ST. TAMMANY PARISH STATUS REPORT
Tuesday, September 27, 2005 1:00 PM
Contact Suzanne Parsons Stymiest at 898-5243

A CURFEW CONTINUES TO BE IN EFFECT FOR ST. TAMMANY PARISH FROM 11:00PM TO 6:00AM.  VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED. THIS CURFEW IS IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY. 

THERE IS A BURN BAN IN EFFECT IN ST. TAMMANY PARISH. DEBRIS ON THE SIDES OF THE ROADS IS BECOMING DRY. A FIRE CAN EASILY GET OUT OF CONTROL AND CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO LIFE AND PROPERTY.  PROTECT YOURSELF, YOUR LOVED ONES AND YOUR NEIGHBORS. DO NOT BURN. THE BURN BAN WILL BE ENFORCED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW.  THE PENALTY FOR BREAKING THE BURN BAN IS UP TO 30 DAYS IN JAIL OR A FINE BETWEEN $300-$500.

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE: The St. Tammany Parish Council will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, September 28, at 6pm in the Parish Council Chambers at 21490 Koop Dr., Mandeville. The regular monthly meeting will be held in the Council Chambers at 6pm on Thursday, October 6.

RUMOR CONTROL: Rumors continue to fly, especially on the internet. Please do not repeat rumors. Check our website, www.stpgov.org , or other official websites for accurate information. You can also receive daily updates, interviews and other official information on AM 730 Access St. Tammany radio. Portions of the broadcast are available for download from www.stpgov.org.

DO NOT BLOCK DRAINS AND CULVERTS WITH DEBRIS!

STORM WATER DRAINAGE SYSTEMS: The U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service is working with St. Tammany Parish Government assisting in the post-storm cleanup of water ways and storm water drainage systems. Cleaning of the W-15 canal other drainage basins across St. Tammany will begin shortly.

DEBRIS PICKUP: Please be patient with the road debris pickup. The volume of debris needing to be picked up is tremendous!  130 crews are picking up debris in St. Tammany Parish. Please help by taking your yard debris to the ditch – DO NOT put the debris in the ditch!  Please keep the debris away from mailboxes, away from under power lines and on top of electrical equipment, such as transformers.  Please separate wooded debris from flooded household debris since different haulers will be picking up the different items. St. Tammany Parish has picked up 273,000 cubic yards of debris to date.  For more information call 985-201-0809.

VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC IS SLOWING POWER & UTILITY RESTORATION.  Please stay off the roads as much as possible.  Utility workers are here from across the United States helping Cleco, WST & Charter restore our power & communications. Be courteous of these workers who are here to help you.

Residents whose homes are safe for occupancy may return to their homes. If your home was flooded or received major damage, do not live in the home. You should return to the place to which you evacuated, stay with a friend or relative, or enter a Red Cross shelter. If it is possible for you to make contingency plans before you enter the parish, we encourage you to do so. Residents in the low-lying areas of the parish are facing major home damage or possible devastation.  Many homes are destroyed in our coastal areas. Do not attempt to live or camp out in any of these areas. Flood waters carry mud that contains chemicals and other contaminants that pose serious health risks. St. Tammany Parish still has shelters open. I ask those citizens who are living in tents or camping at their devastated homes, to please come to a shelter at night. You and your family will be safer in a shelter where you can get a clean cot and a hot meal.

UTILITY UPDATES

POWER OUTAGES:  If you have lost your power after it has been restored, there are two most-likely causes: Damage to infrastructure due to debris being piled on, or near, utility rights of way or the powering down of areas for safety reasons. The powering down should only last for the length of time it takes to safely restore equipment. To avoid debris and the debris pick-up process causing a power-outage in your neighborhood, keep debris away from power rights-of-way, telephone boxes and other equipment in the immediate vicinity. Avoid power lines on the ground at all costs. They may be energized. Treat all power lines as though they are energized.

ABITA SPRINGS GAS SERVICE: Natural gas service should be fully restored by Thursday, September 29.

DRINKING WATER – SOME AREA RESTRICTIONS REMAIN: Louisiana DHH continues to sample some private water systems. Be sure you know who the provider of your water is before you begin to drink the water. This is a very serious public health issue. If you have ANY doubt about the safety of your water, CONTINUE TO BOIL. Due to the extensive number of water systems in St. Tammany Parish, we cannot list the smaller private wells and systems. Call the Parish Department of Environmental Services at 898-2535 for additional water information from 8am to 4:30pm. You may also call the LA Department of Health and Hospitals at 893-6296.

COAST WATERWORKS, INC: Residents of Eden Isles, Oak Harbor, and Clipper Estates; the water is on and the boil order has been lifted. Due to the extreme damage to Coast sewer lift stations, Coast is asking that the sewer systems be used as sparingly as possible. To contact Coast Waterworks call 985-641-7932.

THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH: opened September 15, 8am - 4:30pm. They will be operating out of the mobile community information center at the Towers Building in Slidell. The Department of Public Health will be offering immunizations on a limited basis. The Community Wellness Center, 1505 N. Florida Street in Covington, is open daily from 8am to 4:30pm, providing immunizations including the free Tetanus-Diphtheria shot provided from the Office of Pubic Health.  They can also register storm survivors for WIC food assistance and Medicaid. Free immunizations are also available at Slidell Memorial Hospital and St. Tammany Parish Hospital.

CLECO UPDATE: As of September 27, 6am CLECO reported that of outages caused by Hurricane Katrina 100% of customers in St. Tammany Parish have had their power restored. The Covington office and the Florida Ave. office in Slidell are now open. CLECO has an important message for those customers using generators. Be sure to operate the generator in a well-ventilated area, away from combustible material.  Keep it free of oil, mud and other foreign matter. Appliances should be plugged directly into a portable generator with grounded extension cords that can handle the load. Do not plug a generator directly into a wall outlet. In addition, CLECO has announced that if there is any damage to a customer’s home or to the electrical service entrance that may pose a danger if power is restored, CLECO may not energize service to the home until repairs are made by a licensed electrician. Crews will leave a door hanger indicating repairs need to be made. St. Tammany Parish has waived its electrical inspection permits at this time. Please have repair work conducted by a licensed electrician. CLECO is asking that storm debris be placed on the opposite side of the street from CLECO lines to accommodate CLECO workers accessing the power lines. CLECO is asking that traffic around CLECO crews be kept to a minimum and are also asking that you adopt the “LET ‘EM OUT” policy. If you see a CLECO convoy, please be courteous and allow them to move out.

WASHINGTON - ST. TAMMANY ELECTRIC UPDATE: As of September 27, 90% of WST customers in St. Tammany Parish have had their power restored. 2432 customers are still without power in St. Tammany Parish. WST expects to have 100% to all those who are able to receive power restored by October 10. Hurricane Katrina destroyed approximately 3,500 miles of WST’s overhead distribution line. WST has restored power to all schools in their area. Cooperative crews from all over the United States have arrived with trucks and equipment to assist in the restoration process. WST is repairing 150 miles of power lines a day. Offices are open in Abita Springs and Franklinton and a new Slidell tent has opened. These offices will be open 7 days a week from 7am to 7pm.

BELLSOUTH UPDATE: Bellsouth currently has 8,150 customers without service in St. Tammany Parish. 1,104 additional personnel have arrived in southeastern Louisiana to help in the restoration of service. For information on business services, call 1-800-247-2020. For residential information, call 1-877-737-2478.

TRANSPORTATION: The Causeway is open from 5am-12am (Midnight).

FEMA SERVICES UPDATE

FEMA ASSISTANCE: Disaster victims are urged to register for assistance by calling FEMA’s toll-free registration line 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362), TTY 1-800-462-7585 for speech and hearing impaired, or register online at www.fema.gov Registering on-line is encouraged due to high call volume. People who have questions may visit the FEMA center at John Slidell Municipal Park, 105 Robert Road, from 9am - 7pm, seven days a week to meet face-to-face with recovery specialists. Representatives of state, federal, and voluntary agencies, as well as loan officers from the U.S. Small Business Administration will be on hand to answer questions and provide recovery information. Written materials about various assistance programs are also available to individuals and business owners. Storm victims with insurance coverage should contact their insurance company or agent before calling to report losses and, if necessary, to request an advance or partial payment of their settlement. www.fema.gov is also a great source to access information on available assistance, disaster recovery center locations once they begin opening, and other disaster specific information.  FEMA’s teleregistration centers will be operating 24/7 until all have a chance to register. Personnel have been added to minimize wait time as much as possible.

As of September 26, FEMA reports that 100,446 households in St. Tammany have registered for FEMA assistance.

After registering for assistance, FEMA has a number of programs to help meet basic shelter and emergency needs: Temporary housing assistance to make repairs to homes with limited damage, or provide rental assistance to those with more substantial damages, low interest disaster loans through SBA to repair or replace homes, personal property or businesses that sustained damage, not recovered by insurance and assistance with other emergency needs, which could include medical expenses, transportation expenses, or repair or replacement of certain personal property.

FEMA TRANSITIONAL HOUSING: Anyone in need of transitional housing must call FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362) to get your name on the list. FEMA is determining housing priorities.   

FEMA SUPPLY DISTRIBUTION CENTERS: Water, ice, food, and tarps are available from 7am to 8pm at the following FEMA distribution centers: OLD WALMART, I-10 & Gause Blvd., Slidell and TARGET, I-12 & HWY. 21, Covington.

INSURANCE COMPANY PHONE NUMBERS:

Ø       State Farm        1-800-732-5246

Ø       Allstate             1-800-547-8676

Ø       Geico                1-800-841-3000

Ø       Farm Bureau     1-800-275-7322

Ø       Progressive       1-800-776-4737

Ø       Farmers            1-800-435-7764

Ø       Liberty Mutual    1-800-225-2467

Ø       Hanover 1-800-628-0250

RED CROSS UPDATE

SHELTER/HOT MEALS INFORMATION: Red Cross is serving meals, in the various shelters, twice a day – midday and early evening. For specific times, check with the specific shelters located at:

Folsom Community Center, Folsom
Sixth Ward Elementary School, Pearl River
Riverside Elementary School, Pearl River
North Shore High School, Slidell
Pearl River High School, Pearl River
In Tangipahoa Parish:  Harvest World Outreach and Emmanuel Baptist Church in Hammond
In Washington Parish:  Bogalusa Memorial Baptist on Columbia

In addition to the shelters, meals are also being served throughout St. Tammany Parish by Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs). The ERVs make frequent stops in all cities of the parish to distribute food.

The Red Cross has 863 volunteers are working in St. Tammany Parish and has served over 1,573,509 meals to date.

AMERICAN RED CROSS FINANCIAL AID: PLEASE BE PATIENT. Red Cross has over 863 volunteers from both in and out of the state. The Red Cross has raised over $933 million and assisted 500,030 families. The American Red Cross toll-free call center is established to provide financial resources, from $360 to $1,500 to hurricane survivors across the nation to meet their immediate disaster-caused needs. This financial assistance program is distributed from the national headquarters only; Applicants must call the 1-800-975-7585 telephone number to register. The local chapters, shelters, and food, water and ice distribution areas have no financial assistance on hand and cannot accept applications. The Red Cross asks that people who are able to wait a short time for assistance allow their neighbors with the most critical needs to access the system first. Over 25,000 calls are being assisted per hour as of September 26. Financial assistance is based on factors such as family size, residence, and costs of necessities. One member of each household should call 1-800-975-7585.

CONTRIBUTIONS: St. Tammany Parish needs your help. Hurricane Katrina has left many citizens of St. Tammany Parish with little or no resources. Among our most pressing needs are paying for medical care, restoring public health, supporting our emergency responders, and putting our citizens back to work.  We have a non-profit charitable foundation established to help the citizens of St. Tammany.  We are asking for your tax-deductible contributions. Your contributions will support medicines for disaster victims, disease prevention initiatives, and other costs that are not normally covered by relief agencies or FEMA. Send your contributions to: Northshore Pelican Foundation, c/o James Smith • PO Box 628 • Covington, Louisiana  70434. The Northshore Pelican Foundation is a 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation and contributions are tax deductible.

SOCIAL SECURITY:  The Social Security Office in Covington is open on Third Street and Highway 190 behind Wendy’s. The Tangipahoa Parish Social Security Office is located at 2100 Robin Avenue, Hammond; 985-345-0335. The Washington Parish Social Security Office is located at 205 Arkansas, Bogalusa; 985-735-6579.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: The Habitat for Humanity Home Store, located at 919 N. Columbia St. in Covington, has free clothing available.

EMERGENCY FOOD STAMP EXTENSION: The Emergency Food Stamp program has been extended. They have two locations serving individuals from St. Tammany, Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes. The Slidell and Covington locations are open from 8am-4:30pm, 7 days a week until September 30 providing this service.

Every person in need of food stamps is expected to be eligible under the program. If you are unable to access your normal monthly income due to loss of job, bank closure, social security checks not being received, etc., you could be eligible for the Disaster Food Stamp Program because everyone has met the requirements of (1) having lost food and (2) plans on purchasing food. Applicants are required to bring photo identification, proof of residence at the time the hurricane hit, and proof of current address after the hurricane. After Friday, September 30, the regular Food Stamp Program will be reinstated and food stamp allotments will be reduced to normal levels.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE: The following medical centers are open and will take insurance or will offer emergency assistance at no charge if you need immediate medical care:

Approximately 90% TO 95% of St. Tammany physicians are operational; however, they may not have phone service. If you need your physician’s medical assistance, go to your physician’s office or call the hospital with which your physician is affiliated to leave a message. VA Services are available in Hammond off West Monroe by the Toyota dealership.

LURLINE SMITH PATIENTS: Lurline Smith patients can get their medications at Northlake Addictive Disorders at 19404 North 10th Street in Covington.  CALL FIRST!  985-871-1380.   They will have your medications ready.  Hours are 8am to 4:30pm Monday – Friday.

TARPS: The Army Corps of Engineers is providing blue roofing and tarps. You may sign up for them at the Slidell Memorial Founders Building on Robert Rd, Target in Covington, old Wal-Mart in Slidell. Crews have installed 2,134 blue roof tarps.  

ST. TAMMANY PARISH LIBRARIES: Free internet service, copies, and other assistance are available at most libraries for FEMA registration and other disaster-related uses. The Covington, Robert Road/Slidell, Mandeville, Lee Road, Abita, Folsom and Causeway Branches are now open (closed Sunday). The larger branches will be open 8am to 6pm & smaller branches 9am to 6pm. The Pearl River and Lacombe branches are now open. There are 28 computers at the Covington Branch. Library telephones are available for patron use as service allows. Hurricane Katrina destroyed the Pontchartrain/Slidell branch and severely damaged the Madisonville Branch. Library staff is working hard to restore service at the other branches as soon as possible. Patrons may drop off books (including hurricane damaged books) at the Covington Branch at 310 West 21st Avenue. Fines are suspended until the end of the year. Library staff who have not already reported for duty are asked to report to the Covington Headquarters as soon as possible. You may access their website for more information at www.sttammany.lib.la.us or call the Covington Branch at 985-871-1219.

US MAIL SERVICE RETURNS: The US Postal Service has reported that all post offices are open with the exception of Talisheek (go to Abita Springs PO), and the Slidell Main office in Old Town (Pick up a Slidell West Post Office). Mail delivery started Saturday, September 10. Please clear all debris from your mailboxes! Residents may pick up their mail at the post office if mail delivery cannot commence in their neighborhood due to downed trees or lost mailboxes. Most Post Offices are now accepting credit and debit cards. If you would like your mail forwarded to another address, call 1-800-275-8777. Those zip codes receiving partial service are 70458 and 70461. Service is unavailable in 70464.

LOST PETS: If you are missing pets, please contact the following locations:

Ø       St. Tammany Parish Department of Animal Services, Highway 36 next to the Greater St. Tammany Airport in Abita Springs  985-809-0183

Ø       Slidell Maintenance Barn behind Heritage Park on Front Street

Ø       Lamar-Dixon Exhibition Center in Gonzales, LA

Ø       Petfinder.com

ANIMAL WELFARE DONATIONS: A bank account has been set up for those who wish to donate to PAWS. Donations can also be made through their website, www.stpas.org. All contributions are tax deductible. Make checks payable to: Proponents of Animal Welfare in St. Tammany • Broadway Bank • P.O. Box 17001 • San Antonio, TX 78217-9925

FAITH-BASED SHELTER ASSISTANCE:

ST TAMMANY PARISH GOVERNMENT PERMIT NOTES: The Parish Permits Department is open. The department is meeting with the St. Tammany Homebuilder’s Association every Monday in order to streamline the process. Remember – THE PURPOSE OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS IS TO PROTECT YOUR SAFETY.

New temporary permit offices are now open at 950 Spartan Dr. soccer field, next to Fritchie Park in Slidell, at Central Progressive Bank and Hwy 190 near the mall in Slidell, at Recreation District # 7 site on Highway 41 in Hickory and in John Davis Park in Lacombe. They are open from 8am – 4:30pm, closed from 12pm – 1pm for lunch. Bring all available property information and your personal identification with you to all permit locations. No cash transactions can be made at this time at the satellite sites. If deeds are not available, the Permits Office will work with you to the best of their ability. At these offices you will receive:

Citizens, or their contractor, with substantially damaged or devastated homes, and/or homes with flood damage, must come to the St. Tammany Parish Permit Office, 21490 Koop Drive, to receive these permits.  Normal permit fees will apply.

Contractors need stickers on their vehicles to access devastated areas.  Contractors with current St. Tammany Parish licenses may pick up their stickers at the Koop Drive office.

PERMIT SAFETY SUGGESTIONS:

If you have a camera available, take a photo of the driver’s license and vehicle license plate of your contractor.  Take a photo of the contractor.  Photo and/or copy all insurance information from your contractor.  St. Tammany Parish Permits office will have lists of licensed builders, electricians, HVAC, and plumbers each location. Copy the contractor’s license. If you do not have a camera, write down all of the above information and keep it in a safe place.

Out-of-town licensed contractors must register at the Koop Drive permit office.  They need to bring a copy of their originating state license.  Beware of storm chasers – they will take your money and you will never see them again.  Use reputable contractors.  YOU HAVE BEEN THE VICTIM OF A NATURAL DISASTER – PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SCAM ARTISTS WHO PREY UPON VICTIMS OF DISASTERS.  GIVE CASH TO NO ONE.  GET A CONTRACT WITH A CONTRACTOR LICENSED IN ST. TAMMANY PARISH.
 

SCHOOL BOARD UPDATE: The following dates have been released for students, employees and teachers:

SOUTHEASTERN CHANGES BUS SCHEDULE: Southeastern Louisiana University has made several changes in the free short-term bus service between St. Tammany Parish and the Hammond Campus. The bus should arrive at Southeastern at approximately 7:45am and will leave campus at 4:30pm. This service will continue until Friday, September 30. The bus pick-up times and locations are:

UNEMPLOYMENT: The Louisiana Department of Labor is now accepting unemployment claims weekdays 8am-4:30pm at the Slidell City Auditorium, 2056 2nd St. and the Mandeville Community Center, 3090 East Causeway. You may also call 1-866-783-5567 to submit your unemployment claim. The Baton Rouge office is also open. If you have evacuated out of state, you can apply for assistance in the state you are in.

JOB FAIRS: The Shaw Group is conducting a JOB FAIR at Covington Country Club, from Sept 27-Sept 30th, 9am-6pm. Located off Fairway Drive. The Louisiana Department of Labor Job Fair will be held on September 29 at Slidell City Auditorium. 

BUSINESS RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: If you have St. Tammany Parish commercial space available for rent or need assistance finding space, please contact the Economic Development Foundation in St. Tammany at 985-809-7874, 985-960-7034, 985-960-7060 or e-mail breine@stedf.org. Information is also available from the St. Tammany Parish Business Development Center at 985-898-2761 or email lcolclough@stpgov.org.

SOUTHEASTERN CENTER AIDING BUSINESSES WITH DISASTER LOAN APPLICATIONS: The Southeast Louisiana Business Center has activated a disaster assistance response plan designed to aid area individuals and firms needing temporary business services or assistance in completing applications for business disaster loans. For more information or to register, contact the Business Center at 985-549-3831 or by email at sbdc@selu.edu.

ST. TAMMANY BUSINESS RECOVERY CENTER: The St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce is now serving as the St. Tammany Business Recovery Center. Information is available online at www.sttammanychamber.org or for pickup at the office. The West Chamber office is located at 610 Hollycrest Blvd. in Covington. They are offering the following services:

·         Business “Gap Grant” applications through LABI

·         SBA loan assistance

·         Donated goods and services through the US Chamber Center for Corporate Citizenship

·         Employment opportunities

·         Available properties

·         IRS information

·         Government contract information

·         Unemployment information

SMALL BUSINESS DISASTER RELIEF FUND: This fund has been created through a partnership between the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. Its purpose is to provide gap funding to small businesses by covering some expenses not covered by insurance. All affected small businesses in the affected region of the Central Gulf Coast can apply for assistance through the fund. Businesses must have had less than 100 employees on August 29, 2005; must be a private-sector, for-profit entity; and must be in one of the federally-designated disaster parishes or counties. Donations to the fund may be made by credit card through the LABI website at www.labi.org. Checks can be made out to: Small Business Disaster Relief Fund • 402 N. 4th Street • Baton Rouge, LA 70802.

STORM RECOVERY INFORMATION: The LSU AgCenter on Koop Dr. in Mandeville is offering storm recovery information. One-page handouts are available on numerous topics such as “Cleaning Flood Damaged Homes,” “Using Generators,” and “Assessing Landscape Loss.” This information is available at the LSU AgCenter, Cooperative Extension Service at Suite 1D in the State Office Building on Koop Dr. and in local libraries. The LSU AgCenter is also holding a forestry meeting on Tuesday, October 4 at 6:00pm. The meeting will be held at the Franklinton Primary School Auditorium, T.W. Barker Dr. in Franklinton.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS: Anyone wishing to report an environmental hazard should call the LA Department of Environmental Services at 1-888-763-5424.  Call this number if you have hazardous materials that need to be picked up.  Do not put hazardous materials in your trash or debris. The state Department of Environmental Quality is offering disposal services at no charge. Call 1-888-763-5424.

CONSUMER FRAUD AND PRICE GOUGING: Attorney General Foti is committed to helping those affected by Hurricane Katrina. If you wish to file a Hurricane Katrina related complaint such as price gouging or home repair scams, please contact:

Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Section
P.O. Box 94005
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9005

1-800-351-4889
Fax: (225) 326-6499

MOSQUITO CONTROL:  Mosquitoes help spread West Nile Virus! Use insect repellant containing DEET when outdoors. The number of mosquitoes in road side ditches is increasing due to debris. Residents should empty all outdoor containers holding water. If it holds water it can breed mosquitoes…cover it, dump it & turn it over, or get rid of it! Tonight Mosquito Abatement will be spraying by plane from the Missisippi/Louisiana state line to Fontainbleau State Park. Trucks will be spraying in the Covington area.

 

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