An article describing how a PhD biology student went on a bat rescue mission:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/animal-lover-rescues-bats-trapped-bridge-hurricane-harvey-185931770.html
I have read all the pages, and wish to send messages of good Luck to all in TX.
My D’s BF is being transferred to the Houston area, and leaves today with his father to move. they are coming from the Chicago area.
When he and she went in July to find a place, they visited and stayed with many friends, all of whom are okay, but one couple and their 9mo son had to leave their home to stay in a suburb with her parents. Last night D and BF went to buy supplies their friends said they most needed, and the space the U-haul had is filled. He is originally from Dallas, so that will be their first stop, then on to Houston.
I’m not overly religious, but I do believe in the power of prayer, and I’m praying for those affected, both in TX and LA.
Ah @LakeWashington, we are too busy spending taxpayer dollars to find ways to attract more drug addicts, dealers and gang members to our fine city than spend money on essential disaster preparedness. That’s crazy talk what you’re suggesting… 
Just drove from South West of Austin to Fort Worth. Many gas stations sw Austin were out of gas but not all. Most priced at $2.49. Most not all stations I could see from 35 had gas. Gas is higher in Ft. Worth 2.69 to 2.89. We stopped for gas at Buccee’s in Temple and it was $2.25.
In our small town, when the HEB ran out of regular gas they LOWERED the price of the high test gas to what they had been selling the regular for. Gotta love HEB!!
Most gas stations I saw yesterday in Dallas were shut down. But last night after dinner, we drove by our closest station and saw cars filling up, no lines. I haven’t been out today so don’t know the status.
Still not good in SA. The paper said 72% of stations were out of gas yesterday. There are lines in front of the ones that have gas today. I hope it settles down after the long weekend.
But three cheers for Buccee’s and HEB!
Just watched a news interview with Carranza, the superintendent of Houston ISD. Well spoken and he and his team seem to have a well-thought out strategy for dealing with getting kids to school and taken care of in the aftermath of Harvey - school delayed until 9/11, students will receive 3 meals a day, counseling available, and lots of other stuff. I hope it all goes well and according to plan.
My husband just got gas here in San Antonio for $2.39 at one of the few stations that had gas. Glad to hear about HEB’s gas pricing. I also read that they are sending hundreds of employees from San Antonio to Houston to help clean out and reopen stores as well as relieve Houston employees who have been dealing with the stores and their own issues from Harvey.
Houston - bought premium gas today - $3.19 - no lines. Regular and plus available also. The Chevron station just happened to be on my way home and I just pulled in.
I did see stations that had no gas though.
The storm was a disaster but I get the feeling they are quite well organized in dealing with the aftermath. Love that gas station that lowered the price.
Are people still lining up for water in Beaumont? How awful.
I think they will be for awhile with the contamination levels they were talking about on the news today.
Did so me errands in north Dallas/Plano today. Saw 4 gas stations, all with no gas. I still have just under 3/4 of a tank though. DH said he saw two large fuel trucks pull up to the Plano Costco.
I live in the DFW area. Gas trucks were plentiful today, delivering gasoline to stations. Media hype of “gas shortages” caused the hysteria and run on everyone buying gas at the same time. There was never a shortage if gas.
Today at stations, there was the usual car getting gas and the rush on the pumps seems to be over. This was great news in Firt Worth, for the many folks here from out of state for the American Minuature Horse Assoc. World Show which concluded today.
Edit to add: We do have laws about price gauging during disasters which includes Gas. Citizens are encouraged to report and file with the AG. Price cannot exceed $4 a gallon. Thurs. morning, my 83 year old was charged $5.99 per gallon of regular gas. He complained and told them they can’t do that. and the cashier shrugged. We have the receipt and will file the complaint.
One car got down to a quarter of a tank so we started looking for gas on the way home from dinner. There were people hanging out in gas station parking lots waiting for tanker deliveries. We didn’t do that, especially with our tank getting lower and lower. No gas to be found near us. We set out early this morning and just went down the street and were happy to find our neighborhood station had gas. No premium, $2.39/gallon. There was a line.
People are still in panic mode, but there are beginning to be people who are running out of gas. I do think this will be over by Tuesday, however.
So back to the original question: “Texans, are you ready for Harvey?”
I look at my hurricane prep and for me the answer remains yes but only because I didn’t flood. I haven’t needed gas or groceries. I haven’t lost electricity (other than 30 minutes.) Felines have food and litter. And so on.
But I have to admit to a resounding no, because I’ve lived here my whole life and never seen anything like this. I was no more than lucky because my area wasn’t hit rain-wise as hard as others; I’m smart enough to acknowledge the part luck played.
I have friends in the Jersey Village area who have flooded before and expected to flood again should Harvey hit hard. One friend spent the Friday before Harvey preparing, including getting help moving items to her second floor. The Jersey Village area didn’t flood but my friend’s helper was taken from her home by boat. It never occurred to the helper that her home would flood as her area never had before (so no flood insurance). Harvey was a capricious and malevolent entity.
I’ve thought about this and I don’t really want to think about it because it was scary.
We haven’t flooded and our house hasn’t either, and it’s 150 years old. Still, there was Harvey, and the torrential rains that flooded much of Baton Rouge and Lafayette last year, and the rivers that flooded in spring of last year closer than that, and those torrential Texas rains that hit central Texas about 3 years ago (remember the San Marcos river flooding and sweeping away houses?), and all the various hurricanes, and I have to conclude that you can’t be lucky forever.
I looked at our flood insurance and it covers less than 1/2 of what we paid for the house. All of this is very sobering. The WaPo had some good graphics of what you have to do to rebuilt a flooded house and it looks quite intense. Goodbye sheetrock and cladding and flooring. If you’re lucky and don’t have to do a total rebuild. 1/2 doesn’t cover that!
Honestly, if my house was flooded to 5 or more feet like many of those shown in the photos or videos, I’d consider it a total rebuild. I can’t imagine attempting to salvage studs and such after days even weeks sitting in that water.
I was watching an interview with an expert on disasters and recovery. He estimated that economic recovery for the Harvey area could take as much as 15 years and $100 billion.
Apparently, framing can swell in water but will dry out and be fine, especially if you’re lucky and it’s cypress. But it has to be cleaned and dried thoroughly to prevent mold. Ugh…
Yeah, its the mold that I would mainly be worried about.