Return to New Orleans..Chapter 3..(NO dial up Warning..Short Post)

[bvar22]

Very busy today tearing out carpets and baseboards. The floors are terrazzo and impervious to water damage(popular in the 50's, but very hard on growing boys). There are NO basements in New Orleans.

I only have a few pictures to add. They are from the Louisiana & Claiborn area.


In the background, you can see the low income housing off of Louisiana Ave.
This place was bad when I lived here 10 years ago.
I believe it had been condemned and fenced off before Katrina.



This if George and wife Lyla? (Lylac?). They have been married 35 years, and own the house which is located on a side street about 100 yards from the "project" housing you can see in the background of the above pic. This is the first time they have seen their house since Katrina. I found it interesting that Lyla immediately went to work on the front porch (she is pouring bleach liberally over everything), while husband George is cruising the sidewalks chatting with strangers. They were both very open. Lyla wanted to keep working and made short work of our conversation. George wanted to talk. I liked them both and their brief story broke my heart. They don't know if they are covered by insurance, but think so.



These are the people across the street from George and Lyla.
The vibe I got was that they had little patience for a foolish white boy taking pictures of their ruined houses.
I understand, but I would love to hear their story.



If you have an area of New Orleans you are concerned about, post here. I will try to get pictures.

Bob
New Orleans

[suffragette]

1. Do you know anything about the 7th ward?

I've been trying as best I can to follow the story of a courageous activist named Dyan French Cole who lives on Dorgenois Street in the 7th ward. Her neighbors call her Mama D.

I'm not from New Orleans, but I've been touched by the accounts of how she brought people in her neighborhood together and worked to rescue all whom they could and then to clean the area and try to make it habitable again. I haven't seen anything about her recently.

Here's a bit from one of the articles:
http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/metro/stories/09/14neworleans.html

Down the street, the neighborhood's matriarch, whom everyone calls Mama D, sits on the high steps of her yellow brick porch. She wears a turquoise turban and tells stories of the boat rescues she made with her "soul patrol" — friends who stayed with her after the storm. Her hands are constantly in flight. She talks with her whole body and calls everybody "boo."

Her neighbors needed her, she says. Her home became a revolving door of diabetics, people on dialysis, an elderly man with a pacemaker and others. She sanitized everyone on her front porch before letting them in. In the first couple of days, all they got were "hard rock" horehound candies dropped from a Red Cross plane.

But Mama D says the police and U.S. marshals still harassed her and her soul patrol, accusing them of looting and telling them to get out of the city.

"Why would you not want me here?" she wonders. As a longtime sanitation worker and community activist, Mama D (her legal name is Dyan French Cole) said she believes she can play a part in putting New Orleans back together.

She's made friends with the 82nd Airborne troops from South Carolina who she says have helped her get supplies and food for the neighborhood's abandoned dogs.

Later, wielding a shovel almost as big as she is, Mama D scoops heavy, wet leaves from her front steps. She has removed her head wrap, and her long dreadlocks swing against her back as she works.

Her friend Manuel Mercadel helps her clean before taking some water to an orphaned Rottweiler around the corner. Mama D says they share with the animals "to keep them from going mad."

That's her job, she tells a New Orleans police officer who comes by to drop off Gatorade mix and granola bars: protecting all the creatures of their neighborhood.

[Jane Austin]

2. If you have an area of New Orleans you are concerned about, post here. I

6621 General Diaz St. - - in the Lakeview section.

Much obliged!

[bvar22]

3. I'll give it a try.

I believe that the Gen Diaz area is close to the breech in the 17th St Canal. There was deep water there.
Is that a family or friend home?

[Jane Austin]

5. Friend. She's evacuated to Austin three times before

and didn't think this storm was extraordinary enough to bring much more than her dogs, her jewelry and her iPod this time.

We're pretty sure her place is a loss.

Thanks so much for your efforts.

[bvar22]

8. I was unable to cross the 17th St Canal into Lakeview.

They were very serious here, unlike the friendly guards posted around the Uptown and Garden Districts. This canal is a "choke point" that is easy to enforce, unlike the maze of back streets and alleys Uptown. There are only a few ways to cross it into the Lakeview area. The hood of the car to the right contained two State Troopers that were glaring at me. Since I had "jumped the que" and was driving down the shoulder, I was a little conspicuous, and these guys were giving me serious attention. The guard visible in the picture began to "unsling" his rifle when he saw the camera. I wanted more pictures, but decided to "back out" with a friendly wave and clownish grin.

I tried a back road, and came to this:

There were also guards with automatic weapons enforcing this road block. They also telegraphed a lack of patience for "civilians". I didn't dare point my camera at them. One of then was waving his assault rifle like a traffic baton. He didn't point it directly at me, but used it more to emphasize his demand that I move, and move NOW!

I have no information about when this area will reopen. I checked a map for the address you requested. That address on Gen Diaz is "in line" with the "collapsed floodwall" and fairly close. There is little hope for the house. If it is a two story, there may be salvageable belongings on the 2nd story, but even the floors above the flood level are being ruined by toxic molds that are percolating in the 100% humidity and 95 degree heat.
I'm wish I had better news.

Since I don't like the MILITARY pointing rifles at me, this has now become personal!
I will check daily, and will post a picture of this address as soon as possible!



Best wishes.

Bob
New Orleans

[pitohui]

10. wow bob you went beyond the call of duty

great report

i heard of an arrest in lakeview of a lady who jumped the barricade so i think discretion is the better part of valor in this case

stay safe

[bvar22]

14. Thanks. I will.

Nobody will ever mistake me for Rambo.

[Jane Austin]

18. Thank you so much, Bob.

Your pictures are super, and your narrative even better.

Don't risk anything to pursue this - - especially your life!

My friend has had reports that she probably doesn't have anything left to go back to try to save.

[pitohui]

6. other lakeview resources

i lived in this area yrs ago & sadly i do not hear anything good, online there are reports from the 7000 block & also the 6000 block of general diaz that the houses may be a total loss because of flooding

some links you can try to post yr request--

http://www.wwltv.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=21262&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30

http://www.nola.com/forums/lakeshore/index.ssf

there is a proposal that houses in lakeview receive grants (that need not be repaid) to put the houses up on stilts, something must be done, new orleans has already lost too much of its professional and academic class already, the city will be in serious trouble if they can't bring back this community

i believe there will be incentives to help this ppl rebuild but they need to be aggressive incentives considering the importance of this community to the tax base & school system of orleans parish

[likesmountains 52]

4. Neighborhood around 4600 S. Prieur St? Thank you so much...

[bvar22]

9. Is that off N. Claiborn?

I will try tomorrow if possible.

[likesmountains 52]

13. yes, my son's apartment. He was a senior at Loyola and was not

there at the time. Pretty much everything he owns is there. Thank you so much...

[bvar22]

20. The Lakeview area was "open"

during daylight today for residents to examine their homes.
I was very busy and didn't have time for another trip.
I will try again tomorrow.
They were interviewing "residents" who were leaving the area.
The news was dismal. Most say that large sections are beyond salvage and need to be "bulldozed".
Waterlines were at the top of single story dwellings.

[bvar22]

21. North Claiborn

is the street that leads to New Orleans East and crosses the Industrial Canal that flooded that area. It is across New Orleans, and a pretty long trip. I want to try that area for some pictures of the canal. If I make it, I will try for some shotsSome of the address you listed.

[likesmountains 52]

22. thank you. I understand it might not be easy for you to get there..

His place was about halfway between Claiborn and Napoleon. Are you seeing many people coming back in and cleaning up, or are most homes still looking empty?

[bvar22]

23. I was mistaken.

That address is in the Fountainbleu area between Nashville and Napoleon.
I have driven close by that address.
I have helped a friend with "clean up" a few blocks from that address!
There was flooding, and some homes had more damage than others, but it is not in the area I had previously thought which was destroyed.
(I need to Google addresses before responding):dunce:
4600 SOUTH Prieur St is in an area that has been accessible for a few days. I don't believe that they have electricity yet, but recovery work is in progress.
I had already planned to return to that area tomorrow. If all goes according to plan, I will pass by that address and post a picture!

[bvar22]

24. Here are the pictures:

The pictures below are NOT the specific address that "likesmountains 52" is interested in.
For security reasons, "likesmountains 52" did not openly post the exact address, but one that is from the neighborhood. "likesmountains 52" PMed me the exact address, and I have sent pictures of the residence of concern via E-Mail. The pictures posted below are from the general neighborhood.
If anyone else wants pictures from a particular address, please follow the same procedure.



This residence is in the general area of 4600 Prieur.
This area is a mess. Electricity is still unavailable, but the area is accessible, and some people are returning for belongings and salvage. It will be months before any of this area is inhabitable.

Meet Will and Grace (names changed by request).
They are (were) long term residents and home owners in New Orleans East. They were allowed to return to their home yesterday for the first time since Katrina. Grace had hoped to be able to retrieve some family dishes and "knick knacks" but were unable to do so because of mud, mold, and a collapsed ceiling.
Grace shrugged her shoulders and said, "Everything is just gone. Everything."

Will is a "Union Man" and a Kerry/Edwards supporter (see his T-Shirt). He worked the same "Union Job" for "over 25 years", and was very concerned about the direction of the country under the Republicans. "Somebody's gotta do something! We can't take much more of this!" Will said the only reason he agreed to allow me take his picture was because of the "Democrat" (DU) bumper sticker on my car.

After visiting their ruined home, Will and Grace drove to this area to help their daughter.
The residence in the background is a rental occupied by their daughter and her children.The debris piled on the curb is most of their belongings. The flood water here reached 6'. The daughter was not as "stoic" as her parents. She alternated between sobbing, arguing with her parents, and throwing items in frustration and anger. She did not want to be photographed.
They are trying to "dry out" and load up as much as possible in the car. They don't know where they are going go after loading the car.
Will said they will probably be able to stay with some friends if they can find them.

[katinmn]

7. Kicked & Nominated!

Thanks, bvar.

[pitohui]

11. agreed i never think of this

let's all nominate & get the thread posted where others seeking information can find it easily

[al bupp]

12. Anyone have a link for Chapter 2?

I missed that one.

BTW, nice work, Bob.

[katinmn]

15. Yes, at the bottom of this post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=160&topic_id=14548&mesg_id=14650

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. Thanks for the great work

just be careful, some of those guardsmen are fresh back from Iraq and haven't figured out the difference yet.

[lavenderdiva]

17. kicked and nominated!!

Thanks Bob for posting these pics and letting so many of us here at DU know what is actually going on in N.O. I lived there for over 30 years, before moving to Houston 4 years ago. After Katrina, my husband and I had 4 of my friends from N.O. staying with us- evacuees of Katrina. The last 2 left last week, but will return to Houston to stay with us again, next week. They still don't have electricity or safe water. One of my other friends who stayed with me, and was my former next-door neighbor, had over 5 feet of water in her 2-story home. She lived in Old Metairie. Everything in her home has been torn out, down to the studs and foundation. She is still looking for temporary housing. I found a couple of leads on that for her, but don't know if one of them worked for her.

This whole thing just breaks my heart. New Orleans is still 'home' to me, and always will be. So many have lost so much. :cry:

[Starkraven]

19. Thank you for giving faces to the tragedy. eom