Families from Louisiana, Mississippi find refuge in Rantoul

RANTOUL – The day before Hurricane Katrina unleashed its wrath on the Louisiana coast, Rachel Matherne was at home watching television with her two children when she saw an appeal asking residents to evacuate.

The 28-year-old woman from Chalmette, La., packed up three sets of clothes for herself and her children, Sidney, 7, and Noah, 3, got behind the wheel of her 2001 Grand Am and drove north.

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