Drive By

After hearing on Channel 6 News that Mazant Street and Poland Ave were flooded, I went out onto Royal Street and looked towards the Industrial Canal. Per usual, no one I heard on the news could distinguish between the 9th ward and the lower 9th ward. J and I drove around, and there was NO, absolutely NO flooding at 4 p.m. anywhere in the Bywater (river side of Saint Claude). Branches had fallen in the street, but no trees were down. Some phone and cable lines had come loose, but I didn't see any electric lines down. I still have power in Bywater, but it's flickering. Cafe Flora was open, and a few people lingered outside. The NOPD officer didn't even want to see my press pass. As far as the news is concerned, the curfew is dusk til dawn, and he confirmed that. He told us we'd have no problem driving to Gentilly, so we went up Elysian Fields. No flooding, no puddles, some branches down on Elysian Fields and Franklin, but no trees. I checked on A.'s house and everything was fine. The Capital One bank lost its metal awning. I didn't drive to the Industrial Canal as NOPD and National Guard were everywhere, but I did meet some residents who I got on video. They were covered in mud and had been over at the canal but said there wasn't too much flooding. Right now, nothing looks bad, but I heard parts of Mid-City took a beating. I was about to go back out, but as I parked in front of C's house, NOPD stopped me and told us the curfew was 24 hours. They didn't give a shit about my press pass. The point is, that officer was either uninformed or lying. I'm calling into the radio about it.