AP: Texas

09/22/2005

Associated Press

Coastal state parks are evacuating and closing their gates as Hurricane Rita approaches the Texas Gulf Coast.

Meanwhile, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is opening other parks inland at no cost to those fleeing the hurricane.

Many Parks and Wildlife game wardens newly returned from helping with Hurricane Katrina duty in New Orleans are positioning for a possible new round of rescues in their own state, the department said.

All coastal wildlife management areas also are closing temporarily due to the hurricane, causing several public hunts that were scheduled by the Wildlife Division for this weekend to be canceled.

Updates on state park closures and those able to host hurricane evacuees are available at the department's state park customer service line, (512) 389-8900. A complete list of state parks, including a statewide map and regional maps showing park locations, is on the Parks and Wildlife Department Web site.

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On the Net:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us

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WASHINGTON — Several Texans in Congress have asked Gov. Rick Perry to extend the state of emergency he declared for Texas to prevent price gouging.

The lawmakers said extending the emergency declaration would freeze prices on food, water, gasoline and other items needed as Hurricane Rita steamrolled its way closer to the Texas coast.

"Sadly, there are those who may try to take advantage of this situation and manipulate the markets for their own personal gain. In the wake of this storm, we must protect our citizens from possible price gouging and other scams," said Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, who made the request in a letter to Perry.

An extended declaration also would ensure affected communities get needed assistance, he said.

Also signing the letter were Reps. Ron Paul, R-Surfside; Shelia Jackson-Lee, D-Houston; and Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin.

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GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — Hurricane Katrina escapee Tommy Green had just begun to get settled in Galveston, and even had a job offer, when Hurricane Rita uprooted his life again.

"I'm trying to hold up," said the 38-year-old New Orleans-area man after boarding a yellow school bus in a line of four others that took more than 100 people to safety. "I'm tired of all this. It's tough."

Green said he hasn't seen his 1-year-old daughter, who ended up in Atlanta, since Katrina struck New Orleans.

"I have talked to her, but I just want to see her," Green said Thursday. "I just got settled down and I got to leave again."

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FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A team from Cook Children's Medical Center was dispatched to help evacuate patients from children's hospitals in coastal Texas to other cities.

As Hurricane Rita inched closer Thursday afternoon, the Cook transport team had transferred 22 patients by helicopter and plane. Among them were 14 newborns taken from Corpus Christi and Galveston to Laredo, San Antonio and Austin, the hospital said.

The team will help transfer the remaining patients from Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi and Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to other cities. Some were expected to arrive at Cook Children's late Thursday, the hospital said.

Also, up to 10 children who suffer from kidney failure will arrive in Fort Worth to receive treatments Friday and Saturday.

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DALLAS (AP) — Hurricane Rita evacuees seeking shelter in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are getting help from overhead electronic signs.

Signs flashing: "EVACUEE, HOTEL INFO, 214-819-6310" were visible on Thursday as thousand were expected to make their way into the area.

The Texas Department of Transportation signs also is provided information on available shelters.

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On the Net:

Texas Department of Transportation http://www.dot.state.tx.us

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HOUSTON (AP) — Texas' largest reversal of traffic started Thursday morning as lanes on Interstate 45 from Houston to Buffalo switched directions to aid the thousands of people fleeing coastal Texas because of Hurricane Rita.

Emergency traffic, law enforcement and rescue workers must take U.S. 290 east into Houston during the lane reversal.

Hundreds of thousands of people across the Houston metropolitan area struggled to make their way inland in bumper-to-bumper traffic Thursday morning.

Hurricane Rita has been closing in on the nation's fourth-largest city with winds howling at 150 mph.

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On the Net:

Texas Department of Transportation http://www.dot.state.tx.us

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Access to Padre and Mustang Islands was restricted Thursday in preparation of an approaching Hurricane Rita.

Port Aransas Ferry operations planned to stop shuttling people to Port Aransas, near Mustang Island. Boats would operate until all residents were evacuated or the weather no longer allowed them to operate.

Also, the city of Corpus Christi restricted traffic bound for Padre Island to only residents showing proper identification.

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HOUSTON (AP) — Continental Airlines said it would operate a reduced schedule Friday morning from Houston and cancel all of its Houston flights starting at noon.

All Continental Express flights from Houston Friday and Saturday were being canceled, with flights expected to resume Sunday morning.

The Houston-based airline said all its flights not involving Houston should operate normally.

Meanwhile, the Houston Airport System urged people to stay away from the city's two major airports — Bush Intercontinental and Hobby — unless they already had a ticket.

"The airports are seeing an unusually high amount of traffic and flights are already reaching capacity or full," spokesman Roger Smith said.

Parking was filled at Hobby, on Houston's south side, and was approaching capacity at Intercontinental, on Houston's north side.

Officials advised people without confirmed reservations to not come to either airport with the expectation of catching a flight out.

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GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — Nearly 900 inmates at the Galveston County jail were being evacuated Thursday afternoon to the Harris County jail in downtown Houston.

The 883 inmates were paired and handcuffed to each other in green jail jump suits and flip-flops, with each carrying a bedroll. The inmates' mattresses were being moved to the Harris County jail on an 18-wheeler, said Galveston County Sheriff's Department Major Mike Henson.

A sharpshooter stood watch in the middle of a road as the inmates were loaded into buses and vans. The departments didn't anticipate trouble with traffic because most of the area's evacuees were north of Houston, Henson said.

The Harris County facility had room for the extra inmates, he said.