NOLA Dodges Bullet

It looks like New Orleans has dodged a serious bullet this morning. Gustav came ashore around 9 a.m. and while there has been serious damage, flooding and power outages, the levees have miraculously held sparing the city from massive flooding. The photo above is of water overtopping the Industrial Canal in the Upper Ninth Ward (courtesy the Times-Picayune, which has provided incredible coverage). Fingers crossed that the levees hold in NOLA and that there is no loss of life anywhere. I think there is going to be some major damage in the southwestern corner of Louisiana.

Update on the Decatur Book Festival later this evening.