Gustav Update #7

Well, Mayor Nagin says we can come back on Thursday. They are doing a staged re-entry, called "Tiers." This is different from Katrina, where they allowed people back based on zip code. "Tier 1" are government officials and contractors, as well as anyone affiliated with the health care system. They were allowed back in today.

"Tiers 2 & 3" are people who own businesses and need to check on inventory in order to get their shops up and running again. They will be allowed back tomorrow. Everyone else is allowed to come back on Thursday.

Nagin said he wished he had a few more days before having to open the city. I am sure he is under quite a bit of pressure, as at some point, the federal government would have to start handing out subsidies again, like they did for Katrina. He also said that anyone "in a fragile state" or with special needs should not come back yet. Further, he said that anyone that does come back will "be on their own for a few days."

This could mean we won't have electricity for a while, although I did talk to Barry Franklin today, who stayed and said the French Quarter, Uptown, and the Bywater all had power. (That doesn't mean we have power at our house, btw. I have been trying to call, hoping my answering machine will kick in, but so far all I get is a phone company message about trouble with the system.)

Right now, our plan is to leave early afternoon Thursday (as early as we can get these late night bartenders to move). We are going to stop for dinner at Lambert's Cafe in Foley, AL, which is about 3.5 hours from Dothan. From there we will probably stop at a grocery to get some food and head on in. I'll post tomorrow with any more details I find out.

I did hear from Steve Edwards. He and his family are heading up to his mother-in-law's house in Chicago for a couple of days. Depending on what we find out when we get back to New Orleans, they are planning on coming back on Saturday.