Hurricane Ike

[rsb320]

Yesterday, on my way home from DT, I decided to take the back roads without many lights. I snaked through Castle Ct., South Hampton, etc.

The point of this story is from a previous post regarding someone's Porsche-driving, Harley-owning, non-sharing A-Hole neighbor. I noticed while driving through that there were extension cords crossing the street between every house. Must have been that one side of the street had power, etc. Note to Porsche dude - This is what being a good neighbor means, cause it ain't all about you.

[HtownWxBoy]

Yesterday, on my way home from DT, I decided to take the back roads without many lights. I snaked through Castle Ct., South Hampton, etc.

The point of this story is from a previous post regarding someone's Porsche-driving, Harley-owning, non-sharing A-Hole neighbor. I noticed while driving through that there were extension cords crossing the street between every house. Must have been that one side of the street had power, etc. Note to Porsche dude - This is what being a good neighbor means, cause it ain't all about you.

I've seen that power sharing go on in the Heights too where once side of the street has power and the other doesn't.

[Highrise Tower]

As of 9am 9/17, The Westbury was still powerless. Natural gas supply is working, water pressure is fine, so we can cook stuff OK.

W. Bellfort & S. Post Oak (Meyerpark & Westbury) :

Well as it turns out you’re not going to have electricity for a while.

That power grid is connected to Hiram Clarke's power center, which has damage.

So they can't even start working on the lines until the center is fixed.

(Somebody who works at CenterPoint told me this.)

[flipper]

W. Bellfort & S. Post Oak (Meyerpark & Westbury) :

Well as it turns out you

[rsb320]

W. Bellfort & S. Post Oak (Meyerpark & Westbury) :

Well as it turns out you

[flipper]

I just got off the phone with someone at the Hiram Clarke station. Most of what he said was over my head but he said they did have substantial damage down there but they had cleared much of it.

They have fixed one set of problems and have moved on to the "laterals" now, and then on to the "line fuses". He said almost all customers will have service within a week. He also said centerpoint has ~4500 linemen working (up from their normal 850).

The lady who answered the phone said they are running on generators at their location.

Here's a map I found of the service area:

http://www.centerpointenergy.com/staticfil...Clarke%20SC.pdf

flipper

[Highrise Tower]

Nice. Thanks for calling them!

Flipper,

Enjoy the weekend. Hopefully you and I will have power by Monday. (Along with everybody else on HAIF)

[desirous]

Did you saw down all those sycamores and ash trees in the Market Square Area. Ball Cypress seem to have fared very well. Isn't this one type of tree that they'll be using on Kirby.

Okay, so what's with the east side of Chase Tower, the west side of Chase garage and the upper floor windows at the Rice. It would seem that there was a mini tornado at Texas and Travis. What do you think?

I don't recognize trees as well as I recognize people.

Yes, there was a tornado. Specifically, it formed around the lightpost atop this picture:

[travelguy_73]

Did you saw down all those sycamores and ash trees in the Market Square Area. Ball Cypress seem to have fared very well. Isn't this one type of tree that they'll be using on Kirby.

Okay, so what's with the east side of Chase Tower, the west side of Chase garage and the upper floor windows at the Rice. It would seem that there was a mini tornado at Texas and Travis. What do you think?

For whatever reason, Sycamore trees are back in vogue with commerical landscapers here, and I think most of them went down without much of a fight (even the hybrid Eucalyptus along the submerged section of 59 fared better). Market Square area and the rehabbed section of downtown Buffalo Bayou being notable places with Sycamore trees.

I don't recall what trees are being used for the Kirby revitalization (I think Cypress), but as long as they aren't Sycamores, we should be fine!

[editor]

Do Not Swim in Ditches, Lakes, or Bayous

Due to Hurricane Ike, many of the waterways in our community have become increasingly contaminated with bacteria and toxins. Health risks that could occur from exposure to these waters include diarrhea, gastrointestinal infections and various bacterial infections, including potentially deadly bacterial infections such as tetanus (lockjaw).

Harris County Public Health & Environmental Services strongly advises residents not to swim, bathe or play in ditches, bayous, creeks or lakes because of these health risks. In addition, residents are reminded that they should never enter waters that you cannot see through, that may have a swift undercurrent or may contain debris.

As always, never leave children unattended around water, including swimming pools, even if they know how to swim.

Protect your family and your community from injuries and drowning.

If you have any questions, call 713-439-6270.

[cottonmather0]

No...but I must say, I'm shocked that news of her MRE trickery spread - that would suggest that a person was actually reading her blog

Not aware of the situation in Deer Park, but I guess one could make an argument that food is hard to come by? I don't know, but I'm sure she's not the only one abusing the system...just the only one dumb enough to brag about it on the net

Judge Emmett was HOT yesterday on the radio complaining about people "driving for miles past an open Randals or Kroger just to get free water." He also mentioned that the reason that certain neighborhoods got PODs while others didn't was that those that didn't get one already had power and groceries available and thus didn't need one.... but listen to KTRH at night during the "delicate flower About Ike Hour" and you will hear all kinds of people calling to complain, more or less, about the inequitable distribution of the free stuff with no regard whatsoever as to need or circumstance.

I realize that there are more people acting decently than not right now, but it still makes me sick to listen to some people who see a natural disaster as nothing more than an excuse to delicate flower about how mistreated they are by the government.

[musicman]

Judge Emmett was HOT yesterday on the radio complaining about people "driving for miles past an open Randals or Kroger just to get free water." He also mentioned that the reason that certain neighborhoods got PODs while others didn't was that those that didn't get one already had power and groceries available and thus didn't need one.... but listen to KTRH at night during the "delicate flower About Ike Hour" and you will hear all kinds of people calling to complain, more or less, about the inequitable distribution of the free stuff with no regard whatsoever as to need or circumstance.

if you need more water contact redscare. he has more water now than before the storm

[flipper]

Nice. Thanks for calling them!

Flipper,

Enjoy the weekend. Hopefully you and I will have power by Monday. (Along with everybody else on HAIF)

No problem. It looks like centerpoint thinks we will be back up by Thursday: http://www.centerpointenergy.com/staticfil...size_091908.pdf

flipper

[editor]

CITY OF LA PORTE UPDATE

City Manager Ron Bottoms says power continues to come back on in the city. This afternoon the area around Fairmont and Broadway was restored.

This weekend the inspection division will be open (from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m), so make sure all of your contractors working on your home come and register. This will help prevent fraud in the La Porte area.

Water and ice will still be available at the High School both Saturday and Sunday.

The curfew is still in effect from midnight until 5:00am. This has been a great deterrent in preventing looting in La Porte and we will continue this process until most power is restored.

Remember to sign up for the free blue roof tarp program at Bayshore Baptist on Spencer Highway.

[Rammer]

I apoligize for this stupid question, but I just got my internet back and was wondering if there is a map of Ike's eye path through Houston? I see many maps of Ike's path through Texas and America, but not Houston. I know it went northwest up I-45 to downtown...but then I don't know what happened after that.

[Mr. Chenevert]

I apoligize for this stupid question, but I just got my internet back and was wondering if there is a map of Ike's eye path through Houston? I see many maps of Ike's path through Texas and America, but not Houston. I know it went northwest up I-45 to downtown...but then I don't know what happened after that.

Centerpoint has it on their restoration update page.

[Rammer]

Centerpoint has it on their restoration update page.

Thanks. I see that it wasn't really I-45, but really more along the western coast of Galveston Bay and then up the East Belt(Beltway 8).

Thanks. I see that it wasn't really I-45, but really more along the western coast of Galveston Bay and then up the East Belt(Beltway 8).

....just east of the East Belt that is.

[rsb320]

For whatever reason, Sycamore trees are back in vogue with commerical landscapers here, and I think most of them went down without much of a fight (even the hybrid Eucalyptus along the submerged section of 59 fared better). Market Square area and the rehabbed section of downtown Buffalo Bayou being notable places with Sycamore trees.

I don't recall what trees are being used for the Kirby revitalization (I think Cypress), but as long as they aren't Sycamores, we should be fine!

Kirby = High Rise Oak and Ball Cypress. They both grow straight up and straight down.

[jm1fd]

I apoligize for this stupid question, but I just got my internet back and was wondering if there is a map of Ike's eye path through Houston? I see many maps of Ike's path through Texas and America, but not Houston. I know it went northwest up I-45 to downtown...but then I don't know what happened after that.

Look up at post 1063 in this thread...click the link in that post.

[HtownWxBoy]

Still no power at my place in the Heights... I do see, however, that Centerpoint outages are now at 47%... seems to be dropping faster now.

[rsb320]

Still no power at my place in the Heights... I do see, however, that Centerpoint outages are now at 47%... seems to be dropping faster now.

Hang in there, WxBoy. At least you're in the Heights so you can sit out on the stoop and chat it up with the neighbors.

Also, thanks for sharing your weather knowledge preceding the storm.

[houstonmacbro]

Does anyone know where you normally buy dry ice?

I need to get some and have no idea (no, I do not want to try and track down any from the PODs). I would rather just buy it, but have no idea where.

Hang in there, WxBoy. At least you're in the Heights so you can sit out on the stoop and chat it up with the neighbors.

Also, thanks for sharing your weather knowledge preceding the storm.

I still don't have power either. North Houston FM 1960 area.

[HtownWxBoy]

Hang in there, WxBoy. At least you're in the Heights so you can sit out on the stoop and chat it up with the neighbors.

Also, thanks for sharing your weather knowledge preceding the storm.

Welcome. The good news is that my boyfriend was able to borrow some power converter thing from a friend of ours who now has power so we can use our car batteries to harness a bit of power to at least run fans and our small tv we had in our bathroom... he powered it up today as I was leaving for work and it turns out our cable is working so that will help a bit.... won't be as boring sitting around the house. We just have to be careful not to drain the car batteries... we have jumper cables just in case.

On another note... went out to the bars last night (Meteor in montrose... one of my fav places).... had so much fun... place was packed...drinks were great... but WOW how weird is it having last call at 11:30pm!!!

Does anyone know where you normally buy dry ice?

I have seen it sold at the Kroger on Montrose Blvd in Montrose... not sure if they are open (I believe they are) or if they will even have dry ice.

[houstonmacbro]

Welcome. The good news is that my boyfriend was able to borrow some power converter thing from a friend of ours who now has power so we can use our car batteries to harness a bit of power to at least run fans and our small tv we had in our bathroom... he powered it up today as I was leaving for work and it turns out our cable is working so that will help a bit.... won't be as boring sitting around the house. We just have to be careful not to drain the car batteries... we have jumper cables just in case.

On another note... went out to the bars last night (Meteor in montrose... one of my fav places).... had so much fun... place was packed...drinks were great... but WOW how weird is it having last call at 11:30pm!!!

I have seen it sold at the Kroger on Montrose Blvd in Montrose... not sure if they are open (I believe they are) or if they will even have dry ice.

Thanks! That might work. I am at the main library right now and will stop by there (Montrose Kroger) when I leave.

[rsb320]

On another note... went out to the bars last night (Meteor in montrose... one of my fav places).... had so much fun... place was packed...drinks were great... but WOW how weird is it having last call at 11:30pm!!!

I've heard that a particular gay bar on the seawall was open and chock full of heteros. Wow, can you imagine all those sweaty pole men and pipe layers with drag queens and g-string dudes in the background. I gotta see pictures of this.

[HtownWxBoy]

I've heard that a particular gay bar on the seawall was open and chock full of heteros. Wow, can you imagine all those sweaty pole men and pipe layers with drag queens and g-string dudes in the background. I gotta see pictures of this.

... that would be interesting to see.

[houstonmacbro]

I've heard that a particular gay bar on the seawall was open and chock full of heteros. Wow, can you imagine all those sweaty pole men and pipe layers with drag queens and g-string dudes in the background. I gotta see pictures of this.

Hilarious.

[HtownWxBoy]

Centerpoint has a new "restoration" map out... this one broken up by zip code. My zip code, 77008, will see 80% restoration by THURSDAY... not sure how to take that.

[sarahiki]

Thanks, Editor and fellow HAIFers for all the news and updates, both before and after the storm. It helped a lot. I heart the HAIF.

[rsb320]

Thanks, Editor and fellow HAIFers for all the news and updates, both before and after the storm. It helped a lot. I heart the HAIF.

Back to the 40 hr grind on Monday. I look forward to getting some rest.