Just heard on Fox News here in Dallas that the city is turning Reunion Arena, former Mavs home, into a shelter for over 1000 Katrina refugees. They evidently are also setting up temporary kids play areas, bedding (cots) and will issue library cards that include free internet access so that people can email or IM their family members, etc. Way to step up Dallas.
This is a cool move my Dallas. It is amazing how far some of these people have had to travel to find shelter. I was suprised when I heard that there were refugees in the hotels in my hometown of Texarkana, which is about 2.5 hours closer than Dallas.
Aren't we opening up the Astrodome which can shelter about 10000 people?Not that its some kind of a contest or anything. I am just glad everybody is helping out.
I think the Astrodome is just a smidgen larger than Reunion arena. However, the fact that Dallas is so far from NO, I think that not nearly as many people are opting to come all the way here.
AFAIK, Astrodome is pumping in 25000 people. I'm thinking of seeing the people I used to work for (CSC event staff) may need any help this weekend since I won't be working.
Huh? I believe I said the Astrodome was larger than Reunion, and the fact I used the word "smidgen" was sarcasm.
Hopefully, they don't serve the refugees any dome dogs...They've been through enough tragedy as it is...
In other news, the US Government contacts A-Train for jokes since they're running out of bombs in Iraq... FYI : several shelters and churches are opening up their doors to refugees from Weezyanna here in Dallas. Very nice gesture. KISS FM raised over $130,000 in a few hours from called-in and online donations.
I'm really happy to hear that. The best move possible is to spread the evacuees out. The Astrodome can help, but we're already having to turn away as many people as are allowed in. If the Red Cross/FEMA can bus others that can't afford hotels any longer to other areas like Dallas, Beaumont's Ford Center, etc, the load will be much lighter on the individual communities. With the evacuation likely lasting as long as 6 months, you don't want one single concentrated camp of refugees. It's a recipie for disaster. Evan
emjohn, What you're saying is what's scaring the crap out of me. Possibly 25-50,000 irate/desperate people in one place. Hopefully nothing bad happens, everyone's checked for weapons, and we have a strong security presence that includes national guard help.
And I literally live 3 blocks away (Main & S Braeswood). Got to wake up this morning to a couple of helicopters circling the area. Already told the wife to avoid Kroger's and Target. Evan
Even with other towns stepping up, it makes sense to have the Astrodome as the staging area. Bus people in, get them plugged into the system and then possibly bussed out again to another shelter.
No link yet...but Chronicle's home page is reporting that San Antonio has agreed to take on 25,000 refugees, as well. EDIT: here's the story http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3334824 Sept. 1, 2005, 10:33AM San Antonio to take in another 25,000 from Louisiana Associated Press AUSTIN - The state of Texas has agreed to take in an additional 25,000 Louisiana refugees from Hurricane Katrina and plans to house them in San Antonio, Gov. Rick Perry's office said today. Louisiana requested that Texas provide shelter for the evacuees, and Perry has spoken with the mayor and county judge in San Antonio to begin making the plans, said Perry's spokesman, Robert Black. ``We don't know where, we don't know a timetable yet,'' Black said. More details were expected later today. The refugees are in addition to the approximately 25,000 that are being moved into the Astrodome in Houston, mostly from the Superdome in New Orleans.
They said they were up to $275,000 as of this morning. Amazing! They placed people at various locations in the metroplex (Burger King, 7-11, etc.) and as people were coming through on their way to work, they were donating.
San Antonio and Houston are taking in 25,000+ displaced Louisianans. Meanwhile Dallas is trying to issue them all credit cards so they can buy trendy jeans and get their hair done up nice and big. They're coming in by the bus-load to H-town and San Anton, but Dallas is turning them away unless they show up in Lincoln Navigators or Ford Expeditions.
You suck. Let's make everything into a Dallas vs. Houston thing.....nevermind the fact that people in need are being helped and cared for.