Doctors who work in Houston’s busiest maternity ward say they’re expecting an especially bustling June, leading some to conclude that Hurricane Ike was the perfect storm for making babies.

It’s been eight months since Ike knocked out the region’s electricity, leaving many with no television, Internet access or other distractions for days, if not weeks. Now there’s a curious bump in the number of women who are rounding out their third trimesters of pregnancy.

– Chron

Over three months after Hurricane Ike struck Houston, much damage remains unrepaired.  Most noticeable are the signs.  A Michiginian wonders how an out-of-towner can navigate Houston with the highway signs down.  Some huge highway signs on the north side of Houston are still down.  A small business plumbing supply store rebuilt their damage building, but a caved in parts store had the debris removed, but the tarp remains.  

JPMorgan Chase Tower in the last three months replaced their missing windows, replaced their sidewalk trees, complete with ground cover and cable stays.  Their garage across the street has not been so swiftly repaired.  

Indianola, Texas

After the storm the town rebuilt, only to be struck by an even more intense hurricane 11 years later. This 1886 Indianola hurricane remains the fifth-most intense hurricane at landfall ever to strike the United States.

After this second hurricane residents abandoned Indianola. Due to storm-caused and other erosion during the last 120 years, the original town of Indianola now lies 10 to 15 feet under Matagorda Bay.

When fishermen drag the bottom of Galveston Bay, they are harvesting more than oysters these days. They may snag lumber, a water heater or possibly a television.

Chron.com

The red refrigerator

I heard from a friend at work whose husband is working with the Army Corps to clear the path of the Intracoastal Canal of debris, so that barge traffic can proceed normally.

…

I told her to relay the message to him that if he sees a red refrigerator anywhere, to say “hi from Melissa. She says you did a good job.”

continued

Apartment Residents Still Without Electricity After Ike

Bolivar Peninsula is accessible and open two days less than two months after Hurricane Ike.

Galveston County officials say the Bolivar Peninsula will now be open to everyone. They will no longer utilize a checkpoint at the Rollover Pass Bridge and the vacate order for the peninsula has been lifted.

Bolivar Peninsula Open to Public

Ferry service between Galveston Island and Port Bolivar has reopened to the public after being limited to Hurricane Ike recovery personnel.

Galveston-Bolivar ferry service resumes after Ike

Bolivar Peninsula looks like a beautiful place to visit. Jake has a photo gallery of Bolivar and Crystal Beach area after Ike.

People are still dislocated after Ike. Rod Yancey has parked in trailing in a Wal-Mart parking lot for a week.

Two days before the two month anniversary of Hurricane Ike, I open my windows with the air conditioner off, enjoying the comfortable weather outside.

Look for the Galveston page on my Hurricane Ike website at Lyndell.NET/ike/.  These pictures were taken last Wednesday, November 5th, 2008.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

GALVESTON — A month later, piles of sheetrock, appliances, furniture and family mementos dot most streets in this island town.

Electronic road signs in Southeast Texas flash, “Watch for cows next 20 miles,” a reminder that few fences remain to hem in livestock. Blue tarps cover 11,000 roofs for 100 miles from Houston to the Louisiana line.

continued at statesman.com

This was photographed in Clear Lake.  Clear Lake is southwest of Houston, and northwest of Galveston.

View Larger Map

Pictures

• Sunset with HUD
• dropsonde launching
• birds eye few of eye

Links

• The Air Force photo gallery.
• Hurricane Hunters Flickr photoset.

More than a third of the heaping piles of debris in front of Houston households have yet to be touched by the army of laborers tasked with cleaning them up, and may not be for at least another week.

…

The total volume in the city and county is staggering, possibly as high as 12 million cubic yards, or enough to fill up the Astrodome more than six times, according to city and county officials.

And costs could exceed $200 million, as much as 50 percent more than what local officials originally set aside. At least three-fourths of that is expected to be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, officials said.

continued Chron.com