RED CROSS CLOSES SHELTER, OPENS NEW FLOOD CHAPTER

The last three families staying at the emergency shelter at Cape Girardeau Central High School moved out Tuesday night as the American Red Cross closed the shelter and turned the page from emergency to recovery services.

"The water is still up, but the emergency phase is over," said Ron MacCubbin, director of emergency service with the Red Cross.

The Mississippi River was expected to begin falling today at Cape Girardeau.

The river at Cape Girardeau Wednesday was 45.3 feet and steady. The river was predicted to drop to 45.2 today, 44.9 on Friday and 44.5 on Saturday.

Tuesday was the last of daily meetings for emergency response personnel dealing with the flood. Police Sgt. Carl Kinnison said meetings aren't needed now that the forecast calls for the river to continue its slow retreat.

"The city will primarily be dealing with cleanup," Kinnison said.

Cleanup was the word at the high school shelter Wednesday. Red Cross volunteers cleaned up the gymnasium and moved out all the tables and cots and borrowed supplies.

MacCubbin couldn't discuss what happened to the three families who left Tuesday night, but said that some people chased from their homes by floodwaters are staying in motels, others are staying with friends or relatives. Still others have found new apartments away from the flooding.

The Red Cross will help people get settled in an apartment by paying a portion of rent or deposits.

MacCubbin said one new problem the Red Cross and flood victims face is a lack of affordable housing.

"A hundred houses were taken out by the bridge route. Another 30 were taken down after the 1993 flood," he said. "There is no affordable housing."

The Red Cross won't put a family into an apartment the family cannot afford to maintain.

The Red Cross continues to provide meals daily in Commerce and will prepare food for other areas if requested.

Officials are waiting for a presidential disaster declaration. The declaration is needed before the Federal Emergency Management Agency can provide assistance and money.

"Illinois has got 33 counties," MacCubbin said." We don't have a thing."

Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan requested a federal disaster declaration on Friday for Southeast Missouri.