The board of the Louisiana Recovery Authority will meet Wednesday, December 17, 2008, at 9 a.m. in Baton Rouge, with a vote scheduled on approving the state's action plan for using its allocation of federal rebuilding dollars for after hurricanes Gustav and Ike.
The board will also hear from Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain about the agriculture sector's recovery, Cameron Parish Administrator Tina Horn about the parish's appeal of new preliminary flood maps and LRA staff about changes to the state's Small Rental program.
WHERE: House Committee Room 1 in the State Capitol in Baton Rouge.
Meeting agendas are posted on the LRA Web site as soon as they are available. All meetings are open to the public.
New Orleans Streets
Earlier this month, residents in District B began driving on safer, more viable streets as the rehabilitation of 1.75 miles of roadway throughout the Irish Channel and St. Mary neighborhoods was completed.
“The city continues to use the resources available to accelerate the repair and maintenance of our city streets, making them safe and easier to drive on,” said Mayor C. Ray Nagin. “And as we remain focused on our recovery we will continue to focus on more street repair projects so that residents can see, feel and touch our recovery as we work to enhance the quality of life in New Orleans.”
These Irish Channel and St. Mary projects include the removal of the top surface of pavement, repairs to the base where needed, and overlaying of the roadway with new asphalt. In addition, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramps were installed in sidewalks at all associated intersections. The projects had a combined overall construction value of $1.4 million.
Boh Bros. Construction Company, LLC, a New Orleans-based company, performed the work, beginning in the Irish Channel in April and in June in the St. Mary neighborhood.
As part of the Irish Channel Overlay project, the following streets received a new asphalt overlay:
Constance Street (Philip Street – First Street)
First Street (Magazine Street – Annunciation Street)
Second Street (Magazine Street – Annunciation Street)
Third Street (Magazine Street – Annunciation Street)
Fourth Street (Magazine Street – Annunciation Street)
Washington Avenue (Magazine Street – Chippewa Street)
Chippewa Street (Washington Avenue – Fourth Street)
Chippewa Street (Second Street – Third Street)
Laurel Street (Washington Avenue – Second Street)
Seventh Street (Magazine Street – Laurel Street)
As part of the St. Mary Overlay project, the following streets received a new asphalt overlay:
St. Mary Street (Magazine Street – Laurel Street)
St. Andrew Street (Magazine Street – Constance Street)
In addition to the work completed in the Irish Channel and St. Mary neighborhoods, crews are continuing rehabilitation work in the West Riverside neighborhood. This project, estimated to cost $1.4 million, covers portions of Annunciation Street, Bellecastle Street, Laurel Street, Cadiz Street, Lyons Street, Upperline Avenue, Robert Street and Valmont Street
“As improving New Orleans’ infrastructure is one of the most important issues to me and for my district, I am delighted to be a part of the Irish Channel overlay project,” said Councilmember Stacy Head. “This project will lay a foundation for continued interest and investment in this vibrant community.”
Google and Etc…Group Entertainment recently hired New Orleans-based digital media start-up New Digital Media Group to crew and shoot a national commercial for Google TV Ads, a flexible, all-digital system for buying TV advertising.
The documentary-style commercial, currently in post-production, will feature Michael Hackey, CEO of ShoppersChoice.com, a Baton Rouge online retailer that has been building a national brand and online sales by using Google TV ads.
New Digital Media Group washired to provide equipment and production services including crew for camera, sound, lighting and make-up.New Digital Media Group producer Tim Ryan with the support of local independent filmmaker Jimmy Ferguson managed lighting and camera; and Baton Rouge sound recordist Hans van den Bold captured sound.New Orleans-based Ximena Frixione provided make-up services.
“It’s quite an honor to be chosen by Google to produce a national advertisement.I think we’ve found a nice little niche in the digital media world by bringing in local talent to focus on affordable documentary-style commercials and Internet video productions,” says Tim Ryan, New Digital Media Group founder.“Being selected by THE global leader in digital media (and owner of You Tube) helps justify our decision to launch a new digital media business in New Orleans at the climax of an economic downturn.”
About New Digital Media Group
New Digital Media Group is a New Orleans-based boutique media company focused on digital video production and Internet video marketing. New Digital Media Group brings together some of New Orleans hottest young filmmakers to produce professional digital media in an affordable, timely and professional manner.For information on New Digital Media Group, visit www.newdigitalmediagroup.com.
Class action settlement
Federal Judge Stanwood Duval gave preliminary approval late Monday to a settlement of a class action lawsuit filed by approximately 500,000 property owners and businesses against three local levee districts for damages caused by flooding from failed levees after Hurricane Katrina. The Orleans, East Jefferson and Lake Borgne Levee Districts tendered close to $20 million dollars from insurance policies.
The following defendants were sued in the case entitled, In Re Katrina Canal Breaches Consolidated Litigation: the Board of Commissioners of the Orleans Levee District, the Orleans Levee District, the Board of Commissioners of the Lake Borne Basin Levee District, the Lake Borgne Basin Levee District, the Board of Commissioners of the East Jefferson Levee District, the East Jefferson Levee District and the Board of Commissioners of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East.
The three levee boards moved jointly with plaintiff litigation committees to settle claims for alleged negligence and fault in connection with the failure of levees and resulting damage following Hurricane Katrina and in some cases Hurricane Rita. Judge Duval set a fairness hearing for 10 a.m. on April 2, 2009.
“This is a limited fund settlement since the levee boards are entities against which a judgment cannot be executed nor can property be seized,” stated Joseph M. Bruno, plaintiffs’ litigation counsel. “The funds involved in this settlement represent the total of the three levee boards’ insurance coverage and interest. Next, the court will appoint a Special Master to oversee execution and implementation of the settlement.”
According to Bruno, a settlement class will need to be certified to include those who sustained damaged from a levee break.
Today’s settlement is the beginning of a long process to determine the use of the proceeds. The question of what to do with the settlement funds is one for the court-appointed Special Master, Bruno explained. Given the sheer number of potential claimants – approximately half a million - disbursing funds to claimants is probably an unlikely scenario. “That is an issue to be handled by the Special Master,” he said.
By agreement of plaintiffs’ counsel, none of the proceeds will go toward attorneys fees although a claim may be made by attorneys to recover expenses of the In Re: Katrina class action lawsuits.
The settlement does not affect outstanding claims against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for negligent design and implementation of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet; nor does it affect claims against Washington Group International for in connection with remediation and demolition work it undertook near the levees in the lower 9th Ward.
