[StBernard] Change Louisiana: China Trip, KIPP in NO, Wave Tank, Amendments succeed, Petition update

[Westley Annis]

Change Louisiana: The Georges Report 

October 5, 2006 

Congratulations Louisiana on Passing Amendments 1, 2 &3 

On Saturday, Louisiana spoke loud and clear: we are ready for a change. In
approving constitutional amendments 1, 2 and 3 which create one levee board
and dedicate funds for wetlands protection, we told America that the
politics of the past are over - now we're all business. The grassroots
leadership of groups like Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans, Levees.org,
Women of the Storm, the Business Council and Save America's Wetlands pushing
for reform at the State Capitol has resulted in this monumental change. Now,
as Gov Blanco is tasked with filling the seats on these boards, the fight to
save our wetlands moves to Congress where our delegation is pushing for
Louisiana to receive its fair share of oil royalties. Congress failed to
pass this legislation before the October recess so now our hopes are pinned
on the lame duck session after the November elections. Hopefully, they will
take note of the strong actions Louisiana citizens took on Saturday and pass
this legislation. To learn more about the groups who spearheaded the passage
of this legislation, click here.
<http://app.bronto.com/public/?q=message_link&fn=Key&id=afcoxbttsvbzrqxtzzph
owakmvfvboa&link=ayhdawcdlweuyelxvcdzvpygtlcjbdi> 

Send a Message to the LRA 

We need to continue to send a message to the Louisiana Recovery Authority
that we cannot leave our Faith Based and private schools out of the recovery
dollars Congress allocated for all schools. The petition to the LRA
continues to gather signatures every day and its influence is already being
seen. Xavier University President Dr. Norman Francis, chairman of the LRA,
has risen above the criticism and assisted us in our attempt to get the LRA
to understand how critical the Catholic schools in particular are to New
Orleans. We are excited that the leadership understands this issue but the
challenge we face is convincing the rest of the LRA members that these
schools play a critical role in our community and it will be detrimental for
them to not be left out. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET SIGNED THE PETITION, PLEASE
CLICK HERE TO ADD YOUR NAME NOW.
<http://app.bronto.com/public/?q=message_link&fn=Key&id=afcoxbttsvbzrqxtzzph
owakmvfvboa&link=ahfahgfoojbzoswqqvtskfischtqbnk> The LRA meets again on
October 12. You can also download a petition to have signed at your school,
business or neighborhood.
<http://app.bronto.com/public/?q=message_link&fn=Key&id=afcoxbttsvbzrqxtzzph
owakmvfvboa&link=bfteuinmpqhswpmolryavkacfcdjbmo> 

Charter Schools Work 

This weekend, I met the owner of KIPP, which runs 52 charter schools in the
US, including 2 in New Orleans with 3 more planned. The success of these
schools nationwide is outstanding and it is exciting to have organizations
with a proven track record working to improve education in New Orleans.
While Charter Schools have been in Louisiana for close to a decade, recent
developments throughout the state are allowing them to become a force in
many communities. While the reinvention of the Orleans Parish School system
is the most obvious example, the successful return to local control after 46
years under court order in Alexandria this week is another exciting
development as is the opening of the Avoyelles Charter High School in
Mansura, which shows charter schools can work in rural communities. Click
here for more information about KIPP and Charter Schools in Louisiana.
<http://app.bronto.com/public/?q=message_link&fn=Key&id=afcoxbttsvbzrqxtzzph
owakmvfvboa&link=awntnbjirijrwkkcecmlyxekjwzpblk> 

Trip to China Uncovers Rebuilding Solutions 

Last month, a delegation of 40 people from the New Orleans area, including
Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee and City Council President Oliver Thomas,
traveled to China to discuss investment opportunities in the New Orleans
area and explore opportunities with Chinese building-material manufacturers.
This trip led to many promising solutions to keeping the cost of rebuilding
low, including a project to build prefabricated steel houses. Sheriff Lee
and a group of private investors will be building a demonstration home at
the Avondale Truck Stop in about a month. These hurricane-safe homes can be
built for 75% of the cost of a regular home. For more information about
their trip, click here.
<http://app.bronto.com/public/?q=message_link&fn=Key&id=afcoxbttsvbzrqxtzzph
owakmvfvboa&link=akyathhjwanrgehzanjellhhnrsrbnl> 

Shreveport Investors Turn Wave Tank Into Movie Studio 

Ken Atchity and a group of Shreveport investors have purchased the
state-of-the art wave tank built to film the hit movie "The Guardian" and
opened Louisiana Wave Studio on 17 acres by the Slack Industrial Park. The
state was scheduled to be destroyed when Atchity stepped forth with the
investment to keep this movie making asset in Louisiana. The tank is already
scheduled to be used to shoot a movie about Hurricane Katrina and has had
inquiries from other movie studios as well. Atchity has long-term plans to
build a post-production facility to help grow Louisiana's film industry in
North Louisiana.

If you have anything interesting happening in your community that should be
featured on ChangeLouisiana.com
<http://app.bronto.com/public/?q=message_link&fn=Key&id=afcoxbttsvbzrqxtzzph
owakmvfvboa&link=bhzooqhtolwxbnnuscncbwxwfoazbei> , please write to me at
johngeorges at changelouisiana.com. 

Together we will Change Louisiana.

John Georges

www.changelouisiana.com