[StBernard] Katrina and Rita Person of the Year

[Westley Annis]

By an overwhelming vote, Louisiana State Senator Walter J. Boasso is Bayoubuzz's "Katrina and Rita Person of the Year"  through a process totally selected by readers of Bayoubuzz.

 

The second choice was Russell Honore of the U.S. Coast Guard who led the evacuation of New Orleans.  The third top vote getter was Chris Rose, columnist for the Times Picayune.  The fourth top vote recipient was Anderson Cooper of CNN. 

 

Senator Walter Boasso personally fought valiantly both during the Hurricane Katrina personally saving lives but also after Katrina and Rita by engineering Levee Reform despite overwhelming odds.  His gut determination both during the storm and afterwards in the legislature was obviously the reason for his winning the award.

 

Senator Walter J. Boasso, a lifelong resident of St. Bernard Parish, was elected to the Louisiana State Senate in 2003.  He currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Select Committee for Disaster Planning, Crisis Management, Recovery and Long-Term Revitalization and as Vice-Chairman of the Retirement Committee.  The Senator is also a member of Transportation, Highways, and Public Works and Agriculture Committees. In his first year in office, Senator Boasso was named "2004 Legislator of the Year" by the Alliance for Good Government.    

 

A graduate of  UNO and Chalmette High School, Boasso has served for over 20 years as CEO and President of Boasso America Corporation. 

 

Bayoubuzz launched the "Katrina and Rita Person of the Year” Award earlier this month and received nominations and specified a closure date.  After that date, all nominations were listed in a poll and the vote was proceeded.  Bayoubuzz did receive nominations after the date such as Garland Robinette of WWL Radio, but it was too late to add names since voting already had started.   

 

Bayoubuzz believes that all of the nominees deserve recognition as do many of the thousands of people who participated in the country's worse man-made and natural disaster in American history.  While Boasso is most deserving, he is also symbolic of the sacrifices made by so many under the most challenging times and the voices heard who would not say no to fate.  Congratulations to Senator Walter Boasso and to so many of you who are still trying to piece together your shattered lives.  So many of you are our heroes working valiantly during these most extraordinary times.