A Ray of Hope

It looks like Mississippi will be receiving some much needed help for the recovery after Hurricane Katrina. President Bush requested Friday that Congress take $17 billion from FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund. Mississippi would receive $6 billion of that money.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation needs $400 million to repair Highway 90 and it's two bridges.





This is what the Hwy 90 bridge between Biloxi and Ocean Springs currently looks like.



The money will not just be used for roads, though it is sorely needed. For Hwy 90 has been washed out in many places such as Long Beach, Pass Christian, Bay St Louis and other places along the Coast. The Popps Ferry Rd bridge, which is a main north-south connector in Biloxi was also heavily damaged.

The plan also has money for small business assistance, job training and housing relief.

Its announcement comes one day after a representative of the Mississippi Department of Transportation told a congressional committee that unless the state receives money soon, it would have to choose between stopping work on regular highway maintenance projects and delaying critical repairs to U.S. 90.SunHerald

Housing relief is sorely needed. There were 65,000 homes destroyed. These included homes along the beach that over 130 years old and a lot of history was lost with those. But these home owners have a lot of hope.



What is left of some homes in Biloxi's Point Cadet. The flag is flying proudly, tattered and worn but a sign of defiance against Katrina's wrath and a sign that it will be rebuilt.



Sunset Blvd, D'Iberville MS. This is across the street from the seafood plant where I work. Though much of D'Iberville and St Martin are gone, I see flags everywhere. Again, a symbol of defiance and of hope.



Hurricane Katrina may have destroyed homes, businesses, and taken too many lives. But one thing she could not destroy was the will of people in cities and towns such as Gulfport, Biloxi, D'Iberville, Pass Christian, Pearlington, Long Beach, and the many others along the Mississippi Coast.


A ray of light and hope is shining along the Mississippi Gulf coast and there seems to be a new optimism that soon things will get to a new 'normal'. There is even talk of when the first Mardis Gras parade will be held and that one casino, the Imperial Palace is set to open sometime around December of January.