Tropical Storm Isaac turns northwest after soaking Florida
A man walks on the beach in Key West, Fla., Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012, as heavy winds hit the northern coast from Tropical Storm Isaac. / AP Photo
Updated 2:05 a.m. ET Aug. 27, 2012
(CBS/AP) KEY WEST, Fla. - Tropical Storm Isaac barely stirred Florida Keys residents from their fabled nonchalance Sunday, while the Gulf Coast braced for the possibility that the sprawling storm will strengthen into a dangerous hurricane by the time it makes landfall there.
At 2 a.m. ET on Monday, the center of the storm was located about 110 miles west of Key West and 455 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was moving west-northwest at about 15 mph. The storm had maximum sustained winds of about 65 mph. Isaac is expected to strengthen as it moves out over the open, warm water of the Gulf of Mexico.
It was on course to strike land on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, a powerful storm that crippled New Orleans and the Gulf Coast and became a symbol of government ineptitude. Isaac passed the Keys late Sunday before turning northwest, where forecasters have predicted it could strike as a Category 2 hurricane somewhere between New Orleans and the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday.
The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for a large swath of the northern Gulf Coast from east of Morgan City, La. - which includes the New Orleans area - to Destin, Fla. A Category 2 hurricane has sustained winds of between 96 and 110 mph.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal called a state of emergency and officials in St. Charles Parish near New Orleans told its 53,000 residents to leave ahead of the storm. Jindal also said he may skip a speaking engagement later this week at the Republican National Convention in Tampa unless the threat to his state subsides. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has also canceled his trip to the convention because of Isaac.
The projected path of Tropical Storm Isaac as of 11 p.m. Sunday evening
/ WFOR Miami
Tropical Storm Isaac lashes Florida Keys
7 years after Katrina, NOLA braces for Isaac
Isaac could become Cat 2 hurricane: Forecaster
WFOR Miami's interactive storm tracker
An emergency declaration was also issued in Mississippi by Gov. Phil Bryant amid concerns of storm surge threatening low-lying areas. Oil companies began evacuating workers from offshore oil rigs and cutting production in advance of Isaac.
The storm was on a course to pass west of Tampa, but it had already disrupted the Republicans' schedule there because of the likelihood of heavy rain and strong winds that extended more than 200 miles from its center.
Even before reaching hurricane strength, Isaac caused considerable inconvenience, with more than 550 flights canceled at Miami International Airport and about 150 from Fort Lauderdale's airport. There were scattered power outages from Key West to Fort Lauderdale affecting more than 16,000 customers, and flooding occurred in low-lying areas.
Gov. Rick Scott said at a news conference Sunday evening that only minor damage was reported from Isaac.
Wind gusts of 60 mph were reported as far north as Pompano Beach, north of Fort Lauderdale. But while officials urged residents in southeast Florida to stay home, that recommendation was ignored by surfers and joggers on Miami Beach and shoppers at area malls.
At left, watch a CBS Evening News report on Tropical Storm Isaac passing through Florida.
In Key West, Emalyn Mercer rode her bike while decked out with a snorkel and mask, inflatable arm bands and a paddle, just for a laugh. She rode with Kelly Friend, who wore a wet suit, dive cap and lobster gloves.
"We're just going for a drink," Mercer said.
"With the ones that are brave enough like us," Friend added.
Along famed Duval Street, many stores, bars and restaurants closed, the cigar rollers and palm readers packed up, and just a handful of drinking holes remained open.
But people posed for pictures at the Southernmost Point, while at a marina Dave Harris and Robyn Roth took her dachshund for a walk and checked out boats rocking along the waterfront.
"Just a summer day in Key West," Harris said.
That kind of ho-hum attitude extended farther up the coast. Edwin Reeder swung by a gas station in Miami Shores - not for fuel, but drinks and snacks.
"This isn't a storm," he said. "It's a rain storm."
With a laugh, Reeder said he has not stocked up aside from buying dog and cat food.
The forecast wasn't funny, however. Isaac was expected to draw significant strength from the warm, open waters of the Gulf of Mexico, but there remained much uncertainty about its path.
The Gulf Coast hasn't been hit by a hurricane since 2008, when Dolly, Ike and Gustav all struck the region. Florida, meanwhile, has been hurricane-free since it was struck four times each in 2004 and 2005.
Hurricane center forecasters are uncertain of the storm's path because two of their best computer models now track the storm on opposite sides of a broad cone. One model has Isaac going well west and the other well east. For the moment, the predicted track goes up the middle.
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THEN THE NATION
Going the way of God's Little Daycare:
OUT OF BUSINESS?!!!
________________________________________________________________________________
Call (225) 342-0991
Louisiana Governor Jindal knows but does he care?? Call and ask.
Find out how white Louisiana state workers illegally shut down
God's Little Daycare
in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana ,
because of
"Racial Discrimination".
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African-American children were brought to the daycare and a white woman working at the daycare stated "she hated black people" and went to her friend who was a white male social worker. She told him lies about the owner of the daycare abusing children. He and other white social workers were acquiescent to the immoral and illegal action of its illegal shutdown over these initial lies. The names of these individuals will remain confidential so we do not "embarrass" them. Ask Governor Jindal why God's Little Daycare and the circumstances surrounding "ITS UNLAWFUL SHUTDOWN" is not important to him.
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The attorney for the Louisiana bureau of licensing put a TRO against the daycare based upon lies, shutting it down; but did not hold the hearing within 10 days of its shutdown. He took away our due process rights because he knew the daycare had been lied against by an employee of the daycare to state workers who also lied against it through their abuse of power.
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***GOD WANTS PEOPLE TO HELP GOD'S LITTLE DAYCARE REOPEN AND PULL TOGETHER TO STAVE OFF A COMPLETE UNITED STATES ECONOMIC CRASH! THE ILLEGAL CLOSING OF ONE BUSINESS HAS A DOMINO EFFECT ON ALL OTHER BUSINESSES! ITS COMMON SENSE NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!!
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If not corrected, Louisiana will go down first, pulling the rest of the nation down with it; because what was sown by the State of Louisiana will be reaped by the state.
This is an absolute and Godly principle.
**Quality daycare is an extremely important element to any community's economic development and growth.
"PLEASE EMAIL THIS TO YOUR EMAIL LIST"
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One would think that in the 21st century world in which we live today, there would no longer be a community in THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA where African-Americans are forbidden to live or even spend time in; unless, they are already residents that have had homes handed down to them by relatives decades ago. But in the community in which God's Little Daycare resided; this is the awful; yet, undeniable truth. Someone who has contact with Governor Jindal needs to be bold enough to ask him when he plans to contact the Federal government for help in getting God's Little Daycare back in business, since Louisiana state workers illegally shut it down.
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(KEEP PRAYING THAT GOD OPENS THE EYES OF JINDAL'S HEART TO THE TRUTH AND GOD'S WILL in this very serious matter; BECAUSE EVERY BUSINESS SHOULD MATTER!!)
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"Just one life will soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last"
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Proverbs 11:25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
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Watching & Praying & Curious to see what God does next because
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!!!
GOD'S LITTLE DAYCARE IS A 501 (C) 3 nonprofit organization:
In HIS service,
Mark Lockridge, BSA, President/Jesus Lifted Ministries
Pamela Elaine Lockridge, ADN, BSW, Executive Director/God's Little Daycare
For More Information write, call, or email:
P.O. BOX 165 Robeline, La 71469
Cell: 318-652-2042
Email: lock14@bellsouth.net
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Word of Knowledge: Please pray and prepare for an earthquake in Paradis, Louisiana (the region also includes Boutte; Hahnville; Luling; and Norco in Louisiana). Also, please share this email with those you feel would pray.
Psalm 24:1
The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and all who dwell therein.