I drove down to the Beach Park in Pascagoula this past Wednesday to check on the progress in preparation for the upcoming anniversary of Katrina. It is very clean now but barren. There was a work crew putting together a playground for the children. Work on the pavilion has not begun but there are supplies that look like prefab and should go up quickly. A large crowd is expected on the 29th when a memorial will be unveiled in honor of those we lost. As the date draws nearer to mark the one year anniversay, maybe many of us can lay the horror of that day to rest and find a way to go on with our lives. As always the biggest problem is the great number of our citizens still living in Fema trailers. Until the housing and insurance problems are solved, they can't step forward. On August 29th, I ask that you take a moment to remember us in Mississippi.

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Home

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Home: " Marcia Hill Reports On Katrina Fraud Arrests"

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: WLOX's Doug Walker Talks With President Bush About Mississippi's Recovery

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: WLOX's Doug Walker Talks With President Bush About Mississippi's Recovery: "Doug Walker: There's a feeling, a growing feeling, of discontent in Mississippi that the lion's share of the attention has been going to New Orleans - As is evident today on the front page of USA Today with only one mention of Mississippi. Is Mississippi being forgotten by the government and the nation?

President Bush: I don't know, I can't speak for a factor of the nation, you know the people that print the news. But I can tell you about the government, and the answer is absolutely, 'No.' This government is focused equally on Mississippi as it is on Louisiana. And one reason why we, of course, have remained focused is you got a governor who's got a lot of influence up here, and senators who've got influence up here. And so our efforts are equal in trying to help people recover. And I've got to applaud Mississippi because they have developed a plan, which was approved quickly, that will enable money to get out the door to helping individual homeowners rebuild."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Rebuilding Work Begins On Beach Boulevard In Bay St Louis

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Rebuilding Work Begins On Beach Boulevard In Bay St Louis: "Nearly a year after it was destroyed, the long awaited reconstruction work on Beach Boulevard in Bay St. Louis has finally started. Phase one is building a temporary road.

'You've got to start at the ground up when something this bad happens,' County Engineer Geoffrey Clemens said. 'This is the first building block to get to the ultimate goal to having a restored downtown and residential area on the beach.'"

Southern Comfort: Unique Mississippi

Southern Comfort: Unique Mississippi: "Unique Mississippi

'To understand the world you must first understand a place like Mississippi'
-William Faulkner
I absolutely love this quote. To me this quote epitomizes Mississippi, which if many of you know is a very complicated place. If anyone is unfamiliar with Mississippi let me give you a brief rundown of the diversity of the different regions of MS."

MISSISSIPPI BEYOND KATRINA

MISSISSIPPI BEYOND KATRINA

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Bush: Support, Not Symbolism, Best Way To Remember Victims Of Katrina

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Bush: Support, Not Symbolism, Best Way To Remember Victims Of Katrina: "**WLOX's Doug Walker is in Washington, D.C. today for a one on one interview with President Bush about Mississippi's Katrina Recovery. Watch for his exclusive interview Thursday on WLOX News at Six, and of course, right here on WLOX.com!**

President Bush cautioned against placing too much importance on the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's Gulf Coast strike, saying Wednesday it will take a long, sustained effort to rebuild the area.

'It's a time to remember that people suffered and it's a time to recommit ourselves to helping them,'' Bush said. 'But I also want people to remember that a one-year anniversary is just that, because it's going to require a long time to help these people rebuild.''"

Block Party

Hey!!! This is great!!! I lived on Gallery Street with my daughter and her family when I moved back to Pascagoula for two years before I moved in May 2005 to my present home. This will be my chance to meet more of the neighbors. Ironically, I had mentioned in a post dated August 14th that I wish neighborhoods would have block parties. We all have something in common .... surviving Katrina!

GCN - General News Update

GCN - General News Update: "As the anniversary date for Hurricane Katrina nears, news reports from around the nation are growing. Most of these stories reviewed by GCN are about the problems in New Orleans, however, there are some reports about the Mississippi Coast. Most reports are acknowledging that the Coast is far from recovery but progress is being made, although very slowly. GCN will continue to post some of these stories on its main page as we have done throughout the period. Local officials say they have been bombarded for weeks from reporters nationwide."

I found myself hesitating before writing this post as I have been reading such hateful comments from people. It is obvious that some have been restraining themselves for almost a year. They are tired, as they say, of our whining, laziness and, most of all, their thinking that we are living off the government....high on the hog! Most of the derogatory comments are directed at New Orleans because Mississippi still doesn't get coverage in major newspapers or magazines. New Orleans did suffer damage from the storm but the major disaster for them was the levees breaking. We are americans regardless of our race, religion or political views. As americans, to hear a fellow countryman speak so indifferently and callously about their own is disheartening.

Try imagining that you awaken one morning and the life you were living was gone. No shelter, no food and just the clothes on your back. What would you do? How would you feel? I can tell you what you would do. You would reach out to others and plead for them to help you. You would feel helpless, hopeless and dead inside. The damage to lives and property couldn't have been any worse had a bomb been dropped on us. The people do not have the big dreams the city planners do. They just want a chance to rebuild or repair a home for their family.

True, there will always be those who will lie, cheat and steal but the majority are honest people who took a terrible beating from the storm and are grateful for the help they receive. There has been a lot of talk about all the fabulous casinos and condos that are coming to the areas but to the homeless people that means very little. To them... "There Is No Place Like Home".

The Sun Herald | 08/21/2006 | Historian tells the stories of Gulf Coast hurricanes

The Sun Herald | 08/21/2006 | Historian tells the stories of Gulf Coast hurricanes: "Hurricane Katrina is one for the history books, but Mississippi Coast historian Charles L. Sullivan insists that each of the 32 storms that struck here with hurricane-force winds is for the books. Each has its own distinction and lesson to learn.

Sometimes, huge gaps lulled the citizenry between storms, with good examples being no hurricanes between 1860 and 1893, and none between 1916 and 1947. Those are more than 30-year gaps and between the two worst storms of the 20th century - Camille in 1969 and the '47 storm - there were two quiet decades."

SI.com - Writers - Peter King's MMQBTE: Readers e-mails on draft, the truth about New Orleans - Tuesday May 2, 2006 1:07PM

SI.com - Writers - Peter King's MMQBTE: Readers e-mails on draft, the truth about New Orleans - Tuesday May 2, 2006 1:07PM: "I know you come to this column to read about football, sports and other things. I'll get to the regular Tuesday fare, your e-mails, in a few paragraphs. First, there's something a little more significant to discuss.

I sense that we in this country have Katrina fatigue. The New York Times reported as much recently, saying that people in some of the areas that welcomed Katrina evacuees last September are sick of hearing about the hurricane, the flooding and the aftermath.

Well, my wife and I were in a car last Wednesday that toured the hardest-hit area of New Orleans, the Lower Ninth Ward. We worked a day at a nearby Habitat for Humanity site on Thursday, and we toured the Biloxi/Gulfport/Long Beach/Pass Christian gulf shore area last Friday. And let me just say this: I can absolutely guarantee you that if you'd been in the car with us, no matter how much you'd been hit over the head with the effects of this disaster, you would not have Katrina fatigue.

What I saw was a national disgrace. An inexcusable, irresponsible, borderline criminal national disgrace. I am ashamed of this country for the inaction I saw everywhere."

I'll Take The Ducks!!!

Yesterday I went with daughter and family to Scranton's Nature Museum located in the I. G. Levy Park in Pascagoula. We got off to an early start as the weather was a scorcher. So early, that we were eating hamburgers at 10AM It is a small museum filled with stuffed wildlife such as a boar hog, a deer, a mink, racoons, to name a few. The first thing to greet me was a stuffed diamondback rattlesnake in a striking position. The curator offered an apology that they didn't have the live reptiles back yet as the others didn't survive Katrina. Gee! Like I cared.

The pavillion was nice and the scenery was very pretty but, what I liked, were the ducks. They were everywhere. There were geese too but they kept their distance and so did I. Years back, I tried rescuing a drowning goose after he got tangled and broke my fishing line. I had a skiff so I got to him quickly. I pulled him out of the water and the fishing line was choking him. I snipped and snipped and as soon as he was free, he turned on me. I am sorry to say that in defending myself from this wild goose I had to beat him off me with an oar. I am happy to say that both he and I survived.

Everything was good about the day but the exhausting heat. I am ready for Fall!

A Jetty

I have no doubt that many of you reading this have seen or at least heard about the catastrophe that befell the Mississippi Coast and the thousands of homes destroyed. After the homes have been demolished and the debris is cleared, what do you do with the remaining slabs? A jetty extends out into a body of water using pilings or rocks to influemce the current or tide or to protect a harbor.Pascagoula used the slabs of the destroyed homes.





The aerial view taken after the storm shows the jetty on the right with lesser roundness at the tip. On the left is part of Northrop Grumman Shipyard.


I thought you might find this of interest. In a disaster there are countless things that most of us would never think of. This is one of them!

Pictures courtesy of my daughter

The Sun Herald | 08/18/2006 | FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY Honoring the unknown

The Sun Herald | 08/18/2006 | FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY Honoring the unknown: "GULFPORT - Hurricane Camille long stood as the benchmark of storms for South Mississippi. The benchmark changed with Hurricane Katrina last August.

On Thursday, the monster Camille was remembered, 37 years after it changed South Mississippi.

Those who lived through Camille have had to relive the experience through Katrina. Lives were forever altered and lives were lost during these two terrible hurricanes. Collectively, thousands died and were laid to rest."

I lived in Gulfport, MS when Hurricane Camille came ashore!

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Mississippi Sound Holds Assorted Debris

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Mississippi Sound Holds Assorted Debris: "They look like contraptions from a giant Erector set. But the versatile vehicles with mechanical rakes play a key role in cleaning the Mississippi Sound.

'We call it the Water Bug. They actually made it to lay out astro turf in the Astro Dome. And they put these buckets on it for Katrina,' said Perry Cowart, who operates one of the giant rake devices."

Mental health concerns continue to rise in county

Mental health concerns continue to rise in county: "Two major Katrina issues for people, he said, are that they are rebuilding their homes but also rebuilding their spirits. Yancey said victims are exhausted and experiencing memory loss.

'There's not a quick fix. We just really weren't prepared for this,' Yancey said."

This is true folks, it has happened to me. I had an appointment with a doctor today and I couldn't answer any of his questions.. the words just wouldn't come. He gave me a anti depressant to help me cope. I didn't lose my home or possessions so imagine how the people who did are feeling.

Well, I just came through a severe storm that seemed to come out of nowhere tonight. It came in with a blast of wind, terrible lightning and a downpour. My power went off three times and even though I anticipated power failure, I didn't bother to get the oil lamp. I had a candle burning and decided that would be enough. I actually am not frightened of the weather anymore. I realize that I may be displaying abnormal behavior but this is honestly the way I feel. I am in a state of resignation.... Que Cera Cera!!

I wonder if others feel as I do? As time marches on to a year since the storm devastated our lives, the thought of evacuating and enduring more discomfort and upheaval in my already chaotic existence, has become almost a certainty that, if I have a choice, I will not leave. Stupidity you may say.... No! .... exhaustion. I think that it is more mental exhaustion than physical. Because we don't have enough physical diversions, we dwell on the magnitude of the problems we have and thus experience the emotions of hopelessness and helplessness. Of the two emotions mentioned, helplessness is the one that is distressing to me because it is the opposite of what I and many people were before Katrina. Helpless, according to the dictionary, means incompetent, incapable and dependent on others to take care of you.

We, the people, are not in the position to make the rules. Officials are making them for us. I have said before, that if we, the people, had been allowed to rebuild our homes to the specifications of our choice, much more progress would have been accomplished and we would have been on our way to recovery. I hope there is still freedom of speech!

Broadwater Angel

I have had the "scruffy" but adorable angel for over thirty years. It came from the once swanky Broadwater in Biloxi, Mississippi. Many of our office Christmas parties were held there. The lobby was always decorated beautifully and the ornaments on the tree were always special. One year all the ladies, me included, helped ourselves to the ornaments. We didn't get in trouble as the Manager was present and he said, "Go for it ladies" and we did. I also have a mouse and two doves made from the same plaid fabric. I am especially sad as I know there are many others on the coast that would have had these mementos of a wonderful past.

It was a fun era on the coast and enjoyed by so many people. Yet another landmark will disappear from the landscape but we will remember the Broadwater.

Article On The Broadwater

Boredom

I am sure all of you at one time or another have experienced boredom. Right? You thought of maybe going to a movie just to get out of the house. Maybe you did a little shopping and bought something frivolous to cheer yourself up. Right? I used to do that but let me tell you something about what it's like here ... and getting worse. I was an early riser, now I sleep very late and feel a little irritated if I should awaken too early. Sleeping is my way of shortening what I have learned will be a very boring day. There is no entertainment in Pascagoula at this time. Of course, there will be in the future. Many things are promised all around the coast for an unspecified time in the distant future, unfortunately, we live in the present.

I wish the people in neighborhoods would have block parties. Now that would make the wait for progress a little more bearable. That doesn't happen either. When I first moved into my present home fifteen months ago, I met a total of four people and haven't seen them since. I read the same articles that you do about people coming together and helping one another and I am not saying it doesn't happen with some people, it just hasn't happened for me or anyone that I know. Which reminds me of the grant letters going out, not any of the people I know have received the letter. What are the chances of that?

It is raining here again and it is thundering and lightning. I am not scared of the weather anymore. I guess I should be, but Katrina seems to have scared me so much, as it did thousands of other people, that I don't feel fear anymore. See, that isn't natural, is it? Or maybe it is a blessing. "There is no fear but fear itself".

Another daughter from Gulfport came for a visit recently and she brought me up on the news there. Things are just the same in that area, no progress. We are all wallowing, not in a state of pleasure but in a state of stagnation.

083005.pdf (application/pdf Object)

083005.pdf (application/pdf Object)

This is a full readable edition of The Mississippi Press dated August 30, 2005. To read the paper click on the above link and scroll to read. .

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: ABC Soap Stars Help South Mississippi Rebuild

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: ABC Soap Stars Help South Mississippi Rebuild: "The stars joined forces with Home Depot and Kaboom! to restore an historic structure and make make way for a new playground at Beck Park, which will be built on August 29."

Happy Birthday Emily and Dave!!!

My little granddaughter, Emily, celebrated her birthday today. She was only 17 days old when Katrina came ashore last August. She shares a special birthday with her father. Happy Birthday Emily and Dave!!!

The Sun Herald | 08/12/2006 | Grants will go out in August, Barbour says

The Sun Herald | 08/12/2006 | Grants will go out in August, Barbour says: "BILOXI - Most homeowner grants will be distributed in August, Gov. Haley Barbour said Friday at the opening of his three-day Recovery Expo. He said although a computer glitch put the Mississippi Development Authority four or five days behind, most grants will still go out this month."

AND THE PENDULUM SWINGS!!!

Looking Back......

Although I have entitled this post "Looking Back", the memory of what happened that fateful day in August will be with me for the rest of my life. That day and all the days, weeks and months that followed have now become two weeks short of a year later. It has been a very long year full of struggles and depression. At times we find humor in something and we laugh but there are, I think, more tears than laughter. All the landmarks or a favorite place to eat are no longer there. It has already become difficult to remember what once was on a certain property.

The debris removal was a tremendous job and has been cleared making the areas clean but barren. I wonder if anyone has thought of the debris as being more than just a mess to clear. It was a special debris as it contained people's homes, furniture, clothes, jewelry, photos of their familes, all of their kitchen appliances, washers and dryers, heirlooms, paintings, toys, treasured keepsakes handed down from their parents, high school and college diplomas. There was much more than I have listed. What about smaller items like measuring cups, utensils, pencils, pens, needles and thread. I think you see my point so if you should see a picture of "debris" from Katrina, I hope that you will see what I have spoken of and think of the heartache that still abounds.

I was with my daughter, her husband and their four children during the storm. For obvious reasons, we didn't take many pictures as the water rose quickly and was coming into the house. The last two pictures were taken from second floor.

Chron.com | (PZ) TASER Device Prevents Post-Katrina Suicide Attempt

Chron.com | (PZ) TASER Device Prevents Post-Katrina Suicide Attempt: "According to news reports from The Times-Picayune, a New Orleans man was arrested Tuesday night after attempting to commit suicide and begging officers to shoot him to death. According to James Arey, commander of the police negotiations team, John McCusker, a Times-Picayune photographer, set out to kill himself after becoming depressed about not being able to financially rebuild his Katrina-devastated home. McCusker was spotted driving erratically near Napoleon Avenue and Baronne Street just before 7:30 p.m. and struck several parked vehicles before finally complying with officers' requests to pull over. An officer then approached McCusker's car with a gun and asked him to step out of the vehicle while a second officer posted behind the car. McCusker refused and instead rolled down the window and asked repeatedly to be killed before putting the car in reverse, pinning the second officer between McCusker's vehicle and the patrol car. Two shots were fired but missed the tires of McCusker's car as he sped off."

NOLA.com: Search

NOLA.com: Search: "A man who police said was depressed after he found out he didn't have enough insurance money to rebuild his Katrina-ravaged New Orleans home was arrested Tuesday after trying to get police to shoot him to death, New Orleans police said.

John McCusker, a photographer for The Times-Picayune, was taken into custody. Police said he will be charged, but were unsure what charges will be filed. He was being held under psychiatric observation."

Before and After -- SunHerald.com

Before and After -- SunHerald.com

In remembrance of Katrina's anniversary, August 29, 2005, I have blogged the before and after pictures of the destruction of homes and more in our area.

AP Wire | 08/10/2006 | British: Thwarted plot involved 10 jets

AP Wire | 08/10/2006 | British: Thwarted plot involved 10 jets: "LONDON - British authorities said Thursday they thwarted a terrorist plot to simultaneously blow up 10 aircraft heading to the U.S. using explosives smuggled in hand luggage, averting what police described as 'mass murder on an unimaginable scale.'"

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Home

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Home: "
U.S. Raises Airline Threat Level To Highest Level, First Time Ever
The terror scheme disrupted in London is 'suggestive of an al-Qaida plot,'' the Bush administration said Thursday as it issued its highest terrorism alert ever for commercial flights from Britain to the United States and raised the threat level for all domestic and international flights. All other flights, including all domestic flights in the United States, were put under an 'orange,'' alert - one step below the highest level."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: South Mississippi Heroes

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: South Mississippi Heroes: "08/08/06 --- During the height of Katrina's landfall, the entire first floor of The Coast Inn in Waveland was under water. The hotel's owners took in dozens of frightened refugees. Many of them say they're alive today because of one very brave man, Howard O'Gwin. We have some amazing video of this South Mississippi Hero in action."

Click on the above and it will take you to the page that has the video of a true hero!

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: 3 Doors Down Surprises Fans In Jackson County

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: 3 Doors Down Surprises Fans In Jackson County: "Roberts says Resurrection Catholic High School in Pascagoula prepared him for life in the spotlight.

'It's where I graduated from high school,' said Roberts. 'You only graduate from high school once, and this happened to be the place. It was a good school. I had a great time here, and a lot of great memories'."

Today was just an ordinary day, nothing major to report. But then maybe I am restraining myself trying to not be morose. When you live where I do, it's natural to talk about the problems we face from day to day. I decided it was time for me to take a break and find a way to make the day special. So I went to my daughter's and borrowed my two grandsons for a few hours. They have small digital cameras that take 20 pictures so they were more than willing to ride around with me to look and snap anything that was appealing to them. I won't know until later what they have but I can't wait to see because it went something like this. I would ask, "Boys are you taking any pictures?" George said, "I am trying to take one of the helicopter flying over." William said, Nothing yet, I don't see anything exciting." I wasn't taking any as I thought they would snap the places where furniture was piled at the curb for trash pickup or the blue tarped roofs. Surely they are noticing the houses that are raised high off the ground. I believe that what I will see is the back of my head and the interior of the car but that's okay. I decided to take two pictures just in case.



When we got to my house we had lunch and then watched TV. Cartoons, of course. Before returning them home we went to a Dollar General store and I bought them a few toys. They were thrilled! I thought how much better we all would feel if we could recapture some of the innocence we had as a child. The boys truly didn't see the destruction that was all around them, they savored the moment. They taught me a valuable lesson today. I will try to remember.

Mysterious skin ailment surfaces here

Mysterious skin ailment surfaces here: "PASCAGOULA -- A Pascagoula woman, who asked for anonymity, said she had never been sick a day in her life until a year ago when Hurricane Katrina struck.

Now the 55-year-old woman's body is plagued with a type of stringy-grayish parasite that continues to multiply within her body.

The woman's husband and family dogs also exhibit the same
signs."

Oh No!!! What is this?

The Sun Herald | 08/05/2006 | Investors put their cash on Coast barrelhead

The Sun Herald | 08/05/2006 | Investors put their cash on Coast barrelhead: "BILOXI - Investors from across the nation went on a $116 million property-buying blitz in South Mississippi this week, snapping up 403 condominium and affordable-housing units.

Some properties were in such high demand a lottery had to be drawn for reservation rights and some of the 110 investors were wait-listed.

Pre-Construction Investing Tours' three-day circuit of South Mississippi development sites wrapped up Thursday at the IP Casino and Hotel when investors put down deposits of $2,500 to $10,000, said tour organizer Wendy Patton.

The properties sold included both luxury condominiums and affordable housing projects planned for construction. Rick Borst, vice president for Pinnacle Real Estate Group of Orlando, Fla., said presenting both types of properties is key.

'One without the other will not work,' said Borst.

Borst said the attractions that make South Mississippi such a great destination for tourists cannot function without places for employees to live."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Gulfport Citizens In Uproar Over Public Housing Changes

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Gulfport Citizens In Uproar Over Public Housing Changes: "It's the number one topic of conversation at L.C. Jones Homes in Gulfport.

Residents at L.C. Jones in Gulfport, W.M. Ladnier Homes in Gulfport and Charles Warner Homes in Pascagoula all received letters from the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority stating they may have to move out within the next few months. "

gulflive.com: Search

gulflive.com: Search: "The increase in the suicide rate here is alarming. There is a need to recognize the problem and address it individually as well as by the community."

What's Going On Here?

When Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, all of us were so busy and weighted down with one problem after the other that I don't think much thought was given to the long term problems that were going to arise in our area. Now.. you would have to be a "dummy" to not recognize that all the delays are putting tremendous pressure on us to make us ALL leave. Problem solved!!! We are being hindered from getting on with our lives. The elevation requirement will be to many people's detriment and prevent them from rebuilding their homes. Katrina was a "freak" storm that may not happen again but yet we are ordered to leave three days before a hurricane makes landfall if it enters Gulf waters. Do the authorities know something we don't? It has to be very serious to not take into consideration the impracticabilities that it all entails. Their attitude toward us is, in my opinion, inhumane. What about our two connecting bridges? We have to use the interstate and people have lost their lives on the only outlet for most of us. My husband's grave is in Gulfport and I haven't visited since last December because of all the fatalities.

People should have had the right to rebuild on their slabs instead of having to elevate to a heighth that meets the requirements but are not very appealing. A few people have lifted ranch style homes 16 ft..... imagine how that looks. Sadly, I saw one of those homes split in the middle. I wondered who was responsible for that particular home's demise. The link below is the determination of one homeowner. I will follow that story and hope they do not make her "bulldoze" it.

West Gulfport Home

Sure there have been thousands of volunteers coming to help but I, personally, have not seen any. I think they are a well kept secret directed toward a chosen few. I don't blame them, I blame the bureaucracy that point them in the direction THEY want them to go.

Yes Folks! We are a hurting people trying to survive against so many odds. The grant delay is going to cause an uproar. People are tired, beaten down and becoming more desperate every day. A year is a long time to have lived on promises made for our future and promises not fulfilled.

The Sun Herald | 08/04/2006 | Grant process will have multiple steps

The Sun Herald | 08/04/2006 | Grant process will have multiple steps: "Bob Strickland of Biloxi, an Isle of Capri employee, said he and fellow workers are waiting on pins and needles for the grant check.

He said Thursday he has not received the letter that will tell him whether he is approved . He was afraid the process would take longer than he was initially told.

'That's what's so frustrating,' Strickland said. 'We were told in February that we'd apply in March, then it was April. Then we applied in May and were told we'd get checks in August.'

He said, 'Nobody knows if we're even getting anything. It makes it very difficult to plan. Our houses are destroyed and we're waiting on the money that the governor assures us we'll get.

'I'm broke,' he said. 'I have a house, but I can't finish it. I have no other source of money to repair it. I'm doing it paycheck-by-paycheck now.'"

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Some Coast Businesses Stunned By Wind Pool Insurance Hike

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Some Coast Businesses Stunned By Wind Pool Insurance Hike

gulflive.com: NewsFlash - Guard dog destroys Elvis' teddy bear during museum rampage

gulflive.com: NewsFlash - Guard dog destroys Elvis' teddy bear during museum rampage

I awoke this morning expecting the usual gloom and doom when reading news articles on the internet. True, I found all that but there was one that made me laugh and brightened my outlook!

A Wasted Year

It is now the first day of August, a month that I have never liked because that's when the southern heat is at it's worst. "Dog Days" as we call them. For me,the heat was always bearable as I knew that September was forthcoming and cool,if not cold days, would soon begin. There is no other place I would rather be in the winter months. Now...I have lost much of my happy anticipation for just about everything I once enjoyed after wasting an entire year of my life. A year of seeing nothing but destruction, very little progress and hearing all the rhetoric in the news about how well we are doing. A resilient people right? I used to be. I used to be a lot of things. I used to be a happy person, a very spirited lady but somehow Katrina is slowly squeezing the life out of me. In past years,I would begin Christmas shopping by mid August as I was convinced I was Mrs. Claus. I always had the tree decorated at Thanksgiving so we could look at the beauty of it while enjoying the meal I had prepared. Since the storm so much of that kind of celebration has passed us by.Last Christmas the daughter and her family were sick with flu like symptoms and a cough but there was a decorated tree for the children,the damage in the room was cleverly concealed by my daughter. They, me too, all had the cough for many months after the storm but the doctors "debunked" the notion that all the contaminants we had come in contact with was the cause. So many people had it that it became known as the "Katrina Cough".

We have been living in isolation for this period of time and never really knew what was going on in the other areas. Because of the enormous amount of videos that are out.... now we know. In our darkest hours, we had desperately needed supplies turned away from us. Why? A person without food can live longer than one without water. We have seen national guardsmen that were given orders to shoot another American if they didn't get out of their damaged houses in New Orleans. If this had happened to you, wouldn't you be frightened as we are? Mississippi's National Guard (40%) was deployed to Iraq shortly before Katrina. It was the biggest deployment in the State's history. They weren't here to get ice and water to us.I suppose it was an unfortunate coincidence.

Enormous amounts of debris has been picked up making the desolation at least a little cleaner.There are still homes with blue tarp on the roofs. There are many locally owned businesses that have given no sign that they will rebuild. Many streets in neighborhoods are showing signs of future collapse. Utilities are passing their losses to us in the way of estimation not actual usage.To live without a vision for a better future is not living at all. It is merely existing. .

What's in a name?

I thought I would end the month on a lighter note. Enter your name in the box provided below and, if you do not have a very unusual name, you will enjoy the results as I did.

This was taken from a site at http://yougottafriend.com. See you next month where all of us on the coast will be counting down to Katrina's one year anniversary.

RUTH

From a Hebrew name which was derived from the Hebrew word רְעוּת (re'ut) meaning "friend". This is the name of the central character in the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. She was a Moabite woman who was the ancestor of King David.

RUTH is the #19 female name in the US.

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Pascagoula, Mississippi Video

Yesterday my daughter Anita and I decided we would take a video of Pascagoula's beach for a future remembrance of Hurricane Katrina's devastation of so many homes on the beachfront. Anita was the photographer and I was the driver. Although my speed was only 20 mph, when we first viewed the video, it looked as though I was moving at a 100 mph. Anita was able to slow it down to what appears normal.

It is very sad for us to watch the video as we know all that was lost and the heartache it caused the people. While watching the video and seeing the emptiness, try visualizing the beautiful homes that were there.

Did Katrina taint soil?

Did Katrina taint soil?: "In Mississippi, more than 90 percent of samples exceeded the acceptable standard set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. The highest concentrations of arsenic were found in Moss Point, Gulfport and Pearlington, Subra said."

I have managed to not write for almost ten days but an article I read today has me riled up. You can read the article in its entirety at my daughter's site Fema Bans Reporters From Katrina Victims

Although the incident took place in Morgan City, LA, I believe that the rules would apply wherever Fema trailers are located. Throughout my previous writings, I have been consistent in my concern for the citizens and the deplorable conditions that they live in. I do not fault the national news for their lack of coverage but I do find fault that the PEOPLE have not been given a voice to report the actual happenings. In my way I have tried to do just that but what is one lone voice compared to thousands. This morning I went looking for the "dwindling" trailers they are reporting. I actually found another park that I didn't know about on Wright Avenue in Pascagoula. The three pictures below is my attempt to show as many of the trailers that I could.




All the other trailer parks that I have shown you in my blog are still there. Let's not forget the trailers that are on empty devastated home sites or nestled up to somebody's damaged home. There are thousands throughout Pascagoula. To look at the big picture, try visualizing them in Louisiana and parts of Alabama too. Horrific, isn't it?


Since this involves Fema, it brings one other concern to my mind. When unprecedented Katrina dealt her mighty blow, Fema gave out emergency money to people with the announcement that it didn't matter if your home was destroyed or not. It was to help ALL in the area to have cash on hand as banks were not operable etc. Now they are claiming "fraud". I was eligible too but I didn't claim mine because I didn't want to stand in the long, hot lines. Even credit card companies got in touch immediately and delayed any payments due for a month and to call if you needed more time. Just being in the disaster zone and living the nightmare was considered hardship. But ... human nature being what it is, after the dust settled but not the misery, things have gotten back to normal everywhere but down south. We still need help, the people do. My daughter goes to her mailbox each day to see if she has been given a grant as do thousands of other people. Is it not torture to make them wait for a form letter to tell them what they got or, worse yet, that they didn't get anything?

Requiem

This will be my final post, it's time for me to move on. I have spent over eight months writing about Katrina and how it not only affected me personally but the hardships being endured in varying degrees by each and every coastal resident. The fighting in the world is escalating and, in my opinion, I feel that America is in grave danger. So as a christian, a Catholic, I am going to concentrate more on prayer than blogging.

Yes, the entire Coast is in serious trouble, none of that has changed. I spent the better part of this morning having three flat tires patched. Little things like nails in the roads cannot be avoided. Maybe homes will be built again, maybe people will get enough of a State grant to help them at least begin building a home for their families, maybe there will be jobs for everyone and maybe my prayers will help it all come to fruition.

I have added a link to a song that you may enjoy even if you are not of my faith.

Requiem

YouTube - Mississippi

YouTube - Mississippi

I think you will find the link below very interesting. My daughter has put two videos on, one of Katrina's storm surge and the storm surge of Hurricane Dennis as a comparison. The third video is a surprising one. Thank you!

1st Video - Navarre, FL - Catergory 3 - Hurricane Dennis

2nd Video - Gulfport, MS - Catergory 4 - Hurricane Katrina

3rd Video - ???

Hurricane Dennis and Hurricane Katrina Storm Surge

This morning I heard on WLOX news that a Fema trailer off Ingalls Avenue in Pascagoula caught fire and the occupant died from smoke inhalation. Yet another tragedy wrought indirectly by Katrina. Nostalgia for what was yesteryear not yesterday is overwhelming most of the older citizens of Pascagoula. The City Council agreed that they do not want highrise condos, they want a family oriented "small town" city. In my younger years we had lots of entertainment . We had the Ritz and Pix theater in town. There were two drive-in theaters, Lake Drive In and Do Drive In. Moss Point had the Joy theater. Beach Park had a pavillion where you could roller skate and other times you could dance there. We had local beauty pageants at the park, bands, bingo and booths were set up to sell crafts and food. Remember when you could go into a photo booth, insert a quarter and you got instant pictures of yourself? I still have some of those pictures. There was a red brick post office that was very pretty when compared to the one we have today (it has not been repaired). A Fema trailer is our post office for over ten months now. We have a chance to build a much nicer town but absolutely NOTHING is happening. I can understand the nostalgia for the past because things were so much better than the life we are living now.

Today I had my two young grandsons with me and we whiled away the day by talking about everything, watching, "Creature From The Black Lagoon" on TV and playing the piano. They both seem to be naturals on the piano.


Before I took them home we spent a little time on the beach.

A video of Hurricane Katrina making landfall in New Orleans, Louisiana

Landfall

Our New Orleans Neighbors

I have linked a video that depicts a sad situation in St. Bernard Parish in New Orleans that has been ongoing for the past ten months. Note the barbed wire atop the fence. Also there is a link to a video of Six Flags amusement park that has been abandoned ... but an aerial view shows an unexpected find.

Are we living in a time when human life has no value? Sometimes it appears so!

t r u t h o u t� - MultiMedia

t r u t h o u t� - MultiMedia: "VIDEO

Katrina Plus Ten Months - Professor Bill Quigley Speaks
A Film by Chris Hume and L. Wild Horse

Over 7,200 family dwellings sit empty throughout New Orleans. No, not FEMA trailers. These are solid brick public housing projects that survived Katrina. They only require interior repairs, and thousands of displaced low income families want to move back in. But instead, they are being fenced off and condemned. Why? Chris Hume and L. Wild Horse speak with Professor Bill Quigley and several former tenants. "

t r u t h o u t� - MultiMedia

t r u t h o u t� - MultiMedia: "VIDEO

425
A Film by Chris Hume and L. Wild Horse

From the haunts of the abandoned Six Flags in New Orleans, Chris Hume and L. Wild Horse find out why the number 425 is important. "

The Sun Herald | 07/13/2006 | Hand grenade donated to thrift store causes quite a stir

The Sun Herald | 07/13/2006 | Hand grenade donated to thrift store causes quite a stir: "OCEAN SPRINGS - Maureen Carroll has received a lot of interesting and unique donations since she began managing America's Thrift Store in Ocean Springs, but she says a World War II-era hand grenade tops the list.

The grenade was discovered Tuesday in a box of items that had been donated to the store, Ocean Springs Police Chief Kerry Belk."

The Sun Herald | 07/13/2006 | 'City of tomorrow' will bring back Pascagoula of old

The Sun Herald | 07/13/2006 | 'City of tomorrow' will bring back Pascagoula of old: "PASCAGOULA - The Planning Commission adopted a comprehensive plan for Pascagoula's future at a meeting Wednesday night at City Hall.

Calling the plan a 'living document,' the commission adopted it to 'plan for the city of tomorrow.'

The commission will send the plan to the City Council for their consideration.

The plan includes mixed use and covers a wide range of issues such as transportation, education, housing, natural environment, community services, land use and government.

It will take the city back to old Pascagoula.

The commission said in its report that it didn't want Pascagoula to look like Biloxi with high-rises. Instead, they want a family-friendly city."

Moss Point gator snagged

Moss Point gator snagged: "MOSS POINT -- A Sunday afternoon crabbing in a bayou near Griffin Street cemetery, turned exciting for the May family and their neighbors, when a 7-foot alligator made an appearance.

Duncan May of 5230 North Shore Circle, said despite the inconvenience, he might be glad the alligators have returned to his backyard.

'Last year we didn't have a problem cause they hightailed it out of here,' he said. 'I think it was because they knew hurricanes were coming. This year they are sticking around, so maybe we won't have any hurricanes.'"

Blue Monday

Not too long ago, my favorite days of the week were Monday and Friday. Why? I like beginnings and endings. That is why I find it very hard to contend with Katrina's aftermath. On August 29th there was the beginning and now, as of July 10th, there is no ending in sight. Try as I may, I can't see the progress that is reported to be taking place. I snapped some more pictures this morning in Pascagoula and I wasn't encouraged at all. I admire the "grit" of the people trying to survive with all the obstacles that hinder their progress.





When the news speaks of how far along we are in our recovery efforts, it gives an impression that we are at a point of completion. The percentage they use has nothing to do with rebuilding of homes and businesses. They are speaking of how many homes that still have to be demolished and the amount of debri that has to be hauled away. I see it in Pascagoula every day, there is much to do.




The vacant lots on Beach Blvd. and Washington Avenue are overgrown with weeds. A homeowner would not be able to use a regular lawnmower as there is still debri embedded in the soil.



Hancock Bank must be ecstatic being out of the Fema trailers!


Well that's about all the news that I have today but I know I will be out there again in search of perhaps some interesting news. On an ending note, I thought you might also be interested in a little trivia about me. Barbara Walters and I share the same birthday!!! :)

"fI I Can Dream"

Today is a lazy kind of Sunday, one that allows me to sit back and recollect on the good and bad in my lifetime. I certainly have had my share of ups and downs. Last night I was introduced for the first time to "YouTube" and I, of course, gravitated toward Elvis Presley. As most everyone knows, he was born in Tupelo, Mississippi and, maybe everyone doesn't know, for a very brief time his parents lived in Pascagoula in 1940 when Elvis was four or five yrs. old. So... those two facts gave me a way to put Elvis on my blog.

His song, "If I Can Dream" gives a little insight into what we are experiencing.

YouTube - Elvis Presley If i can Dream

YouTube - Elvis Presley If i can Dream

The Sun Herald | 07/08/2006 | The laws sometimes stand in the way

The Sun Herald | 07/08/2006 | The laws sometimes stand in the way: "WAVELAND - State and federal laws dictate how a city is to replace a damaged backhoe or front-end loader, but when a city is faced with losing all its public works equipment at once, the law may be what is standing in the way of a quick recovery.

'When you write the law, you don't think of little cities with 15 pieces of equipment rendered useless,' said Marty Wiseman, director of the Stennis Institute, a government think tank at Mississippi State University.

That's why Wiseman arrived on the Coast this week with marching orders from the Legislature. He and his team are to determine if there are any local, state or federal laws that could be changed to make life a little easier for first responders to a disaster like Katrina."

The Sun Herald | 07/08/2006 | Harvard psychologists visiting Coast for a week to help people overcome unhealthy feelings after the stormKatrinaCycle

The Sun Herald | 07/08/2006 | Harvard psychologists visiting Coast for a week to help people overcome unhealthy feelings after the stormKatrinaCycle: "'Everyone here is impacted, whether or not you had damage to your property, and that is because the whole community is impacted. You can't get away from Katrina. Everyone is talking about it, and it's in the news. The ongoing sensory impact is significant.

'You don't have the advantage here of getting away from it for a while.'"

The rain came down so hard today in Pascagoula that it couldn't drain fast enough and the streets flooded. It was pouring when I left the house to do some banking. It was exhilarating to ride through the waterlogged streets. A few times the water splashed OVER my car and I didn't care that I couldn't see for a few seconds, I was having fun. At last, a refreshing, cleansing rain! I realized a couple of weeks ago that some of the fear that I have had all these months was slowly ebbing. I no longer slept in the recliner if it was raining. I didn't think about the big pine tree that is behind my house falling and crushing me if I slept in my bedroom. My going out today while it was raining just came natural, I had business to take care of. So I am over my terrible Katrina phobia. Three cheers!

There aren't any big changes in our coastal cities that I have noted. It was reported this morning that the City of Biloxi was without insurance coverage as their premium doubled from last year. At this writing I believe they now have partial coverage while negotiations are taking place.

Moss Point has a firefighter shortage and has been seeking assistance from neighboring cities and volunteers. They have lost some of their men to retirement and others to higher paying jobs.

The banks are thriving as I noted in an earlier post. The casino industry expects to have ten of their establishments up and running by the end of this year

Area Banks Awash In Money

Our citizens in Fema trailers are still waiting for their nightmare to end. My daughter's house, as well as other's homes, are falling into more disrepair as time rapidly approaches a year since Katrina made landfall.

Tragedy seems to breed tragedy. We have had murders, excessive fatalities from car crashes and this past Wednesday afternoon lightning struck the home of a family of nine and set it afire. Ironically, their home had survived Katrina.

Saucier Home Struck By Lightning

Personally, the way I survive all this is by praying incessantly.

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Scattered Showers Helping Ease Drought

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Scattered Showers Helping Ease Drought: "Cars in downtown Pascagoula needed paddles, not tires on Thursday morning. Heavy rain turned streets into streams downtown.

Same soggy story a little further east. Flood-prone Market Street ran like a river.

Busy wipers kept a rhythm with the steady rainfall. It's a sound that's been noticeably missing most of this year.

'We need it. Yeah, we need it,' said one man, as he hurried under the cover of a shopping center awning."

The Sun Herald | 07/05/2006 | Housing, housing, housing

The Sun Herald | 07/05/2006 | Housing, housing, housing: "here are reliable estimates that more than 70,000 new housing units will be needed in South Mississippi just to recover from the losses inflicted by Hurricane Katrina.

There are also reasonable projections that there could be as many as 30,000 casino workers along the Coast by the year 2010. That's double - double! - the number of casino employees prior to Katrina.

Then there is the additional pressure that will be placed on our housing market by the non-gaming jobs that will be created by our post-Katrina building boom and sustained by our post-Katrina recovery.

Unless South Mississippians soon find ways to quickly ramp up the building of housing units, our recovery - one that has the potential of being the most significant rebuilding story in American history - will stumble."

Dave, Anita, myself and their children went to Pascagoula's beach to watch the fireworks display. Before the "show" people were allowed to "shoot" their fireworks from the sand out over the water. The crowd was larger than those there for the Memorial Day fireworks.

As we set on the seawall, the reported news that said North Korea had fired three missiles and that one was capable of reaching the USA weighed heavily on my mind, until the first firework rose high in the sky. It was fantastic as the night lit up with brilliant colors. I am sure that all of us present were, for at least 45 minutes, transported from our dismal world of Katrina to one of fantasy

I couldn't capture the beauty of the fireworks so please take a look at my daughter's video by going to Fireworks

Our Katrina Fourth of July was a very enjoyable holiday!!! We love you Pascagoula ... thank you!!!

Pascagoula

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Gulfport Freedom Fest Draws Families To Jones Park

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Gulfport Freedom Fest Draws Families To Jones Park: "When the Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo moved to the fairgrounds, Gulfport lost more than a bunch of fishermen hanging out at Rice Pavilion. It lost an annual event that brought hundreds of families to the banks of the Mississippi Sound."

As we celebrate the 230th birthday of our country tomorrow, I personally look back on the year 1976 as the most memorable celebration. True, we were only seven years into Camille's recovery but, unlike now, there was much evidence that we were recovering. Patriotism was high and people were proud to be an American. The yearly celebration was held at Jones Park in Gulfport, MS. (it no longer exists). A fishing rodeo was one of the major events that took place beginning in early July and ending on the 4th of July. There was something for all ages to enjoy.

Now we are celebrating America's 230th birthday. Many things have changed for us in coastal Mississippi. Oh!.... sure we will celebrate but with much less enthusiasm as in previous years. Depression is exacting a high toll from all of us. Yesterday after church I talked to two ladies I know, one is nearing 80 yrs. old and she finally got a stove to cook on. Another classmate of mine spoke to me about how she felt. They were back in their home but she doesn't recognize anything. They lost their mementos, a tangible remembrance of their past. She looked, as most of us do, drained.

I object to all the new laws being enacted in our State. They seem so inconsequential with all we have to contend with. We have had eight fatalities from car crashes just this week. Seven of them have been in Jackson County. Someone's husband, wife or child has been killed but it is always noted that they weren't wearing a seat belt. Their families have to handle the loss of their loved ones, don't add to their grief by blaming the victim. If a smoker gets caught smoking in a public place or even near a public place they will be fined. If anything ..... smoking has increased in the area. Most drivers I see every day are smoking.

The daughter, son in law, myself and their children will have more of an "at home" picnic but we will definitely see the fireworks display. Wish we could "shoot" a few but that has been banned this year. So to all of you, I wish you a Happy Fourth of July!!!