Second Harvest continues to increase distribution across all of South Louisiana, reaching more storm-affected families through more than 1.5 million pounds of food and provided nearly 1,200,000 meals served.With these recent totals of distribution at more than 90 locations, Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana continues to be the largest non-profit providing disaster relief services throughout the state.
“The plans for support from government agencies could not fully anticipate situations where citizens from other states would seek shelter in Louisiana concurrent with Louisiana still assisting our citizens recovering from two major hurricanes,” states Natalie Jayroe, President and CEO of Second Harvest. “We continue to coordinate the efforts of many local non-profits and the regional support systems that have been drawn to the area – especially for Cameron Parish as well as Calcasieu Parish – and determine innovative ways to assist those who need help.”
While Louisiana is in great need, it is recognized that Texas also needs support.However, many Texans are in Louisiana and have no resources to cope with the destruction and loss in their hometowns.This is where again – harkening back to Katrina, Rita, Humberto, Eduoard, Gustav, and Ike – the national organization to which Second Harvest is a member supports the need rather than the boundaries of states or contracted service areas.
As local donations become thinner with the widespread damage in the region, the national food bank organization Feeding America steps in to coordinate national donations with recognized partners.Wal-Mart, Target, Tyson, Dunkin Brands and other strong national companies with local economic interests continually ‘step up’ to assist areas in need.Through these donations that are sent to Second Harvest and their sister groups nationwide, truckloads of food, water, paper supplies, hygiene items and more are able to serve the vast array of needs for those impacted by natural disasters.
Second Harvest continues to coordinate with historical community partners as well as new disaster relief organizations in order to give supplies to member agencies, first responders, American Red Cross, and Salvation Army feeding sites, located in target areas where the needs are greater than ever before.
As communities continue to rebuild their homes and lives after the most-recent natural disasters, Second Harvest is committed to feeding hope to all of South Louisiana.
For emergency food distribution centers, please dial 211 from any touch-tone phone. To volunteer or donate, please contact 504-734-1322 or email doriorr@secondharvest.org.
Emergency member agency services are provided free of charge to those in need. While Second Harvest would like to accept all individual in-kind donations, logistical and personnel restrictions may hinder accepting all items. Second Harvest is the contracted food bank to more than 200 nonprofit, social service and faith-based organizations in the affected parishes that will ensure individual donations are routed directly to individuals in need.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana (GNOA) is a member of the Feeding America™ network, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans and United Way. Second Harvest provides food to 217 nonprofit and faith-based agencies throughout its 23-parish service territory – from the Mississippi border to the Texas state line. Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Food Bank has distributed over 87 million pounds of food and supplies to more than 250,000 people annually, distributing enough food to provide an estimated 63,000 meals each week. The mission of Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana is to lead the fight against hunger in south Louisiana through food distribution, advocacy, education and disaster response. To donate food, money or time, please visit www.no-hunger.org.
GM Shreveport
The Shreveport General Motors workers who will lose their jobs when the facility eliminates its second shift on Sept. 26 are eligible to apply for additional retraining and re-employment services because their job loss is the result of increased imports.
A petition filed with the U.S. Department of Labor requesting Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) was approved when it was determined that an increase in imports of articles like or directly competitive with the vehicles produced at the GM Shreveport Assembly Plant contributed to a decline in sales and prompted the elimination of the facility’s second shift.More than 700 workers are expected to be laid off.
The TAA program provides services to workers who lose their jobs or whose hours of work and wages are reduced because of international competition.
TAA services could include training scholarships, job search and relocation allowances, income support and health coverage tax credits.
The services available through the TAA program are being offered in addition to the orientation sessions and worker transition center provided by the Louisiana Workforce Commission’s Rapid Response unit during August and September.
Workers become eligible to apply when their company receives certification from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance.
The Louisiana Workforce Commission’s Trade Adjustment Assistance unit will conduct trade orientation sessions at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday and a final session at 9:15 a.m. Thursday at the Shreveport plant at 7600 General Motors Blvd.The affected workers should contact the human resources department at the Shreveport facility for their assigned time to attend.
On-site contract workers of Developmental Dimensions International are also eligible to attend these sessions.These workers should also contact the human resources department for their assigned time.
More than 800 employees of suppliers and vendors that work closely with GM
are also facing layoff.Trade petitions on behalf of these workers have
been submitted.A determination on their eligibility to apply for TAA is pending.
TAA services are offered at no cost to the employer or the participating employees.
Shreveport GM workers can call Caddo Business and Career Solutions at
318-676-7788 for more information.
Additional information about Trade Adjustment Assistance is available at the Louisiana Workforce Commission Web site at www.laworks.net.
Ike and Drilling
Callon Petroleum Company reported today the effect of Hurricane Ike upon its principal production facilities in the Gulf of Mexico.
All of the company’s deepwater offshore drilling and production activities were suspended prior to the arrival of Hurricane Ike, and all employees and contract personnel were safely evacuated prior to the storm.
Medusa Field - Based upon preliminary inspections, only minor damage has been sustained as a result of Hurricane Ike. As previously reported, Medusa sustained only minimal damage as a result of Hurricane Gustav earlier this month but has not resumed production. The field was producing 13.8 million cubic feet of natural gas (MMcf) and 15,200 barrels of oil (Bbls) per day when it was shut in on August 30, 2008. The resumption of production at Medusa is contingent upon third-party pipelines and processing facilities being put back into service. Callon owns a 15% working interest.
Habanero Field – The company’s Habanero Field is produced through the Auger production facility operated by Shell Exploration & Production Company. The field was producing 9.9 MMcf and 7,800 Bbls per day when it was shut in on August 29, 2008. The Auger facility was re-manned on September 15, 2008 after it was determined that it had experienced only minimal damage from Hurricane Ike. To date, nothing has been identified that cannot be repaired in a number of days. As announced previously, the Auger production facility was not damaged by Hurricane Gustav. Downstream facilities are still being evaluated, and, consequently, an estimate of a return to production cannot be determined at this time. Callon owns an 11.25% working interest.
Entrada Field Development – The drilling rig Ocean Victory remained safely moored onsite through both storms and only experienced minimal damage. It has been re-manned and is preparing for initial drilling activity, which should commence in a few days. A wire service news report issued yesterday stated that ConocoPhillips/Devon’s Magnolia tension leg production facility, through which Entrada will ultimately be produced, did not sustain significant damage from Hurricane Ike and that the Magnolia facility was being re-manned. Callon owns a 50% working interest in the Entrada Field.
HighIsland Block 165 Field – As stated previously, the field sustained no damage from Hurricane Gustav and was returned to production on September 3, 2008 after being shut in for four days. The field continued producing after the evacuation for Hurricane Ike, but was remotely shut in on Thursday, September 11, 2008 due to pipeline issues. Initial flyovers indicate only minor damage from Hurricane Ike, but assessments of the damage and downstream infrastructure are still ongoing. At this time it is unknown when the field will be returned to production. Prior to being shut in, the field was producing 22 MMcf of natural gas and 120 Bbls per day. Callon owns a 16.7% working interest in the High Island Block 130 #1 well, which currently produces 4 MMcf and 20 Bbls per day. Callon owns an 11.7% working interest in the High Island Block 130 #2 well, which currently produces 18 MMcf and 100 Bbls per day.
West Cameron Block 295 Field -- The field sustained no damage from Hurricane Gustav or Hurricane Ike. It was returned to production on September 6, 2008 after being shut in for six days. The field continued producing after the evacuation for Hurricane Ike but, as with the High Island Block 165 Field, was remotely shut in on Thursday, September 11, 2008 due to pipeline issues. Initial flyovers indicate only minor damage from Hurricane Ike. Assessments of the damage and downstream infrastructure are still ongoing. At this time it is unknown when the field will be returned to production. Prior to being shut in, the field was producing 18.7 MMcf and 110 Bbls per day. Callon owns a 20.5% working interest in both wells.
“We are fortunate that our major deepwater production facilities remained intact through these two serious storms,” explains Fred Callon, Chairman and CEO. “However, due to the downtime from being shut in prior to and during the storms, coupled with downstream distribution delays, our overall production for the third quarter and full year will likely be reduced from previously disclosed estimates. We will provide additional information and guidance as the impact from Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike is further quantified.”
Callon Petroleum Company is engaged in the exploration, development, acquisition and operation of oil and gas properties primarily in the GulfCoast region. Over 80% of Callon’s proved reserves are located in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico with approximately 55% consisting of crude oil. Callon’s properties and operations are geographically concentrated in Louisiana and the offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Saratoga Resources
Saratoga Resources, Inc. today announced that approximately 98% of its producing properties have resumed full production and product sales following Hurricane Ike. Saratoga previously announced, on September 17, 2008, that production on, and product sales from, select properties was not expected to resume for 7 to 10 days due to hurricane-related damage to third party processing and pipeline facilities.
Thomas Cooke, Chairman and CEO said "With most of our oil production going uninterrupted into our storage facilities we will have minimal lost revenue impact for the month. It will take us several days to pump off the more than 7,000 barrels we have ready for sale coupled with the approx 1,550 barrels we produce daily."
Saratoga Resources, Inc. is an independent exploration and production company headquartered in Austin, Texas with offices in Covington, Louisiana and Houston, Texas. The company engages in the acquisition and development of oil and gas producing properties that allow the company to grow through low-risk development and risk-managed exploration. The company currently operates properties in Texas and Louisiana with principal holdings covering approximately 30,000 net acres in 12 fields located in state waters offshore Louisiana which contain, as of January 1, 2008, 67.3 bcfe (billion cubic feet equivalent) of proved reserves currently producing (for July 2008), net to the company, approximately 1,550 barrels of oil per day and 4,800 mcf (thousand cubic feet) of natural gas per day.
