From phone conversations with family - They have elected to stay in Lake Charles to ride out Ike. Ike is HUGE and at this writing appears to be heading for Houston which means LC will be on the "tough" side of the storm.
About 90% of the houses in their sub division have evacuated. The roads are congested to a near standstill.
This is why a evacuation mandate was not given - we now know cities cannot be evacuated in a couple of days, they cannot be.
They are filling their bathtub up with water to flush the toilets with and have bot a lot of bottled water and food and charcol to cook with (outside) when the power goes out.
Already the winds are blowing down some tree limbs and plants.
Yes, they are nervous.
They hear landfall will be about 2:00 aym Sat morn.