Baton Rouge starting to see some problems...

My friend, who works in the courthouse downtown, just called and told me she was being sent home until Tuesday. It seems that some of the New Orleans evacuees that are being housed in the River Center (a convention center and arena by the courthouse) have started vandalizing and breaking into cars parked at the garage that the 2 facilities share. She didn't have an exact number, but that it was something on the order of 30 cars vandalized.

This goes way beyond the looting problem. These people are safe and are being fed and housed (granted, not ideal housing but...). It's a bit of a slap in the face to the city and its residents for them to behave like this.


:mad:

.. from FEMA who should be helping your community deal with the refugees you graciously took in. I think most shelters that opened didn't expect to be on their own this long. I'm not making excuses for some people's horrible behavior but what exactly is FEMA's plan for these refugees?


AValdoux

But BR is the closest city of any size that sustained little damage from Katrina. I wouldn't be surprised if upwards of 100,000 people decide that this is their new home. That kind of growth, that quick will obviously cause major problems.

OMG!!! Another friend of mine just called; She's a real estate agent, and she's basically sold 2 houses she is listing to people from New Orleans... SIGHT UNSEEN!!!

buying up as much real estate in BR as they can get. people are literally asking if they can buy your house. i imagine the two empty lots across the street from me will be bought real soon

mayor and police chief say that things are under control and that they are visibly showing themselves (armed with machine guns, etc.) just to prevent anything from happening. chief says only one incident/arrest so far

I might consider accepting a job offer I have on the table in Jackson Hole, WY

:dilemma: