Herb Tomson
2005-09-19 02:18:47 UTC
http://nsnlb.us.publicus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050918/NEWS03/109180075/-1/sports
Business owners return to New Orleans
By MARY FOSTER, The Associated Press
Published: Sunday, Sep. 18, 2005
NEW ORLEANS Margaret Richmond stood watching, tears streaming down
her face, as members of the 82nd Airborne Division used a crowbar to
try to pry open the door of her looted antiques shop on the edge of
the citys upscale Garden District.
The store, Decor Splendide, had been looted in the chaotic days that
followed Hurricane Katrina. Antique jewelry, a cement angel with one
wing broken off and lamps were lying scattered on the floor. Someone
had wedged a piece of metal in the door to jam it closed, hoping to
deter other looters.
What they didnt steal they trashed, Richmond said, gazing through a
window of her shop, before the soldiers were able to break open the
door. They got what they could and ruined what they left.
It was a scene repeated over and over Saturday as business owners were
allowed back in to some sections of the city to begin the long process
of cleaning up and rebuilding.
Mayor Ray Nagin said this week that he wanted to prepare some of the
flood-ravaged citys dry sections for the return of up to 180,000
residents over the next two weeks. His goal was to begin the citys
revival by resuming a limited amount of commerce.
But the head of the federal disaster relief effort said Saturday that
the plan raises concern because of weakened levees, lack of drinkable
water and heavily polluted floodwater.
Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen said federal officials have worked
with the mayor and support his vision for repopulating the city, but
he called Nagins idea to return up to 180,000 people to New Orleans
in the next week both extremely ambitious and extremely
problematic.
Our intention is to work with the mayor . . . in a very frank, open
and unvarnished manner, Allen told The Associated Press in an
interview at Department of Homeland Security headquarters in Baton
Rouge.
Business owners, facing damage that
could take months to repair, said hopes for a quick recovery may be
little more than a political dream.
I dont know why they said people could come back and open their
businesses, said Richmond, whose insurance policy will cover the lost
merchandise. You cant reopen this. And even if you could, there are
no customers here.
The Wal-Mart store in uptown New Orleans, built within the last year,
survived the storm but was destroyed by looters.
They took everything all the electronics, the food, the bikes,
said John Stonaker, a Wal-Mart security officer. People left their
old clothes on the floor when they took new ones. The only thing left
are the country-and-western CDs. You can still get a Shania Twain
album.
If the store had not been looted, it could be open in two weeks,
Stonaker said. Now he doubts it will be open by January.
Theyll have to gut it and start over, he said.
Algiers, a residential area located across the Mississippi River from
downtown New Orleans, is scheduled to reopen Monday, the first
neighborhood to welcome back residents. Uptown, including the historic
Garden District neighborhood, also is scheduled to reopen next week.
Nagin said he wanted the French Quarter open for business by Sept. 26,
but city officials have since backed off setting a date for reopening
New Orleans oldest and most famous neighborhood, the main draw for
tourists.
All the areas to be reopened in the week ahead were spared Katrinas
flooding. Electricity and clean water have been restored to some
sections.
Some business owners in the French Quarter, which suffered only
cosmetic damage, threw an impromptu street party Saturday, complete
with a traditional feast of red beans and rice.
Donald Link, the chef and co-owner of Herbsaint, an upscale restaurant
in the citys arts district in New Orleans, evacuated to Lake Charles,
La., leaving his house beneath 20 feet of flood water. He considered a
number of job offers before deciding to return.
I wasnt sure there was any reason to try to go back, Link said. I
really thought about starting somewhere else, but then I thought,
This is my restaurant, this is my city.
The storm did not damage the restaurant, but the ensuing power failure
spoiled his store of food.
I looked at the lost food the pig heads in brine were the worst,
said Link, who is famous for his earthy dishes. And I thought, I
cant do this. I cant take it.
Using a commercial gas mask he obtained from the oil refineries in
Lake Charles, Link was able to empty the five coolers and freezers of
their rotting food, enough to fill almost 70 garbage bags.
Now we have to decontaminate the restaurant, probably get all new
coolers and freezers, Link said. Once we open, it will be all new
food, all new equipment.
Link hopes to be doing business within three weeks. Some of the larger
hotels already have been operating, hoping to generate income even as
they repair damage.
The Hyatt was severely damaged, but some hotels along Canal Street on
the edge of the French Quarter had less recovery work ahead.
The Sheraton had damage to the top floors and to a huge ballroom where
a retractable skylight and massive window were smashed. The hotel also
had a solid disaster plan in place that included bringing in portable
toilets, stockpiling water and sheltering the guests. They began
renting rooms two weeks after the storm.
Associated Press Writer Doug Simpson contributed to this report.
Contact The Telegraph
PO Box 1008, Nashua, NH 03061 (603) 594-6440
Privacy Policy and User Agreement
The Telegraph Online Ver. 2.0
© 2005, Telegraph Publishing Company
All Rights Reserved
Business owners return to New Orleans
By MARY FOSTER, The Associated Press
Published: Sunday, Sep. 18, 2005
NEW ORLEANS Margaret Richmond stood watching, tears streaming down
her face, as members of the 82nd Airborne Division used a crowbar to
try to pry open the door of her looted antiques shop on the edge of
the citys upscale Garden District.
The store, Decor Splendide, had been looted in the chaotic days that
followed Hurricane Katrina. Antique jewelry, a cement angel with one
wing broken off and lamps were lying scattered on the floor. Someone
had wedged a piece of metal in the door to jam it closed, hoping to
deter other looters.
What they didnt steal they trashed, Richmond said, gazing through a
window of her shop, before the soldiers were able to break open the
door. They got what they could and ruined what they left.
It was a scene repeated over and over Saturday as business owners were
allowed back in to some sections of the city to begin the long process
of cleaning up and rebuilding.
Mayor Ray Nagin said this week that he wanted to prepare some of the
flood-ravaged citys dry sections for the return of up to 180,000
residents over the next two weeks. His goal was to begin the citys
revival by resuming a limited amount of commerce.
But the head of the federal disaster relief effort said Saturday that
the plan raises concern because of weakened levees, lack of drinkable
water and heavily polluted floodwater.
Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen said federal officials have worked
with the mayor and support his vision for repopulating the city, but
he called Nagins idea to return up to 180,000 people to New Orleans
in the next week both extremely ambitious and extremely
problematic.
Our intention is to work with the mayor . . . in a very frank, open
and unvarnished manner, Allen told The Associated Press in an
interview at Department of Homeland Security headquarters in Baton
Rouge.
Business owners, facing damage that
could take months to repair, said hopes for a quick recovery may be
little more than a political dream.
I dont know why they said people could come back and open their
businesses, said Richmond, whose insurance policy will cover the lost
merchandise. You cant reopen this. And even if you could, there are
no customers here.
The Wal-Mart store in uptown New Orleans, built within the last year,
survived the storm but was destroyed by looters.
They took everything all the electronics, the food, the bikes,
said John Stonaker, a Wal-Mart security officer. People left their
old clothes on the floor when they took new ones. The only thing left
are the country-and-western CDs. You can still get a Shania Twain
album.
If the store had not been looted, it could be open in two weeks,
Stonaker said. Now he doubts it will be open by January.
Theyll have to gut it and start over, he said.
Algiers, a residential area located across the Mississippi River from
downtown New Orleans, is scheduled to reopen Monday, the first
neighborhood to welcome back residents. Uptown, including the historic
Garden District neighborhood, also is scheduled to reopen next week.
Nagin said he wanted the French Quarter open for business by Sept. 26,
but city officials have since backed off setting a date for reopening
New Orleans oldest and most famous neighborhood, the main draw for
tourists.
All the areas to be reopened in the week ahead were spared Katrinas
flooding. Electricity and clean water have been restored to some
sections.
Some business owners in the French Quarter, which suffered only
cosmetic damage, threw an impromptu street party Saturday, complete
with a traditional feast of red beans and rice.
Donald Link, the chef and co-owner of Herbsaint, an upscale restaurant
in the citys arts district in New Orleans, evacuated to Lake Charles,
La., leaving his house beneath 20 feet of flood water. He considered a
number of job offers before deciding to return.
I wasnt sure there was any reason to try to go back, Link said. I
really thought about starting somewhere else, but then I thought,
This is my restaurant, this is my city.
The storm did not damage the restaurant, but the ensuing power failure
spoiled his store of food.
I looked at the lost food the pig heads in brine were the worst,
said Link, who is famous for his earthy dishes. And I thought, I
cant do this. I cant take it.
Using a commercial gas mask he obtained from the oil refineries in
Lake Charles, Link was able to empty the five coolers and freezers of
their rotting food, enough to fill almost 70 garbage bags.
Now we have to decontaminate the restaurant, probably get all new
coolers and freezers, Link said. Once we open, it will be all new
food, all new equipment.
Link hopes to be doing business within three weeks. Some of the larger
hotels already have been operating, hoping to generate income even as
they repair damage.
The Hyatt was severely damaged, but some hotels along Canal Street on
the edge of the French Quarter had less recovery work ahead.
The Sheraton had damage to the top floors and to a huge ballroom where
a retractable skylight and massive window were smashed. The hotel also
had a solid disaster plan in place that included bringing in portable
toilets, stockpiling water and sheltering the guests. They began
renting rooms two weeks after the storm.
Associated Press Writer Doug Simpson contributed to this report.
Contact The Telegraph
PO Box 1008, Nashua, NH 03061 (603) 594-6440
Privacy Policy and User Agreement
The Telegraph Online Ver. 2.0
© 2005, Telegraph Publishing Company
All Rights Reserved