The day was overcast with very little rain and amazingly it was cold. We wore sweaters. My daughter was preparing to make us a big breakfast when the oven must have browned out or something because the biscuits would not rise. Was very strange as the power stayed on until about an hour and a half before the water came. Shoot! No need to tell you that we didn't have biscuits again for many weeks after the storm.

Katrina and Me

Although the link above offers some insight into the terror that was to unfold on that fateful day, there was much more observed by me and my personal feelings at the time. When the water started rushing down the street and quickly filled the yards in the neighborhood, I was bewildered, as I had never seen anything like this. Where was the water coming from? I will admit there was a moment of exhilaration before the fright began. Everything happened so quickly. I recall us frantically scampering back and forth not sure what we should do... or could do. We did have the presence of mind to get the children upstairs as the water climbed the front steps and started entering the house. I thank God that the front door held and let the water come in with less force instead of rushing in with a force that would have been deadly. When I became really frightened was when I heard the outside water gurgling up through the slab into the house. We were going to die, this could not be happening. All the pillows and blankets from our shelter in the downstairs hallway were floating freely around the house, the family car in the garage shorted out. Later Dave's truck in the drive would be completely submerged. We were trapped, water was surrounding us. No way to escape.

An elderly couple in their mid eighties lived in the house depicted above. As we watched the water rise to their roof we had to literally hold Dave back. He wanted to try to get them out, we didn't know then that they were in the attic. The raging water had risen too high for even Dave who stands at 6ft. 7 in height. It didn't dawn on him that he couldn't swim. He wouldn't have stood a chance.

As we sat on the upstairs landing, we prayed constantly calling on a miracle from God to spare us. When George, the oldest of the boys, cried and said, "I don't want to die", my heart crumbled as he put a voice to my fear. We were all going to drown. I was the only one who could swim but not well enough to save everyone but I know I would have tried. It wasn't a smooth flowing water, it was a raging water that would have smashed anyone that was in it up against trees, houses and entangled them in the debris from destroyed houses.

Had the water broken out the windows we would have all drowned and the force of the water would have collapsed the house. The backporch has a waterline of 8 ft. There are over 100 homes in Delmas Estates. All were gutted and all cars were destroyed. The miracle ... no lives were lost.

My home survived with little damage so Dave, Anita and their children stayed 12 days with me before returning to work on their home.

And so we continue to this day reliving the horror of Katrina and the present chaos of her aftermath.

.

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: First Named Storm Of Hurricane Season Swirls Toward Florida

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: First Named Storm Of Hurricane Season Swirls Toward Florida: "The first named storm of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season strengthened slightly in the Gulf of Mexico early Monday, prompting tropical storm warnings for the dry Florida coast.

Tropical Storm Alberto had maximum sustained wind near 50 mph, well below hurricane strength of 74 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. At 8 a.m., the storm was centered 240 miles south-southwest of Apalachicola and was moving north-northeast at about 8 mph, forecasters said."

This post is simply to ask, "Where is our humidity"? It is 94 degrees in Pascagoula and the humidity is 41%. Very strange happenings with our weather on the coast. It is as though we are becoming a desert. I sure would like to hear an explanation of why this is occurring.

Also my daughter and I had been experiencing excessive hair loss for the past nine months and, for us both, it stopped a few days ago. I had gone to a doctor about it and he said that stress could cause hair to fall out. The stress has not ceased so it couldn't have been the cause. I ask, "What was"?

The daughter and her family have been sick with different maladies for the nine months as have I. Speaking for myself, it seemed when my hair stopped falling that once again I felt remarkably like my old self. My energy level is high, no clogged sinuses and all joint pains are gone. The only thing I am still experiencing is the sleepiness.

We did not have the opportunity to be with lots of people to compare how we were feeling healthwise nor were any problems ever discussed in the news. All I have to do is recall the pesticides, that were washed from garages and deposited not only in our soil but absorbed through our skin, to make me wonder how contaminated we were. Whatever the cause, I am feeling better and hope it continues through the long haul of recovery.

GCN - General News Update

GCN - General News Update: "The U.S. Census reports that they estimate nearly 50,000 people have left the Coast's three counties since Hurricane Katrina. That figure may be too high report some local officials who believe the census figures do not represent people that will be returning to their homes later. The report showed that Harrison County lost over 30,000 people.

The U.S. Census Bureau this week released post-Katrina population loss estimates for South Mississippi. They are:
County 2005 2006 Change
Hancock 46,240 35,129 Down 11,111
Jackson 134,249 126,311 Down 7,938
Harrison 186,530 155,817 Down 30,713




While it is certain that many people have left the Coast perhaps forever, it is also true that many will return to build again. GCN received the following from a resident:

Received 6/8/06

I have lived in Hancock County for the past 19yrs. As a child growing up in New Orleans my summers were spent in Bay St.Louis. Because of that I moved here in 1987. I worked for the New Orleans Police department from 1974 until 1996 when I retired under a disability pension. I sat through many hurricanes as a child and later working some of them as a police officer. Even though we did not actually have one hit New Orleans we were always prepared (supposely). My family and I are going to live back in Hancock county but about 30 miles from the beach( our house was 2 miles north of the beach). I have seen a lot in my 50yrs but can tell you that I have never seen more togetherness between people here is Mississippi that was shown from Hurricane Katrina. All eyes are on New Orleans but I can tell you that city will never come together as the coast of Mississippi has. Maybe all the elected officials in Washington needs to spend some time on the coast and see how true Americans can work together. I am proud to be a Mississippian( transplanted) and all I can say is that we will move forward and show the rest of the World we can survive.


Randy Leitz
Perkinston,Ms.39573

________________"

It is almost 10AM in the morning and I just woke up. This is something very unusual for me as I am an "early bird". But as this storm and all the problems associated with it continue I think my sleeping has become an escape. I have no proof that others may be experiencing the same thing but it holds true with my daughter and her family. I can't pinpoint with any accuracy what is happening but for example, if I go to bed at 3AM in the morning, I wake up at 10AM. If I give in to the overwhelming desire to take a nap at 5PM in the afternoon, I wake up at 10AM the next morning. My "take" on this has a very simple answer. Since Katrina there are too many "lacks" in our lives. To be alive is to be antimated with normal chores, normal recreation and a normal hope for the future. When our lives return to "normal" , our bodily clocks will reset.

I oft times experience the feeling that somehow we must be thought of as having caused more problems for our country at a time when the seriousness of Iraq should be the most prevalent issue but, unfortunately, a disaster did happen and our problems are great. I have no doubt that there will be many books written on how we survived Katrina.

We are in a drought and one so bad that it has stripped the humidiity from our air. A great portion of the United States is in drought conditions. There have been tornadoes, sand storms and more hurricanes are likely to threaten all of the coastlines this season. We all live with the horror of the war in Iraq and the murders, child molestations and pornography that are increasing at an alarming rate in our country. When Mississippi cried for the government to help us they responded to many of the issues we have but our problems can overwhelm anyone. There were no rules for the unprecedented, how could there be?

Dave, Anita and I still look for diversion in our lives and we have something planned for next Friday in Mobile, Al. GC Exploreum Science Center

GCN - General News Update

GCN - General News Update: "The financial situation in Hancock County is particularly dire according to a report by the Sea Coast Echo. In a recent meeting, Hancock County officials met with county officials from Harrison and Jackson Counties, which despite tightly straining budgets, are offering some assistance to Hancock County, which was 'Ground Zero' for Hurricane Katrina. Hancock County officials say the county is about $4.5 million dollars short this budget year, which will end in October. Next year is even worse as officials expect a shortfall between $10 million to $16 million, of a budget that normally runs around $34 million. 'We feel like about October 16, we are going to be belly-up,' said Hancock County Board of Supervisors President Rocky Pullman. Of the 19,000 homes in the county, 10,000 were destroyed by Katrina. Officials from Jackson and Harrison counties agreed to help with some of the road work, street signs, and manpower issues."

The Sun Herald | 06/08/2006 | Mississippi Guardmen should take precautions due to stolen information

The Sun Herald | 06/08/2006 | Mississippi Guardmen should take precautions due to stolen information: "JACKSON - Mississippi National Guard soldiers and airmen should monitor credit card statements, checking accounts and credit reports in the wake of a massive theft of soldiers' personal information from a Veterans Affairs employee, Guard officials say.

The Veterans Administration said last month that a laptop stolen from an employee contained the personal information of thousands of veterans, but a new disclosure warns that almost all military personnel -- active, Guard and Reserve -- could be affected.

No identity theft related to the security breach has been reported, the U.S. Department of Defense said.

'I think we should take a common sense approach and monitor credit card statements, and perform regular checks on credit reports and banking accounts,' said Lt. Col. Tim Powell, a Mississippi Guard spokesman.

Powell told The Associated Press that the Defense Department is working to notify anyone who may be at risk of identity theft."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Primary "A Chore Getting Started"

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Primary "A Chore Getting Started": "A set of steps along Highway 90 in west Gulfport once took people to the main floor of the Charles Walker Senior Center. On past election days, the complex became a voting precinct. And then Katrina wiped it off election commission maps.

Frances Underwood was a fixture at the Walker center during previous elections.

'I've been over there for 20-something years, 22 years. So it's really odd,' she said.

Underwood's precinct moved from the waterfront to fire station number two on 42nd Avenue. She had no complaints about the new set up. Her problem was with the democrats turnout for its Senate race primary. Three poll workers could count the number of morning voters on one hand."

Just a short note to all of you that read my blog. Sometimes I have to just take a break from all the "reporting" I have been doing on my hometown and surrounding areas to psyche myself up to continue. We have been enduring the hardships of Katrina's aftermath not only in our waking hours but at times in restless sleep and troubled dreams about our uncertain future. Someone recently asked me, "What do you think will happen?" Personally, I am free to offer a conjecture based entirely only on what I have read and seen from day to day. The working class, heart of any city, are not being focused on as they should be. There is so much "red tape" involved that is delaying the rebuilding of their homes. Much of that "red tape" is impossible to comply with, so they are forced to leave and take up residency elsewhere. Then there are the "diehards" like me who refuse to give up their freedom to live where they choose. But then I ask myself, "Are we really free"? There is eminent domain lurking in the background that can take that freedom away. I read about the casinos and condos and the chance that the Coast has to be a playground where the mega wealthy can come on a "holiday" while the remaining citizens who have managed to "hang on" could still be residing in a FEMA trailer that they would be paying rent on along with the mortgage on their destroyed homes. Although the casinos can put people to work again, there are people who held other jobs. Most locally owned businesses are not operational.. After nine months of not seeing much progress, my optimism for a bright future has dimmed considerably.

There have been no concrete answers on any of the problems that exist here. "Just a whole lot of waiting going on". Hey! That reminds me of a song so I will end on that note!

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Lack Of Ice Melting Start Of Shrimp Season

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Lack Of Ice Melting Start Of Shrimp Season: "Battered and beaten shrimp boats that survived Katrina are about to embark on a journey into familiar, yet uncharted waters. And Joey Wilson can't wait.

'You don't want to miss the first day,' the owner of the Capn Roy said.

Wednesday morning, his shrimp nets will trawl Mississippi waters again. If the nets don't get knotted up by hurricane debris, the season should get off to a plentiful start. At least that's what William Parker was told.

'A lot of the shrimpers say there are nice, big shrimp out there,' the recreational shrimper said.

But at the Ocean Springs Harbor where Parker's boat is docked, shrimpers know the size of their catch won't matter if they have no way to freeze it.

'If we don't get no ice, we won't be heading out,' Bobby Wilson said."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Awarding Of Bids To Rebuild Biloxi-Ocean Springs Bridge Pending

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Awarding Of Bids To Rebuild Biloxi-Ocean Springs Bridge Pending: "Countless tours of the hurricane devastated Gulf Coast have ended here, at the base of what was the Biloxi Ocean Springs Bridge.

'Seeing pictures is one thing but to be live looking at just the volume of it and the extent of it,' says Don Raths of Chicago, Illinois. 'It just seems more real.'

As a structural engineer Raths has a unique perspective on the extent of damage done to this vital artery turned tourist attraction.

'It was enlightening to see what the surge did to the precast concrete structures,' says Raths. 'You can see it moved the bridge deck literally 15 feet to the north and picked it up then it collapsed off the piers on one end.'

But very soon work will finally begin to remove the rubble and erect a new bridge."

I Will Survive

It is 10AM and I sit before my PC trying to put my thoughts into descriptive words that will give you an insight into many issues, big and small, that make up a day in the life of ONE survivor of a disaster. Although there are many survivors of this hurricane, we each have our own particular stories to tell. You would have to read my entire blog to know the personality that I possess. It has always been one of "I can do that". .. and I do. Whether I fail or not .. I give it a try. When Katrina blew in and caused such massive destruction to our areas, there was my overwhelming desire to help so I chose to write about the storm and get as much as I could out to the public on what has happened here. I did volunteer work, for a short time, to help my neighbor and, by far, the most asinine thing I attempted, without formal training, was to become a self made journalist. At first I was just writing about my experience, as I thought it would be great therapy but, when my daughter presented me with a digital camera, I became serious about depicting the local happenings complete with pictures. You may have noticed that I blog many articles written by real journalists. So this is a formal disclaimer to say I am not certified. Also I would like you to know that although I live each day in a disaster area, I do not get to put my name on a waiting list to get help as I don't qualify for anything, but still I wait like everyone else. The many volunteers who have come to our state in the last nine months can not go door to door and ask how they can help you, they must go through the proper channels. So, at times, I struggle.

I love working in the yards but there are days when I do not feel up to the task and before Katrina I would hire someone to come and do the job. That has become an impossibility now. My equipment is a riding lawnmower and an electric weedeater that does not cut the grass, it flattens it. My rider is a heck of a lot of fun to ride but there is a slight danger to me as the front yard is on an incline. I fear it will throw me off one day and run over me. Sounds like paranoia doesn't it? I agree, but you see, a week ago last Thursday I went to the metal cabinet in the garage to get a light bulb to change a burned out one in a lamp. When I opened the door all the contents started spilling out and in my attempt to stop some of the breakage, I injured my wrist and part of my hand. At the top of my hand you will see a white clean cut line which is actually missing flesh.


At the present writing it has healed nicely. I intend to disguise the missing part with a tiny bandaid. So you see, if changing a lightbulb can do this, can you imagine what the lawnmower could do to me. The job I did today was relatively simple except for the fumes I inhaled while spraying, with intent to kill, the weeds growing in the cracks in the driveway.

The Sun Herald | 06/03/2006 | Money coming in from all over for Pascagoula

The Sun Herald | 06/03/2006 | Money coming in from all over for Pascagoula: "To help Pascagoula's recreation department recover, cities have sent various financial contributions, with the most recent donation of $13,150 from Salisbury, N.C., for the purchase of recreation equipment lost in the storm.

Residents of Salisbury were among the first to arrive in Pascagoula to help it recover in the days after the storm.

Pascagoula officials said residents of Salisbury held fundraising events to raise money they later donated to the Flagship City."

Longfellow House Sold

Sale of historic Longfellow House nearly complete

Sale of historic Longfellow House nearly complete: "For decades Longfellow House has been used for weddings, receptions and other social functions.

The last time it was used as a private residence was by former Mayor Frank Canty, who bought the home in 1938, said Liz Ford, chairwoman of the Pascagoula Historic Preservation Commission.

Around 1940, Canty sold it to Robert Ingalls, founder of Ingalls Shipbuilding. Ingalls used the Longfellow as a place for visiting dignitaries and other guests and eventually added the restaurant, bar, hotel and swimming pool, said Ford, who enjoyed many summers during her youth there.

'It was a really important part of so many of our summer lives back then,' she said.

The Longfellow is the only beachfront antebellum structure standing from Mobile to New Orleans after Katrina, Ford added."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Four Dead In Military Helicopter Crash In Georgia

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Four Dead In Military Helicopter Crash In Georgia: "A military helicopter clipped a rural Georgia television station tower and crashed Thursday morning, killing four soldiers on a training mission, officials said."