Posted on: Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Hawai'i Jaycees wait for way out
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
What was supposed to be a dream trip for four Hawai'i Jaycees is turning into a nightmare now that they are stranded in New Orleans with Hurricane Ivan bearing toward the Gulf Coast.
The four arrived in New Orleans yesterday morning to attend the 84th meeting of the U.S. Junior Chamber, which was to start today. But the convention was canceled because of the approaching hurricane.
Jon Nishihara, Hawai'i Jaycees president, said he knew something was wrong as soon as the group arrived.
"When we were coming to the hotel from the airport, we saw lines and lines and lines of gridlock traffic heading away from the city," Nishihara said in a telephone interview yesterday. "We were wondering where they were going, but now we know."
Nishihara, along with Marcus Pang, Bobby Agpoa and Elisa Ritua, left Honolulu on Monday night.
When they arrived in Houston, "we were looking at the TV reports and they were saying that it's heading towards the New Orleans area and we got a little concerned," Nishihara said.
"But by that time we had to board our flight already and here we are stuck in downtown New Orleans."
The National Hurricane Center in Miami yesterday issued a hurricane warning for a 300-mile stretch of the Gulf Coast, including New Orleans. The city's 1.2 million residents were warned to get out as Ivan was predicted to reach land by tomorrow.
Nishihara said all flights out of New Orleans were booked yesterday and the best that they could get was standby on a 6 a.m. flight today. He's not even sure they can get a ride to the airport.
"If we're stuck here, we're just going to have to wait it out," he said.
Devon Nekoba was supposed to join the Hawai'i delegation at the convention, but because of work obligations he wasn't scheduled to leave until today.
"The last thing I'm worried about is myself at this point," Nekoba said. "They're there and my fear is they won't be able to come home for a little while."
