[StBernard] TIMES PICAYUNE EDITORIAL: Thankful for recovery

[Westley Annis]

>From time to time the Louisiana Recovery Authority shares editorials and articles related to various aspects of the recovery. The New Orleans Times-Picayune issued the following editorial yesterday to celebrate Louisiana's recovery and how far we have come in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.


While the past two years have been full of challenges, the progress we've made would not have been possible without the generosity of the American people and our representatives Washington. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, join us in thanking them for all that they have done and will continue to do. 

Click here to sign the "Louisiana Gives Thanks" letter. <http://www.lra.louisiana.gov/LouisianaGivesThanks/index.html> 



EDITORIAL: Thankful for recovery

New Orleans Times-Picayune

Thursday, November 22, 2007


Sometime today, between feasting and football and the coming together of family and friends, the question of what we are thankful for is bound to arise. 

That's the reason for the holiday, after all. But for residents of metro New Orleans, pausing to take stock of our blessings might be even more important than it is to people in other places. It's a way to celebrate our recovery and how far we have come in the two years that have elapsed since Hurricane Katrina. 

We've known loss and struggle since the levees broke, and we are still tested by both -- sometimes sorely. But we are also far more aware of what is good in our lives. Every bit of ground gained, every step on the path to recovery is something to be noticed and appreciated and celebrated. 

For starters, Thanksgiving means that November is coming to an end and with it, another hurricane season will fade away. The fact that this one was uneventful for the Gulf Coast -- and the rest of the country -- is an enormous blessing, especially since New Orleans won't have protection against a 100-year storm until 2011. 

The holidays are a time when friends and family draw near, and we're thankful for everyone who is back home. Our population has rebounded. According to one tally, the metro area has regained as much as 86 percent of its pre-Katrina levels. Separations continue, but homecomings are still happening, and they are sweet. 

The New Orleans Hornets are among those who've come home, returning from a long sojourn in Oklahoma. They're back in the New Orleans Arena and winning games. And the NBA has made New Orleans' recovery part of its mission this year, involving every team that comes here in our efforts to rebuild. 

When it comes to sports, we have many other reasons to feel thankful. Prep football returned to many metro area high schools, No. 1-ranked LSU is giving Tigers fans an exciting, if nerve-wracking, season. And as for the Saints, they're trying to work on a recovery of their own after losing their first four games. Two more losses in the last two weeks have been painful, but fans still hope for playoff scenarios that seemed impossible in September. 

The festivals and cultural events that are such an important part of life here also have seen a remarkable resurgence, giving us plenty of reasons to celebrate. Essence Fest returned from its Houston exile this year. Jazzfest drew its biggest crowd since 2003 -- and recently announced it will add an extra day next year. The French Quarter festival posted its biggest single-day attendance. 

Satchmo Summerfest returned to the old U.S. Mint and Voodoo Music Experience added an extra day. The New Orleans Film Festival drew 117 films -- the most ever. And new events were launched such as the Laketown Festival and the New Orleans Seafood Festival. There is even a festival in honor of the beloved po-boy. 

The arts community has responded to disaster with remarkable creativity. For that, we should all be grateful. As the packed outdoor performances of Samuel Beckett's play "Waiting for Godot" showed in recent weeks, art can reflect our loss and help us heal. Anything that helps us see things differently and feel a little better about ourselves is a gift. 

We also can be thankful for the people who keep our culture and traditions alive -- the Mardi Gras Indians who returned in all their finery for the first downtown Super Sunday since the storm and the school marching bands that came back to parade routes. This has always been a place where people know how to be joyful, and thankfully, it still is. 

New Orleans' streetcars are another part of what makes this city unique, and they have finally returned to Uptown. People greeted them this month, honking their horns, waving signs and breaking into cheers. 

While we mourn a lot of what we've lost, we've also had a chance to get rid of some things that weren't so wonderful. The new spirit of civic activism and political reform that have emerged since the storm are positive changes. 

We can be thankful, too, that our recovery is gaining more national support. Congress authorized nearly $7 billion in flood protection and coastal restoration work for Louisiana this month and included $3 billion in the defense bill to help the Road Home continue to issue housing grants. That's far better than talk of Katrina fatigue.

Our list of blessings also should include the spirit and determination of the people who are reviving our community, piece by piece. In Lakeview, Gentilly, Broadmoor, eastern New Orleans and the Lower 9th Ward, people are rebuilding their homes and businesses. In St. Bernard and Slidell, where damage was heavy, dedicated residents are rebuilding. We're thankful for their spunk and for the many, many generous and kind people who continue to come here to help us with the hard work of recovery. 

We're fortunate to live in a place that inspires passion, a place that people want to save. That's reason enough to be thankful, not just today but all year long. 

To view the editorial on the Times-Picayune Web site visit: http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/editorials/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1195714278295330.xml&coll=1 <http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/editorials/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1195714278295330.xml&coll=1> 

To participate in the "Louisiana Gives Thanks" campaign visit: http://www.lra.louisiana.gov/LouisianaGivesThanks/index.html <http://www.lra.louisiana.gov/LouisianaGivesThanks/index.html> 

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated South Louisiana, claiming 1,464 lives, destroying more than 200,000 homes and 18,000 businesses. The Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) is the planning and coordinating body that was created in the aftermath of these storms by Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco to lead one of the most extensive rebuilding efforts in the world. The LRA is a 33-member body which is coordinating across jurisdictions, supporting community recovery and resurgence, ensuring integrity and effectiveness, and planning for the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana. 

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