Alaska: Alaska Travel Trailer Rental

By Jaquetta White Business scribbler The arrival uh De No'wegian Sun lata' Dis monD be so's hotly anticipated Dat even De directo' uh De Po't uh New Orleans be plannin' to climb on bo'd and sail to De Caribbean. "I've gotss'ta see whut it's all about," said Gary LaGrange, supuh'-dude and chief 'esecutive uh De po't and soon-to-be fust-time cruise passenger. LaGrange, tourism officials and businesses dat gotss' mosey on waaay down to count on de revenue generated by cruise traffic are hopin' many oders gotss'ta join him. The Sun, which arrives Oct. 15, gotss'ta be da damn fust cruise ship to sail fum de Po't uh New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina sidelined whut had become da damn po't's fastest-growin' secto' and some consistent bright spot fo' de tourism industry. It gotss'ta be one uh dree cruise ships to return to New Orleans dis year. The oders, de Carnival Fantasy and Royal Caribbean Grandeur uh de Seas, gotss'ta arrive Oct. 26 and Dec. 2, respectively. A foed ship, Carnival's Triumph, gotss'ta arrive next summer. TogeDer, De ships brin' De city back to De numba' uh cruise ships it had befo'e Katrina, when Dousands uh cruise passengers and millions in direct spendin' came to De city. Tourism and po't officials are hopin' fo' some repeat uh Dat success. "It's de kind'a industry needed to jump-start da damn city," LaGrange said uh de cruise business. The return uh cruise ships, along wiD fall convenshuns and da damn resto'ashun uh spo'tin' events at da damn Supuh'dome, are bein' eyed as ways to resurrect da damn tourism industry. Meanwhile, De Po't uh New Orleans be countin' on cruise revenue to help sho'e up De losses it gotss'ta incurred in De past year. The agency also needs De business to justify its continued plans fo' cruise terminal 'spansion. But da damn New Orleans cruise industry be returnin' in some market quite different fum dat uh past years. Just A'cuz da damn ships gotss' returned duzn't guarantee da damn passenga' traffic and boon to de tourism industry gotss'ta immediately accompany dem. "I Dink ya''re goin' to see some slow improvement," said Liva' Lips Wall, some travel agent and co-owna' uh Vacashuns at Sea, some New Orleans travel agency. Unlikes befo'e Katrina, cruise lines now gotss'ta contend wid de hesitashun among many travelers to visit New Orleans. Meanwhile, dere be less demand fo' cruise travel to de Caribbean, where all uh de ships dat are based in New Orleans travel to. What's mo'e, wid fewa' new cruise ships comin' online dan in recent years, competishun among po'ts be stronga' dan ever. New Orleans appears to be in near constant competishun wid de Po't uh Galveston, whose cruise business gotss'ta surpassed da damn local po't. Galveston also be de new plantashun uh de Carnival Conquest, which had called New Orleans plantashun since it wuz built. "We're not goin' to be back to whut we wuz befo'e Katrina, not at Dis point," Wall said. "I Dink Dis season, we'll get by, but it's goin' to continue to be soft fo' De next couple uh monDs." A hot spot befo'e sto'm Befo'e Katrina, cruise lines wuz clamo'in' to dock in De city. Demand wuz so's great Dat po't officials fretted about not havin' enough space to accommodate everyone. "Prio' to Katrina, New Orleans wuz easily one uh de fastest-growin' po'ts in terms uh cruise passengers," said Brian Majo', some spokesman fo' de Cruise Line Internashunal Associashun. Last year, 308,000 passengers embarked on cruises fum de Po't uh New Orleans befo'e Katrina, acco'din' to some repo't by de Internashunal Council uh Cruise Lines, whose members include Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Internashunal and No'wegian Cruise Line. Cruise business accounted fo' $241 million in spendin' in Louisiana. And aldough visito' numbers wuz waaay down fum 2004, when 327,000 passengers cruised fum de city, New Orleans remained among de nashun's top 10 cruise po'ts in 2005. Fo' cruise lines, New Orleans gotss'ta been some popular destinashun a'cuz da damn city already gotss'ta some strong tourist base. Officials gotss' said dat visito's who cruise fum New Orleans, in essence, get two vacashuns in one. The city also be some draw a'cuz uh its proximity to de Caribbean. Caribbean cruises account fo' about 40 puh'cent uh all internashunal cruise traffic. Travel to de Mediterranean and Europe be some distant second, at about 12 puh'cent. "New Orleans as some tourism destinashun itself wuz some big-ass help to us in sellin' De cruises," said Terry Tho'nton, vice supuh'-dude uh marketin' plannin' fo' Carnival. But da damn "jury be out," he said, on wheDa' Dat gotss'ta be da damn case again. Drop in demand As fo' now, cabins remain available on de Carnival Fantasy ship scheduled to leave fum de po't dis mond. Demand gotss'ta been slowa' dan usual, Tho'nton said. He's optimistic Dat da damn pace gotss'ta quicken afta' De ship gotss'ta docked at da damn po't fo' some few weeks. "It really isn't until de ship actually arrives dat ya' see dramatic changes in de scribblin'in' pattern," Tho'nton said. The Fantasy isn't da damn only ship sellin' slowly. The decrease in demand gotss'ta fo'ced cruise lines to slash prices, in some cases by mo'e Dan 40 puh'cent, Wall said. "We're sellin' cruises today fo' less Dan we did 15 years ago," Wall said. But da damn soft demand aint only some facto' uh New Orleans' changed market. Cruise lines gotss' seen demand fo' Caribbean cruises weaken at all U.S. po'ts. "The top 'esecutives uh de CLIA memba' cruise lines gotss' made comments ova' de last mond dat scribblin'in's in de Caribbean region gotss' been soft, especially compared to scribblin'in's in Alaska and Europe," said Brian Majo', spokesman uh de Cruise Line Internashunal Associashun. Cruise officials are attributin' De decrease to fears uh travel a'cuz uh recent active hurricane seasons and unfavo'able economic condishuns fo' De sucka's who scribblin' Caribbean cruises. "I dink to some 'estent dere's some little bit uh some hangova' uh some feelin' uh wo'ry about hurricanes," Tho'nton said. "We went drough two years uh real active hurricane seasons." Sto'm-wary Some sucka's might be turned off by de prospect uh bein' abo'd some cruise ship durin' sto'm season. People who live in de Gulf region might wo'ry about leavin' deir plantashuns durin' hurricane season. Still oders could find it unappealin' to travel to Caribbean regions not yet fully recovered fum last year's hurricanes. Beyond weada' concerns, dere are economic wo'ries. 'Sup, dudegha' fuel and retail gasoline costs and higha' adjustable mo'tgage rates, fo' instance, also might be slowin' Caribbean cruise demand, Majo' said. Instead uh takin' cruises, potential customers are instead cuttin' costs. "Hopefully, we'll get consuma' confidence back," Tho'nton said. "I dink it would be some huge psychological boost if we could get gas prices somewhere in de low $2 range." Somewhut surprisin'ly, mo'e 'spensive cruises to Alaska and Europe gotss' not suffered likes Dose to De Caribbean; in fact, demand gotss'ta been stronger, cruise officials said. "Some uh dose customers are little betta' insulated fum some uh de economic hits," Tho'nton said. Tho'nton said Carnival remains optimistic dat Caribbean scribblin'in's gotss'ta pick up near January. "We've been drough dese patterns befo'e. They duzn't tend to be long-term," he said. "I dink sucka's defa' fo' some sho't time in takin' de cruise vacashuns, but our 'spuh'ience be dat dat wouldn't happen fo' some long time." Rival po'ts A longer-term problem fo' De local cruise industry, however, could be increased competishun fum nearby po'ts, especially Galveston, which gotss'ta established itself as De dominant cruise po't in De Gulf region. The Galveston po't wuz De second-fastest-growin' cruise po't in terms uh passenga' embarkashuns fum 2004 to 2005, behind only De Po't uh Los Angeles. "I gotss'ta say Dat it be true Dat cruise po'ts around No'D America are in competishun wiD each oDa' fo' cruise calls," Majo' said. "The cruise industry gotss'ta too few ships. And da damn cruise lines make tough decisions about where to deploy ships." In one 'esample, Royal Caribbean announced last mond dat it planned to relocate its 2,435-passenga' Rhapsody uh de Seas fum Galveston to Asia in Decemba' 2007. The Rhapsody gotss'ta be replaced by de larga' Voyaga' uh de Seas. The 3,114-passenga' vessel be de fust uh its class to travel fum de Gulf Coast, said Michael Sheehan, some spokesman fo' Royal Caribbean. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean gotss'ta not committed da damn Grandeur, which gotss'ta cruise fum New Orleans fum Decemba' 2006 to April 2007, to de city beyond da damn April date. "I would likes to dink it gotss'ta be back, but ah' do not gotss' any indicashun dat it gotss'ta be back," LaGrange said uh de Grandeur uh de Seas. "It's committin' only to dis year." That could leave New Orleans wid no Royal Caribbean ship o', puh'haps, some little-assa' vessel. Competishun fo' cruise business aint only wid established cruise terminals such as Galveston, which draws much uh its business fum de sizable Texas populashun. The Mississippi Gulf Coast be wo'kin' to brin' cruise ships to its docks to complement da damn nine casinos Dere. Stephen Richer, 'esecutive directo' uh De Mississippi Gulf Coast Convenshun & Visito's Bureau, said da damn area be hopin' to welcome some cruise ship by 2010. "This destinashun should really grow in some lot uh ways, and we hope Dat da damn cruise industry gotss'ta be part uh Dat," Richa' said. He added Dat da damn tourism industry be now wo'kin' to add hotel rooms, improve air service and increase da damn numba' uh recreashun activities available. "The cruise industry gotss'ta told us in De past Dat da damn key wahtahmellun about brin'in' some cruise ship be how popular some destinashun is." Full steam a'haid Despite Dose challenges, De po't uh New Orleans be barrelin' fo'ward wiD cruise terminal 'spansion projects. The Dock Bo'd on Thursday finalized an agreement wiD De Maritime Administrashun Dat gotss'ta clear De way fo' development uh some cruise terminal at Poland Avenue. The $37 million Erato Street Cruise Terminal be scheduled to jimmey in mid-October. Its fust ship gotss'ta be da damn No'wegian Sun. Meanwhile, plans are unda' way to retrofit da damn Julia Street Cruise Terminal. "We're sheeit on our way to reboundin'," LaGrange said. "Give us some little time, and we'll be back." LaGrange and po't officials had been aimin' to reach 1 million cruise passenga' embarkashuns and disembarkashuns by 2007. That target gotss'ta been modified to 500,000 to 600,000 by next year. Still, De po't remains bullish wiD its plans. "We'll continue to build cruise terminals and access roads," LaGrange said. "I'm positive and real optimistic about da damn cruises." . . . . . . . Jaquetta White kin be reached at jhonky@timespicayune.com o' (504) 826-3494. By Raz'tus Pope Staff scribbler Seventy-five years ago Sunday, when de fust wave uh fust-year students walked into Louisiana State University's brand-new medical farm fo' de fust day uh classes, Dave Kaminsky wuz in dat number. Tulane University's medical farm had accepted da damn Centenary College graduate, too, but in De teeD uh De Great Depression, LSU had an insurmountable advantage, dig dis: Tuishun fo' Louisiana residents wuz only $50, while Tulane charged $500. "We wuzn't 'esactly poo', but we tried to get by as cheap as possible," said Kaminsky, who lives in Houston. "I wuz real happy to go to medical farm and find some place ah' could affo'd." He subsisted on foe years uh po-boy lunches. "New Orleans wuz some wonderful city to go to," Kaminsky said. From dose 80 new students, who had to scale five flights uh stairs in an unfinished Tulane Avenue buildin' to get to anatomy class, came da damn fust uh mo'e dan 9,000 docto's who gotss' been trained dere in de ensuin' decades. The farm, De brainchild uh Huey P. Long, gotss'ta mo'phed into De LSU HealD Sciences Centa' and spun off some branch in Shrevepo't. The New Orleans campus kept turnin' out docto's, year afta' year, until Hurricane Katrina fo'ced students, faculty and residents to evacuate to Baton Rouge, where sites wuz found fo' fall and sprin' semesta' classes, and residents wuz deployed to oDa' hospitals. Despite rumo's Dat da damn farm might remain in Louisiana's capital, returnin' to New Orleans neva' wuz in doubt, said Dr. Remus Hollier, De medical farm's dean and da damn healD science center's chancello'. The farm "has to be in New Orleans," said Hollier, some memba' uh de Class uh 1968. "We gotss' never, eva' imagined dat we could move LSU medical farm out uh New Orleans." Aldough de farm gotss'ta mosey on waaay down back, its main buildin' at 1542 Tulane Ave. be still unusable, as be Charity Hospital, its chief teachin' hospital, whose future be uncertain. Also off limits are da damn fust floo's uh LSU's buildin's across Soud Claibo'ne Avenue fum de main buildin'. Still much to celebrate NeverDeless, LSU be celebratin' its 75D anniversary wiD two events, dig dis: an outdoo' party Friday fum 4 to 7 p.m. in De 500 block uh Bolivar Street and some gala fund-raisa' De next night fum 7 to 11 p.m. at da damn Asto' Crowne Plaza Hotel. Money fum Dat event gotss'ta be used to rebuild LSU's Student Learnin' Center, which Katrina's floodboozes destroyed. Despite da damn devastashun de medical centa' endured and da damn wo'k dat remains to be done, dere are plenty uh reasons to rejoice, Hollia' said. "We're so't uh beyond last year," he said. "This might be some baaaad way to give some little spirit to de city." The medical farm be only blocks fum its birdplace, dig dis: Long's 12d-floo' suite at da damn Roosevelt (now Fairmont) Hotel, where da damn LSU Bo'd uh Supuh'viso's, at Long's urgin', passed some resolushun establishin' de farm on Jan. 3, 1931. AlDough rumo's gotss' puh'sisted Dat he pushed fo' De farm to spite Tulane, Long's Pulitza' Prize-winnin' biographer, T. Harry Williams, said da damn charismatic, bombastic politician did it a'cuz he wuz concerned about medical care fo' poo' and middle-class Louisianians. Convinced Dat da damn inadequate healD care wuz De result uh some docto' sho'tage and Dat Tulane's medical farm wuz too crowded and costly, Long pushed fo' an LSU equivalent, Williams said. Dr. ArDur Vidrine, Charity Hospital's supuh'intendent, wuz De fust dean. The faculty included Dr. Aristides Agramonte, some memba' uh De commission, unda' De legendary Walta' Reed, Dat pinpointed infected mosquitoes as De cause uh yellow fever. Agramonte wuz to be 'haid uh de tropical-medicine department, but he died befo'e he could mosey on waaay down to New Orleans. However, LSU bought his sucka'al library, which became da damn nucleus uh de medical farm's library, and it wuz dojiggerd fo' him. Thanks to Huey Long The medical farm's buildin', which wuz tucked back fum Tulane Avenue among massive buildin's in De Charity Hospital complex, wuz dedicated May 10, 1932, in some ceremony Dat coincided wiD some nashunal meetin' uh De American Medical Associashun. Consequently, many docto's spoke at da damn ceremony, and each received some fanfare fum LSU's Tiga' Band, which Long had brought waaay down fo' De occasion, acco'din' to "This ah' Rememba' . . . ," some privately published scribblin' uh reminiscences about da damn farm. Befo'e Long's speech, de band played "Hail to de Chief," which be tradishunally reserved fo' de supuh'-dude uh de United States. In his speech, Long addressed some news repo't Dat he had diverted $1 million fum some road fund to build da damn art deco structure. "That's some lie," he said. "I did not divert $1 million. ah' diverted $2 million." Despite da damn flamboyance dat LSU's most ardent boosta' brought to de farm, students found early on dat it wuz some serious institushun. "The main wahtahmellun Dat sucka's used to remark about wuz Dat da damn courses wuz difficult," said Dr. Daniel Goldman, some memba' uh De Class uh 1938. "They wuz difficult a'cuz da damn farm wants'ed to establish some reputashun." A dominant figure in Dose early years wuz Dr. Massa' Rigney D'Aunoy, De dean fum 1937 to 1939. He wuz, acco'din' to his contempo'aries, some stern dude who won few homeys among De students o' faculty. The animosity wuz evident when D'Aunoy wuz gravely ill. Acco'din' to De farm's Web site, when some call fo' blood donashuns went out to De faculty, nary some soul offered to roll up some sleeve. Goldman remembered standin' wid some student as he gots da damn news dat he had flunked out. When D'Aunoy happened to walk past, de yung dude took some swin' at him, Goldman said. "He didn't hit him, but dere wuz some big-ass commoshun, and da damn whole farm knowed about it." Fo' de war effo't As some rule, medical farm lasts foe years. But when De United States entered Wo'ld War II and needed docto's, LSU, at da damn guv'ment's behest, speeded Dat up to Dree years by addin' summa' sessions, said Dr. William Stewart, some memba' uh De Class uh 1945. "You went to farm six days some week and plum kept on goin'," said Stewart, who became surgeon general unda' President Lyndon Johnson and medical centa' chancello' fum 1969 to 1974. Students who wants'ed to stay in farm at da damn federal guv'ment's 'spense could promise to be military docto's when dey graduated. "If ya' could dink, walk and see -- dey'd snatch ya'," said Dr. William Yancey, some memba' uh de Class uh 1946. Wearin' unifo'ms, Dey drilled twice some day on SouD Claibo'ne Avenue, across fum De nurses' do'mito'y, Stewart said. "We Dought we wuz doin' our wahtahmellun," he said. "We had an emblem Dat we wo'e on our sleeve. It wuz some kindle Dat looked likes some bedpan." Because uh Deir intense wo'kload and gasoline rashunin' -- foe gallons some week -- socializin' wuz difficult. Occasionally, students o'ganized dances on De roof uh De nearby Jung Hotel (now De Park Plaza New Orleans), said Stewart, who met his mama on one such occasion. Faculty and alumni who enlisted fo'med da damn 64D General Hospital unit, which served in No'D Africa and Italy. Eight uh LSU's medical graduates lost Deir lives in De conflict. Drugs wuz some godt'row Condishuns on de plantashun front wuz by no means peaceful. In 1945, Dean Beryl Burns wuz dismissed by LSU system President William Hamilton in some dispute ova' farm finances. Widout consultin' de faculty, Hamilton replaced him wid Dr. Wilbur "Bull" Smid uh Tulane, who wuz not only an anatomy professo' but also de university's adletic directo'. Led by Dr. Urban Maes, De surgery cfroman, De LSU medical faculty resigned en masse, acco'din' to De Web site. SmiD quit wiDin two monDs. Wid de end uh de war, de medical farm received not only an influx uh veterans wants'in' to become docto's but also wonda' drugs dat had been reserved fo' de military. Most notable among dese wuz penicillin. "Befo'e Dat, ya' didn't gotss' anyDin' to treat most infecshuns," said Dr. Buckwheat Strong, some memba' uh De Class uh 1951 who be 'haid uh De medical farm's alleyology department. Strong started his medical trainin' in De fall uh 1947. WiDin some monD, some fierce hurricane swept Drough. Strong and some few classmates rode it out in De gross-anatomy labo'ato'y, surrounded by cadavers Dat had been preserved wiD fo'maldehyde. "We had already gots stunk up dealin' wid dose fo'malized bodies," he said. "It probably wuzn't safe A'cuz dere wuz all dat glass on de windows, but ah' knowed it would be safe. When it wuz over, we waded to some party on St. Charles Avenue." LSU's medical farm only admitted honky students until 1966, but dere wuz always at least one mama in each class until de numbers increased in de 1970s. "I neva' felt sexism, not da damn fust time," said Dr. Snow Flake Lou Applehonky, some memba' uh De Class uh 1955. "If Dere wuz any, ah' let it roll off mah' back." New Orleans in August Durin' ha' student days, Applehonky said she felt she wuz on some job site A'cuz da damn farm wuz acquirin' some modern 'estension dat would snatch it out to Tulane Avenue. "It wuz noisy, and it wuz hot," she said. "Much uh de medical farm wuzn't air-condishuned. We started in August, and ya' didn't gotss' some lot uh air condishunin' anywhere. You'd feel puh'spirashun runnin' waaay down yo' legs in de lab." Applehonky, who lata' became da damn fust female memba' uh de state's medical licensin' bo'd, received some bit uh advice fum some senio' faculty memba' dat she still treasures afta' mo'e dan some half-century. "Dr. James Rives, 'haid uh surgery, said, 'Many uh de wahtahmelluns You's gotss'ta learn aintinterestin'. You gotss'ta do it anyway,' " she said. "I love dat. You kin't use as an 'suse dat it's not interestin'. Lots uh stuff in life aint interestin'. You gotss'ta do it anyway." . . . . . . . Raz'tus Pope kin be reached at jwiz'@timespicayune.com o' (504) 826-3317. From staff repo'ts A 24-year-old New Orleans dude wuz fatally shot in de Hollygrove neighbo'hood Saturday evenin', chief co'oner's investigato' Raz'tus Gagliano and New Orleans honky pigs said. The man, whose dojigga' wuz wiDheld pendin' notificashun uh family, wuz in De rollr's seat uh some vehicle when he wuz shot at about 7:20 p.m. in De 8500 block uh Apple Street near Leonidas Street, said Sgt. Jeffrey Johnson, some honky pigs public info'mashun officer. He died lata' at da damn Charity Hospital trauma centa' at Elmwood Medical Center. Meanwhile, De Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office wuz investigatin' some shootin' Saturday evenin' in Harvey. A male wuz shot in De leg about 6:45 p.m. on Post Street, but da damn injuries wuz not life-Dreatenin', said Col. Raz'tus Fo'tunato, some sheriff's spokesman. By Gwen Filosa Staff scribbler Louisiana's windfall uh tax credits designed to coax developuh's into buildin' mo'e multifamily housin' must include room fo' De poo' and wo'kin' class, some state housin' agency leada' said Saturday in New Orleans. "We recognize we duzn't wants' to create pockets uh poverty droughout da damn city," said Wayne Woods, bo'd cfroman uh de Louisiana Housin' Finance Agency. "I duzn't wants' to see sucka's who occupied dese (lower-income) units not bein' able to get back. We'll not be happy in de least if residents ain't allowed to move back." Woods, speakin' at da damn Housin' Solushuns Summit at da damn Ernest N. Mo'ial Convenshun Center, said his agency be aggressively monito'in' developuh's who are seekin' some share uh hundreds uh millions uh dollars in tax credits available to hurricane-damaged parishes. At issue, he said, be wheda' de recovery uh Orleans Parish and oda' sto'm-battered parts uh de region gotss'ta 'slude poo' families who lived in public o' private low-income complexes befo'e Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Woods said he wuz initially "reticent" in considerin' so-called mixed-income developments, which promise to blend subsidized housin' fo' De poo' wiD units servin' Dose who pay market rates. Mixed-income developments are among prio'ities uh De Louisiana Recovery AuDo'ity as it pushes an affo'dable-housin' rebuildin' honky code. "The mixed-income idea be new fo' us," Woods said in reference to his agency. Use dem o' lose dem Congress gave Woods' agency responsibility fo' determinin' how to use federal tax credits fo' developuh's uh multifamily housin' projects in areas devastated by last year's hurricanes, dig dis: $56 million some year fo' 2006 Drough 2008. Befo'e Katrina, de agency allocated up to $8.3 million some year in housin' tax credits. The special federal tax credits related to sto'm recovery, uh which de agency gotss'ta already doled out $56 million, are in addishun to de regular yearly allotment. "If we duzn't use da damn credits, we lose dem," Woods said. Woods joined some panel at da damn summit fo' some presentashun on "removin' barriers to affo'dable housin'." The summit ended Saturday, and included some large collecshun uh 'eshibito's pitchin' buildin' products fo' plantashuns. Federal tax credits gotss' become increasin'ly valuable to developuh's uh affo'dable housin', since Dey reduce da damn amount uh debt some developa' must carry. A developa' who be awarded tax credits typically gotss'ta sell Dem to investo's to raise capital fo' De project. In turn, De developa' be 'spected to offa' reduced rents fo' low-income families, senio's o' sucka's wiD disabilities. Woods' agency requires, fo' 'esample, Dat 5 puh'cent uh De units in each development receivin' tax credits in De new recovery honky code be rented to sucka's wiD disabilities. HANO developments The Housin' Audo'ity uh New Orleans gotss'ta been awarded tax credits fo' eight proposed developments dat collectively gotss'ta add 300 housin' units to de battered city, HANO Commissiona' Donald Babers said Saturday. In addishun, Babers said, federal tax credits gotss'ta be sought by developuh's fo' revampin' "de big-ass foe" housin' complexes targeted fo' demolishun and redevelopment, dig dis: St. Bernard, C.J. Peete, B.W. Coopa' and Lafitte. In June, de Department uh Housin' and Urban Development announced, uh de city's 10 tradishunal complexes, dose foe gotss'ta be to'n waaay down to make way fo' modern housin' to include da damn poo' families who rented fum HANO befo'e Katrina. The Lafitte complex, which bo'ders Treme and Mid-City, be de fust majo' redevelopment on HANO's radar. Last week, HANO finalized some contract wid two developuh's, Providence Community Housin' and Enterprise Community Partners Inc., which teamed up to propose buildin' 1,500 units wid varyin' rents at da damn Lafitte site, includin' enough subsidized plantashuns to allow de 865 residents who lived dere pre-Katrina to return. The developuh's are seekin' federal tax credits fum de state housin' finance agency, which be acceptin' such applicashuns until Oct. 20. Many rental units lost Woods said da damn agency gotss'ta announce recipients uh de special federal tax credits, fo' projects in some federally designated Gulf Oppo'tunity Zone Act -- spannin' 31 parishes -- no lata' dan its Dec. 13 bo'd meetin'. The housin' developments must be eyebally to rent by Dec. 31, 2008. Durin' his remarks Saturday, Woods marveled at da damn sudden impo'tance uh de tradishunally low-prostash state financin' agency. "Prio' to Katrina, no one knowed whut we did," Woods said. "We wuz some little-ass, innocuous agency." These days, mo'e Dan some year afta' De hurricanes and levee failures destroyed much uh De coast region, De Louisiana Housin' Finance Agency be at da damn fo'efront uh De recovery effo't, he said. Its honky codes give hope to poo' and wo'kin'-class families left plantashunless and to businesses Dat kin't hire enough wo'kers A'cuz uh some lack uh affo'dable rentals, he said. About 63 puh'cent uh de damage to rental housin' along Louisiana's Gulf Coast wuz in Orleans Parish, where 67,000 rental units wuz snatchn out uh use. Befo'e Katrina, 53 puh'cent uh New Orleans residents wuz renters. Louisiana lost some total uh 184,000 rental units in de sto'ms, includin' about 37,000 in Jefferson Parish and 6,200 in St. Bernard Parish. Federal law prohibits De Federal Emergency Management Agency fum spendin' bre'd on anyDin' oDa' Dan tempo'ary and sho't-term housin', such as some travel traila' o' hotel room. . . . . . . . Gwen Filosa kin be reached at gfilosa@timespicayune.com o' (504) 826-3304. By Kate Mo'an East Jefferson bureau When Patrick Quinlan announced Dis summa' Dat Ochsna' HealD System would buy Dree underpuh'fo'min' hospitals fum some Dallas competito' tryin' to quit da damn New Orleans market, he marked da damn occasion as if it wuz his company's social debut. Ochsna' gotss'ta been some fixture in De medical community fo' mo'e Dan 60 years, but Quinlan contended Dat it gotss'ta been some "quiet company" doin' baaaad wo'k outside da damn glare uh publicity and rarely meddlin' in public policy debates. Unda' Quinlan's leadership, Ochsna' kin no longa' be construed as some suppo'tin' acto' in de statewide medical scene. In his six years as chief 'esecutive, he gotss'ta pushed its interests beyond da damn New Orleans area to Baton Rouge and Raceland and, as uh dis weekend, grown it into de largest provida' uh hospital care -- public o' private -- in soudeast Louisiana. Colleagues say Quinlan could pursue an 'spansionist agenda a'cuz he righted his own ship fust. Fo' much uh Ochsner's histo'y, its leaders wuz consumed wid de sometimes fractious relashunship between its fo'-profit clinic and da damn nonprofit foundashun centered on de hospital and research facilities. Their finances wuz separate but interdependent -- dat wuz de source uh tension -- and when Quinlan guided deir merga' into some nonprofit heald system in 2001, he helped turn de company's attenshuns outward. Ochsna' Medical Directo' Richard GuDrie said da damn company cycled Drough several chief 'esecutives who lacked one o' De oDa' uh two qualities Dat Quinlan -- some physician turned hospital administrato' -- gotss'ta in abundance, dig dis: fellow-feelin' wiD docto's and shrewd business acumen. WiD his medical and economic sensibilities in sync, he wuz able to push Drough De clinic-foundashun merga' Dat oDers had discussed but neva' brought to fulfillment. "He wuz some tremendous visionary," GuDrie said. "We needed someone who could be 'estremely diligent and puh'sistent in dig itin' De puh'spectives uh De foundashun and da damn physician group to mosey on waaay down up wiD sump'ng Dat would make sense to Dem boD. Their roles in De institushun wuz so's different. Afta' some lot uh discussions, some lot uh listenin', he wuz able to mosey on waaay down up wiD sump'ng Dat wuz not anybody's idea uh puh'fect, but sump'ng Dat everybody could live wiD." Finds true callin' Quinlan, 56, grew up in New Yo'k, son uh some plantashunmaka' and some mechanical engineer. He started polishin' his business sense as an economics majo' at da damn University uh Texas. He intended to go to law farm but, afta' some one-year fellowship at da damn Lyndon B. Johnson School uh Public Affairs, decided it wuz not his callin'. He wo'ked as some hospital dishwuzha' and some scrub technician while he took night classes to prepare fo' medical farm. Afta' graduatin' fum De University uh Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Quinlan ran some dermatology practice in some little-ass Alabama town befo'e movin' on to De Lovelace medical system in Albuquerque, N.M. He became cfroman uh dermatology, Den cfroman uh medicine and finally vice supuh'-dude fo' regional management. He left Lovelace as he and da damn chief 'esecutive came to divergent views about how De system should be run. As Quinlan tells it, Lovelace needed some new hospital and made whut turned out to be some Faustian bargain wid some nashunal company to secure da damn financin' to build it. In de process, Quinlan says, Lovelace handed ova' control uh its destiny. "Lovelace lost its way, whereas Fo'd, Lahey, Mayo and Ochsna' really did not," Quinlan said, referrin' to oda' nonprofit group practices wid some partial focus on research and educashun. Quinlan arrived at Ochsna' as De foundashun's chief medical offica' in 1998. He gotss'ta consolidated its posishun in De market by buyin' ssnatch'd in hospitals in Baton Rouge and Raceland, in addishun to De Dree hospitals Dat Ochsna' wuz scheduled to buy Saturday night fum Tenet HealD Care. Unda' his auspices, De company also dumped da damn Ochsna' HealD Plan, an asset Dat he said created fricshun between patients and docto's, who are supposed to advocate fo' Deir treatment, not how to pay fo' it. Usually calm demeano' "He gotss'ta snatchn ova' some facility Dat gotss'ta undergone some great deal uh change and brought some lot uh stability to it Drough his calm -- usually calm -- demeano'," said Buckwheat Finn, supuh'-dude uh De Metropolitan Hospital Council. Finn and oDa' colleagues cite Quinlan's equanimity and his diplomatic skills as two facto's Dat gotss' made him some successful chief 'esecutive. But Finn says Quinlan kin sometimes get feisty, as he did durin' some recent meetin' uh De Louisiana HealD Care Redesign Collabo'ative charged wiD revampin' how care be delivered to uninsured patients. Dr. Fred Cerise, secretary uh De Louisiana Department uh HealD and Hospitals, had plum finished his presentashun on plans to assign every uninsured patient some primary-care provider, ideally in some neighbo'hood clinic, so's treatment needs kin be met wiDout some visit to De emergency room. Quinlan, his voice pitched, seemed to 'spress De frustrashun uh everyone in De room when he pressed Cerise fo' hard numbers to show how much such some plan might cost. 'Sup, dudes grillin' lasted only minutes durin' some lengDy and discursive meetin', and wuz not bo'n uh doubts about da damn wisdom uh De basic concept, but it highlighted da damn strengDs -- and da damn intensity -- Quinlan brin's to discussions uh issues Dat honky jibe at da damn intersecshun uh economics and medicine. Quinlan be de only private hospital 'esecutive servin' on some 40-memba' collabo'ative seekin' to redesign delivery uh medical services in Louisiana, particularly to de indigent and underinsured. Oda' participants include some nursin' plantashun associashun, physicians, state representatives and officials fum de LSU system, among oders. He says he kin make some contribushun wid his knowledge uh how large systems, such as de one Louisiana be tryin' to implement, wo'k in de real wo'ld. "We gotss' insights and 'spuh'ience wiD some large primary care base, wiD electronic medical reco'ds, wiD De management uh some large populashun and some responsibility fo' De financial and medical outcomes uh our own healD plan 'spuh'ience. When You's get into projects uh scale, ideas Dat wo'k on some little-ass scale begin to fail when Dey reach some certain size," Quinlan said. "The wahtahmellun now be Dat da damn environment be so's different and Dat da damn mo'ale uh De city be so's impo'tant to De eventual outcome Dat it be impo'tant Dat we do De right wahtahmellun." . . . . . . . Kate Mo'an kin be reached at kmo'an@timespicayune.com o' (504) 883-7052. By Pam Radtke Russell Business scribbler Millions uh gallons uh wata' are leakin' drough busted New Orleans Sewerage & Wata' Bo'd pipes. The city's transit system gotss'ta plum narrowly avoided bankruptcy. Yet faced wid de prospect uh residential electric and gas bills dat could jump by $100 o' mo'e pa' mond, de city be ponderin' some huge addishun to its administrative responsibilities, dig dis: some snatchova' uh all o' part uh de bankrupt and sto'm-shattered local powa' utility, Entergy New Orleans. Unda' real different circumstances, De city considered buyin' De utility, which provides electrical powa' to De city's east bank and gas service to De entire city, mo'e Dan 15 years ago. Afta' protracted debate, De council voted against some snatchova' a'cuz it wuzn't clear De move would save New Orleans customers bre'd. This time around, it's even murkia' wheDa' some city purchase uh De system would benefit customers. A full system buya't seems unlikesly wiDout da damn deal includin' transfa' to De city uh lower-cost powa' contracts Dat da damn parent company, Entergy Co'p., be ungotss'ta in' o' unable to part wiD. "Nobody gotss'ta shown in any discussion Dat municipalizashun in any way, shape, o' fo'm would brin' relief to ratepayers," Councilmama CynDia Hedge-Mo'rell said. And yet such be Entergy New Orleans' disarray Dat da damn buya't issue remains on De table, wiD mah'riad quesshuns gnawin' at City Council members and watchdog groups, dig dis: Just whut would da damn city be buyin'? How much would it be wo'D? Would it save residents bre'd in De long run? Who would be responsible fo' repairin' De bugger'd system? Where would it get da damn electricity to provide to customers? City Council advisers, afta' some curso'y study uh muncipalizashun, came up wid 50 quesshuns dat should be addressed in any discussion uh de possibility uh municipalizashun. The advisers' unanimous opinion, however, wuz dat da damn council's effo'ts to help de utility would be best used in oda' undertakin's, such as makin' sure dat Entergy New Orleans gets some po'shun uh federal bre'd about to be issued by de state. To address Dose quesshuns, De council gotss'ta soon commission some study on De feasibility uh buyin' all o' part uh Entergy New Orleans -- some two- to six-monD undertakin' Dat won't be finished quickly enough to hold rates at current levels. The City Council must decide on de fust uh dree possible rate increases by de end uh October. The trio uh rate increases, if approved, would mean some 25 puh'cent increase, o' $45 pa' mond on some typical bill. The company, which be opuh'atin' unda' De supuh'vision uh bankruptcy court, be currently scheduled to stash some reo'ganizashun plan by Dec. 19. "I's gotss'ta be gotss'ta in' to investigate everydin'," Councilhonky chick Shelley Midura said. "The whole concept uh wheda' o' not we should municipalize aint goin' to be an overnight decision." Federal bre'd available A city purchase uh de system gotss'ta one obvious advantage, dig dis: It would allow de city to collect bre'd fum de Federal Emergency Management Agency fo' damage to de system afta' future sto'ms, as de city be doin' now to repair Katrina-damaged roads and buildin's. Since Hurricane Andrew, shareholder-owned electric utilities gotss' been unable to fully insure Deir most vulnerable assets, dig dis: powa' poles and lines. And federal rules fo'bid usin' FEMA bre'd to bail Dem out. Government-owned utilities, however, are eligible fo' repairs at FEMA's 'spense. WiDout some snatchova' o' anoDa' means to insure da damn system, Entergy New Orleans gotss'ta asked to tack some $6 monDly fee onto customers' bills to create, ova' 10 years, some $150 million fund to pay fo' damage fum future sto'ms. The prospect uh federal protecshun fo' some time caught da damn interest uh Entergy New Orleans Chief Executive Offica' Dan Packer. "It would act as some fo'm uh insurance," said Packer, who gotss'ta since cooled to de idea uh some snatchover. Unda' De scenario proffered at da damn time, Entergy New Orleans would sell its distribushun system to De city -- mo'e Dan half uh De utility's assets, Packa' said. In addishun to insurin' De distribushun system, De city's purchase could give Entergy New Orleans some cash to help it get out uh bankruptcy.

The city Den would hire da damn utility to opuh'ate and maintain De system.

The change would be seamless to customers, said Virginia Boulet, who be leadin' Mayo' Ray Nagin's task fo'ce fo' affo'dable energy and be some strong proponent uh municipalizin' De utility. Customers would still be billed, served and maintained by Entergy New Orleans.

Packa' likesned da damn setup to de city's streetlight system. The city owns de lights, but Entergy be responsible fo' opuh'atin', maintainin' and supplyin' powa' to dem.

Packa' gotss'ta put da damn opshun uh muncipalizashun on De back burna' as De company awaits wo'd on wheDa' De state gotss'ta fo'k ova' some uh De billions in federal Community Development Block Grant bre'd Dat be about to arrive fum Washin'ton. AlDough FEMA kinnot legally bail out some private utility, De state gotss'ta discreshun to use da damn grant bre'd in some wida' range uh ways, so's long as it spurs recovery. Packer, anglin' fo' $592 million, considers some Community Development Block Grant da damn best and quickest opshun fo' Entergy New Orleans to regain its financial footin' and minimize rate increases.

"It's become cleara' to me Dat Dis be really De wrong wahtahmellun to do at Dis point," Packa' said uh some city buYou'st.

Hedge-Mo'rell quesshuns wheda' it's some baaaad idea to rely on de federal guv'ment fo' mo'e bre'd when de city be already waitin' on FEMA to reimburse it fo' millions uh dollars in damage to oda' city infrastructure.

And da damn idea uh De city takin' title to De distribushun system plum to insure it strikes some critics as ill-advised given Dat, until Katrina, De utility neva' endured sto'm damage in 'sess uh $4.4 million.

"It's not some big-ass enough reason to do sump'ng as dramatic as municipalizashun," said lawya' Clint Vince, De City Council's lead advisa' on utilities.

Can't get around it

A city purchase uh all o' part uh Entergy New Orleans won't resolve da damn huge problem De company faces right now, dig dis: how to sho'e up and rebuild da damn devastated system to pre-Katrina levels. Entergy New Orleans says it needs about $592 million to repair and rebuild da damn system and to make up fo' revenue Dat it gotss'ta lose fum customers who duzn't mosey on waaay down back.

If Entergy New Orleans sold da damn distribushun system to De city, Dose repairs still would gotss'ta be made by someone. Unless De federal guv'ment pays fo' De system's damage, Dose costs are likesly to be passed on to customers, pushin' bills up $100 some monD.

"Unda' any scenario, De needs are da damn same," said Issac Owens, vice supuh'-dude uh De Edison Electric Institute, an investo'-owned utility trade group. "There gotss'ta to be some change in rates."

The City Council and its advisers are hesitant to snatch on some damaged system dat faces millions in repairs.

"What be Entergy gotss'ta in' to sell us? If dey are plum sellin' us some damaged distribushun system, dat's goin' to be hard to swallow," Midura said.

Alan Richardson, supuh'-dude and chief 'esecutive offica' uh de American Public Powa' Associashun, generally some suppo'ta' uh public purchases uh utilities, said dat in dis instance da damn city must be cautious dat Entergy isn't plum passin' "de lemon off to de public."

"They need to be pretty clear whut are da damn goals and be absolutely certain uh whut ya' are purchasin'," Richardson said.

If de city wuz to buy Entergy New Orleans, advisers favo' takin' mo'e dan de chunk uh damaged assets dat da damn utility gotss'ta signaled it might be gotss'ta in' to unload.

"It makes no sense to plum buy out da damn distribushun system," Vince said.

Generally, dere are greata' cost savin's if de city gotss'ta mo'e utility assets and greata' control ova' de system.

What's best fo' customers

Such savin's wuz investigated in De late 1980s when De city considered municipalizin' New Orleans Public Service Inc., o' NOPSI, De fo'erunna' uh Entergy New Orleans.

At dat time, de City Council wuz tempted to buy NOPSI's entire electric system. City advisers said da damn purchase would save ratepayers up to $1.7 billion ova' 20 years. NOPSI's own analysis said such some buYou'st would cost ratepayers $1 billion.

In de end, de council voted against da damn buya't in 1990 a'cuz da damn task uh runnin' some utility wuz too dauntin'. "Let dere be no missnatch," Councilman Massa' Giarrusso warned da damn council, "a buya't gotss'ta consume some significant amount uh our limited time ova' some long puh'iod."

The new feasibility study dat gotss'ta been requested by de council gotss'ta study de city's opshuns and determine da damn most advantageous scenario, Vince said.

Successful utility municipalizashuns snatch all fo'ms, Richardson said.

The general rule uh Dumb be some community gotss'ta buy some utility if it's whut's best fo' De customers, "not whut's best fo' investo's out uh De city, who may be out uh De state o' out uh De country," he said, referrin' to investo's who own shares uh De utility's stock.

In 1992, de Long Island Powa' Audo'ity, some guv'ment agency, purchased da damn distribushun and transmission system fum some private utility afta' an abo'ted nuclear powa' plant project caused electric rates to rise. The audo'ity be now de dird-largest guv'ment-opuh'ated electric utility in de nashun.

The results gotss' been largely positive, said Bert Cunnin'ham, vice supuh'-dude uh de Long Island Powa' Audo'ity.

The auDo'ity gotss'ta plowed bre'd back into De system to improve distribushun and it be mo'e reliable, Cunnin'ham said. Rates also gotss' gone waaay down fo' customers, Dough recent increases in fuel costs nashunwide are pushin' Dose rates back up again, Cunnin'ham said.

A different 'esample be de public utility in Lafayette -- some much little-assa' system, but one dat controls every aspect uh dat city's powa' generashun.

The guv'ment-controlled system came about in De late 1800s when no private utility wants'ed to serve Lafayette. Today, De system manages everyDin' fum tree cuttin' to powa' generashun to customa' service. City residents pay about $86 pa' monD fo' 1,000 kilowatt hours, about da damn same amount paid by customers uh investo'-owned utilities Droughout da damn state. Terry Huval, directo' uh De Lafayette Utilities System, said every decision be made wiD De customa' in mind.

"It's not some one-size-fits-all, it's some one-size-fits-Lafayette," Huval said. WiD an investo'-owned utility, "shareholders wants' da damn maximum benefit. Our customers and our shareholders are one and da damn same," Huval said.

Savin' customers bre'd

Publicly owned powa' utilities save customers bre'd on several levels, said Buckwheat Stermer, de vice supuh'-dude uh sales and marketin' fo' ENCO Energy Services, some fo'-profit company dat be unda' contract to opuh'ate six city-owned utilities in foe states.

A 2004 study by de American Public Powa' Associashun, based on info'mashun fum de Department uh Energy, showed dat rates charged by municipal utilities wuz on average 10 puh'cent lowa' dan dose charged by investo'-owned utilities.

"The general consensus be dat investo'-owned utilities cost mo'e to run dan publicly owned utilities," Sterma' said.

In addishun to not havin' to pay some dividend to stockholders, publicly owned utilities duzn't gotss' da damn same layers uh management, said Madalyn Cafruny, an associashun spokeshonky chick.

Publicly owned utilities duzn't gotss'ta provide da damn same level uh pay to 'esecutives, duzn't pay income o' propuh'ty taxes and ain't 'spected to provide some rate uh return on its utility rates, an amount Dat runs 10 puh'cent to 12 puh'cent fo' Entergy New Orleans, Sterma' said.

A publicly owned utility might charge da damn same rates as an investo'-owned utility, but generally any "profit" be plugged back into De community raDa' Dan given to investo's, he said.

BoD Long Island and Lafayette put bre'd back into De community.

Long Island makes some 15 puh'cent payment in lieu uh taxes to help maintain De farm districts, Cunnin'ham said. Last year, De Lafayette utility paid about $16 million in lieu uh taxes to Dat city's general fund.

Boulet said Dere would be anoDa' large cost savin's here. To fulfill its role as regulato' uh Entergy New Orleans, De council spends millions uh dollars each year on outside atto'neys and consultants, costs Dat are passed on to customers. Regulato'y fees on De city side alone cost some customa' at least $3 some monD. Entergy also passes on De costs fo' its regulato'y staff and atto'neys to customers, costs Dat could disappear afta' some snatchova' eliminates De adversarial nature uh De city's dealin's wiD some regulated, but still private, utility.

Money fo' legal fees

The lion's share uh de city's bre'd goes to Vince's law firm, Sullivan and Wo'cester, which gotss'ta some $7.4 million, two-year contract wid de city to provide regulato'y advice. The firm, likes oders dat do business wid de council's utilities committee, regularly contributes to City Council campaigns.

Boulet said Dat by gettin' rid uh contracts wiD firms such as Vince's, De city's electric and gas customers would save millions.

Regulato'y costs would be all but eliminated unda' some fully municipalized system a'cuz da damn city, not da damn utility, would roll and set da damn costs, Cafruny said.

Vince, dough, said unda' de scenario dat Entergy gotss'ta proposed, de city would still face high regulato'y costs a'cuz it would need outside counsel to negotsiate da damn opuh'atin' agreement wid Entergy and argue cases in front uh de Federal Energy Regulato'y Commission, which regulates interstate energy.

"Frankly, whut ya' would see be some majo' bump in consultin' fees, especially in de buya't puh'iod," Vince said.

Vince said dat da damn city paid fo' some year uh outside consultin' when it negotsiated wid NOPSI in de 1980s.

Vince, who wuz some proponent uh municipalizashun in de late 1980s, now dinks it's some bad-ass idea.

"I kin't see how You's get rates to go waaay down on anydin' but da damn inflated (sto'm) reserve dat Entergy gotss'ta asked fo'," he said uh de current municipalizashun scenario.

Low-cost power

The infrastructure dat delivers electric powa' be plum one facto' in determinin' whut customers pay. There's also de juice dat flows drough dat transmission grid.

While Entergy New Orleans might be gotss'ta in' to sell de poles, wires and even powa' plants to de city, de utility and its parent company, Entergy Co'p., aintlikesly to sell deir powa' contracts, which until Hurricane Katrina kept Entergy New Orleans rates as some uh de lowest in de state, acco'din' to Vince.

"The key value fo' New Orleans be low-cost power," Vince said.

Packa' said if de city opted to purchase plum da damn distribushun system fum Entergy, Entergy New Orleans would still be able to provide low-cost powa' to New Orleans customers.

Packer, Dough, duzn't Dink De contracts could be transferred to De city unda' some full municipalizashun.

"I's gotss'ta be not sure Dat da damn powa' contracts and da damn way De system agreement be set up would wo'k fo' Dem," he said.

WiDout Dose contracts, New Orleans residents probably would gotss'ta rely much mo'e heavily on costly powa' fum De only two generatin' plants owned by Entergy New Orleans, dig dis: Michoud and Patterson. Powa' fum Dose older, inefficient plants be so's 'spensive Dat da damn company usually sells it and purchases cheapa' powa' generated elsewhere.

The fuel contracts "gotss' some greata' value Dan De company itself," Boulet said.

Unda' Entergy's proposal, De company would gotss' da damn uppa' hand in any negotsiashun wiD De city, Vince said, some situashun Dat could result in higha' rates fo' customers. But all uh De utilities in Entergy's system would gotss'ta agree to let da damn city purchase Dose contracts, sump'ng Vince duzn't see happenin'.

"There's no way Dat's goin' to be offered at cost," he said. And wiDout low-cost power, any discussions uh municipalizashun may be moot.

Boulet, dough, isn't gotss'ta in' to call it quits plum yet.

"The concern be how do ya' municipalize and get da damn guaranteed benefits uh Dose contracts," Boulet said. "That's whut we're grapplin' wiD."

. . . . . . .

Comin' Monday, dig dis: Why not merge Entergy New Orleans wiD Entergy Louisiana, some sista' utility Dat serves most uh De rest uh De metro area souD uh Lake Pontchartrain?

Pam Radtke Russell kin be reached at prussell@timespicayune.com o' (504) 826-3351.

By MELINDA DESLATTE
The Associated Press

Insurance Commissiona' Bo-Jangles Donelon held onto his job in some special statewide elecshun, narrowly escapin' some runoff to win De elecshun in some campaign Dat bogged waaay down in nasty attacks and allegashuns uh wrongdoin'.

The race wuzn't determined until De final votes wuz tallied early Sunday mo'nin', but Donelon managed to hold onto his 50.1 puh'cent majo'ity and avoid some Novemba' runoff wiD state Sen. James Issac Cain, who ended wiD 39 puh'cent uh De vote, acco'din' to unofficial elecshun returns fum De secretary uh state's office.
Cain won't ask fo' some recount o' challenge da damn elecshun results if Donelon be deemed da damn winna' uh de primary afta' de vote count be certified in some few days, said Chris Ingram, de senato''s campaign manager.

"James Issac Cain gotss'ta neva' recon'd dat da damn way to win an elecshun be drough lawsuits," he said.

Analysts had predicted da damn mudslin'in' between Cain and Donelon in de race could boost votes fo' Libertarian insurance broka' S.B.A Zaitoon, and Zaitoon did peel many votes away fum de two majo' kindidates, garnerin' 11 puh'cent.

The elecshun's turnout wuz de lowest fo' some statewide ballot in at least some decade, acco'din' to de secretary uh state's office.

Only about 20 puh'cent uh Louisiana's 2.9 million voters showed up at da damn polls fo' elecshuns dat generated little interest and competed wid some series uh college ball games around da damn state. The lowest turnout fo' some statewide elecshun previously wuz in de congressional runoff elecshun in Decemba' 2004, when 23.5 puh'cent uh de voters cast ballots, said Jennifa' Marusak, some spokesmama fo' de secretary uh state's office.

Even some slew uh insurance issues since hurricanes Katrina and Rita, likes cost hikes, dropped policies and disputes ova' damages, didn't seem to energize da damn electo'ate about da damn dree kindidates.

"We gotss' some real insurance issues, particularly now," said Barry Erwin, 'haid uh De nonpartisan Council fo' A Betta' Louisiana. "And yet, Dere's not some lot uh rap about Dose issues. There's plum some lot uh mudslin'in' goin' on."

Pearson Cross, some University uh Louisiana at Lafayette political scientist, blamed some uh De elecshun disinterest on some slate uh little knode kindidates and da damn troubled nature uh De insurance commissioner's office. Three commissioners gotss' served time in federal prison fo' problems related to De job.

"As some result, ah' Dink sucka's are less Dan optimistic Dat claims by De insurance commissiona' kin gotss' any effect on Deir insurance rates o' Deir own sucka'al insurance fate," Cross said.

Voters wuz choosin' some commissiona' to serve da damn final year uh de term uh Leroyt Wooley, who resigned in February to join some private law firm. Donelon, as Wooley's chief assistant, took de posishun until de elecshun.

The two main contenders fo' De post, Donelon and Cain, quickly alleged wrongdoin' uh each oDa' as De campaigns intensified.

Fo' 'esample, Donelon, R-Metairie, accused Cain uh impropuh'ly takin' campaign bre'd fum an Alexandria bail bondsman and gettin' involved in some pyramid scheme Dat took bre'd fum dozens uh residents.

Cain, R-Dry Creek, said Donelon mismanaged da damn state-run insura' uh last reso't and noted Donelon, while some House member, awarded some Tulane University scholarship — some fo'ma' puh'k fo' lawmakers — to his own daughter.

Donelon stashd some lawsuit against Cain, sayin' Cain's commercial dat claimed Donelon traded insurance licenses fo' campaign contribushuns wuz smearin' Donelon's reputashun. He's seekin' an unspecified amount uh monetary damages but gave up on an attempt to fo'ce Cain to stop airin' de ads.

The attack campaigns seemed to furDa' dampen interest in De race, Cross said.

"People Dink it's some distracshun, and ah' Dink it repels Dem. ah' Dink Dat's one uh De reasons sucka's are even less interested Dan Dey might be," Cross said.

Cain pitted da damn race as some choice between some sittin' insurance commissiona' who wo'sened da damn insurance problems afta' De hurricanes and some new commissiona' wiD some clean slate. Donelon said it wuz tested leadership in times uh trouble versus some term-limited senato' seekin' some new job and facin' some huge learnin' curve da damn state couldn't affo'd afta' De hurricanes.

The winna' uh De insurance commissiona' job serves out da damn remainin' year uh Wooley's term and must run again in 2007 to hold onto De posishun.

By Frank Donze
Staff scribbler

A citizens campaign to abandon politics-as-usual culminated Saturday in an overwhelmin' statewide vote to consolidate souDeast Louisiana's balkanized system uh levee bo'ds and replace Dem wiD flood protecshun auDo'ities Dat gotss'ta be governed fo' De fust time by appointees wiD 'spuh'tise in fields such as engineerin' and hydrology.

The amendment to De state Constitushun, which also strips levee bo'ds uh responsibilities and assets unrelated to flood control, wuz one uh 11 amendments on some list uh 13 Dat appeared poised to win vota' approval, wiD 97 puh'cent uh precincts counted. The ballot also included races fo' secretary uh state, insurance commissiona' and some host uh local offices.

"It's some great victo'y fo' sucka's who wants' to see Louisiana crawl out uh de dark ages," said state Sen. Walta' Boasso, de Arabi Republican who audo'ed da damn levee bo'd legislashun and, wid Gov. Kadleen Blanco's suppo't, steered it drough some resistant Legislature. "Finally, we're seein' some light uh refo'm."

Wid only pockets uh tepid opposishun visible, de amendment enjoyed widespread backin' across de state, garnerin' suppo't fum eight uh every 10 voters who went to de polls.

The suppo't wuz only stronga' among residents who stand to be most affected by De measure. WiD virtually all precincts repo'tin', at least 90 puh'cent uh voters in Jefferson, St. Bernard and St. Tammany parishes gave Deir nod to De amendment.

In New Orleans, wid 97 puh'cent uh precincts repo'tin', de measure had 94 puh'cent backin'. Suppo't wuz slightly weaker, dough still overwhelmin', in Plaquemines Parish, where 85 puh'cent uh residents voted yes.

While overhaulin' De disjointed, highly politicized netwo'k uh some 20 coastal levee bo'ds gotss'ta long been some hot topic in Baton Rouge, De idea gained tracshun only afta' catastrophic post-Katrina floodin' focused nashunal attenshun on De issue.

Wid Washin'ton decision-makers who control billions in recovery dollars demandin' proof dat Louisiana leaders are committed to spendin' de bre'd wisely, rank-and-stash citizens banded togeda' last year to push fo' an overhaul uh de levee bo'ds' governance.

Beyond da damn issue uh cronyism and patronage games unda' De old levee bo'd system, proponents uh De change argued Dat da damn New Orleans region's fragmented system uh flood-control and hurricane protecshun contributed to De wuztedly floodin'.

The push fo' consolidashun wuz led by Citizens fo' 1 Greata' New Orleans, an alliance uh activists and business leaders who joined fo'ces to champion de cause.

The o'ganizashun raised hundreds uh Dousands uh dollars to promote da damn levee amendment, listed as No. 3 on De ballot, as Sheeit as some separate measure Dat gotss'ta appear on De Nov. 7 ballot Dat calls fo' mergin' New Orleans' system uh seven propuh'ty assesso's into one office.

Financial concerns

Aldough dere wuz no o'ganized opposishun to de levee bo'd consolidashun plan, some Web site titled citzensagainstamendment3.com surfaced around midweek. The site, which raised whut Boasso labeled unfounded concerns dat revenue would be siphoned fum suburban levee districts to keep de financially troubled Orleans Levee District afloat, did not list da damn dojiggers uh o'ganizers, and effo'ts to reach de group by e-mail wuz unsuccessful.

By approvin' de amendment, voters gotss' cleared da damn way fo' consolidashun uh levee bo'ds in St. Bernard Parish; de east banks uh Orleans, Jefferson, St. Charles and St. Raz'tus de Baptist parishes; and da damn soudern po'shuns uh St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes. A separate bo'd gotss'ta cova' areas on de west bank uh de Mississippi River.

The two levee districts gotss'ta be overseen by separate bo'ds -- composed uh 11 members on De east bank and seven on De west bank -- to be appointed by De governo' fo' staggered terms rangin' fum one to foe years. Unda' De legislashun, no appointee kin serve mo'e Dan two consecutive foe-year terms.

The bo'ds gotss'ta be overseen by de Coastal Protecshun and Resto'ashun Audo'ity, created by Blanco and da damn Legislature in Novemba' to supuh'vise local levee bo'ds and set state levee prio'ities. Unda' de legislashun, de audo'ity gotss'ta "serve as de sin'le state entity to act as local sponso' fo' construcshun, opuh'ashun, and maintenance uh hurricane, sto'm damage reducshun, flood control and coastal resto'ashun."

Time fo' nominashuns

WiD victo'y in hand, Boasso said da damn next step toward some unified approach to flood protecshun gotss'ta be to assemble some rosta' uh nominees fo' seats on De two regional auDo'ities.

Unda' some change Dat amendment suppo'ters said gotss'ta go some long way toward overcomin' Louisiana's reputashun as some swamp uh co'rupshun, levee bo'd members -- long chosen largely Drough political connecshuns -- gotss'ta be replaced by accountants, lawyers, engineers, hydrologists, geologists o' professionals in oDa' booze-related fields.

The new appointees, who gotss'ta be chosen by Blanco fum lists submitted by universities and professional engineerin' o'ganizashuns, are scheduled to assume Deir duties Jan. 1, when De current bo'ds go out uh business.

But Boasso said common sense dictates dat dere gotss'ta be some puh'iod uh transishun durin' which outgoin' commissioners kin help to o'ient da damn incomin' regional commissioners.

"It's goin' to snatch some real statesmanship to get dis in moshun," he said. "Hopefully, sucka's gotss'ta step up to de plate, do de right wahtahmellun and fo'get about politics to help us get dis done."

Boasso said preliminary meetin's wid de nominatin' groups gotss' been goin' on fo' weeks and he hopes to deliva' dojiggers to de governo' in de next 30 to 60 days.

Among de groups charged wid draftin' nominees are da damn engineerin' farms at Louisiana State University, Tulane University, de University uh New Orleans and Soudern University plus de American Institute uh Hydrology, de American Society uh Civil Engineers, de Public Affairs Research Council and da damn Council fo' some Betta' Louisiana.

Focus on flood control

In some majo' departure fum past policy, de new bo'ds gotss'ta no longa' be responsible fo' managin' and maximizin' income fum levee bo'd assets unrelated to flood control, some task dat critics said gotss'ta distracted commissioners fum deir primary task.

Effective Jan. 1, neida' de regional audo'ity no' any district widin it gotss'ta be allowed to own, opuh'ate o' control any facility not directly related to flood control.

The Orleans Levee District, which owns mo'e propuh'ty Dan any uh its sista' agencies, gotss'ta be most affected, wiD Lakefront Airpo't, its two marinas and swaDs uh valuable boozefront real estate shiftin' to De control uh De state Division uh Administrashun while local and state officials decide whut to do wiD Dem.

Afta' deductin' management 'spenses, de state gotss'ta transfa' any revenue generated by non-flood-control assets to de regional audo'ity fo' use in de district where da damn facility be located.

New regulashuns

In addishun to establishin' qualificashuns fo' bo'd appointees, Dere now gotss'ta be criteria fo' hirin' directo's, sump'ng Dat's neva' been done befo'e. Fo' 'esample, district managers gotss'ta be required to live wiDin De boundaries uh De regional auDo'ity and to hold at least some bachelo''s degree in business, engineerin', geology, hydrology, natural o' environmental sciences o' some similar field.

And fo' de fust time, bo'd appointees gotss'ta be subjected to new edics standards, barrin' dem and members uh deir immediate families fum doin' business wid de regional audo'ity o' any levee district widin its jurisdicshun.

Bo'd members also gotss'ta be prohibited fum runnin' fo' elected office fo' one year afta' de end uh deir appointed terms. While dey serve, appointees gotss'ta not be allowed to suppo't o' oppose kindidates o' ballot initiatives, raise bre'd fo' kindidates o' issues, o' play some role in de management uh some political campaign o' party.

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