La Paloma still suffering from standing water

Driving along Military Highway, remnants of Hurricane Dolly seemed typical as residents swept their stoops and heaps of brush rested along the highway.

But within the neighborhood, residents still suffer with standing water that is causing them to worry about when they'll see their grass again.

Edith Hernandez has lived in her mobile home on Calle San Pedro since 2004. She and her husband and two teenage children fled their home during the hurricane and returned to about 2 feet of water in their house.

"It's dangerous because a cable is hanging and we can't get in the home," Hernandez said in Spanish.

They also lost their roof during the hurricane.

"I wanted to cry, but you have to move forward," she said.

This week, Hernandez is assisting San Ignacio de Loya Catholic Church in obtaining food donations for her neighbors.

The area is unsafe, Hernandez said. It reeks and the probability of infections is high, she said.

America Garcia, who ferries her 2-year-old son Isidro Rubio by an inflatable raft from their home to the street, cautions her son about "yuckies" that swim in the murky water.

"The same goes for any kids I see on the road," she said.

Tuesday afternoon, a group of neighbors stood on the street discussing their gripes with Cameron County Judge Carlos Cascos' comments about the state of the neighborhood.

"He went to Johnny's (convenience store) and said he had seen worse," Garcia said, adding that many offered to take him to their homes so he could see the standing water threatening homes.

Ramon Jimenez, who like Garcia lives on Calle Rancho Grande, said no one has come to assure him that his home will be safe.
"We don't want the water to come into our home," he said.

Cascos said he stood by his comments.

"I'll stick to it," he said, adding that he didn't mean to downplay the damage to their homes.

Other cities and neighborhoods, including Laureles, Santa Rosa, Combes and Green Valley Farms, were hit harder than La Paloma, where residents can still drive home, he said.

The problem in La Paloma is that the water has no where to go, so it sits there making homes in the colonia look like waterfront property.

Cascos said the water can't be pumped into another neighborhood. Instead, he said, residents have to wait it out.

"There's nothing we can do at this point," he said.

Cascos said he made his comments to La Paloma residents when they were asking for supplies. Other hard-hit areas were also waiting for supplies, he told them.

"It's frustrating, but we'll have another three to five days of this," Cascos said of standing water.