John I found the info you wanted.   The Gulf Herald.--Contact Info. (850) 478-3025.       Pensacola News Journal - Community Announcement Desk.  (850) 435- 8542.  or Featrues Editor- Susie Forrester (850) 435- 8550     The Pensacola T.V. Station  WBQP T.V.- 12 , The Station that cares.  (850) 433-1210.  I could not find a radio station for pensacola anywhere.  Hope this helps you , Let me know whenever you need help finding info for you. Love You Much .  Mom

John latecki <john@...> wrote:

After a twelve-day vacation running from Hurricane Dennis I am
getting back on the water today. I am thankful that Meade and Carol
Garrard invited me back to their house 300 miles inland near
Atlanta. It was very relaxing hanging out in the Georgia pines.

I was surprised at the damage Lanark Village took from the
Hurricane. The damage was nothing compared to some areas, but it was
worse than forecasted. Piles of belongings were piled up waiting to
be picked up along side the road for a few people who lost
everything. A few trailers were ripped open and some houses were
caved in. Every dock stretching out in the water was destroyed. It
seems the houses built on stilts were fine. If I had stayed and
tried ride out the storm where I planned to I would have probably
been killed.

The twelve-day rest helped my body heal up from a few minor injuries
that had been nagging me. I am actually looking forward to getting
back out on the water. Panama City, Pensacola, and Mobile Alabama
are my next big stops before turning north and heading up the Tom
Big bee waterway. Here is a recent newspaper article from Coweta
County, GA during my stay with the Garrard's.  Here is the latest
news story from the canoe trip
Dennis delays 30,000-mile canoe trip
Published 7/16/05
By ALEX McRAE
alex@...
Hurricane Dennis was an ill wind, but it blew at least one good
thing to Coweta County: John Latecki.
Coweta County wasn't on the itinerary when Latecki began his 30,000-
mile canoe trip around and through all 48 lower United States last
July. But after dodging Dennis in the Georgia pines off Gordon Road,
Latecki calls Coweta the nicest stop on the journey.
The nicest and the driest, thanks to Meade and Carol Garrard, who
found Latecki in Florida and invited him to ride out Dennis in
landlocked Coweta.
"It's been great up here," Latecki says. "I'm meeting new people and
resting up and having a good time. I'm glad I came."
Latecki's latest odyssey is the second long-distance voyage he's
made to raise awareness about Multiple Sclerosis, which his sister,
Julie McAfee, was diagnosed with in 1996.
On his 2001 trip, an 1800-mile jaunt down the Ohio and Mississippi
Rivers, Latecki dodged barges, cruise ships and dangerous currents
that could have sucked his small craft to the bottom of the Big
Muddy.
On this trip, the dangers were different. Latecki shoved off in
Cleveland, eased along Lake Erie, went up the Erie Canal to Buffalo,
down the Hudson River to Manhattan and around Long Island.
He crossed the mouth of the Potomac River at the Chesapeake Bay on
Jan. 1, 2005, and spent the winter and spring paddling down the
eastern seaboard to Key Largo, Florida.
After circling south Florida, Latecki headed up Florida's west
coast. He intended to be in Pensacola on July 10. On July 6, when he
pulled into the public boat ramp in Lanark Village, Florida, about
30 miles east of Apalachicola, Latecki was right on schedule. And
starving.
He carries water and emergency food rations in the 17', 3" kevlar-
covered canoe he calls home, but Latecki was running low on supplies
and ready for a real meal. Unfortunately, the ATM in the marina
store wasn't working. Latecki had some loose change in the boat and
went back to collect enough for a couple of Mountain Dews.
Cowetans Meade Garrard and his wife, Carol have owned a place in
Lanark since 1992 and visit often. Meade was in the store when
Latecki arrived.
One look and Meade knew Latecki wasn't an ill-equipped day
tripper. "I could tell the guy had been doing some serious
traveling," says Meade. "And it looked like he could use some help."
Meade gave Latecki seven bucks and told him to get something decent
to eat.
"I couldn't believe it," says Latecki. "He was a total stranger and
treating me like this and it was totally unexpected."
Garrard's offers didn't stop at the snack bar. After talking to
Latecki, Garrard invited him to come to the family home and clean
up, shower and relax. After learning Latecki spent most of his
nights camping or or sleeping on his boat, Garrard offered the young
man a bunk for the night.
Latecki accepted; and as he and the Garrards sat around chatting,
the talk turned quickly to the weather. And to Dennis.
Latecki thought things couldn't get much worse than they did off
Rockaway, Long Island, when he had to be rescued from high waves by
the Coast Guard. He'd never seen a hurricane and didn't think it
could be that big a deal. He thought he could tie up offshore on Dog
Island and be fine.
Meade and Carol Garrard had watched hurricanes pound the Florida
panhandle for years and knew better. Meade warned Latecki that if he
tried to weather the storm on Dog Island or any other low lying
spot, chances are good he'd be washed away. Perhaps permanently.
Then the Coweta couple invited Latecki to weather the storm with
them -- 300 miles north in Coweta County.
Latecki found a place to store his canoe, hopped in the Garrard
family vehicle and arrived in Coweta County on Saturday, July 9 --
about 18 hours before Dennis made landfall on the Florida coast.
When News reports showed Dennis's damage, Latecki realized he'd
dodged a major bullet. "I had no idea it could be that bad," he
said. "There's no way I could have survived out in the open."
During his Coweta stay Latecki went grocery shopping and visited the
city's historic homes, but says the best thing was the local
hospitality.
"People treated me like a friend wherever I went," he says. "You
don't find that everywhere."
Although he's enjoyed his stay Latecki is ready to get back on the
boat. The Garrards will deliver him back to Lanark on Saturday, July
16. The next phase of Latecki's trip will take him to Mobile, then
up the Tennessee-Tombigbee waterway and eventually up the Ohio River
to Cincinnati where he plans to meet his folks for a brief reunion
before beginning the western leg of his trip.
Latecki has already broken the Guinness book of World Records' 3,500-
mile solo canoe/kayak record. He hopes his current trip will do even
more to raise awareness about MS, an incurable disease of the
central nervous system which affects tens of thousand of Americans.
"It's more of a commitment than a canoe trip," he explains. "And I
think I've helped raise awareness about MS. I hope so."
Latecki says the prettiest place he's visited so far is Savannah,
but as for peace, quiet and much-needed comfort, Coweta can't be
topped.
"I wouldn't have missed this for anything," he says.