Insightful Thoughts

A collection of novel thoughts, plans, and approaches to how New Orleans and the Gulf Coast can be rebuilt.

Hundreds Recognize They Need Help With Katrina Paperwork (1/31/06)
This article is an editorial describing how Mississippi has contracted 40 CPAs to provide professional assistance to ensure that all paperwork is properly filled out. Properly documenting the use of Congressionally appropriated funds designated for Katrina relief and recovery efforts to the standards set by the federal auditors is necessary to avoid any potential fiscal repercussions. So far 850 requests for assistance have been submitted, illustrating the success of this program.

Jindal Emphasizes State Role in Recovery (1/27/06)
U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal spoke about how he envisions the rebuilding effort as a joint venture by the federal and state governments. He believes the federal government should restore the levees to at least Category 3 strength; share the oil and gas revenues with the state; help businesses for economic growth; and deal with the housing problem since it was the faulty levee that caused most of the distruction. The state government should use the funds from the oil and gas revenues to fortify the coastline; help businesses by eliminating taxes on debts and the purchase of new equipment; and create a more modern city with good schools and well-paying jobs.

Working Group for Post-Hurricane Planning for the Louisiana Coast (1/26/06)
Following the 2005 hurricane season, 19 natural and social scientists and engineers voluntarily came together to examine how coastal ecosystem restoration and hurricane protection could be integrated better. Many solutions have been suggested, but this group focused on the unique features of the Gulf Coast and its environment. The report concluded that a combination of levees and a sustainable coastal landscape was necessary for long-term protection. The leaders of the Corps of Engineers and Army were very receptive to the ideas this group put forth. They are hoping state officials will be equally open to these recommendations.

Sense of Direction: As the recovery steps up, is the New Orleans area moving backward or forward? (1/17/06)
Arnold Hirsch, an urban historian, has studied New Orleans' cultural evolution, and reflects on what the future may hold for this city. This article carefully examines the current condition of the city, the moods of its citizens, and what it will take to bring it back economically as well as culturally.

Netherlands Flood Similar to Katrina (1/12/06)
50 local, state, and federal officials from Louisiana toured two of the Dutch storm-protection systems that were built after a storm surge in 1953, similar to the effects of Katrina, devastated the province Zeeland in The Netherlands killing 1,836 people and destroying 43,000 homes. The event is documented at the Flood 1953 Museum. The officials were impressed about the amount of thought that was put into these designs, and voiced concern about how little effort was being taken in their designs at home. This story appeared in The Advocate, and has been moved to their fee-based archive.

The Plan (1/12/06)
This article summarizes all of the key elements proposed by the Urban Planning committee of the Bring New Orleans Back Commission. This is the first of several committees' recommendations to be given to Mayor Nagin by Jan. 20th. These committees include Education, Cultural, Health & Social, Infrastructure, Government Effectiveness, and Economic Development.

Why is Art Essential in New Orleans's Recovery (12/07/05)
The Chronicle provides a summary of an essay in the December issue of Oxford American titled, "Missing New Orleans" by J. Richard Gruber, director of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, in New Orleans. The article reflects on the unique character of New Orleans with its rich artistic heritage and its history of resilience through repeated cycles of decline and rebirth, and urges people to not abandon the arts when they are the backbone of what makes New Orleans so special.

A Lesson After Dying: Chattanooga's urban renaissance inspires planners of New Orleans (12/18/05)
A two-day conference called, "Re-inhabiting New Orleans" in November brought in a wide range of residents, community groups, architects, urban planners and environmentalists who drafted a broad range of recommendations to revitalize the city. It was modeled after how Chattanooga managed to revitalize itself.

What If We Turn 'Big Easy' Into 'Big Campus' Too?
Education Can Contribute to New Orleans' Recovery (11/28/05)
Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), wrote this article expressing his vision for a new and improved New Orleans. Instead of focusing on the damage, he looks to how the city can now be changed to be more economically sound for all its citizens through better education. With its three Historically Black Colleges, offering lower tuition fees and higher African-American graduation rates, it could be a great place to create an education-based economy instead of the tourist-based economy that it had in the past and forced an economic gap between its upper- and lower-class families.

Louisiana Rebirth: Restoring the Soul of America
Mitchell J. Landrieu, Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, and Angele Davis, Secretary of the Dept. of Culture, Recreation, & Tourisim, constructed a plan to rebuild Louisiana, with its focus on New Orleans. The plan is to rebuild the state by making it a top tourist destination, using a Cultural Economy to drive Louisiana's economic and social growth, with an emphasis on providing all of its residents better lives and livelihoods using high performance, accountability, and ethical behavior as a standard.