[StBernard] DuBos: Census numbers 'dismal' for coastal La. communities

[Westley Annis]

Last week, Louisiana was one among the first states to get its official
numbers from the 2010 Census. For communities along the Gulf Coast and in
southeastern Louisiana, the news was not good.

The Census showed every coastal community - and the city of New Orleans -
sustaining major population losses. Our area was especially hard hit:

New Orleans lost more than a quarter of its people. St. Bernard, almost
half.

Jefferson Parish fared a little better, but still lost about 5 percent of
its population.

St. Bernard was so hard hit that parish leaders are considering whether to
ask for a recount. That's not an easy process. Recounts have to be paid for
by the local government - and that could get expensive. Plus, history tells
us that recounts rarely change the final numbers very much.

Although the metro area lost about 150,000 people, the region is more
diverse than ever, thanks to a huge influx of Hispanics.

Perhaps the best way to look at those dismal Census numbers to consider them
the final tally of Hurricane Katrina's toll. And then, use those numbers as
a baseline for measuring south Louisiana's comeback.