Arkansas gives extra Katrina assistance
8/31/2005, 8:14 p.m. CT
By CHUCK BARTELS
The Associated Press
LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas continued to welcome refugees from Hurricane Katrina on Wednesday, with shelters opening and offers of assistance pouring in from all corners of the state.
The Little Rock School District said it would waive records requirements for students who fled the disaster and want to enroll. State colleges and universities offered free or discounted tuition to New Orleans college students who are displaced. And Gov. Mike Huckabee led the state response with a proclamation that gave emergency assistance to 14 counties so they can operate shelters.
Huckabee also activated almost 500 Arkansas National Guard soldiers to help in Louisiana. That's in addition to 350 guard soldiers activated earlier in the week to help in Mississippi. The Arkansas State Police also said that 40 troopers would leave Thursday morning for Louisiana.
"Given the flooding, especially in the New Orleans area, many of these evacuees will be here for weeks, maybe even months," Huckabee said. "We want to do everything in our power to make life easier for these people."
The governor said close to 1,000 people were in Arkansas shelters Wednesday, and that does not count people in hotels, campgrounds and staying with family or friends. Columbia County officials alone counted 600 people who were in Magnolia.
"We expect the numbers to grow," Huckabee said.
The state Department of Emergency Management began running its emergency operations center so the state will have a central point to coordinate its response to the refugees.
Thousands of people from Louisiana and Mississippi fled to Arkansas.
Huckabee authorized $75,000 for each of the 14 counties to operate the shelters. The counties are Ashley, Chicot, Clark, Cross, Craighead, Crittenden, Desha, Drew, Faulkner, Garland, Mississippi, Miller, Pulaski and Union counties. Springdale opened a shelter Tuesday, and Jonesboro took in a group of elderly refugees — both cities in the far north of the state.
A steady flow of refugees registered to stay at the Summit Arena at Hot Springs, which is expecting thousands of people.
U.S. Rep. John Boozman, R-Ark., reminded state residents there are a number of ways they can assist storm victims.
"Arkansans are caring people and we want to help our neighbors in a time of crisis," Boozman said. "There are a number of ways we can show our support, from donating blood or money to seeing if (organizers) need help at one of the state's shelters," Boozman said.
The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism is using state welcome centers to guide people needing a place to stay to shelters and hotel vacancies that come open.
Prohibitions on pets at state cabins and lodges have been waived, and refugees are eligible for discounts.
"Just as an example, we have a family of 26 from New Orleans using seven of the cabins at Lake Chicot State Park," Huckabee said. "The staff at all of our state parks are contacting Arkansans who had made reservations for the Labor Day weekend to see if they'll give up their rooms, cabins and camping spots to those from Louisiana and Mississippi who already are in them."
Little Rock School District spokeswoman Suellen Vann said that, for hurricane refugees, the district would waive its requirement that new students produce proof of immunizations, a birth certificate and prior school records.
"At least six children registered who have come up here from hurricane-devastated areas," Vann said Wednesday. "We've taken several more calls today."
Vann said the district has over the years educated children who were with their parents in homeless shelters, and it will apply the same rules for those who fled Katrina.
The University of Arkansas system and other state colleges said Wednesday they would offer free or lowered tuition for college students in New Orleans whose studies have been interrupted by Katrina.
"For those Arkansas students who are attending New Orleans schools and have been sent back to Arkansas, they can attend a university here and there will be no tuition and fees," said B. Alan Sugg, president of the University of Arkansas System.
Students from Louisiana and Mississippi who want to transfer to Arkansas schools can do so and pay in-state tuition, Sugg said.
"There's never been a situation like Katrina," Sugg said.
The offer is extended to students at New Orleans campuses of Dillard University, Loyola University, Our Lady of Holy Cross College, Southern University-New Orleans, Tulane University, University of New Orleans and Xavier University.
Arkansas universities opened their doors for their fall semesters within the last couple of weeks and can accommodate newcomers, Sugg said.
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