Jackson Free Press

The Clarion-Ledger is reporting that Governor Barbour plans to take a helicopter to the Gulf Coast and tour the damaged areas; according to Barbour, up to 80 people are thought to have died in Harrison County alone.

Jack Crochet, 56, Biloxi, walked down a buckled and sand-covered U.S. 90 Tuesday carrying a bottle of champagne. He shook his head, looked at the debris and said: "This is all that's left of my house."

Crochet weathered the storm in his home near the beach in Biloxi. His home also was near an apartment complex where dozens of people were believed to have been killed.

"We thought everything was going to New Orleans," Crochet said. "I've been through Camille and Betsy, but this storm surge here, when it came in, it looked like a tidal wave.

"There's just nothing left," Crochet said. "It's never going to be the same. It's over."

Clarion-Ledger Story

Previous Commentsshow

Numerous reports, including the CNN story linked below, suggest that this is the most extensive Red Cross response to a natural disaster in history. As others have noted, a lot of the media initially focused on New Orleans, which has certainly been devastated by this storm, the truth appears to be an extraordinary event on the Gulf Coast. Sitting here in a hotel room in Baltimore, MD (I've been stuck here since they closed the airport in Jackson yesterday), it's frustrating to see relatively little reporting from places like Bay St. Louis, although the Weather Channel and Fox News folks have certainly picked up the discussion in Biloxi and Gulfport. (I may have a later rant on the fact that my hotel seems only to carry Fox News and CNN Headline News...no full CNN?) http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/08/30/katrina.recovery/

Todd Stauffer

Aug 30 2005

Dear Jackson residents & readers of the JFP: I am a frequent vistor to Jackson and other parts of the state. I have several friends in Jax (one being the Chick Columnist) and one close friend down in Purvis. I just wanted to let y'all know that Mississippi and her people will continue to be at the top of my prayer list. Melissa Dallas, Texas

Melissa

Aug 30 2005

Thank you, Melissa. The state, and our sister to the west, needs all the prayers all y'all out there can muster. I just got back onlineódial-up, but hey it works. The JFP was without power yesterday, but have power today, so we 're here chugging away on coverage from Jackson. The paper won't be on the streets on Wednesday afternoon as usual, but we'll update you as soon as we know exactly when. You'll note that Todd is stuck in a hotel in Baltimore manning the JFP Online Hurricane edition and trying to help out as much as he can from there. (And iTodd that he is, it is more than you'd possibly think!) The only thing I will say now is that I feel very, very fortunate to know and be surrounded by so many loving and giving people in Jackson and Mississippi. It's times like this they we are reminded in a very dramatic and heartbreaking fashion that we really are one people, and we are all equal when it comes down to it, and we all have to look after each other. It is very humbling. Peace, love and safekeeping to you all.

DonnaLadd

Aug 30 2005