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Gustav’s affects make landfall before storm
Published Sunday, August 31, 2008
By Thursday night Gustav had already arrived in Natchez.
The then-tropical storm was days away from a possible landfall along the Gulf Coast, but the storm was certainly on the minds of Miss-Lou residents.
Traffic was brisk at the gas stations across the area even as motorists grumbled about price hikes that seemed too premature to actually have been caused by the storm.
Hotel phones rang off the hook as potential evacuees set up places to stay.
By late last week all rooms were reportedly booked in hotels and almost all of the bed and breakfasts were filled, too.
Tourism officials began soliciting homeowners who had vacant rooms in their houses to begin accepting evacuees.
The reality of another “Katrina” began setting in when word spread that all the hotels were full.
The Adams County Chapter of the American Red Cross began making preparations to open evacuation shelters on an “as needed” basis.
The shelves at Wal-Mart were nearly devoid of water, at least temporarily.
Across town at Natchez Market and Kmart the supplies were still plentiful and people were buying water and other emergency supplies in great bulk.
By Saturday, the scenes coming out of New Orleans were vastly different than the ones in the days just prior to Hurricane Katrina’s arrival in 2005.
Orderly evacuations appeared to be under way in New Orleans and surrounding areas.
Gustav inflated himself overnight on Friday and became a category 4 hurricane — nearly the strongest kind.
Forecasters said it was likely to be a category 5 hurricane — the most powerful kind of storm — late Saturday or Sunday.
This community came together in amazing ways in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
And we’re poised to do so again, if we’re lucky enough to avoid Mother Nature’s hammer as Gustav steams ashore.
If, as forecasters predict, the storm hits the Louisiana Gulf Coast, the environmental impact may easily surpass the economic impact.
Louisiana’s precious marshlands, which make up a significant portion of the United States’ wetlands, continue to be lost each year.
Since the 1930s, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates some 1,900 square miles of Louisiana marsh has be washed away.
The last thing the marshes need is another gut shot.
But then again, that’s the last thing the residents of the Gulf Coast need, too.
Any evacuees that make their way into the Natchez area deserve our patience and respect. Few of us understand the level of stress, fear and frustration that accompanies having two “lifetime” storms in three years that threaten to blow away your home.
None of us knows what Gustav will ultimately bring, or where he’ll ultimately bring it. But we need to pray that damage is light and that peace and togetherness join forces after the storm’s winds calm and the rain ceases.
At the end of the day, we’re all in this life together and we were all put here to help one another.
Kevin Cooper is publisher of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3539 or kevin.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.
Comments
Posted by ProNatchez (anonymous) on August 31, 2008 at 9:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Amen.
Thank you Kevin.
Posted by BOBCAT1974 (anonymous) on August 31, 2008 at 10:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My family and close friends will hang together and help each other out.We only prepared for a couple of days.I did get some games and playing cards so we would have something to do while the lights are out.We live in the country and you could "poot" one good time and the lights go out.People do check on you're sick and elderly who can't get out and do for themselves.They may need something from town.And be sure to check on them after this thing hit's,someone could be in danger or trouble.It only takes a few minutes of you're time.GOD WILL BLESS YOU!
Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on August 31, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes we are aready, and so are the crooks too! Namely, the gas station owners. They should be ashamed of themselves. We all know who they are are and some have gas prices 10 to 15 cents higher than a day ago. One has raised everthing water, ice, chips, just theives. I also wonder how many of our historic "HOMES" are going to open up and let our gulf coast brethren in. What a way to welcome the humble. I hope the democrat will not let this crooked action slide like they did in Katrina. This is not baloon race weekend when people have a choice to or not to come here. They should not be gouged. After Katrina even the realators gouged the people needing homes. Houses that were not worth a cent over 50,000 went up to 75, 85, or 90,000$. That is what screwed up the housing market in Natchez. This reckless price gouging is long remembered after the storm and gives our town a bad name. There will be a lot of people who will not return this time because of the way they were treated last time. But, I guess there is a sucker born every day.
Posted by iameubu (anonymous) on August 31, 2008 at 8 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations Kevin and Julie!
Posted by iconoclast (anonymous) on August 31, 2008 at 9:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well done Enema! Expose them for the miscreants they are.
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on September 1, 2008 at 4:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It is amazing to me how some of th eones from new orleans are acting already...A hotel had to put 3 rooms of them out because they were trying to steal the microwave and the fridge...Ryans closed early because they were acting so crazy in there......Thank God people are making sure there path is open so they do not have to stop in Natchez and stay...thank all who will keep the trees cut so they do not have to stop.....
Posted by vasb8969 (anonymous) on September 1, 2008 at 7:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Realtors don't set prices on houses. That is left to the seller. Yes, prices went up after Katrina, but it wasn't the realtors fault.
Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on September 1, 2008 at 10:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
vas8969 If you dont think realtors help set the prices around here you must be one of them. I will quote a realtor after Katrina. " They don't know that its not worth that much, they are used to paying a lot more than that for the same space in New Orleans, Besides, we are looking for the ones with the insurance money everybody makes more money off of them". Point is, this was not New Orleans, thats why most left, and felt screwed when they left. Everybody knows realtors make more when the price is inflated. DUH
Posted by KindredSpirit (anonymous) on September 2, 2008 at 12:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Enema,
Prices went up because the demand for housing went up. Its simple economics. You can't fault a seller for making every nickel he can on the sale of a house. If a buyer thinks its too high, then walk away. Its not the realtors fault...and no, I'm not "one of them".
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