Katrina Update #73Katrina Update #73It was 8 months ago today that The Storm came through and flooded New Orleans. While life continues to improve in the "sliver by the river" (we actually have more stop lights working than not working now!), things are not improving as fast between I-10 and Lake Ponchairtrain, most of which was flooded. One neighborhood, however, is taking the lead in their own recovery effort. The New Orleans neighborhood of Gentilly has begun a neighborhood planning process that could set the standard for the city.
The Gentilly urban-planning method is called a "charrette." According to Wikipedia, "charrette" can refer to any collaborative session in which a group of designers drafts a solution to a design problem. The structure of a charrette varies depending on the design problem and the individuals in the group, and they often take place in multiple sessions in which the group divides into sub-groups. Each sub-group then presents its work to the full group as material for future dialogue. Charrettes serve as a way of quickly generating a design solution while integrating the aptitudes and interests of a diverse group of people. Gentilly's charrette is all-volunteer, thus free from governmental restraints, and the first in New Orleans.
The Gentilly project also offers a glimpse at how the larger city might re-emerge. The plan calls for a more walkable town center and raised housing designed to withstand future floods. Residents with "slab" style homes have been advised by architects to convert their first floors into garages and build second floors with living quarters because the cost of raising the structure to the three feet minimum demanded by FEMA is exorbitantly high.
In December 2005, Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis announced plans to create a "Musicians' Village" in New Orleans. Conceived by Connick and Marsalis as a place displaced New Orleans musicians (many of whom lived in the decimated 9th ward) can call home, the village is being built by Habitat for Humanity. The centerpiece of the village is the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, which will be dedicated to the education and development of homeowners and others who will live nearby. (Ellis Marsalis, Jr. is the patriarch of the musically prolific Marsalis clan, which include Wynton, Branford, Delfeayo, and Jason.)
“This plan, this village, will help restore New Orleans' musical heritage, and protect it for the next generation that will follow,” said Branford Marsalis, noting that it's “also the beginning of Habitat's return to work in the city, which will see hundreds of houses built in the years to come, to help hurricane recovery and beyond.”
To the news that he will be honored with the naming of the community center, Ellis Marsalis said, “I am humbled and proud to have a role in the rebirth of this great city.”
Seed money for the Musicians' Village is coming from proceeds from the historic From the Big Apple To The Big Easy benefit concerts, held at both Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall on Sept. 20, which have been directed towards this effort as part of the event's overall commitment to support the long-term rebuilding efforts of the Gulf Coast region.
“This is very exciting because it uses the Habitat model--building homes and communities--and takes it a step farther, to helping hope for the future,” said Connick. “Children will grow up in the neighborhoods, in a safe and secure environment, and at the same time the opportunity to become a part of the musical and cultural scene in New Orleans.”
“We believe this will help breathe life into an historic New Orleans neighborhood suitable to the re-migration of our valuable musician families,” said Pate. More money will be needed, and a fund-raising effort is planned, he added, but “this donation from Madison Square Garden, and the support of native sons such as Harry (Connick) and Branford (Marsalis) will help give it momentum and make it happen.”
On April 26th, Dave Matthews, of the Dave Matthews Band issued a $1.5 million challenge grant to help build the Village. Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, DMB added a fourth night to their concert run at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Golden, CO. The tour-ending concert raised $1.5 million which is the source of funding for the challenge grant.
Dave Matthews made the announcement after arriving in New Orleans this past week. His band performs at the Jazz & Heritage Festival today (April 29, 2006) at 5:20 PM.
If you would like to support the New Orleans Habitat Musicians’ Village, please visit: www.habitat-nola.org and click on Musicians’ Village, or mail a check to: NOAHH – Musicians’ Village; P.O. Box 15052, New Orleans, LA 70175-5052.
It's a little bit smaller, but this year's Jazz Fest could just be the best one yet. Personally, I go for the food and stay for the music. We had Crawfish Strudel, Crawfish Monica, Fried Oyster and Spinich Salad, Chicken and Tasso, and plenty of Rosemint or Mandarin Orange Ice Tea. Oh, and don't forget the Mango Freeze! We are already looking forward to next week when Patton's will return to Jazz Fest serving their incredible Crawfish Sack, Crawfish Beignets and Oyster patties.
Jazz Fest is down two stages from the past few years, but have booked big names such as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, and Jimmy Buffett. But the real news is all about the local musicians – those who are either natives or have adopted New Orleans as their home. That's the real line up. Fat's Domino, Papa Grows Funk, Ani DiFranco, Johhny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, Irma Thomas, Bob French, The New Orleans Jazz Vipers, Irvin Mayfield, and so many, many more.
There's still time to get in on the action. Jazz Fest has one more weekend, and there are still hotel rooms available – so come on down!
- Janis made an interesting observation during the mayoral debates of the past few weeks. While most of the candidates referred to the storm as "Katrina" or "the Hurricane, Mayor Nagin did not. He never once said "Katrina." He never said "Hurricane" except in the future tense (as in "if another hurricane hits New Orleans this year..."). It was always "the event." While other candidates focused on what they felt New Orleans needed to recover from Katrina, Mayor Nagin distanced himself from the storm and tried to focus people's attentions on his record, and that he should be the one that finishes the task of recovery for the next four years.
- The Return of Kimbo. Kimberly "Kimbo" Butler-Williamson is now the target of no less than three official investigations into her management of and conduct as clerk of courts. Just appoint her official New Orleans Court Jester and be done with it.
- Here's something I'll bet you didn't think about: swimming pools. Some of those flooded homes had swimming pools. Naturally, the flood waters contaminated the pools, and, for the past 8 months, the water has just been sitting there. Got that picture in your head? Good. Now I have two words for you: West Nile. Although no cases have been reported yet, it may be only a matter of time, since these former places of respid from the day's heat have now been turned into cesspools of breeding environments for mosquitos.
There are thousands of these pools in the New Orleans area, and each has basically become a mosquito breeding tank. But luckily, someone is doing something about it.
Steve Sackett is a research entomologist for the New Orleans Mosquito and Termite Control Board. He has found an ally in his battle against a potential mosquito infestation: Operation Blessing. They are a faith-based, non-profit associated with Pat Robertson. What volunteers for Operation Blessing are doing is going around to these pools and fountains and dropping in a few dozen fish named Gambusia affinis, more commonly referred to as "mosquito fish." They are one of the most effective non-insecticidal and non-chemical methods of controlling mosquitoes, generally requiring no feeding or additional care. They breed throughout the summer and new broods are produced at about six week intervals. Females can produce anywhere from 12 to 70 babies each. Each guppy-sized fish can eat 100 mosquito larvae per day.
Gambusia affinis has been used to control mosquito populations since the late 1930s. The fish are native to Louisiana waters and generally require no feeding and little care. As surface-breathing fish, they are able to survive in polluted waters with low levels of dissolved oxygen and wide ranges of temperatures. Their primary food source is mosquito larvae, and they are voracious predators. If no mosquito larvae are present, they can live off algae.
So I guess the lesson learned here is that no matter where you are on the food chain, there is always something bigger that wants to eat you.
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