WAFB Channel 9, Baton Rouge, LA |Problems with Evacuees at a Local Hotel Result in a Block on Late-Night Phone Calls
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The assistant manager of a Baton Rouge hotel says some of the hurricane evacuees staying there are destroying the place.
The comments come as evacuees complain about some phone restrictions put on them because of the alleged bad behavior of others.
As of today, evacuees occupy 47 out of 82 rooms at the Microtel Hotel and Suites on Plaza Americana off Airline. The hotel says they're trying to stop some of the problems at the hotel, but evacuees say it's at their expense.
Alice Williams moved into the hotel two days after Hurricane Katrina destroyed her Lower Ninth Ward house. Alice says recently the hotel has begun shutting off all incoming phone calls after ten at night, calls Alice relies on for constant information on her daughter fighting breast cancer.
Hotel assistant manager Sylvia Manolov says problems with drugs and prositution among evacuees forced the hotel to block late night calls to keep the problem from growing.
But Sylvia says that's just the start of her headaches. Sylvia says the evacuees leave bags of trash in the hallways, and frequently refuse room service for days at a time.
There was also a hole in the wall found in one room, and a don't disturb sign taped on the door with the peephole gone.
Sylvia says the problems won't leave until the evacuees do. But when it comes to the phones, Alice says everyone is being punished. It's a dilemma, as a hotel tries to close the door on the problems caused by some, even if it hurts the others who have no choice but to call this place home.
The phones are turned back on around five in the morning everyday. The hotel says evacuees can make local and long distance calls throughout the day for free.
The hotel says they're also having a problem with unregistered guests staying in evacuee rooms and causing problems. As of last week, ylvia says three evacuees have been evicted for drugs and stealing.
