Floodstock 08 in Iowa

[IowaGirl]

http://www.floodstock.org/

Hi, thought some of you might be interested in a benefit concert for flood victims in Cedar Rapids. Only $10 cover. :hi:

[4dsc]

1. Will CR ever be the same??

When the river crested at almost twelve feet higher than ever in recorded history, more than 3,900 homes were flooded as 1,300 city blocks were inundated with water.

Between 6,000 and 7,000 jobs were lost as hundreds of local and national businesses were flooded. Early damage estimates are already in the billions, and will rise.

[IowaGirl]

3. Big debate going on about rebuilding the government buildings

that were on the manmade islands in the middle of the river. Even though the huge Grant Wood stained window in the Veterans Building never got wet, it is cracked along the bottom, suggesting that the building settled somehow making one wonder if the island is stable now. I can't image the government buildings not being on the islands.:cry:

[IA_Seth]

4. man made?

Are you sure about that?

From what I've seen the island (May's Island) has been here as long as the city. I guess they may have built them up some, but there were houses on the island and at one point there was a small theme park (which I believe may have been abandoned after a flood - go figure).

I can't argue the point that these structures may have been damaged (I would be surprised if they weren't actually). It would truly hurt the character of our city if we lost them though.

[IowaGirl]

8. Sorry, maybe manmade was overstating it, but it has been

largely built-up with sea walls, etc.

[CoffeeCat]

5. I am worried about Cedar Rapids...

There were some heartbreaking stories in the Des Moines Register last Sunday about Cedar Rapids.
The article about the woman in Time Check, who had put so much money into her Time Check house, and now
it is totaled. She learned how to do plumbing, wiring, and had new EVERYTHING installed. She's
a math teacher at Kirkwood, making 20k a year. She can't rebuild.

From everything I've heard so far, FEMA does not "rebuild lives" for people. They don't replace homes.
They often prevent people from rebuilding in the flooded area. They'll reimburse people for some of
their losses, but people never get their homes back.

There was an article in the Register a few weeks ago. It was about a small town that was decimated by
a tornado a year ago. The article talked about what Parkersburg (the small Iowa town that was ravaged
by a tornado about a month ago) could learn from this featured small town. FEMA did help. There were
some good things. However, the article was very bleak. A year later, the town was pretty much still
gone, many people had moved away and people were still living in FEMA trailers. A year later! Several
key townspeople were trying to restore areas, but it didn't seem as if the government was really helping.

I feel that Cedar Rapids may be in for some hard times if people are expecting the government to cure
these ills. They most likely won't.

If those number are correct---7,000 jobs lost--that's more than 5 percent of the CR population.

I grew up in Cedar Rapids. This is so hard to see. Cedar Rapids is such an endearing, wonderful city
with a very small-town feel. The city is so family oriented and there are many good, solid people
there. I have so many great memories there--riding my moped all over the NE and SE sides when I was
a freshman in high school. I know the NE and SE sides of that town like the back of my hand! My father
has several businesses in CR--one of them was totally lost in the flood. I haven't spoken to him in
five years, so I don't know what's going on. Sad.

I wish everyone in CR the best, and please know that many are thinking of you--and truly hurting right
along with you.

[Tashca]

6. Will it ever be the same???

Short answer....nope

I think the reality of what has happened still hasn't sunk in. I keep hearing stories everyday of different things.
My wife drove to the neighborhood she grew up in....near Ellis....she said so much was destroyed. She sat in her car and cried.....she just wanted to see and didn't even consider it would be nearly as bad as it is....
6K to 7K jobs lost.....how many others does that effect? So many businesses rely on others to keep them going.....there are some major businesses shut down. Maybe rumor...but a customer told me Penford was going to start over ....not rebuild the old plant. Will that be in CR or where? Maybe this is not true....has anyone heard?
This same customer (farmer)..says he has no where to sell his grain right now...Penford is shut down (flood)...Cargill (flood)...ADM (water shortage). That impacts my business if we can't collect for awhile......he could haul further, but the costs are so much more. Each of these seemingly small things are going to have long term negative impacts of the area. I guess I seem negative right now...it's just so overwhelming.

[CoffeeCat]

7. It's hard right now...

...Bellator--because the shock has not worn off from this major disaster. Gov Culver was spot on when he said that
this flooding ranks in the top 10 US natural disasters. What happened to CR really is unbelievable.

I can understand your being overwhelmed--because it just happened and the rebuilding has not happened yet. Those wheels
seem to turn slowly and people are still absorbing what happened. It was so unexpected. CR will rebuild and recover, it's
just going to take some time.

I think one reason that this is so hard--is because of the extent of the destruction. Major decisions that impact the
city and its people will have to be made. That's what makes it seem so hard and overwhelming. It's not just houses
being destroyed. People have to figure out what to do with entire neighborhoods--and blocks of area that will probably
be razed. FEMA most likely will not allow any houses to be in the Time Check area and in those areas West of the river.

When I heard the courthouse might not end up on the island, my heart sunk. I grew up in CR and haven't lived there for
2 decades, but when you hear things like that it's devastating. People living in that city and raising families--must
really feel overwhelmed. Things that were part of the background--that were always there, might not be now.

That's really difficult.

I'm not trying to be negative...just letting you know that I understand. Your feelings are totally understandable.

...and I also think that you have a courageous wife! To return to the area in which she grew up--to see what happened, was
really brave. I'm sure it was really hard for her. Your childhood neighborhoods have such strong feelings and memories
attached. I can only imagine how she felt.

Take care and please know that I--and many others--understand and are feeling the same things.

[Blue Gardener]

9. Seeing the pictures of the Ellis Blvd. A&W

Brought tears to my eyes. That was a real treat when we were kids to go get a frosty mug of root beer and have them bring it to the car.
I finally got up the nerve to drive down the Coralville Strip yesterday, it's all just so sad. All those businesses destroyed, and the lives uprooted, is just devastating. There are disaster recovery vehicles everywhere you look. I tried to think of the number of eating establishments that have had to close, and I came up with about 24, and that's just in Coralville. Just unbelievable.

[rurallib]

2. K & R

[4dsc]

10. It just keeps getting worse in CR..

Another sad story from CR..

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080702/NEWS/80702033