Just because Geraldo has abandoned his post next to the Industrial Canal and the cable chatterers have moved on to more important things doesn’t mean that “Louisiana dodged a bullet.” As the Daily Comet in Thibodeaux reports:

Folks who evacuated as Gustav approached seem to have been following the aftermath on the Houmatoday.com Web site, whenever they could find access to the Internet.

With such massive evacuation, and the general power and communications problems since the storm, there have been few other sources of accurate information. Television news seems to have turned its attention elsewhere.

For some excellent reporting, including vital links to emergency help, closures, cancellations, phone numbers, photographs of coastal town damage, and a Google map or two, HoumaToday is the go-to place. Good work down there.

Meanwhile, Maitri Venkat-Ramani passes this along:

Hurricane Gustav subjected New Orleans to minimal damage, but the communities west and southwest of us suffer. Chief among them is the United Houma Nation, whose presence stretches all the way from New Orleans to Lafayette in the Cajun triangle. Big media’s eyes are all over New Orleans now and Red Cross is setting up shelters and relief efforts here. This email is a request to highlight the plight of the Houma people with your own coverage as well as to ask your connections at other media outlets to do the same.

Brenda Dardar Robichaux is the principal chief of the United Houma Nation. She is a friend of our wonderful community activist, Karen Gadbois. Monetary/supplies donation information is here. Please publish this information and contact Brenda for interviews or more info as necessary.

Here’s where the people of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes stand as of this morning. Keep them in your thoughts…and, if you’re inclined, in your donations.

From the Louisiana SPCA: 

The Louisiana SPCA is currently handling animal emergency and animal rescue calls ONLY.  To report an animal emergency or an animal needing rescue please contact the Louisiana SPCA at 504-368-5191 ext. 100 or contact the Louisiana SPCA by email at info@la-spca.org.  Because the shelter is located in Algiers, which is still impacted by power outages, the Louisiana SPCA is currently not open to the public but we will resume our regular operations as soon as possible.

The LA/SPCA is also alerting New Orleans residents that several unauthorized animal groups have entered New Orleans to go onto citizens’ properties to remove animals, presenting themselves as animal rescuers.  Please be aware that the Louisiana SPCA is the only organization in Orleans Parish authorized to respond to animal rescue calls and to respond to animal emergencies. 

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If you’re done cleaning up the leaves and branches in your backyard, City Park is asking for help this Saturday in its 1300-acre backyard. Here’s a press release from City Park spokesman, John Hopper.

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Photo by Jonathan Bachman

In which I take all the best news, quotes, pictures and everything else Saints-related toss it together and serve it up for our readers. This week we’ll be tackling the WHOLE SEASON in addition to Sunday’s game. By God, I think we can do it. Follow me after the jump for all you need to know about your 2008 New Orleans Saints.

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. . .a random selection of cars in a parking lot in Jackson, Miss. outside the delicious Broad Street Bakery and excellent Lemuria Books will find two adjacent vehicles bearing New Orleans bumper stickers.

I heard the justified complaint from some Jackson locals that the highway is packed with “Louisiana tags” (a.k.a. license plates). In fact, the burgundy car pictured above on the left had West Virginia plates, but the declaration of civic pride stuck to the bumper spoke more directly to the city the owner now calls home, an assumption confirmed after a pleasant conversation with said owner about why I was photographing her car.

In New Orleans, we often wear our hearts on our tail ends.

- Ian McNulty

Finding coffee this morning and dinner last night still proved to be a challenge as large segments of New Orleans are still without power and services.  Luckily the Rue on Oak and Carrolton gave me a java buzz this morning, and Byblos on Magazine St., gave me a hummus fix upon returning home.  Please help your fellow citizens and share your knowledge regarding open eateries, shops and services on this post. 

Where are you getting the nutritional and vehicle fuel to keep you going? 
Are you open for business?
 Post any information in comments here:  

Out of the music events that were spotlighted in the issue of Gambit Weekly that hit the street while most of us were sweating in contraflow, most will go on as planned. Friday, September 5, the Zydepunks and Theresa Andersson will celebrate the release of their new CDs at, respectively, One Eyed Jacks (615 Toulouse St., 569-8361) and the Republic (828 S. Peters, 528-8282). We weren’t able to confirm Vince Vance and the Valiants’ planned toga party and bikini contest for Saturday, September 5 at Southport Hall (200 Monticello Ave., 835-2903), but you can try calling them just like we did. Maybe you’ll have better luck.

 The planned listening party for David Kunian’s radio documentary “Jonathan Freilich’s Freedom Double-O Naked Klezmer Latin Boogaloo” will not go off on Saturday at the Saturn Bar, as the bar suffered fire damage during the storm. Check with wwoz.org for revised airing times for the documentary, which also didn’t broadcast as planned when the station evacuated to Lafayette in preparation for Gustav.

 And please do rock on in the face of adversity.