[Whitfield:] Well, it could be a week before we get a final tally of the damage from Ike. But, even conservative estimates say that it will be in the billions. Attractions like the marina and the boardwalk in Kemah, Texas, near Galveston, took a huge hit from the storm. Our Susan Roesgen is there.
[Susan Roesgen, Cnn Correspondent:] You know, Fredricka, this is a huge amusement park with lots of things, normally like the games, you know, where you throw the little balls in the cups and you win these stuffed animals. We have found dozens of these about a half a mile away. That was from the storm surge, a 17-foot wall of water and the wind out here from hurricane Ike. Now, this amusement park, and you can look here at the ferris wheel where the cars were left dangling upside down, draws about three million tourists to this area a year. The town itself, is only 2300 people. But this amusement park employs 2,000 people, draws 3 million visitors. It is a huge economic engine for the entire coastal area here around Kemah and Galveston. About 45 miles away from downtown Houston. I talked to the owner of this amusement park today, the Kemah Boardwalk and he said that actually you know, the terrible stock market drop this week. But hurricane Ike he said, was worse. And yet even so, they plan to come back.
[Tillman Fertitta, Kemah Boardwalk Owner:] We always knew it was a risk when you build on the coast. But this has been just a great asset for this company. And it's been a great asset for the whole city of Houston, the city of Galveston. Like I said, it's the No. 1 tourist attraction in this area. It's just something we'll rebuild. And like I said, next March, it's going to be up and going and do better than ever.
[Roesgen:] Of course, the big season is between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Fredricka. That's the good thing. They don't usually don't have that many crowds here. But they are open 363 days a year. So they had the guys out working and fixing things up almost, right after the storm went through. They really need to get the area back, both for the economics region and also for their own business Fredricka.
[Whitfield:] But, does it seem like a very long kind of haul before they're up and running again? Are we talking like, maybe prepared by next summer?
[Roesgen:] Well, you know, he wants to do it in a month, month and a half. I think that's probably optimistic. But again, they definitely want to get it going by spring break, when they get all of the spring breakers down here. They're going to try.
[Whitfield:] All right. We wish them the best. Susan Roesgen, thanks so much there in Kemah, Texas. All right. Well, it's 45 minutes outside of Houston. That's what Susan was telling us. So, let's talk about someone who knows Houston very well, who's had a pretty good eye's view of the damage there, right in their own backyard. I'm talking about the Reverend Joel Osteen. Well, he has a massive ministry there called the Lakewood Church, right there in Houston. And he has actually opened the doors to help out the evacuees. And he's also gotten a pretty good view of the devastation there in his own backyard of Houston. He joins us on the phone now, Joel Osteen, with us now. And so, what have you seen? Give me an idea of what your view has been of the damage in your town of Houston?
[Voice Of Rev. Joel Osteen, Lakewood Church:] You know, Fredricka, it's been really bad, you know, just being without power that long and just so many trees down and especially our friends to the south in Galveston, it is just really devastating. But I am out today just visiting the different pod sites they call them, the Points Of Distribution, and one thing I love is that just the people's spirits are high. You know, they are hurting underneath, but, sometimes, this just brings out the best in people and people are wanting to help other people, and that is what I am seeing today.
[Whitfield:] There have been so many different efforts to kind of open doors to help out a lot of folks who have been left homeless, give them a temporary shelter. What have you and your church perhaps done, or perhaps some of your parishioners what are you aware of people doing?
[Osteen:] Well, we see people bringing in people that don't have power into a house that does have power. We are trying to coordinate a lot of that. And also, we are encouraging the people that attend our services to get out to volunteer the best that they can. We realize some people gas is very short here, so it is hard to get around town. But we are just encouraging people to help one another. It really takes your mind off of your own needs.
[Whitfield:] And that is one of the major obstacles. We saw those gas lines, even the long lines for the distribution centers where there is food being offered, emergency supplies. But for the folks who cannot get to those centers, perhaps your ministry or how are other ministries trying to get to people who are in great need who simply cannot make their way around Texas right now?
[Osteen:] You are right. It is just what you said, many people cannot get out. Yesterday, we were working with the group that went into more of the first responder type that actually takes the ice and the water and the food into the people. And so, you know what? We just have to believe that, you know, that I know that God will give us the strength to get to all of the people that need it. But it is really devastating when you can't get around and you are so used to power, and just, you know, really changes things.
[Whitfield:] Does it even take you aback to see these long lines of people, whether it is for gas or food?
[Osteen:] Well, it does, especially in the year that we live in today. But I know that our government, our city leaders, are doing everything they can do, but it does. It is amazing to look down the road and realize it is going to take you four or five hours to get gas, if it doesn't even run hopefully it won't run out. But it is it is. One thing I can say, though, is that it is getting better each day. So it is really hit Friday night, Saturday, and I can see even today where I am, at least we are starting to cleanup. And I just left the TSU, Texas Southern University, where there are so many good-hearted people just helping others. So, I am encouraged by it.
[Whitfield:] All right. Reverend Joel Osteen, thanks so much and keep us posted on what Lakewood Church is able to do to help meet the needs of so many people who have been left homeless and are in desperate need of so much. Reverend Joel Osteen joining us by phone from Houston there, leader of the nondenominational megachurch known as Lakewood. Thanks so much. All right. Speaking of gas, well gas topped $5 a gallon in parts of the U.S. after Hurricane Ike swept ashore in Texas. So, is that normal after most hurricanes? It almost seems like the new phenomenon. Josh Levs has been doing some digging. I kind of knew the answer to that, be we wanted you to kind of verify it for us. I don't remember this after Hugo, after Andrew
[Josh Levs, Cnn Correspondent:] Consider it verified. It was not like this. It was not like you saw what was going on this weekend, when people literally saw prices rise, like they were at the gas station when someone came out and added 50, 60 even 80 cents per gallon. It is not normal. This does not usually happen. So, throughout the weekend, as this was going on and really getting to
[Whitfield:] Yes, I'm wondering if that panic at pump and the retailers respond is really all in one. Some of those retailers were panicking, too.
[Levs:] Yes, some retailers were panicking. Absolutely. To some extent they are passing along the price. And I will also mention that there were theses delayed effects from Gustav, which made the gas price already go up even before the Ike came along. So that was part of it.
[Whitfield:] So what about the reports of gouging? How do you justify those price increases? Or, how do you label that gouging?
[Levs:] You know what? The entire region, especially the southeast the Gulf Coast area, but through the southeast, and other parts of the country say, yes, it's true, there has been gouging. How do you know? I asked an analyst. Here is his answer.
[Kevin Kerr, Editor, Global Commodities Alert:] Since Katrina, there are pretty stringent laws in place. The government is taking a very close look at this, and local governments really well. Really the way you can look at it is look around at the other gas stations in the area. Are the prices comparable, or is this a specific station? That would be a good gauge of what's going on.
[Levs:] Something that you need to watch out for. That is, if you think you are might be gouged, look at other stations in the area. If they are charging a lot less, that is one key. So that's something to watch out for too, Fred.
[Whitfield:] All right. I like to think half glass full on just about everything in life.
[Levs:] OK. OK.
[Whitfield:] So is there a silver lining here?
[Levs:] There could be a silver lining. There could be. One analyst told me this, and you've got to kind of follow the logic, but here it is really simply basically, right now, because the refineries are shutdown, there is less oil being demanded, right? So if you have less oil in demand, then the oil price goes down and that could translate to lighter prices at the pump at some point. It is possible, we can't be sure, but it is possible.
[Whitfield:] And just when we were so hopefully and enjoying the price of barrel the price of oil per barrel going down a little bit right before Ike, and then
[Levs:] Boom it gets us. Yes, it was crazy I know.
[Whitfield:] I know. All right. Thanks a lot, Josh. Appreciate it.
[Levs:] Thanks, Fred.
[Whitfield::] Appreciate the digging. All right. So who will the government bail out next? Detroit? The city is looking for some help from the Feds. We'll have details next.