PRESS RELEASE

Emergency Declared, Voluntary Evacuation Ordered for Low Lying, Schools Closed
ST. JOHN (September 11, 2008) -   Updates as of 5:30 pm, Thursday, September 11, 2008

HURRICANE IKE

HUBBARD DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR IKE

All residents are asked to assist with the drainage parish wide by picking up debris and cleaning out ditches, culverts, and catch basins. St. John is expected to experience tropical storm force winds and rain beginning TONIGHT.

VOLUNTARY EVACUTATION: recommended for low lying areas and mobile homes. Effective 6 pm September 11th.

SCHOOLS CLOSED: Friday, September 12th.

CURFEW REINSTATED midnight to 6 am beginning Sept 11th. Bans the sale of guns, ammo, and alcohol.

Sandbags: Available at the St. John Airport & Capt. Bourgeois St. (bring your own shovel)

FOOD STAMPS REGISTRATION: CLOSED Friday, Sept. 12th. Re-open Saturday, Sept 13th. New Wine Christian Fellowship at 1929 West Airline Hwy in LaPlace. Hours are from 8 am to 8 pm. Registration will be from until September 17th. Residents are required to bring proof of identification, income, and residency. Residents can also go to www.dss.state.la.us or www.sjbparish.com for more information and eligibility requirements. 

POWER: Outages may be experienced by our residents due to Hurricane Ike. For safety reasons, Entergy Response Crews will not respond while our area is experiencing high winds.

Reminder: Burning is illegal in St. John Parish per Ordinance: 93-66, Ch. 10 

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HURRICANE GUSTAV

GARBAGE COLLECTION: has begun. President Hubbard ordered 8 more trucks into the parish to assist with the garbage pick-up.  

DEBRIS: Please begin cleaning your property upon your return. Place all debris on the curb of your property.  Crews will be picking this debris over the next week or two. ***ST. JOHN DISASTER RECOVERY TEAMS are picking up debris parish wide.

PLEASE DO NOT PLACE DEBRIS IN THE DRAINAGE DITCHES AND CANALS. *Debris Management Crews are beginning the debris clean-up effort in full force. Crews will be working from 7am -7pm..residents are asked to begin cleaning their property and place their green debris in one pile at the edge of the road. Please separate green goods from white goods to assist in debris clean up.

COURTHOUSE:   HAVE RE-OPENED. All sections (A, B, & C) will re-open.(Pending weather conditions brought on by Hurricane Ike. Criminal court that was set for LaPlace in Division A, on Monday, September 8, 2008 is reset to October 13, 2008 for the same time at the same place. 

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