Thursday, May 19, 2011

Updates!

I've been asked for an update, so here you are....

First of all, KIWI, that pretty little lab in Prince Albert needs an update! I called the Shelter and they asked me to foster with the hope she would become a New Hope dog. However, before I could go and collect the pretty girl, who was not fairing well in the shelter (big surprise- 8 month old Lab, hello?!?) she got sent out on a trial adoption!  So, Miss Kiwi has a home!! 

Alright, onto Erin and Tim, along with the other residents of Cottonwood River....
The news is spotty at best right now because they don't have internet. They are camping out at a gravel pit, on higher ground, waiting to hear news and to know what's going on with their home.

The Allen's house is gone, officially. It began to wash away when the basement collapsed in and the roof buckled, on Monday. Tuesday government officials decided the bank that was not safe enough to save was safe enough to put an excavator on, to dismantle the house. However, in the process of dismantling it, to keep it out of the river, they knocked it in, OY!

Tuesday, Tim and Erin were working on getting everything out of the house when the bank began to give way in front of their place. The rock work that had been placed was no longer holding, especially since they had heavy rainfall on Monday night. So, they pulled out and walked away from their home. As of the last update from yesterday afternoon, the house was still there, but barely hanging on. They had meetings last night to hear whether the gov't would dismantle it in the same way they did the Allen house or whether they would just let it go and live with the environmental consequences. Which, by the way, was the reason they were not allowed to fix the banks:  ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS over putting too much silt in the river. However, their neighbors lost 4 acres of land on Monday afternoon, so I'd say those silt concerns were not justified. :(  Anyway, I haven't heard anything yet from the meeting and there's been no updates as of this morning.  But, everyone- and I mean everyone from their home- dogs, cats, pigeons, horses, goldfish- are safe and at this moment, maybe that's enough.  

So stay tuned- this saga is not over yet. It's a matter of time, then the fighting will begin for compensation and support. Prayers and good thoughts are still needed for this area as it's not over. There are 2 more homes in process of being emptied and evacuated, and more to come. Cottonwood River stands to lose 10 homes to this river and the first one only has gone. Thanks all for your support for Erin and Tim, along with their friends. So sad.

4 comments:

rottrover said...

Glad your friends and their animals are safe. You gotta love the logic: one doesn't want silt in the river, but what's a few houses among friends?!? We'll continue to keep paws crossed...

-Gizmo, Bart and Ruby

Sophie said...

We're sending good thoughts and crossing our fingers over here. Hopefully your friends can still salvage their house.

georgia little pea said...

those poor people :( it's one thing hearing about tragedy on the news, and another when there are names attached to otherwise anonymous faces.

take care and stay well xox

Achieve1dream said...

That is so awful. Sending prayers.