[StBernard] Rebuilding St. Bernard: A series on residents returning to their homes

[Westley Annis]

Chalmette couple with deep roots in the community moving back into renovated
two-story home
 
 Chuck and Gwen Little say they have many reasons to be renovating their
two-story brick home on West Carmack Drive in Chalmette and moving back in
shortly, hopefully in several weeks.
 
 She works at Boasso America Corp. in the parish while he is a New Orleans
police officer. They have a son, Trey, who loves the boxing program in St.
Bernard Parish while attending Brother Martin High School and a daughter,
April, who attends Dominican High.
 
 Plus, Chuck Little has lived in St. Bernard Parish for 40 years, and he and
his wife say they have enjoyed being in their current home for more than 10
years and can't wait to be back in.   "St. Bernard Parish is the best secret
in Louisiana,'' said Chuck Little. "It's a great place to live.''
 
 Carmack Drive, which had more than 10 feet of flood water in the hurricane,
is starting to come back and neighbors are trying to finish renovating their
homes, he said.  "This is a quiet place. Kids play outside.'' The
neighborhood even had some third-generations living there, he said.
 
 "I can't wait to get back in my house,'' Gwen Little said as the couple
oversaw final details to be done before they move in. 
 
 "We wanted to stay because of our jobs and our kids,'' Gwen Little said.
The couple didn't want to commute back to jobs in Chalmette and New Orleans
and their teen-agers didn't want to move and change schools, she said.
 
 "And we have friends coming back'' from living in other areas, she said.
 
 She also said she sees positive things happening in St. Bernard. "I have
watched this parish. The progress has been unbelievable.''
 
 Gwen Little said she recently told the contractor working on their home, "I
have to be in by the end of the year.''