Thread: Toll climbs: 15 dead in Tenn., Miss. storms

Nashville's famed music quieted by flooding
By Joe Edwards, Associated Press Writer Wed May 5, 10:50 am ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The blazing fiddles and screaming guitars at Nashville's famed downtown honky-tonks are a little quieter as the city recovers from flash flooding and storms blamed for at least 29 deaths in three states.

Elsewhere in Nashville, the Country Music Hall of Fame has closed and the Grand Ole Opry — the most famous country music show in the world — had to move its performances.

The Cumberland River, which winds through the heart of the city, spilled over its banks as Nashville received more than 13 inches of pounding rain over the weekend. The flash floods were blamed in the deaths of at least 18 people in Tennessee alone, including nine in Nashville. Other deaths from the weekend storms were reported in Kentucky and Mississippi.

None of the deaths were in the city's entertainment district, a five-block square of honky-tonks and restaurants downtown where animated barkers often stand outside at night encouraging patrons to step inside. But some businesses had to shut down — a blow to Nashville's economy and reputation as a freewheeling town. The city has more than 11 million visitors annually.

On Tuesday, residents who had frantically fled their homes returned to find mud-caked floors and soggy furniture.

The National Weather Service office in Nashville said Wednesday that the water level in the city had fallen about three feet from its crest of 12 feet above flood stage on Sunday night.

The water at the Country Music Hall of Fame was mostly confined to a mechanical room and did not get in the exhibit area where 112 of country's greatest stars are chronicled in down-home tributes.

At the Opry, five miles northeast of the entertainment district, performer Marty Stuart said he feared water had destroyed instruments, costumes, audio tapes, boots and "just everything that goes along with the Opry and Opry stars."

Singer Chris Young said a special Opry show Tuesday night at the War Memorial Auditorium was a welcome diversion for many residents. Hundreds of people turned out.

"A lot of people coming here have lost either their houses, their possessions or their cars in the storm," he said.

Gaylord Entertainment CEO Colin Reed says it will be at least three months before the massive entertainment complex that also includes the Opryland Hotel and the Opry Mills Mall has guests again.

Rita Helms, a customer service representative at the Opry, said some workers have been distraught.

"It's very sad for the employees and a few have even been in tears," she said.

One of the downtown honky-tonks still open is Robert's Western World — "Nashville's undisputed home of traditional country music" as it proclaims on its website.

"There's not much that can shut us down," bartender Sammy Barrett said in a telephone interview as country music blared in the background.

The entertainment district is generally filled with a mix of tourists and locals — all out for a hand-clapping good time. Some people still milled around the area Tuesday.

"They like the vibe they get here," said Jimmy (The Governor) Hill, who works for a downtown bar and a restaurant. "The bands start playing at 10 in the morning; you don't have things like that in every town."

Mayor Karl Dean also was undeterred. "We will go on being a center of tourism and drawing people to our city," he said.

Some entertainment venues weren't damaged, including the former home of the Grand Ole Opry, the 118-year-old Ryman Auditorium. A Barenaked Ladies concert there next Monday is still scheduled.

On the other side of the river, LP Field, the home of the Tennessee Titans, was drying out: The Titans' logo could once again be seen from the air. A four-day country music festival will be at the stadium in five weeks.

The production of country music in the city also seems have survived unscathed from the more than 13.5 inches of rainfall that fell Saturday and Sunday. "Music Row" — an approximately four-square block area that houses recording studios, record labels, song publishing companies and others on the business side of the music industry — is a mile from the river and wasn't flooded.

The water swelled most of the area's lakes, minor rivers, creeks, streams and drainage systems far beyond capacity. Much of that water then drained into the Cumberland, which snakes through Nashville.

The weekend's storms that spawned tornadoes along with flash flooding also killed six people in Mississippi and four in Kentucky. One person was killed by a tornado in western Tennessee.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100505/...NodmlsbGVzZmE-

The floods in Tennessee have devastated Nashville. Damages are estimated at $1 billion.
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20...100505012/2066

How to donate/pitch in…

Calling All Restaurateurs: Red Cross Could Use Your Help http://www.nashvillescene.com/bites/...-use-your-help


Salvation Army – Nashville http://www.uss.salvationarmy.org/uss...hville_ac.nsf/


Hands On Nashville http://www.hon.org/HomePage/index.php/home.html


Nashville Flood relief t-shirts http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nashvi...24043770942805

Soles 4 Souls – Shoe charity comes to Nashville’s aid http://www.soles4souls.org/news/2010...n-of-nashville


Nashville Humane Society http://www.nashvillehumane.org/event...%20Information


Nashville Flood Benefit Show, May 7. http://www.urbancountryblog.com/2010...t-show-at.html


And more benefit concert info from the Nashville Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/x-11988-Nash...-flood-victims

On Saturday, May 8, The End will host a benefit concert featuring Spanish Candles, Powerbrrrd, Bad Cop, and Diarrhea Planet. The End is located at 2219 Elliston Place.

On Sunday, May 9, Rocketown will hold a 10 act benefit concert featuring Heavy Cream, Pujol, Ben Steine’s Money, So Jazzy, Diarrhea Planet, Goodbye Apathy, Alcina, and Stephen Keech. The show is free but attendees are encouraged to donate money to the flood relief in lieu of ticket prices. Rocketown is located at 522 5th Avenue South.

While not technically a benefit concert, the Nashville Symphony has announced that the Christopher Cross concert scheduled for last week and cancelled because of the flood will be re-held as a free concert at the Metro Courthouse on Friday, May 7 at 8:00 PM. “People have lost homes, and some have lost their lives in the recent flooding,” said Alan D. Valentine, President and CEO of the Nashville Symphony. “Music is what we do, and we wanted to present this concert, against all the odds and challenges, as a way to help people begin the healing process, as a way to help get our community on the road to recovery.”

If you can’t attend these concerts but still wish to help, the American Red Cross is accepting donations for the Nashville flood relief. Text REDCROSS to 9099 to donate $10.

If you have more suggestions, send them in.

Update:

Tons of private charity resources at Nashvillest http://nashvillest.com/2010/05/03/so...ow-can-i-help/


Colorado volunteers head to Tennessee. http://www.9news.com/news/local/arti...8301&catid=346


The Jewish Federation of Nashville is providing aid and relief. http://www.jewishnashville.org/index.aspx?page=1


Ed Morrissey at Hot Air: The disaster America ignored http://hotair.com/archives/2010/05/0...erica-ignored/

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From reader Chris M:

As a resident of Middle Tennessee, I have seen the devastation up close and personal. The clean-up has just begun and will last for many months.

I also wanted to point out another way to help. The Local NBC affiliate is having a telethon TONIGHT featuring Vince Gill. My employer, Deloitte, will be offering up its call center and volunteers to man the phones and take pledges to assist those in need here in Nashville. For those interested, the telethon will be streaming live on the Internet.

Thanks.

Via vincegill.com:

FLOOD RELIEF WITH VINCE GILL & FRIENDS
05/05/10

WSMV-TV Channel 4 will broadcast Working 4 You: Flood Relief with Vince Gill & Friends on Thursday, May 6, in prime time from 7 to 10 p.m. The telethon will also be streamed live on WSMV.com.

Nashville and the surrounding middle Tennessee communities have been devastated by floodwaters after the area received 15 inches of rain within a 48-hour time period. Thousands of middle Tennesseans have been evacuated from their homes with many losing everything to the flood. Many of the victims do not have flood insurance, and the demands on relief agencies are stretched to the limit. “These are our friends and family; we always take care of our friends and family,” said Meredith Senior Vice President and WSMV-TV General Manager Elden Hale Jr. “It’s unfortunate that we’re called upon to do this again for our neighbors, but we are very proud to have the ability to reach out to so many people with Nashville’s flood relief telethon.”

All proceeds from Working 4 You: Flood Relief with Vince Gill & Friends will benefit The Salvation Army, The Red Cross and The Second Harvest Food Bank.

Others involved include Naomi Judd, Phil Vassar and Bo Bice.

http://michellemalkin.com/2010/05/06...e-how-to-help/


You can show your support with facebook by putting “We Are Nashville” over your avatar. Find out more here http://twibbon.com/cause/we-are-nashville-3/facebook

But I would like to take this time to talk about the Times Square bomber. If the media don’t call this guy a sleeper cell, we might as well give up.

He IS sleeper cell. He IS what you look for. He was sent here to blend in and not make noise or break laws until they activated him. They provided him with a wife who had American citizen children. He got a gun, citizenship, and now knows enough to teach a course on surviving and thriving in America.

Guess who knows this information now? Al Qaeda. This guy is equivalent to a Nazi spy. . . I keep reading how he’s fallen on hard times.

He was sent here as a sleeper cell. He couldn’t be more a sleeper cell if he had sleeper cell stamped on his forehead. Bin Laden could say he’s a sleeper cell.

Pakistan is arresting a lot of people so that they can get their story straight. They don’t want people to know that he was sent for a purpose as a soldier initially when he came here. That’s what they’ve done in Kashmir and everywhere.

Call this guy the absolute enemy or expect many more like him in plain sight. He didn’t fall on hard times, he completed his purpose here.

But this is supposed to be about ‘We Are Nashville’ they are in my prayers.

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My relatives in Mississipi said these guys are boots on the ground help and are faster than most. http://www.tnbaptist.org/page.asp?page=99 part of NAMB.net

Grand Ole Opry stage was under 2 feet of water
By Travis Loller And Chris Talbott, Associated Press Writers Fri May 7, 6:38 pm ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A group of 10 to 15 workers moved precious memorabilia safely away from the Grand Ole Opry House even as flood waters rose, officials said Friday.

Opry president Steve Buchanan gave details Friday on how they moved instruments, tapes and other important pieces to higher ground before flood waters swept through the Opry house Sunday night. He did not give specifics, but country music lovers had worried about costumes and set designs.

"The difficult part is we didn't know how high the water would get," Buchanan said.

But he said many items were not moved. Buchanan said restoration companies have been hired to try and restore damaged materials and hopes for no significant losses.

"It breaks your heart, but it's our responsibility to be sure that that building comes back to life, and it will," Buchanan said.

Gaylord Entertainment officials confirmed 2 feet of water covered the stage, which will have to be replaced. But a 6-foot circle of wood brought over from the Opry's longtime former home appears to be salvageable, a hallowed piece from a show where country music stars have performed for decades.

"It is in remarkably good condition," Buchanan said of the circle. "We will ultimately need to replace the stage. But we replaced the stage every few years, but not the circle. The circle will be back center stage very soon."

Gaylord Entertainment officials first shared details about damage to the Opry house during a Friday conference call with investors. For now, The Opry's shows have been moved to other venues.

The Gaylord Opryland Resort, the hotel next to the Opry house, was hit with up to 10 feet of water. Its first floor, power plant and technical hub were flooded. The resort won't be taking bookings from now through October so extensive repairs can be made.

CEO Colin Reed said the damage is likely to exceed the company's $50 million insurance coverage.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20...5kb2xlb3ByeQ--


Coast Guard: Historic flooding expected in Ky[i]
Janet Cappiello Blake, Associated Press Writer – Thu May 6, 6:13 pm ET

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The U.S. Coast Guard is warning that some rural parts of Kentucky are about to be inundated by the worst flooding in 200 years.

Coast Guard Lt. Jennifer Jessee, chief of waterways management with the marine safety unit in Paducah, said rising waters would reach their highest levels by the weekend.

Seventy-three counties in Kentucky have declared states of emergency due to the flooding, and teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency arrived Thursday to begin assessing the damage.

Jessee said the Coast Guard has banned recreational boating on the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers as well as Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley due to hazardous conditions.

Meanwhile, officials continue to search swift-moving, debris-filled rivers for two missing kayakers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20...N0Z3VhcmRoaQ--

comments

The more warning the better but I never thought about the coast of Kentucky before.

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There's a Coast Guard Unit in Kentucky?

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Coast Guard !!! Kentucky!!! What? Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. If you are in the Coast Guard and posted in Kentucky please put some comments up and explain.

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The Ohio River is one of the major waterways for river traffic. DUH........

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My brother is USCG stationed in Kentucky, the Ohio river is a major transportation waterway, vital to the flow of goods from the northeast down into the Mississippi river/gulf coast and vice versa. Not to mention the major cities on the Ohio (Louisville, KY and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky).

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The Mississippi is a big river, guys. Of course there's a coast guard.

Seinfeld joins country celebs in aiding Nashville
1 hr 32 mins ago

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Jerry Seinfeld isn't kidding — he's going to donate all the proceeds from one of his Nashville shows to help flood victims in the city and throughout Tennessee.

The proceeds from Friday's show at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, just a few blocks from the scene of widespread flood damage, will be split between the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. "This is a tough time for a great city, and I'm very happy to donate the proceeds from this show to the local organizations that are bringing help where it's needed," Seinfeld said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

Seinfeld is one of dozens of stars and organizations who have offered help after a deadly string of storms caused widespread flooding in Tennessee. Thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed and more than 34 people died across three states, including 22 in Tennessee.

A telethon featuring Brad Paisley and Lady Antebellum will be held Sunday night on cable network GAC. A local telethon the week after the floods hosted by Vince Gill raised more than $1.7 million.

Taylor Swift has donated $500,000 to relief organizations and will continue to help raise funds by appearing in "Nashville Rising," a June 22 benefit concert hosted by Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. The lineup includes Carrie Underwood, Miley Cyrus, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride and many others.

Ke$ha, a Nashville-area native, has a benefit concert planned for June 16.

And the Country Throwdown Tour will take the effort on the road this summer. Some artists on the traveling tour, including Montgomery Gentry, Eric Church and Jack Ingram, will donate a portion of their merchandise proceeds to flood relief. Organizers also are giving 50 cents from every ticket to charity with a percentage going to Hands On Nashville.

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Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee: http://www.cfmt.org/

American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/

Hands On Nashville: http://hon.org/


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100513/...NsawNwcmludA--

Someone emailed me this......truly devastating....

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=pFjaQoOdJvI

Originally Posted by pepperpot

Someone emailed me this......truly devastating....

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=pFjaQoOdJvI

I have been to alot of those places, and even worked at the Opryland hotel years ago, and it just breaks my heart. Nashville is such a beautiful city, with such wonderful people.