Between Editions

As you can see from the above image, Gustav’s eye is now clearly visible. The storm has become an official hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters say Gustav will make landfall in Louisiana early Tuesday morning as a possible category 3 storm. A category 3 storm would batter the coast with winds between 111 and 130 miles per hour.

As Gustav churns northward, Gulf Coast residents are scrambling north as well. Hotel rooms are scarce in South Arkansas. As I reported here earlier, the desk clerk at the Holiday Inn Express in Camden said that the property does have rooms available this weekend and beginning on Wednesday.

The nearest available rooms for Monday through Wednesday are in Bryant, the clerk said.

If you know anyone who needs a room, try the Holiday Inn Express in Camden at (870) 836-8100.

The hotel clerk said that they have residents from Louisiana checking in today, and the rooms are going fast.

The best bet to find a hotel is to call around, as cancellations can happen.

The Camden News this afternoon is reporting that there are a few rooms available at the Super 8 hotel at 942 Adams Ave. They are going quickly, though.

The South Arkansas Chapter of the American Red Cross reports that shelters at College Avenue Church of Christ at at St. John’s Baptist Church on Wilson Street have been put on standby.

New Orleans is evacuating its jail facilities ahead of soon-to-be Hurricane Gustav. Click here for more.

Meanwhile, forecasters with the National Hurricane Center are still saying that Gustav will head to Louisiana and cut to the north. If it does, South Arkansas will face a hefty pounding from this storm.

Forecasts call for Gustav to grow to a category 4 storm then diminish to category 3 just before landfall.

Click here for the latest on the storm.

I’m working on a hotel availability piece for the blog. It should be ready at or just after noon today.

Stay tuned.

Crane operators today removed an air conditioner from atop the old Murphy building on Jefferson Street in downtown El Dorado. The unit was being replaced by a new one.

The Associated Press reports:

DENVER (AP) — John McCain tapped little-known Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his vice presidential running mate, two senior campaign officials told The Associated Press on Friday.

A formal announcement was expected within a few hours at a campaign rally in swing-state Ohio.

Palin, 44, is a self-styled hockey mom and political reformer who has been governor of her state less than two years.

Barack Obama delivered a strong speech last night in Denver. He backed up his message of hope with ideas and plans for America’s future. The main talking points dealt with securing America’s middle class and ensuring that everyone in our nation has equal opportunity for basic things like healthcare.

Some still say he is too green to be president. We will see. All eyes now are on John McCain. Onward to St. Paul for the Republican convention.

All sources point to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. The Associated Press reports that two GOP strategists close to the McCain campaign said all indications pointed to Palin, 44, a self-styled “hockey mom” and political reformer.

The strategists spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized by the McCain camp to discuss the matter. There was no confirmation from McCain or his advisers.

Is this a tow line to Hillary supporters, who still would like to see a woman in or near the White House? Some say yes.

We’ll have the announcement as soon as it’s made.

The New Orleans Times Picayune reports this morning that Gustav is still on a Louisiana track today, just a little further west of New Orleans than first predicted. The storm may grow to a category 4 just before landfall.

Click here for the latest.

Here’s the latest track, according to the National Hurricane Center: