Got a complaint?

before you complain…..even about the state of New Orleans........
think of what the soldiers fighting the wars have to put up with.

Grenouille des Bois

click on pictures to view full size
The creation of Slidell's newest piece of public art started about three years ago when Slidell artist and master carver Phil Galatas went for a stroll on the north side of Heritage Park in Slidell and noticed a huge stump. As soon as he he saw the stump, he started thinking of a frog and imagining using his artistic skills -- and his chainsaw -- to carve a huge frog that looked like it was ready to jump right across the sidewalk and into the canal.


In carving what Galatas calls "one hard piece of live oak wood" he has dedicated some 40-plus hours working on the amphibian, which requires several more hours of work before being completed. The stump frog has a rotten spot in its head which he hopes to salvage by mixing cement colored to match the wood and then oiling the piece down to keep moisture in and water off the wood.

Heritage Park's newest resident, "Grenouille des Bois (Wood Frog)," is Galatas' gift to the city. He hopes it will bring joy and a friendly greeting to passers-by who enter the park, he said.


Thanks, Phil!

The Katrina Index

Published monthly by the Greater New Orleans Data Center , this report is a wealth of information regarding repopulation of New Orleans, home sales in surrounding parishes, the Road Home Program, the status of public schools and medical facility openings to name a few. This site also contains
Reference Maps of New Orleans:
Planning districts
Neighborhood boundaries
Zip codes
Extent of Katrina flooding
Elevation by neighborhood

Here's a summary of the May 2007 "Katrina Index"

Months Since Katrina Made Landfall: 20
This month’s Jazz Fest was a welcome reminder of what New Orleanians love about their home city. And with estimated attendance hitting its highest mark since 2003, the reason for optimism shared by residents and visitors is clear.
Similar positive strides can be seen in the recovery of New Orleans and her larger metro area.
First, the state recently hired Paul Vallas, a nationally-recognized public school-turnaround chief, to run the Recovery School District starting in July. Like with city recovery chief Ed Blakely, Vallas will bring quality experience and leadership to a central component of the recovery effort. Second, the pace of application closings for the Road Home program is finally picking up speed, with over 8,000 new closings this month. But the future of the Road Home remains tenuous. At its current rate, another year will elapse before ICF has processed all of the Road Home applications. Further, state officials announced that the $7.5 billion program will likely face a shortfall of up to $4 billion due to higher-than-anticipated applicants, skyrocketing construction costs, and less insurance than assumed.

And finally, as this month’s index points out, new U.S. postal delivery data suggest the continued gradual repopulation of the city and region.
Overall, this month’s index shows improvement in the economic recovery of the New Orleans area. While many of the city’s basic services and infrastructure remain unchanged, the housing market is stronger, with increased home sales and home
values, housing rehab activity and demolitions have accelerated, and jobs are still being added to the region.
Housing
.. The average sales price for single family homes in the New Orleans region continues to climb above pre-Katrina values in the outer parishes while generally remaining stable in the core. Specifically, home values in Jefferson Parish,
Plaquemines Parish, and St. Tammany Parish are now at or above the values in August 2005. The exceptions are on the east bank of New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish where average home values remain lower than those prior to Katrina.
.. The total number of single family homes sold in the metro area has climbed steadily since last December 2006 reaching 941. This growth reflects the resurgence of the spring and summer homebuying season and signals continued
consumer confidence in the New Orleans area.
.. Demolitions increased this month to 285, a big jump from 150 demolitions per month for the last two months. This may indicate that property owners are taking advantage of free demolitions before FEMA’s August 2007 deadline.
.. Residential building permits issued by the City of New Orleans increased by 1,426 this month, the highest one-month volume since last October 2006.
.. Fully 8,286 Road Home applications were closed in the last four weeks indicating that ICF International has almost reached its targeted goal of closing 500 applications per day. But given rising numbers of applications, these closings
represent only 11.4 percent of the demand.

Updated monthly at www.gnocdc.org The KATRINA INDEX



Thanks to Harry Shearer for the link

Plaquemine Parish Coastal Restoration Wins Award

click on pictures for larger size

The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) has named the Chaland Headland coastal restoration project as one of America's Top Restored Beaches.
The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) -- with NOAA's Fisheries Service as the federal sponsor performed the restoration work with funds from the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act.

The Chaland project was completed this year and is located some eight miles from where Hurricane Katrina made landfall in 2005.

Three other similar restoration projects -- Pelican Island, East Grand Terre and Chaland Pass to Grand Bayou Pass -- will create beaches and marshes that will help protect Plaquemines, Orleans, and Jefferson parishes.
The project involved pumping 1.79 million cubic yards of sand and 950,000 cubic yards of marsh fill to create a three-mile-long beach -- and backing marsh --- designed to protect wetlands against storms and storm surge. The project has restored over 400 acres of habitat but a second phase of the work is expected to benefit another 400 acres. The second phase of the project will go out for construction award later this year.

2007 Hurricane Prediction

Varg over at the chicory offers his opininon on the latest hurricane predictions .

Here's my take based on the first predictions a month ago

Great Webcomic

After the Deluge

A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge is about surviving Hurricane Katrina—and its aftermath told through the eyes of fictional characters. It's addictive.

Just the Beginning

John McQuaid: Brace Yourself -- New Orleans Was Just the Beginning

An opinion piece, penned by former Times Picayune journalist John McQuaid
discusses human complacency. An excerpt:
In reality, we are all New Orleans. Environmental change is accelerated there, yes. But similar -- and equally dangerous -- changes are coming down the pike for the rest of us; it's just going to happen a bit more slowly. And we haven't collectively recognized that yet.
…... people don't believe the data because it points to a very strange and different future, one profoundly different than our previous experience.

Culture Returns to NOLA

Culture returns to New Orleans by Jason Berry (Boston Globe 5/19/07)
In a city starved for leadership, a civic ethos is emerging from a cultural community that envisions at-risk schools and youngsters as human resources to salvage. If politicians joined that ticket, New Orleans would find itself a better, smarter, economically stronger place

Payback is now

Our Coast, to Fix or Lose

This is John Barry's article in May 12th WaPo where he argues that fixing the Louisiana coast benefits the WHOLE NATION.

Hey, all you nay sayers, all you NIMBYs, all your people out there who think Louisianians are idiots for living here: WAKE UP!!! All these years you have benefitted from the raping of the Louisiana coast. Payback is now. Do yourself a favor and educate yourself by reading Mr. Barry's article.

Here's an excerpt:


.... Eastern New Orleans (including the lower Ninth Ward) and St. Bernard Parish -- nearly all of which, incidentally, is at or above sea level -- exemplify this allocation of costs and benefits. Three man-made shipping canals pass through them, creating almost no jobs there but benefiting commerce throughout the country. Yet nearly all the 175,000 people living there saw their homes flooded not because of any natural vulnerability but because of levee breaks.....Despite all this and President Bush's pledge from New Orleans in September 2005 that "we will do what it takes" to help people rebuild, a draft White House cuts its own recommendation of $2 billion for coastal restoration to $1 billion while calling for an increase in the state's contribution from the usual 35 percent to 50 percent. Generating benefits to the nation is what created the problem, and the nation needs to solve it. Put simply: Why should a cab driver in Pittsburgh or Tulsa pay to fix Louisiana's coast? Because he gets a stronger economy and lower energy costs from it, and because his benefits created the problem. The failure of Congress and the president to act aggressively to repair the coastline at the mouth of the Mississippi River could threaten the economic vitality of the nation. Louisiana, one of the poorest states, can no longer afford to underwrite benefits for the rest of the nation.

Forgotton Buras, Louisiana

from reelrelief dot com comes the story of Buras, Louisiana"

In more than 20 months, little has been repaired. The parish (county) library is empty. The U.S. Post Office still lies in ruins. Only a few businesses have rebuilt; many people are still waiting for insurance money, grant money or to save up enough resources to rebuild.

But the desire to repopulate this town, that means so much to its residents, is still strong. EC runs a cafe, laundromat, supply distribution center, library and internet station and provides long distance service for the people in Lower Plaquemines Parish. The accommodations for volunteers are basic in Tent City: tents and army cots are available, or there is slab space to pitch your own tent. There are no walls in Tent city, just steel beams, most of a roof and inspirational quotes on the support posts. Live music is provided by musical volunteers. People work together to try to brighten up the lives of people whose options are severely limited. Individuals and groups are welcomed. It is an experience that will transform your life, as it transforms the lives of others.


thanks to Ellathebella

New Orleans' State of MInd

a snapshot of the state of mind in new orleans.

Here's another....

They are not okay.

Slideshow

Here's a slideshow put together by an eleven year old who, for his 11th birthday, asked for $11 donations to the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund instead of replacing the train he lost to Katrina .
In his free time, Jake collects toys for New Orleans children in the hospital because he's thankful for the hospital's care when he was younger. In the slideshow he made to commemorate New Orleans, Jake uses a song by Liverpool musician Joe Topping who walked from Chicago to New Orleans in support of NOMRF's efforts for displaced musicians.

It's worth the watch.

Bay Bridge ReOpens

The Bay Bridge

which connects Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and Waveland to beautiful Pass Christian will be open on May 17th, 2007, almost 21 months after it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

To celebrate this occasion, there will be a "Bridge Fest" . This will be a mostly local event by the looks of things, but the opening of the bridge represents a big step toward recovery.

Congratulations to you all!

One less Scuzzbucket

The world lost a prime-time
scuzzbucket yesterday

In my opinion, Mr. Falwell gave religion a bad name.
and I'm not alone in that feeling

Good riddance, sir

My 15 minutes...

One of my Jazzfest pix was chosen in the TP Editors top ten user submitted photos!

Emergency Planning

It's that time of year again and Seawitch has put together a great post on what we should be planning for the upcoming hurricane season.

Requesting Help

Thanks, Mr. Colbert! If only our esteemed governess knew!

hat tip Mr. Clio

Levees: Not just in NOLA

Recent news stories
about flooding in Missouri brings to light that levees are all over the country. And there are a LOT of substandard ones out there.
This shatters the belief by some tiny minded people that places like New Orleans shouldn't be rebuilt due to the geography.

From Levees dot org comes a new PSA with John Goodman.

New Orleans resident and award-winning actor John Goodman added his voice to a series of celebrity Public Service Announcements by non-profit flood-control advocacy group Levees.Org, asking "Don't we all deserve levees that work?"
The campaign aims to explain to communities nationwide that they are protected by levees built by the US Army Corps of Engineers and could experience a catastrophic flood like New Orleans experienced during Hurricane Katrina.
The 30-second version of the advertisement can be viewed at the organization's Web site, www.levees.org. For broadcasters, both a 15 and 30 second version can be downloaded.
Too many people don't understand that what happened here was a case of federal engineering failures and poor decision-making. Too many people don't understand that what happened here could happen anywhere. said Sandy Rosenthal, the organization's executive director.
The group is behind legislation to create an 8/29 Commission, an unbiased investigation of the failure of the federally built levees. Senator Mary Landrieu, D-LA will file the 8/29 Commission as an amendment to the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The WRDA bill likely will go to the Senate floor this week, said Ms. Rosenthal.
Rosenthal started Levees.Org while in Lafayette, LA after evacuating from New Orleans during the flooding in 2005.

Round Houses

Story about a Gulfport home that made it thru Katrina.

" The Kisers' home suffered no structural damage from 145-miles-per-hour
winds and a 24-foot storm surge. All of the walls and windows remained
intact, having survived the force of Katrina and the tornados spawned by
the hurricane."


Here's one of two that are being built on Lakeshore Drive in Slidell.

Bayou Liberty Pirogue Races

Despite the fact that Katrina forced the razing and rebuilding of St. Genevieve Church in Bayou Liberty, the Pirogue races will take place on June 3rd. It was speculated that they may have been interrupted due to the construction schedule of the new church, but that's not the case

click on picture for full-sized view

The 57th annual Pirogue Races will run from 1 pm till dark. A very low-key event compared to most fests in this area, the Pirogue Races offer a relaxing day of live music, home cooked gumbo, beer and people watching.

Faded Hopes in New Orleans

Here's a link to an editorial written by Geri Denterlein of Boston regarding her experiences and feelings from a recent volunteer visit to NOLA. Thanks to Ashley.

When does the evil end?

A federal judge has dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit filed by families of three people who died in the immediate, desperate days after Hurricane Katrina when the New Orleans region was stranded without proper emergency services. U.S. District Court Judge Jay Zainey recently ...agreed with federal officials who said they cannot be sued for such Katrina deaths because they have immunity, granted by the Stafford Act and the Federal Tort Claims Act. ..."One might contend that the federal decisions made in conjunction with Hurricane Katrina demonstrated nonchalance and/or incompetence on the part of those involved," Zainey wrote in a 23-page decision issued Saturday and filed in court Tuesday. "The government has publicly admitted that it made many mistakes in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. One can only speculate at this point whether these mistakes caused the tragic deaths of the decedents." Zainey continued, "This court is very sympathetic to the plaintiffs for the loss of their loved ones, however, this court is prohibited from changing the laws that Congress has enacted. As such, the court lacks the authority to award money damages for the claims in which the plaintiffs are not legally entitled." The elderly woman's body, which contained a pacemaker and a feeding tube, gave out Sept. 1 as she and tens of thousands of others languished in the New Orleans heat with little or nothing in their hands. The courts combined the following lawsuits against the government with the Freeman claim: -- John J. DeLuca, 77, who rode out Katrina at an eastern New Orleans assisted-living home, died Sept. 3 after a helicopter rescue team took him from his home to Interstate 10 and Causeway Boulevard. DeLuca languished for three days before dying, court records said. -- Clementine Eleby, 79, paralyzed and bedridden in eastern New Orleans when the storm struck, died outside the Convention Center on Sept. 1 while waiting for help.

I'm so angry I am speechless.

The Katrina Treatment

Greg Palast, author of Armed Madhouse: From Baghdad to New Orleans - Sordid Secrets and Strange Tales of a White House Gone Wild released this week by Penguin. writes about what the federal government knew but did not share in "18 Missing Inches in New Orleans"

Not every flood victim in America gets the Katrina treatment. In 1992, storms wiped out 190 houses on the beach at West Hampton Dunes, home to film stars and celebrity speculators. The federal government paid to completely rebuild the houses, which, hauled in four million cubic feet of sand to restore the tony beaches, and guaranteed the home's safety into the coming decades - after which the "victim's" homes rose in value to an average $2 million each.

But in New Orleans, instead of compensation, 73,000 have been sentenced to life in FEMA's trailer-parks in Louisiana. Even more are displaced to other states. I asked van Heeerden about the consequences of the White House's failures, the information about the levee being just one of a list.

"Well, fifteen hundred people drowned. That's the bottom line."

But why did the levees fail at all if the hurricane missed the city? The professor showed me a computer model indicating the levees were a foot and a half too short - the result of a technical error in the Army Corp of Engineer's calculation of sea level when the levees were built beginning in the 1930s.

And the Bush crew knew it. Long before Katrina struck, the White House staff had sought van Heerden's advice on coastal safety. So when the professor learned of the 18-inch error, he informed the White House directly. But this was advice they didn't want to hear. The President had already sent the levee repair crew, the Army Corp of Engineers, to Afghanistan and Iraq.