Louisiana

June 03, 2008 -- BATON ROUGE – Today, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal sent a letter to President Bush through FEMA Region VI to request that a “major disaster” be declared for Louisiana as a result of the flooding, torrential rainfall, damaging winds and tornado activity from May 13th to May 15th.

Governor Jindal requested a major disaster declaration for the parishes of Bossier, Caddo, East Carroll, Livingston, Tangipahoa and Washington Parishes. The letter is included below:

Honorable George W. Bush, President
The White House
Washington, D.C.

Through:
Regional Director
FEMA Region VI
800 North Loop 288
Denton, TX 76209-3698

RE: Application for Presidential Disaster Declaration

Dear Mr. President:    » read more »

June 3, 2008 -- While in Louisiana today John McCain will no doubt say he would fight for the people of Louisiana as president, but a look at his votes shows Senator McCain has consistently tried to gut a vital part of the state's economy: the sugar industry.

John McCain in Louisiana: Photo by dsb nola (CC)

McCain has made ending sugar subsidies a central promise of his presidential campaign and in the Senate has introduced amendments to end the government's sugar program. [Washington Times, 4/17/07; The Advocate (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), 7/21/00; Palm Beach Post, 7/21/00; Times Picayune, 8/5/99]    » read more »

Federal Coordinator Doug O'Dell and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Brigadier General Michael Walsh Discuss Levee Protection in New Orleans

May 30, 2008 -- New Orleans, LA. – General Doug O’Dell, federal coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, along with Brigadier General Michael Walsh of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), recently hosted a media conference call to discuss hurricane protection in New Orleans in preparation for the upcoming hurricane season beginning June 1.

A levee wall in New Orleans: Photo by AuthenticEccentric (CC)    » read more »

June 02, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Justin R. Mixon, 22, of Bogalusa, Louisiana, died June 1 in Baghdad Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.

   » read more »

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" Heads To New Orleans To Help An Extended Family Rebuild Their Homes And A Local Congregation With Their Church After The Devastation Of Hurricane Katrina, On The Show's Two-Part Season Finale, Sunday, May 18 On ABC

Monday, April 28, 2008 -- "Usea Family" -- Ty Pennington and the show's designers are heading to the final stop on their 50-state tour to surprise the Usea family of Westwego, LA, and the Noah's Ark Missionary Baptist Church in New Orleans, with the news that they'll be rebuilding the Useas' homes as well as the church in just seven days, on the two-part Season Finale of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," SUNDAY, MAY 18 (7:00-8:00 & 8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Highlights:    » read more »

Guard validates emergency plans with disaster response exercise

CAMP BEAUREGARD, La. - The Louisiana National Guard finished months of preparation with a joint Disaster Response Exercise April 2-6 in New Orleans.

The training brought together nearly 600 participants from the National Guard, Coast Guard, local, state and federal agencies to complete an exercise that simulated a category two hurricane hitting the greater New Orleans metropolitan area.

Soldiers help an injured role player during a Disaster Response Exercise: Soldiers were given different missions simultaneously to test the Louisiana National Guard’s ability to respond to an emergency. US Army photo by Thomas Benoit    » read more »

April 15, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Joseph A. Richard III, 27, of Lafayette, Louisiana, died April 14 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), located at Fort Polk, La.

Source: DOD

April 8, 2008 -- BATON ROUGE – Today, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to request assistance for those farmers in the Morganza Spillway whose crops have been affected by recent rising water levels. The letter is included below:

Morganza Louisiana sandbag: National Guard heavy equipment fills large sandbags to prevent Mississippi River floodwaters from flooding cropland near Morganza. Photo courtesy Louisiana Dept. of Agriculture.

Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer
U.S. Department of Agriculture
14th & Independence Ave, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250

Dear Secretary Schafer:    » read more »

April 01, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Terrell W. Gilmore, 38, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, died March 30 in Baghdad, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

He was assigned to the 769th Engineer Battalion of the Louisiana Army National Guard in Baton Rouge.

Source: DoD

Louisiana Governor Jindal commends Guard Soldiers, farmers

CAMP BEAUREGARD, La. – “Before this week is done, I hope every one of us finds one of these soldiers and thanks them for what they do,” said Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. “You know, a farmer put it best to me, he said, ‘freedom’s not free.’”

Army National Guard soldiers assist farmers in the effort to save their crops from possible flooding by the Mississippi: (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Rebekah Malone)    » read more »

Dallas, Texas, March 26, 2008 -- The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $1,318,900 to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (LDHH) to implement requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

LDHH will use the funds to conduct sanitary surveys and perform analyses of drinking water samples.

As part of this project, LDHH will also investigate potential public health problems in the treatment or distribution of drinking water.

Additional information on EPA grants:
epa.gov/region6/gandf/index.htm

More about activities in EPA Region 6:
epa.gov/region6

EPA audio file is available at:
epa.gov/region6/6xa/audio.htm#audio032608_ldhh

Source: EPA

Wednesday, March 19, 2008, BATON ROUGE, La. -- During the first- and second- rounds of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, the NCAA, Lowe’s, Habitat for Humanity International and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Baton Rouge will team up to build a home in partnership with a hard-working, low-income family that was displaced by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.

Louisiana State University student-athletes, local community and Lowe’s volunteers will construct a Habitat for Humanity house frame on Saturday, March 22 at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La. The build will take place near the university’s track and field complex.    » read more »

Mar 19, 2008 -- BATON ROUGE- Today, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal announced eleven new appointments and four reappointments to the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission. The four reappointments include Alexis Hocevar, of New Orleans, Price Leblanc, Jr., of Metairie, Arthur Tait, of Shreveport, and Cloid White, of Winnsboro.

The Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission regulates and licenses motor vehicle manufacturers, distributers, dealers, and leasers. All members are appointed by the governor and subject to senate confirmation. Ray Brandt will serve as chairman.

Appointments to the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission    » read more »

HUD provides New Orleans $2.3 million more than 2007 to support housing and development programs

NEW ORLEANS, March 17, 2008 - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson today announced the City of New Orleans will receive more than $27 million to support community development and produce more affordable housing in the Big Easy. HUD's annual funding will also provide downpayment assistance to first-time homebuyers; assist individuals and families who might otherwise be living on the streets; and offer real housing solutions for individuals with HIV/AIDS.    » read more »

Mar 05, 2008 -- BATON ROUGE – Today, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed four more bills passed by the legislature in the ethics reform special session into law. Jindal signed HB 6, HB 7, HB 8, and HB 22 today and will continue to sign additional ethics reform bills in the coming days.

BACKGROUND ON BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW:

HB 6: Requires annual ethics training for all public servants and lobbyists. This law will phase in mandatory training each year for all those governed by the ethics code to promote awareness and compliance with new and existing laws.    » read more »