My brother's house has a working phone, so I've spent the evening talking to them.
They think the rich people down in South Fort Myers paid off the electric company to get power first. When they announced on the radio which neighborhoods had power, it was the ones with the million-dollar homes, or that's what their ears perked up for. Then they heard there were special outdoor air-conditioned tents set up so people could come and get cool, but those were in South Fort Myers too. They're all "Hmm..." , but I was thinking that if the rich folk have electricity, then the tents would just be overkill.
They're very excited that the National Guard has come, and that electric workers from out-of-state are pouring in to help. The important thing is that they have running water and that everyone is OK. They spent the day sawing fallen trees down to the correct sizes for pick-up. The garbage trucks are going to run everyday starting tomorrow. The ice-cream truck doesn't care if you live in a crappy neighborhood: it came on through and they got very excited and ran out and got themselves some frozen treats. That was today's highpoint.
For those that have asked about the alcohol ban: it's to help cut down on the idiocy. It's also partly a Southern thing. Y'all would freak out if I told you what went on in Downtown Ft. Myers on D-Day. This knowledge would cause the ACLU to spontaneously combust.
Misc. news:
There's a $25,000 fine per day for any company caught price-gouging, and of course, there's the curfew. FEMA has arrived and is giving out free ice and water.
They're not allowing anyone into the city of Ft. Myers Beach, and Sanibel is still off-limits. They say they're not sure if the Causeway is safe, but they've been saying that for the last 30 years, and I'm not kidding.
I'm just very happy that things are getting better every day. Governor Bush did a tour of the damage today, as did the new CIA director Porter Goss, who is from Sanibel. That's a slick way to see if you still got a roof on your house. President Bush will be there tomorrow.
Meanwhile, I've found a theme:
Erica Austin removes her pet bird from her home in Punta Gorda, Fla., where her father has painted a stern warning against looters.
Posted by floridacracker at August 15, 2004 12:17 AM