Tigers v. Vols

By Joe Hischer
2theadvocate.com staff writer
LSU plays Tennessee today at 6:30 p.m., but you shouldn't take your time getting to LSU's campus. Traffic is bad enough already due to the one-two punch of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and game day traffic is going to create even more road congestion.

I drove through campus this morning to report and trouble spots. Most of campus looks fine -- there are several small branches and debris littering tailgating spots, but campus clean-up crews are doing their best to clear it. The ground is still wet and in some places, especially in the fields between campus and Walk-Ons restaurant on the southwest side of LSU, have standing water. Tailgaters are already setting up so you may want to leave now to stake your claim. Take note that the Music and Dramatic Arts building is fenced off for official use only, so no tailgating there.

I'm still looking for more tailgating photos and recipes. You can email them to me here. Go Tigers!

Area closings and postponements

By Joe Hischer
2theadvocate.com staff writer

Although Rita's eye probably won't come near Baton Rouge, we will still feel the effects of the storm. Several schools and offices have been closed and events have been cancelled or postponed. Here is a list of the latest information we have available. It will be updated periodically.

Also,a tornado warning has been issued for Ascension Parish, including the city of Gonzales, St. Charles, St. James and St. John until 10:30 a.m. Check back with us for the latest.

Here we go again?

Well if you haven't already heard the return to selected parts of New Orleans has been called off. As someone who watched hurricane Katrina develop from a small Caribbean storm to massive Category 5 storm that decimated the Gulf Coast this all seems eerily similar. Well the exception of the wall to wall coverage on cable news channels.
Here is a link to the latest story.

Going home

By Joe Hischer
2theadvocate.com staff writer

The New Orleans area was opened up to residents over the weekend. There was a lot to clean up, but several homes and businesses now have power, although the water is not safe to drink in some areas.

If you went back to your home, let us know what you saw in our Comments link below. You can email photos to me at jhischer@theadvocate.com.

Next up: Rita

By Joe Hischer
2theadvocate.com staff writer

It looks like the hurricane season isn't done with us yet. Tropical Storm (and soon-to-be-Hurricane) Rita is due to arrive in the Gulf of Mexico later this week. Most predict it will hit the east coast of Texas, but there is some speculation that it may possibly follow Katrina's track to the Louisiana coastline. Either way, this will affect Louisiana citizens. Our state is still recovering from storm and flood damage, and several thousand evacuees have taken up residence in eastern Texas communities like Houston. With danger still looming, are we prepared for another disaster so soon after Katrina? Tell me what you think in the Comments link below.

Mmmm...mmmm...M.R.E.s!

By Joe Hischer
2theadvocate.com staff writer
I thought I had seen the last of M.R.E.s (Meals-Ready-to-Eat) after I finished my stint with the military. But it seems that they've made a comeback recently in the areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Contrary to what your fathers or grandfathers may have told you, they're not that bad to eat -- especially the newer recipes. They do have a day's worth of calories in each meal, though, so don't gorge!

Back when I was in the Air Force, we used to create our recipes using the raw ingredients each M.R.E. contained. One was called "ranger pudding." We opened up a package of hot cocoa mix, poured in our package of coffee creamer, then added just a little bit of water and stirred it into a thick paste. The result was a really grainy, but tasty, chocolate pudding.

So this call goes out to all of those in the military that are stationed overseas and have been writing in on how they can help: send in YOUR special M.R.E. recipes! You can email them to me at jhischer@theadvocate.com or post them in the Comments section below.

Week 3

By Joe Hischer
2theadvocate.com staff writer
What a great weekend for football! LSU came from behind to beat Arizona State University and the Saints kicked in a last-minute field goal to defeat Carolina. Both great games and I won $50 on LSU!!!

The PMAC's triage clinic is now closed down, so I am out of a volunteering job. If anyone knows of any shelters in Baton Rouge that are shorthanded, post them in the Comments area below so everyone can share.

Local artist Ross Zietz designed a Hurricane Katrina t-shirt to raise money for the Red Cross. It looks great, so you can look good and help out. Check it out here: http://www.threadless.com/product/304/Regrowth:_Katrina

New guy in charge

By Joe Hischer
2theadvocate.com staff writer
Well, it looks like FEMA boss Michael Brown has been told to "head back to Washington from Louisiana to oversee the big picture." Taking his place as the on-site head of hurricane relief efforts will be Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen. He will be working closely with Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré who is in charge of military forces in the New Orleans area.

How do you feel about this new change? How do you think our leaders are handling this situation? Post your thoughts in the Comments link below.

Are you sharing your home?

By Joe Hischer
2theadvocate.com staff writer
We've heard that some VERY generous citizens have been letting large families stay at their homes. Our reporter J.D. Ventura is looking for "a home that is full of evacuees (like 10-15 displaced people), please let me know. I want to do a story on a household that is attempting to function with so many people in limbo." If you know of any, email him at jventura@theadvocate.com.