IOWA CITY FLOOD: Day 5- A bittersweet day.

[Condem]

Well, GDPers. We got a huge break today, with the Coralville Reservoir cresting early - it crested last night. The local news says the Iowa River has crested also. I saw a building on campus that was already below what looked like the high water mark. I have never been as immensely proud as I am now. The incredible effort by the volunteers saved a helluva alot of real estate. Well, maybe not as proud, as this last winter, when we chased Karl Rove out of town! LOL!

At the same time, you feel the loss of the people who lost their homes and businesses. Some may never re-open. Some are permanently displaced. Without flood insurance. So, I think the proper analogy is, we won the battle but lost the war.

I thank you all for your responses, the past week. Here is a link to our local newspapers website, who have done a yeoman's job of reporting the crisis: http://www.press-citizen.com

The pictures there are incredible!

Thanks, again, GDPers for your support and kind words. Methinks, that our early crest had something to do with everybody pulling for us. Now, the clean-up begins.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Good that you are safe

but for the next few months BOIL any water you intend to drink or use for cooking for at least ten minutes

Basic survival after a flood

[Condem]

4. Word is, our water plant is safe, nadinbrzezinski

I'm enjoying a scotch & water, as we speak. Thanks.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Just basic safety after a flood

Hell, after the fires here I did that for a month

I come from a disaster manager background

[Condem]

12. What's worse?

The scotch or the water? I sincerely appreciate your concern, nadin!

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. All in moderation, all in moderation!

recently they had a kid die from water overdose... scouts honor...

And a weird one to say the least

[Condem]

16. I promise I won't die of scotch overdose, nadin

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. I know that...

take care... and the kid and water, it is real... radio contest...

[Condem]

20. Did you win?

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. No I didn't even play but a kid died

google it... it was weird... 22 year old

[Condem]

23. I'm trying to find it, nadin

Buts, I can't!

[nadinbrzezinski]

30. Here you go

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=43652

[Condem]

31. Well, shit, nadin

Why don't you just fall in a swollen river? More glory.

[nadinbrzezinski]

38. Been there, done that, as a rescue worker

anyhow see the joke fell flat

Stay safe

[Condem]

39. My jokes always do, nadin

Thanks for the support!

[rurallib]

13. My good friend (and a great democrat) runs the water plant.

Great to hear they were able to keep it afloat. His wife saw him for an hour last Wednesday when he came home for clothes. He fell asleep when he sat down, but woke up an hour later and went back in.

[Condem]

14. It's on a rise, rurallib.

Very marshy ground, though. The bridge a quarter of a mile away, is closed. The engineers who designed it - apparently brilliant.

[Blue Gardener]

2. The news about the reservoir was such a relief

Being able to keep the bridges open helped immensely. Hopefully the interstates and highways can be opened in the next few days so the commuters into and out of Iowa City can get to their jobs. It's sad to think also of the people who have lost their jobs at all the flooded restaurants and businesses.

[Condem]

7. I-380 is reported to be closed for a week, Blue

I work up in Cedar Rapids, but I have no idea when I'm going back.

[opihimoimoi]

3. And where is the First Dude?? eating crumpets and tea with the Damn Queen

IOWA will go Blue this NOV

Day 5 and no GOP help, visit, etc...nada....just like Katrina...they showed they don't really care....do they?

[Condem]

5. He'll never come to Iowa City, opihimoimoi

Cedar Rapids, yeah. We're much too liberal!

[stray cat]

6. Great news - Thanks for your efforts to keep the rest of us up to speed

Best wishes

[Condem]

8. Thanks, dmordue

Extensive damage to the U of I, but thats what FEMA's for, right?

[FrenchieCat]

9. As the water recedes, the damage left behind is going to be

quite startling. The Clean-up is going to be something else.

Thank goodness it will be less than what it could have been.

[Condem]

10. Frenchie, I can't begin to describe it.

Some of my favorite restuarants on the Coralville Strip are 8 feet under. It's the folks that lost their homes WITHOUT flood insurance that tugs at the heartstrings, however.

[blondeatlast]

17. Thanks for the human side of this; I think we can tell how things are generally going

by your posts better than anything from the press.

Take care, friend. :hug:

[Condem]

18. blondeatlast

you've been here since the start of this whole thing & that means the most to me!

[mnhtnbb]

22. Thanks for posting the link. My nephew lives in Coralville--just graduated U of I.

Even though his house is on high ground, the basement has flooded due to seepage from the saturated
ground.

[Condem]

24. My pleasure, mnhtnbb.

[mnhtnbb]

26. I recognize some of the spots in the pictures posted June 15th by your paper.

Incredible damage. What a mess.

:cry:

[Peacetrain]

25. Congratulations on your hard work!

My son was one of those hauling books in the library to the top floors..I think maybe I told you that already..but from the sounds of it Condem.. you really deserve that scotch.. it has been a long week for you guys.. :toast:job well done from the western borders of Iowa.. we are working hard to unseat King here!!

[Condem]

27. peacetrrain

I've lost ten pounds off a skinny frame! I'm getting loaded. Thanks, to your son. You should be Damn proud. The volunteers saved this town. That should be reported to the gloom & doom media. I doubt it, though. Thanks. peacetrain!

[Peacetrain]

32. I was in Iowa City last tuesday.. Mayflower was already

flooded, but we could get around..got caught in Waterloo that afternoon and had to take a 140 mile detour..there is just no way to explain to people how saturated everything is..it is flooding and the farmlands are small lakes.. You guys have been amazing.. absolutely amazing..get some rest, you deserve, it..all of Eastern Iowa deserves some rest.. going to be a long few weeks getting that water down and clean up.. but just amazing at how everyone pulled it together to save as much as they did.. something to be proud of, hopefully the government will get some help out to us sooner than later..take care Condem..

[Condem]

33. I'm going to get drunk first, peacetrain!

[LordJFT]

28. My grandpa is there right now helping out!

[Condem]

29. Where, LordJFT?

[LordJFT]

36. I guess it's not Iowa City, he's in Cedar Falls staying in dorm at University of Northern Iowa

He works for the red cross.

[Condem]

37. They're as hard hit as we are, LordJFT

Send him my love!

[LordJFT]

40. Thanks, I wish you and your family, friends and neighbors the best

[Condem]

41. Thanks, LordJFT!

[Cha]

34. Thanks for these amazing updates, Condem.

http://cmsimg.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Avis=D5&Dato=20080614&Kategori=NEWS01&Lopenr=806130805&Ref=PH&Item=1&Maxw=600&Maxh=500

Glad you're safe.

[Condem]

35. zidzi

another poster who has been there everynight for me. Appreciated!

[happyiowan]

42. I can't understand this

Tim Russert is more important than the flooding in Iowa?

[janx]

43. Do you have any idea when the water will start to go down?

:shrug:

Thanks for these updates.

[happyiowan]

44. The Army Corp of Engineers stated tonight

It's going to take a while. We'll keep you updated!

[Skidmore]

47. Just heard one of the local newscasters say that it will not be

down to flood stage level until around Friday, provided we don't get any more rain storms developing out of the blue.

[happyiowan]

48. Where are you, Skidmore?

[Skidmore]

49. Due west of the Coralville/IC area.

Where are you?

[happyiowan]

50. Condem & I are on North Governor St. in the Goosetown Section

Of Iowa City. We admire your posts! Hope you're high & dry!

[Skidmore]

51. We have some friends who used to live in Goosetown.

Know the area well.

We used to live off of W. Benton until several years ago. I leard a little while ago that the cul-de-sac we lived on is under water now.

We're dry in the sense that we don't have flood waters from the river a couple of miles over. However, our backyard looks like a melted skating rink and feels like a wet sponge when you walk on it. By the time all that water is absorbed by the soil or evaporates, we'll have to bale the grass.

[myrna minx]

45. Stay safe. My heart goes out to you.

:hug:

[happyiowan]

46. Thank you. Appreciated, very much!

[Condem]

52. More good news!

I-80 reopened at 4:00 p.m. CST and I-380 will reopen tomorrow at 6:00a.m. I can go back to work!

[Skidmore]

53. I spoke with my former boss today, who told me that all

research projects have been shut down at UI until further notice unless they involve critical research where life and death are involved, such as cancer studies. These shutdowns are to reduce the drain on resources until works space for whole departments can be arranged and damage to facilities can be assessed. My husband's whole department is being moved out of the new building they were moved into a couple of months ago and into a rented building out in the Procter & Gamble area somewhere. The entire lower portion of their facility is under water now. They have been told to expect to be out there for some months.

[Condem]

54. We're going to be hearing alot more of this type of news.

Thanks for the info! You should see the traffic jam in front of my house, Skidmore. All headed to I-80!

[Skidmore]

55. I'll bet. I need to drive into town mid week to purchase supplies

and I'm trying to figure out where to shop this week. I can get dairy products and a few items at this little general store here, but I'd like to go to Aldi's and I think that might not be possible this week. I may be able to get to get to Fareway if I can go in on Melrose or the Kalona exit off of 380. Thank goodness New Pioneer has a store in Coralville now. I don't think the flood water made it out that far.

[Condem]

56. The Park Road bridge is dry, skidmore

If this weather holds up, it will recede quickly!

[Skidmore]

57. Thanks, Condem.

I'll bet there are engineers crawling all over the place this next week.

Did you hear Harkin speaking to the Senate and asking for funding for Iowa? Harkin is good people. Our office worked with him on writing ADA back in the day when it was a gleam in his eye. He can always be counted on.

[Condem]

58. A FEMA story, Skidmore

My wife (happyiowan)got a story today from one of the local hotels. They have been holding a big block of rooms for FEMA since Saturday. YUP - you guessed it, as of this morning not one single person had checked in. In the meantime, those rooms could have been used for displaced people and to generate revenue, instead their sitting empty waiting for cavalry that ain't coming.

[mnhtnbb]

59. Here's the letter I sent to our local newspaper (Raleigh News Observer) this morning

In the subject line: Where's Bush while Iowa drowns?

Editor:

While George W. Bush was having tea with Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle, biking in a Paris park and the "lush German countryside", and taking "a rare stroll with the Pope in the Vatican's private gardens", (In Europe, Bush takes a turn as tourist p. 9A June 16) the swollen Iowa River was flooding 16 buildings of the University of Iowa, forcing the evacuation of 500 to 600 homes in Iowa City and voluntary evacuation of hundreds of others after sandbagging by thousands of volunteers and National Guard couldn't hold back the river. Earlier in the week, almost 24,000 people were evacuated from their homes by flooding in Cedar Rapids, and pictures of almost the entire downtown underwater could be viewed on the internet. The threat continues for serious flooding downriver in other towns (Hundreds flee Iowa City deluge p. 3A June 16) Millions of acres of corn and soybean crops have been lost.

At what other time have we seen such callous disregard for the lives and homes of others by George W. Bush? Does anyone remember Katrina? Has this administration not learned anything about disaster?

Barack Obama is right. We need change in the worst way in this country. We need our National Guard at home to help with disasters instead of fighting illegal wars in other countries; we need our levees and roads and bridges rebuilt here in the United States not built for other countries because we bombed them to hell and back; we need a President that knows that the meaning of compassion requires action to help others not just talk.

Signed,

[Condem]

60. mnhtnbb

Thank you! Obama needs to ignore protocol and give a speech here. Bush won't. Hell, we launched Obama! I'm not talking about Iowa, I'm talking about Iowa City. We're the reason he won Iowa! It's the kids!

[mnhtnbb]

61. I hear Bush is going to get around to visiting Iowa City on Thursday. Thursday,

for cryin' out loud.

So typical. When he can get around to it. Fit it into his busy biking and tea with the Queen schedule.

I hope Iowa City won't allow itself to be used by him.

[Condem]

62. He is coming to Iowa City, mnhtnbb?

Are you sure? Iron balls. I give him credit. He is truly hated here.

[mnhtnbb]

66. My mistake. I heard it on the radio driving around today...but

just checking found a FOX (I figured they'd have his schedule)story that says the places
he'll visit haven't yet been chosen.

You're right. I'll bet he won't have the cojones to come to Iowa City.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,367261,00.html

[Condem]

69. NO way he'll come here, mnhtnbb

I'll be flabbergasted if he does.

[Skidmore]

78. *sigh*...

I'm so sick of these people. Too many tragedies and too much callousness. They will not come. I'm thinking that we need to maybe help Senator Harkin out and push for some funding at least for the cleanup. I was watching KCRG this morning and there is a quite a bit of toxic material being left in the wake of those waters and the river will need to be cleaned up as well. Those waters came up so fast in some areas and much further than was anticipated. I'm wondering if that is something we can organize with the Obama network and DU, for starters. Lending our voices to his efforts would help. Then, there are the representatives, whom I have heard nothing from.

[saged52]

63. visited Coralville on June 3rd -

on our motorcycle ride yesterday we wore our new Coralville Harley tees - and shared word just how tragic the situation is in Iowa -
most people were unaware of the extreme level of destruction.
my husband's nephew who is in the reserves just got called to go north and help sandbag or whatever else is necessary -
thinking of you constantly -
and thank you for the updates -

[Condem]

64. saged52

I'm tearing up! Thank you, man! Im so proud of our volunteers! What we saved will come out! The media hasn't focused on this enough.

[saged52]

65. the media

has not focused on ANY of this enough -
keep your chin up - literally!

[mnhtnbb]

67. The media is too busy holding a wake for Tim Russert.

[Condem]

70. Tim Russert died, mnhtnbb?

I had no idea. DU sure didn't cover it.

[mnhtnbb]

71. Oh m'gosh. Did you forget the sarcasm smiley?

[Condem]

72. Yeah.

See what I mean about the cookies?

[mnhtnbb]

73. Don't get me started on the media. I really wonder whether, after Katrina,

the powers that be put out the word that the next time there is a major disaster, leave it to
the local media. Too many people knew too much.

I think the national media has been awfully slow to pick up the devastation in Iowa.
They usually love disasters. Something doesn't sit right--and it's not just the Russert
death sucking air time.

[Condem]

74. I saw on MSNBC's website, mnhtnbb

That the sandbaggers lost. Absolute fucking crap. And, called us a bucolic town. What a laugh. Iowa City has more sophistication than Chicago, per capita. Phd's are driving busses, here. I don't mean that as an insult.

[mnhtnbb]

75. I always thought Chicago was highly over rated. Hubby and I used to have

a hard time finding a restaurant open after 10 PM for late night supper post concert or opera
when we were in town--and I don't mean Sonic!

[Condem]

76. That never happens here

Of course, you have to deal with the kids. But, that's the fun part!

[Skidmore]

79. I saw that article too and that "bucolic" descriptor

had me saying not so nice words to my computer screen. What the hell? I've never seen any other town in crisis referred to as such. It was an intentional insult to IC, I believe. Either that or the writer was trying to use his/her new word of the day in a sentence.

[Condem]

68. CNN came for ten minutes......

found out the river crested, and moved on. Total disregard for the displaced! No media here today, besides local. Iowa is a second rate state. No excuse for the lack of coverage. Fuck, one of the top threads here, is Cynthia McCain stealing cookie recipes. Utter Bullshit!

[ClayZ]

77. Thanks for your updates! K and R

:grouphug: