http://www.louisianaspeaks.org A multifaceted planning process, endorsed by the Louisiana Recovery Authority. en-us Copyright 2008, Louisiana Speaks 2008-07-06T00:52-04:00 feedback@louisianaspeaks.org, info@louisianaspeaks.org http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/29491.html BATON ROUGE — Gov. Bobby Jindal wants to expand the powers of the Louisiana Recovery Authority and shrink the entity's governing board by almost half under a proposal moving through the Legislature. http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/29361.html By Becky Bohrer The Associated Press NEW ORLEANS Editor Eleanor Griffin worried about "Katrina fatigue" among her nearly 4 million readers when she devoted much of her magazine's October edition to New Orleans' comeback, more than two years after the devastating hurricane. But her gut instinct in continuing to tell the story paid off, she says - and gave Cottage Living its best-received issue last ... http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/29321.html BATON ROUGE — Facing questions about her relationships with contractors and a fight over federal money, the woman who runs the agency that controls Road Home buyout properties resigned in disgust Thursday. Nadine Jarmon stepped down as executive director of the Louisiana Land Trust, the quasi-public body once known as the Road Home Corp. It had appeared before the meeting she might be fired ... http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/29251.html The state has begun distributing checks for home elevations through The Road Home program, six weeks after announcing a plan to streamline the disbursement of elevation funds. The first checks went out last week, the state said. To speed the flow of grants to homeowners, the state has begun offering a flat amount of funding instead of calculating awards for each applicant. http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/26751.html HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, SUBCOMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY HOLDS A HEARING ON DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES FEBRUARY 13, 2008 SPEAKERS: REP. DAVID E. PRICE, D-N.C. CHAIRMAN REP. CAROLYN CHEEKS KILPATRICK, D-MICH. REP. CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ, D-TEXAS REP. NITA M. LOWEY, D-N.Y. REP. SAM FARR, D-CALIF. REP. CHAKA FATTAH, D-PA. REP. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD, D-CALIF. REP. ... http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/26741.html SENATE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS HOLDS A HEARING ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2009 BUDGET FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FEBRUARY 14, 2008 SPEAKERS: SEN. JOSEPH I. LIEBERMAN, I-CONN. CHAIRMAN SEN. CARL LEVIN, D-MICH. SEN. DANIEL K. AKAKA, D-HAWAII SEN. THOMAS R. CARPER, D-DEL. SEN. MARK PRYOR, D-ARK. SEN. MARY L. LANDRIEU, D-LA. SEN. BARACK OBAMA, D-ILL. SEN. CLAIRE ... http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/26731.html DIRECTOR GERBERDING HOLDS A NEWS CONFERENCE FEBRUARY 14, 2008 SPEAKERS: CDC DIRECTOR JULIE GERBERDING FEMA ADMINISTRATOR R. DAVID PAULISON [*] GERBERDING: I'm Dr. Julie Gerberding, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and I'm joined today by with Administrator Paulison from the Federal Emergency Management Administration, CDC and FEMA. We're here to provide some provide ... http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/26691.html The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following press release: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Louisiana hosted a two-day partnership meeting this week in Baton Rouge to discuss emergency preparedness and recovery issues, goals, objectives and policies among FEMA, the state and local governments. Participants came together ... http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/26681.html FULL TEXT Rules sidetrack funds, projects WASHINGTON - Three-quarters of the billions in federal money earmarked to replace schools, firehouses and other public works after the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes still haven't been spent, a sign that key pieces of the region's recovery effort are languishing in red tape. http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/26671.html GAO-08-243 Emergency Transit Assistance: Federal Funding for Recent Disasters, and Options for the Future February 15, 2008 Statement of Katherine Siggerud, Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues The Honorable Christopher J. Dodd Chairman The Honorable Richard C. Shelby Ranking Member Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs United States Senate Major disasters or acts of terrorism can ... http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/26661.html Eighty-four-year-old Virginia Steele stood in her carport as a chilly wind raced between her FEMA trailer and her house on River Bend Drive in Violet. She pointed to the homes of neighbors who have not returned since Hurricane Katrina submerged the St. Bernard Parish street in roof-high water nearly 2 years ago. "Everybody's so scattered. That's a big change right there - people gone and not coming ... http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/26651.html With the skilled labor shortage at manufacturing facilities in the region expected to reach 10,000 workers in three to four years, a coalition including two area colleges, an economic development agency and manufacturing companies is hoping a recently opened job training center will help reverse the decline in available labor. http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/26631.html The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' National Institutes of Health issued the following press release: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announces the selection of five individuals to serve as members of the Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD). Since 1966, the ACD has advised the NIH Director on policy and planning issues important to the NIH mission of conducting and supporting ... http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/26621.html http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/news/26611.html