You first notice the trees.  Approaching Galveston on its main thoroughfare, Broadway Avenue, the trees still stand bare, stripped of all foliage after being seared all night one year ago by Ike's hurricane force winds.

    Another thing my wife and I observed driving through Galveston this past Labor Day was the number of houses, seemingly on every block, that appear uninhabitable a full year after Ike.  The commercial areas, especially the tourist shops in the historic Strand area, have recovered.  But progress in the residential areas, compose of stately homes with small yards, looks less encouraging.  The absence of property insurance, or delays in securing policy benefits, are undoubtedly factors.  Hundreds of Ike-related coverage lawsuits have been filed throughout southeastern Texas.  The outcome of these suits will be both interesting and educational.

    This story from Sunday's Houston Chronicle further captures the current situation on Galveston Island.