Greetings. This is the original blog site for Beyond Katrina: The voice of Hurricane & Disaster Recovery. The site is in archive but all the original posts beginning 8/28/2005 are still intact. The domain name when the site was active was www.hurricane-katrina.org
Margaret Saizan
From Dr. Jeff Master's (posted about an hour ago - 8/29/08 4:23 pm EDT)
Today is the 3rd anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's catastrophic hit on the Louisiana/Mississippi/Alabama coast. Unfortunately, I think that people living in New Orleans should mark the anniversary of Katrina by getting the heck out of the city. You live at the bottom of a bowl, ten or so feet below sea level. This is not natural. Nature wants to fill up this bowl with huge quantities of Gulf of Mexico sea water. There is a storm capable of doing that bearing down on you. If you live in New Orleans, I suggest you take a little Labor Day holiday--sooner, rather than later, to beat the rush--and get out of town. Gustav is going to come close to you, and there's no sense messing with a major hurricane capable of pushing a Category 3 storm surge to your doorstep. Don't test those Category 3 rated--but untested--levees. Conventional pre-Katrina wisdom suggested that the city needed 72 hours to evacuate. With the population about half of the pre-Katrina population, that lead time is about 60 hours. With Gustav likely to bring tropical storm force winds to the city by Monday afternoon, that means that tonight is a good time to start evacuating--Saturday morning at the latest. Voluntary evacuations have already begun, which is a good idea.
Read the full blog post here.
American Flag Raised at Lake Catherine, Orleans Parish, LA After Hurricane Katrina. Copyright, Matthew White
To view a selection of images click here.
CHICAGO - As New Orleans residents warily track another threatening storm, a new report presents the clearest picture yet of deaths from Katrina in Louisiana. Of the nearly 1,000 who died, almost half were 75 or older, according to researchers. Continue>>>
The federal government and national organizations have failed to meet the needs of the Gulf Coast 3 years after Katrina hit. How are local communities coming together to build a new vision for resident-led recovery? Almost three years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the breakdown of Louisiana’s federally constructed levee system, the media, Congress, the White House, our Presidential candidates and even, surprisingly, the progressive community have for the most part moved on. Continue at Facing South>>>
"That's President Bush hugging me. See how tightly he's hugging me?" It was the chilly end of 2006 in Baker, Louisiana, when Lena Beard asked me this, proudly waving a newspaper clipping my direction as we talked in her still-temporary home. The fading photo, taken the same day the mother of two took refuge on a mattress in a church after Hurricane Katrina, had served as proof after the levees burst that she was going to be okay. "I'm a veteran who has served my country and put my life on the line. I believed my country would take care of me and my family," she said. Continue at Mother Jones>>>
yes. all hell has broken loose here in Baton Rouge and elsewhere across the state today. 4:45 Bobby Jindal is holding a press conference - I am told he will talk about evacuations of special needs patients and people in low lying areas. contra flow from NOLA to Baton Rouge on Saturday. My blog posts here are becoming decidely short and twitter-ish given to the sheer volume of information that is pouring in...we've heard the shelves are empty at Wal-Mart. I'll make my run this evening to stock supplies - i have never bought supplies five days before a storm that may not even come here. People this time out would rather be over-prepared...
Three years since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, the face of Jewish New Orleans is undergoing a dramatic transformation. The traditional Southern community that was nearly destroyed by the hurricane on Aug. 29, 2005 has been energized by an influx of young newcomers and has a new pioneering spirit, community leaders say. Continue>>>
By: Rick Portier
It happened just as
the third story of the day slipped through my sweaty fingers. Governor
Bobby the Reformer called a press conference.
know what you're
thinking. Big deal. Politicians are always summoning news crews to
spout some innanity or another. But this presser was official. Even the
out of town crews trundled their giant satellite trucks up the highway
and onto the lot at the state's office of ememgency preparedness.
9
cameras, five live/satellite trucks. A couple print guys and a radio
reporter or two jockeyed their mics for position on the governor's
podium. For something this big, it's important the folks back home see
your mic flag and know you were there.
Then
he said it. If he'd been in Indianapolis, it would have sounded like,
"Gentlemen start your engines." Under the portico of the state
building, it was more like, "Katrina's coming back and she's pissed."
Bobby the Reformer was quick to point out, and repeat adnausem that
Hurricane Gustav was still many days away, but it was time to start
preparing. According to the governor, the state is doing its part. And
now is the time for the folks at home to do theirs.
In
newsrooms across the boot-shaped state, news directors, stackers, and
other house boys salivated on cue. (There's nothing like covering a
cat. 3-4-5 hurricane from the confines of the turd factory where it's
always sunny and 72 degrees.) Then they removed their station's well
thought-out ememgency plan from under the foot of the news director's
desk (where it was being used to keep the damn thing from wobbleing
everytime the head suit touched the keyboard). Blew off a thick layer
of dust and chucked it out the window.
Who
needs a plan when there's hype to spout? So from now till the killer
storm lands somewhere near New Orleans's doorstep, it'll be all Gustav
all the time. And just in time for the third anniversary of Katrina.
But
seriously, I remember the lack of preparation around the state three
years ago. Things sound a lot more organized this time around. And the
station is using all the stuff we learned during our Katrina coverage
to fine-tune our plans.
This
morning, it's looking like we'll be in evacuation/contraflow mode by
Saturday. And we'll all be eating soggy Moon Pies and MRE's soon after
that. Cue the clusterf^(#!
Rick Portier is a television news photographer in Baton Rouge. For more of his unique stories and interesting rants see his personal blog at https://turdpolisher.blogspot.com/
A spot of some humor by New Orleans blogger Michael Giordano:
You’ve seen it. You’ve heard about it. You’ve read about it. And you’re probably talking about it more than you could ever have imagined. The National Hurricane Center calls it the Forecast Cone...Continue at Best of New Orleans Blog.
This is one way of saying pay back is hell...From the New York Times Blog:
And now, a brief word about the Republican National Convention:There is apparently a real chance that Hurricane Gustav could hit New Orleans next Monday — which happens to be the day that President Bush, Laura Bush, and Vice President Cheney are scheduled to speak. Continue>>>
State extends time for homeowners to make their Benefit Option Selection
BATON ROUGE, La. (August 27, 2008) - The state of Louisiana is lifting deadlines for the 12,000 Road Home applicants who were facing a series of rolling cut off dates to move forward in the program and extending the timeframe for homeowners to make their final benefit option selections.
This change affects more than 7,000 Road Home applicants who previously had been facing deadlines to return documents, prove occupancy and ownership or resolve title and financial issues. The state is also rescinding deadlines for 5,400 applicants who sold their homes prior to the program's launch.
"After meeting with homeowners and community leaders, it became clear that many applicants affected by the deadlines were elderly and low income Louisianians who would be unable to comply with the program deadlines," said Paul Rainwater, Executive Director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. "I judge this program not by the number we have served, but by the homeowners we haven't yet been able help."
Applicants who have not returned their Benefit Selection Forms now will have until November 1, 2008, to choose their Road Home option. More than 2,615 applicants are affected by this deadline.
"We will focus these next months on working with individual homeowners to resolve their outstanding issues and to help them get the rebuilding dollars they desperately need," Rainwater said.
By extending timeframes for applicants to resolve their long-standing issues, the state is providing additional time for applicants to receive legal advice and complete complicated title work.
Homeowners who are affected by normal program deadlines, including timeframes related to the appeals process, must still comply with program rules and timelines.
"We had hoped that by offering case-by-case extensions, we could help individual applicants in the program. Because of the extremely difficult issues facing our homeowners and because these extensions were not always provided on a consistent basis, we determined that the fairest action to take was to give everyone affected more time," Rainwater said.
<Affected Homeowners
The following groups of homeowners do not currently face deadlines:
The only homeowners facing a deadline of November
1, 2008, are 2,615 homeowners who have not yet returned their benefit selection
forms. All deadlines relating to the appeals process remain the
same.
>
Outreach
Events
The Road Home has served more than 4,100 applicants at its first nine events being held statewide to support homeowners facing deadlines, with many of the applicants able to move forward because of action taken there. There are two more public events scheduled, one in Plaquemines Parish and another in New Orleans.
Applicants with Questions
Homeowners with questions about their files or program deadlines have three options:
Sold Homes
When the original Road Home action plan was written and approved in 2006 it included a provision to pay grants for applicants who sold their homes at a loss prior to the launch of the Road Home, but only if the program had funds remaining after paying compensation and elevation grants.
Applicants must have owned and occupied the damaged property and used it as their primary residents at the time of Hurricane Katrina (August 29, 2005) or Hurricane Rita (September 24, 2005).
Applicants must have applied to the Road Home program before the application deadline of July 31, 2007, and must have attended their first appointment by December 15, 2007.
Single units, double units, town homes, mobile homes and condominiums are eligible. The residence must be located in one of the 37 presidentially declared disaster parishes, must have been registered for FEMA assistance and must meet one or more of the FEMA criteria listed in the Road Home program policies.
Applicants must have sold their homes before August 29, 2006, during these dates:
###
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Six mausoleums for the unclaimed dead of Hurricane Katrina stand on what was vacant land just five weeks ago, as New Orleans - in what could be a testament to its determination - scrambles to complete a memorial by Friday's third anniversary of the storm. Continue>>>
Attorney General Buddy Caldwell hinted Monday the murder investigation into patient deaths after Hurricane Katrina may not be over. Continue>>>
On Thursday morning, while St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Detective Ben Godwin was preparing for a follow-up visit to his doctor before returning to duty, he explained why he needed medical clearance and what had happened the prior afternoon in Slidell. Continue>>>
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Carol Byram sees paradise every time she gazes at the dogwood, hackberry and cherry laurel trees in the backyard of her New Orleans home. The federal government sees the seeds of another disaster for a city still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. Continue>>>
Jay Leno: “And the Coast Guard closed over 100 miles of the Mississippi River after an oil spill of over 400,000 gallons of oil. The Federal government leaped into action…within 30 minutes of the spill. … How does this make the people of New Orleans feel, huh? They get wiped out by Hurricane Katrina, it takes FEMA, what, six days to show up? A barrel of oil spills, the White House goes, ‘No!’ And they’re down there.”
Source: Agweb.com
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Environmental groups in nine states have petitioned the federal government to set and enforce pollution standards in the Mississippi River basin and the Gulf of Mexico. The petition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency followed Monday's announcement that the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is the second largest to date at 8,000 square miles. Continue>>>
It has been one incredible ride - and the honor of a lifetime - to serve as your governor during this most challenging of times.
Eleanor Roosevelt said "A woman is like a tea bag - you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water." In my case, it just happened to be the greatest natural disaster in American history.
When you face the unprecedented, you give it your all. You don't worry about headlines. You trust history to bring perspective to an incomparable situation. And you keep working.
That's what I've done, and I leave office proud to hand over a strong fiscal environment with sound accomplishments that will lead Louisiana well into the future.
Until now, public education has never been the priority in Louisiana, but we have truly put education first. From expanding Pre-K to funding teacher pay at the Southern Regional Average to fully funding our colleges or universities and investing in new technology, our reforms and efforts will revolutionize public education and end the culture of poverty that for too long has held us back.
We are making progress in economic development as well, having helped more Louisiana companies expand during my term than any in our history. And we've taken that effort on the road, aggressively promoting ourselves around the world in new ways to bring home new jobs. After four years, our work has yielded more than 41,000 new jobs and billions upon billions in new investments.
One example of this effort is an imminent announcement on the Guide Plant in Northeast Louisiana. Since the fall of 2006 - when we learned we may lose Guide - I have been personally working with a major investor I met while traveling to recruit businesses. This deal is now in its final stages, and promises to provide some 800 good paying jobs for our workers.
Our reforms expand way beyond education and economic development. We passed the largest single increased investment in Louisiana's history to road and infrastructure improvements. More than $1.3 billion dollars hits the highways this year. Another $256 million will go to building priorities in hurricane protection and ports. You are going to see construction like never before.
We enacted new building codes to increase safety. We reformed the juvenile justice system to a national model, and passed the most stringent ethics reforms this state has seen. We dramatically expanded access to health care for Louisiana's children.
We reformed the way we act on hurricane protection and coastal restoration. We have enacted a long-term state coastal plan - and are driving the long-term regional solutions. We're actively managing our own destiny as an energy-producing state, rather than just watching our coastline disappear.
We've done all of this, and we've done it while overcoming the largest natural disaster in American history.
This state committed at least $5 billion to the recovery. And, after nine trips to Washington, I've finally checked off the last big thing on my To Do list, having secured the final Road Home help we need. More than 90,000 families now have their award checks in hand. The momentum is underway, and some 150,000 families are expected to receive grants by June.
I've often questioned why those storms had to happen to our people and under my watch. But I will always be so honored and humbled to have served during these most trying of times. We have laid the long-term groundwork that will carry us forward over the next ten to fifteen years. And we're finally seeing the very visible progress in the neighborhoods of coastal Louisiana that our people so desperately need.
Ten years from now, Louisiana will be a different place. We will reach new heights in competitiveness, productivity, good paying jobs and opportunities for our children to succeed. Thank you again for the opportunity to do this work on your behalf.
###
The Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
Louisiana's Fund for
Louisiana's People
www.louisianahelp.org
1-877-HELPLA1 (877-435-7521)
Plant a Tree on Arbor Day and Help Restore Wetland Forests at the Audubon Louisiana Nature Center
Prior to Hurricane Katrina, the Audubon Louisiana Nature Center was named one of the top five urban nature centers in the United States. The Nature Center suffered considerable damage from Hurricane Katrina which devastated its interpretive center, exhibits and the 86 acres of bottomland hardwoods and bald cypress-tupelo swamp. The swamps were inundated with muddy saltwater for nearly a month and an estimated 75 percent of the forest was destroyed. The Nature Center has not reopened to the public since August 2005 and the resident and migrant wildlife that flourished in this area have not returned in large numbers.
Please volunteer on January 19th to help BRING NATURE BACK.
When: Louisiana Arbor Day - Saturday, January 19th from 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Where: Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, 5600 Read Boulevard, New Orleans East
Who: The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Audubon Nature Institute, Entergy Corporation and Restore America's Estuaries invites all interested volunteers to participate in a community based habitat restoration project at the Audubon Louisiana Nature Center in New Orleans East.
What: Volunteers will assist the Coalition and other partners to plant over 1,000 trees in five acres to begin restoration of this devastated forest.
REGISTER NOW Email Natalie Snider at nsnider@crcl.org or call (888) LACOAST Please respond by Friday, January 18, 2008
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Nearly 12,000 applicants for homeowner aid through a hurricane recovery program have not signed up for appointments to calculate their grants — or determine their eligibility — as a weekend deadline looms.Homeowners who do not schedule a first appointment with Road Home officials by Saturday lose any chance for rebuilding or buyout money, and those who do not show up for an appointment with a housing adviser by Dec. 15 also won't be eligible for aid. Continue here.