Doyline residents are staying home
By: Stephanie Claytor
Updated: December 6, 2012
Access in and out of Doyline is highly restricted. The Fuller/McDowell Streets intersection is the only place where resident with an id, can get to the center of town.
For residents, it's frustrating.
"It has been an inconvenience, get stopped every time you try to go into town to get your mail. You can only come in town one way," said Rick Salles, who has been living in Doyline for the past 16 years.
Those who stayed over the weekend during the suggested evacuation said they've never seen the town so quiet.
"Nobody was outside," said Charleen McCray. "You couldn't hear the dogs bark, you couldn't hear nothing. It was like the world stood still. Like the end of the world."
Many said they don't feel the need to evacuate.
"I feel like they know what they're doing and if it had been an immediate danger, that they would've had a mandatory evacuation," said George Chambers, who owns a cattle ranch four miles away from Camp Minden.
When residents heard about the big increase in the amount of illegally stored explosives that need to be moved, many were shocked.
"I just can't believe they would do that. Have six million pounds over there, it could kill us," said McCray. Every single one of us...all of our kids, our family, our friends here in Doyline."
While some said they're considering leaving town, many more said they love Doyline, and are there to stay.
"This is my home. I'm not going to let Explo run me out," said Rick Salles.
The outskirts of Doyline are accessible to the public. But if you're trying to get to the center of town, that's where you'll encounter road blocks.
People can leave Doyline on Pilgrim Rest Road and Melvin Thomas Street; they can't enter town using these streets. Highway 164 is completely blocked off to all traffic between Amos Cut-Off Road and LA 614.
