NA011083100 TAMPA TRIBUNE NA011083100 ZALLCALL 00 00:22:14 08/31/05 B Penn State legend Joe Paterno may oversee his program’s revival. DETAILS, Sports, Page 1 Starting today, track the average price per gallon in Tampa, the state and the nation. DETAILS, MoneySense, Page 1 TAMPA, FLORIDA % Cyan Magenta Yellow A Last Hurrah Need To Fill Up? Check Gas Prices W E D N E S D AY ONLINE AT TBO.COM AUGUST 31, 2005 % LIFE. PRINTED DAILY. ’OUR WORST FEARS’ MISSISSIPPI: At least 100 people are dead in one county; those who survived have lost everything. LOUISIANA: Rescuers bypass the dead to reach the living; most of New Orleans is underwater. ALABAMA: After record flooding, shocked residents of Mobile stagger back to find homes gone. Knight Ridder/Tribune The flooding in New Orleans grew worse by the minute Tuesday. Officials planned to use helicopters to drop 3,000-pound sandbags and dozens of giant concrete barriers to close up breached levees. By BRETT MARTEL The Associated Press NEW ORLEANS — The second day brought more horror, greater despair. Two levees broke and sent water coursing into the streets of the Big Easy a full day after New Orleans appeared to have escaped widespread destruction from Hurricane Katrina. An estimated 80 percent of the belowsea-level city was underwater, 20 feet deep in places, with miles and miles of homes swamped. ‘‘It’s just heartbreaking,’’ Gov. Kathleen Blanco said.‘‘At first light, the devastation is greater than our worst fears.’’ One Mississippi county alone said its death toll was at least 100, and officials were ‘‘very, very worried that this INSIDE BY THE NUMBERS 1,200 People rescued by U.S. Coast Guard 40,000 1,000 FEMA trucks with water and ice Refugees in Red Cross shelters 1 million Customers without electricity OUR TURN: Floridians pitch in despite devastation. Page 3 $25 billion STORM IN PHOTOS: Lives ruined, water everywhere. Page 4 Estimate of insured losses MOSTLY FLOODED: Sand may clog New Orleans breach. Page 6 Source: The Associated Press is going to go a lot higher,’’ said Joe Spraggins, civil defense director for Harrison County, home to Biloxi and Gulfport. Thirty of those victims were from a beachfront apartment building that collapsed under a 25-foot wall of water as Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast with 145 mph winds. Louisiana officials said many were feared dead there, too, making Katrina one of the most punishing storms to hit the United States in decades. After touring the destruction by air, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said it was not a case of homes being severe- PRICES SURGE: Oil refineries are out for weeks. Page 7 ly damaged, ‘‘they’re simply not there. ... I can only imagine that this is what Hiroshima looked like 60 years ago.’’ New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said hundreds, if not thousands, of people MULTIMEDIA Find the latest news on relief efforts on the Gulf Coast and photographs from the area. See RISING TOLL, Page 6 ° ‘‘It was complete chaos,’’ survivor says. Teacher Pleads Guilty In Hit-And-Run Deaths PROSECUTORS WILL SEEK 3-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE By THOMAS W. KRAUSE tkrause@tampatrib.com Tribune photo by CLIFF McBRIDE Jennifer Porter leaves the courthouse in Tampa on Tuesday with her attorney, Barry Cohen. TODAY’S HIGH 90° TODAY’S LOW 81° T A M P A — Less than thr ee months ago, a former dance teacher charged with leaving the Partly cloudy sky brings a 50 percent chance for rain, an outlook that runs through Friday. Chances decline for weekend. scene of an accident where two children died refused an offer from prosecutors that would have imprisoned her for three years. On Tuesday, Jennifer Porter pleaded guilty to the charge, accepting a deal that might include the same sentence. Her attorney, Barry Cohen, once adamantly and boisterously refused to discuss any possible in- THE TAMPA TRIBUNE A Media General Newspaper 200/202 S. Parker St., Tampa FL 33606-2395 Copyright © 2005, Media General Operations Inc., 111th Year, No. 208 carceration, deeming a prison term ‘‘unacceptable.’’ On Tuesday, a more subdued Cohen stood outside the courthouse to discuss the plea. ‘‘This is about accepting responsibility,’’ Cohen said quietly. Porter entered the plea before Judge Lamar Battles. She spoke little, saying only, ‘‘Yes, sir,’’ or ‘‘Yes, your honor,’’ to Battles’ questions. COMICS EDITORIALS LOTTERY MOVIE TIMES Flavor, Pages 11, 12 This Section, Page 14 This Section, Page 2 Flavor, Page 9 On Oct. 7, the judge will use his discretion to order a sentence for Porter that will include no more See TEACHER PLEADS, Page 10 ° Children’s mom signed off on deal. Keyword: Hit And Run, to review background on the case and hear traffic experts talk about safety along Tampa’s North 22nd Street. OBITUARIES Metro, Page 6 PUZZLES Flavor, Pages 11, 12 & Classified TELEVISION Flavor, Page 8 WEATHER Metro, Page 8