[StBernard] Today's Press Release

[Westley Annis]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

CONTACT:  steve cannizaro

St. Bernard Parish Government

Public Information Officer

 

504.278.4221 OR 504.259.3395 

 

September 27, 2005; 8:00 PM CST

 

All areas of St. Bernard Parish now dry and open to all residents

 

All flood waters from Hurricane Rita have been pumped out of St. Bernard and
all areas of the parish are now open to returning residents, Parish
President Henry "Junior" Rodriguez and the Parish Council announced Tuesday.

 

But a new time has been established for residents to come into the parish
through Paris Road: 7:30 a.m. each day, officials said.  They said the
re-entry will continue without end.

 

"They can come in and out as they feel free," Rodriguez said.  "We just
don't have basic necessities" such as electricity and water, although he
estimated as much as 30 percent of St. Bernard may have water service
shortly.

 

Thousands of vehicles have entered St. Bernard Parish since Monday morning,
most returning for the first time since Hurricane Katrina struck St. Bernard
August 29th.

 

Parts of St. Bernard north of Judge Perez Drive from the Orleans Parish line
to Chalmette and east of the Verret levee in eastern St. Bernard received
flood waters a second time after there was a breach in the Industrial Canal
levee in New Orleans during Hurricane Rita.  But all of the new flooding had
been pumped out by Tuesday.

 

Rodriguez and Council members also emphasized that insurance adjusters
should come to St. Bernard to meet with residents at their homes to begin
the procedure of working out their claims.

 

State Insurance Commissioner Robert Wooley met Tuesday in Chalmette with
Council members to discuss a proposed centralized location along the river,
near the Port of St. Bernard in Chalmette, where adjusters can live and meet
with returning residents.

 

Nothing has been finalized but another meeting is scheduled Wednesday in
Belle Chasse involving areas for adjusters in both Chalmette and Plaquemines
Parish.

 

St. Bernard Council members Craig Taffaro Jr., Joseph DiFatta, and Mark
Madary said the centralized location would be a good idea but stressed there
isn't a reason why adjusters shouldn't already be in St. Bernard dealing
with resident's claims.

 

####