Surviving Hurricane Harvey: Part Four - It Was The Reservoirs, Not the Storm That Flooded West Houston

Simply put, an area of west Houston was sacrificed in order to protect other subdivisions from even more dramatic flooding. These subdivisions, now flooded at devastating proportions, have no history of experiencing flooding. The Army Corps of Engineers released water from the Addicks and Barker Dams. This, we were told, was to allow room in the dams should more rain fall. Water in the reservoirs was released - controlled releases - to make room for future rain water. Buffalo Bayou needed relief, we were told. The result of this decision was unprecedented flooding in neighborhoods from near-in west Houston all the way to areas in Katy. To say this is tragic is not an exaggeration. 

Houston City Councilman Greg Travis, District G, has done an excellent job keeping residents informed of actions by the Corps of Engineers and the City of Houston. This explains what action was taken and the video link is a helpful way to understand how the water moved as it flooded the area.   

The storm of Hurricane Harvey didn't destroy us, it was the reservoirs after the storm that did that. Now, the mayor has approved the power to be cut off in homes and apartments that were flooded, on the heels of a mandatory evacuation order. This hampers the ability to allow some who wish to stay in their homes despite the water and protect their property. People who have dry homes are told their power will remain on but that isn't always the case. Councilman Travis, for example, said his home didn't flood but his power was cut. There is a number to call if this happens: 713-207-2222.

Some people from outside ask why Texans don't buy flood insurance. It is estimated that only 20% of those flooded out have flood insurance. In this case, it is because most of these homes are not on flood plains. The area has never flooded and homeowners weren't advised to buy flood insurance. My husband and I never bought flood insurance. We survived Tropical Storm Allison and Hurricane Ike without our home flooding.

I watched Mayor Sylvester Turner on some of the Sunday morning talk shows and he did a good job encouraging people to keep their plans - the City of Houston is open for business. He went on to say that "95% of the city is dry now." I understand what he was doing - it's his job to keep the city and its economy moving forward - but that is an exaggerated number. In my own case, my home remained dry and our power has stayed on. Our Internet and television was only out briefly - a matter of some 8 hours or so due to a truck crashing into a utility pole - so we are grateful beyond belief. But, the down side is that we are limited in our travel due to flooded streets all around us. Imagine an island surrounded by water - that is how we continue to live. The Corps of Engineers foresees reservoir releases for the next 10 days or so and flooded streets will remain while that continues. It's a waiting game. 

My former neighborhood still has large parts underwater. Remember when I wrote about moving to our current home last January? My husband was able to drive up to our former home this morning and spoke with the current owner. The house remained dry inside by the grace of about a 1/4 of an inch. That warmed my heart. We cling to the good stories because the bad ones are overwhelming. So many of my friends and acquaintances in 'my' part of town have lost homes and cars and much of their possessions. 

We will get through this. We are grateful. #HoustonStrong

Onward.

Surviving Hurricane Harvey: Part Three - Goodness Abounds

The good far outweighs the bad in response to Hurricane Harvey and the recovery efforts in the aftermath. Texans helping Texans happens spontaneously. There is no such thing as sitting around and waiting for outside help around here. Volunteers from across the country have felt our pain and risen to the occasion. All of this revives hope for the human race.

Houston, know for its diversity, is the nation's fourth largest city and it is home to immigrants from literally any country you can think of. The greatest asset of this city, to me, is the glorious mix of people and cultures who all live together peacefully with a live and let live kind of attitude. You know all those riots in the streets of other large cities around America? That doesn't happen here. I don't know why but I think it has to do with the attitude of the city. We're simply not havin' that stuff. This isn't to say there aren't distinct differences in opinions and that conflict doesn't happen. There are problems here like other places. It is to say, though, the Texas spirit thrives in Houston. Immigrants to the city embrace it. Texans look out for each other - even those among us who are not here legally. As Congress continues to refuse to seriously tackle immigration reform, people are here in limbo, hurricane or not. One of the first announcements made by the mayor and the police chief was about those living here illegally - no one was in jeopardy of facing an ICE agent for simply seeking shelter and aid due to the storm. 

Only in America would a fund be established to help "undocumented" Houstonians during Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. The local ABC network affiliate's self-described "social media contributor" on Twitter actively promotes it.

One caption for this claims: "575,000+ undocumented immigrant families live in #Houston & surrounding suburbs. Many don't qualify for Gov aid." 575,000 undocumented in one American city. That is unheard of in any other spot in the world. Shame on national media in town asking local and state politicians - even Governor Abbott - about any pending DACA decision coming from President Trump. This should be an issue for Congress, not another executive order from the sitting president. Obama did it for political expediency. America's immigration system deserves, indeed demands, honest reform. Here is a good recap of a particularly shameless DACA discussion inserted into stories of Hurricane Harvey relief in Houston.

Remember the photograph of President Trump holding us the Texas flag during his first stop in Texas, during his first trip after Harvey struck? It was in Corpus Christi and a crowd of locals gathered as the president thanked first responders for their work. A teenage boy brought the flag to see the president and the Secret Service asked if he'd allow them to borrow it. He did. Marcos Garza asked for donations of water and baby wipes for his hometown and then said, "I think we should support the president during his run right now, because he kind of needs it." 

There are many ways to help all those affected by Hurricane Harvey. How about some retail therapy? Here is a list of retail outlets who are donating all or a portion of the proceeds of merchandise to recovery efforts. Remember when people unfamiliar with basic economics mocked former President G.W. Bush for telling America to go shopping after the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks? Yeah. Well, patronizing retail outlets stimulates the economy and helps recovery efforts. Simple, right? 

After you do some shopping, you may want to go out for a bite to eat. Here is a list of some local establishments donating portions of receipts to hurricane recovery efforts.

The list of heroes during this horrible time is long and continues to grow. There are no words to measure the hard work and dedicated spirits shown by our first responders and the countless volunteer rescue workers. 

Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan wrote a good piece capturing the urgency of Congressional approval of federal dollars to be sent to Texas for recovery efforts. As happenstance would have it, Ms. Noonan was in San Antonio delivering a keynote address to a group of think tank types gathering for a convention. 

Recovery is beginning. As water recedes, people are able to go back to their homes and start the process of tossing out damaged possessions and repairing their homes. Streets are lined with the fruits of peoples labors and family heirlooms alike, not just soggy carpeting and moldy drywall. Streets in my part of town are still flooded due to reservoir releases so police secure the entrance to our development and once out on the street, it is difficult to maneuver around to something as necessary as an open grocery store.

This, too, shall pass. We will get through it. We are grateful.

Onward.

Surviving #HurricaneHarvey: Part Two - Political Cartoons

It didn't take long for the ugliness from the left to rear its head and publish political cartoons mocking Texas during Hurricane Harvey. People were still being rescued, the rain was still falling and people were looking for shelter as the cartoons hit the Internet. The souls of many are twisted and a national tragedy, brought on by Mother Nature, opened an opportunity for them to show their disdain of Texas, the nation's largest red state.

It began with the ugly cartoon in @Politico:

This is an attack on people of faith and small government conservatives and a little smack to the Texas secessionists fringe for good measure. Funny, I don't see the liberals in California wanting to secede being mocked.  The cartoonist is a coward, though, and as soon as the social media blowback began, he deleted his tweet publicizing it.    

The next bit of ugliness to catch my eye was this one from the staff of Charlie Hebdo in Paris:

Nazi references are common when the left goes after the right. I think it is the lowest of slurs and particularly low-brow. My paternal grandfather was Jewish. The only Nazis were actual Nazis, not your particular political opponents.
Remember when everyone, including me, posted this on social media platforms after the attack by Islamic terrorists on the publication?

   

                             

This is a political cartoon run by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Misspelled sign, 'militia' headquarters - the hatred is real towards the people in a red state. Once upon a time I lived in Atlanta and I went to college there, so this opportunism disguised as political comment doesn't surprise me.

The coastal elites hate us. We get it. What about the liberals living in Texas, though? No empathy for them, either? They were flooded out, too. Mother Nature doesn't distinguish between conservatives and liberals. Painting with broad brushes never ends well.

I see all the social media nastiness because I live in social media and politics. I have chosen to use my platforms for information. Twitter is an excellent tool for up to the minute news and is invaluable in an emergency. My previous blog post, Part One, was my personal thoughts as the rain stopped and the recovery begins. This one is to show reactions from those not in the storm. This is the ugly side. The good side is out there, too, and so much stronger than the ugly. Part Three will be about that. 

Good wins. Love conquers hate. We will get through this. #HoustonStrong  #TexasTough