paultwo notes

As we near the 1 year mark of hurricane Katrina, I was looking over some of my photography throughout the storm and the relief work. I had almost forgotten some of the events that took place. Below is a photo of John Travolta after visiting with evacuees staying in the River Center in downtown Baton Rouge.

School, what more can I say. I guess look to my photoblog for information, I sometimes put stuff of value on there.

The Google Blog just announced yesterday that they now have a satellite image of New Orleans that was taken on Wednesday. View the Map

Here are the pictures that I took during the town hall style meeting at LSU with Chancellor O’Keefe.

Chancellor O’Keefe fields questions asked by Students, Faculty and Staff.

A poised Student body along with faculty, staff and other guests.

Monica Clark, University of New Orleans Student Government president.

For Josh’s post on O’Keefe’s Town Hall Meeting.

I just drove down Nicholson heading to LSU for the Town Hall meeting with Chancellor O’Keefe when I spotted buses headed for New Orleans farther than the eye could see.

It looks like there is a town hall type meeting at LSU in about 45 minutes. Josh and I are heading up to the Cox Auditorium to cover it.

(moved to top with added information)

I found a site that uses a google map to display supposively which parts of New Orleans sustain what kind of damages.

Wired provides a list of very useful websites and blogs.

WAFB posted a way for people to somewhat view the area of New Orleans via a satellite image taken yesterday.

Check on N.O. Neighborhoods Via Satellite Image
The Associated Press is offering Internet access to a satellite image that covers most of New Orleans, detailed enough that viewers can zoom in to check on particular neighborhoods and streets.

The “supplies team” at the PMAC say they need blankets, socks, and thermometers. Please bring these items to the PMAC. Do not however bring clothes to the PMAC. PMAC officials said to bring clothes to the University Methodist Center on campus. (Map Coming)

I just drove all the way down Nicholson to confirm that no looters were stationed with guns, ect. (if anyone had heard rumors). None, found.But back to the point of the post. I drove by the Shell Station on Nicholson near LSU and there were lines 8 cars deep. The price of gas at this station is $2.52 for Regular.

I just received a phone call from a family member who drives a Coca-Cola truck in Louisiana. He was driving his Coke truck on government street when he was shot at by looters. This is real people, be careful. Police had to come and escort him back to the Coca-Cola Plant. Do not be scared, just be careful.

(this image is not and does not claim to have any connection to paul2.net.)

Says the looting in Baton Rouge is only a rumor? We’ll find out soon enough I guess. Pictures coming soon.

As most of you know…the below rumors are not true. I have driven to these areas and confirmed them as inaccurate.I just got a call from my grandparents who said that a friend called from the LSU area saying to not drive down Nicholson because looters with guns were stopping cars and then I check Josh’s blog and it seems that we are getting similar reports. I too was asked along with Josh about walking alone on campus last night when we left the Journalism building.UPDATE from Dave Frey at TigerSmack (via Josh):

Just breaking on the radio. Also BR pawnshops are being looted for guns. This is getting scary. Updates as more info becomes available. I don’t think BR is prepared for this from a security perspective.Update from 2theadvocate.com: City-parish officials are shutting down the governmental building and Courthouse in downtown Baton Rouge due to security issues.

Read Josh’s complete post.

Exclusive pictures and information from the New Orleans area coming today sometime around 3 or 4 CST.Paultwo

Ok, so I couldnt go to sleep, I had to get in one last post today. As mentioned earlier, today was a long rough day for everyone. I was again stationed in the Journalism Building on LSU campus. I helped the Times Picayune throughout the day as needed. I spent most of my time driving them places, updating this blog, taking photos, and helping Josh with his site (JoshBritton.com). Here is a photo from the inside of the Journalism building where the Times-Pic is setup.

I will go ahead and tell you the URL for the special new feature that will be coming tommorrow because all it says on it right now is coming soon. (http://profilesinhope.com).

After 18 hours of blogging and searching for photo-opps, I concur and will be back tomorrow to bring you our volunteer initiative as well as a new feature on paul2.net.From Josh’s last post of the night.

I ran a tease a couple of posts earlier regarding an urgent new volunteer initiative that I had planned to unveil tonight, as well as a new feature at Paul2.net. Because Paul and I have been swamped in every way today and are physically drained, I’ve decided to delay these until tomorrow. There are also a few details to be worked out regarding the volunteer initiative. My apologies for the delay.Still tons of unique and returning visitors even 48 hours after the storm has passed. I am doing my best to bring you timely and relevant information, and I appreciate your attention. We cannot allow ourselves to “move on� from this national calamity until all the needs of the suffering folks have been met.The Blogs Across America event is Thursday. I hope you bloggers out there will be participating, and that those of you reading will donate generously. For those Hugh Hewitt listeners out there, I will be on his radio show at 5:20 p.m. central time Thursday.I ask for your prayers and continued support. I’ve got to get some rest soon or else I’ll crash. Please pray that all those involved in the volunteer effort, that we would have perseverance and grace to continue, and that those who have been traumatized would find solace.

Stephen Britton, Josh’s brother, snapped these photos Wednesday after returning to Slidell to inspect damage in the area. His house, located on Teddy Ave., sustained about 2.5 feet of flood damage. For more info, see Josh’s post.

Hwy. 11 looking southbound

Intersection of Gause and Front St.

Tree damage along 8th street in Old Town Slidell

More tree damage along 8th street in Old Town

Looking south on 8th street

Viewing damage from 8th street

Viewing more damage from 8th street

Teddy Ave. looking west

Teddy Ave. looking east

Willowood Subdivision – Looking east down Honeywood

Willowood Subdivision – Looking west down Honeywood

Willowood Subdivision – Intersection of Boxwood and Honeywood

Willowood Subdivision – Intersection of Silverwood and Honeywood

Entrance to Breckenridge

Entrance to Breckenridge

View driving down Pearl Acres toward French Branch subdivision

Robert Rd. looking north

Robert Rd. looking north

Looking east down Fremaux

Looking north down 9th street

Looking west down Fremaux

CAP’s Farmer’s Market on Front Street

CNN Money Reports

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Oil prices tumbled Wednesday after the United States offered to loan crude oil to replace output lost when Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf of Mexico.

But Washington’s gesture failed to address the country’s gasoline shortage. And energy experts, warning of a supply shock on the scale of the 1970s, said a two-year bull run that took oil to $70.85 on Tuesday may not have run its course. Indeed, gasoline futures continued to climb rapidly in Wednesday trading.

Barclays Capital estimates between 20 million to 40 million barrels of refinery throughput could be lost, with 14 million to 28 million barrels of gasoline affected.

“Oil products that were looking in ample supply, (e.g. heating oil), will tighten significantly, and those that were already tight, (and most especially gasoline), face further severe upwards price pressure,” the Barclays report said.

Meanwhile U.S. gasoline futures set a record high at $2.90 per gallon on Wednesday, after Hurricane Katrina shuttered several refineries on the Gulf Coast. September gasoline soared 42.55 cents to trade at $2.90 per gallon on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Louisiana tops out right now at around $2.80 a gallon and the lowest gas prices in town are roughly $2.36 as reported by LouisianaGasPrices.com.

more on gas later…

Wow, very impressive. Listen, if you have any spare rooms in your home or if you are in need of a place to stay go to ShareYourHome.org. This operation is setup for people to be able to find a home near them to stay as well as for people to post homes with available rooms. See Josh’s post.

Quoting Kaye Trammell:

From an e-mail sent to faculty:LSU has been asked to help displaced students from the NOLA region.Students who were admitted to Tulane, Loyola, UNO, Xavier, etc. and who are admissible to LSU — as freshmen or transfer — will be admitted to LSU through Friday, at least, as much as it is possible to verify their academic credentials.[...]Admissions is accepting applications on line and in person. Application fees are being waived.Upon admission, the students must schedule classes.[...]The Student Health Center is waiving the immunization requirement for this semester, so they may pay their bills.

That’s what I’m talking about. Great move by LSU.

Photos from Slidell and more coming later tonight.

Pictures from the RiverCenter include photos of LSU Football players as well as some disaster victims enjoying the players’ visit.

LSU Football bus at River Center.

Quarterback JaMarcus Russell signing autographs.

Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe signs a poster.

Linebacker E.J. Kuale signing the back of a shirt.

A small girl signs E.J. Kuale’s cast. And I think I heard him say that he would be back for the Tennessee game? Any confirmations anyone?

Senior running back Joseph Addai and Ronnie Prude, a senior cornerback, take a picture with a mom and her daughter.

Bowe opens his big heart to a tiny tiger fan.

More signage.

Tattoos, anyone?

A blurred out but filled up RiverCenter.

Outside the RiverCenter.

My little friends from N.O. who said their families made it out alright. One however cannot find his father and assumes he is trapped in New Orleans.