Elections day is near and Louisiana has broken the record for early votes cast.Perhaps another break from conventional wisdom, New Orleans Mayor Nagin says there might be a “blue” surprise on election day.In other news, a Tank has exploded in Shreveport and nationally, some bad news on the growth of the economy which would logically help Barack Obama.As the economy worsens, polls show that Obama does better.While CNN did not carry the Obama infomercial last night, it did carry John McCain.Still, according to some polls, Obama is making moves in key states desperately needed by the Republican.
BATON ROUGE - Five recipients were honored for their environmental efforts regarding the Gulf of Mexico with Gulf Guardian awards. The event marked the 20th anniversary of the Gulf of Mexico Program and took place on Oct. 29 at the Hilton Riverside hotel in New Orleans.
Receiving the awards were: Garland Robinette, WWL radio, for his 30-year dedication to restoring and protecting Louisiana’s Gulf coastal wetlands; the Louisiana Office of the National Wildlife Federations for their Coastal Louisiana Habitat Restoration Initiative; the Audubon Nature Institute for their film “Hurricane on the Bayou;” the Louisiana Center for Planning Excellence for their Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan; and, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Farm Service Agency and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation for their formation of a partnership of Iowa agriculture for reducing nutrients in the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.
DEQ Secretary Harold Leggett, along with EPA Regional Administrators Richard Greene and Jimmy Palmer, presented the awards.
“The recipients of these awards exemplify the steps that can be taken to protect the environment, and the Gulf in particular,” said Harold Leggett, DEQ Secretary. “The recipients have embraced the Gulf and the practices needed to protect the Mississippi River, the coastal wetlands and the Gulf of Mexico.”
New Orleans Rebuild
The City of New Orleans launched an updated and enhanced version of its Recovery Projects Information Web Site. The revamped site, which can be viewed at www.cityofno.com/recovery, will provide citizens with a one-stop shop for information regarding the City's recovery and roadway projects. The site was launched February 2008.
"We will continue to share information with our citizens as we progress through recovery process, as well as with our displaced citizens throughout the United State that tend to use of our website," said the City's Capital Projects Administrator Bill Chrisman. "This site will keep everyone up to date on the exceptional work being done in our community."
In addition to providing more information on the city facility projects, the Department of Public Works is now including information on all street, sidewalk and streetscape projects managed by the department. Residents will be able to view the name of the contractor, total cost, and project scope and construction schedule information for more than 200 roadway and streetscape projects.
The Recovery Projects Information Web Site will continue to be updated regularly as new information becomes available and is complemented by the Recovery in Progress booklet that is printed quarterly.
Quick Facts
Recent upgrades to the Recovery Projects Information Web Site include:
nCentral portal that enables access to facilities, street and drainage project information
nAdditional project details
oName of A/E firm or contractor assigned to project
oMap(s) and/or photograph(s)
oPreliminary cost estimates (construction, design and total)
nComprehensive project list that can be sorted in alphabetical order, by project type or by Council District
nGlossary of terms used in association with recovery effort
nLinks to other resident resources
oAdditional Damage Report Submission Form
For more information dial 311.
FEMA
Yesterday, Governor Bobby Jindal announced that FEMA has approved Natchitoches Parish as eligible for Public Assistance because of the affects of Hurricane Ike, at the request of the Governor.
The addition of Natchitoches parish brings the total number of Louisiana parishes eligible for Hurricane Ike Public Assistance, which reimburses state and local governments for the cost of debris removal, emergency protective work and rebuilding projects, to 25.
Governor Bobby Jindal said, “This will be a great help to Natchitoches Parish as folks there continue to recover from two back to back storms. We are continuing to work with Congress and the Administration to receive a 100 percent federal cost share for Hurricane Gustav, as was granted to our state by Congress in 2005, and we are also continuing to request that our farmers and ranchers and fishermen get the assistance they need to help them recover from the severe damage and losses they sustained from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike."
Mrs. Jindal
Louisiana First Lady Supriya Jindal was surrounded by “angels” Monday night as she joined the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation in recognizing eight volunteers who do extraordinary work for at-risk children.
Jindal was the mistress of ceremonies at the Blue Cross Foundation’s annual Angel Award ceremony, held Oct. 27 at the HiltonBaton RougeCapitolCenter. The Angel Award, created in 1995 to honor outstanding Louisiana volunteers who improve the welfare of children, includes a $20,000 Foundation grant for a charitable organization chosen by each recipient.
“Louisiana and Blue Cross are both working toward the same goal: We’re trying to create a healthier Louisiana, and that includes investing in our children,” Jindal said. “It was a pleasure to help recognize this year’s eight Angel Award honorees, who are truly making a difference in Louisiana communities.”
Peggy Scott, president of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation, said the Angel Award is part of the company’s commitment to improving the quality of life in Louisiana. “In addition to recognizing the often unsung heroes in our communities, the Angel Award helps increase awareness of children’s needs throughout the state and provides resources to help address them,” she said.
Efforts of the 2008 Angel Award recipients range from launching innovative school programs to helping abused or neglected children. This year’s winners are Chris Broussard of Minden, Dr. Raymond Hicks of Shreveport, Cherry Seal of Glenmora, Ellen “Deedee” Suthon of Covington, and Baton Rouge residents Carolyn Carnahan, Shirley Porter, Dee Robinson and Ella Rein Wheeler. For more information about these winners and the Angel Award program, as well as a searchable database of past winners and nominees, please visit www.bcbsla.com and click on Community.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana and the Blue Cross Foundation
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation, funded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, promotes health and education in Louisiana communities through philanthropic programs and contributions.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is Louisiana-owned and -operated. Marking its 75th anniversary in 2009, the company is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. It is a tax-paying mutual company, owned by its policyholders.
