A new regional sense of cooperation
One of the best things to come out of Katrina is the cooperation among New Orleans and the surrounding Parishes. The good people of St. Bernard Parish, who suffered 100% devastation from Katrina, as well as the good people of Jefferson, Plaquemines and St. Tammany Parishes have joined with New Orleans to ensure a re-birth of the entire region.
By joining forces we can bring attention to the things that are important to the rebuilding of the entire area, like the necessity of restoration of our wetlands, some of the most fragile and important in all of the United States. All of these things give us hope for the future.
We've kept our sense of humor
We have always been able to laugh at ourselves in New Orleans and that ability is serving us well in the post-Katrina times. There are cabaret shows, songs and stories about Katrina and life in New Orleans these days.
If we don't laugh, we'll cry.
The Bad
The uncertainty
For many people flooded out, the rebuilding process still hasn't started. There are simply too many unknowns. Whether to repair, or demolish and build higher is a decision which depends on so many factors. Can the mold really be removed forever? How high did the flood waters have to be and how long must they stand before a home is totaled, even though it looks like it could be repaired?
What's up with FEMA? FEMA issues the flood plane maps. Given the history of FEMA, who trusts them? FEMA just recently revised the flood plane maps to show that many houses must be raised. But how much? In some instances houses with 8-10 feet of water have to be raised 1 foot to get flood insurance, while others that had 4-5 feet don't have to be raised at all. What does that mean?
If I rebuild, will my neighbors? When will the recovery money promised actually get to the homeowners? There are more questions than answers now and decisions are hard to make.
The lack of construction workers
Almost every building in New Orleans and much of the surrounding areas needs work. It's very difficult to get a licensed contractor. Some are resorting to itinerant workers with little or no skills. This type of situation brings out the scam artists and makes life much harder for the average Joe.
The infrastructure
With all the water standing in the city so long, much of the infrastructure is destroyed. To say we have pot holes is like saying Florida beaches have some sand. What we have are parts of streets between sink holes. Below the streets many water lines have broken and are constantly being repaired. Water pressure is low and that makes fire a clear and present danger, not to mention showering a little harder.
Traffic signals and street signs
What do you do when you come to an intersection that has a temporary stop sign and a traffic light that works once in a while? Suppose the light is green, but the stop sign is still there? With street signs down and buildings destroyed, we have fewer landmarks. It's a lot easier to get lost.The return of crime
With the imprint of the city the same size, but the livable area and police force much smaller, certain bad guys are forced to live in different areas of the city from their pre-Katrina digs. A territorialty fight has broken out in Central City, an area of poor, hardworking people fighting to survive. Police concentration on that problem has been hampered by the miles and miles of devastated areas still needing protection from looters.
Phone, mail and electrical service is still incomplete
In many parts of the city, crews are still trying to restore phone and electric service. Entire substations and all lines are gone. Many businesses in New Orleans East and the Ninth Ward are trying to conduct business with only a cell phone. That makes things tough. Even in the areas back up and running with electricity and land lines, postal service is restricted to First Class mail.
The Ugly
We've become nothing more than an embarrassment for the United States Congress
The United States House of Representatives passed several resolutions before leaving for vacation, including expressing support for Hire a Veteran Week and National Bike Month. There was also a resolution acknowledging the 100th anniversary of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, and one to designate the official American Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Mo.
But, they failed act on a resolution to remember the victims of Katrina proposed by a bipartisan group from Louisiana and Mississippi. Nothing was even proposed to mark the day in the Senate. No reasons given.
