FEMA blocking refugees from traveling to WV

Every local news station and the AP missed the real story tonight. FEMA has taken over the movement of refugees, and five West Virginia Air National Guard plane are on the ground, empty in Texas, because FEMA can't get its act together.

The AP reports 177 refugees have made the trip to West Virginia. WSAZ reports 208. A number of them are being treated in Charleston hospitals. Governor Joe Manchin has agreed to accept up to 500 people. They will be housed in barracks at Camp Dawson. The AP reports, "Three of the planes are in Houston and two are in San Antonio."

Now that FEMA has started the red tape machine, C-130s sit empty. They hope to make the trip tommorow.

Here is the complete text of the AP article, because I can' link to it:

Planes delayed bringing Katrina victims to W.Va.
September 05, 2005 7:41 PM

CHARLESTON, W.Va.

State officials say chaotic conditions with trying to get Hurricane Katrina refugees on aircraft is delaying efforts to fly them to West Virginia.

Three West Virginia Air National Guard C-130 cargo planes were expected to arrive today, but Governor Manchin's spokeswoman Lara Ramsburg says the flights probably won't make it to West Virginia until tomorrow.

Ramsburg says the Air Guard has five planes in Texas waiting to bring people to West Virginia. Three of the planes are in Houston and two are in San Antonio.

So far, 177 refugees have made the trip to West Virginia.

The people were processed at the Air National Guard base in Charleston and then bused to Camp Dawson in Preston County, about three-and-a-half-hours away.

Governor Manchin has said West Virginia has agreed to accept up to 500 people.

All 500 will be housed in barracks at Camp Dawson.

Update: This story ran in today's Charleston Gazette. Looks like the Gazette didn't miss the story.

The governor of Texas has asked other states to take Hurricane Katrina refugees. Camp Dawson in Preston County has plenty of room, and West Virginia Air National Guard transport planes are in Houston, ready to go.

But between early Sunday and Monday evening, no refugees were allowed to board.

Why? Federal officials took over the Texas evacuation Sunday night, and then the flow of refugees stopped, said Lara Ramsburg, spokeswoman for Gov. Joe Manchin.