Rumors and Reality

Some of the questions we get are unreal. Many of the evacuees are getting a really skewed picture of life here and I hope to soon post some pictures of progress.

Power is coming up faster than anticipated. Yesterday it was coming online on Nelson, South of Country Club. There was also power around the Women's Hospital area. I saw spots with power along Country Club, and there are reports of power spots throughout the city. There is a long way to go, but they have come very far very fast.

Roads are passable. They have done an amazing job of opening up traffic passageways. Stores are opening. Cormie's had breakfast this morning. Wal Mart, Target, Walgreens and Albertson are open, albeit with abbreviated schedules.

Water pressure is fine, and lots of people I know drink it. I think that officially the test results aren't back yet.

There is a strong sense of community here. People continue to volunteer and to take care of each other. People are sharing meals, food, and water, although with the stores opening and FEMA continuing to canvass the area, these things are pretty plentiful.

Life for many here is approaching normal. The warning is this; they say that what we have is likely enough for the number of people who live here. A mass return of evacuees would overload the existing system and we could be back in the dark ages.

For those worried about homes and businesses, crime is under control and Don Dixon said that this is probably the safest city in the country. The skies are full of helicopters and aircraft using infrared and heat sensing equipment. If they see any movement at all at night, they are all over them. While I hear that they average 30 arrests a day (mostly out of towners actually) here, which is far below normal, they generally catch people during the attempts not after.

In my area, when we go outside at night it isn't long before police, Guard, or other officials are in here patrolling. There are over 1,000 patrolmen on foot, too many to count in vehicles and aircraft.

Curfew is strictly enforced. This makes sense. If you are out at night, they get you. Otherwise they'd spend all their time trying to figure out who should be out and who should not.

This community is completely different from that we came into town to see Saturday morning. Our police, mayor, OEP, firefighters, utility workers, volunteers, FEMA, and all those who came here to help are amazing.

You will always hear reports that are very negative. Overall things are improving faster than anyone could have ever anticipated.