This Memorial Day Weekend 2006, I was able to interview mother and son, Cynthia and Israel Punch. They are victims of Hurricane Katrina and have been living in my hometown, Henderson County, NC. A Latino housing development has temporarily provided them with shelter at a reduced cost. They are from St. Bernard Parish, one of the lowest seated areas in the 'soupbowl' of Lousiana. It has been 9 months since the disaster and they are only now receiving their FEMA trailer. They will be returning to St. Bernard Parish on Saturday June 3rd.

Son Israel Punch, evacuated before the disaster to make sure that his wife and daughter were safe. He was told by his insurance company that he was out of the flood plain and thought at most, he would recieve wind damage. Since the disaster, he has had to go through 4 appeals with his insurance company to have papers sent to FEMA and in April he just now recieved his trailer. He also said that most people that receive their trailer also have to wait 2-3 weeks to have electricity put in their trailer.

After our video session he briefly talked about another issue that they are dealing with against the Murphy Oil Company spilling. His property was three houses away from the ‘announced’ radius of the soil contamination from the company's spill. Murphy Oil paid the houses with in the radius $20-30,000 for the soil damage to their properties. Israel Punch is suing for a Class-Action suit in order to also recieve payment. The company only tested for contamination up until a certain distance and then just stopped. If it was in the water, the oil could have spread for dozens of more miles. He says that the case could take up to ten years and he could only recieve $100 by then, who knows.

- Much thanks and God Bless to the Punch Family