Letter to CenterPoint Customers
September 22, 2008

Dear Residents:

As you know, Hurricane Ike made a direct hit on Galveston, Texas, and devastated the entire Houston region the morning of Sept. 13. Most Entergy and CenterPoint customers lost electricity for at least five days, and some, unfortunately, for longer.

We have received many calls, e-mails and messages from residents in CenterPoint’s service area who are disappointed that their power has not been restored as of today. We share your disappointment and send this letter to provide as much information as we can related to the power situation.

While it may be frustrating to see that much of The Woodlands has already had power restored, it is important to understand that The Woodlands is served by two electric companies: Entergy and CenterPoint. Entergy is a smaller company than CenterPoint, with power grids north of here and has been able to restore a majority of its customers. CenterPoint is a much larger company, with power grids south of The Woodlands, with The Woodlands being at the far north boundary of its service region.

In the 5,000-square mile service area centered around Houston, CenterPoint has about 50,000 miles of power lines—a great deal of infrastructure that was susceptible to the high winds and downed trees. Nearly 93 percent, or 2.15 million customers, lost power. CenterPoint is working to restore power to key facilities vital to health and safety, such as water treatment plants, hospitals and other public service facilities, and then focuses on restoring power to the greatest number of customers in the least amount of time across their territory, regardless of geographic location. CenterPoint is regulated by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

Leaders of the Community Associations have contacted CenterPoint and made every effort to get additional information. State Senator Tommy Williams and Representative Rob Eissler, along with leaders of the Community Associations and The Woodlands Township, have been contacting CenterPoint to make sure that CenterPoint knows that there are thousands of homes in The Woodlands still without power, and to make sure that CenterPoint does not forget us. We have been staunch advocates on behalf of our residents. According to CenterPoint, restoration for customers in zip codes 77380, 77382 and 77389 is estimated (not guaranteed) after Sept. 25. CenterPoint reports that they are working in their entire service area simultaneously and because of different levels of damage, some areas may come up before others.

We assure you that we have not forgotten about you. As some of our newest residents in The Woodlands, you are of utmost importance to us. Unfortunately, we cannot control the effects of Hurricane Ike, and we are asking for your patience in waiting for power to be restored. To make the wait a small bit easier, residents may visit any fire station in The Woodlands to recharge cell phones or laptops.

If you have further questions, please call our office at 281.210.3800, and know that we are doing everything within our power to work with CenterPoint to restore your electricity as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Joel Deretchin,
President, The Woodlands Association

A disaster kit in the closet it good – but far better is a disaster kit stored in your *head*.

Also, to prepare for the next one: go camping. My love of camping makes a couple weeks without power seem inviting.

Do you know where YOUR division is today?

When Katrina stormed ashore in Louisiana, Louisiana’s primary formation, an independent infantry-heavy brigade was off in Iraq.

I blame the former governor and her adjutant general for NOT having them stateside during the hurricane season. It would have been easy enough to insist they were stateside during that time. But they failed to plan ahead and object to the Department of the Army, i.e., Puzzle Palace, when the request came down.

[Note: This is one of the aspects of being a governor of a state that falls within the realm of 'executive' experience; managing the state's military assets in a manner that best supports that state. Governor Blanco failed, abysmally. Obama has had no such experience. Palin has.]

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[Sleep well tonight IF your National Guard is alert.]

WHAT MUST OUR SOLDIERS GO THROUGH AND if a little wind and rain rattled me so much, HOW MUST THE SOLDIERS FEEL? — Deb

I kind of enjoy the fierce winds that race down the Front Range every now and then. A year ago, last March we had them gusting to near hurricane force. We lost a 100+ year-old that shaded the east side of the house, as it started leaning. Had to call the neighbor to advise him not to park his SUV in the driveway, against the chance the tree would go. Fortunately it didn’t. [Note: It was one of the two that lost major limbs in the fly-over tornado we had in 2006. I suspect it was weakened and unbalanced by that incident.]

We had to have the tree taken down for fear of a future storm blowing it over.

I miss that tree. It provided wonderful shade against the morning sunshine into my office and the play of its shadowed leaves on the sun-lace curtains was always pleasant.

At any rate….being shelled is not fun. Hence, I don’t mind a bit of wind. Heck, jumpmastering, one has to stick their body into the 178 mph slipstream outside the C130/C141 while doing the one-minute door check. Now THAT’S a ‘rush’.

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[That which doesn't kill us, makes us stronger.]

Impeach Chuck Pelto! — Roberto Pera

Who is Roberto Pera and why is he saying these terrible things about me?

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[Life imitates good movies.]

New Orleans was on day and night for weeks – Houston, Galveston and all the other Texas towns savaged by Ike got 1/2 day coverage with 5 and 10 minute coverage here and there for a few more days.

You didn’t hear about FEMA handing out Visa cards in Houston. You did not see 100,000’s people waiting for someone else to cleanup the mess, bring them dinner or give them a place to live. And I bet you are not going to see Houston people living in government trailers and dining on the American taxpayer’s back 3 years from now like tyou can find in New Orleans today.

You have got to ask yourself “Why?”

Well done Houston, Galveston and all the Texas towns that suffered.

Roberto (minus 5 or 6 shingles)
Southwest Houston

How dare anyone in Texas complain! Most folks don’t know a darn thing about our military, nor do they want to! PLEASE keep your priorities in order! Pray for our marines and soldiers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Deb