Danae Columbus: Funding and goals clash in Charity redevelopment debates

Though there is much progressive talk in New Orleans these days about the need for economic and social equity, the viability of the redevelopment of Charity Hospital and its surrounding footprint will be decided in part by the willingness of Mayor LaToya Cantrell, the City Council and the judges of Civil District Court to relocate into the former hospital. Without their participation, the overall development – with its strong commitment to affordable housing, DBE participation, training and workforce development – would suffer from a severe funding gap. A significant public subsidy would be needed to get the project off the ground. An “active tenant” such as city government is necessary to make the project’s financial numbers work.

Kristine Froeba: Hurricane Katrina diary — Where were you 13 years ago today?

I hear it’s pouring rain today in New Orleans. How apt. Most of my friends say they will not watch television today. I haven’t seen my friend Kim Abramson in person for years, but today her Instagram post was one of grief. It reads, “We won’t turn on the TV today, because I can’t take the images. I love you, New Orleans, hang in there.”

Many others are planning a social media blackout. I will likely employ both survival tactics. For that is what we did—Katrina survivors, the luckier few anyway—we survived. Far too many did not.

Yesterday afternoon, Times-Picayune reporter Melinda Morris innocently Tweeted, “Where were you 13 years ago today?” The roundup’s responses brought forth emotions forgotten in the daily hustle. More poignantly, it brought tears. Morris admitted she can’t bring herself to watch video feed of Hurricane Katrina.

There were numerous emotional admissions from New Orleans and Mississippi on yesterday’s social media, emotions and memories that the rest of America will never be able to grasp. Many started crying. I was one of them.

Lycee promises improvement to new school-bus system after first week’s “disaster”

As if the first day back at school wasn’t challenging enough, many Lycée Français de la Nouvelle-Orléans students spent so long returning home on the charter’s school’s new bus system that parents gave up waiting for them at the bus stop, only to find out that the school was unsure where exactly the buses were for hours as well.

“It’s been an all-hands-on-deck deal,” said board chair David Amoss. “The first day was an utter disaster, but it has gotten better since then. … What happened that week is completely unacceptable to anyone at the school or on this board.”