9:48pm : As an unseasonably cool, clear night descends on a city where so many are still without power- and most are still under curfew, the fatigue of crisis gives way to an uneasy calm as citizens begin to think about somehow returning to a normal schedule.
6:30pm : The Coast Guard Captain of the Port of Houston-Galveston is urging recreational boaters to stay off of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and Houston Ship Channel until post-hurricane damage assessments are completed.
6:30pm : The FEMA/City of Pasadena Point of Distribution which had been located at the PAL Gym, Southmore at Red Bluff Rd., will be moved effective Tuesday, September 16 at 9 a.m. The new location will be Pasadena Memorial Stadium on Burke Rd. at Parkside, just north of Spencer Hwy. Distribution hours are set for 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. The new location will enable recipients to move through the line more efficiently due to the larger staging area.
6:15pm : Diet Gourmet is providing fresh food: chicken, fruit, etc. 3917 Richmond on the corner of Westlayn. Bring plastic bags and zip-lock containers. Volunteers are needed.
6:00pm : TSCRA is actively involved with the emergency response team, lead by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). The Texas AgriLife Extension Service (TAES) is the team member coordinating much needed resources for the affected areas. Together with other livestock industry groups, they have established “Operation No Fences: Hurricane Ike Horse and Cattle Relief” to collect feed, hay and water troughs to provide the livestock with safe feed and water. State agencies and agriculture groups have divided the enormous task of funneling supplies and materials to affected ranchers: To donate hay and feedstuffs contact the TDA Hay Hotline, 877/429-1998. To donate cash contact the Texas 4H Foundation, 979/845-1213, or visit http://AgriLifevents.tamu.edu To donate materials for fencing, panels, water troughs and other non-feed and non-cash donations contact TSCRA, 800/242-7820, ext. 147, Tim Niedecken.
5:30pm : BARKS 5TH Avenue open to receive pets for boarding after Hurricane Ike starting Monday, September 15, 2008. Pet owners looking for a location to board pets can contact the shop at 281-970-2284 or Ms. Mahon via cell phone or text message at 832-443-6780, or by email www.barksfifthave.com.
5:15pm : Dr. Larry Kaiser, president of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, has suspended classes for the week of Sept. 15-19. In preparation for the students’ return to school, faculty and staff are asked to report to work on Thursday, Sept. 18, if their circumstances permit. While the health science center will be closed Sept. 15-17, controlled access is available and medical school students with clinical rotations and employees who need access to their work areas are welcome. Employees and students should visit www.uthoustonemergency.org or call 713-500-9996 or 1-866-237-0107 for updated information.
5:00pm : Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center encourages all eligible donors to give blood when collections resume on Tuesday, Sept. 16. Special extended hours will be observed at five Neighborhood Donor Centers, which will open at 8 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. to give donors adequate time to get home before the local curfew takes effect WHERE: The following Neighborhood Donor Centers: Bill T. Teague (Headquarters) 1400 La Concha Lane (Reliant Stadium area) Champions 6935 FM 1960 West, Suite A (at Cutten Road) Katy 1575 S. Grand Parkway, Suite 600 (at Highland Knolls) Sugar Land 4949 Sweetwater Blvd. (next to Kroger) Westchase 10001 Westheimer, Suite 2117 (Carillon Shopping Center)
4:00pm : Diet Gourmet is looking for volunteers and plastic bags to supply food to those in need. Westlayn and Richmond.
3:50pm : St. Joseph Medical Center will be sponsoring a Blood Drive on Wednesday, September 17 from 7 am — 4 pm in the Pavilion at 1401 St. Joseph Parkway.
3:15pm : The FEMA station at the Alvin Bus Barn has run out of ice. It has closed down temporarily for restocking.
2:50pm : Any citizen who abandoned his or her vehicle and had it towed from City of Houston streets following Hurricane Ike is urged to contact the Houston Police Department’s Tow Line at 713.308.8580 to determine what location the vehicle was towed to. To get the information on your vehicle, you will need to provide at least one of the following: license plate number, vehicle identification number, Texas driver’s license or any other identifying information about your car, such as the vehicle make, model and color, and the day and location from which your car was towed.
2:30pm : The Red Cross has opened two additional shelters: Wooster Baptist Church (7007 Bayway Drive in Baytown)and First Baptist of Dayton (202 East Houston in Dayton). 2:15pm : State Farm reports 27,000 claims have been reported. To report a claim call the 1-800-SF-CLAIM line
2:00pm : The Justice Center , which had first-floor flooding and some related damage, remained closed to the public Monday. Until the reopening of the Justice Center, the DA’s Family Criminal Law Division advises victims of family violence to call (toll-free) 1-800-799-7233 for immediate assistance.
1:45pm : Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today urged affected parents who receive child support through the mail to call 800-252-8014 for information about their payments.
1:30pm : Early assessments of the animals at Moody Gardens® are favorable with the majority of animals surviving. The Aquarium Pyramid® is currently being powered by generators and the penguins, seals and majority of fish are in good condition, according to Moody Gardens® Animal Husbandry Manager, Greg Whitaker.
1:15pm : The City of Houston has issued a city wide curfew effective Sunday, September 14, 2008, beginning at 9 p.m. and ending at 6 a.m. daily, until further notice. This is a pubic safety issue and the fines for violating the curfew are up to 500$.
1:00pm : The Houston Farmer’s Market will be held as usual tomorrow, Tuesday, on Rice University campus, south of the stadium, from 3:30 to 7.
12:50pm : Baytown residents are asked to continue boiling their water, due to low pressure in the system and the threat of contamination.
12:00pm : The Harris County District Clerk’s Office is working to resume normal operations as quickly as possible. The courthouses are closed today, and there will be no jury duty through Tuesday.
11:45am : The curfew for Sugar Land has been lifted, according to city officials.
11:30am : From a pharmacist at the Red Cross, if you lose refrigeration and your supply of insulin warms up to room/environmental temperature, IT IS STILL GOOD/USABLE for 30 DAYS. Do not try to re-refrigerate it, however, once it has warmed up.
9:50am : The high water that was blocking traffic on I-10 between I-45 and 610 West has receded, and is now passable.
9:40am : Lowered temperatures in the wake of Hurricane Ike provide a welcome respite from the usual heat and humidity.
9:30am : The water in Pasadena is now safe to drink.
9:20am : Another FEMA pod has been opened in Tomball at the corner of TX-249 and Tomball Parkway.
9:10am : The Kroger on West Gray at Woodhead is confirmed as having ice and water.
8:50am : Centerpoint Energy reports that power has been restored to 500,000 customers in the Houston area.
6:15am : Continental resumes most flights today – no charge to change dates on tickets to/from IAH between 11 September and 21 September, visit continental.com for more.
5:14am : FEMA distribution points will open today at 10am at the following locations ( more will open later today – about 24 in total are planned ) : Harvest Time Church (17770 Imperial Valley in Greenspoint), Baker 6th Grade Campus (9800 Spencer Highway in LaPorte), PAL Gym (2910 E. Southmore in Pasadena), Kroger (FM 2920 and TX-249 in Tomball) and 4100 Decker Drive in Baytown.
6:30am : Southwest Airlines has announced that it will resume some flights from Houston Hobby today.
4:00am: Texas residents state-wide can now call 2-1-1 for hurricane information