Birmingham Blues

I just got an email from a friend who is helping to coordinate disaster relief here in Birmingham for Gustav victims.  She reports that there are already more than 5,400 refugees here, with more to come.  Hands On Birmingham needs volunteers to help feed and shelter those refugees.  If you can help, click here to [...]

Yesterday was the third anniversary of the US landfall of Hurricane Katrina.  Now Gustav is bearing down on the gulf coast as a category 4 storm.  Those of you who read here regularly are probably aware that my co-blogger Del and her family live in Mobile, and we have readers who are still recovering from [...]

I hope everyone is okay in the wake of yesterday’s storms. We lost power for about 12 hours — went to bed last night in the pitch dark to the hum of the neighbor’s generator (*grumble, grumble, grumble*). Power came back on at 4:30 this morning, and we cheered. Other than some [...]

[Proud mom's note:  I asked 14YOD to write this as we remember those whose lives were touched by Hurricane Katrina.]  Two years ago today [8/29], Hurricane Katrina hit the Southeast. One month ago this past Tuesday, I got back from a mission trip in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi where there is still damage.I was in [...]

Two years ago today, Katrina roared ashore and devastated a large part of the Gulf Coast.  The next day, I posted some pictures that still take my breath away.  Last year, the recovery had just begun.  Today, we’re further along, but we’re not there yet.
But much of New Orleans still looks like a wasteland, with [...]

Joe is home safe and sound from Jamaica.  He has a report and pictures of Hurricane Dean at his place.  Go give him some “welcome home” love!

Here’s some local coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Dean, which brushed the southern edge of Jamaica.  No word from Joe, but I doubt he has power at this point.  MSNBC has video of the storm and its survivors.  There doesn’t seem to be much in the news right now.  I’ll let y’all know as [...]

Joe has an update on the situation in Jamaica over at Bessemer Opinions.  The group from UAB and San Diego State is preparing for Hurricane Dean.  They’re scheduled to return to the US on Tuesday, but Joe expects flooding will delay them.
Dean has been upgraded to a Category 4 and is expected to hit Jamaica sometime [...]

Oh crap!  It’s now a Category 3 and still headed straight for Jamaica.  There’s nothing new on Joe’s website about the group from UAB.  The center of the storm has passed St. Lucia, Martinique, and Dominica, although they are still being lashed with heavy wind and rain.
Dean will cross the eastern Caribbean south of Jamaica [...]

I had an email this morning from blogger pal Joe of Bessemer Opinions.  He’s in Jamaica with a group from UAB studying community-based approaches to public health, and he and his fellow students now find themselves in the path of Hurricane Dean.

For those like me who aren’t completely sure of your Caribbean geography, I’ll point out [...]