Friday, March 24, 2006

Lynch: In reviving New Orleans, don't forget the arts

Lynch: In reviving New Orleans, don't forget the arts: "Lynch: In reviving New Orleans, don't forget the arts
Robert L. Lynch, AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS
Friday, March 24, 2006

It wasn't surprising when a blue-ribbon panel appointed by New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin recommended recently that the arts and culture should be a centerpiece of rebuilding New Orleans' neighborhoods and reviving its economy. New Orleans is, after all, renowned for its arts and culture: from jazz and the blues to Mardi Gras to Cajun and Creole cuisine. And the city's cultural sector, according to the report, provided — prior to Hurricane Katrina — more than 15,000 jobs and more than $300 million annually to the local economy.

The significance of the arts and culture in New Orleans, however, is mirrored and even exceeded in cities throughout the nation. As important as the arts are for their intrinsic qualities — their power to delight, to inspire, to portray, and to provoke — they have emerged as a major building block of the U.S. economy."

Thursday, March 23, 2006

The Town Talk - www.thetowntalk.com - "Our View: Those who help in crises need our help

The Town Talk - www.thetowntalk.com - Alexandria-Pineville, Louisiana: "Our View: Those who help in crises need our help

During and after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Central Louisiana and the rest of the state saw powerful examples of how vital nonprofit organizations are to individuals and communities. Locally we saw various organizations provide food, shelter, information and much more. More than six months later, the nonprofits continue to help.

We are fortunate to live in an area where people muster forces so quickly and volunteer time and money so generously to help those in need."

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

New Orleans CityBusiness -- U.S. Postal Service problems continue to perplex

New Orleans CityBusiness -- The Business Newspaper of Metropolitan New Orleans: "U.S. Postal Service problems continue to perplex
by Mark Singletary
03/20/2006

Last Wednesday, 34 newspapers were delivered to my office. The big number is not out of the ordinary. I subscribe to and read lots of different newspapers.

The noteworthy fact was their issue dates: Four were printed in December, two in January, 17 in February and just 11 were printed this month.

To say we have ongoing issues with mail delivery is a huge understatement.

I don’t understand why. I don’t understand lots of things but this one has me quite puzzled on several levels.

Of the four December newspapers I received last week, two were from Wisconsin, one came from Maryland and one from Colorado."

The Sun Herald | 03/19/2006 | One man delivers truckloads of relief

The Sun Herald | 03/19/2006 | One man delivers truckloads of relief: "One man delivers truckloads of relief
18-wheeler makes 13 trips
By JACK BETHEA
SUN HERALD

Tennessee's 'volunteer spirit' is alive and well in Giles County native Tony Eubank, as evidenced by his continuing individual contribution to Katrina relief efforts.

Eubank, who lives in Lexington, Ala., has furnished his 18-wheeler to make 13 trips carrying relief supplies to hurricane victims along the Gulf Coast, including deliveries to Pass Road Baptist Church in Gulfport.

'On the Monday, exactly one week after the hurricane landed, the sheriff escorted us into the area, and we arrived in Mt. Herman, La., with the first load of relief supplies,' Eubank said. 'This was the most touching experience, because these people had been without enough food to eat or clean water.'"

The Sun Herald | 03/22/2006 | Grant workshops overflow

The Sun Herald | 03/22/2006 | Grant workshops overflow: "Grant workshops overflow
By PAM FIRMIN
pfirmin@sunherald.com

BILOXI - Nonprofit organizations seeking to fill in the financial holes dug by Katrina responded in unexpected numbers to an offer of free grant writing training at workshops Tuesday and today.

Reservations for the 30 available slots spilled over into a 20-name waiting list by Tuesday morning and people were still trying to sign up. An extra session was added, and the day was extended from 4 until 7 p.m.

'We started telling people, 'just show up,'"

Chico Enterprise Record -"Firefighters and families help hurricane victims in Mississippi

Chico Enterprise Record - Oroville Headlines: "Firefighters and families help hurricane victims in Mississippi
BY PAULA M. FELIPE/Public Safety Reporter

There are 24 CDF/Butte County Fire Department employees and their family members who are volunteering their time and talent to rebuild a region devastated by Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi. The group has been seeking donations to help cover costs of materials and tools.

'The volunteers are using their vacation or leave time,' explained Mary Ann Aldrich, a fire prevention specialist for CDF/Butte County Fire. She is coordinating the group and traveling to Mississippi with her husband, who is a carpenter with experience building houses."

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

The Town Talk - www.thetowntalk.com - Alexandria-Pineville, Louisiana

The Town Talk - www.thetowntalk.com - Alexandria-Pineville, Louisiana: "Museum hits funding roadblock
By Billy Gunn
bgunn@thetowntalk.com
(318) 487-6378

The nonprofit Historical Association of Central Louisiana donated $500 to the Alexandria museum that celebrates the life and work of a renowned black writer.

Association president Charles Charrier said he hopes other organizations will pitch in to help the cash-strapped Arna Bontemps African-American Museum"

The Beaumont Enterprise - News - 03/21/2006 - CEO visits area to help company better prepare for future disasters

The Beaumont Enterprise - News - 03/21/2006 - CEO visits area to help company better prepare for future disasters: "In January, Goldberg visited New Orleans and said he was struck by how profound the residents' emotional, physical and survival needs were.

In meeting with the staff in Beaumont, he attempted to learn how to better prepare for similar disasters in the future. He is scheduled to visit Lake Charles, La., today to round out his tour of the Gulf Coast region."

New Orleans lacks emergency shelter as storm season nears - Yahoo! News

New Orleans lacks emergency shelter as storm season nears - Yahoo! News: "As hurricane season approaches, the city doesn't have an emergency shelter, and local officials are asking for federal help to get people out of harm's way if another disaster strikes.
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Residents who can't leave town on their own ahead of an oncoming storm during hurricane season, which begins June 1 and runs through November, will be asked to board buses at the city's downtown convention center. They'll then be shuttled to shelters in outlying areas."

New Orleans CityBusiness -- The Business Newspaper of Metropolitan New Orleans

New Orleans CityBusiness -- The Business Newspaper of Metropolitan New Orleans: "United Way keeps focus on recovery
by April Capochino
03/20/2006

Beth Inbau, left president and CEO of the National Safety Council’s south Louisiana chapter, teaches student Mary Hulmer how to open up the airway when performing CPR.
Beth Inbau, left president and CEO of the National Safety Council’s south Louisiana chapter, teaches student Mary Hulmer how to open up the airway when performing CPR.
New Orleans-area nonprofits are looking for new funding sources in response to decreased corporate donations and a diminishing donor base post-Katrina.

“There’s good news and bad news,” said Gary Ostroske, president of United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area. “The bad news is there are less people here by which we have historically raised money from, and those who are here often don’t have the resources they had before because they’ve been affected by the hurricane."