"Dear Southwest Louisiana"

First, thanks to everyone at KPLC for their hard work and long hours responding to the quite sudden formation, strengthening, landfall and passage of Hurricane Humberto on our "mothership" (analog channel 7), KPLC HD channel 7.1, KPLC WeatherPlus channel 7.2 (SuddenLink channel 247) and of course here on kplctv.com, 7 On Your Cell, and all our desktop and @mail alerts.  I think our news and operations people and the others who supported them behind the scenes did an awesome job.  I hope you agree.

Wow!  From a depression to a Cat 1 in 18 hours, with landfall not long after that.  No tropical cyclone in the historical record has ever reached this intensity at a faster rate near landfall.  Let this be a reminder that God, and tropical weather systems in an increasingly heated Gulf of Mexico, laugh at those who plan. 

Thanks also to Raycom's uber-great VP/News Susana Schuler, to our pals at Raycom sister station WAFB in Baton Rouge (former KPLC assignment editor and Lake Charles native Vicki Zimmerman is news director there), and also to our friends at WDSU in New Orleans for all of their support and assistance.  Special congrats and thanks to KPLC ND Scott Flannigan, who led our Humberto coverage from the get-go.  At this writing Scott desperately needs some sleep but he's still in the control room, leading by example and running on adrenaline and coffee.

WAFB and WDSU brought satellite trucks here for their own coverage of Humberto.  They assisted us with our reports, and we with theirs.   Our coverage also included "phoners" with meteorologists at NBC affiliates KBTV in Beaumont and KALB in Alexandria, for their first-hand observations as Humberto's path curled her through the western and northern sections of our own coverage area.  Broadcasting is a smaller fraternity than you might think.  Raycom Media is an especially supportive steward of KPLC, particularly in times of emergency coverage.

Lots of people throughout our broadcast area responded well too.  Thankfully this was a small system and it moved through faster than expected.  Aside from some minor wind damage and some significant flooding in Beauregard Parish, we got out of this one relatively unscathed.  (Don't forget, "relative" doesn't mean much when you're the one up to your kneecaps in floodwater, as I'm sure the good folks at Brookshire Brothers Supermarket in DeRidder would tell you.)

May this be OUR hurricane for the season.  Done.  Attention Powers-That-Be...you don't need to send another one our way.

Speaking of hurricanes, last week I aired an editorial called "Dear Mr. President." In it, we thanked President Bush for traveling to New Orleans to personally mark the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. 

Then we invited him to come back to Louisiana; the southwest corner of the state this time, to mark the two-year anniversary of Rita.  We suggested that Southwest Louisianians, unlike many of their counterparts in the southeastern corner of the state, quietly did what they were supposed to do in planning for, responding to, and rebuilding after a hurricane.  Since no good deed goes unpunished, we mused, both the state and feds have left this area standing "at the altar of needed assistance."

We ended the editorial by chiding Governor Blanco, suggesting that the President could swing Air Force One by Baton Rouge and pick up the Governor since her own Louisiana map doesn't seem to extend much past Lafayette.

To her credit, Governor Blanco found her way here a few days later, and worked the media, including both KPLC and the American Press.  She made it clear she's ready to hang up her spurs.  File any speculation that she had an interest in qualifying for re-election in the same folder as all those rumors that Ray Nagin was going to throw his own hat in the gubernatorial ring.

I received more feedback (ALL of it supportive, except for one guy who suggested that neither President Bush nor Governor Blanco would be welcome in Cameron and Calcasieu Parish) on that Hot Button that any other one we've ever done.  It apparently really struck a nerve.  Thanks to many of you for your kind @mails, posts, letters, calls, and chats in the grocery store aisles.

Anyway, I did submit that editorial to the White House for President Bush's consideration, and I did get a response.  I posted it in the comments thread to the original Hot Button, but since many of you don't make it a practice to read that far (you should; the replies are frequently far better than the original editorials), I'll reprint it here.  Don't bother wandering off for a cup of coffee; this won't take long to read.  The White House is nothing if not efficient with its paucity of words...

"On behalf of President Bush, thank you for your correspondence.

We appreciate hearing your views and welcome your suggestions.

Due to the large volume of e-mail received, the White House cannot respond to every message. 

Thank you again for taking the time to write."

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,-The White House

Oh well.  You win a few, you lose a few.

Obviously I had failed to convince President Bush that the United States didn't "dodge a bullet" with Hurricane Rita.

As a consolation prize, we did mostly dodge a bullet with Humberto, so that's good.

There's still just over a week till September 24th as I write this, so there's also time for President Bush to surprise us and jet down our way.  Maybe he's just kind of messin' with us.  I hear he's quite a practical joker.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed, anyway.

President Bush, the cordial invitation stands.  We'd love to have you come on down, and please bring your Press Corps with you so they can help us get the word out.

We'll be the ones still rebuilding, and we'll leave some hot boudin in the crock pot for you.

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Note that the views expressed on this blog are mine alone and do not necessarily represent the views of Raycom Media or KPLC.  Please note that links frequently take the reader to third-party sites.  Raycom and KPLC are not responsible for content on these sites.   -Jim S.

Comments

[George]

Thank you KPLC for excellent Humberto coverage. I stayed with you late into the evening and NO ONE ELSE was broadcasting what was happening. It was sort of like Rita when the Texas stations left and you guys kept going the whole way through. Thank you. I don't always agree with your editorials Mr. Serra, but I do appreciate that your station really lets us know what's happening when it comes to hurricanes.

[Jim Serra]

That's the way it should be, George...thanks for the shoutback!

rgds/jim

[Bill, DeRidder]

Thanks for taking the lead on getting President Bush to come here, and thanks also for your hard work on covering "Humberto." Who knew that a hurricane would hit Beauregard Parish harder than it did Cameron???

I live in Beauregard but work in Cameron, so I care aobut b oth places.

-Bill

[Bea From Big Lake]

Kudos and big high fives to KPLC's dedication to this community and the great job y'all always do. Even though you don't hear it enough, WE APPRECIATE IT and THANK YOU!!

Now as for the little "Polecat In Chief, El Presidente' George Bush-Fox," whom I'm ashamed to say I voted for twice; it is clear that his concerns are NOT with law abiding American citizens. He's more worried about his buddies from Mexico than he is the people who elected him.

Jim, perhaps KPLC could run a heartwrenching "story" about poor "JB" getting so sick from all the formaldehyde in his FEMA mansion that he loses his mind and starts shooting his Red Ryder BB Gun at anyone nearby, then threatens to jump off the roof of the camper and take his three legged cat named "Tripod" with him if the folks in D.C. don't help us down here. I'll bet we would have the ATF, FEMA, PETA and a whole bunch of other people's attention then. Y'all we need crime and drama to get the nation's attention! I'm just joking of course, but y'all get the idea....

We ALL need to bombard the White House as well as every news organization with phone calls, emails, faxes and letters and demand that they recognize SWLA's trememdous losses. We MUST make our voices heard and we need to shout so loudly that they cannot ignore us.

Just my opinion again...

Bea

[Jim Serra]

Thanks Bea! : )

BTW, I'm sure the name you mentioned was purely fictitious, but just to protect you and me, I edited it to "JB" so as to protect the innocent (or guilty, perhaps).

Hopefully no one will have to resort to that.

Thanks from all of us here to you and everyone in Cameron Parish for your loyal support to KPLC as well.

best/jim

[James]

Thanks for the great coverage on Hurricane Humberto. I somehow managed to sleep through the bulk of the storm, but caught up rather quickly due to the diligence of your crews.

BTW, I still stand by my assertion that so long as President Bush does not show the slightest iota of care or concern for the people of this area that he is not welcome here. I would much rather he stay away than turn this place into some sort of three ring circus just so we can get some recovery from Hurricane Rita publicity.

And I still find it a shame that he was welcomed in Southeast Louisiana for the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. His performance and care were abysmal on that one too. I remember watching Jon Stewart several days after Katrina, just after Bush stated to the national media that no one could have predicted the levees would break, and he showed clips from national meteorologists, local meteorologists, engineers of multiple stripes, and some random woman in rain gear all predicting the devastation we saw.

I don't want the publicity of a president that ill-informed or blatantly lying.

I recommend you rescind your invitation.

[Paula]

Jim - I would like to personally thank all of you at KPLC for the - again - superb job of keeping Southwest Louisiana residents well informed during the "Humberto" ordeal. Words just don't express the gratitude we all feel for your dedication and personal sacrifice to be there for all of us. Yours is an exemplary team, and you should all be very proud of yourselves. Many, many thanks for being there. But if you ever feel the need to run (evacuate) with the rest of us, who could blame you?

[Jim Serra]

Thank you, Paula...I'm really proud of our team here, and can say with absolute certainty that whatever Mother Nature throws at us, we'll figure out a way to cover it and provide to the best of our ability for the public safety. Only in the most dire circumstances can I imagine that that would not include a crew of some size staying behind in the strike area, but well away from the coast and the "surge zone." Mamas didn't raise no fools...

And James, thanks so much for your post as well. Sleeping through most of it sounds like a pretty good idea, but if anything stronger than Humberto comes back our way, might want to set the alarm. As to your last sentence, I'll hold to my suggestion, but you've done a a terrific job assuming the role as honorable opposition to the idea. ; ) rgds/jim

[James]

Thanks Jim. As for sleeping through Humberto, I think that had more to do with illness and medication than anything else. I've been terribly under the weather (pun intended) this week.

As for the other, I attempt to stick to reason and my heart. I don't think much good could come from Bush coming here. It would end up being nothing more than publicity for him, his administration, and his party, which with the upcoming election year would be his sole reason for coming. And if he could not bother to care two years ago when it happened, I don't see giving him an open platform now for politics and publicity as good for the community.

On the other hand, George H.W. Bush and George Clooney are welcome back anytime they wish to come after the care and concern they displayed for the people of Cameron and the rest of our area.

[Bea From Big Lake]

Well, y'all my Daddy says he never raised me to be one of those people who would bite off my nose just to spite my pretty little face so I'll have to vote in favor of Bush-Fox coming here no matter how it happens. What is most important is that our area gets desperately needed national attention.

James, I may be a blonde (LOL) but even I know that when a conservative like Bush Sr. starts being buddies with someone who was once a bitter enemy aka Bill Clinton, "The Wandering Weenie," then something else must be going on. That friendship and buddy/buddy stuff just doesn't seem to be on the up and up.

George Clooney is a Hollyweird Hero who gives far, far more money to foreign countries than his own and any man who trashes AMERICAN troops and then has the nerve to stand behind the very flag they give their lives for isn't much of a man in my book. But as I said, I'm not going to cut off my nose to spite my face so his money and the attention are still welcome here.

Just my opinion again!

Bea

[Bea From Big Lake]

PS: James I hope you start feeling much better soon! Prayers and good thoughts are being sent your way from all of us down here in Big Lake.

:) B.

[Mickey]

Louisiana has always been treated like the red headed step child that wets the bed. I have lived in Southwest louisiana for the last six years. I didn't realize until I moved here that every one here had a super power. In the eyes of the government and nation we all turn invisible. Most people think like Governor Blanco, nothing exist between Lafayette and the Texas border. Thank God we know how to do things for ourselves. By the way, great work KPLC team.

[SteveO]

If Bush comes down to visit, he'll probably bring the now infamous "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" banner with him to hang on the balcony of the Civic Center for the obligatory photo op.

[James]

Thanks for your opinion Bea. I appreciate it.

The key thing for me is not the political views espoused by the people who come to Southwest Louisiana. I'm not against Bush coming here because of his politics.

I am against him coming here because of his motivation to do so. He will not be coming to Southwest Louisiana because he cares about the people here. He will be coming for the air time it provides and that it will show he cares to many people. It would be nothing more than a politically motivated move to make his party look better going into an election year.

I'm sorry, but I am a principled man, and I refuse to step down from those principles for attention and money. And I don't want anybody coming to Southwest Louisiana to give us attention and money if they don't really care.

Cloony and Bush Sr. gave and came because they cared enough to help us when we needed it. I don't care what they did before that. Quite frankly, that doesn't matter to me. I only care that they genuinely cared, and I do not feel that the current Bush genuinely cares, so I don't want him here.

Call it pride or stubbornness if you will, but to me the principle of the matter is more important than the outcome. I tried for a while, but I just cannot be Machiavellian. The ends do not always justify the means.

mr,jim sierra.thanks for trying,but da bush man wont be no-where around.we got people over here getting fema money like its candy being passed out.i think that they are using it to go to yesterdays lounge,everywhere,i hear,folks are walking in bars with large sums of cash.maybe to buy DRUGS,GUNS,LORICETS, sure its coming out of texas,but i know for a factlouisianas got it too.we got a good local sheriff-tony mancuso,then i know of a dad an daughter that both collected about 35,000 dollars in road home funds.oh, the hog troughs,come-onnnnnnnnnnn

[Stacy's mom]

Bea is right on - her comments are awesome.

To James, "And I don't want anybody coming to Southwest Louisiana to give us attention and money if they don't really care." You must have been one of the fortunate ones who did not suffer any great losses as a result of Rita or does not continue to to suffer. I know plenty of people who are still living in FEMA trailers and trying to recoup their losses from the storm - if getting Bush down here might help get them attention and reimbursement, then I think that's great. Thanks, Mr. Serra, for trying to do something to help the community and to let the world know that Southwest Louisiana suffered as well in 2005, we just did so silently compared to New Orleans.

[Stacy's mom]

P.S. James, you mentioned you had issues with President Bush and cited some coverage you saw of Hurricane Katrina on Jon Stewart - you ARE aware that Stewart's show is not a REAL news show, right? Just seems to me that you would not want to quote a COMEDY SHOW which airs on Comedy Central to support your position...

[James]

Stacy's mom:

I am fully aware that The Daily Show is a news spoof. That is part of what makes it funny.

The fact that it is a spoof, however, does not detract from the fact that occasionally in mocking both the news and politics, he often gets things more correct than the major news media.

In this instance, The Daily Show was spot on with their scathing commentary. Bush did say mere days after Katrina that there was no way anybody could have predicted those levees would break, when in fact every local news outlet covered that possibility, some national media covered it, many engineers have been saying it for decades, and your regular average Louisiana resident had that possibility firmly lodged in their brains as common knowledge.

Quite frankly, given the severity of the catastrophe, I was very surprised that no other news media had the audacity to state it as plainly as The Daily Show.

Of course, if you want to split hairs on the issue and insult the caliber of the source, then we all know far too well that the same was said in much nicer terms by every other news outlet in America.

And I still stand by my conviction. I would not have this community become a publicity whore simply for the attention and money it could bring to the area. I'd much rather we invite people who actually care instead of seeking publicity for publicity's sake.

[Jim Serra]

James,

Brave new world. I'm a huge fan of the Daily Show.

And for a growing segment of mostly younger viewers, the only issue i'd take with you is that it has not risen to at least the perception of being one of the "big media" in and of itself. These viewers are more likely to understand the nuances which differentiate a comedy show from a show encumbered by stricter journalistic guidelines. Hopefully, anyway.

rgds/jim

[James]

Thanks Jim. I only used the example from The Daily Show because it was accurate and powerful. I would not use them as a serious source unless I had first checked their accuracy, as it is after all, comedy.

[vincie]

Funny thing how Jim Serra points the finger at Bush..........but what has Mary Landrieu gotten for us here in SW La. Remember that Landrieu is our Senator and she has gotten us nothing but broken promises. The Road Home program is not funded. Last time I checked Congress is responsible for funding the Road Home program and Landrieu is our Senator with most experience, so why can she not deliver on the dollars we need here in sw la...perhaps Jim never mentions that.....Landrieu claims to represent us but she doesnt ......oh sorry I am supposed to give her a pass on not helping us because she is Democrat , right Jim , she is Democrat so we cant blame her for not getting us the funding we need to rebuild,,,,all Bushs fault right jim

[James]

Vincie,

You are correct. Landrieu has not been able to deliver on her promises. That is most definitely her fault, and you are right to blame her, as do I. In my book, she is right up there with Bush, Boustany, Jindal, Blanco, and any other host of our current politicians who have not delivered what we need.

The blame stretches across the board. Both Democrats and Republicans have failed us.

But partisan bickering and sniping will get us nowhere. What we need are politicians who really care about the people and their needs. What we have are a bunch of opportunists in power.

I, personally, would not invite a single one of them here.

[Stacy's mom]

I did not read Mr. Serra's comments as pointing "the finger at Bush." I agree that all of Louisiana's politicians, most especially those who were elected specifically to serve our community, have failed in their duties, but I thought that his entire point was to remind us that the Hurricane Katrina's devasation received the country and the state's sympathy and support, and in comparison, Southwest Louisiana was left standing out in the cold. The President AND the Governor should both be here to witness the destruction to the parish of Cameron and to our community and to see the difference in the reactions of the victims of both hurricanes and the relief given to the victims of both hurricanes. Your comments are right on though - I think Landrieu should be here AND should be one asking the President and our Governor to visit. I truly believe our state and federal politicians should witness what happened to our community and how we responded. I understand that some don't want anyone to visit here who doesn't "care," but I for one think the entire country should see that some communities can suffer the way New Orleans did and "take care of business" themselves. I think it is extremely important for the rest of this country to know that not all of Louisiana is anything like the way New Orleans was portrayed following Hurricane Katrina, but for some reason, no one else even knows that a second devastating hurricane hit Louisiana in 2005! Thank you, Mr. Serra, for doing your part to tell them.

[James]

Don't get me wrong. I think the rest of the US needs to see how much devastation we got from Rita and the state of our recovery efforts.

But there are other ways to get that publicity without resorting to inviting people who don't care about us in the least. There are people out there who care and can get us the air time. Those are the people we need to be inviting.

[Stacy's mom]

So... you've gotten started on that then? Since YOU seem to be so knowledgeable about just WHO is acceptable to help us let the world know that we suffered and persevered on our own and yet still have many, many locals fighting to regain what was lost? You object to someone's effort to help us out and manage to do so without offering a concrete alternative. Seriously, if Bush is so unacceptable to you, then why not go ahead and just shout out the names of the specific "people out there who care and can get us the air time. Those are the people we need to be inviting" and I'll be happy to email them myself. All you've got to or have had to do all this time you've objected to the invitation to Bush is give the names you're sitting on. If you weren't willing to contact those un-named individuals, I promise someone would have attempted it for the good of our community rather than just complaining about someone else's attempt to shine a light on our losses and our accomplishments in spite of them.