Odd Beauty

A photo over at Slimbolala's blog shows the beautiful individuality of a New Orleans neighborhood.

Mr Cerasoli

Prytania Waterline has all I need to say posted
here.

The Chicory dicusses the IG's interview on WWL radio

Schroeder dicusses this issue here

kville

I thought I'd give "Kville" another chance last night, but the episode started out with a voodoo-themed murder .

What a piece of crap. New Orleans has so much to offer, they wouldn't need writers for this program. Ah, Hollywood, your head's up your ass once again.


I'm not alone in my opinion, it seems

Some good stuff

If you're not an animal lover, you may not enjoy reading this, probably thinking that the dollars discussed below could go to "something better". To each his own, I guess.


From the HSUS website, the article
Stronger Than Before: Two Years after Katrina, Gulf Coast Animal Groups Rebound

The metamorphosis of the LA SPCA is perhaps the most spectacular example of revitalization and renewal that has emerged from the wake of Katrina’s ruinous assault. Once housed in a rundown building of mid-twentieth century vintage on Japonica Street in the poverty-plagued Ninth Ward, the organization now occupies the 12-acre Dorothy Dorsett Brown Louisiana SPCA Campus, with an $8 million dollar, 21,000 square foot central building.


In October 2005 Louisiana SPCA director Laura Maloney recalls

an incredible sadness that fills me daily for the animals of New Orleans. The rottweiler, the pit bull, the German shepherd mix that died in flood waters after being left tethered to a fence or a porch or a balcony. The animals whose owners did not have the means to evacuate and who were left behind as their caretakers were rescued from the roofs of homes overcome with waters from breached levees. The dogs whose top coat peeled away as easily as a banana skin after days of swimming in pools of contaminated waters, slick with oil, silt, and salt from Lake Pontchartrain. When I think of the animals, I’m filled with an incredible sense of loss, sadness, and even anger. Katrina brought our pet overpopulation problem national attention and exposed the high level of neglect and lack of care for a large portion of New Orleans’ furred friends.



The Humane Society of the US has sent $8.35 million in reconstruction grants to 45 facilities in the region. And that money has gone a long way.

Some examples include:

The Ascension Parish shelter renovated its puppy and kitten nursery, with the goal of increasing its adoption rate. An animal evacuation facility which exhausted all of its supplies during Katrina is now stocked with the equipment and material necessary to meet the next disaster.

Avoyelles, a cash-strapped parish on the route of escape from storms threatening the Louisiana coast now has a pet-friendly evacuation shelter.

The Clearwater Wildlife Sanctuary in Covington, Louisiana facility has a new barn with housing for domestic and wild animals and a visitors center that gives children access to humane and wildlife conservation education.

The Humane Society of Louisiana in New Orleans, the Ascension Parish shelter in Sorrento, Louisiana, and the Washington Humane Society in Bogalusa, Louisiana have new vehicles for animal transport.

Take Action, New Orleans residents!!!

via email from a coworker who lives in New Orleans East:


Dear Residents of Eastern New Orleans,

I am emailing you to inform you of a zoning docket that will be up
for public comment on October 9 at 1:30PM in the City Council
Chamber, in regards to a zoning change
from RD-2 (Residential Housing) and C-1 (Commercial District)
to LI (Light Industrial)in order to permit a trailer park at
9901 Chef Menteur Highway (Chef and Read).

This zoning change will hinder our efforts to revitalize the
Chef Menteur corridor to be a vibrant gateway into
Eastern New Orleans by placing a trailer park in a vital area
of development. The businesses this proposed site such as
Crystal Palace, Winn Dixie have and will return to better
than what they were before the storm adding to the charm of
Eastern New Orleans.

Chef Menteur Highway also serves as one of the routes to the
Plaza and a trailer park would be nothing but an eyesore.
Furthermore we want to make sure that there is quality safe
housing available for residents of Eastern New Orleans not
temporary housing. This zoning proposal comes at a time when
our communities have returned, rebuilt our homes, have brought
a wealth of businesses back to Eastern New Orleans, and have
committed to rebuilding a stronger, safer, and more economically
vibrant neighborhood.

I am urging each of you and your members to oppose this request
by writing a letter of opposition and attend the City Planning
Commission Public Hearing on October 9 at 1:30pm to
express your concerns.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Thank you for your help.

Mai Thuy Tran Dang
Community Organizer
MQVN CDC, Inc.
504.255.9170 office
504.344.7806 cell
504.255.9001 fax



express your concerns to:

Cynthia Wilaard-Lewis:cwlewis@cityofno.com
The City Council also has oversight in regards to zoning changes.

Ms. Leslie Alley
Assistant Director
City Planning Commission of New Orleans
email : ltalley@cityofno.com
1300 Perdido Street
Room 9W03
New Orleans, LA 70112

or

Ms. Yolanda Rodriguez
Executive Director
City Planning Commission of New Orleans
email : ywrodriguez@cityofno.com
1300 Perdido Street
Room 9W03
New Orleans, LA 70112


click here for a form letter

==

Resurrection

Multi-faceted artist and Slidell native Phil Galatas has created a beautiful poster detailing the area's recovery from Katrina.


From his biography, written by Bernadette Duet, we find his inspiration for this poster

He saw a shadow of a noble, majestic, fleur de lis rising from the calm waters of
Pontchartrain surrounded by the glorious, vibrant hues of a Louisiana sunset. In contrast, he poised another shadow of a fleur de lis in the murky waters below, giving it an ominous edge – a subtle reminder of the ravage of Hurricane Katrina

This painting, sure to touch the hearts of many, shares a little piece of each of us who were affected by the hurricane. It is a prominent symbol of hope in desperate times. It is an affirmation that, amidst the trials and the tears, we will survive and truly resurrect our hearts, our minds, and the spirit of the land we know so well, our beloved Louisiana.

The poster will be used as the label for a merlot that will be available on October 16th at the Wine Market in Slidell.
What the above picture doesn't show is some of the beautiful detail that Mr. Galatas has included in the iris itself. What appears to be an orange top of the flower is actually a live oak tree, representing the oaks that survived Katrina's carnage. Word is that another "Resurrection" poster will soon be available for the label of a white wine and the live oak will be a cypress, representing all of the cypress trees that withstood Katrina's onslaught. I have purchased a poster and can tell you that the picture above doesn't do the real thing justice.
The poster is currently for sale and can be purchased by contacting Donna Penny at pennyiii@bellsouth.net. It's available as a poster, a signed poster or a signed and numbered print.

Scuzzbuckets of the Week

MESA, Arizona Oct. 3 (UPI) -- The sight of an old man being hit by a truck in Arizona touched off a feeding frenzy among witnesses who allegedly stole the dying victim's groceries.
sick sick sick sick sick people.

Thru Childrens' Eyes

Katrina Through the Eyes of Children is a sampling of the cathartic art that has been created in a collaborative effort between the children who live in Renaissance Village, (in Baker, Louisiana)

currently the largest FEMA trailer site in the country, and teams of registered art therapists who have been working with them since October 2005.

An eye opener for us all, this project brings home what the children affected by the storm were/are feeling. It wasn't just what was shown on CNN. Katrina profoundly touched everyone in the Gulf Coast area. And only the future will show us the long term affects of this disastrophe on the kids.

Related link:
Two Years After the Storm

Farewell, Sheriff Lee

Harry Lee has passed.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff was born in New Orleans and passed away October 1, 2007 from leukemia. Say what you want about him, but he never pulled and P.C. bullshit like most politicians do. He called it how he saw it. You'll be missed, Harry.

Voice of the Wetlands Festival

The fourth annual Voice of the Wetlands fest will be held October 12-14 at Southdown Plantation in Houma. Here's a link to the flyer

The Voice of the Wetlands' president is none other than Louisiana native Tab Benoit.

This very talented blues guitarist started the VOW in 2003 to bring attention to the vanishing coastline of Louisiana. Besides the fantastic line up of music, there will be flights over the Louisiana wetlands available for $35 per person in groups of 3.
To take advantage of this special rate, please call Hammond's Air Service (985) 876-0584 or you can click here for more contact information.

Hubby & I will be in attendance on the 13th where we look forward to seeing the VOW Allstars, featuring Tab Benoit, Jumpin' Johnny Sansone, Anders Osborne, Louisiana's "rockin fiddler" Waylon Thibodeaux and Big Chief of the Mardi Gras Indian tribe, the Golden Eagles Monk Boudreaux

So come on down to Houma and enjoy the music and get educated on the Wetlands.

Walker Website

I checked out a website of someone who left a comment on this blog. She's from Buras, Louisiana.

Her website details what became of Buras and all of Plaquemine Parish during and after Katrina. She also provides links to the different areas of the Parish and how they were affected and how they are recovering, from Industry to Schools to Agriculture and Livestock. This site is definitely worth a visit if you want to know what's going on down south of New Orleans. It's an extremely comprehensive website.

Plaquemines Parish is eroding away thanks to the barrier islands of Louisiana eroding at an extreme rate. In places up to 100 feet of shoreline are disappearing every year..