beaumont enterprise ike 09-19
TRANSCRIPT
WEATHER: Isolated thunderstorms, Highs:80s, Lows: 60s/2A
SEPTEMBER 19, 2008
VOL .CXXVII I, NO. 3 19 THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880 50 Cents
FRIDAY
at beaumontenterpris com
The tastiest bits
of Southeast Texas are on
Ike online: BeaumontEnterprise.com AFTERMATH ANSWERS: Things you want to know WHAT’S ON: Search and share info with the online database for restored electricity WHAT’S OPEN: Database on what’s open and closed in Southeast Texas SHARE INFO: Videos, photos, forums and news alerts PHOTOS: Latest storm images VIDEO: Watch our latest storm videos
HOME DELIVERY
Delivery of The BeaumontEnterprise resumes today tomost homes. Customerswhose regular carriers evac-uated might still experiencelate or no delivery for a fewmore days. The Enterprise isavailable in racks throughoutthe region. Please go toBeaumontEnterprise.com for
Coming together
VIDEO
◆ See HomelandSecurity SecretaryMichael Chertoff’s
Sabine Pass visit atBeaumont
Enterprise.com
INSIDE
◆ $351 million intimber lost to Ike: 4A
◆ Dead fish cleanupnot an easy task forOrange: 10A
◆ Crews work torebury caskets thatfloated out of con-crete crypts inOrange County: 13A
Distributionkinks fixed,Chertoff says
Peninsularesidentsgather infrustration
By DEE DIXON
THE ENTERPRISE
FEMA has doled out more than$927,000 in aid so far to residentsin Orange and Jefferson counties,a spokesman said Thursday.
As of Thursday, 62,000 Jeffer-son County residents had regis-
tered for emer-gency disasterassistance fromthe federal agency,and 20,938Orange County residents hadapplied.
The agency has disbursed$429,000 to those in JeffersonCounty and $498,000 to those inOrange County, spokesmanMarty Bahamonde said.
On his second trip to Beau-mont this week, HomelandSecurity Secretary MichaelChertoff said some kinks in thesupply-distribution chain werecorrected.
FEMA, page 8ACrystal Beach resident, Laura Wolfford, center, has an
emotional reunion on Thursday with Paul Norton, left,
and his wife,Cathy, at Market Basket on Texas 124 in
Winnie.
Valentino Mauricio/The Enterprise
INSIDE
HomelandSecuritychief holdsnews con-ference: 8A
Weather helps Entergy make big restoration gainsBy DAN WALLACH
THE ENTERPRISE
Southeast Texas electric utilitiesscored big restoration numbersThursday, though almost three-fifths of Entergy Texas’ service terri-
had ticked by since Hurricane Ike’slandfall near Galveston, knocking out power to nearly all of Entergy Texas’s 395,000 customers across 26counties.
The Jasper-Newton ElectricCooperative, serving Jasper and
restored power to almost two-thirdsof its 17,000 meters, the coopera-tive’s spokesman said.
By Thursday afternoon, Entergy had restored almost 150,000 cus-tomers, leaving almost 243,000
without power.
Texas communications manager.“We are working the plan and
making progress,” Caplan said.“The weather is cooperating nicely.”
Jasper-Newton has had assis-tance from six “sister electric coop-eratives” who have provided a work
By CHRISTINE RAPPLEYE
THE ENTERPRISE
WINNIE — Butch Leger of Crystal Beach wanted toknow when he could getback in to see what he couldsalvage from his home andbusiness.
He called a few friendsand neighbors to get togeth-er at the Market Basket in
Winnie on Thursday, hoping to get some answers.
MEETING, page 9A
Sabine Pass residents try to pick up the piecesBy RYAN MYERS
THE ENTERPRISE
SABINE PASS — Threedogs, three horses, hun-dreds of pages.
At the converted beachbar he called home,retired football coach NeilMorgan’s third book wasnearing completion.
“I put some of the man-uscript in my truck when
we left for higher ground,”he said, surveying theskeleton of his home
Thursday. “The rest was ina little shed I used as anoffice. I don’t even know
where that shed is now. It’snot where it used to be.”
When Hurricane Ikeroared ashore Saturday morning, storm surgehere reached 14 feet.Many homes have all butdisappeared, washedaway into miles of marsh-land at the Southeasterntip of Texas.
IKE, page 8A
Sabine
Pass resi-dent Diane
Bergeron
says her
family will
stay and
rebuild
after Hurri-
cane Ikedestroyed
their
home.
Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
VIDEO
◆ High Island residentsmeet in Winnie to vent
their frustrations relatedto Hurricane Ike at
Beaumont
Enterprise.com
Matthew Danelo/The Enterprise
Department of Homeland Secu-
rity Secretary Michael Chertoff,
center, tours the FEMA staging
area Thursday at Ford Park.
Everything You Value
Beaumont Tractor Co.Beaumont Tractor Co.4430 College Street • Beaumont4430 College Street • Beaumont
(409) 866-3360(409) 866-3360BeaumontTractor.comBeaumontTractor.com
Legendary Kubota Quality More Affordable Than Ever! 0% A.P.R.
For 36 mos. on
SELECT NEW Kubota’s
AND0DOWN
Down,0% A.P.R. financing for terms up to 36 $0 months on purchases of new Kubota ZD,F,BX, B,L, M,CE,TLB Series form available inventory at participating dealers through September 30,2008. Example:a 36 month monthly installment repayment term at 0% A.P.R.requires 36 payment of $27.78 per $1,000 borrowed. 0% A.P.R. interest is available to customer if no dealer documentation preparation fee is charged. Only Kubota and Kubota performance-matched Land Pride equipment are eligible. Inclusion of ineligible equipmentmay result in a higher blended A.P.R. Dealer charges for document preparation fee shall be in accord ance with state laws. Not available for Rental,National Accounts,or Governmental customers. Financing is available through Kubota Credit Corporation,U.S.A.,subject tocredit approval. Some exceptions apply. See us for details on these and other low rate options or go to www.kubota.com for more information.
◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Tammie Hodges, David Constantine,Megan Kinkade and Wendi Wilkerson, (409) 880-0793◆
BeaumontEnterprise.com fordetails and news updates.
Advice & TV......5BClassified ........6B
Comics ............4B
Nation ..............2A
Obituaries ......12A
Puzzles ............5B
Sports ............1B
State................2A
Weather ..........2A
World ..............2A
Dow Nasdaq
+410.03 +100.25
I N S I D E Average price of a gallon of regular gasin Southeast Texas:
As of Thursday morning Sources: AAA,Oil Price Information Service
$3.70
fifths of Entergy Texas’ service terri-tory still struggled without power.
By this morning, about 150 hours
Cooperative, serving Jasper andNewton counties and northernareas of Orange County, has
without power.That’s about 38 percent of its cus-
tomers, said Dave Caplan, Entergy
eratives” who have provided a work
POWER, page 9A