8/30/05 This was on CNN.com today {8/30/05): ====================================== Tim Whitmer, chief administrative officer of Jefferson Parish, which includes part of metropolitan New Orleans, said parish President Aaron Broussard had ordered the parish off-limits until next week. "Jefferson Parish is closed," he said. "It's just not a place to be." "We're hoping to allow citizens to return by 6 a.m. Monday with a picture ID," he said. "But they have to realize they're going to return to major, major problems." ====================================== I'm still at my sister's north of Baton Rouge. A couple of trees blew down here... my son-in-law and his dad already got the chain saw and made fast work of cleaning up the downed trees. Looks like we'll be here for at least another day -- maybe more -- the state police aren't letting anybody back just yet because there's no power, etc., etc., etc. We heard from one of our neighbors (who stayed there during the storm) that our houses (mine and my daughter's) are OK and apparently not even under water; but, still suspect there is no power so we'll wait until the authorities tell us it's OK to return before heading back. The power was off here most of the day, but came back on and has stayed on since about 9pm, so that's more than a lot of folks in this part of the country have right now. Go to 8/31/05