“They were everywhere… They were shoulder-to-shoulder.” These are the words of Madison VanBrocklin, an associate at Max Bowl in Port Arthur, Texas. Hundreds of displaced citizens flocked to the bowling alley in the early hours of the first night of the storm, having to sleep on the lanes of the alley in an effort to […]
From the architecture, you’d never know that, three months ago, the Three Rivers Inn & Suites was hit by a category four hurricane, until you step inside. Tile floors are missing, a foot of drywall from the floor up is gone, and all of the rooms on the first floor are ripped to shreds. The traces of […]
Schools from Houston to Port Arthur were closed for the first two weeks of the semester after the hurricane. Faculty and staff worked together afterwards to make parents and children feel safe again. Chardanay Hunt has the story.
The day after her birthday, the storm hit. The water began to rise higher than light poles, and Tamika Reed, resident of Port Arthur, Texas, had to think of a plan to help herself and her loved ones as well. Without any hesitation, Reed grabbed an air mattress to rescue her family and neighbors by […]
Fifty inches of rain fell on Vidor, Texas in just 48 hours. Residents lost everything, but that didn’t stop some from spending days in boats making sure others were safe. Amanda Becker has the story.
The displaced residents of a Port Arthur neighborhood explain their plans for the aftermath and why they stayed. Ethan Duran reports.
A horse and a pig crossed the street and passed through Margaret Gamble’s yard. What sounds like the beginning of a joke is another issue that the people of Port Arthur, TX had to deal with after Hurricane Harvey. Not just people but animals lost their homes, families, and lives during this disaster. Monica Lee, […]
For three days, journalism students spent their days driving around Port Arthur, Texas, reporting on the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. While reporting, the team of students met people, heard stories and learned more than they expected. Listen to the experience in their words: Students Featured (In Order) Joel Kananen Evan Casey Amanda Becker Nyesha Stone […]
You’ve heard the expression, “Count your blessings.” That’s become a mantra for many in the surrounding areas of Houston and Port Arthur as they continue to heal three months later. Brittani Cook reports.
The New Saint John Missionary Baptist Church became the new home for Travis Johnson, as well as his wife and twin grandchildren after the destructive flooding of Hurricane Harvey. A commercial fisherman and 17-year resident of Port Arthur, Johnson and his family lost all of their possessions in the storm. The Johnsons were relocated to […]
“The water went up to here!” shouted a group of third-grade students at Robert E. Lee Elementary School in Port Arthur, Texas as they pointed to their ankles, knees and waists. These children were describing how high the water rose in their homes during Hurricane Harvey, and “scared” was a word they all used when describing […]
Some wonder if portions of the water might have been directed their way by floodgates. Muru Li reports on those suspicions, plus the slow process of regaining one’s home.
Just like any other morning, Marsha Bias, got dressed and made her way to the kitchen for breakfast like she would any other day. But this day was different. She did not wake up in the home she is used to in the Beaumont neighborhood, where almost 50 inches of rain poured down damaging the area. She woke up miles away in Port Arthur, Texas across town […]
Many homes and buildings were significantly changed by the storm. From moldy walls to a vacant library, Paul Willems takes a look.
At the heart of Port Arthur, the simple, tight-knit city in southeast Texas is the mega center of oil imports and exports. Supplying the country with a substantial amount of its oil, the city is famous for its big brand oil companies. When Hurricane Harvey hit, Port Arthur, along with its refineries, were completely underwater. […]
Woodard Elementary School in Houston took in over 200 students who had to relocate after Hurricane Harvey, making the sense of community at the school stronger than ever. Tess Klein talked to parents and educators.
Port Arthur firefighters worked days and nights, rescuing citizens from the floods and fires. Dustin Chappell, and a few other fire fighters from Engine One, sat down to talk about their rescue efforts during Hurricane Harvey.
It’s only been three months since Hurricane Harvey devastated the City of Port Arthur and since Mayor Derrick Freeman’s viral Facebook Live stream showed his home completely flooded. “When this hurricane hit, it was brand new for me. Also, it was managing expectations, it was managing emotions, it was managing people, managing personalities; it was […]
It’s been months since Hurricane Harvey, and cities across Southeast Texas are still devastated, but help is pouring in. Amanda Becker reports.
Barbara (Barbie) Richard and her husband Darrell were not in Texas for Hurricane Harvey. They had flown out a week beforehand to take care of Darrell’s sick brother in San Diego, unaware a hurricane was going to strike. When they arrived back in Port Arthur, the Richards had lost more than just some things in […]
Mail in a mailbox. Anywhere else in America, this sight would be commonplace and expected. However, in Port Arthur, Texas, the site of some of the worst devastation from Hurricane Harvey last August, the image of mail arriving amongst the wreckage of empty homes in a neighborhood that once was busy and bustling is daunting […]
“We’ve had a lot of hurricanes, and we survived. But never any flood like that magnitude,” local resident Warren Joseph said. Joseph’s family suffered great loss because of the devastating flood. They lost all of their furniture and other possessions inside the house. 2017 is the 60th wedding anniversary of Warren Joseph and Barbara Joseph, […]
Hundreds of volunteers risked their own lives to rescue victims of Hurricane Harvey in Port Arthur, Texas, and many of those volunteers are part of a group known as the Cajun Navy. Founded in 2005 in Lafayette, Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Cajun Navy is a volunteer initiative comprised of civilians who […]
Port Arthur, Texas, one of the hardest hit areas from Harvey, continues to reel from the storm. In the Douglass Street neighborhood, houses are left in various states of disrepair. Some, like that of Barbara “Barbie” Richards, are able to be lived in, but still show the effects of the storm. She and her husband […]
“I hope Ethan is ready when we get to Sandburg,” said Hailey, as she got out of her car to open the trunk for my awaiting backpack. I got into the passenger seat of her station wagon and cracked open an energy drink. It was 5 o’clock in the morning, and we had to pick […]