Covington pool to open July 8
By Richard Boyd TP/Nola.com 6/29/06
St. Tammany bureau
Covington’s public swimming pool at Peter Atkins Park will open July 8, an opening delayed in part because of Hurricane Katrina damage.
The pool’s pump houses were damaged by the storm, and the city had difficulty finding a contractor to repair a crack in the concrete that was discovered before the hurricane, officials said.
Mayor Candace Watkins said Thursday said she is “happy that we are finally getting it open and frustrated it has taken so long.”
The city takes over operation of the pool this year after it had been run since 1992 by the YMCA under a $8,5000 annual contract with the city, she and city Recreation Director Lonnie Tucker said. Watkins said the city wanted to assume control so more flexible hours could be established, including later hours in the evening.
Starting July 8, the pool will operate Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m., Tucker said. The pool is at the rear of the park bordering South Polk Street. The park also extends along Tyler Street and West 28th Street.
Still undecided, Tucker said, is if the city will charge children and adults to use the pool. “The YMCA charged 50-cents per swimmer. We are debating now about making it totally free . . . ” he said.
The pool is the only remaining public pool in the city.
(Richard Boyd can be reached at rboyd@timespicayune.com or (985)¦898-4816.)
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Audrey2Katrina
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Power outage an omen, official says
Entergy's system in disarray and struggling, post-Katrina
Thursday, June 29, 2006 Times Picayune/NOLA.com
By Pam Radtke Russell
Late Tuesday afternoon, as temperatures climbed to 95 degrees, power surged and then ebbed at homes in Gentilly and around Esplanade Avenue. And then finally, about 4 p.m., it went out.
For more than four hours, 7,000 to 10,000 customers sweated it out on their stoops as Entergy worked to restore power after shutting it off for safety reasons.
The outage, and others in recent weeks, underscore the system's fragility after Hurricane Katrina, officials said. Repairs made after the storm to get power restored are considered temporary. The system no longer has back-up redundancy, and won't until millions of dollars are spent to repair the system, officials said.
Before Katrina, that redundancy didn't prevent outages from happening, but it did allow Entergy to restore power more quickly. Then, Entergy had the capability to switch to an alternative power source. Instead, on Tuesday afternoon, the Pauger substation had to be shut down because it had transmission line problems.
Without that ability to switch power sources, customers must wait hours while Entergy repairs the damage.
"The real impact of the lack of a robust or redundant distribution system is that we don't have the ability to switch to a secondary or tertiary source," said Rod West, Entergy's regional manager for electric distribution.
The duration of power outages is unlikely to change anytime soon for New Orleans customers. Entergy is waiting for millions of dollars from Community Development Block Grants or another source to help restore the system's distribution infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Power outages are expected throughout the region, including in St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes, where hurricane damage was the greatest, West said.
"We expect things to break," West said. "It's to our benefit that customers have lights on continuously. Our frustration is that we don't have all the tools in the tool box that we once had to make the repairs."
The tools primarily consist of Entergy's distribution system. Only one of three units at Entergy's Michoud power plant is up and running. Once that plant is producing at a greater capacity, the city will have a reliable loop system, rather than its current radial system in which multiple lines are bringing power from outside the city.
Additionally, only 15 of Entergy's 18 substations are operating. That means power must go farther to get to some homes, and if a line goes down or there is an equipment failure in that circuit, more customers are caught in the outage.
"There's going to be outages because of a bad storm," said Clint Vince, an adviser to the New Orleans City Council on Entergy issues. "They essentially have to rebuild the system" when there's damage to one section.
Though Entergy has recently invested more than $14 million in improving the reliability of the system, it needs much more, Vince said.
"I have four letters for you: C-D-B-G," Vince said, referring to Community Development Block Grants. "This ought to be the wake-up call for the LRA (Louisiana Recovery Authority) and the state and the feds that we have to have money to rebuild the electric and gas system," he said. "You can't rebuild the city unless you have reliable electricity."
Entergy has applied for $718 million in federal financing through Community Development Block Grants. The state soon will receive $4.2 billion in grant money, but Entergy is competing for the money with other infrastructure and housing needs.
But even if hundreds of millions are invested, there's no way to prevent some power outages, West said.
"Reliability is a function of degrees," West said. "You still can't anticipate that a device may fail; it may simply not work." In the case of the Pauger substation, Entergy could have switched customers to another power source while repairs were made on equipment that helped regulate the flow of energy to the substation.
But without that device, there was no way to provide a consistent voltage to homes, which would have been a safety issue for homeowners or workers, West said.
So, that section of the system was powered down about 4 p.m. Entergy was able to provide power again to those customers between 8 and 8:45 p.m., West said.
Entergy's system in disarray and struggling, post-Katrina
Thursday, June 29, 2006 Times Picayune/NOLA.com
By Pam Radtke Russell
Late Tuesday afternoon, as temperatures climbed to 95 degrees, power surged and then ebbed at homes in Gentilly and around Esplanade Avenue. And then finally, about 4 p.m., it went out.
For more than four hours, 7,000 to 10,000 customers sweated it out on their stoops as Entergy worked to restore power after shutting it off for safety reasons.
The outage, and others in recent weeks, underscore the system's fragility after Hurricane Katrina, officials said. Repairs made after the storm to get power restored are considered temporary. The system no longer has back-up redundancy, and won't until millions of dollars are spent to repair the system, officials said.
Before Katrina, that redundancy didn't prevent outages from happening, but it did allow Entergy to restore power more quickly. Then, Entergy had the capability to switch to an alternative power source. Instead, on Tuesday afternoon, the Pauger substation had to be shut down because it had transmission line problems.
Without that ability to switch power sources, customers must wait hours while Entergy repairs the damage.
"The real impact of the lack of a robust or redundant distribution system is that we don't have the ability to switch to a secondary or tertiary source," said Rod West, Entergy's regional manager for electric distribution.
The duration of power outages is unlikely to change anytime soon for New Orleans customers. Entergy is waiting for millions of dollars from Community Development Block Grants or another source to help restore the system's distribution infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Power outages are expected throughout the region, including in St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes, where hurricane damage was the greatest, West said.
"We expect things to break," West said. "It's to our benefit that customers have lights on continuously. Our frustration is that we don't have all the tools in the tool box that we once had to make the repairs."
The tools primarily consist of Entergy's distribution system. Only one of three units at Entergy's Michoud power plant is up and running. Once that plant is producing at a greater capacity, the city will have a reliable loop system, rather than its current radial system in which multiple lines are bringing power from outside the city.
Additionally, only 15 of Entergy's 18 substations are operating. That means power must go farther to get to some homes, and if a line goes down or there is an equipment failure in that circuit, more customers are caught in the outage.
"There's going to be outages because of a bad storm," said Clint Vince, an adviser to the New Orleans City Council on Entergy issues. "They essentially have to rebuild the system" when there's damage to one section.
Though Entergy has recently invested more than $14 million in improving the reliability of the system, it needs much more, Vince said.
"I have four letters for you: C-D-B-G," Vince said, referring to Community Development Block Grants. "This ought to be the wake-up call for the LRA (Louisiana Recovery Authority) and the state and the feds that we have to have money to rebuild the electric and gas system," he said. "You can't rebuild the city unless you have reliable electricity."
Entergy has applied for $718 million in federal financing through Community Development Block Grants. The state soon will receive $4.2 billion in grant money, but Entergy is competing for the money with other infrastructure and housing needs.
But even if hundreds of millions are invested, there's no way to prevent some power outages, West said.
"Reliability is a function of degrees," West said. "You still can't anticipate that a device may fail; it may simply not work." In the case of the Pauger substation, Entergy could have switched customers to another power source while repairs were made on equipment that helped regulate the flow of energy to the substation.
But without that device, there was no way to provide a consistent voltage to homes, which would have been a safety issue for homeowners or workers, West said.
So, that section of the system was powered down about 4 p.m. Entergy was able to provide power again to those customers between 8 and 8:45 p.m., West said.
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Royalties tied to lifting ban on drilling
House vote is today; Senate hurdle awaits
Thursday, June 29, 2006 Tims Picayune/NOLA.com
By Bill Walsh
WASHINGTON -- With a House vote expected today, backers of a bill to share offshore drilling royalties with coastal states such as Louisiana say they are hoping to win converts by promoting the measure as a job-creator that will boost the entire U.S. economy.
The bipartisan group of House lawmakers -- including Reps. Bobby Jindal, R-Kenner, and Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville -- predicted Wednesday that the bill will win House approval. They are hoping that a strong showing will build pressure on the Senate, where a far-narrower bill has stalled.
"You watch these senators put their finger in the air and see how fast they come around," Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, said Wednesday. "No presidential candidate will go into Louisiana and say they are against this."
The bill would allow states to opt out of a 25-year-old federal moratorium on drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf, enacted after a disastrous 1969 oil spill off Santa Barbara, Calif. States that approve drilling would be able, for the first time, to share in the production royalties that oil and gas companies pay to the federal government. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the bill would generate $20 billion for coastal states in the first 10 years, and Jindal said it would mean about $10 billion over the next decade for Louisiana.
Supporters of more drilling off the U.S. coast have long argued that expanded exploration would free the nation from its dependence on foreign sources of energy. In order to receive a share of offshore revenues, Louisiana lawmakers have played the environmental card, saying that the money would finance the rebuilding of the state's eroding coastline.
The latest pitch casts the legislation in no-nonsense economic terms. More drilling, supporters say, also will mean more production of natural gas for a nation suffering under high utility bills. It also will mean, they say, more jobs to extract the gas from the ocean floor and deliver it to U.S. homes and businesses. Supporters say it also will preserve employment in the industries that use natural gas as a raw material and might be eyeing offshore locations as prices continue to rise.
"This is a jobs bill," Abercrombie said.
The legislation has attracted a remarkably diverse following. Midwest farmers think it will stimulate the production -- and lower the price -- of natural gas used to make fertilizer. Industries that rely on natural gas to power their plants favor the bill for the same reason. Labor groups, led by the AFL-CIO, have signed on for the jobs they believe it will create extracting fossil fuels from the ocean floor. Support from liberal Democrats, such as Abercrombie, makes it hard for critics to dismiss the expanding drilling as a Republican-backed giveaway to Big Oil.
Jindal said that the broader the coalition, the more pressure it will put on the Senate to act.
"The first goal is to pass the bill. The second goal is to have as diverse a backing as possible," Jindal said.
In Louisiana last week, Sens. George Allen, R-Va., and Evan Bayh, D-Ind., announced their support for sharing offshore revenues with states such as Louisiana.
But the House bill still appears to be a tough sell in the Senate, where the focus has been on opening up a few million acres, known as Lease Sale 181, in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. That limited expansion of offshore drilling has raised concerns among senators from Florida, who fear drilling too close to that state's beaches.
Sen. Bill Nelson, R-Fla., has said he will filibuster the House bill if it makes it to the Senate. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger urged Congress not to mess with the drilling moratorium and instead focus on energy conservation. Even Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., who complimented Jindal and Melancon for pushing the bill in the House, said it is "too broad" to move in the Senate.
The bill has other problems. The Bush administration opposes the revenue-sharing provision, saying that it will steer $69 billion away from the federal Treasury over the next 15 years and increase the federal debt. And environmental groups have demeaned the revenue-sharing provision as "a new state welfare system."
House vote is today; Senate hurdle awaits
Thursday, June 29, 2006 Tims Picayune/NOLA.com
By Bill Walsh
WASHINGTON -- With a House vote expected today, backers of a bill to share offshore drilling royalties with coastal states such as Louisiana say they are hoping to win converts by promoting the measure as a job-creator that will boost the entire U.S. economy.
The bipartisan group of House lawmakers -- including Reps. Bobby Jindal, R-Kenner, and Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville -- predicted Wednesday that the bill will win House approval. They are hoping that a strong showing will build pressure on the Senate, where a far-narrower bill has stalled.
"You watch these senators put their finger in the air and see how fast they come around," Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, said Wednesday. "No presidential candidate will go into Louisiana and say they are against this."
The bill would allow states to opt out of a 25-year-old federal moratorium on drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf, enacted after a disastrous 1969 oil spill off Santa Barbara, Calif. States that approve drilling would be able, for the first time, to share in the production royalties that oil and gas companies pay to the federal government. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the bill would generate $20 billion for coastal states in the first 10 years, and Jindal said it would mean about $10 billion over the next decade for Louisiana.
Supporters of more drilling off the U.S. coast have long argued that expanded exploration would free the nation from its dependence on foreign sources of energy. In order to receive a share of offshore revenues, Louisiana lawmakers have played the environmental card, saying that the money would finance the rebuilding of the state's eroding coastline.
The latest pitch casts the legislation in no-nonsense economic terms. More drilling, supporters say, also will mean more production of natural gas for a nation suffering under high utility bills. It also will mean, they say, more jobs to extract the gas from the ocean floor and deliver it to U.S. homes and businesses. Supporters say it also will preserve employment in the industries that use natural gas as a raw material and might be eyeing offshore locations as prices continue to rise.
"This is a jobs bill," Abercrombie said.
The legislation has attracted a remarkably diverse following. Midwest farmers think it will stimulate the production -- and lower the price -- of natural gas used to make fertilizer. Industries that rely on natural gas to power their plants favor the bill for the same reason. Labor groups, led by the AFL-CIO, have signed on for the jobs they believe it will create extracting fossil fuels from the ocean floor. Support from liberal Democrats, such as Abercrombie, makes it hard for critics to dismiss the expanding drilling as a Republican-backed giveaway to Big Oil.
Jindal said that the broader the coalition, the more pressure it will put on the Senate to act.
"The first goal is to pass the bill. The second goal is to have as diverse a backing as possible," Jindal said.
In Louisiana last week, Sens. George Allen, R-Va., and Evan Bayh, D-Ind., announced their support for sharing offshore revenues with states such as Louisiana.
But the House bill still appears to be a tough sell in the Senate, where the focus has been on opening up a few million acres, known as Lease Sale 181, in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. That limited expansion of offshore drilling has raised concerns among senators from Florida, who fear drilling too close to that state's beaches.
Sen. Bill Nelson, R-Fla., has said he will filibuster the House bill if it makes it to the Senate. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger urged Congress not to mess with the drilling moratorium and instead focus on energy conservation. Even Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., who complimented Jindal and Melancon for pushing the bill in the House, said it is "too broad" to move in the Senate.
The bill has other problems. The Bush administration opposes the revenue-sharing provision, saying that it will steer $69 billion away from the federal Treasury over the next 15 years and increase the federal debt. And environmental groups have demeaned the revenue-sharing provision as "a new state welfare system."
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Audrey2Katrina
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Mother, child hid during slaughter
They crouched in bath as 4 gunned down
Thursday, June 29, 2006 Times-Picayune/NOLA.com
By Paul Rioux
St. Tammany bureau
While a 9-year-old girl and her mother cowered in the bathroom of a mobile home near Slidell, two gunmen executed four people Tuesday night in a drug-related, gangland-style barrage of gunfire that St. Tammany authorities called the parish's deadliest crime in decades.
One of the intruders declared, "Now you motherf- - - - - - are going to die!" and the shooting started, the girl told a neighbor in the Country Club Mobile Home Park after the harrowing ordeal. After the gunfire ended, the girl and her mother waited through several excruciating minutes of silence before emerging to find four family members dead on the living-room floor where they all had been sitting a short time earlier. The gunmen were gone.
The woman dug through one of the victim's pockets for a cell phone to call 911, neighbor John Conley said.
While launching a manhunt for the two shooters, Sheriff Jack Strain on Wednesday called for increased state financing for law enforcement in St. Tammany Parish, to guard against spillover crime after a recent crackdown in New Orleans, he said.
Strain called Tuesday night's slaughter in the trailer park off Robert Road the deadliest homicide in the parish in at least 30 years.
The victims were identified Wednesday morning as Roxann Agoglia, 36; her boyfriend, Eric Perreand, 40; their daughter, Erica Agoglia, 16; and Perreand's nephew, Andrew Perreand, 15.
Conley said that he spoke to the two survivors Tuesday night and that he and his wife watched the girl, who often played with his daughter, for a couple of hours while detectives questioned her mother.
He said the mother was subdued and the girl was crying hysterically, her hair still full of conditioner from the bath she and her mom had started shortly before the shooting occurred.
"She kept saying over and over that she couldn't believe what had happened," he said.
Conley said the girl had previously told him that after Hurricane Katrina hit, she and her mother were rescued from the third floor of their apartment building in eastern New Orleans and wound up with the seething crowd outside the Convention Center waiting days for buses. He said they were staying at the mobile home near Slidell while waiting for electrical service to be connected to their own trailer in the park.
"This poor little kid has been through absolute hell," Conley said. "She's seen things that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, things that no 9-year-old should ever have to see."
The mother and child were taken Wednesday to an undisclosed location for their safety, authorities said.
No random crime
Detectives weren't sure why the killers would leave two witnesses. One theory was that they ran out of bullets; another explanation is that they were under the influence of drugs and forgot about the woman and child in the bathroom, detectives said.
Evidence collected at the scene indicated drugs played a key role in the shooting, said Strain, who declined to elaborate.
"This was not a random invasion in which some thugs kicked in the door and started shooting people," the sheriff said. "It's obvious drugs were a critical factor, and we have information that the suspects were invited in and talked with the victims for a period of time before killing them."
While declining to release many details about the case, authorities said at least three of the victims were shot in the head at close range.
"There were no signs of a struggle," Strain said. "This was a gangland-style execution."
He said the two suspects have dark complexions; one had dreadlocks and the other wore his hair in short, tight braids.
Strain said detectives are interviewing the mother and daughter who survived the 8:30 p.m. shootings to get a more detailed description of the suspects.
A quiet couple
Authorities said Roxann Agoglia and Eric Perreand had broken up years ago, but had gotten back together shortly after Katrina. They said he moved into her single-wide trailer at 161 Rainey Road from his flooded home in the 4800 block of Citrus Drive in eastern New Orleans.
Neighbors said they didn't know much about the couple.
"I would wave to them whenever I took out the trash, and we'd chat a little bit, but I didn't even know their names," said Bob Thomas, adding that Eric Perreand had recently broken his leg in a motorcycle crash.
Relatives of Andrew Perreand said he lived with his mother in Bush and was spending the summer with his uncle.
"We obviously had no idea that they might be involved in drugs or we never would have let him stay there," said Debra Haney, an aunt.
She said her nephew loved to build things and had recently erected a shed outside his mother's home and made a garden for her for Mother's Day.
"We called him Big Boy because he was always big for his age, and he liked to do adult-type things," Haney said. "He was real headstrong, but he had a good, positive attitude about life."
'Spillover crime' cited
The quadruple homicide occurred just three days after a 19-year-old man was fatally shot in an apparent botched drug deal Saturday 2 miles away on East Hillcrest Drive north of Slidell. A 24-year-old Slidell area man was arrested in Houston on Tuesday and booked with first-degree murder.
Strain said he thinks the suspects in Tuesday's shootings are from the south shore, saying the killings may become the first major case of "spillover crime" from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
He said his concern that criminals might migrate to the north shore was heightened by Gov. Kathleen Blanco's decision to deploy more than 300 Louisiana National Guard soldiers and State Police troopers in New Orleans to help reverse escalating violence there.
The crackdown was announced after five teens were fatally shot June 17 in a hail of gunfire while riding in Central City.
Strain said he plans to ask Blanco to increase staffing at State Police Troop L, based near Mandeville, to ease the burden on his deputies, who are spending more and more time handling car crashes linked to the parish's post-Katrina population surge.
"We want the deputies to be able to focus on solving and preventing crimes, and leave the crash investigations to the experts: the State Police," he said.
He said a state study conducted two years ago concluded that Troop L, which has 51 troopers who cover four parishes, should ideally have 75 troopers.
"If five murders in New Orleans brings in hundreds of National Guard members and state troopers, I would hope four murders in St. Tammany would convince the governor to adequately fund law enforcement here," he said.
Hand-delivered letter
Parish President Kevin Davis on Wednesday hand-delivered a letter to Blanco requesting a staffing increase at Troop L, after a previously scheduled meeting with the governor and other parish presidents to discuss legislation on phone company regulations.
Denise Bottcher, a spokeswoman for Blanco, said the governor will discuss the request with State Police Superintendent Henry L. Whitehorn before determining what, if any, action to take.
Parish spokeswoman Suzanne Parsons Stymiest said the request is not a direct reaction to Tuesday's slayings. She said the issue has been an ongoing problem because deputies have been pulled away from other investigations to assist troopers with accidents on state and federal highways.
Trooper Louis Calato, a State Police spokesman, said Troop L is fully staffed with 51 troopers. He declined to comment on Stymiest's statement about deputies covering for troopers.
Meanwhile, Strain sought to reassure residents that crime is not spiraling out of control, despite five homicides in less than a week in a parish that has averaged fewer than 10 killings a year since Strain took office a decade ago.
"There is no indication of rampant or runaway crime in St. Tammany," he said. "I'm not asking anyone to send in the National Guard. I just want the governor to view crime as a regional issue and give us the resources that we need."
Scared, safe
Residents in the 90-unit mobile home park about a half-mile north of Brown's Switch Road had mixed reactions to the shootings, with some saying they are ready to pack their bags and leave, while others found a measure of comfort and security in knowing the shooting apparently was not random.
"I'm scared. I'm so upset because I've got grandkids who are supposed to come visit me tomorrow," said Rose Schaller, who moved her unflooded mobile home to the park from eastern New Orleans after the storm. "I thought it would be safer here, but now I'm not so sure."
But a woman who has lived at the park for eight years said she's definitely staying put.
"I'm not afraid to live here. It was probably an isolated incident," said the woman, who asked to be identified only by her first name, Sylvia. "If anything, it feels safer here after the storm because some of the people who were causing problems left."
Veteran law enforcement officers could not recall another case in which four or more people were murdered in St. Tammany Parish.
Before Tuesday's carnage, the deadliest cases in recent memory were two triple-murders and suicides, both in the past five years and both involving domestic problems.
In October 2001, Donald C. Bulot Jr., a former St. Bernard Parish sheriff's deputy, fatally shot his wife and two children, ages 3 and 8, as they slept in their Hickory home, then turned the gun on himself, authorities said at the time. Bulot, 44, had injured his back and was unable to work, causing serious financial problems for the family.
In April 2002, Charlotte Haley, 59, fatally shot her husband, her mother and her sister before killing herself in her home near Slidell. Authorities said Haley was overwhelmed by the stress of caring for her elderly mother and mentally handicapped sister.
The case was seared into the memories of many parish residents by a chilling note Haley left on the front door for the housekeeper: "Call 911. Door is unlocked. We are all dead."
"That was a shocking case, as is this one," Strain said. "This is truly a unique crime for St. Tammany Parish, but we have solved 100 percent of the homicides in my 10 years as sheriff, and I'm as confident as can be that we will catch the people who did this."
They crouched in bath as 4 gunned down
Thursday, June 29, 2006 Times-Picayune/NOLA.com
By Paul Rioux
St. Tammany bureau
While a 9-year-old girl and her mother cowered in the bathroom of a mobile home near Slidell, two gunmen executed four people Tuesday night in a drug-related, gangland-style barrage of gunfire that St. Tammany authorities called the parish's deadliest crime in decades.
One of the intruders declared, "Now you motherf- - - - - - are going to die!" and the shooting started, the girl told a neighbor in the Country Club Mobile Home Park after the harrowing ordeal. After the gunfire ended, the girl and her mother waited through several excruciating minutes of silence before emerging to find four family members dead on the living-room floor where they all had been sitting a short time earlier. The gunmen were gone.
The woman dug through one of the victim's pockets for a cell phone to call 911, neighbor John Conley said.
While launching a manhunt for the two shooters, Sheriff Jack Strain on Wednesday called for increased state financing for law enforcement in St. Tammany Parish, to guard against spillover crime after a recent crackdown in New Orleans, he said.
Strain called Tuesday night's slaughter in the trailer park off Robert Road the deadliest homicide in the parish in at least 30 years.
The victims were identified Wednesday morning as Roxann Agoglia, 36; her boyfriend, Eric Perreand, 40; their daughter, Erica Agoglia, 16; and Perreand's nephew, Andrew Perreand, 15.
Conley said that he spoke to the two survivors Tuesday night and that he and his wife watched the girl, who often played with his daughter, for a couple of hours while detectives questioned her mother.
He said the mother was subdued and the girl was crying hysterically, her hair still full of conditioner from the bath she and her mom had started shortly before the shooting occurred.
"She kept saying over and over that she couldn't believe what had happened," he said.
Conley said the girl had previously told him that after Hurricane Katrina hit, she and her mother were rescued from the third floor of their apartment building in eastern New Orleans and wound up with the seething crowd outside the Convention Center waiting days for buses. He said they were staying at the mobile home near Slidell while waiting for electrical service to be connected to their own trailer in the park.
"This poor little kid has been through absolute hell," Conley said. "She's seen things that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, things that no 9-year-old should ever have to see."
The mother and child were taken Wednesday to an undisclosed location for their safety, authorities said.
No random crime
Detectives weren't sure why the killers would leave two witnesses. One theory was that they ran out of bullets; another explanation is that they were under the influence of drugs and forgot about the woman and child in the bathroom, detectives said.
Evidence collected at the scene indicated drugs played a key role in the shooting, said Strain, who declined to elaborate.
"This was not a random invasion in which some thugs kicked in the door and started shooting people," the sheriff said. "It's obvious drugs were a critical factor, and we have information that the suspects were invited in and talked with the victims for a period of time before killing them."
While declining to release many details about the case, authorities said at least three of the victims were shot in the head at close range.
"There were no signs of a struggle," Strain said. "This was a gangland-style execution."
He said the two suspects have dark complexions; one had dreadlocks and the other wore his hair in short, tight braids.
Strain said detectives are interviewing the mother and daughter who survived the 8:30 p.m. shootings to get a more detailed description of the suspects.
A quiet couple
Authorities said Roxann Agoglia and Eric Perreand had broken up years ago, but had gotten back together shortly after Katrina. They said he moved into her single-wide trailer at 161 Rainey Road from his flooded home in the 4800 block of Citrus Drive in eastern New Orleans.
Neighbors said they didn't know much about the couple.
"I would wave to them whenever I took out the trash, and we'd chat a little bit, but I didn't even know their names," said Bob Thomas, adding that Eric Perreand had recently broken his leg in a motorcycle crash.
Relatives of Andrew Perreand said he lived with his mother in Bush and was spending the summer with his uncle.
"We obviously had no idea that they might be involved in drugs or we never would have let him stay there," said Debra Haney, an aunt.
She said her nephew loved to build things and had recently erected a shed outside his mother's home and made a garden for her for Mother's Day.
"We called him Big Boy because he was always big for his age, and he liked to do adult-type things," Haney said. "He was real headstrong, but he had a good, positive attitude about life."
'Spillover crime' cited
The quadruple homicide occurred just three days after a 19-year-old man was fatally shot in an apparent botched drug deal Saturday 2 miles away on East Hillcrest Drive north of Slidell. A 24-year-old Slidell area man was arrested in Houston on Tuesday and booked with first-degree murder.
Strain said he thinks the suspects in Tuesday's shootings are from the south shore, saying the killings may become the first major case of "spillover crime" from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
He said his concern that criminals might migrate to the north shore was heightened by Gov. Kathleen Blanco's decision to deploy more than 300 Louisiana National Guard soldiers and State Police troopers in New Orleans to help reverse escalating violence there.
The crackdown was announced after five teens were fatally shot June 17 in a hail of gunfire while riding in Central City.
Strain said he plans to ask Blanco to increase staffing at State Police Troop L, based near Mandeville, to ease the burden on his deputies, who are spending more and more time handling car crashes linked to the parish's post-Katrina population surge.
"We want the deputies to be able to focus on solving and preventing crimes, and leave the crash investigations to the experts: the State Police," he said.
He said a state study conducted two years ago concluded that Troop L, which has 51 troopers who cover four parishes, should ideally have 75 troopers.
"If five murders in New Orleans brings in hundreds of National Guard members and state troopers, I would hope four murders in St. Tammany would convince the governor to adequately fund law enforcement here," he said.
Hand-delivered letter
Parish President Kevin Davis on Wednesday hand-delivered a letter to Blanco requesting a staffing increase at Troop L, after a previously scheduled meeting with the governor and other parish presidents to discuss legislation on phone company regulations.
Denise Bottcher, a spokeswoman for Blanco, said the governor will discuss the request with State Police Superintendent Henry L. Whitehorn before determining what, if any, action to take.
Parish spokeswoman Suzanne Parsons Stymiest said the request is not a direct reaction to Tuesday's slayings. She said the issue has been an ongoing problem because deputies have been pulled away from other investigations to assist troopers with accidents on state and federal highways.
Trooper Louis Calato, a State Police spokesman, said Troop L is fully staffed with 51 troopers. He declined to comment on Stymiest's statement about deputies covering for troopers.
Meanwhile, Strain sought to reassure residents that crime is not spiraling out of control, despite five homicides in less than a week in a parish that has averaged fewer than 10 killings a year since Strain took office a decade ago.
"There is no indication of rampant or runaway crime in St. Tammany," he said. "I'm not asking anyone to send in the National Guard. I just want the governor to view crime as a regional issue and give us the resources that we need."
Scared, safe
Residents in the 90-unit mobile home park about a half-mile north of Brown's Switch Road had mixed reactions to the shootings, with some saying they are ready to pack their bags and leave, while others found a measure of comfort and security in knowing the shooting apparently was not random.
"I'm scared. I'm so upset because I've got grandkids who are supposed to come visit me tomorrow," said Rose Schaller, who moved her unflooded mobile home to the park from eastern New Orleans after the storm. "I thought it would be safer here, but now I'm not so sure."
But a woman who has lived at the park for eight years said she's definitely staying put.
"I'm not afraid to live here. It was probably an isolated incident," said the woman, who asked to be identified only by her first name, Sylvia. "If anything, it feels safer here after the storm because some of the people who were causing problems left."
Veteran law enforcement officers could not recall another case in which four or more people were murdered in St. Tammany Parish.
Before Tuesday's carnage, the deadliest cases in recent memory were two triple-murders and suicides, both in the past five years and both involving domestic problems.
In October 2001, Donald C. Bulot Jr., a former St. Bernard Parish sheriff's deputy, fatally shot his wife and two children, ages 3 and 8, as they slept in their Hickory home, then turned the gun on himself, authorities said at the time. Bulot, 44, had injured his back and was unable to work, causing serious financial problems for the family.
In April 2002, Charlotte Haley, 59, fatally shot her husband, her mother and her sister before killing herself in her home near Slidell. Authorities said Haley was overwhelmed by the stress of caring for her elderly mother and mentally handicapped sister.
The case was seared into the memories of many parish residents by a chilling note Haley left on the front door for the housekeeper: "Call 911. Door is unlocked. We are all dead."
"That was a shocking case, as is this one," Strain said. "This is truly a unique crime for St. Tammany Parish, but we have solved 100 percent of the homicides in my 10 years as sheriff, and I'm as confident as can be that we will catch the people who did this."
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Audrey2Katrina
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Grand jury seeks S&WB records
Subpoenas involve board member, firms
Thursday, June 29, 2006 Times Picayune/NOLA.com
By Gordon Russell
Staff writer
Federal investigators are examining the connections between longtime New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board member the Rev. Benjamin Edwards Sr. and six companies that may have received S&WB contracts, according to two grand jury subpoenas sent to the agency.
The subpoenas seek records of any contracts, payments and correspondence involving Edwards or the companies. But the most detailed requests in the orders revolve around Edwards, a 9th Ward pastor whose 16-year tenure on the board has been marked by repeated controversies over his involvement in the agency's contracting practices.
The first subpoena, dated March 20, seeks Edwards' personnel file and confirmation questionnaire as well as memos he has written or that mention him. The government is also seeking "payments to" Edwards, and records of any work the water board has done on behalf of his church, Third Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, and a nonprofit he runs, Third Shiloh Housing, according to the documents.
Edwards said he had not been subpoenaed and denied any wrongdoing. He said that, as one of 14 water board members, he has no power to grant contracts and he scrupulously avoids having any business relationships with companies that do business with the board.
"I don't know why someone would think I have the power to award a contract," he said. "That's not how it works. They give me a lot of credit, but I ain't that powerful."
Both subpoenas also requested information from the board about Management Construction Consultant Inspection Inc., or MCCI, a company that, according to state records, was not formed until three months after it began doing work for the water board last year. One of the company's principals, Bishop O.C. Coleman of Greater Light Ministries, is a minister who is friendly with Edwards. Coleman is named in the second subpoena, as is his church.
Coleman, who has previously said he did nothing wrong, refused to answer questions on the subpoenas.
The second subpoena, dated May 19, was issued by the federal grand jury days after The Times-Picayune reported on two contracts worth a total $2.5 million that MCCI received in the weeks after Katrina. The company was hired by S&WB's prime contractor Montgomery Watson Harza to help it inspect damage to the city's sewer and water systems after the storm, according to S&WB records.
The second subpoena traces the links mentioned in the newspaper story. But the first subpoena makes clear that investigators had opened a probe into Edwards and his links to various contracts, including one involving MCCI, well before the article was published.
Officials from Montgomery Watson, a national engineering firm, would not respond directly when asked whether the company had received a subpoena. Rather, the firm issued a statement saying it was "proud of the hard work and dedication our team demonstrated" in the wake of the storm.
Coinciding donations
Both Coleman and Edwards donated generously to the same candidates in the recent city elections -- often on the same day and in the same amount.
In one case, both listed the same address: 4948 Chef Menteur Highway, an abandoned bank building near Louisa Street that MCCI named as its headquarters when the company incorporated.
While Coleman and Edwards gave to many politicians, Mayor Ray Nagin was by far the biggest beneficiary. MCCI gave the Nagin campaign $10,000, while Edwards kicked in another $5,000.
On his own, Edwards also spent what he estimated to be more than $200,000 trying to get the mayor re-elected. Most of that money, an "independent expenditure" that as such was not subject to state limits on political contributions, went to pay for billboards with Nagin's likeness and campaign slogan in various evacuee hubs, including Atlanta and Houston, according to Edwards. He said he also paid for radio ads in out-of-state markets supporting Nagin.
Nagin has said he was not involved in MCCI getting the sewerage and drainage contracts, and that he was not even aware the company had gotten the jobs until a reporter asked about it in May.
Questions about MCCI
After Katrina, MCCI received emergency subcontracts from city agencies, one dealing with the water system, one with sewerage and one with drainage, according to S&WB and city records.
In each case, Montgomery Watson served as the prime contractor.
Details on MCCI's part in the drainage contract are sketchy. The main contract was worth about $24 million, but city officials have not provided details about subcontracts, saying they deal only with prime contractors.
To supply workers to help analyze the state of the sewer and water systems, MCCI billed $2.5 million. Records show the company charged taxpayers $90 to $106 per hour per worker, mostly to take off manhole covers to visually assess damage. The firm billed somewhat less for its work on the water contract, which also involved taking account of damage.
Many of the company's invoices were signed by a "B. Edwards," the documents show. Benjamin Edwards has said it is not his signature and that he did not work for MCCI. Two MCCI employees said they were paid about $20 an hour.
One worker, Darold Hughes, said he was not familiar with Benjamin Edwards, but that he had been hired at the firm by a Bruce Edwards.
The other worker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that "B. Edwards" was Bruce Edwards, Benjamin Edwards' brother. His account was confirmed by a source close to the investigation.
Benjamin Edwards said he has a brother named Bruce Edwards but he is not involved in MCCI. A phone number and address for Bruce Edwards were not available, and Benjamin Edwards declined to provide a way to contact his brother.
Coleman said he does not know the identity of the "B. Edwards" who signed his company's invoices.
How MCCI came to be hired -- given that it didn't exist on paper at the time it got the contract -- remains unclear. The firm has no office or telephone number listed in local directories.
Hughes said he signed up to work for the company by visiting the S&WB's offices near Carrollton and South Claiborne avenues, where willing workers could fill out job applications.
Other links to firms
While the grand jury's second subpoena appears aimed at ferreting out links among Edwards, Coleman and MCCI's work, there is also a reference to JLJ Construction, a company that does not appear on any of the S&WB contracting documents reviewed by The Times-Picayune.
It's not clear what role prosecutors think the company might have played, if any, in the MCCI work. But the firm and its owners, James L. and Daisey Mae Jones, are listed in the first subpoena, issued in March. That subpoena also mentions Edwards and MCCI.
The March subpoena contains notable echoes of a story published in Gambit Weekly in 2001, which detailed several instances in which Benjamin Edwards intervened in contracting matters on behalf of certain firms. One of the companies for which Edwards lobbied on multiple occasions, according to Gambit, was Exceptional Temporaries, which provided workers and tools to the board for specific jobs and is listed in the subpoena. Edwards did not comment for the Gambit story but has in the past denied doing anything inappropriate.
Edwards also stuck his neck out for JLJ Construction, which received more than a dozen water board subcontracts, Gambit reported -- including one to clean up lots owned by Edwards' nonprofit.
The Joneses could not be reached for comment.
The March subpoena also requests documents from three other firms: Fleming Construction, Prosperity Consultants Management and Prosperity Management Co., none of which were cited in the Gambit piece.
Jack Fleming, vice president of Fleming Construction, said his firm had not received any subpoena and he has "no clue" what prosecutors might be investigating. He said his company had done work in the past for the S&WB, but not since Katrina.
Randall Moore of Exceptional Temporaries said his firm had not received a subpoena. He said the firm had worked as a subcontractor for Fleming Construction several years ago.
Efforts to reach the director of Prosperity Consultants Management, based in Monroe and organized in January, were unsuccessful.
It's not the first time investigators have examined Moore. He pleaded guilty to a single federal felony charge last year for his role in a kickback scheme involving a massive energy contract at City Hall. He agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in that case, in which several defendants are set to go to trial in September.
Benjamin Edwards was originally appointed to the S&WB by former Mayor Sidney Barthelemy and was retained by former Mayor Marc Morial. Nagin has not reappointed Edwards, but has allowed him to continue serving although his term expired in late 2003.
Edwards has long been a staunch advocate for minority-owned businesses getting a fair slice of the S&WB's work. He said he suspects his outspokenness is what sparked the current federal probe.
"Every mayoral administration, someone decides to do an investigation of Ben Edwards, whether it's Gambit, The Times-Picayune or the U.S. attorney," he said. "I'm a person that stands on morals. I believe it's incumbent to do business with disadvantaged companies that are local and pay local taxes, that's what it is.
"I'm not going to change from my position. And it's clear that's what it's about. It's pure politics."
Subpoenas involve board member, firms
Thursday, June 29, 2006 Times Picayune/NOLA.com
By Gordon Russell
Staff writer
Federal investigators are examining the connections between longtime New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board member the Rev. Benjamin Edwards Sr. and six companies that may have received S&WB contracts, according to two grand jury subpoenas sent to the agency.
The subpoenas seek records of any contracts, payments and correspondence involving Edwards or the companies. But the most detailed requests in the orders revolve around Edwards, a 9th Ward pastor whose 16-year tenure on the board has been marked by repeated controversies over his involvement in the agency's contracting practices.
The first subpoena, dated March 20, seeks Edwards' personnel file and confirmation questionnaire as well as memos he has written or that mention him. The government is also seeking "payments to" Edwards, and records of any work the water board has done on behalf of his church, Third Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, and a nonprofit he runs, Third Shiloh Housing, according to the documents.
Edwards said he had not been subpoenaed and denied any wrongdoing. He said that, as one of 14 water board members, he has no power to grant contracts and he scrupulously avoids having any business relationships with companies that do business with the board.
"I don't know why someone would think I have the power to award a contract," he said. "That's not how it works. They give me a lot of credit, but I ain't that powerful."
Both subpoenas also requested information from the board about Management Construction Consultant Inspection Inc., or MCCI, a company that, according to state records, was not formed until three months after it began doing work for the water board last year. One of the company's principals, Bishop O.C. Coleman of Greater Light Ministries, is a minister who is friendly with Edwards. Coleman is named in the second subpoena, as is his church.
Coleman, who has previously said he did nothing wrong, refused to answer questions on the subpoenas.
The second subpoena, dated May 19, was issued by the federal grand jury days after The Times-Picayune reported on two contracts worth a total $2.5 million that MCCI received in the weeks after Katrina. The company was hired by S&WB's prime contractor Montgomery Watson Harza to help it inspect damage to the city's sewer and water systems after the storm, according to S&WB records.
The second subpoena traces the links mentioned in the newspaper story. But the first subpoena makes clear that investigators had opened a probe into Edwards and his links to various contracts, including one involving MCCI, well before the article was published.
Officials from Montgomery Watson, a national engineering firm, would not respond directly when asked whether the company had received a subpoena. Rather, the firm issued a statement saying it was "proud of the hard work and dedication our team demonstrated" in the wake of the storm.
Coinciding donations
Both Coleman and Edwards donated generously to the same candidates in the recent city elections -- often on the same day and in the same amount.
In one case, both listed the same address: 4948 Chef Menteur Highway, an abandoned bank building near Louisa Street that MCCI named as its headquarters when the company incorporated.
While Coleman and Edwards gave to many politicians, Mayor Ray Nagin was by far the biggest beneficiary. MCCI gave the Nagin campaign $10,000, while Edwards kicked in another $5,000.
On his own, Edwards also spent what he estimated to be more than $200,000 trying to get the mayor re-elected. Most of that money, an "independent expenditure" that as such was not subject to state limits on political contributions, went to pay for billboards with Nagin's likeness and campaign slogan in various evacuee hubs, including Atlanta and Houston, according to Edwards. He said he also paid for radio ads in out-of-state markets supporting Nagin.
Nagin has said he was not involved in MCCI getting the sewerage and drainage contracts, and that he was not even aware the company had gotten the jobs until a reporter asked about it in May.
Questions about MCCI
After Katrina, MCCI received emergency subcontracts from city agencies, one dealing with the water system, one with sewerage and one with drainage, according to S&WB and city records.
In each case, Montgomery Watson served as the prime contractor.
Details on MCCI's part in the drainage contract are sketchy. The main contract was worth about $24 million, but city officials have not provided details about subcontracts, saying they deal only with prime contractors.
To supply workers to help analyze the state of the sewer and water systems, MCCI billed $2.5 million. Records show the company charged taxpayers $90 to $106 per hour per worker, mostly to take off manhole covers to visually assess damage. The firm billed somewhat less for its work on the water contract, which also involved taking account of damage.
Many of the company's invoices were signed by a "B. Edwards," the documents show. Benjamin Edwards has said it is not his signature and that he did not work for MCCI. Two MCCI employees said they were paid about $20 an hour.
One worker, Darold Hughes, said he was not familiar with Benjamin Edwards, but that he had been hired at the firm by a Bruce Edwards.
The other worker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that "B. Edwards" was Bruce Edwards, Benjamin Edwards' brother. His account was confirmed by a source close to the investigation.
Benjamin Edwards said he has a brother named Bruce Edwards but he is not involved in MCCI. A phone number and address for Bruce Edwards were not available, and Benjamin Edwards declined to provide a way to contact his brother.
Coleman said he does not know the identity of the "B. Edwards" who signed his company's invoices.
How MCCI came to be hired -- given that it didn't exist on paper at the time it got the contract -- remains unclear. The firm has no office or telephone number listed in local directories.
Hughes said he signed up to work for the company by visiting the S&WB's offices near Carrollton and South Claiborne avenues, where willing workers could fill out job applications.
Other links to firms
While the grand jury's second subpoena appears aimed at ferreting out links among Edwards, Coleman and MCCI's work, there is also a reference to JLJ Construction, a company that does not appear on any of the S&WB contracting documents reviewed by The Times-Picayune.
It's not clear what role prosecutors think the company might have played, if any, in the MCCI work. But the firm and its owners, James L. and Daisey Mae Jones, are listed in the first subpoena, issued in March. That subpoena also mentions Edwards and MCCI.
The March subpoena contains notable echoes of a story published in Gambit Weekly in 2001, which detailed several instances in which Benjamin Edwards intervened in contracting matters on behalf of certain firms. One of the companies for which Edwards lobbied on multiple occasions, according to Gambit, was Exceptional Temporaries, which provided workers and tools to the board for specific jobs and is listed in the subpoena. Edwards did not comment for the Gambit story but has in the past denied doing anything inappropriate.
Edwards also stuck his neck out for JLJ Construction, which received more than a dozen water board subcontracts, Gambit reported -- including one to clean up lots owned by Edwards' nonprofit.
The Joneses could not be reached for comment.
The March subpoena also requests documents from three other firms: Fleming Construction, Prosperity Consultants Management and Prosperity Management Co., none of which were cited in the Gambit piece.
Jack Fleming, vice president of Fleming Construction, said his firm had not received any subpoena and he has "no clue" what prosecutors might be investigating. He said his company had done work in the past for the S&WB, but not since Katrina.
Randall Moore of Exceptional Temporaries said his firm had not received a subpoena. He said the firm had worked as a subcontractor for Fleming Construction several years ago.
Efforts to reach the director of Prosperity Consultants Management, based in Monroe and organized in January, were unsuccessful.
It's not the first time investigators have examined Moore. He pleaded guilty to a single federal felony charge last year for his role in a kickback scheme involving a massive energy contract at City Hall. He agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in that case, in which several defendants are set to go to trial in September.
Benjamin Edwards was originally appointed to the S&WB by former Mayor Sidney Barthelemy and was retained by former Mayor Marc Morial. Nagin has not reappointed Edwards, but has allowed him to continue serving although his term expired in late 2003.
Edwards has long been a staunch advocate for minority-owned businesses getting a fair slice of the S&WB's work. He said he suspects his outspokenness is what sparked the current federal probe.
"Every mayoral administration, someone decides to do an investigation of Ben Edwards, whether it's Gambit, The Times-Picayune or the U.S. attorney," he said. "I'm a person that stands on morals. I believe it's incumbent to do business with disadvantaged companies that are local and pay local taxes, that's what it is.
"I'm not going to change from my position. And it's clear that's what it's about. It's pure politics."
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Audrey2Katrina
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China business group tours area
Meets in Long Beach, Pass Christian
By JOSHUA NORMAN
sunherald.com 6/29/06
LONG BEACH - A group of about 20 Chinese businessmen representing three of the largest construction companies in Beijing made their way to Long Beach and Pass Christian on Wednesday afternoon to continue talks of economic cooperation with city leaders that began in D'Iberville seven months ago.
Representatives - including bankers, real-estate brokers, homebuilders and developers from Tang Du International Enterprises, Beijing Construction Engineering Group and BUCG International Construction Company - first came to the Coast in November.
Tang Du Chairman Ningsheng Chen said through a translator he could barely eat or sleep after seeing the devastation for the first time and he resolved then to return and extend a helping hand.
"We want to help to try to make you feel proud about the future," Chen said.
The exact level and type of cooperation between the Chinese companies and local governments' rebuilding efforts remains to be seen though, Chen said, because of the numerous hurdles any form of cooperation would face.
The group cleared its first hurdle by partnering with local contractor Tony Heflin, owner of the Ocean Springs-based Gulfco Contractor Services.
Rusty Quave, mayor of D'Iberville, the first city to open cooperation talks with the companies, said their help could be in the form of financial investment, labor or planning.
Both Heflin and Quave said in the meeting in Long Beach that now they must begin getting clearances for cooperation at the local, state and federal level before anything of substance would happen.
Long Beach Mayor Billy Skellie said he welcomed the group and that he was always glad to hear of outside interest in his town's rebuilding effort, but that he wanted to hear details of their plans before making any commitments.
Meets in Long Beach, Pass Christian
By JOSHUA NORMAN
sunherald.com 6/29/06
LONG BEACH - A group of about 20 Chinese businessmen representing three of the largest construction companies in Beijing made their way to Long Beach and Pass Christian on Wednesday afternoon to continue talks of economic cooperation with city leaders that began in D'Iberville seven months ago.
Representatives - including bankers, real-estate brokers, homebuilders and developers from Tang Du International Enterprises, Beijing Construction Engineering Group and BUCG International Construction Company - first came to the Coast in November.
Tang Du Chairman Ningsheng Chen said through a translator he could barely eat or sleep after seeing the devastation for the first time and he resolved then to return and extend a helping hand.
"We want to help to try to make you feel proud about the future," Chen said.
The exact level and type of cooperation between the Chinese companies and local governments' rebuilding efforts remains to be seen though, Chen said, because of the numerous hurdles any form of cooperation would face.
The group cleared its first hurdle by partnering with local contractor Tony Heflin, owner of the Ocean Springs-based Gulfco Contractor Services.
Rusty Quave, mayor of D'Iberville, the first city to open cooperation talks with the companies, said their help could be in the form of financial investment, labor or planning.
Both Heflin and Quave said in the meeting in Long Beach that now they must begin getting clearances for cooperation at the local, state and federal level before anything of substance would happen.
Long Beach Mayor Billy Skellie said he welcomed the group and that he was always glad to hear of outside interest in his town's rebuilding effort, but that he wanted to hear details of their plans before making any commitments.
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Audrey2Katrina
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Ministers oppose casino
Small group forms to voice disfavor
By KAREN NELSON
sunherald.com 6/29/06
GAUTIER - An initial meeting of Jackson County ministers who oppose gambling in the county turned up 13 representatives from area churches, but they expect the attendance to triple once the word gets out.
The next meeting will be July 12.
The group formed a mission statement: Say yes to families, no to casinos.
Though Jackson County firmly voted down gambling in the 1990s, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has proposed placing a casino on 100 acres it bought along Mississippi 57, just south of Interstate 10, seeking to invoke a privilege it has allowing casinos on tribal lands.
The Choctaws must go through a process that includes environmental and other studies, and state approval. But they have said they also will seek community approval.
The ministers are the first in the county to express solid disapproval. Harrison County casinos oppose the Choctaws because of the competitive advantage the tribe would have in placing their casino between Harrison County and the flow of customers from Alabama and Florida and because the Choctaws would be exempt from taxes.
Charles Rodgers, associate missionary for the Jackson County Baptist Association, attended the meeting Wednesday at the Crossroads Church of the Nazarene, not far from the Choctaw land.
"I'm excited about getting a unified voice to our community," Rodgers said. But he warned that as the group grows, it will take in other points of view, and he said he hopes it doesn't move to far from the theme of speaking on behalf of the family.
Tom Miller, also with the Baptist Association, said casinos represent a get-rich-quick mentality, a temptation to undermine the family.
"I think we have enough casinos as it is, more than we want," Miller said. "They come with a price - financial and spiritual costs. They bring down the quality of life."
Miller said casinos propose to bring in money to the area, but wind up costing the county with infrastructure needs.
In the closing prayer, Michael Barnett with First Baptist of Ocean Springs, asked, "Help us be clear in our stand... and to stay unified."
Small group forms to voice disfavor
By KAREN NELSON
sunherald.com 6/29/06
GAUTIER - An initial meeting of Jackson County ministers who oppose gambling in the county turned up 13 representatives from area churches, but they expect the attendance to triple once the word gets out.
The next meeting will be July 12.
The group formed a mission statement: Say yes to families, no to casinos.
Though Jackson County firmly voted down gambling in the 1990s, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has proposed placing a casino on 100 acres it bought along Mississippi 57, just south of Interstate 10, seeking to invoke a privilege it has allowing casinos on tribal lands.
The Choctaws must go through a process that includes environmental and other studies, and state approval. But they have said they also will seek community approval.
The ministers are the first in the county to express solid disapproval. Harrison County casinos oppose the Choctaws because of the competitive advantage the tribe would have in placing their casino between Harrison County and the flow of customers from Alabama and Florida and because the Choctaws would be exempt from taxes.
Charles Rodgers, associate missionary for the Jackson County Baptist Association, attended the meeting Wednesday at the Crossroads Church of the Nazarene, not far from the Choctaw land.
"I'm excited about getting a unified voice to our community," Rodgers said. But he warned that as the group grows, it will take in other points of view, and he said he hopes it doesn't move to far from the theme of speaking on behalf of the family.
Tom Miller, also with the Baptist Association, said casinos represent a get-rich-quick mentality, a temptation to undermine the family.
"I think we have enough casinos as it is, more than we want," Miller said. "They come with a price - financial and spiritual costs. They bring down the quality of life."
Miller said casinos propose to bring in money to the area, but wind up costing the county with infrastructure needs.
In the closing prayer, Michael Barnett with First Baptist of Ocean Springs, asked, "Help us be clear in our stand... and to stay unified."
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Audrey2Katrina
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Hooters boat involved in chase, arrests
Thursday, June 29, 2006 - Mobile Press Register
By PENELOPE McCLENNY
Staff Reporter
MOBILE: A 38-foot fishing boat emblazoned with the Hooters restaurant logo is back in the hands of its North Carolina owner after a highway chase that led to the arrest of a Mobile-area hunter and sport fisherman, according to the Mobile County Sheriff's Office.
Edmund H. "Eddie" Smith IV was released on a $2,050 bond Tuesday on charges of menacing, reckless endangerment and carrying a pistol without a permit, sheriff's spokesman Chad Tucker said.
Alabama State Troopers called the Sheriff's Office at 5 p.m. Monday after witnessing the end of a chase between Smith and Alden Thornton of North Carolina.
Thornton, who was towing the boat, and Smith, who was chasing him, both "flew into the median" of Dauphin Island Parkway, near Interstate 10, Tucker said.
"A trooper had actually witnessed Edmund Smith beating a .45-caliber pistol against the window in his vehicle," Tucker said, adding that Smith was "tapping the gun on the window toward" Thornton.
Thornton had repossessed the boat from Smith, Tucker said. At the scene, however, Smith told authorities that Thornton had stolen the boat from him.
"At the scene on I-10, we were unable to determine who was the rightful owner of the boat, so we impounded it," Tucker said.
A judge later ruled that the boat, a Fountain Tournament Edition with four 250-horsepower engines, belonged to Thornton. Authorities released the vessel to him, Tucker said.
Contacted Wednesday, Thornton declined to comment on the incident.
While the relationship between Smith and Thornton was unclear, both men are involved in sport-fishing tournaments.
Smith was on probation, Tucker said, and "had removed an ankle bracelet to go to a fishing tournament, which he won."
"He also had an active warrant out of Baldwin County for fraud," Tucker said.
Team Hooters, while captained by Thornton, won first place in the pro division of the Kajun Sportsman king mackerel tournament held June 17-18 at Port Fourchon, La., according to reports.
In 1998, Smith pled guilty in federal court to illegally importing a deer that he killed in Canada in 1994. Smith was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Bert Milling to a year of probation and a $2,500 fine and was forced to hand over the trophy head, a fox hide and a coyote hide to the government.
Thursday, June 29, 2006 - Mobile Press Register
By PENELOPE McCLENNY
Staff Reporter
MOBILE: A 38-foot fishing boat emblazoned with the Hooters restaurant logo is back in the hands of its North Carolina owner after a highway chase that led to the arrest of a Mobile-area hunter and sport fisherman, according to the Mobile County Sheriff's Office.
Edmund H. "Eddie" Smith IV was released on a $2,050 bond Tuesday on charges of menacing, reckless endangerment and carrying a pistol without a permit, sheriff's spokesman Chad Tucker said.
Alabama State Troopers called the Sheriff's Office at 5 p.m. Monday after witnessing the end of a chase between Smith and Alden Thornton of North Carolina.
Thornton, who was towing the boat, and Smith, who was chasing him, both "flew into the median" of Dauphin Island Parkway, near Interstate 10, Tucker said.
"A trooper had actually witnessed Edmund Smith beating a .45-caliber pistol against the window in his vehicle," Tucker said, adding that Smith was "tapping the gun on the window toward" Thornton.
Thornton had repossessed the boat from Smith, Tucker said. At the scene, however, Smith told authorities that Thornton had stolen the boat from him.
"At the scene on I-10, we were unable to determine who was the rightful owner of the boat, so we impounded it," Tucker said.
A judge later ruled that the boat, a Fountain Tournament Edition with four 250-horsepower engines, belonged to Thornton. Authorities released the vessel to him, Tucker said.
Contacted Wednesday, Thornton declined to comment on the incident.
While the relationship between Smith and Thornton was unclear, both men are involved in sport-fishing tournaments.
Smith was on probation, Tucker said, and "had removed an ankle bracelet to go to a fishing tournament, which he won."
"He also had an active warrant out of Baldwin County for fraud," Tucker said.
Team Hooters, while captained by Thornton, won first place in the pro division of the Kajun Sportsman king mackerel tournament held June 17-18 at Port Fourchon, La., according to reports.
In 1998, Smith pled guilty in federal court to illegally importing a deer that he killed in Canada in 1994. Smith was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Bert Milling to a year of probation and a $2,500 fine and was forced to hand over the trophy head, a fox hide and a coyote hide to the government.
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Audrey2Katrina
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Holloway endorses use of direct deposit
City of Biloxi: Update
Mayor A.J. Holloway is joining the Treasury Department and other agencies in encouraging residents to sign up for direct deposit to ensure uninterrupted access to Social Security payments or other funds, a service particularly useful in hurricane-prone areas.
The Treasury and Federal Reserve Banks are promoting “Go Direct,” a campaign where recipients of federal aid can call the Go Direct helpline at (800) 333-1795, sign up online at http://www.GoDirect.org, or visit their local bank, credit union or Social Security Administration office.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Treasury worked with the Social Security Administration to deliver Social Security and other federal payments to displaced recipients as quickly as possible. However, those already using direct deposit had immediate access to their funds from virtually anywhere, thanks to ATMs and financial institution networks.
“Using direct deposit means that your check will be automatically transmitted to your financial institution in a timely manner,” Holloway said. “It also eliminates the risk of lost, stolen or forged checks. Direct deposit is a good thing for everyone to use, particularly those who live in areas prone to hurricanes or other factors that could cause an interruption of mail service. The fact is, direct deposit should be a part of everyone’s storm preparedness plan.”
More info on direct deposit
“Go Direct” has established web sites at http://www.GoDirect.org where people and organizations can learn more about the campaign and the benefits of direct deposit, as well as sign up online for direct deposit of federal benefits.
The campaign also has toll-free numbers to help people sign up for direct deposit right over the telephone: (800) 333-1795.
City of Biloxi: Update
Mayor A.J. Holloway is joining the Treasury Department and other agencies in encouraging residents to sign up for direct deposit to ensure uninterrupted access to Social Security payments or other funds, a service particularly useful in hurricane-prone areas.
The Treasury and Federal Reserve Banks are promoting “Go Direct,” a campaign where recipients of federal aid can call the Go Direct helpline at (800) 333-1795, sign up online at http://www.GoDirect.org, or visit their local bank, credit union or Social Security Administration office.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Treasury worked with the Social Security Administration to deliver Social Security and other federal payments to displaced recipients as quickly as possible. However, those already using direct deposit had immediate access to their funds from virtually anywhere, thanks to ATMs and financial institution networks.
“Using direct deposit means that your check will be automatically transmitted to your financial institution in a timely manner,” Holloway said. “It also eliminates the risk of lost, stolen or forged checks. Direct deposit is a good thing for everyone to use, particularly those who live in areas prone to hurricanes or other factors that could cause an interruption of mail service. The fact is, direct deposit should be a part of everyone’s storm preparedness plan.”
More info on direct deposit
“Go Direct” has established web sites at http://www.GoDirect.org where people and organizations can learn more about the campaign and the benefits of direct deposit, as well as sign up online for direct deposit of federal benefits.
The campaign also has toll-free numbers to help people sign up for direct deposit right over the telephone: (800) 333-1795.
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Audrey2Katrina
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- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 10:39 pm
- Location: Metaire, La.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Orleans Judge orders governor to appear in New Orleans
By Gwen Filosa - TP/NOLA.com
Staff writer
An Orleans Parish judge Friday issued a subpoena for Gov. Kathleen Blanco to appear in his court in late July to discuss the struggling public defender system.
Judge Arthur Hunter ordered Blanco to appear after holding a fact-finding hearing Friday morning over how the cash-strapped and understaffed public defender office in Orleans will manage to represent poor defendants in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
The Orleans Parish Indigent Defender program had 70 attorneys per-Katrina, but now has fewer than 30 on board, said Chief Public Defender Tilden Greenbaum.
Hunter said the problem is so serious that he wants Blanco to appear at a hearing later next month.
Blanco persuaded the Legislature to double the money allotted to the statewide Indigent Defender program, to $20 million, but it still must be shared among 41 districts.
Almost three-quarters of the Orleans Parish public defender program is paid for by traffic fines and fees, which before the storm amounted to an average of $100,000 per month.
At Friday’s hearing, attorney Phil Wittmann said the newly appointed Orleans Parish Indigent Defender Board, of which he is a member, is making strides to repair the public defense program in Orleans. The board has just hired Ronald Sullivan, a Yale Law School professor and a former director of the Washington, D.C. public defender program, to help organize Orleans’ indigent defender office.
The criminal justice system also now has air conditioning on the first and second floors of the aging House of Detention so that the workspace “is no longer intolerable for public defenders and prosecutors,” Wittmann said.
While Orleans Parish Prison remains flood damaged from the Aug. 29 disaster, the House of Detention is housing most of the 1,600 inmates that Sheriff Marlin Gusman watches over in the 2700 block of Perdido Street.
A U.S. Department of Justice study recently concluded that the public defender’s office in New Orleans needs at least $10 million to operate for a year, hiring 70 full-time attorneys, along with support staff, and getting a computer system to track cases. It also needs a more reliable source of money, the study found.
Pre-Katrina, the public defender office in New Orleans ran on a $2.5 million annual budget, of which almost 80 percent came from court fees. Public defenders are paid $29,000 annually, which the Justice Department called insufficient, although attorneys often work part time for the court system and handle private cases on the side.
Orleans Judge orders governor to appear in New Orleans
By Gwen Filosa - TP/NOLA.com
Staff writer
An Orleans Parish judge Friday issued a subpoena for Gov. Kathleen Blanco to appear in his court in late July to discuss the struggling public defender system.
Judge Arthur Hunter ordered Blanco to appear after holding a fact-finding hearing Friday morning over how the cash-strapped and understaffed public defender office in Orleans will manage to represent poor defendants in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
The Orleans Parish Indigent Defender program had 70 attorneys per-Katrina, but now has fewer than 30 on board, said Chief Public Defender Tilden Greenbaum.
Hunter said the problem is so serious that he wants Blanco to appear at a hearing later next month.
Blanco persuaded the Legislature to double the money allotted to the statewide Indigent Defender program, to $20 million, but it still must be shared among 41 districts.
Almost three-quarters of the Orleans Parish public defender program is paid for by traffic fines and fees, which before the storm amounted to an average of $100,000 per month.
At Friday’s hearing, attorney Phil Wittmann said the newly appointed Orleans Parish Indigent Defender Board, of which he is a member, is making strides to repair the public defense program in Orleans. The board has just hired Ronald Sullivan, a Yale Law School professor and a former director of the Washington, D.C. public defender program, to help organize Orleans’ indigent defender office.
The criminal justice system also now has air conditioning on the first and second floors of the aging House of Detention so that the workspace “is no longer intolerable for public defenders and prosecutors,” Wittmann said.
While Orleans Parish Prison remains flood damaged from the Aug. 29 disaster, the House of Detention is housing most of the 1,600 inmates that Sheriff Marlin Gusman watches over in the 2700 block of Perdido Street.
A U.S. Department of Justice study recently concluded that the public defender’s office in New Orleans needs at least $10 million to operate for a year, hiring 70 full-time attorneys, along with support staff, and getting a computer system to track cases. It also needs a more reliable source of money, the study found.
Pre-Katrina, the public defender office in New Orleans ran on a $2.5 million annual budget, of which almost 80 percent came from court fees. Public defenders are paid $29,000 annually, which the Justice Department called insufficient, although attorneys often work part time for the court system and handle private cases on the side.
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Audrey2Katrina
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Georgia gunman might have been Lacombe murderer
Friday 6/30/06
TP-NOLA.com
A man killed in a shootout with police that also left an officer dead Thursday night in an Atlanta suburb is believed to have been a Lacombe man wanted in connection with a drug-related Valentine’s Day murder in St. Tammany Parish, authorities said.
Dekalb County Police Detective Dennis Stepnowski, 33, was fatally shot during a foot chase with a man at an apartment complex near Stone Mountain, Ga., police said.
The suspect, who also was killed in the exchange of gunfire with Stepnowski and his partner, has not been identified.
However, a couple of distinctive tattoos have led detectives to believe the man was Lucas Palmer, 24, of Lacombe, who was wanted on a first-degree murder warrant in connection with the death of Corey Casborn, 23, also of Lacombe, said St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office Capt. George Bonnett.
"We are waiting for fingerprint confirmation on the suspect’s identity,” Bonnett said. “However, we are confident that it is indeed Palmer and that he no longer poses a threat to anyone in St. Tammany or elsewhere.”
Palmer allegedly shot Casborn in the head Feb. 14 during a botched drug deal in Lacombe. Casborn’s charred body was found five days later in a burned sport-utility vehicle in nearby woods.
Palmer’s alleged accomplice, Jermaine Burns, 24, of Lacombe, was booked with first-degree murder Feb. 24.
Casborn drove to Palmer’s home at 27233 S. E. Price Alley in a 2001 Lincoln Navigator and was met by Burns and Palmer, who allegedly got into Casborn’s vehicle and shot him in the head, sheriff’s deputies said.
With Burns following in another vehicle, Palmer drove the SUV to a wooded area off U.S. 190 and torched the vehicle with Casborn’s body inside, detectives said.
Detectives said the alleged drug deal involved a large amount of narcotics that Palmer and Burns took after Casborn was killed.
Dekalb police said Stepnowski and another officer were on routine patrol Thursday about 7 p.m. when they saw a man behaving suspiciously and began running after him.
At some point during the chase, shots were fired, according to a police spokesman, who did not say who fired first.
Stepnowski was a 12-year veteran and member of the SWAT team.
Friday 6/30/06
TP-NOLA.com
A man killed in a shootout with police that also left an officer dead Thursday night in an Atlanta suburb is believed to have been a Lacombe man wanted in connection with a drug-related Valentine’s Day murder in St. Tammany Parish, authorities said.
Dekalb County Police Detective Dennis Stepnowski, 33, was fatally shot during a foot chase with a man at an apartment complex near Stone Mountain, Ga., police said.
The suspect, who also was killed in the exchange of gunfire with Stepnowski and his partner, has not been identified.
However, a couple of distinctive tattoos have led detectives to believe the man was Lucas Palmer, 24, of Lacombe, who was wanted on a first-degree murder warrant in connection with the death of Corey Casborn, 23, also of Lacombe, said St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office Capt. George Bonnett.
"We are waiting for fingerprint confirmation on the suspect’s identity,” Bonnett said. “However, we are confident that it is indeed Palmer and that he no longer poses a threat to anyone in St. Tammany or elsewhere.”
Palmer allegedly shot Casborn in the head Feb. 14 during a botched drug deal in Lacombe. Casborn’s charred body was found five days later in a burned sport-utility vehicle in nearby woods.
Palmer’s alleged accomplice, Jermaine Burns, 24, of Lacombe, was booked with first-degree murder Feb. 24.
Casborn drove to Palmer’s home at 27233 S. E. Price Alley in a 2001 Lincoln Navigator and was met by Burns and Palmer, who allegedly got into Casborn’s vehicle and shot him in the head, sheriff’s deputies said.
With Burns following in another vehicle, Palmer drove the SUV to a wooded area off U.S. 190 and torched the vehicle with Casborn’s body inside, detectives said.
Detectives said the alleged drug deal involved a large amount of narcotics that Palmer and Burns took after Casborn was killed.
Dekalb police said Stepnowski and another officer were on routine patrol Thursday about 7 p.m. when they saw a man behaving suspiciously and began running after him.
At some point during the chase, shots were fired, according to a police spokesman, who did not say who fired first.
Stepnowski was a 12-year veteran and member of the SWAT team.
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Audrey2Katrina
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State closer to netting offshore revenue
Delegation makes headway on the Hill
Friday, June 30, 2006 T-P/NOLA.com
By Bill Walsh
Washington bureau
WASHINGTON -- Louisiana's long campaign to snag a share of offshore drilling revenue moved ahead on two important fronts Thursday, with the House passing a bill projected to generate $9 billion for the state over the next decade and key senators striking a first-ever bargain to give Louisiana a percentage of new production in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
The money is still a long way off, as the full Senate would need to approve the revenue-sharing deal. A vote is likely in July. Then, the House and Senate would have to reconcile vastly different approaches. Already, senators from Florida have threatened to filibuster the House bill if it ever comes to the Senate, and the White House has voiced strong opposition.
Still, Thursday's developments indicate that after decades of trying, Louisiana's congressional delegation has finally convinced enough lawmakers in other parts of the country that the state deserves to share in the abundant revenue generated annually off its coast.
"I think this is a huge step forward," said Rep. Bobby Jindal, R-Kenner, who led the charge for Louisiana in the House along with Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville. "This includes revenue-sharing but also includes provisions for coastal protections and provisions we think will result in more (oil and gas) production and lower energy prices."
Drilling moratorium
The House measure would lift a 25-year-old drilling moratorium off the U.S. coast and allow states to share in the federal royalties paid by oil and gas companies. The moratorium excludes most parts of the Gulf of Mexico, where the bulk of U.S. oil and gas is produced.
Backed by environmental groups, Democrats from Florida and California led the opposition to the House measure, saying that it could lead to oil spills close to shore.
The bill would prohibit drilling up to 50 miles off the east and west coasts of the United States, unless those states vote to allow it. That provision, along with projections of new jobs and cheaper natural gas, helped to win the support of enough Democrats to pass the bill relatively easily. In the end, 40 Democrats voted for it.
The 232-187 House vote to approve the Deep Ocean Energy Resources (DOER) Act came over Bush administration objections to the price tag. In a statement Thursday, the White House said it supported passage of the bill to "advance the legislative process," but also said it would divert "several hundred billion dollars over 60 years" from the federal Treasury.
The statement said the White House favored the narrower revenue-sharing approach being pursued in the Senate, which would give states a share of production on new leases, not existing ones.
"The administration strongly opposes the bill's revenue-sharing provisions because of their adverse long-term consequences for the federal deficit," the White House said.
Appealing to conservatives
Louisiana's cut of the House proposal was scaled back in the past 48 hours to trim the overall costs and soften opposition among fiscal conservatives. Originally, all coastal states with drilling off their shores would have gotten 75 percent of the federal royalties on oil and gas produced within 12 miles of shore.
The new formula directs 25 percent to coastal states in the first five years, gradually increasing to 50 percent 10 years after enactment. The scaled-back formula effectively reduced Louisiana's projected share over the next decade by more than $1 billion.
Despite the changes, Jindal predicted that after 10 years, the arrangement could mean as much as $2 billion a year to the state, money that would be put into repairing Louisiana's eroding coastline.
The deal in the Senate grew out of meetings Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., had over the past two days with Senate Republican leaders. She was negotiating at the behest of other Gulf Coast senators, who agreed to the bargain at a meeting late Thursday afternoon.
"This agreement marks a significant victory in our delegation's decade-long fight to secure our fair share of the substantial revenue we generate each year," Landrieu said in a prepared statement.
Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., applauded the breakthrough, but was slightly more circumspect.
"It's not everything we would have wanted, but I think it's good enough," Lott said. "We ought to pass it."
New natural gas wells
Under the arrangement, some 8 million acres in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, partly covering an area known as Lease Sale 181, would be opened to oil and gas production. It is believed the area contains enough natural gas to fill the nation's needs for six years.
Of the expected royalties paid to the federal Treasury, 37.5 percent would be paid into a coastal impact assistance fund and divvied up among the states of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, with Louisiana getting about a third. Landrieu's office estimated the state would collect $200 million in the first 10 years.
After 2017, the scope of the deal would broaden, cutting coastal states in for a share of royalties on all new wells in the entire Gulf of Mexico. Landrieu's office estimated the state's annual share at that point could be $650 million.
"We've seen models from people in the industry saying it could be twice that if not more," said Adam Sharp, Landrieu's spokesman.
The money would be in addition to the $135 million per year over the next four years for the state that came out of the energy bill last year.
Sen. David Vitter, R-La., said in a statement that based on the House vote and the Senate deal, royalty sharing has an "excellent shot."
"I think that the more focused approach (of the Senate) is a lot more likely than the broad House approach, but certainly what the House has been doing has helped our efforts enormously," Vitter said.
Delegation makes headway on the Hill
Friday, June 30, 2006 T-P/NOLA.com
By Bill Walsh
Washington bureau
WASHINGTON -- Louisiana's long campaign to snag a share of offshore drilling revenue moved ahead on two important fronts Thursday, with the House passing a bill projected to generate $9 billion for the state over the next decade and key senators striking a first-ever bargain to give Louisiana a percentage of new production in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
The money is still a long way off, as the full Senate would need to approve the revenue-sharing deal. A vote is likely in July. Then, the House and Senate would have to reconcile vastly different approaches. Already, senators from Florida have threatened to filibuster the House bill if it ever comes to the Senate, and the White House has voiced strong opposition.
Still, Thursday's developments indicate that after decades of trying, Louisiana's congressional delegation has finally convinced enough lawmakers in other parts of the country that the state deserves to share in the abundant revenue generated annually off its coast.
"I think this is a huge step forward," said Rep. Bobby Jindal, R-Kenner, who led the charge for Louisiana in the House along with Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville. "This includes revenue-sharing but also includes provisions for coastal protections and provisions we think will result in more (oil and gas) production and lower energy prices."
Drilling moratorium
The House measure would lift a 25-year-old drilling moratorium off the U.S. coast and allow states to share in the federal royalties paid by oil and gas companies. The moratorium excludes most parts of the Gulf of Mexico, where the bulk of U.S. oil and gas is produced.
Backed by environmental groups, Democrats from Florida and California led the opposition to the House measure, saying that it could lead to oil spills close to shore.
The bill would prohibit drilling up to 50 miles off the east and west coasts of the United States, unless those states vote to allow it. That provision, along with projections of new jobs and cheaper natural gas, helped to win the support of enough Democrats to pass the bill relatively easily. In the end, 40 Democrats voted for it.
The 232-187 House vote to approve the Deep Ocean Energy Resources (DOER) Act came over Bush administration objections to the price tag. In a statement Thursday, the White House said it supported passage of the bill to "advance the legislative process," but also said it would divert "several hundred billion dollars over 60 years" from the federal Treasury.
The statement said the White House favored the narrower revenue-sharing approach being pursued in the Senate, which would give states a share of production on new leases, not existing ones.
"The administration strongly opposes the bill's revenue-sharing provisions because of their adverse long-term consequences for the federal deficit," the White House said.
Appealing to conservatives
Louisiana's cut of the House proposal was scaled back in the past 48 hours to trim the overall costs and soften opposition among fiscal conservatives. Originally, all coastal states with drilling off their shores would have gotten 75 percent of the federal royalties on oil and gas produced within 12 miles of shore.
The new formula directs 25 percent to coastal states in the first five years, gradually increasing to 50 percent 10 years after enactment. The scaled-back formula effectively reduced Louisiana's projected share over the next decade by more than $1 billion.
Despite the changes, Jindal predicted that after 10 years, the arrangement could mean as much as $2 billion a year to the state, money that would be put into repairing Louisiana's eroding coastline.
The deal in the Senate grew out of meetings Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., had over the past two days with Senate Republican leaders. She was negotiating at the behest of other Gulf Coast senators, who agreed to the bargain at a meeting late Thursday afternoon.
"This agreement marks a significant victory in our delegation's decade-long fight to secure our fair share of the substantial revenue we generate each year," Landrieu said in a prepared statement.
Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., applauded the breakthrough, but was slightly more circumspect.
"It's not everything we would have wanted, but I think it's good enough," Lott said. "We ought to pass it."
New natural gas wells
Under the arrangement, some 8 million acres in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, partly covering an area known as Lease Sale 181, would be opened to oil and gas production. It is believed the area contains enough natural gas to fill the nation's needs for six years.
Of the expected royalties paid to the federal Treasury, 37.5 percent would be paid into a coastal impact assistance fund and divvied up among the states of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, with Louisiana getting about a third. Landrieu's office estimated the state would collect $200 million in the first 10 years.
After 2017, the scope of the deal would broaden, cutting coastal states in for a share of royalties on all new wells in the entire Gulf of Mexico. Landrieu's office estimated the state's annual share at that point could be $650 million.
"We've seen models from people in the industry saying it could be twice that if not more," said Adam Sharp, Landrieu's spokesman.
The money would be in addition to the $135 million per year over the next four years for the state that came out of the energy bill last year.
Sen. David Vitter, R-La., said in a statement that based on the House vote and the Senate deal, royalty sharing has an "excellent shot."
"I think that the more focused approach (of the Senate) is a lot more likely than the broad House approach, but certainly what the House has been doing has helped our efforts enormously," Vitter said.
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Audrey2Katrina
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Tenet to sell 4 N.O.-area hospitals
Settlement reached in Medicare case
Friday, June 30, 2006 TP/NOLA.com
By Mary Judice
Business writer
Four of the five New Orleans-area hospitals operated by troubled Tenet Healthcare Corp., including two that have not completely reopened and are under investigation since Hurricane Katrina, will be sold as part of a package of underperforming properties, the company said Thursday.
The four New Orleans area Tenet properties that have been put on the block are Memorial Medical Center and Lindy Boggs Medical Center in New Orleans, Kenner Regional Medical Center in Kenner and Meadowcrest Hospital in Gretna. Northshore Regional Medical Center in Slidell is not up for sale.
The New Orleans properties are some of the 11 hospitals the company said it would like to sell by midyear 2007 to return the company to profitability. The other facilities are in Florida and Pennsylvania.
Tenet also announced Thursday that it had reached a settlement with the Justice Department and other federal agencies that had been investigating the company for Medicare overpayments, financial arrangements with doctors and Medicare coding issues.
Tenet agreed to pay $725 million over four years to settle the allegations and to waive its claim to another $175 million in Medicare payments that it had earned but never collected.
Overbilling allegations
The company has been under investigation by the Justice Department and several U.S. attorneys, including in New Orleans, since 2002 based on allegations that it overbilled Medicare for caring for its sickest patients. The publicly traded company based in Dallas, which will have 57 hospitals in 12 states after the divestiture, said the government did not find it had engaged in illegal behavior but admitted there have been "mistakes in conduct before 2003," the company release said.
In the New Orleans area, which is short of hospital beds since the hurricane, the announcement Thursday adds to the issues facing the health care industry.
"In the short run, it means a new element of uncertainty for the health care delivery system," said Jack Finn, president of the Metropolitan Hospital Council of New Orleans. The system is now burdened with financial instability, difficulties in attracting a work force and adequate access to care for area residents.
Heart institute reopening
Lindy Boggs has remained closed since the city flooded after Hurricane Katrina and there are no plans to reopen it, said Brenda Lockey, Tenet spokeswoman. At Memorial Medical Center, a medical office building has reopened, said Harry Anderson, Tenet spokesman. He said the company is in the process of opening a portion of New Orleans Surgery and Heart Institute, first as an outpatient surgical facility in the fall and then adding some inpatient services in 2007.
Meadowcrest remained open during the storm, housing National Guardsmen and first responders, and Kenner, also taken over to house responders, reopened as a hospital after the storm. After Katrina, Tenet sold Gulf Coast Medical Center in Biloxi, Miss.
Finn said it would seem logical that it would be harder to sell a property that has been shut down and that it may not get as high a price as when it was a functioning hospital. He would not speculate on who might purchase the New Orleans Tenet properties. Tenet bought the two properties in 1995, when they were known as Mercy and Baptist hospitals.
Tenet's Anderson said the company has had "expressions of interest in the New Orleans properties."
West Jefferson Medical Center on Sept. 27 made an unsolicited offer to buy Meadowcrest for $15.7 million. The offer got no response from Tenet.
"Of course we're monitoring the situation," said Jennifer Steel, a spokeswoman for West Jefferson. "We monitor the market always, ongoing."
Time is ripe
Sheryl Skolnick, a health care analyst at CRT Capital Group in Stamford, Conn., said she suspects Tenet hopes the state or city or some government entity will buy the facilities and continue to operate them as hospitals.
She said Jefferson Parish had wanted to make Kenner Regional part of the parish hospital system after the storm, and now may be the time to make that move.
"I expect Kenner and Meadowcrest would be easier to sell than Lindy and Memorial," she said.
Both of Tenet's hospitals in New Orleans have been under a cloud since dozens of patients died there in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Attorney General Charles Foti's office has been investigating allegations that some of the 27 deaths at Lindy Boggs and 34 deaths at Memorial were the result of euthanasia. Kris Wartelle, a spokeswoman for Foti, said the sale of the hospitals will have no effect on the investigations, which are centered on specific employees at the hospitals and not the company.
"The company itself is not considered a target. . . . What's being looked at is the actions of the individuals who were there during the storm," Wartelle said.
She said the results of the Memorial investigation will be announced "fairly soon," while the probe into Lindy Boggs would likely take longer. Foti is expected to announce whether there is enough evidence to press charges, and turn over his findings to Orleans Parish District Attorney Eddie Jordan.
Anderson said the company has been told by the state attorney general's office that neither Memorial Hospital, Lindy Boggs nor Tenet is a target of its investigation.
Rob Mains, analyst at Ryan Beck & Co. in Florham Park, N.J., said the settlement should help the company to operate more effectively because doctors and patients may have been reluctant to use a hospital that has been in the news since Hurricane Katrina.
"Having that taint removed means it puts them into position to attract more admissions and improve their operating performance," he said.
Settlement reached in Medicare case
Friday, June 30, 2006 TP/NOLA.com
By Mary Judice
Business writer
Four of the five New Orleans-area hospitals operated by troubled Tenet Healthcare Corp., including two that have not completely reopened and are under investigation since Hurricane Katrina, will be sold as part of a package of underperforming properties, the company said Thursday.
The four New Orleans area Tenet properties that have been put on the block are Memorial Medical Center and Lindy Boggs Medical Center in New Orleans, Kenner Regional Medical Center in Kenner and Meadowcrest Hospital in Gretna. Northshore Regional Medical Center in Slidell is not up for sale.
The New Orleans properties are some of the 11 hospitals the company said it would like to sell by midyear 2007 to return the company to profitability. The other facilities are in Florida and Pennsylvania.
Tenet also announced Thursday that it had reached a settlement with the Justice Department and other federal agencies that had been investigating the company for Medicare overpayments, financial arrangements with doctors and Medicare coding issues.
Tenet agreed to pay $725 million over four years to settle the allegations and to waive its claim to another $175 million in Medicare payments that it had earned but never collected.
Overbilling allegations
The company has been under investigation by the Justice Department and several U.S. attorneys, including in New Orleans, since 2002 based on allegations that it overbilled Medicare for caring for its sickest patients. The publicly traded company based in Dallas, which will have 57 hospitals in 12 states after the divestiture, said the government did not find it had engaged in illegal behavior but admitted there have been "mistakes in conduct before 2003," the company release said.
In the New Orleans area, which is short of hospital beds since the hurricane, the announcement Thursday adds to the issues facing the health care industry.
"In the short run, it means a new element of uncertainty for the health care delivery system," said Jack Finn, president of the Metropolitan Hospital Council of New Orleans. The system is now burdened with financial instability, difficulties in attracting a work force and adequate access to care for area residents.
Heart institute reopening
Lindy Boggs has remained closed since the city flooded after Hurricane Katrina and there are no plans to reopen it, said Brenda Lockey, Tenet spokeswoman. At Memorial Medical Center, a medical office building has reopened, said Harry Anderson, Tenet spokesman. He said the company is in the process of opening a portion of New Orleans Surgery and Heart Institute, first as an outpatient surgical facility in the fall and then adding some inpatient services in 2007.
Meadowcrest remained open during the storm, housing National Guardsmen and first responders, and Kenner, also taken over to house responders, reopened as a hospital after the storm. After Katrina, Tenet sold Gulf Coast Medical Center in Biloxi, Miss.
Finn said it would seem logical that it would be harder to sell a property that has been shut down and that it may not get as high a price as when it was a functioning hospital. He would not speculate on who might purchase the New Orleans Tenet properties. Tenet bought the two properties in 1995, when they were known as Mercy and Baptist hospitals.
Tenet's Anderson said the company has had "expressions of interest in the New Orleans properties."
West Jefferson Medical Center on Sept. 27 made an unsolicited offer to buy Meadowcrest for $15.7 million. The offer got no response from Tenet.
"Of course we're monitoring the situation," said Jennifer Steel, a spokeswoman for West Jefferson. "We monitor the market always, ongoing."
Time is ripe
Sheryl Skolnick, a health care analyst at CRT Capital Group in Stamford, Conn., said she suspects Tenet hopes the state or city or some government entity will buy the facilities and continue to operate them as hospitals.
She said Jefferson Parish had wanted to make Kenner Regional part of the parish hospital system after the storm, and now may be the time to make that move.
"I expect Kenner and Meadowcrest would be easier to sell than Lindy and Memorial," she said.
Both of Tenet's hospitals in New Orleans have been under a cloud since dozens of patients died there in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Attorney General Charles Foti's office has been investigating allegations that some of the 27 deaths at Lindy Boggs and 34 deaths at Memorial were the result of euthanasia. Kris Wartelle, a spokeswoman for Foti, said the sale of the hospitals will have no effect on the investigations, which are centered on specific employees at the hospitals and not the company.
"The company itself is not considered a target. . . . What's being looked at is the actions of the individuals who were there during the storm," Wartelle said.
She said the results of the Memorial investigation will be announced "fairly soon," while the probe into Lindy Boggs would likely take longer. Foti is expected to announce whether there is enough evidence to press charges, and turn over his findings to Orleans Parish District Attorney Eddie Jordan.
Anderson said the company has been told by the state attorney general's office that neither Memorial Hospital, Lindy Boggs nor Tenet is a target of its investigation.
Rob Mains, analyst at Ryan Beck & Co. in Florham Park, N.J., said the settlement should help the company to operate more effectively because doctors and patients may have been reluctant to use a hospital that has been in the news since Hurricane Katrina.
"Having that taint removed means it puts them into position to attract more admissions and improve their operating performance," he said.
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Audrey2Katrina
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Parish energy system deemed sound
Co-op, Cleco officials say outages unlikely
Friday, June 30, 2006 TP/NOLA.com
By Bruce Hamilton
St. Tammany Parish's electricity providers say their repaired and rebuilt systems are back to their pre-Katrina reliability, which means residents likely won't face the kind of prolonged outage that hit parts of New Orleans on Tuesday.
Entergy's infrastructure in the city, where some areas lost power for more than four hours, no longer has the built-in redundancy that enables rapid restoration of power, according to officials. But St. Tammany's two main providers do.
"Our system is in real good shape," said Anthony Bunting, Cleco's vice president of customer service and energy delivery.
"Overall, our system is probably stronger now than it was prior to the storm," said Bob Bateman, spokesman for the Washington-St. Tammany Electric Cooperative.
Both utilities had to make extensive repairs because of damage from Hurricane Katrina. Cleco officials said workers replaced about 5,000 poles and 2,500 transformers in St. Tammany. They replaced or repaired about 1,000 miles of distribution lines, about 10 percent of the company's total network.
The cooperative replaced virtually everything. "The damage from the storm was 100 percent," Bateman said. "It was just a total loss."
About 3,000 workers from across the country replaced or repaired about 6,000 miles of lines and fixed the Slidell substation, which was under 8 feet of water. The cooperative replaced or repaired about 12,000 poles and 3,500 transformers.
The substation has a new power transformer, which steps down 69,000 volts to 7,620 volts, Bateman said. Other temporary repairs have been made permanent. "We still have a few jobs left undone that we're still working on," he said, such as putting up new wires and changing insulators on poles.
The cooperative has about 25,349 members in St. Tammany, according to Bateman, and 49,000 total. Cleco had 76,917 customers in St. Tammany in May, according to a company spokeswoman. It has about 260,000 total.
Both utilities evaluated their systems after the storm and have removed or trimmed damaged trees from around their lines. But hurricane-damaged trees that remain outside their rights of way still pose a threat, and officials warn that no system is inviolate.
"The system's always vulnerable to storm," said Cleco spokesman Mike Burns. "It's just a fact of life."
A storm last month broke six to eight poles, and whenever winds exceed 60 mph, the potential for damage from snapped limbs and trunks increases.
Although Cleco and cooperative officials say their systems are solid, they warn they haven't found every problem -- but that would be virtually impossible in a large electrical network. "We'll find problems for years to come," Bateman said, such as a cracked insulator that isn't readily detectable.
"You're not going to catch everything," Bunting said.
Co-op, Cleco officials say outages unlikely
Friday, June 30, 2006 TP/NOLA.com
By Bruce Hamilton
St. Tammany Parish's electricity providers say their repaired and rebuilt systems are back to their pre-Katrina reliability, which means residents likely won't face the kind of prolonged outage that hit parts of New Orleans on Tuesday.
Entergy's infrastructure in the city, where some areas lost power for more than four hours, no longer has the built-in redundancy that enables rapid restoration of power, according to officials. But St. Tammany's two main providers do.
"Our system is in real good shape," said Anthony Bunting, Cleco's vice president of customer service and energy delivery.
"Overall, our system is probably stronger now than it was prior to the storm," said Bob Bateman, spokesman for the Washington-St. Tammany Electric Cooperative.
Both utilities had to make extensive repairs because of damage from Hurricane Katrina. Cleco officials said workers replaced about 5,000 poles and 2,500 transformers in St. Tammany. They replaced or repaired about 1,000 miles of distribution lines, about 10 percent of the company's total network.
The cooperative replaced virtually everything. "The damage from the storm was 100 percent," Bateman said. "It was just a total loss."
About 3,000 workers from across the country replaced or repaired about 6,000 miles of lines and fixed the Slidell substation, which was under 8 feet of water. The cooperative replaced or repaired about 12,000 poles and 3,500 transformers.
The substation has a new power transformer, which steps down 69,000 volts to 7,620 volts, Bateman said. Other temporary repairs have been made permanent. "We still have a few jobs left undone that we're still working on," he said, such as putting up new wires and changing insulators on poles.
The cooperative has about 25,349 members in St. Tammany, according to Bateman, and 49,000 total. Cleco had 76,917 customers in St. Tammany in May, according to a company spokeswoman. It has about 260,000 total.
Both utilities evaluated their systems after the storm and have removed or trimmed damaged trees from around their lines. But hurricane-damaged trees that remain outside their rights of way still pose a threat, and officials warn that no system is inviolate.
"The system's always vulnerable to storm," said Cleco spokesman Mike Burns. "It's just a fact of life."
A storm last month broke six to eight poles, and whenever winds exceed 60 mph, the potential for damage from snapped limbs and trunks increases.
Although Cleco and cooperative officials say their systems are solid, they warn they haven't found every problem -- but that would be virtually impossible in a large electrical network. "We'll find problems for years to come," Bateman said, such as a cracked insulator that isn't readily detectable.
"You're not going to catch everything," Bunting said.
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Audrey2Katrina
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Bush OKs debris pickup extension
Cost fully covered through this year
Friday, June 30, 2006 TP/NOLA.com
By James Varney
Staff writer
With hours to spare Thursday, President Bush kept open a financial assistance pipeline and authorized the federal government to cover until the end of the year the full cost of debris removal in five hard-hit Louisiana parishes.
Bush's move came the day before the formula for the federal-state split of debris-removal costs was scheduled to move to 90 percent federal-10 percent state, and days after officials in Louisiana and Mississippi urged him to extend the deadline. In addition to the five Louisiana parishes, the federal government also will pick up 100 percent of the cleanup bill in the Mississippi Sound, although not along the Gulf Coast, said Donald Powell, the president's hand-picked coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding. The extension also does not cover several parishes in southwestern Louisiana, where damage was heavy from Hurricane Rita, or Jefferson Parish.
The extension until Dec. 31 clarifies one piece of a reimbursement calendar that has seen a variety of elastic deadlines and caused much confusion among storm-assistance recipients. On the housing front, today also marks the end of some voucher payments from the Federal Emergency Management Agency although, again, most of the program participants have been given at least another month of help, officials said.
The debris extension is expected to save Louisiana $70 million over the next six months, and came as welcome news to officials facing a seemingly interminable stream of debris and other cleanup tasks. For example, the 100 percent funding also will pick up the tab for Louisiana's $33 million contract to remove thousands of flooded-out vehicles still littering the landscape, Powell said.
City short on resources
Brenda Hatfield, chief administrative officer for New Orleans, thanked Bush for what she described as a necessary respite from the crushing financial issues now bedeviling the city.
"His decision significantly impacts the quality of our city's public landscape and healthful environment as we continue our recovery," Hatfield wrote in an e-mail message. "This decision is also most important in view of our current financial condition."
On the other hand, the extension did not amount to a blanket approval of local officials' request earlier this week, because Jefferson Parish was not granted an extension. Powell said the parishes that were given the reprieve -- Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, St. Tammany and Washington -- account for 96 percent of the remaining debris. For the same reasons, parishes hit by Hurricane Rita last year were also omitted, Powell said.
"We think this is fair and equitable based on the facts on the ground," Powell said in a conference call Thursday.
On Tuesday, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, along with parish presidents Aaron Broussard of Jefferson, Benny Rousselle of Plaquemines, Henry 'Junior' Rodriguez of St. Bernard, and Kevin Davis of St. Tammany, held a news conference in front of a mountain of garbage to make the case that their territory could not handle the full cleanup cost.
That is especially true because delays beyond the control of locals, such as the release of new flood plain maps, have caused many homeowners to delay decisions on whether to rebuild. As more homeowners or developers jump into the fray now, new piles of debris are expected to pop up as homes that have stood quietly rotting in an ocean of inactivity are gutted. Rodriguez went so far as to say that a June 30 deadline would mark "the final nail in the coffin of St. Bernard Parish."
Much debris yet to move
The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimates the 2.5 million cubic yards of debris it has hauled out of St. Bernard makes up less than a third of the total amount. The numbers are higher in the other parishes, running from 49 percent in New Orleans to 87 percent in St. Tammany. All told, more than 16.5 million cubic yards have been taken from those parishes, FEMA figures show.
Washington Parish officials did not participate in Tuesday's news conference, although FEMA has been active there as well, particularly in the Bogalusa area, which suffered a major blow from Hurricane Katrina.
Broussard said he is pleased that most of the debris-choked parishes have been given a longer grace period, but vowed the debate isn't over on Jefferson Parish. Only about half the homes that were damaged have been gutted so far, he said. Jefferson's large size also needs to be taken into account. In other words, 10 percent of the debris in Jefferson Parish could be 20 percent or more of the debris in a much smaller parish, Broussard said.
Late Thursday, Broussard was requesting a face-to-face meeting with Powell and other FEMA officials to make his case.
"I'm disappointed, but commensurate with that I express my resolve to persevere in my attempt to get Jefferson Parish included in the extension on an equitable basis," he said.
Similarly, representatives of Louisiana's southwestern parishes, which took the brunt of Rita's wrath in September, lashed out at their exclusion. That largely rural zone lacks the financial resources to finish the cleanup job, according to elected officials who also promised an ongoing fight for inclusion.
Short end of stick
"I cannot imagine anyone in our Louisiana congressional delegation praising this decision," Charles W. Boustany, Jr., R-Lafayette, said in an e-mailed statement. "On a day when Louisiana was making significant progress in our attempt to gain our fair share of offshore energy royalties, this announcement comes as a complete disappointment. Once again, Southwest Louisiana has received the short end of the stick."
That sort of calculus had already been taken into account at the White House, which Powell said recognized "debris removal is a vital and key part of the rebuilding effort," and thus considered the extension "reasonable and appropriate."
Louisiana's senators, who had also urged Bush to extend the deadline, welcomed the reprieve. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said "the president had followed the advice of Louisiana parish leaders" and the state's congressional delegation, while Republican Sen. David Vitter stressed the staggering scope of the task, saying in a news release that what has already been hauled away is more than 25 times what was produced in Manhattan during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.
Meanwhile, in Texas, some displaced families braced for an end to FEMA housing assistance. It was that June 30 deadline that law enforcement officials feared when they began, in April, contemplating an infusion of National Guard troops and State Police troopers, New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley said.
But FEMA insisted the overall numbers of affected families is small, and is tied not the end of a specific assistance program but rather rulings that certain people are ineligible for the aid. Fewer than 1,000 families now living in Texas will see their housing assistance expire today. In Houston, 8,277 families have been ruled ineligible as have 2,973 families in five other Texas cities, but all of those cases have been granted an extension until July 31, FEMA said.
Cost fully covered through this year
Friday, June 30, 2006 TP/NOLA.com
By James Varney
Staff writer
With hours to spare Thursday, President Bush kept open a financial assistance pipeline and authorized the federal government to cover until the end of the year the full cost of debris removal in five hard-hit Louisiana parishes.
Bush's move came the day before the formula for the federal-state split of debris-removal costs was scheduled to move to 90 percent federal-10 percent state, and days after officials in Louisiana and Mississippi urged him to extend the deadline. In addition to the five Louisiana parishes, the federal government also will pick up 100 percent of the cleanup bill in the Mississippi Sound, although not along the Gulf Coast, said Donald Powell, the president's hand-picked coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding. The extension also does not cover several parishes in southwestern Louisiana, where damage was heavy from Hurricane Rita, or Jefferson Parish.
The extension until Dec. 31 clarifies one piece of a reimbursement calendar that has seen a variety of elastic deadlines and caused much confusion among storm-assistance recipients. On the housing front, today also marks the end of some voucher payments from the Federal Emergency Management Agency although, again, most of the program participants have been given at least another month of help, officials said.
The debris extension is expected to save Louisiana $70 million over the next six months, and came as welcome news to officials facing a seemingly interminable stream of debris and other cleanup tasks. For example, the 100 percent funding also will pick up the tab for Louisiana's $33 million contract to remove thousands of flooded-out vehicles still littering the landscape, Powell said.
City short on resources
Brenda Hatfield, chief administrative officer for New Orleans, thanked Bush for what she described as a necessary respite from the crushing financial issues now bedeviling the city.
"His decision significantly impacts the quality of our city's public landscape and healthful environment as we continue our recovery," Hatfield wrote in an e-mail message. "This decision is also most important in view of our current financial condition."
On the other hand, the extension did not amount to a blanket approval of local officials' request earlier this week, because Jefferson Parish was not granted an extension. Powell said the parishes that were given the reprieve -- Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, St. Tammany and Washington -- account for 96 percent of the remaining debris. For the same reasons, parishes hit by Hurricane Rita last year were also omitted, Powell said.
"We think this is fair and equitable based on the facts on the ground," Powell said in a conference call Thursday.
On Tuesday, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, along with parish presidents Aaron Broussard of Jefferson, Benny Rousselle of Plaquemines, Henry 'Junior' Rodriguez of St. Bernard, and Kevin Davis of St. Tammany, held a news conference in front of a mountain of garbage to make the case that their territory could not handle the full cleanup cost.
That is especially true because delays beyond the control of locals, such as the release of new flood plain maps, have caused many homeowners to delay decisions on whether to rebuild. As more homeowners or developers jump into the fray now, new piles of debris are expected to pop up as homes that have stood quietly rotting in an ocean of inactivity are gutted. Rodriguez went so far as to say that a June 30 deadline would mark "the final nail in the coffin of St. Bernard Parish."
Much debris yet to move
The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimates the 2.5 million cubic yards of debris it has hauled out of St. Bernard makes up less than a third of the total amount. The numbers are higher in the other parishes, running from 49 percent in New Orleans to 87 percent in St. Tammany. All told, more than 16.5 million cubic yards have been taken from those parishes, FEMA figures show.
Washington Parish officials did not participate in Tuesday's news conference, although FEMA has been active there as well, particularly in the Bogalusa area, which suffered a major blow from Hurricane Katrina.
Broussard said he is pleased that most of the debris-choked parishes have been given a longer grace period, but vowed the debate isn't over on Jefferson Parish. Only about half the homes that were damaged have been gutted so far, he said. Jefferson's large size also needs to be taken into account. In other words, 10 percent of the debris in Jefferson Parish could be 20 percent or more of the debris in a much smaller parish, Broussard said.
Late Thursday, Broussard was requesting a face-to-face meeting with Powell and other FEMA officials to make his case.
"I'm disappointed, but commensurate with that I express my resolve to persevere in my attempt to get Jefferson Parish included in the extension on an equitable basis," he said.
Similarly, representatives of Louisiana's southwestern parishes, which took the brunt of Rita's wrath in September, lashed out at their exclusion. That largely rural zone lacks the financial resources to finish the cleanup job, according to elected officials who also promised an ongoing fight for inclusion.
Short end of stick
"I cannot imagine anyone in our Louisiana congressional delegation praising this decision," Charles W. Boustany, Jr., R-Lafayette, said in an e-mailed statement. "On a day when Louisiana was making significant progress in our attempt to gain our fair share of offshore energy royalties, this announcement comes as a complete disappointment. Once again, Southwest Louisiana has received the short end of the stick."
That sort of calculus had already been taken into account at the White House, which Powell said recognized "debris removal is a vital and key part of the rebuilding effort," and thus considered the extension "reasonable and appropriate."
Louisiana's senators, who had also urged Bush to extend the deadline, welcomed the reprieve. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said "the president had followed the advice of Louisiana parish leaders" and the state's congressional delegation, while Republican Sen. David Vitter stressed the staggering scope of the task, saying in a news release that what has already been hauled away is more than 25 times what was produced in Manhattan during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.
Meanwhile, in Texas, some displaced families braced for an end to FEMA housing assistance. It was that June 30 deadline that law enforcement officials feared when they began, in April, contemplating an infusion of National Guard troops and State Police troopers, New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley said.
But FEMA insisted the overall numbers of affected families is small, and is tied not the end of a specific assistance program but rather rulings that certain people are ineligible for the aid. Fewer than 1,000 families now living in Texas will see their housing assistance expire today. In Houston, 8,277 families have been ruled ineligible as have 2,973 families in five other Texas cities, but all of those cases have been granted an extension until July 31, FEMA said.
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Audrey2Katrina
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Council on Aging open in St. Bernard
United Way donates trailers to house group
Friday, June 30, 2006 TP/NOLA.com
By Karen Turni Bazile
Joe and Catherine Gritter were regulars at the monthly St. Bernard Parish Council on Aging dances before Hurricane Katrina flooded their Arabi home.
The Gritters once again were one of the first couples on the dance floor Thursday, when the Council on Aging officially reopened in the parish -- in a triple-wide trailer in front of the parish government complex in Chalmette -- with a party featuring refreshments, balloons and a live band.
The Council on Aging is "very important," Catherine Gritter said. "We like to come to the dances once a month, and we enjoy dancing and seeing our friends."
Although the council provided free daily meals to more than 400 people before Katrina, its current membership is just over 80. Director Susan McNeil said she plans to start holding daily social events, such as bingo or dances, on July 10.
About 125 people came to the opening party. The United Way donated the trailers, worth about $75,000. The donation was made possible by a $1 million grant Murphy Oil USA made to United Way of St. Bernard after Katrina, said George Miller, also on the group's board of directors.
The Council on Aging administers a coordinated system of services for elderly. Its operations are financed by the state Office of Elderly Affairs and a parish millage, said Dan Johnson, chairman of the board of directors for the St. Bernard Parish Council on Aging.
He said the board of volunteers has been meeting for months planning the reopening.
"First thing we wanted to do was to get (the community's elderly) back together to socialize," Johnson said. "Then we will try to restart the meals and the transportation services," and slowly try to rebuild other offerings.
For more information, call the group at (504) 278-7335.
United Way donates trailers to house group
Friday, June 30, 2006 TP/NOLA.com
By Karen Turni Bazile
Joe and Catherine Gritter were regulars at the monthly St. Bernard Parish Council on Aging dances before Hurricane Katrina flooded their Arabi home.
The Gritters once again were one of the first couples on the dance floor Thursday, when the Council on Aging officially reopened in the parish -- in a triple-wide trailer in front of the parish government complex in Chalmette -- with a party featuring refreshments, balloons and a live band.
The Council on Aging is "very important," Catherine Gritter said. "We like to come to the dances once a month, and we enjoy dancing and seeing our friends."
Although the council provided free daily meals to more than 400 people before Katrina, its current membership is just over 80. Director Susan McNeil said she plans to start holding daily social events, such as bingo or dances, on July 10.
About 125 people came to the opening party. The United Way donated the trailers, worth about $75,000. The donation was made possible by a $1 million grant Murphy Oil USA made to United Way of St. Bernard after Katrina, said George Miller, also on the group's board of directors.
The Council on Aging administers a coordinated system of services for elderly. Its operations are financed by the state Office of Elderly Affairs and a parish millage, said Dan Johnson, chairman of the board of directors for the St. Bernard Parish Council on Aging.
He said the board of volunteers has been meeting for months planning the reopening.
"First thing we wanted to do was to get (the community's elderly) back together to socialize," Johnson said. "Then we will try to restart the meals and the transportation services," and slowly try to rebuild other offerings.
For more information, call the group at (504) 278-7335.
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Audrey2Katrina
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Levee meetings on TV denied
Officals say airing, distributing too costly
Friday, June 30, 2006 TP/NOLA.com
By Matt Scallan
River Parishes bureau
The Pontchartrain Levee District has voted down a request by St. Charles Parish Council to televise its meetings and distribute the tapes to other public bodies, saying it would be too expensive.
The council voted on June 5 to ask the levee district to tape its meetings so they could be shown on the parish's government access channel.
The levee district maintains the levees on the east banks of St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, St. James, Iberville and Ascension parishes, and a small portion of East Baton Rouge Parish.
St. Charles Councilman Richard Duhe, who sponsored the resolution, said televising the meetings would keep the public informed in light of the public concerns in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
"What they're doing is critical to our safety, and I think the public would be better off if they would televise the meetings," Duhe said.
But Levee District President Steve Wilson said the district would be better off spending the money on maintaining the levees.
"Between setting up the audio and video equipment, hiring somebody to run it and distributing 13 copies of the tape to the cities and parishes would cost us the same as it would to hire two people to maintain the levee," Wilson said. "We'd rather put our money into the levee."
The district's board of commissioners, which employs 59 people and has openings for seven more, voted to turn down the request on June 19.
Wilson said the Levee District gives annual updates to parish and municipal governments in its district, and sends representatives to meetings whenever it is invited.
Duhe estimates it would cost the district about $600 a month to perform the task.
"I don't think that's too much," he said.
St. John the Baptist Parish also considered a similar resolution and extending it to the Lafourche Basin Levee District. But, Councilman Steve Lee, who said his resolution was inspired by St. Charles Parish's request, withdrew his resolution to the Pontchartrain Levee District on Tuesday. Lee said he met with levee board officials and determined that his request might be premature.
The council postponed a decision on the resolution regarding the Lafourche board proposed by Councilman Lester Rainey, Jr. who did not attend Tuesday's meeting.
In St. Charles Parish, meetings of the Parish Council and Planning and Zoning Commission and School Board are videotaped, then broadcast on the parish's government access channel provided by Cox Communications. However, other bodies, such as the parish's hospital board and the Zoning Board of Adjustment, are not.
Wilson noted that the St. Charles council did not ask the Lafourche Basin Levee District, which maintains the levees on the parish's west bank, to videotape its meetings, but Duhe said he thinks that's a good idea.
"I think all of them should be televised," Duhe said. "Both levee districts and the Port of South Louisiana. I think the public is interested in what they are doing."
Wilson said the request has provided the impetus for the district to build a Web site that will include official information, including links to the board's minutes, as well as information about land that is available for lease. But he said he doesn't expect information to generate a big audience at the commission's monthly meetings.
"Most of the time, they're pretty boring," he said.
Officals say airing, distributing too costly
Friday, June 30, 2006 TP/NOLA.com
By Matt Scallan
River Parishes bureau
The Pontchartrain Levee District has voted down a request by St. Charles Parish Council to televise its meetings and distribute the tapes to other public bodies, saying it would be too expensive.
The council voted on June 5 to ask the levee district to tape its meetings so they could be shown on the parish's government access channel.
The levee district maintains the levees on the east banks of St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, St. James, Iberville and Ascension parishes, and a small portion of East Baton Rouge Parish.
St. Charles Councilman Richard Duhe, who sponsored the resolution, said televising the meetings would keep the public informed in light of the public concerns in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
"What they're doing is critical to our safety, and I think the public would be better off if they would televise the meetings," Duhe said.
But Levee District President Steve Wilson said the district would be better off spending the money on maintaining the levees.
"Between setting up the audio and video equipment, hiring somebody to run it and distributing 13 copies of the tape to the cities and parishes would cost us the same as it would to hire two people to maintain the levee," Wilson said. "We'd rather put our money into the levee."
The district's board of commissioners, which employs 59 people and has openings for seven more, voted to turn down the request on June 19.
Wilson said the Levee District gives annual updates to parish and municipal governments in its district, and sends representatives to meetings whenever it is invited.
Duhe estimates it would cost the district about $600 a month to perform the task.
"I don't think that's too much," he said.
St. John the Baptist Parish also considered a similar resolution and extending it to the Lafourche Basin Levee District. But, Councilman Steve Lee, who said his resolution was inspired by St. Charles Parish's request, withdrew his resolution to the Pontchartrain Levee District on Tuesday. Lee said he met with levee board officials and determined that his request might be premature.
The council postponed a decision on the resolution regarding the Lafourche board proposed by Councilman Lester Rainey, Jr. who did not attend Tuesday's meeting.
In St. Charles Parish, meetings of the Parish Council and Planning and Zoning Commission and School Board are videotaped, then broadcast on the parish's government access channel provided by Cox Communications. However, other bodies, such as the parish's hospital board and the Zoning Board of Adjustment, are not.
Wilson noted that the St. Charles council did not ask the Lafourche Basin Levee District, which maintains the levees on the parish's west bank, to videotape its meetings, but Duhe said he thinks that's a good idea.
"I think all of them should be televised," Duhe said. "Both levee districts and the Port of South Louisiana. I think the public is interested in what they are doing."
Wilson said the request has provided the impetus for the district to build a Web site that will include official information, including links to the board's minutes, as well as information about land that is available for lease. But he said he doesn't expect information to generate a big audience at the commission's monthly meetings.
"Most of the time, they're pretty boring," he said.
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Audrey2Katrina
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Beaches ready for booming July Fourth holiday
Friday, June 30, 2006 - Mobile Press Register/AL.co
By JIM ELLIS
Staff Reporter
Thousands of vacationers begin checking in today to beachfront hotels and condominiums along the Alabama coast, making this July Fourth weekend the busiest since Hurricane Ivan ravaged the area in 2004, according to representatives from real estate companies in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
"Even our hotels are booked, and those are usually available for last-minute walk-ins," said Marie Curren, director of marketing and reservations for Brett/Robinson, speaking of the real estate conglomerate's two Gulf-front hotels, totaling 168 rooms.
More than 150,000 total visitors are expected to descend upon the coastal cities during the holiday weekend to take part in planned festivities that include concerts, carnival rides and fireworks along the beach, said Herbert Malone, president and chief executive officer of the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Curren's company, which manages 1,848 condominium and hotel units, is still receiving nearly 2,000 telephone calls a day from would-be vacationers inquiring about room availability, she said.
In addition to Brett/Robinson, Meyer Real Estate, with more than 1,900 vacation rentals, was at 99 percent capacity Thursday with just a "few scattered units left," said Sarah Kuzma, corporate relations director.
"We will have a record number of people checking in on Saturday," she said. "We have 1,100 arrivals that day, which is more than 2004, our peak year."
Lodging on neighboring Dauphin Island is similarly booked, said Mayor Jeff Collier. "It would be hard to secure a reservation right now," he said. "Even though we are still in recovery, we are open for business."
Because the Fourth of July lands on a Tuesday, local retailers will have an opportunity to cash in on two weekends.
"Some people will arrive this weekend, and some will arrive the night of the 4th or 5th and stay through next weekend," said Malone, who added that tourism in Baldwin County brings in about $2 billion annually.
Alvin's Island, a store that specializes in tropical clothing, is one of the many retail hot spots that stand to benefit from the wave of holiday visitors. Alvin's Island has outlets in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
Retail sales are expected to be twice that of nonholiday weekends, said Ilan Dahan, who supervises both Alabama locations.
"We are only about 10 percent lower than pre-Ivan sales figures," said Dahan, referring to total sales this season. "And last year, we were 70 percent below those numbers."
Several patriotic events have been planned to help celebrate Independence Day along the coast. Those include a video tribute to military families, a paratrooper drop and a military jet fly-over, all of which are scheduled at The Wharf, just off the Intracoastal Waterway in Orange Beach.
The Wharf will feature "Music on Main Street," a free event with performances from local music acts that begins at 6 tonight and runs through July 7, organizers said.
Also, country music duo Montgomery Gentry is scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. Monday at the 10,000-seat amphitheater at The Wharf, with ticket prices starting at $15.
Events at The Wharf climax Tuesday with a performance by the Mobile Symphony Orchestra. Tuesday's event, which will include a fireworks show, is $5 for the general public, but free for military personnel.
Free fireworks displays are planned at 8 p.m. Monday at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach and 9 p.m. Tuesday at the main beach in Gulf Shores, according to organizers.
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach police departments are preparing for the busy weekend by doubling day and nighttime patrols, officials said.
Officers in Orange Beach may direct traffic at congested intersections as well as hold random checkpoints, said Assistant Police Chief Greg Duck.
Gulf Shores Police Chief Arthur Bourne said his officers will be on the lookout for fireworks, which are banned by local ordinance. Violators can be fined as much as $500, he said.
"Anyone wanting to watch fireworks can go down to the beach and see them for free," he said. "That's a better show than anyone on the street will be able to do."
Dauphin Island council members decided six months ago not to hold an annual fireworks display, Collier said. City funds were running low, and storms had significantly damaged public beach facilities.
"We also have a lot of dead trees and underbrush still lying around, and that could pose a fire hazard," the mayor said.
Collier said the island does plan to hold a fireworks show next year.
Friday, June 30, 2006 - Mobile Press Register/AL.co
By JIM ELLIS
Staff Reporter
Thousands of vacationers begin checking in today to beachfront hotels and condominiums along the Alabama coast, making this July Fourth weekend the busiest since Hurricane Ivan ravaged the area in 2004, according to representatives from real estate companies in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
"Even our hotels are booked, and those are usually available for last-minute walk-ins," said Marie Curren, director of marketing and reservations for Brett/Robinson, speaking of the real estate conglomerate's two Gulf-front hotels, totaling 168 rooms.
More than 150,000 total visitors are expected to descend upon the coastal cities during the holiday weekend to take part in planned festivities that include concerts, carnival rides and fireworks along the beach, said Herbert Malone, president and chief executive officer of the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Curren's company, which manages 1,848 condominium and hotel units, is still receiving nearly 2,000 telephone calls a day from would-be vacationers inquiring about room availability, she said.
In addition to Brett/Robinson, Meyer Real Estate, with more than 1,900 vacation rentals, was at 99 percent capacity Thursday with just a "few scattered units left," said Sarah Kuzma, corporate relations director.
"We will have a record number of people checking in on Saturday," she said. "We have 1,100 arrivals that day, which is more than 2004, our peak year."
Lodging on neighboring Dauphin Island is similarly booked, said Mayor Jeff Collier. "It would be hard to secure a reservation right now," he said. "Even though we are still in recovery, we are open for business."
Because the Fourth of July lands on a Tuesday, local retailers will have an opportunity to cash in on two weekends.
"Some people will arrive this weekend, and some will arrive the night of the 4th or 5th and stay through next weekend," said Malone, who added that tourism in Baldwin County brings in about $2 billion annually.
Alvin's Island, a store that specializes in tropical clothing, is one of the many retail hot spots that stand to benefit from the wave of holiday visitors. Alvin's Island has outlets in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
Retail sales are expected to be twice that of nonholiday weekends, said Ilan Dahan, who supervises both Alabama locations.
"We are only about 10 percent lower than pre-Ivan sales figures," said Dahan, referring to total sales this season. "And last year, we were 70 percent below those numbers."
Several patriotic events have been planned to help celebrate Independence Day along the coast. Those include a video tribute to military families, a paratrooper drop and a military jet fly-over, all of which are scheduled at The Wharf, just off the Intracoastal Waterway in Orange Beach.
The Wharf will feature "Music on Main Street," a free event with performances from local music acts that begins at 6 tonight and runs through July 7, organizers said.
Also, country music duo Montgomery Gentry is scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. Monday at the 10,000-seat amphitheater at The Wharf, with ticket prices starting at $15.
Events at The Wharf climax Tuesday with a performance by the Mobile Symphony Orchestra. Tuesday's event, which will include a fireworks show, is $5 for the general public, but free for military personnel.
Free fireworks displays are planned at 8 p.m. Monday at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach and 9 p.m. Tuesday at the main beach in Gulf Shores, according to organizers.
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach police departments are preparing for the busy weekend by doubling day and nighttime patrols, officials said.
Officers in Orange Beach may direct traffic at congested intersections as well as hold random checkpoints, said Assistant Police Chief Greg Duck.
Gulf Shores Police Chief Arthur Bourne said his officers will be on the lookout for fireworks, which are banned by local ordinance. Violators can be fined as much as $500, he said.
"Anyone wanting to watch fireworks can go down to the beach and see them for free," he said. "That's a better show than anyone on the street will be able to do."
Dauphin Island council members decided six months ago not to hold an annual fireworks display, Collier said. City funds were running low, and storms had significantly damaged public beach facilities.
"We also have a lot of dead trees and underbrush still lying around, and that could pose a fire hazard," the mayor said.
Collier said the island does plan to hold a fireworks show next year.
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Audrey2Katrina
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GCN Recovery News Report
This report will constantly be updated as information becomes available
Updated 6/30/06 8:41 AM
President Bush Thursday authorized 100 percent federal funding for removing Hurricane Katrina debris from the Mississippi Sound and adjacent waters, but 100 percent reimbursement to cities and counties ends today except for Hancock County. Cities like Gulfport and Biloxi will now only be covered for 90 percent of the costs. The ratio of reimbursement will also start to decline in the months ahead.
Ten months after Hurricane Katrina hit the Coast, Biloxi's Boomtown Casino, June 29, becomes the fifth casino to reopen its doors. The parking lot outside the Back Bay casino was full Thursday morning after the casino reopened.
Unlike some of the other Coast casinos, Boomtown suffered extensive damages to its property but not catastrophic damages. The company had to send its casino barge to a Pascagoula shipyard for repairs earlier this year. (Click Here for more)
Education is the major beneficiary of an additional $25.22 million in Public Assistance grants for Mississippi recently awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Public Assistance reimbursement from FEMA for the state’s Hurricane Katrina recovery now totals $1.37 billion.
Ten of the 11 newly funded grants, worth $23.99 million, will repair or replace south Mississippi schools damaged by the winds, rain and tidal surge of Hurricane Katrina. The largest single grant, for $4.75 million, will be used to restore Gorenflo Elementary School in the Biloxi School District. The school was inundated with six feet of storm surge, which left mud and wet debris as the water receded. Flooring, drywall, the cooling system and other building elements were heavily damaged. (Click Here for more on this story)
A shortage of surgeons on the Coast has area leaders worried over a potential medial crisis developing. Many area doctors left after Katrina and there is a serious need for medical personnel at area hospitals. Trauma care surgeons are especially in short supply, which often results in emergency patients having to be shifted to hospitals in the area that are farther away. Many doctors that remain say they are seeing a huge increase in patients, many without insurance. Doctors also report that they are having trouble finding support staff and office personnel and there is a high turnover of the people they do have. All of this has many doctors struggling with igh patient loads with delays in getting appointments common.
This report will constantly be updated as information becomes available
Updated 6/30/06 8:41 AM
President Bush Thursday authorized 100 percent federal funding for removing Hurricane Katrina debris from the Mississippi Sound and adjacent waters, but 100 percent reimbursement to cities and counties ends today except for Hancock County. Cities like Gulfport and Biloxi will now only be covered for 90 percent of the costs. The ratio of reimbursement will also start to decline in the months ahead.
Ten months after Hurricane Katrina hit the Coast, Biloxi's Boomtown Casino, June 29, becomes the fifth casino to reopen its doors. The parking lot outside the Back Bay casino was full Thursday morning after the casino reopened.
Unlike some of the other Coast casinos, Boomtown suffered extensive damages to its property but not catastrophic damages. The company had to send its casino barge to a Pascagoula shipyard for repairs earlier this year. (Click Here for more)
Education is the major beneficiary of an additional $25.22 million in Public Assistance grants for Mississippi recently awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Public Assistance reimbursement from FEMA for the state’s Hurricane Katrina recovery now totals $1.37 billion.
Ten of the 11 newly funded grants, worth $23.99 million, will repair or replace south Mississippi schools damaged by the winds, rain and tidal surge of Hurricane Katrina. The largest single grant, for $4.75 million, will be used to restore Gorenflo Elementary School in the Biloxi School District. The school was inundated with six feet of storm surge, which left mud and wet debris as the water receded. Flooring, drywall, the cooling system and other building elements were heavily damaged. (Click Here for more on this story)
A shortage of surgeons on the Coast has area leaders worried over a potential medial crisis developing. Many area doctors left after Katrina and there is a serious need for medical personnel at area hospitals. Trauma care surgeons are especially in short supply, which often results in emergency patients having to be shifted to hospitals in the area that are farther away. Many doctors that remain say they are seeing a huge increase in patients, many without insurance. Doctors also report that they are having trouble finding support staff and office personnel and there is a high turnover of the people they do have. All of this has many doctors struggling with igh patient loads with delays in getting appointments common.
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Audrey2Katrina
- Category 5
- Posts: 4252
- Age: 76
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 10:39 pm
- Location: Metaire, La.
6/29/2006 City of Biloxi - "Your City at Work":
Biloxi fireworks show; milestones at 10-month mark; other news and notes
Those attending Biloxi’s Fourth of July fireworks display on Tuesday at 9 p.m. can expect to see an action-packed show that will light up the Casino Row sky for more than a quarter of an hour.
“One of our reps travels to China every year for quality control and product, and last year, we found a new vendor and the stuff we’ve been able to get is just out of this world,” says Rocco Vitale of Pyrotecnico of Louisiana, a Mandeville, La.,-based company that has produced the Biloxi fireworks show for five years, as well as those for such Biloxi events as the Casino Row and Christmas on the Water shows.
“I think people will notice a big change in the product this year,” Vitale said. “In fireworks, the products are always getting more innovative, and, with the Biloxi show, we can get into using larger shells, which means you can do even more.”
Biloxi Police, who will be patrolling U.S. 90 on Tuesday evening, remind motorists that parking along U.S. 90 is allowed only in parking bays. Vehicles should not park on center medians, and motorists should use extra caution, particularly in the viewing spots between Casino Row and the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor.
The show, which will be staged from a barge between Deer Island and east beach, will feature shells as large as 8 inches in diameter, “or about the size of a basketball, which is a pretty substantial shell,” Vitale said. Among the fireworks in the Biloxi show will be “brocade crowns,” and “red, white and blue peonies.”
Said Vitale: “We’re really happy that this show is going on in Biloxi this year. And I don’t mean that from a financial standpoint. I’m from Pittsburgh, and we bought Classic Fireworks, a New Orleans company, five years ago. And ever since we’ve been here, the community of Biloxi has been nothing but great to us, and we’re happy to be a part of it.”
Two milestones on eve of 10-month point of recovery
Biloxi’s storm recovery marked two milestones today: Mayor A.J. Holloway delivered his first post-Katrina welcome address to a convention hosted in Biloxi this morning at IP Casino Resort, and, a half-hour later and a block away on Bayview Avenue, Boomtown Casino re-opened its doors to a stampede of guests.
Holloway spoke to the U.S. Conference of Mayors-organized meeting of the Urban Water Council, a gathering in which local leaders are meeting with a host of authorities to discuss such topics as rebuilding wastewater treatment infrastructure in the wake of a disaster. To see the mayor’s welcome remarks to the group, click here.
Meantime, Boomtown Casino became the fifth Biloxi casino to re-open since Hurricane Katrina. Last week, Treasure Bay re-opened, joining the IP, Isle of Capri and Palace, which re-opened in December.
Grand Casino aims to re-open in mid-August on Casino Row north of U.S. 90, and Beau Rivage Resort and Casino is planning an Aug. 29 opening.
“Today, we have about 5,000 people back at work in these casino resorts,” Holloway said this morning. “And, if you consider the construction going on at the individual properties, add another couple thousand workers to the number. It’s a matter of jobs, expanding the tax base and seeing private investment, which are the things that are going to help drive this city’s recovery.
“We’ll see the numbers continue to climb as the weeks and months go by, and more and more people get back in their homes.”
Updated status on city’s debris-removal efforts
The latest word on debris removal efforts, as reported by city debris czar Jonathan Kiser:
“The city has removed more than 2.6 million cubic yards of debris, which would be enough to cover a football field and stand 123 stories high The majority of the debris, 68 percent, is from public rights-of-way, with the remaining portion removed from private property.
“The 100 percent federal reimbursement for debris removal ends on Friday, June 30 and will drop to 90 percent federal funding for eligible debris removal. The city’s original estimate of 4 million cubic yards of debris included marine debris and land debris that would be removed by FEMA, the Department of Marine Resources, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service.
“The volume of land-based debris that would be eligible under the FEMA Public Assistance program is forecast to be about 3 million cubic yards. The city is nearly complete with the work effort on debris removal from eligible private property and has cleared over 3,400 parcels of storm-related debris.
“The remaining work effort for debris removal within the city is primarily within the public rights-of-way, navigable waterways and drainage ways within the City.
“The National Resource Conservation Service awarded two contracts in Biloxi on June 21 for removal of storm debris from the major drainage ways within the city. A total of 47 sites were approved by NRCS, and the two contractors have about 35 days to complete this work.
“DMR anticipates the award of the coastline cleanup contract for the three Mississippi coastal counties next week. The contractor for the marine debris removal project will have about 90 days to complete the debris cleanup from below mean high tide to a half mile off shore.”
News and notes
One-year observance: The city is planning to conduct a memorial observance on Aug. 29, the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, at 8 a.m. on the Biloxi Town Green. Details will be worked out over the next few weeks.
Another milestone: With this Storm Recovery News e-mail, the city has transmitted a half-million e-news announcements since May 2005. The audience of recipients locally and around the world has grown from 1,500 pre-Katrina to nearly 3,200 today. You can see all previously transmitted e-mails on the city web site under the heading Your City at Work.
Biloxi fireworks show; milestones at 10-month mark; other news and notes
Those attending Biloxi’s Fourth of July fireworks display on Tuesday at 9 p.m. can expect to see an action-packed show that will light up the Casino Row sky for more than a quarter of an hour.
“One of our reps travels to China every year for quality control and product, and last year, we found a new vendor and the stuff we’ve been able to get is just out of this world,” says Rocco Vitale of Pyrotecnico of Louisiana, a Mandeville, La.,-based company that has produced the Biloxi fireworks show for five years, as well as those for such Biloxi events as the Casino Row and Christmas on the Water shows.
“I think people will notice a big change in the product this year,” Vitale said. “In fireworks, the products are always getting more innovative, and, with the Biloxi show, we can get into using larger shells, which means you can do even more.”
Biloxi Police, who will be patrolling U.S. 90 on Tuesday evening, remind motorists that parking along U.S. 90 is allowed only in parking bays. Vehicles should not park on center medians, and motorists should use extra caution, particularly in the viewing spots between Casino Row and the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor.
The show, which will be staged from a barge between Deer Island and east beach, will feature shells as large as 8 inches in diameter, “or about the size of a basketball, which is a pretty substantial shell,” Vitale said. Among the fireworks in the Biloxi show will be “brocade crowns,” and “red, white and blue peonies.”
Said Vitale: “We’re really happy that this show is going on in Biloxi this year. And I don’t mean that from a financial standpoint. I’m from Pittsburgh, and we bought Classic Fireworks, a New Orleans company, five years ago. And ever since we’ve been here, the community of Biloxi has been nothing but great to us, and we’re happy to be a part of it.”
Two milestones on eve of 10-month point of recovery
Biloxi’s storm recovery marked two milestones today: Mayor A.J. Holloway delivered his first post-Katrina welcome address to a convention hosted in Biloxi this morning at IP Casino Resort, and, a half-hour later and a block away on Bayview Avenue, Boomtown Casino re-opened its doors to a stampede of guests.
Holloway spoke to the U.S. Conference of Mayors-organized meeting of the Urban Water Council, a gathering in which local leaders are meeting with a host of authorities to discuss such topics as rebuilding wastewater treatment infrastructure in the wake of a disaster. To see the mayor’s welcome remarks to the group, click here.
Meantime, Boomtown Casino became the fifth Biloxi casino to re-open since Hurricane Katrina. Last week, Treasure Bay re-opened, joining the IP, Isle of Capri and Palace, which re-opened in December.
Grand Casino aims to re-open in mid-August on Casino Row north of U.S. 90, and Beau Rivage Resort and Casino is planning an Aug. 29 opening.
“Today, we have about 5,000 people back at work in these casino resorts,” Holloway said this morning. “And, if you consider the construction going on at the individual properties, add another couple thousand workers to the number. It’s a matter of jobs, expanding the tax base and seeing private investment, which are the things that are going to help drive this city’s recovery.
“We’ll see the numbers continue to climb as the weeks and months go by, and more and more people get back in their homes.”
Updated status on city’s debris-removal efforts
The latest word on debris removal efforts, as reported by city debris czar Jonathan Kiser:
“The city has removed more than 2.6 million cubic yards of debris, which would be enough to cover a football field and stand 123 stories high The majority of the debris, 68 percent, is from public rights-of-way, with the remaining portion removed from private property.
“The 100 percent federal reimbursement for debris removal ends on Friday, June 30 and will drop to 90 percent federal funding for eligible debris removal. The city’s original estimate of 4 million cubic yards of debris included marine debris and land debris that would be removed by FEMA, the Department of Marine Resources, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service.
“The volume of land-based debris that would be eligible under the FEMA Public Assistance program is forecast to be about 3 million cubic yards. The city is nearly complete with the work effort on debris removal from eligible private property and has cleared over 3,400 parcels of storm-related debris.
“The remaining work effort for debris removal within the city is primarily within the public rights-of-way, navigable waterways and drainage ways within the City.
“The National Resource Conservation Service awarded two contracts in Biloxi on June 21 for removal of storm debris from the major drainage ways within the city. A total of 47 sites were approved by NRCS, and the two contractors have about 35 days to complete this work.
“DMR anticipates the award of the coastline cleanup contract for the three Mississippi coastal counties next week. The contractor for the marine debris removal project will have about 90 days to complete the debris cleanup from below mean high tide to a half mile off shore.”
News and notes
One-year observance: The city is planning to conduct a memorial observance on Aug. 29, the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, at 8 a.m. on the Biloxi Town Green. Details will be worked out over the next few weeks.
Another milestone: With this Storm Recovery News e-mail, the city has transmitted a half-million e-news announcements since May 2005. The audience of recipients locally and around the world has grown from 1,500 pre-Katrina to nearly 3,200 today. You can see all previously transmitted e-mails on the city web site under the heading Your City at Work.
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