In Sports: Saints lose ‘home’ opener; Cowboys honor ‘Triplets’ Page 1B

WEATHER: Sunny skies and hot, Highs: 90s, Lows: 70s/2A

125
1880 2005
years
www.SoutheastTexasLive.com

Dispute ends in shooting
Spray paint marks the spot on Sapp Graveyard Road between Kountze and
Sour Lake where Thomas Hall, 26, was shot to death and Brandon Ander-
son, 26, was shot and critically wounded Saturday night.
Dad: ‘That was
my best friend’
Loved ones remember
man killed near Kountze;
second victim now stable
By KEVIN J. DWYER
THE ENTERPRISE
KOUNTZE — Thomas Robert Hall
was described many ways Monday,
but his father offered the best and
simplest compliment.
“That was my best friend,” the Rev.
Robert Hall, 49, pastor of Happy Val-
ley Baptist Church, said of his son.
Hall, 26, of Kountze, was shot to
death Sunday during an argument
on a remote Hardin County road.
Hall’s mother, Paula Hall, 43, said
the thing she will miss the most
about her son are his big hugs. A
habit that started at a young age, she
said her son continued it as an adult.
“At a time when boys are in Little
League and football, when boys shy
away from their parents, he would
always put his big arms around me,”
Paula Hall said.
She added that Hall’s hands were
so big his wedding ring — bought for
INSIDE
Advice & TV ................2C Dow
Business ....................8B
Classified....................6C
Comics ......................5C
Friends & Family..........1C -84.31
Obituaries ..................10A
Nasdaq
Opinions ..................12A
Puzzles ......................3C
Region ........................9A
Sports ........................1B -15.09
Pirates snap Houston’s 5-game
winning streak: IN SPORTS
TUESDAY
SEPTEMBER 20, 2005
V OL . CXXV, NO. 319

THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

50 Cents
Rita has eye set on
Texas Gulf Coast
Storm could become
Category 3, hit between
Sabine Pass, Freeport 23.3º N WNW at MAX SUST. As of
77.8º W 14 mph near 70 mph 10 p.m. CDT
By BETH GALLASPY
THE ENTERPRISE
Forecasts painting a bulls-eye
Monday on Southeast Texas
prompted emergency officials to
warn residents about Tropical
Storm Rita and the possibility of
an evacuation this week.
Rita was expected to strength-
en to a hurricane before making
landfall in the Florida Keys this
morning.
Once it enters the Gulf of Mexi-
co, the storm is expected to
strengthen to a Category 3 hurri-
cane or higher, which would mean
sustained winds of at least 111
mph, said Roger Erickson, meteo-
rologist with the National Weather
Service in Lake Charles, La. looking four to five days out. It’s track of this.”
The stretch from Sabine Pass to too early to pinpoint exactly who’s Jefferson County Judge Carl
Freeport has the highest probabil- going to get it,” Erickson said by Griffith said officials would make a
ity for a Saturday morning strike. telephone. “Really, everyone along
“The good news is we’re still the Texas coast has to be keeping RITA, page 4A
Scott Eslinger/The Enterprise
Average price of a gallon
of regular gasoline in
Southeast Texas: $2.70
Entergy Texas plans
for storm recovery
Price as of Monday morning
AP
Spokesman: ‘We have to tell yet, but folks are watch-
Source: AAA and Oil Price Information Service
plenty of time to react’
By DAN WALLACH
THE ENTERPRISE
ing.”
Caplan said anywhere from
70 to 100 members of repair
crews began returning last Fri-
day to Southeast Texas from
Hurricane Katrina duty in and
Oil prices Entergy Texas will begin its
normal storm-recovery plan-
ning beginning today, depend-
ing on the predicted track of
around New Orleans.
“We have a tremendous
amount of resources around
the Gulf we can deploy. We’ll
shoot up Rita, the storm coming around
the bend of Florida and aiming
for the open Gulf.
“There’s no consensus yet as
have enough time to react.”
In other news affecting
Entergy, the Public Utility Com-
mission postponed until
at 1-day to the direction of the storm,”
said Dave Caplan, Entergy
Texas spokesman. “It’s too early
Wednesday a decision that
ENTERGY, page 4A
Adam Moorman, left, was charged
in the shooting death of Thomas
record New Orleans mayor suspends
reopening city with Rita looming: 5A
Robert Hall, who died Saturday.
By MADLEN READ
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
a November service — was a size 15. NEW YORK — Crude-oil futures
“It looks like you could put it on a surged more than $4 — the biggest
one-day price jump ever — amid
pipe as a nut,” she said with a sad
worries that Tropical Storm Rita
◆ TIPS: 4A
smile. A list of ways to prepare
strengthening off the Bahamas could
Memorabilia of Hall’s life filled a
hit U.S. oil facilities in the Gulf of in case of a hurricane here
cabinet inside the entrance of the
Mexico later this week, striking
First Baptist Church in Kountze, another blow at an industry strug-
where family and friends gathered to gling to recover from Hurricane Kat- ◆ FORGOTTEN: 5A
remember him Monday. His baseball rina. Mississippi town waits days
glove and motorcycle helmet were The swells in crude, heating oil
there, as well as trophies from his
before getting official help
and gasoline futures came as OPEC
success on Kountze’s baseball and ministers met to discuss how to
football fields and a Future Farmers relieve price pressures in the oil mar- ◆ FINDING HOME: 9A ◆ HOUSING: 8B
of America Reserve Grand Champion ket and expressed concern that Rita Groups help evacuees find Mobile home industry
HALL, page 4A OIL, page 4A housing in Port Arthur set to increase production
Miracle Bevil Oaks parents want kids
Worker
A staging of ‘The
in Hardin-Jefferson schools
Miracle Worker’ hits
close to home for District has public hearing Bevil Oaks residents want to see
their children go to school in the
Brett Simpson, who is on annexing community neighboring Hardin-Jefferson
blind and deaf. Not school district.
only is he teaching the By JACQUELINE LANE The Hardin-Jefferson school
cast about being blind, THE ENTERPRISE board had a public hearing Mon-
he’s also in the play. day night on annexation of the Jef-
Friends SOUR LAKE — Unhappy with ferson County community and to
& Family 1C school zoning and the quality of
education in Beaumont, some SCHOOL, page 4A
◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Rae Ann Spitzenberger and Christopher Clausen, (409) 833-3311, ext. 411 ◆ ●
 In Sports: Houston keeps wild card lead with 7-4 win against Pittsburgh Page 1C

WEATHER: Mostly sunny, Highs: 90s, Lows: 70s/2A

125 WEDNESDAY

1880 2005
SEPTEMBER 21, 2005

years V OL . CXXV, NO. 320

www.SoutheastTexasLive.com

THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

50 Cents

H U R R I C A N E R I TA

It’s decision time

Evacuate or stay put? Southeast Texas officials make call today
By BETH GALLASPY
THE ENTERPRISE
Rapidly strengthening Hurricane
With Hurricane Rita bearing Rita lashed the Florida Keys on
down on the Texas coast, South- Tuesday and headed into the
east Texas officials planned to Gulf of Mexico, where forecast-
make the call today about whether ers feared it could develop into
to order evacuations. another blockbuster storm tar-
geting Texas or Louisiana.
Some Texas officials suggested
coastal residents start leaving
immediately to avoid the storm,
even as it battered the Florida Keys
on Tuesday. Hurricane Rita is
expected to pack a Category 3
punch or greater, which means
winds of at least 111 mph, when it
makes landfall in Texas on Friday
night or Saturday morning.
Chambers County Judge Jimmy
Sylvia on Tuesday called for a vol-
untary evacuation of mobile home
residents and those in low-lying
areas. Galveston city officials start-
ed a voluntary evacuation Tues-
day, and Galveston County
planned a mandatory evacuation
at 6 p.m. today.
Evacuees who fled Hurricane
Katrina and are stranded in South-
east Texas without transportation Katrina evacuees who are not
were scheduled to fly to Smyrna, scheduled for flights but need to
Tenn., today. The 190 evacuees make arrangements can contact
scheduled for two state-arranged Jefferson County Emergency
Mark M. Hancock/The Enterprise flights starting at 10 a.m. should Management at (409) 722-4371,
arrive at Southeast Texas Regional Griffith said.
Edmond Johnson of Port Arthur surveys the empty water aisle shelves at Wal-Mart in Port Arthur on Tuesday. Airport at 8:30 a.m. today, Jefferson
County Judge Carl Griffith said. RITA, page 4A

Residents load up on storm supplies Bush reviews damage from one storm, braces for another: 3A

Carla, a Category 5,
By ANGELA MACIAS and
RACHEL STONE
THE ENTERPRISE

devastated coast in ’61

Shopping carts clattering from
the Wal-Mart Supercenter store
Tuesday in Port Arthur carried
batteries, flashlights and other
provisions for riding out Hurri-
cane Rita.
Customers were preparing
days earlier than in past storms,
despite predictions the hurricane
would land farther down the Gulf
Coast, said store manager Darlene
Sutton.
“We thought today the panic
would ease, but it hasn’t,” Sutton
said. “It’s grown more, even
though the storm is a couple of
SUPPLIES, page 4A
By SARAH MOORE
THE ENTERPRISE
Michael Marshall learned early
to respect the power of Mother
Nature.
The Port Neches resident was 8
years old in 1961 when he and his
family fled from their home in
Clute, in Brazoria County, ahead of
Carla, a Category 5 hurricane.
Mark M. Hancock/The Enterprise They headed north to Hunting-
ton to wait out the storm, and
Motorists wait for fuel at Murphy USA at Wal-Mart in Port Arthur on Tuesday. returned to find a drowned world.
Trees and signs were blown down
and dead animals were tangled in
◆ ON THE BOLIVAR PENINSULA: 9A fences, Marshall, now a 52-year-
Residents prepare for the worst, hope for the best old salesman, said.
The smell was horrible.
◆ NOT A ROOM TO BE HAD: 14A The water line on the walls of
Hotels and motels far and wide are booked solid
◆ SURVIVAL TIPS: 4A ◆ SCHOOLS: 5A
Are you fully prepared? Several cancel classes
Map of evacuation routes: 4A
their house was eight feet high,
Marshall said.
And when the floodwaters sub-
sided, they left an unwelcome
intruder — a water moccasin,
curled up in Marshall’s bed.
“It wasn’t that big, but I didn’t
want him in my bed,” he said.
On Tuesday, Hurricane Rita was
following much the same path as
Carla and was predicted to make
landfall somewhere around
Matagorda Bay. Its strength and the
location it strikes land depend on a
number of factors, experts say.
Carla Prater, associate director
of Texas A&M’s Hazard Reduction
CARLA, page 4A

Advice & TV ............2B

Business..................1D
Classified ................9C
Comics....................8C
Body & Mind............1B
Alzheimer’s toll
Patients, caregivers share
suffering caused by disease
PAGE 1B
Holocaust
survivor who
hunted Nazis
dies at age 96
PAGE 11A
INSIDE
Obituaries ..............10A
Opinions ................12A
Dow
Puzzles ....................3B
Region ....................9A
Sports ....................1C -76.11
Average price of a gallon
of regular gasoline in
Southeast Texas: $2.65
Price as of Tuesday morning
AP
Source: AAA and Oil Price Information Service
DuPont deal
Lucite to assume some
of Beaumont operations
PAGE 1D
Nasdaq
Hundreds mourn shooting victim
By KEVIN J. DWYER
THE ENTERPRISE
-13.93
KOUNTZE — First Baptist Church
of Kountze was filled to overflowing
Monday as a host of family and
friends packed the sanctuary to say
goodbye to Thomas Robert Hall.
Almost 500 people — equal to
about 25 percent of Kountze’s popu-
lation — attended the funeral for
Hall, who was shot to death Sunday.
“We thank you, Lord, for the time
you loaned us Thomas,” the Rev.
Rodney Weiler of the Happy Valley
Baptist Church said to open the ser-
vice.
Hall’s father, the Rev. Robert Hall,
said while the family’s hearts were
broken by his son’s death, they were
also filled with joy because he was in
a better place.
“I know my son is going to be
raised again,” Robert Hall said.
He also spoke of a time in 1995
when Hall almost died from an infec-
tion, but the community came
together and brought him back.
“Many times I’ve stood before
you, but I’m here today to say thanks
on behalf of my family,” Robert Hall
said. “This is the best place to live
outside of Heaven.”
Hall and Brandon Anderson, 26,
also of Kountze, were shot with a .30-
caliber M-1 carbine during an argu-
ment on the side of Sapp Graveyard
Road about 11 p.m. Saturday.
Adam Moorman, 25, of Baytown
was arrested and jailed Sunday. He
was charged with murder and aggra-
vated assault with a deadly weapon.
Moorman was released from the
Hardin County Jail on Monday after
posting a $450,000 bond.
The late-night encounter was the
first time Hall and Anderson ever ran
into Moorman, Hardin County Sher-
iff Ed Cain said Monday. If convicted
of the charges, Moorman faces life in
prison and up to $20,000 in fines.
“ ‘Greater love hath no man than
this, that a man lay down his life for
his friends,’ ” said the Rev. Warren
Hall, Hall’s uncle, quoting John 15:13
from the Bible.
“That’s what Thomas was. His
soul, his spirit, is alive today in glory.
He is OK, but we still miss him.”

◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Vic Odegar and Christopher Clausen, (409) 833-3311, ext. 122 ◆ ●
18527796 9/21/2005 11:37 PM
In Sports: Astros win 7th time in 8 games with 12-8 victory vs. Pirates Page 1D
125
1880 2005
years
www.SoutheastTexasLive.com

Sea monster
1.3 million ordered to flee storm that could be worst to hit state
◆ RESPONDERS: 7A
Emergency crews and police
prepare to face disaster
◆ ALSO IN REGION
7A: Some hospitals, nursing
homes evacuate, while some
stand ready to do so
7A: All Southeast Texas school
districts cancel classes
7A: How will Beaumont’s
oldest landmarks hold up?
7A: Katrina evacuees might
have to take flight again
8A: Storm survival tips
12A: How to stay informed
◆ STAY OR GO: 1B
Many factors influence decision
◆ ALSO IN LIFE & STYLE
1B: Harvest Club concert off
3B: Museum safeguards art
◆ DAMAGE FEARS: 8B
Homeowners, insurers brace for
storm that could cost billions
◆ ALSO IN BUSINESS
8B: With refineries in projected
path, Rita could raise gas prices
8B: Dow down more than 100
points in face of hurricane
8B: Gulf Coast ports get ready
8B: Hibernia closes branches
◆ FOOTBALL: 1D
HS, college, pro games affected
INSIDE
Advice & TV ............2B
Business ................8B
Classified ..............1C
Comics ..................7D
Life & Style ............1B
Obituaries................8A
Opinions ..............10A
Nasdaq
Puzzles ..................3B
Region....................7A
Sports....................1D
Average price of a gallon
of regular gasoline in
Southeast Texas: $2.63
Price as of Wednesday morning
AP
Source: AAA and Oil Price Information Service
Page A1

WEATHER: Mostly sunny in the morning, then partly cloudy with a chance of rain in the afternoon, Highs: 90s, Lows: 70s/2A


THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

H U R R I C A N E R I TA
Bus pickup points in Port Arthur, Orange County and map of evacuation routes: 4A
Lyle Simpton, 72, of Port Bolivar herds about 125 head of cattle into
a pen at a friend’s house in Caplen along the bay side of Texas 87
Wednesday in preparation for Hurricane Rita.
Peninsula residents pack up all
— from appliances to horses
By CHRISTINE RAPPLEYE
THE ENTERPRISE
BOLIVAR PENINSULA — Lyle
Simpton’s evacuation preparation
list had something more than
boarding up his house.
Rounding up his cattle was on
there too.
Dow
-103.49
Gasoline, lumber, pet carriers
-24.69
and kennel space run out fast
By ANGELA MACIAS and
RACHEL STONE
THE ENTERPRISE
Retailers replenished stock
Wednesday as quickly as South-
east Texans wiped out necessities
in preparation for Hurricane Rita.
Tanya Linderman of Beau-
◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Vic Odegar, (409) 833-3311, ext. 122 ◆
THURSDAY
SEPTEMBER 22, 2005
V OL . CXXV, NO. 321

50 Cents
Port Arthur mayor orders
residents to leave Sabine Pass
Evacuation could become Getting stronger
Hurricane Rita reached category
mandatory for rest of county
5 status Wednesday, still on
if hurricane’s path changes course for the Texas coast.
By JACQUELINE LANE T E X A S
THE ENTERPRISE 8 p.m. New
TEXAS LA. MISS. ALA.
Sat. Orleans
Southeast Texas highways Houston
were crowded Wednesday and Corpus
supplies flew off store shelves as Christi 8 p.m. Fri.
Hurricane Rita intensified to a
Category 5 and residents started
fleeing the area. 25° Projected
Path 8 p.m.
Thurs. 5
As Rita strengthened and
inched her way toward the Texas 0 150 mi
coast Wednesday, Port Arthur 0 150 km Gulf of Mexico
Mayor Oscar Ortiz ordered a
mandatory evacuation for Sabine SOURCES: NOAA; Weather AP
Underground; ESRI
Pass starting at 6 a.m. today.
Although Jefferson County Carl Griffith said during a 6 p.m.
officials have urged residents to press briefing Wednesday. “If it
leave voluntarily, a possible continues on that track, we will
mandatory evacuation still could not issue a mandatory evacua-
be called as late as tonight if Rita’s tion order. But we will not stop
path changes. watching … and should that
“The storm is still continuing storm make just the slightest
on the same track that we’ve seen
it on,” Jefferson County Judge RITA, page 4A
Scott Eslinger/The Enterprise
The 72-year-old Port Bolivar
resident coaxed a couple of strag-
gling wayward cows as his friend,
Walter Nelson, headed them off Jennifer Reynolds/The Enterprise
with his tractor. The men were try- Andy Slaughter carries the family dog to the car as he, his wife Gin-
ing to corral 125 head of cattle into ger and daughter Cheyenne — along with a macaw and three ham-
a pen on the bay side of Texas 87. sters — evacuate Sabine Pass on Wednesday. Ginger Slaughter said
they were going to stay with family in Marshall.
BOLIVAR, page 4A
Customers wait
in line for gener-
Rita feeds on warm Gulf and
ators at Home
Depot in Beau-
mont on
surges to top of hurricane scale
Wednesday.
By PAM EASTON
Some waited as
long as 9 hours THE ASSOCIATED PRESS To our readers
with no firm Regardless of when and
arrival time on GALVESTON — Gaining where Hurricane Rita makes
strength with frightening speed,
the truckload. landfall, The Enterprise and its
Hurricane Rita swirled toward the readers likely will be affected.
Mark M. Hancock/
The Enterprise Gulf Coast a Category 5, 165-mph Beginning today, deliveries
monster Wednesday as more to homes and stores might be
than 1.3 million people in Texas later as carriers and other
and Louisiana were sent packing
on orders from authorities who
learned a bitter lesson from Katri-
employees continue to evacu-
ate. Deadlines will be earlier to
accommodate longer delivery
na.
“It’s scary. It’s really scary,”
Shalonda Dunn said as she and
times, which could mean some
late-breaking stories don’t
make the paper.
her 5- and 9-year-old daughters Our employees are prepared
mont waited in line for gasoline to make every effort to publish
at the Kroger on Dowlen Road,
waited to board a bus arranged by
emergency authorities in Galve- throughout Rita and its after-
only to find pumps tapped dry. math. Be sure to go to
ston. “I’m glad we’ve got the SoutheastTexasLive.com, even
The grocery store ran out of opportunity to leave. ... You never if you plan to evacuate, for the
regular grade, but a truck carrying know what can happen.” most complete coverage and
more was on its way, said David With Rita projected to hit Texas latest updates on the big storm
Himsel, store manager. by Saturday, Gov. Rick Perry and its effects on Southeast
Texas.
SUPPLIES, page 4A MONSTER, page 4A
●
18531036 9/22/05 8:07 PM Page A1

SPECIAL HURRICANE EDITION

WEATHER: Hurricane warning in effect for area, Highs: 90s, Lows: 70s/2A

125 FRIDAY

1880 2005
SEPTEMBER 23, 2005

years V OL . CXXV, NO. 322

www.SoutheastTexasLive.com

THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

50 Cents

H U R R I C A N E R I TA : H E A D E D T O H I G H E R G R O U N D

Fleeing the fury

Southeast Texans pack their bags as storm barrels toward the Gulf Coast
TO OUR By land and by air,
residents wait for
READERS hours to get to safety
T oday’s special hurricane
edition of The Beaumont
Enterprise — and maybe
By KEVIN J. DWYER,
and JACQUELINE LANE
THE ENTERPRISE
newspapers in coming days
— will be reduced to essen- While Hurricane Rita churned
tials so we can balance westward across the Gulf of Mex-
storm coverage against the ico on Thursday, Southeast Tex-
safety of our employees, ans packed northbound roads to
many of whom have evacu- escape the powerful storm.
ated. Even the inland counties that
Continue to go to normally serve as a refuge for
www.southeasttexaslive.com coastal evacuees were given
for expanded, real-time mandatory evacuation orders
updates as Rita unfolds. because of the harm Rita is
expected to leave in its wake.
The roads north, jam-packed
with cars and trucks, moved

MORE RITA along only slightly faster than

cars in a parking lot.
Otis Briggs, 67, of Beaumont
COVERAGE and his friend, Betty Jones, 67, of
Port Arthur, were headed for
shelter in Little Rock, Ark. By

Swirling toward Texas

3:20 p.m. they had spent almost
six hours in traffic.
Hurricane Rita has slowed to a Cat- “I left Beaumont at 9:30 this
agory 4 as of Thursday afternoon. Scott Eslinger/The Enterprise morning and I haven’t gotten to
Jasper yet,” Briggs said by phone
Hurricane watch Bruce Crabtree, 49, of Pasadena runs down the center move. The highway North of Beaumont stayed clogged from his car. “It’s been bumper-
Tropical storm of northbound U.S. 96 Thursday in Silsbee as he tries to with Southeast Texas residents fleeing Hurricanae Rita
warning catch up with his family when traffic suddenly started to all day Thursday.
STORM, page 4A
8 a.m.
Sun. LA. MISS. ALA.
TEXAS
T E X A S New
Houston
Orleans For the most up-to-date coverage of Hurricane Rita, visit www.SoutheastTexasLive.com
Corpus
Christi Projected
Path

25°
0 150 mi
4 5
7 a.m. 7 a.m. 1 p.m.
Sat. Fri. Thurs.
Tensions Nothing but taillights for miles
0 150 km Gulf of Mexico
SOURCES: NOAA; Weather
Underground; ESRI
AP
run high as Coastal residents try to
keep cool, calm as they
mass exodus that continued into
the night and the wee hours.
“Right now, I’m frustrated,”

◆ TEXAS PREPARES: 3A
2A: Nearly 2 million coastal
residents flee ominous storm
3A: Special needs patients get
airlifted to safety from airport
3A: Shortage of buses cause
problems for those evacuating
3A: Hospitals do what they can
to get patients out of harm’s way
gas runs low head inland out of town
By F.A. KRIFT
Julia Hayes said from the win-
dow of her green Ford Explorer
Thursday afternoon.
By KEVIN J. DWYER THE ENTERPRISE
Two sets of rosary beads hung
from her rearview mirror. The
THE ENTERPRISE
blue-faced watch on her left
SILSBEE — Letdown clotted wrist read 1:01 p.m. She left Fan-
BEAUMONT — For residents the air along U.S. Highway 96. nett at 9 a.m. She had made it to
fleeing in the face of Hurricane Rita, Anxiety passed between cars as the northern edge of Lumberton.
even the chance of filling up or top- break lights flashed on and off. In an hour she’d gone 1.7
ping off their gas tanks was worth On and off. miles, In two hours, the traffic
stopping for. On and off. Red lights on and had moved 3.3 miles.
If one car pulled into a station — off.
No one — no car, truck, van or
Red lights on and off. On and
even those closed for hours Thurs- off.
day — a parade of cars was likely to RV — moved fast Thursday out of Ten minutes, another 0.1 of a
follow into the parking lot. Southeast Texas, but everyone mile.
And the slim or non-existent gas wanted to escape Hurricane Rita Hurricane Rita was headed to
supplies caused tempers at some Jennifer Reynolds/The Enterprise
— soon. As in now. Southeast Texas, reports said
stations to grow short. Thousands of cars clogged the early Thursday morning.
Candace Washington, 8, waits northbound escape routes all
“People have been real aggres- The storm with 175-mph
sive,” Robert Justen, 49, a nurse from with her family for a bus at Smith day after a mandatory evacua- winds at one point during the
Port Acres, said as he was trying to Middle School in Beaumont to tion was declared early Thurs- day was headed to Hayes’ home.
take them inland as Hurricane day. Most of Southeast Texas’
GAS, page 4A Rita approaches the coast. 380,000 people had joined a EXODUS, page 4A

U.S. refining looks to take a hit as coastal plants close

◆ IN PICTURES: 8A
Southeast Texas before the
storm is captured on film
By DAN WALLACH
THE ENTERPRISE
A Beaumont refinery that almost
never shuts down began that time-
consuming process Thursday in
advance of Hurricane Rita’s march
toward the coast.
Other refineries and chemical
plants closer to the Gulf of Mexico
had beaten ExxonMobil’s plant to
the punch, making a call which will
result in less supply at the nation’s
pumps.
Hurricane Katrina already had
put a major snag in the nation’s
crude and refining production.
Hurricane Rita could temporarily
halt up to a fifth of the U.S. refining
capacity as plants from Houston to
Southeast Texas close down, joining
those in southern Louisiana put out
of service on Aug. 29.
The BASF-Fina steam cracker
plant, adjacent to the Total Petro-
chemicals USA refinery in Port
REFINE, page 4A

◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Christine Emmott, Dennis Meloncon, Seames O’Grady an Rae Ann Spitzenberger, (409) 833-3311, ext. 120 ◆ ●
 SPECIAL HURRICANE EDITION

WEATHER: Windy, rain, at times heavy, Highs: 80s, Lows: 70s/2A

SATURDAY
125
1880 2005
SEPTEMBER 24, 2005

years V OL . CXXV, NO. 323

www.SoutheastTexasLive.com

THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

50 Cents

HURRICANE RITA

BRUTAL BLOW
BEAUMONT PORT ARTHUR ORANGE COUNTY HARDIN COUNTY
Near miss still hits Officials, equipment No storm surge, but Harrowing morning
too close to home roll back into town damage everywhere riding out the storm

Photos by Jennifer Reynolds/The Enterprise

Insulation and wires dangle in the wind at the Christian Fellowship Church in Beaumont on Saturday after Hurricane Rita collapsed an outer wall and tore away part of the roof.

No deaths immediately reported

By JACQUELINE LANE
THE ENTERPRISE
Jefferson County will shut down indef-
initely after Hurricane Rita slammed
ashore just east of Sabine Pass early Sat-
urday morning. It has trudged north bat-
tering East Texas.
There were no immediate reports of
deaths, although some people were
injured.
With no power, water or sewer across
the county, residents may not be able to
return before the end of this week, Coun-
ty Judge Carl Griffith said. Only approved
contractors will be allowed in the area.
“It looks like a war zone in our com-
munity,” Griffith said almost 12 hours
after the storm hit. “I saw many trees on
homes. Most streets are difficult to navi-
gate because of trees crossing them, win-
dows blown out, shingles off roofs.”
Around the county, metal debris and
glass were scattered on roads, some busi-
nesses were demolished, power lines are
down, buildings have awnings stripped
RITA, page 4A

Large Pine trees blown over by Hurricane Rita block a road in the Old Town neigh-
borhood of Beaumont on Saturday. The storm toppled trees and powerlines all over
the city, blocking some neighborhoods completely.
Weathering Rita: Images from the storm SEE PAGE 6A
TO OUR READERS
T oday’s special hurricane edition of The Beaumont Enterprise — and maybe
newspapers in coming days — will be reduced to essentials so we can bal-
ance storm coverage against the safety of our employees, many of whom have
evacuated.
We’re trying to get information out as quickly as we can, so continue to go to
www.SoutheastTexasLive.com for expanded, real-time updates.

◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Rae Ann Spitzenberger, Christine Emmott, Seames O’Grady and Michael Peters, (409) 833-3311, ext. 411 ◆ ●
 SPECIAL HURRICANE EDITION
125
1880 2005
years
www.SoutheastTexasLive.com

AFTERMATH
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Governor takes tour
of damaged areas
A Beaumont street is flooded and power lines are left dangling after Hurricane Rita hit the area on Saturday.
Orange County:
Restoring power
could take weeks
By JAMIE REID
THE ENTERPRISE
BRIDGE CITY — While checking out
hurricane damage here, Orange County
Sheriff Mike White took rapid-fire cell
phone calls from evacuated friends who
wanted to know if their homes were still
standing.
To one caller he said, “stay in Marshall,
Texas.”
And he asked all Orange County resi-
dents who evacuated to wait possibly two
weeks before returning home. It may take
a month to get power restored to every-
one in the county, he said, while pointing
out all the downed power lines.
While driving on Texas 87 before
reaching the Rainbow Bridge, White hap-
pened across a traffic accident, where a
man drove his small truck into a main
ORANGE, page 4A
◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Rae Ann Spitzenberger, Christine Emmott, Seames O’Grady and Michael Peters, (409) 833-3311, ext. 411 ◆

WEATHER: Cloudy and humid with chance of rain, Highs: 90s, Lows: 70s/2A

SUNDAY
SEPTEMBER 25, 2005
V OL . CXXV, NO. 324

THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

50 Cents
HURRICANE RITA
PORT ARTHUR JASPER & NEWTON CHAMBERS COUNTY
DPS turning people Hurricanes more than Released dam could
away on U.S. 69 just a coastal concern flood low-lying areas
Mark M. Hancock/The Enterprise
Residents told
not to return
immediately
By JACQUELINE LANE
THE ENTERPRISE
It could take as long as a month before
Southeast Texans who fled from Hurri-
cane Rita and her 120 mph-plus winds
can return to an area that was left Satur-
day without electricity and water in a tat-
tered landscape of downed trees, power
lines and building debris.
Eric Gay/The Associated Press
As of 9 p.m., there had been no reports
A tractor trailer tossed on its side rests on the median of Interstate 10 in Orange on Sat- of storm-related deaths in the area, but
urday after Hurricane Rita made landfall. Rita’s wrath on trees and buildings was
another matter. Along with thousands of
Entergy workers, 2,500 National Guard,
2,000 soldiers from 1St Cavalry in Fort
TO OUR READERS Hood and troopers and firefighters from
Fort Worth were expected to swarm the
T oday’s special hurricane edition of The Beaumont Enterprise — and maybe news-
papers in coming days — will be reduced to essentials so we can balance storm
coverage against the safety of our employees, many of whom have evacuated.
region and begin the cleanup process.
“There is a humongous undertaking to
We’re trying to get information out as quickly as we can, so continue to go to try to get our infrastructure rebuilt and to
www.SoutheastTexasLive.com for expanded, real-time updates.
STORM, page 4A
●
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MONDAY
125
1880 2005
SEPTEMBER 26, 2005

years V OL . CXXV, NO. 325

www.SoutheastTexasLive.com

THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

50 Cents

HURRICANE RITA

DESPERATE NEED
NEWTON & LIBERTY BEAUMONT ORANGE COUNTY PORT ARTHUR
Rita claims lives of Governor assures area Officials seek help Refinery attempts
3 Southeast Texans ‘the place is stable’ for medical services to make fuel available

County judge:
FEMA aid
slow in coming
By JACQUELINE LANE
THE ENTERPRISE

BEAUMONT — Frustrated emergency

management coordinators said Sunday they
were seeing the same foot-dragging federal
response to Hurricane Rita as their counter-
parts down the Gulf Coast did during Hurri-
cane Katrina.
And in counties to the north and west of
Beaumont, the first deaths attributable to the
storm in the area were recorded.
Jefferson County Judge Carl Griffith and
other local leaders, haggard after days of
almost non-stop work with little sleep, plead-
ed with the federal government to get itself
in a higher gear.

RITA, page 4A

Left: Port Arthur Police Officer Mike Hebert

finds a dry spot at a store in Sabine Pass to
make a phone call. He urged residents not
to come back to the heavily flooded city.
Below: Amber Harrell of Port Arthur is
comforted by her husband after arriving at
a temporary shelter at Ford Park in Beau-
mont on Sunday.

Jennifer Reynolds/The Enterprise Deborah Cannon/Austin American-Statesman

TO OUR READERS Rescuers wade through water in Sabine Pass

T oday’s special hurricane edition
of The Beaumont Enterprise —
and maybe newspapers in coming
days — will be reduced to essentials
so we can balance storm coverage
against the safety of our employees,
many of whom have evacuated.
We’re trying to get information out
as quickly as we can, so continue to
go to www.SoutheastTexasLive.com
for expanded, real-time updates.
By CHRISTINE RAPPLEYE
THE ENTERPRISE
SABINE PASS — Knee-deep water
streamed through Sabine Pass streets
Sunday as an 11-member crew of the
Edmund Task Force 1 rescue team from
Oklahoma went house to house looking
for anyone who might still be left in the
flooded coastal community.
Practically every building had some
sort of damage in what was one of the
hardest-hit areas of the county when
Hurricane Rita barreled through Saturday
morning.
Water flowed through Gabby’s Hard-
ware store. The car wash awning was
twisted, and telephone poles were scat-
tered along the side of it. The brick walls
on the storage facility next to the car
wash were reduced to rubble, baring the
studs and ruined belongings inside. Win-
dows were knocked out on the fire sta-
tion garage door.
At each place, they spray painted “X,”
“EDTF-1” (the task force's initials), the
time they came and how many people
were there. However, by late Sunday, only
SABINE, page 4A

◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Rae Ann Spitzenberger, Christine Emmott, Dennis Meloncon, Seames O’Grady and Michael Peters, (713) 362-2705 ◆ ●
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SPECIAL HURRICANE EDITION

WEATHER: Mostly sunny with a chance of showers, Highs: 90s, Lows: 70s/2A

TUESDAY
125 SEPTEMBER 27, 2005
1880 2005
years V OL . CXXV, NO. 326

www.SoutheastTexasLive.com

THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

50 Cents

HURRICANE RITA

FRUSTRATION
SOUTHEAST TEXAS BEAUMONT GETTING HELP HARDIN COUNTY
President Bush will Rita’s latest victims Residents have options Officials conducting
survey damage today include three children in rebuilding process some regular business

Kevin J. Dwyer/The Enterprise

Above: Police shield workers as they remove the body of a Beaumont resident who was killed ment, and two more were in critical condition. Below: Pamala Huntley of Beaumont takes a
Monday, apparently of carbon monoxide poisoning. Five people died in the Pine Street apart- break at a closed gas station in Raywood as she slowly makes her way to a friend’s house.

How to
get help
5 die in Beaumont
By JACQUELINE LANE investigate. They found the bod-
FEMA assistance and KEVIN J. DWYER ies and immediately began
hot line THE ENTERPRISE dragging them outside where
(800) 621-3362 they attempted to revive them
Beaumont Red Cross BEAUMONT — A generator with CPR.
(409) 832-1644 stored inside the door of a Pine “A girl came out screaming
Orange Red Cross Street apartment is believed to help, help, somebody help,” said
be the cause of the deaths of a Jeffery Rodgers, 29, who is stay-
(409) 883-2322
sleeping family of four and a ing with relatives at the com-
Red Cross friend. plex. “… That’s what caught our
(800) 975-7585 Neighbors heard the genera- attention. So we ran over there.”
Houston SPCA Animal tor running inside the apart-
Emergency Hot line ment about 9 a.m. and went to TOLL, page 3A
(713) 802-0555

Call your local Red Jennifer Reynolds/The Enterprise

Cross shelter to:
Obtain emergency
food, water and
hygiene items.
Call the Red Cross
800 line to: Register
for emergency finan-
cial assistance to
meet urgent needs
until state and federal
aid is available.
Call the Houston
SPCA to: Get pet-
related information.
Bush to meet with frustrated local officials
By JACQUELINE LANE and KEVIN J. DWYER
THE ENTERPRISE
BEAUMONT — President George W. Bush will
take an aerial tour today of Southeast Texas and
Southwest Louisiana, surveying the damage
caused by Hurricane Rita.
Beyond downed power lines and damaged
homes, Bush will find frayed nerves when he
reaches the Southeast Texas Regional Airport this
TO OUR READERS
morning.
In advance of Bush’s arrival, frustrated Jeffer- T oday’s special hurricane edition of
The Beaumont Enterprise — and
newspapers in coming days — will be
son County leaders met Monday morning to dis-
cuss problems they’re having getting much- reduced to essentials so we may better
needed help from the federal government. cover the aftermath of Hurricane Rita
As 50 generators sat idle Sunday at Ford Park, under the extraordinary circumstances
currently facing Southeast Texas.
Jefferson County Judge Carl Griffith threatened to
For expanded, real-time updates, contin-
take them by force.
ue to go to www.SoutheastTexasLive.com
RITA, page 3A

◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Rae Ann Spitzenberger, Christine Emmott, Beth Gallaspy, Brian Grant, Dennis Meloncon, Seames O’Grady and Michael Peters, (713) 362-2705 ◆ ●
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WEATHER: Sunny, Highs: 90s, Lows: 70s/2A

WEDNESDAY
125 SEPTEMBER 28, 2005
1880 2005
years V OL . CXXV, NO. 327

www.SoutheastTexasLive.com

THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

50 Cents

HURRICANE RITA

‘COMMITTED’
SOUTHEAST TEXAS ORANGE COUNTY EDUCATION HARDIN COUNTY
President takes aerial Water services are School reopening Officials urge residents
tour to survey damage slowly being restored dates to be determined to conserve gasoline

Bush promises
aid to ‘get lives
back together’
By KEVIN J. DWYER
THE ENTERPRISE

NEDERLAND — After an hour-long

meeting with Southeast Texas leaders
Tuesday, President Bush said he has seen
first hand how the area is hurting and is
working to provide the necessities: food,
water, electricity and fuel.
“We want people to be able to come
home as quickly as possible,” Bush said
after the meeting. “Obviously, we want
them to do so in an orderly way.”
Air Force One landed at Southeast Texas
Regional Airport at 9:33 a.m. carrying the
president to the meeting of local officials
for an update on the damage caused by
Hurricane Rita and the ongoing relief
effort.
After landing, the president used the

BUSH, page 4A

How to get help

FEMA assistance hotline
(800) 621-3362
Beaumont Red Cross
(409) 832-1644
Orange Red Cross
(409) 883-2322
Red Cross
(800) 975-7585
Houston SPCA Animal Emergency Hotline
(713) 802-0555
Call your local Red Cross shelter
to: Obtain emergency food, water and
hygiene items.
Call the Red Cross 800 line to:
Register for emergency financial assis-
tance to meet urgent needs until state
Scott Eslinger/The Enterprise and federal aid is available.
Call the Houston SPCA to: Get pet-
President Bush arrives at the Southeast Texas Regional Airport in Nederland with Gov. Rick Perry, Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and other officials and related information.
on Tuesday morning next to Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen. Bush met took an ariel tour of Southeast Texas and Southwestern Louisiana.

Distribution of Lamar’s fall semester to continue despite damage

generators begins, By SARAH MOORE
THE ENTERPRISE

but process is slow BEAUMONT — Despite widespread

By SARAH MOORE
THE ENTERPRISE
Generators at Ford Park were being distributed
Tuesday to state and local government entities, but
the process remained agonizingly slow, emergency
response coordinators said.
After speaking to President Bush on Tuesday, Jef-
ferson County Judge Carl Griffith said he thought
FORD, page 4A
damage to Lamar University from Hurri-
cane Rita, the fall semester will continue,
President Jimmy Simmons said Tuesday.
“You can’t cancel the semester — maybe
extend or shorten it,” Simmons said.
However, Simmons would not say when
students could return.
He didn’t yet have an estimate of the
repair costs, but there was damage from
the baseball diamond to the band hall.
“We have a major construction-renova-
tion issue,” Simmons said.
LAMAR, page 4A

TO OUR T oday’s special edition of The Beaumont Enterprise — and newspapers in

coming days — will be reduced to essentials so we may better cover the
aftermath of Hurricane Rita under the extraordinary circumstances currently
READERS facing Southeast Texas.
Scott Eslinger/The Enterprise
Standing water left by Hurricane Rita still blocks MLK Parkway next to Lamar University on
For expanded, real-time updates, continue to go to www.SoutheastTexasLive.com
Tuesday in Beaumont.

◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Rae Ann Spitzenberger, Christine Emmott, Beth Gallaspy, Brian Grant, Dennis Meloncon, Seames O’Grady and Michael Peters, (713) 362-2705 ◆ ●
 SPECIAL HURRICANE EDITION

WEATHER: Sunny, Highs: 90s, Lows: 70s/2A

THURSDAY
125 SEPTEMBER 29, 2005
1880 2005
years V OL . CXXV, NO. 328

www.SoutheastTexasLive.com

THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

50 Cents

HURRICANE RITA

A LONG ROAD
JEFFERSON COUNTY ORANGE COUNTY ECONOMY PORT ARTHUR
Help from FEMA Residents find supplies Rita’s effects could be When services return,
slow but noticeable when, where they can felt for years to come residents can as well

Jennifer Reynolds/The Enterprise

Jason Hamel, top left, and Chuck Roloff,

both with MJ Electric, based in Iron Horse,
Mich., repair power lines Wednesday along
Twin City Highway through Nederland.

Some lights
expected in Mark M. Hancock/The Enterprise

Above: R.A. Ogden, 77, of Port Neches patrols

Beaumont
his neighborhood for looters on Tuesday. He said
he rode out Hurricane Rita for the excitement.
Left: Albert Lovett, 73, of Beaumont waits for
the next bus to depart for a shelter in San Anto-
nio Wednesday at Ford Park in Beaumont.
By JACQUELINE LANE
THE ENTERPRISE

BEAUMONT — Part of the skyline

above downtown Beaumont was expect-
ed to light up early Thursday, five days
after Hurricane Rita left the city in the
Evacuee bus
trip was ‘like a
dark.
Entergy Texas crews continued work-
ing after midnight Thursday and hoped to
restore electricity through part of down-

town at any moment.
Still, officials said the city remains
closed and residents trying to return will
be turned around.
“It’s a day-to-day deal,” said Beaumont
Mayor Guy Goodson of when a decision
could be made.
Residents in unincorporated areas of
the county with water wells, septic sys-
tems and generators are able to return,
Jefferson County Judge Carl Griffith said.
Goodson said that because Beaumont
is closed, the city is not providing food,
COUNTY, page 4A
TO OUR READERS
T oday’s special edition of The
Beaumont Enterprise — and
newspapers in coming days — will
be reduced to essentials so we may
better cover the aftermath of Hurri-
cane Rita under the extraordinary
circumstances currently facing
Southeast Texas.
For expanded, real-time updates,
continue to go to www.SoutheastTex-
asLive.com
horror movie’
Scott Eslinger/The Enterprise
By ROBERT LOPEZ
THE ENTERPRISE
Those who rode out storm: Stay away DALLAS — Alex LeBlanc left Beaumont on
Thursday to begin a 50-hour bus trip across
East Texas.
By F.A. KRIFT What he experienced, he said, was “like a
THE ENTERPRISE
How to get help horror movie.”
He couldn’t get off the bus to buy food. The
BEAUMONT — As curiosity increases FEMA assistance drivers were exhausted. And he couldn’t go to
and patience dwindles, displaced Southeast (800) 621-3362 the bathroom.
Texans want to return home after Hurricane Beaumont Red Cross “Just had to wait,” he said. “I tried to drink as
Rita. (409) 832-1644 little as I could, but I’m a diabetic. I need a lot of
But listen to one word of Alvin Madison Orange Red Cross fluids.”
as he walked sweaty, dirty and tired onto a (409) 883-2322 LeBlanc was one of about 3,000 evacuees
bus at Ford Park on Wednesday to evacuate
Beaumont for Kelly Air Force Base in San
Red Cross
(800) 975-7585
who fled Hurricane Rita aboard a convoy of
about 50 Beaumont Independent School Dis-
Antonio. Houston SPCA Animal Hotline trict school buses. The drivers originally were
(713) 802-0555
“Stay.” scheduled to pull into Lufkin, but were prevent-
Call your local Red Cross shelter
How bad can it be? No electricity, no big ed from stopping there. That pattern continued
to: Obtain emergency food, water and
deal. Just the word home sounds so com- hygiene items. until they reached Canton, about 250 miles
fortable, even if the mandatory evacuation is Call the Red Cross 800 line to: from Beaumont, at about daybreak Saturday.
still in place, even if there isn’t power, drink- Register for emergency financial In Lufkin, 81-year-old Charlotte Ranger of
able water or refrigeration. assistance to meet urgent needs until Beaumont was struck by a vehicle and killed
state and federal aid is available.
STAY, page 4A EVACUEES, page 4A

◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Rae Ann Spitzenberger, Christine Emmott, Beth Gallaspy, Brian Grant, Dennis Meloncon, Seames O’Grady and Michael Peters, (713) 362-2705 ◆ ●
 SPECIAL HURRICANE EDITION

WEATHER: Sunny, Highs: 90s, Lows: 70s/2A

FRIDAY
125 SEPTEMBER 30, 2005
1880 2005
years V OL . CXXV, NO. 329

www.SoutheastTexasLive.com

THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

50 Cents

HURRICANE RITA

ILLUMINATED
DEATH TOLL JASPER COUNTY NEWTON COUNTY SERVICES
Carbon monoxide Search & rescue takes Disaster recovery Social Security checks
claims 6th victim priority over electricity center set to open waiting at post office

Some lights
return to
Beaumont
By JACQUELINE LANE
and DAN WALLACH
THE ENTERPRISE

BEAUMONT — Part of Beau-

mont’s downtown sky lit up Thurs-
day evening for the first time since
Hurricane Rita roared through the
region six days ago.
Shortly after lights came back on,
a transformer blew and a smaller
number went off.
At 8:07 p.m., power came on for a
pocket of businesses in the heart of
downtown including the Entergy
building — where the utility’s com-
mand center is located — the Beau-
mont Enterprise, SBC, Crockett
Street and the municipal water sys-
tem.
Getting power restored specifi-
cally to the downtown area was seen
as critical to the restoration efforts
because it’s the location of Entergy’s
control systems, Entergy Texas
spokesman David Caplan said. The
Pete Churton/The Enterprise
command center is where electric
Power was restored to parts of downtown Beaumont, including the Orleans Street area, Thursday night at about 8:30 p.m. ENTERGY, page 4A

Some cities reopen; don’t plan to stay

By JACQUELINE LANE and
CHRISTINE RAPPLEYE
THE ENTERPRISE
BEAUMONT — More
than a week after being
urged to flee Hurricane Rita,
residents of Beaumont, Ned-
erland, Port Neches and
Groves can return home
Tips for coming home:
PAGE 4A
today from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
to assess damage and recov-
er personal items.
However, Port Arthur resi-
dents still must stay away
until this weekend because
the city is having problems
keeping power to the water
and sewer systems.
Despite opening the
cities, officials urged that
people should leave during
the dusk to dawn curfews
and seek shelter elsewhere
until basic services can be re-
established.
“If you have hotel reserva-
tions, don’t cancel them,”
said Port Neches Mayor
Glenn Johnson.
Fully reopening cities
could take time. In a news
release, officials with Port
HOME, page 4A

How to
get help Transportation
FEMA assistance
(800) 621-3362
secretary tours
Beaumont Red Cross
(409) 832-1644 area’s airport
Orange Red Cross
(409) 883-2322 By JACQUELINE LANE
Red Cross THE ENTERPRISE
(800) 975-7585
Houston SPCA Animal NEDERLAND — The fed-
Hotline eral government has pledged
(713) 802-0555 help to repair the Southeast
Call your local Red
Cross shelter to:
Texas Regional Airport,
Obtain emergency food, which took a devastating
water and hygiene punch from Hurricane Rita. Jennifer Reynolds/The Enterprise

items. Secretary of Transportation U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, left, and Jef-
Call the Red Cross ferson County Judge Carl Griffith tour the damage at the
800 line to: MINETA, page 4A Southeast Texas Regional Airport in Nederland.
Register for emergency
financial assistance to
meet urgent needs
Scott Eslinger/The Enterprise

Volunteer Dylan Henson, 14, of Kirbyville, carries ice to the trunk of a

until state and federal
aid is available.
Call the Houston
TO OUR T oday’s special edition of The Beaumont Enterprise is reduced to
essentials so we may better cover the aftermath of Hurricane
Rita under the extraordinary circumstances facing Southeast Texas.
car Thursday at First Baptist Church in Kirbyville. Hurricane Rita victims
were able to pick up items ranging from hygiene products and baby for-
SPCA to: Get pet-relat- READERS For expanded, real-time updates, continue to go to www.Southeast-
ed information. TexasLive.com
mula to water, food and ice at the church.

◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Rae Ann Spitzenberger, Christine Emmott, Beth Gallaspy, Brian Grant, Dennis Meloncon, Seames O’Grady and Michael Peters, (713) 362-2705 ◆ ●
 SPECIAL HURRICANE EDITION

WEATHER: Sunny, Highs: 90s, Lows: 70s/2A

SATURDAY
125 OCTOBER 1, 2005
1880 2005
years V OL . CXXV, NO. 330

www.SoutheastTexasLive.com

THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

50 Cents

HURRICANE RITA

ANXIOUS RETURN
LAMAR UNIVERSITY SALVAGING TIPS ORANGE COUNTY PAYING BILLS
Officials say classes What to keep, throw Guardsmen leave their Rent is due, but bills
resume in 2-3 weeks away & try to restore families to help others have a grace period

Some have Residents

all the luck;
some get all
come home
the breaks to evaluate
By PERRYN KEYS
THE ENTERPRISE

BEAUMONT — One family, two

twists of fate.
the damage
By JACQUELINE LANE and
In the most anxious, nervous trip
CHRISTINE RAPPLEYE
of his life, Francisco Arellano loaded
THE ENTERPRISE
his family into their white Chevy
Suburban, ready to drive back home
to Liberty A steady stream of Jefferson County residents
Avenue. They headed home Friday to get the first glimpse of the
◆ Residents didn’t know if damage wreaked by Hurricane Rita almost a week
run the home still was a ago, including those from Port Arthur who were
gamut of home. allowed in after a last-minute decision.
emotions — Friday was the Port Arthur officials joined Beaumont, Port
fear, anxiety, first day residents Neches, Groves and Nederland in letting residents
sadness, were allowed to return. Officials reversed their decision to keep the
relief, accep- re-enter Jefferson city closed about 8 a.m. after long lines built up at
tance and joy County since roadblocks around the city, said Duncan Wood-
— when they Hurricane Rita ford, Port Arthur Police Department spokesman.
come home. ripped through “It just wasn’t going to work,” he said. “Tempers
Page 6A the region last were rising in the long lines. Not as many people
week; officials came back as we expected.”
asked families to Frank Relford left early Thursday to get back to
check out their homes, tidy up and his Beaumont home ahead of his wife, Kim.
go back to wherever they evacuated. “I just wanted to prepare her,” he said. “I was also
Arellano, owner of a house on Lib- told they wouldn’t let anyone in except to work. I
erty and a yellow wristband from told a little white lie. God will forgive me, I hope.”
Lufkin, was on his way from a shelter. Beaumont Mayor Guy Goodson said the Texas
Driving down U.S. 69, he felt good Department of Public Safety and military police
because his wife and kids were OK, still were turning residents away at 6:30 a.m., 30
riding in the car with him.
minutes before the gates opened.
“That’s the big thing,” Francisco
“Most people now who didn’t believe it’s as bad
said. “That’s No. 1.”
as it is and are seeing homes literally with trees
HOME, page 4A right in the middle of them are realizing that a lot
of people have it bad,” Goodson said.

DAMAGE, page 4A
TO OUR READERS
LEFT: Contractor Jason Viator, 29, of Beaumont
T oday’s special edition of
The Beaumont Enterprise
is reduced to essentials so we
talks on his cell phone with a customer Friday
morning while crouching on a large oak tree that
may better cover the aftermath fell into a home in the West End of Beaumont
of Hurricane Rita under the when Hurricane Rita battered Southeast Texas.
extraordinary circumstances BELOW: Jennifer Reedom, 40, of Beaumont
facing Southeast Texas. picks up a bent up window screen from the dri-
For expanded, real-time veway of her Beaumont home Friday morning.
updates, continue to go to Reedom, her husband, and her daughter,
www.SoutheastTexasLive.com returned to check on their home after evacu-
taing to a shelter in Marshall.

Evacuees overcrowd nursing homes

By ROLANDO GARCIA
THE ENTERPRISE
The influx of elderly hurricane
evacuees from Southeast Texas is
straining capacity at nursing homes
elsewhere in the state.
State officials temporarily have
waived restrictions on the number of
residents at licensed facilities, and
some seniors are being moved again
to nursing homes with spare beds to
relieve overcrowding.
Several nursing home operators in
the Dallas area report their facilities
are packed. Heritage Oaks Nursing
Home in Corsicana is transferring
patients to nursing homes in Lub-
bock and Mexia.
A church in Lufkin took in 60 resi-
dents from Calder Woods retirement
community, but they were taken
Sunday to Longview and Dallas.
Statewide, about 11,000 residents
were evacuated from assisted-living
facilities, including about 2,700 nurs-
ing home patients.
In Tyler, seniors fleeing Hurricane
Rita were taken to vacant rooms in
area hospitals after nursing homes
filled up, said Trina Seale, nurse liai-
son at Reunion Plaza Senior Care
Center.
While capacity requirements have
been eased, nursing homes remain
subject to the state’s quality care pro-
visions, said Don Rogers, spokesman
for the Texas Department of Aging
and Disability Services.
He added that while some facili-
ties on evacuation routes are packed,
there are lots of empty nursing home
beds statewide that patients can be
moved to.
But the quality of care in crowded
nursing homes could suffer, said
Beth Ferris, head of the Dallas-based
ELDERLY, page 4A Photos by Scott Eslinger/The Enterprise

◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Brian Grant, Christine Emmott, Beth Gallaspy, Dennis Meloncon, Seames O’Grady, Christopher Clausen and Michael Peters, (713) 362-2705 ◆ ●
 SPECIAL HURRICANE EDITION
125
1880 2005
years
www.SoutheastTexasLive.com

COMEBACK TIME
NINE DAYS LATER: Southeast Texas on long road to rebound after Hurricane Rita
A construction crew prepares to begin reconstruction on the Target store in Beaumont on Saturday. The store’s roof collapsed during Hurricane Rita.
Beaumont’s
West End
lighting up
By DAN WALLACH
THE ENTERPRISE
Repair crews restored power to
the Parkdale Mall area and parts
of Dowlen Road on Friday night
and could have some West End
neighborhoods connected by
tonight, Entergy Texas chief exec-
utive Joe Domino said this morn-
ing.
Domino said in an 11 a.m.
conference call that the utility is
hitting a good stride in its restora-
tion efforts. Neighborhoods
around the Tanglewood section
of Beaumont and areas around
Major Drive could see lights by
tonight, he said.
Within the next two days,
ENTERGY, page 3A
BRUTAL BLOW
Rita roars into area as
Category 3 hurricane
◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Rae Ann Spitzenberger, Christopher Clausen, Billie Dorman, Beth Gallaspy, Brian Grant, Dennis Meloncon and Seames O’Grady, (713) 362-2705 ◆

WEATHER: Scattered clouds with possible isolated thunderstorm, Highs: 80s, Lows: 70s/2A

SUNDAY
OCTOBER 2, 2005
V OL . CXXV, NO. 331

THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

$1.50
HURRICANE RITA
Mark M. Hancock/The Enterprise
TO OUR READERS
W e’re back.
Only way
The Enterprise resumes daily print publication today,
eight days after Hurricane Rita caused severe damage to our
building and forced a halt to regular operations.
Actually, we never left. to look is
An editorial staff of more than 15 journalists in Beaumont,
supplemented by about a dozen Enterprise staffers who went to
Houston and Dallas, never stopped reporting the story. For nine
days they produced an online newspaper devoted to coverage
of the evacuation, the hurricane and its aftermath and provided
round-the-clock news updates and dozens of online features at
forward
SoutheastTexasLive.com. By KEVIN J. DWYER
The electronic newspapers, dating to the eve of Rita’s arrival, THE ENTERPRISE
were printed in San Antonio. They can be found inside today’s
special Hurricane edition of The Enterprise.
Like the rest of Southeast Texas, we’re eager to get back to full More than a year after Hurri-
strength, and we’ll make every effort to make that happen as soon cane Ivan roared ashore near
as possible. We appreciate your patience while we’re working on it. Pensacola, Fla., Mayor John Fogg
still sees homes without roofs,
hotels without guests and ongo-
ing work to rebuild his city.
Tree-clearing ministry in area His advice to Southeast Texans
in the wake of Hurricane Rita:
Treat recovery and rebuilding as a
By F.A. KRIFT saw Ministries of the Texas marathon race, not a sprint, or
THE ENTERPRISE Baptist Men cleared three the process will be maddening.
pine trees Saturday from a Full recovery can take up to
BEAUMONT — The home on Briarcliff Drive, five years, Fogg said.
Texas Baptist Men have off Delaware Street. Hurricane Ivan devastated
Bibles. They have chain- They didn’t come to Jennifer Reynolds/The Enterprise
Pensacola on Sept. 16, 2004. The
saws, too. profit. No exchange of Tom Moses cuts through one of several trees that storm damaged or destroyed
A three-man team from fell across the garage of his Beaumont rental prop-
the Collin County Chain- TREES, page 3A erty, as he starts cleaning up Saturday. FORWARD, page 3A
DESPERATE NEED FRUSTRATION ILLUMINATED
Jefferson County pleads Generator kills family; Some power restored
for faster FEMA aid supplies still elusive to parts of Beaumont
●
 INSIDE
Astros earn playoff bid ◆ Al-Qaida suspected in Bali
For the second straight year, bombings that leave 26 dead.
Houston wins wild-card spot PAGE 2A
on the final game of the
regular season. ◆ Mexico lashed by Tropical
Storm Stan, Hurricane Otis.
SPORTS, PAGE 6A PAGE 3A

WEATHER: Chance of showers, Highs: 90s, Lows: 60s/2A

MONDAY
125 OCTOBER 3, 2005
1880 2005
years V OL . CXXV, NO. 332

www.SoutheastTexasLive.com

THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

50 cents

HURRICANE RITA

Spirits up despite long lines for aid

GETTING HELP
Residents wait in long
lines for food at Ford
Park, Parkdale Mall
By JACQUELINE LANE
THE ENTERPRISE
BEAUMONT — Zenda
Brandin and John Bendtsen
have waited in line for some-
thing every day since Hurri-
cane Rita struck more than a
week ago.
For all but two days, the
neighbors have ridden in
Bendtsen’s white van to Ford
Park, and on Sunday to Park-
dale Mall, to get ice, water and
food for themselves and others
who live in a mobile home
park.
They estimated that Sun-
day’s wait was about 90 min-
utes.
But they didn’t care.
“No complaints here,” said
Brandin, 50.
“We’re trying to feed our-
selves, and there’s one other
family we’re trying to help,”
Bendtsen said. “We’re trying to
split it up amongst all of us.”
A long line of cars snaked
around part of the Parkdale
Mall parking lot Sunday, with it
taking some people up to 90
minutes to get ice, water, food
LINES, page 4A

Power restored
to about half
ELECTRICTY
It could take another
week to reach those
who are still in dark
By DAN WALLACH
THE ENTERPRISE
Entergy Texas repair
crews picked up an addi-
tional 30,000 restorations
through Saturday and
expected to score at least as
many Sunday, bringing total
restorations down to about
half of the peak number
who lost power to Hurricane
Rita more than a week ago,
said Joe Domino, utility
president and chief execu-
tive.
The restoration of power
to customers gets tougher
from this point because of
heavier damage, Domino
cautioned Sunday in a con-
ference call with reporters.
At the peak, Rita cast
about 287,000 customers
into nighttime darkness and
daytime swelter as the utili-
ty struggled to mount an
assessment of overall dam-
age as it crafted its repair
response.
To date, Entergy has
managed to reconnect
112,000 customers thus far,
POWER, page 4A

Photos by Mark M. Hancock/The Enterprise

Firefighters battle a blaze at the B.P.O. Elks Lodge in Beaumont on Sunday. The building was completely destroyed.
TO OUR READERS

Electrical problems L ike a lot of Southeast Texas people and businesses, The
Enterprise is digging out from the destruction caused by
Hurricane Rita. We’re working hard to get our people and facili-
ties up and running again. Until we do, the paper will be small-
er than usual and delivery might take longer. We appreciate
your patience while that’s going on.
In the meantime, continue to go to www.SoutheastTexas-

spark blaze at Elk’s

Live.com for the latest news, information and interactive
features related to fallout from Rita.

MORE ON RITA
◆ State and national coverage: 3A ◆ Helpful info: 5A
◆ Rita in pictures: 8A

HISTORIC LOSS
Fire started after building’s
power came back online
By JAMIE REID
THE ENTERPRISE
Faithful thankful for
BEAUMONT — Electrical problems
sparked a fire Sunday that leveled the
Elks Lodge on U.S. 90.
what Rita didn’t take
where Christians gathered
No one was injured in the fire as
about a dozen of the group’s 250 mem-
COMMUNITY together in prayer.
bers stood and watched the lodge at ‘You all got out of ...,’ Many churches here, like
11431 U.S. 90 burn to the ground. Some all over Southeast Texas, were
of the Elks cried.
pastor tells group gathered damaged or destroyed in the
Lost in the blaze were historical at football stadium hurricane, so about 75 people
records for the 107-year-old group, as had church in the home team
By JAMIE REID
well as a 112-year-old Bavarian clock, stands.
THE ENTERPRISE
Elks members said. Despite the hardships,
Beaumont Fire Department Capt. people counted the blessings
VIDOR — High school that Rita brought, such as
Brad Penisson blamed the blaze on
football stadiums usually are uniting the community and
electrical problems that arose about
1:40 p.m. after power was restored to the battlefields of young men, sparing lives.
but on Sunday Pirate Stadium
FIRE, page 4A Firefighters battle a blaze at the B.P.O. Elks Lodge in Beaumont on Sunday. became a makeshift holy spot CHURCH, page 4A

◆ Section designed and copy-edited by Brian Grant, Rae Ann Spitzenberger, Christine Emmott, Billie Dorman, Michael Peters and Dennis Meloncon (713) 362-2705 ◆ ●