Hurricane Dennis approaches

Gov. Riley declared a state of emergency yesterday, urging residents on the Gulf Coast to go ahead and evacuate in anticipation of Dennis' projected Sunday landfall.

Gov. Riley said that there is a plan in place to reverse the flow of traffic on I-65 southbound but that implementing the plan will depend on how traffic is moving.

The state tourism agency is surveying the state for open hotel rooms and is encouraging people to look for hotels in the Birmingham and Tuscaloosa areas.

Gov. Riley said there are "three times as many people on the Gulf Coast than during Ivan." Riley also said that Alabama will see people coming into the state from Mississippi, Lousiana and Florida.

Three times as many?! Well, it is the middle of the summer. Maybe it'll weaken or change direction in a hurry...I mean, they haven't even fully recovered from Ivan down there.