Transportation, shelter for evacuees left idle (Texas)

[Ezlivin]

As reported in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

Five military cargo planes belonging to the West Virginia National Guard, dispatched to Texas after Gov. Rick Perry announced that evacuees would be airlifted to other states, headed home Tuesday without any hurricane survivors on board.

< ... >

Sources close to the Texas operation said state officials were prepared to proceed with the airlift beginning Sunday, but federal authorities told them that FEMA had taken over responsibility for the operation.

Once that decision had been made, Texas officials were powerless to order evacuees onto the waiting planes, said the sources, who did not want to be quoted for fear of political repercussions.

Published Thursday, September 8, 2005 in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Section 4B

[pop goes the weasel]

1. link? nt

[Ezlivin]

2. Print edition only, so far

Sorry, I transcribed this from the paper when it arrived this morning. They've not (yet) posted the story on their website: www.star-telegram.com.