Don't Forget About Tennessee
Several readers e-mailed me yesterday who were concerned about people forgetting Tennessee. With all of the news about the oil spill and the thwarted terrorist attack in New York, we seem to have forgotten about the floods ravaging the south. The floods and their storms have been responsible for at least 18 people being killed. The rains and floods have forced the evacuation of thousands of people from their homes and shut down the Opryland Hotel for the next several months because of ten feet of flooding. Oh, and if you have plans to go see the Grand Ole Opry, you better check, because the theatre has been flooded too and there is no timeline when it will open again.
I want to send out all my best wishes to everyone who lives in Nashville, and Tennessee and everywhere in the south that is suffering through all of this. I will be thinking about all of you. Thanks Diana for the pictures.
30 comments:
thanks! I have been really annoyed at the lack of coverage. My brother lives there and I visit often. He got married at Opryland and he works on Broadway. It is such a great city- everytime I go there I am just in a good mood. You can't beat good music and beer day or night. I think that Nashville is to Singers as Hollywood is to Actors- the amount of talent in that city is incredible. To see the flooding is awful and I am thinking of the city and the people that live there.
I lived in Nashville for 3 years during law school and still have lots of friends there. They say it's worse than it looks in the pictures. Devastating for a town that depends on tourism.
My heart does go out to the people in Tennessee who have been devastated by this flooding.
So sad.
The Opryland Hotel is normally so beautiful with the huge atrium gardens and pathways to explore.
Looks like the water may even be surrounding the 'bat-building' downtown. (I've always thought of Batman when I see it.)
This is just to tragic and as a NY'er I apologize for the spotlight being on us when this is just as devastating if not moreso. My prayers are with you all.
Wow! Unless you are a big city like LA or New York or something like Katrina hits, news coverage sucks. Had a devastating earthquake in Nevada a year and half ago and no coverage of that either, even though was quite devasting for that area.
I pray for those that are devastated by this. I have a brother that lives in KY near the TN stateline.
It is always worse than they show in pics. I went to New Orleans eight months after Katrina and was just in shock over the actual damaged areas. Pictures and coverage did not show you nearly that amount of devastation.
I live in Clarksville TN, 45 min. northwest of Nashville, and it is horrible here. There is a barricade at the entrance/exit to my apartment complex due to rising water. My job was located on Riverside, my employer has no idea when we'll go back to work (or should I say if). But the part that amazes me most is that the water is still rising here. Everyone has been calm and adapting. Although there are always the ones that believe they can drive through the high water or are riding around for the sake of sightseeing (pure ignorance). I am trapped and "temporarily" unemployed, but so blessed. My family is safe, all of them. I truly wish everyone in the affected areas the same blessing.
If you are in a flooded area in Tennessee (or anywhere else) remember: do not break barricades, do not drive through high or rushing water, no sightseeing, call emergency management (a couple died trying to rescue another couple), and conserve water (boiling it wouldn't hurt). We are being told to only use water to drink or in food preparations. People, please, just be smart and safe.
I lived in the Houston area when Tropical storm Allison went through. It was devastating.
My heart goes out to those affected by Mother Nature's wrath.
@biteme - I went to NOLA over Labor Day and for Mardi Gras, and I was completely taken aback at the devistation that still exist...
My heart goes out to TN and the flooding victims. I live in GA - not too far away. I have some friends up there that are okay, as they live in the southern part.
SO SAD..
On a different note. My friend works for CNN, and you wouldn't believe what the media "chooses" to let us see. It happens all of the time. I feel for my friend because he/she gets to see it ALL. I think it really messes with him/her sometimes....
Thanks so much for this post. I'm a long-time reader living in Nashville and the damage is truly devistating. My home is fine, but I have several friends and neighbors who've lost everything. Very few folks with damage had flood insurance because their homes were not on a flood plane and have never flooded before.
If you want to send some cash this way, you can text REDCROSS to 90999 to give a $10 donation to the Nashville flood recovery. If you want a good laugh, google Nashville Weather Penis.
I live in Murfreesboro, TN, about 30 miles south of Nashville. We received nearly as much rain as Nashville 11.78 inches) and the flooding around our town has been horrible ... but could have been much, much worse. Kudos to the local media who stayed on the air all through the rains and flooding, bringing people live updates and sound advice about what to do and what not to do. In some instances they were on the air for 30 hours straight, giving us all a voice of calm in what has been an unprecedented local disaster. They helped saved many more lives with their information and rational, calm, instructions.
While we lost our roof, our hearts and prayers go out to those who have lost so much more.
And posts like these are EXACTLY why I read CDAN every day. This is a community that cares ... from Enty to all the readers and/or posters.
Thank you for posting this. I live in Nashville and it is awful. Also thanks everyone for the kind words. God bless.
I just tried to donate, but I am Canadian, and they won't let me, so Haiti got the money instead.
On a tangent:
I met a real nice hunter in some random diner in Tennessee who seasoned grits for me so I could try them. They were actually pretty decent and so was he, even though he had about 7 shot guns in the pick up part of his truck.
Thank you for this -- i posted photos on Facebook and friends (I used to be a reporter, so have lots of reporter friends) couldn't believe it. Once in a while one of the broadcast news shows will give a couple minutes to it but there isn't even a link on the Huffington Post site out of thousands of headlines it has. There isn't mention of it at the Daily Beast. The New York Times. Etc. It's like, WTF?!? ** The administration hasn't even issued a statement yet. ** I'm not talking about emergency help, I just mean a flat "We're saddened by the destruction at the heart of all things Country in Nashville" or something, anything? Hello?
Thanks for the shout out, Enty! It's nice to know someone is thinking about us. I'm a yankee by birth but have spent the last 10 years here in Nashville and environs. This flood is positively biblical in scale as befitting the bible belt. Anything y'all can do to contribute is appreciated!
I'm shocked to admit I haven't heard anything about this. Shouldn't Goopy be all over this since it's her new favourite place?? Good luck to you all!
Kendel said...
Thanks for posting this Enty! I live in Nashville. Thankfully, I live on the top floor of my apartment complex, so I'm fine. It is absolutely devastating to see how badly things are even a mile down the road. It is so sad how the media is ignoring this. CNN only talks about it when they are interviewing stars regarding all the equipment they lost! Give me a break!
I'm going to reiterate what Lorie said about donating to the Red Cross. I know animal shelters need help too because of all the displaced pets.
great (and important!) post enty...they're a great city full of great people...they've completely stolen my heart. to see their devastation is heartbreaking. i have friends and colleagues affected by this, and it sucks being so far away and feeling impotent to the situation. thank god for the red cross and the amazing job they're doing.
That's why I don't watch tv news any more. Best wishes to everyone facing hard times anywhere.
sassyyankee, I am an MTSU alum!! WHAT WHAT?!? M'boro representing! lol!
Seriously, though, thanks for this post Enty! I know RJ and a whole bunch of posters are Tennesseeans and it is really nice of you to remember all the folks down there :) Hope everyone is okay and Nashville, Memphis, Little Rock, Arkansas and all the super sweet places in between can go back to being their super cool selves soon! My prayers have been with you all for several days now!
Was ther in October 2009 and it's so sad to see these same places we went to all with water in them. Prayers going out for all those affected by this flood and especially for those whose loved ones have died because of the flood.
I live in Dyersburg, TN, which is in West TN but we're between a small river called the Forked Deer (which is cresting sometime in the wee hours this morning at over 14 feet above flood stage) and the Mississippi. About 1/3 of our small town is underwater, many houses up to the rafters. We were already reeling here due to plant closures. Unemployment and poverty were killing us and now this will be the nail in many people's coffins. Thanks for mentioning us Enty. We appreciate it.
Thanks so much for this Enty. I love Nashville and it is a city that I visit as often as I am able. I am originally from a very small town in South Central KY and it has been nearly destroyed by the flooding.
Thanks for noticing! While we in Nashville have had our hands full for the past few days, I can't help but notice that the rest of the world isn't paying much attention...(On the plus side, LiLo showed up for her depostion!) I know our beautiful city will return but she is very waterlogged and overwhelmed at the moment. Please pray for the good people of Tennessee and donate to the Red Cross if you can.
I have alot of family in and around Nashville, so we have been watching for any news coverage. Thankfully the press is starting to wake the hell up (a little.) Thoughts of safety to all of you there, or with family/friends there.
Thanks Enty! We need all the help we can get!
Thanks Enty! Long time reader living here, in forgotten Nashville. It's a great city. Means a bunch that you would give us a shout out. :)
I have lived through tornadoes and ice storms here, which were horrible, however I have never seen anything like this in my nearly 50 years in Nashville. Many Nashville landmarks are devastated and this disaster will really hurt our economy. The Opryland Hotel and Grand Ole Opry are major employers and bring many, many tourism dollars to our city. They are now estimating at least 3 months before these two businesses are reopened, which is a big portion of the tourism season here. I am saddened by the lack of national coverage--I cannot believe we are that unimportant. Thanks to all of you for your kind words. We also accept love, support, prayers, good wishes and anything else you want to send our way. We're going to need it. And there will be lots of beautiful things to still come see here, like our exact replica of the Parthenon, the Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's home), the Ryman (original home of the Opry) and as much as I know many of you hate Gwyneth, her list of the great places in Nashville is a good idea of the many things we have to offer. Come visit!
Thanks for posting this Enty!
My friend sent me some pics of this and it is really awful. I couldn't believe they didn't cover this on the news much either!?!? Prayers going out to that city. I've never been to Nashville before but I've heard its awesome and its on my list of places I'd like to visit soon.
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