Rosenthal expresses many thanks to her producers Jess Branas and Landry Bohn. And also a big thanks to her 100+ guests!

Empty lots at the 17th Street Canal breach site in the Lakeview neighborhood of New Orleans

Governor Jeff Landry’s actions are putting New Orleans at risk of disastrous flooding.

In the past two years, the governor has interfered with the leadership of the Flood Protection Authority-East which is responsible for maintaining and operating the $14.5 billion flood system protecting Greater New Orleans.

The governor’s actions have done the following:

• Instigated a mass resignation of knowledgeable expert board members,
• Led to the firings and forced resignations of the top department heads with decades of experience, and
• Resulted in millions of dollars annually being switched from flood protection to unneeded extra police.

Our legislators in Baton Rouge can change this, and you have the power to convince them.

LA Senators Eddie Lambert, Pat Connick, Cameron Henry, Sidney Barthelemy II, Gregory Miller and Bob Owen all have board commissioners who reside in their district. However, the commissioners are not confirmed yet by the full Senate.

Use this link and with ONE CLICK, send a letter to the six senators who can use their influence to stop this nonsense and prevent the confirmation of the governor’s hand-picked board commissioners who are wrecking havoc.

Best if you click by 5pm Wed May 27.

The event took place at the Levee Exhibit Hall & Garden at 5000 Warrington Drive, New Orleans.

On May 16, 2026, Levees.org hosted the inaugural J. David Rogers Day to honor the internationally renowned civil engineer who put his career on the line to correct the historical record on who is responsible for the levee failures in flooding in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina––the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The event took place at the Levee Exhibit Hall & Garden in New Orleans.

LA State Rep Stephanie Hilferty

Any property owner in Orleans, Jefferson, or St. Bernard Parish, if they turn over their tax bill and look on the backside, they will see where the money goes. A large portion goes to the local levee district.

That money should be used for flood protection: capital projects, levee maintenance, drainage-related infrastructure, and emergency readiness.

Instead, that money is now being used to fund what is basically private police details for select wealthy Lakefront neighborhoods.

Fortunately, Louisiana State Rep Stephanie Hilferty is sponsoring a bill—HB 1240—that will help stop this nonsense.

In addition, you should know that the levee district police chief, Joshua Rondeno, will make as much as $250,000 by 2029. The deal more than doubles the salary Rondeno’s predecessor earned.

The primary hurricane-related function of levee district police is to halt traffic so levee district personnel can close the gates. They also ride the system to ensure the gates remain closed. That is important work, but it is infrequent and could easily be handled by reassigned state police during storm events.

The current Landry-appointed levee board’s strange focus on policing select neighborhoods is a distraction that the people of metro New Orleans should be worried about.

Bob Ebeling with his daughter Kathy and his wife, Darlene, in 2016. All three have since passed away. Photo/Howard Berkes NPR

Here at the 40th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, NPR did an in-depth story about the three engineers who apparently had begged NASA not to launch. The ship exploded shortly after takeoff, killing all aboard.

The Challenger engineering disaster was due to the decision by NASA leadership to launch despite the pleadings of engineers Brian Russell, Bob Ebeling and Roger Boisjoly to abort.

Engineering students studying for their Bachelor’s would benefit from instruction about this disaster 40 years ago. In fact, Levees.org is pushing to make certain that students in the 200+ engineering colleges in the nation do receive such instruction.

But does the story of the Challenger’s O-ring failures bear any resemblance to the US Army Corps of Engineers’ I-wall failures? Levees.org’s leadership doesn’t think so.

It is now an accepted fact that in the 1980s, the Army Corps initially preferred a Barrier Plan to protect New Orleans from hurricane surges, but eventually selected the more expensive High Level Plan because 1) local officials preferred it and 2) it was less damaging to the environment.

There is no evidence that any engineers or any other experts:

• advised against allowing storm surge into New Orleans’ three major drainage canals,
• warned that the I-wall reinforced levees would fail under 1/2 the water pressure they were designed to hold or
• stated that the more expensive High Level plan was an inferior plan to the Barrier plan.

It’s now understood that the Army Corps’ I-wall reinforced levees failed due to significant design and construction mistakes. If anyone personally sounded the alarm or knows someone who did, they should come forward and be recognized.

NPR’s story about the Challenger engineers and the 0-ring failure
Levees.org’s initiative for Engineering Failure Education in the U.S.

Sandy Rosenthal will reign as Queen Yolande of the 2026 Krewe of Jeanne d’Arc in New Orleans

The 2026 Krewe of Jeanne d’Arc will roll on Twelfth Night (Jan 6th) in New Orleans in the French Quarter. January 6th is also the birthday of Joan of Arc.

Levees.org Founder Sandy Rosenthal will reign as Queen Yolande, the patron of Joan of Arc.

“Together we are keeping the Levees.org message alive,” says Rosenthal. “New Orleans deserves protecting and we will never let down our guard.”

Rosenthal was selected in recognition of her activism and contribution to defending New Orleans through her work with Levees.org. She is especially noted for her ability to build effective alliances.

Levees.org supporters are warmly welcome to participate in the festivities and/or the parade.

As seen in New Orleans Gambit Magazine.

For more about the Joan of Arc Krewe.