Update From Leslie

3/12 - St. Patrick's Day is close at hand!
My life has been incredibly insane, and have done virtually nothing with the blogs since I last wrote. Sad, but true. I just haven't had the energy or time.
My mother's condition deteriorated significantly, and the first attempt to stent her kidneys failed. They discovered the right was was beyond hope, and while the left one was still functioning, it wasn't long for this world. The surgeon who did the angioplasty/gram stated she needed renal artery bypass and to go to Albany, NY.
My sister lives in Baltimore, MD, works at a hospital there and contacted a surgeon regarding Mom's case. He felt confident he could place the stents.
Yesterday he tried. He succeeded. WOW - total relief for us all!
And since my mom was gone for over a week with pre-op stuff and then the procedure, I was bustling about the house getting odd jobs completed that I've not had the energy to do up until now. It's been wonderful getting all of these things done in such short order. It will make life far more efficient for all of us.
I still have many to do, but she will be returning to Baltimore for work on her left carotid artery in a few weeks, so I will be able to accomplish more then.
The relief that her kidney returned virtually to normal function is more than anyone knows. Renal Artery Stenosis patients that must go on dialysis don't live longer than 27 months. And without RAS patients figured into the life average - dialysis patients live at least 10 years. Very frightening to have such a short expectancy.
I've continued to collect magazines and vegetable seeds. Have sent all seeds out that I have thus far, making it a very hopeful time for well over 100 people. Thank you to all!

Am in contact with a gentleman running an organization in CA that has allotted a significant sum to grant to female-run non-profits doing hurricane relief work. I've sent him a list of the ones I am in contact with, as well as names of others who can give him more names, should he choose. It's a very wonderful feeling to be able to help folks out in this way!

Please take care and I hope to write again soon.
Love
L

Updates are archived on http://www.katrinaadvocate.blogspot.com/

Garden Pest Control

Community Gardens - what started all of this
Container Gardens - first installment
Looking Like A Pro - third installment

2/13/08 Diseases affecting vegetable plants - from MSU - more information at the bottom of the page

2/13/08 Insect pictures from MSU

Second Installment
Most 4-leggers aren't such a bad problem unless they've discovered the area to be GREAT for buffet eating. And you want to keep it that way.

Rule #1: Start controlling before you start planting.
Animals are creatures of habit. If they find a particular spot to always be smelly, bad-tasting, or hard to get to, they'll just not go to it or through it anymore. So if you start the habit of avoidance before you put tasty treats in there, it'll be far easier to maintain avoidance after your deer salad-bar is established.
BUT - they will tolerate just about anything if they know there's a good meal at the other side. So if you wait until they've found your growing stash, you've lost the war and the battle.

Rule #2: All animals hate something.
Deer hate the smell and taste of egg whites, the smell of canine urine or any blood, the taste of hot pepper and bananas.
Rabbits, wood chucks, moles, voles, and to a certain extent 'possums and raccoons all hate the smell of canine urine, garlic (not necessarily mixed, but it wouldn't hurt) or any blood, and hate the taste of hot pepper.
Dogs and cats hate the smell of citrus and the taste of hot. Sometimes the smell of vinegar (cats especially).
Slugs and snails die on egg shells.
All don't like dish soap.

I've personally never needed to use urine. You can get powdered at the hunting stores - but I don't bother. Blood sounds really icky, but you can get either bloodmeal or a fertilizer called Malorganite to use. Even just sprinkled lightly within the garden area is enough to keep them at bay.

The other stuff - you can mix together in water with just a little dish soap (helps it stick to plants and paws). Froth up a couple of egg whites, add a tablespoon powdered garlic, a tablespoo hot sauce, teaspoon white pepper or cayenne and just a little bit of dish soap - 1 teaspoon per gallon. mix this into a gallon of water. If you're going to protect a larger area, water spots in regular increments. Like a splash ever 18". The smell will go throughout the area. If it's a small area, saturate the area with it. None of this will hurt the grass or plants. Just don't get any in your eyes. LOL - I'm speaking from experience.

You can crush up your egg shells to use - I crush a dozen at a time in a morter and pestle, but you can also use a blender (my mom's way). Put a little moat of them around each plant stalk you want to protect. Bonus! - generally speaking, the ground is always in need of extra calcium, so this will aid your plants in two ways - protection and root growth.

If you eat a fair number of bananas, just take your peels out to the garden area, and throw them there. Chopping them and scattering is more effective, but not necessary. You can also just place them around the plants you want to protect if you don't want to risk stepping on one. Bonus! Soil can always use extra potassium (potash), so you get double duty again.

Citrus peels - chopped definitely works better. Bonus! Beneficial nematodes LOVE citrus peels. they help ward off BAD bugs - always a good thing.

Rule #3: Nothing lasts forever.
Rain rules. Rain cleanses. And so, the stuff you've just watered your ground with will slowly fade away and will need to be repeated. I generally start with once every 3 days. After 2 weeks, I drop back to once a week for a month, and then usually once a month works - or after a heavy rain - like more than a half inch.

Rule #4: Nothing is perfect.
If the animals find that you're hiding goodies behind a smelly curtain, they're going to find a way through it to eat. This means building a fence. Chicken wire and a couple of stakes works well. You want it to be 4' high and from the ground up - preferably a couple inches IN the ground. Place it about 3' away from your plants, but no more than that. This keeps things from crawling under, reaching over, or jumping in. If you want, you can place your used drier sheets on the fence as well. The smell and the flutter generally is distasteful to the critters - and the smell generally lasts through rainfalls.

Diseases (very pest like)
These are what I've found online to be the most common...
Damping-Off (seedling disease)—Seeds of many vegetables are susceptible to damping-off fungi when planted in infested soils. [This can be avoided by keeping the seedlings warmer rather than cooler.]

Root Rot of Beans and Southern Peas—Root rot is severe on green beans, lima beans, and southern peas. The disease first appears as reddish or reddish-brown areas on stems and roots.

Early Blight of Tomatoes—Early blight is a major disease of tomatoes in Mississippi
[This can be partially controlled with powdered milk of all things. Mulching also helps - keeps soil fromsplashing up on plant and infecting it]

Blossom-End Rot of Tomatoes—Blossom-end rot occurs on the tomato fruit. It begins as a small, water-soaked spot that develops into a dark brown, leathery spot that may involve half the fruit. [Calcium and even moisture - periods of drought and then very wet - are the best way to prevent this. Powdered milk, OR - ground up drywall!]

Spotted Wilt of Tomatoes and Peppers—This viral disease is transmitted by several species of thrips and may kill plants or drastically reduce fruit-set. Fruits from diseased plants are generally small and distorted. Tomatoes develop irregular yellowish blotches. [I've had this happen. Yuck! Pull the plants out as soon as you see they are infected. Don't plant tomatos there for a few years. Don't plant too close together. Mulch to keep soil from splashing up on plants during rain]

Southern Blight—Southern blight affects most garden vegetables. The fungus that causes southern blight attacks plant parts (roots, stems, leaves, or fruit) that are in contact with or just under the soil surface. [aluminum foil 2" and 2" above the soil surface wrapped around the stem]

Mosaic—This virus disease commonly infects beans, sweet corn, squash, melons, cucumbers, peas, peppers, and tomatoes.

Powdery Mildew—Powdery mildew is caused by a fungus that commonly occurs as a white, powdery growth on leaves of cucumbers, squash, melons, beans, and English peas. Benomyl and chlorothalonil effectively control powdery mildew on vine crops, and sulfur provides control on beans and peas [powdered milk, a pinch of baking soda mixed in water and spray until plant is dripping]

Nematode Diseases—Nematodes are slender, tiny, worm-like animals that feed on plant roots, stems, and leaves. Nematodes cannot ordinarily be seen with the naked eye and go unnoticed until plants become unthrifty and stunted [chop up orange peels and scratch into soil.]

Leaf Spots—Leaf spots, caused by fungi or bacteria, commonly occur on many vegetables. They appear on leaves and sometimes stems as distinct, dark-colored or tan spots one-sixteenth to 1 inch in diameter. [It's that powdered milk thing again]

Bacterial Wilt of Cucumbers---This destructive disease is caused by a bacterium that overwinters in the bodies of adult striped and spotted cucumber beetles. As these beetles feed on young plants in the spring, bacteria are introduced into the vascular system.

Historic Site Threatened

In case you are not familiar with Ft. Pike, it lies a few miles west of Pearlington on US 90. There isn’t a lot in between unless you count mosquitoes, alligators and snakes. WHFRS gave Fort Pike at least one fire engine.

They are considered part of New Orleans Fire Department. The fort is right next to the firehouse.

Historic Fort Pike Battles Back
By Kia Hall Hayes

ST. TAMMANY BUREAU - Standing in tall marsh grass and looking out at Fort Pike and the adjacent Rigolets, Joseph Yarbrough shuddered to think what would happen if the structure continues its steady decline, which was accelerated by Hurricane Katrina.

It would be like losing the French Quarter, offers Yarbrough, president of the Fort Pike Foundation.

"If these structures were to fall, there would be no replacing it," he said. "We need to preserve it."

State officials are doing just that, giving the historic site a much-needed facelift and developing plans for more significant renovations. Fort Pike is set to open next month for the first time since the storm.

The 19th century fortification at New Orleans' easternmost shore has been closed since the 14-foot-high structure was completely submerged more than two years ago. The waters left waist-high marsh grass, wild animals and significant structural damage to the 190-year-old site, which had already fallen into disrepair due to decades of neglect and erosion.

Fort on endangered list

Fork Pike -- along with Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip, both in Plaquemines Parish -- was listed as among the 10 most endangered battlefields in the United States last year. The list was complied by the Civil War Preservation Trust, a nonprofit group in Washington, D.C.

Officials say a flurry of activity will take place in the coming weeks to get Fort Pike ready to open, and landscaping crews will come in and clear the marsh grass and mud and other remaining storm debris.

"This was just like the Gulf of Mexico," Yarbrough said of the once-flooded site along U.S. 90.

Support buildings surrounding the fort, which were washed away in the storm, have been replaced, and the walkway, bridge, picnic pavilion and restrooms have been rebuilt. The nearby boat launch, which sustained pre- and post-storm damage and is also owned by the state, reopened several months ago.

"Everybody's anxious to see it open and get people back to the area and try to revitalize the tourist trade," said Yarbrough, who hopes Fort Pike will eventually become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the New Orleans area.

Damage is visible

Signs of the more significant damage are still visible on the fort, which was held by Confederate soldiers until it was taken over by Union forces around 1862. Cracks in the citadel walls that were several feet wide before the storm have expanded enough to walk through. Pieces of old houses and boats, remnants of storm debris that covered the entire fort after the storm, still litter portions of the grounds.

The most heavily damaged areas will remain closed to the public, but visitors will still be able to walk on the grass-covered upper level and around several of the casemates where guns were housed, said Stuart Johnson with the state Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.

"You'll still be able to get that experience to look out like a soldier in the fort," he said.

To correct decades of neglect, the state has hired John Miller & Associates to conduct a full evaluation of the fort and develop a five-year construction plan. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has given a verbal commitment to cover the projected $18 million cost of the project, which includes correcting structural damage and creating barriers to prevent further erosion, Johnson said.

Two other forts fare poorly

Other local forts damaged by Katrina aren't faring so well. Fort Jackson, along the Mississippi River south of Buras and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, held storm surge for weeks after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita because it is surrounded by levees that trapped the water, which had to be pumped out.

Fort Jackson, which was built in the 1820s and is owned by Plaquemines Parish, has remained closed since Katrina. The fort had cracks before the storms, but trees growing atop its bastion walls and over its casemates are the source of much of the structural damage, officials have said.

Stanley Mathes, the parish's tourism director, said there has been talk among parish officials about Fort Jackson becoming part of a national park, but "that is strictly in the talk stage," he said.

Mathes said he would like to see the park reopened so the parish's annual Orange Festival could return to the site.

"It's something that we'd like to get back because it was a great recreational area," he said.

Fort St. Philip, located just upstream from Fort Jackson on the east bank, was built in 1795 by the Spanish. Its cannons prevented the British from reaching New Orleans in 1815 in the Battle of New Orleans and fired on Union ships in 1862, but owner Frank Ashby Jr., a New Orleans oil broker, has no plans to restore it.

The 60-acre fort had fallen into disrepair years ago, but, thanks to Katrina, "whatever was left standing is probably not standing anymore," Ashby said.

Plaquemines Parish had expressed interest in acquiring the fort, which is accessible only by boat, but Ashby says he won't part with the land where he scattered his father's ashes decades ago.

"I have no plans to restore it and I never did have any plans to restore it," he said.

'It's just too much to lose'

Walking around Fort Pike while keeping an eye out for snakes, Yarbrough was a veritable encyclopedia of trivia.

"The history here is just phenomenal," he said.

Completed in 1827 on top of a cypress log foundation called "grillage," the structure was home to 400 Confederate troops during the Civil War. Pinkney Benton Stewart Pinchback served here as a second lieutenant before becoming the first African-American governor of Louisiana, Yarbrough said.

During the Civil War, Confederate soldiers held the fort until Union forces took New Orleans in 1862 and the structure was evacuated. Union soldiers reoccupied the building and used it as a training center for former slaves, who were taught to use heavy artillery before joining the U.S. Colored Troops.

The fort was officially abandoned in 1890 and in 1972 was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"It's just too much to lose," Yarbrough said.

He plans to coordinate tours with local schools, make the site a bus tour destination and hold arts and crafts fairs on the property. An Open Air Art Festival, the last in May 2005, was held at the fort for four years before Katrina. Yarbrough wants Fort Pike to be even more popular than it was before the storm, when it attracted about an average of 14,000 visitors annually.

"It has the potential if we can get the support from the public and the funds to do it," he said.

FEMA Is In To Candy Making

Probe: FEMA sugarcoated danger of hurricane trailers

Story Highlights

FEMA says it "did not suppress or inappropriately influence any report"

Democrats on congressional panel say FEMA "ignored, hid and manipulated" data

FEMA tests indicated trailers were safe if properly ventilated

Probe: Expert said not divulging research constituted "threat to public health"

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency manipulated scientific research to play down the danger posed by formaldehyde in trailers issued to hurricane victims, according to an investigation by congressional Democrats.

FEMA "ignored, hid and manipulated government research on the potential impact of long-term exposure to formaldehyde" on Katrina and Rita victims now living in FEMA trailers, said a letter written by Democrats on Monday.

Democrats on a House Science and Technology subcommittee wrote the letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. FEMA is part of the Homeland Security Department.

In a separate letter, lawmakers said the federal health agency that provided guidance to FEMA was "complicit in giving FEMA precisely what they wanted."

Victims living in FEMA trailers have complained of health problems related to formaldehyde, but initial FEMA tests revealed the air quality in the trailers was safe if those trailers were properly ventilated.

Formaldehyde is a common preservative found in building materials used in manufactured homes. It can cause respiratory problems and has been classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a probable carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

FEMA said the health agency's February 1, 2007, advice didn't address long-term health effects, but rather concerned ways to avoid toxic exposure to formaldehyde.

"FEMA did not suppress or inappropriately influence any report," said agency spokesman James McIntyre.

The lawmakers are questioning the integrity of research done by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and said they don't trust FEMA to conduct an independent investigation into the toxicity of the formaldehyde in trailers.

The investigation, led by Rep. Brad Miller, D-North Carolina, found the health agency ignored research from one of its own experts, Christopher De Rosa.

Because the health opinion was completed without appropriate oversight, the results could be misleading, De Rosa wrote in a February 27, 2007, letter to a FEMA attorney that was obtained by the subcommittee.

"Any level of exposure to formaldehyde may pose a cancer risk, regardless of duration," De Rosa wrote. "Failure to communicate this issue is possibly misleading and a threat to public health."

In its initial round of testing, FEMA took samples from unoccupied trailers that had been aired out for days and compared them with federal standards for short-term exposure, according to the lawmakers. FEMA officials instructed scientists at the health agency to leave out details about long-term exposure in its consultation.

"Honest scientific studies don't start with the conclusion, and then work backwards from there," Miller said in a statement.

FEMA is currently testing 500 of the 40,000 trailers (1%), but the lawmakers said they have no confidence in the new testing and sampling procedures.

The test results are expected in February and FEMA plans to issue a final report in May.

Tod Davis

12/13/07 I just confirmed what the comments on this page are saying. Tod isn't making good on his promise of repayment.
I'm not making excuses for him. I don't know him! I hadn't heard anything about the man until I heard he was dying, which obviously hasn't happened yet.
Many people have lost money to him, which is sad. It truly jades their views and makes them far less likely to help others in need.
All I can say is, there are some truly nasty and manipulative people out there. I don't know if it was his intent to swindle, or if he just figured he was entitled since he had his own disaster occur prior to Katrina. (from what I've heard, he's from a midwestern state and lost everything - flood? don't know)
There is no real recourse in a case like this. Small claims court decisions can't be enforced, although they may go on your credit history. I don't know what to do about putting leins on property, but might be possible for larger amounts.
And Diane is right - as I get the news about different pages on my blog, I need to do the updates. Unfortunately, I think all of the volunteers who have dealt with him are embarassed to say they were taken for a ride too, so are either not saying anything, or are defending him still. This is why I never heard anymore about him.
I do hope he has a moment of conscience and repays people - even if it's only a % on the dollar. To make a good faith effort to right a wrong goes a lot further than righting it with ill intent.
L


I've heard of Tod through a newsgroup I joined in the last 6 weeks.
He has spent countless hours in the gulf - may be FROM the gulf for all I know.
But he's been infected by a lung infection of unknown etiology - big word for what a mounts to glazed eyes and a shrug from the doctors. They don't know what's going on.

This was posted by Jenni Dodds to the group today:

After hurricane Katrina he went out and helped many other people. He was exposed to many different toxins. Because it was in his system so long and he has many allergies to medications the doctors have let him know that they feel nothing they can give him is going to work.
It has caused great strain on him financially but he's never begged and was always there for others.
A couple of days ago he spoke out in anger because to get through this you have to work as a team.
There are no Heroes there are no Angels. There are just human beings trying to survive.

He gave me these words directly. "Be kind to one another. And give the best gift of all "Love".

He has been instructed to make final plans.
From Jenni:
God Bless you Tod we love you ! And we will be there for your family.

Youth Suicide Trend Way Up

Suicide Trends Among Youths and Young Adults Aged 10--24 Years
--- United States, 1990--2004

In 2004, suicide was the third leading cause of death among youths and young adults aged 10--24 years in the United States, accounting for 4,599 deaths (1,2). During 1990--2003, the combined suicide rate for persons aged 10--24 years declined 28.5%, from 9.48 to 6.78 per 100,000 persons (2). However, from 2003 to 2004, the rate increased by 8.0%, from 6.78 to 7.32 (2), the largest single-year increase during 1990--2004. To characterize U.S. trends in suicide among persons aged 10--24 years, CDC analyzed data recorded during 1990--2004, the most recent data available. Results of that analysis indicated that, from 2003 to 2004, suicide rates for three sex-age groups (i.e., females aged 10--14 years and 15--19 years and males aged 15--19 years) departed upward significantly from otherwise declining trends. Results further indicated that suicides both by hanging/suffocation and poisoning among females aged 10--14 years and 15--19 years increased from 2003 to 2004 and were significantly in excess of trends in both groups. The results suggest that increases in suicide and changes in suicidal behavior might have occurred among youths in certain sex-age groups, especially females aged 10--19 years. Closer examination of these trends is warranted at federal and state levels. Where indicated, health authorities and program directors should consider focusing suicide-prevention activities on these groups to help prevent suicide rates from increasing further.

Annual data on suicides in the United States during 1990--2004 (1) were obtained from the National Vital Statistics System via WISQARS™ (2) by sex, three age groups (i.e., 10--14, 15--19, and 20--24 years), and the three most common suicide methods (firearm, hanging/suffocation,* and poisoning†). Although coding of mortality data changed from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) to the Tenth Revision (ICD-10) beginning in 1999, near total agreement exists between the two revisions regarding classification of suicides (3). Suicide trends during the 15-year period were examined for each sex-age group overall and by method, using a negative binomial rate regression model. Differences between observed rates and model-estimated rates for each year were evaluated using standardized Pearson residuals, which account for the general level of variability in the year-to-year rates. Standardized Pearson residuals >2 or <-2 were used to identify unusual departures from the modeled rate trends. A comprehensive explanation of these methods has been published previously (4).

Significant upward departures from modeled trends in 2004 were identified in total suicide rates for three of the six sex-age groups: females aged 10--14 years and 15--19 years and males aged 15--19 years (Table). The largest percentage increase in rates from 2003 to 2004 was among females aged 10--14 years (75.9%), followed by females aged 15--19 years (32.3%) and males aged 15--19 years (9.0%). In absolute numbers, from 2003 to 2004, suicides increased from 56 to 94 among females aged 10--14 years, from 265 to 355 among females aged 15--19 years, and from 1,222 to 1,345 among males aged 15--19 years.

In 1990, firearms were the most common suicide method among females in all three age groups examined, accounting for 55.2% of suicides in the group aged 10--14 years, 56.0% in the group aged 15--19 years, and 53.4% in the group aged 20--24 years. However, from 1990 to 2004, among females in each of the three age groups, significant downward trends were observed in the rates both for firearm suicides (p<0.01) and poisoning suicides (p<0.05), and a significant increase was observed in the rate for suicides by hanging/suffocation (p<0.01). In 2004, hanging/suffocation was the most common method among females in all three age groups, accounting for 71.4% of suicides in the group aged 10--14 years, 49% in the group aged 15--19 years, and 34.2% in the group aged 20--24 years. In addition, from 2003 to 2004, hanging/suffocation suicide rates among females aged 10--14 and 15--19 years increased by 119.4% (from 0.31 to 0.68 per 100,000 persons) and 43.5% (from 1.24 to 1.78), respectively (Figures 1 and 2). In absolute numbers, from 2003 to 2004, suicides by hanging/suffocation increased from 32 to 70 among females aged 10--14 years and from 124 to 174 among females aged 15--19 years. Aside from 2004, the only other significant departure from trend among females in these two age groups during 1990--2004 was in suicides by hanging/suffocation among females aged 15--19 years in 1996 (Figure 2).

Reported by: KM Lubell, PhD, SR Kegler, PhD, AE Crosby, MD, D Karch, PhD, Div of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC.

Editorial Note:
The findings in this report indicate that 2004 suicide rates for males aged 15--19 years and females aged 10--14 years and 15--19 years diverged upward significantly from modeled trends during 1990--2004. For females in the two age groups, significant departures were observed for 2004 in suicides by hanging/suffocation and poisoning. The rate for suicide by hanging/suffocation among females aged 10--14 years more than doubled from 2003 to 2004, from 0.31 to 0.68 per 100,000 population. During 1990--2003, the highest yearly rate for such deaths among females in this age group was 0.35 per 100,000 population in 1998.

The marked increases in suicide rates among females in the two younger age groups suggest possible changes in risk factors for suicide and the methods used, with greater use of methods (e.g., hanging by rope) that are readily accessible (5). Scientific knowledge regarding risk factors for suicide in young females is limited. Research that focuses on suicide mortality has emphasized males, who constitute approximately three fourths of suicide decedents aged 10--19 years (2). In contrast, research on suicidal behavior among females primarily has examined factors related to suicidal thoughts and nonfatal self-inflicted injuries. One comparative study, conducted in Singapore, suggested that perceptions of interpersonal relationship problems are more common among young female suicide decedents than among their male counterparts (6). Family discord, legal/disciplinary problems, school concerns, and mental health conditions such as depression increase the risk for suicide among youths of both sexes (6,7). Drug/alcohol use can exacerbate these problems (7).

Recent reports have detailed unintentional asphyxia fatalities resulting from adolescents playing "the choking game" (i.e., intentionally restricting the supply of oxygen to the brain, often with a ligature, to induce a brief euphoria). Some of these fatalities likely are misclassified as suicides. However, such deaths are unlikely to account for a substantial portion of the recent increases in hanging/suffocation suicides among young girls. The available evidence suggests that choking-game fatalities occur predominantly among boys (8). In addition, analysis of hanging/suffocation deaths classified as unintentional or undetermined in this population did not reveal increases that paralleled those in hanging/suffocation suicides (CDC, unpublished data, 2007).

The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, because U.S. mortality data currently are available only through 2004, whether the increases observed in 2004 represent changes in trends or single-year anomalies is not clear and suggests a need for further study as more current data become available. Second, official mortality data for suicides might include classification errors. Previous research has highlighted the extent to which suicides are undercounted (9). Finally, because U.S. mortality data include limited variables, these data do not allow examination of potential differences or changes in the underlying risk factors for fatal suicidal behavior among young females. Other data sources (e.g., the National Violent Death Reporting System) that collect a broader array of information about the circumstances surrounding suicides (10) might provide additional insights.

These findings demonstrate the potential mutability of youth suicidal behavior. Public health researchers and suicide-prevention practitioners need to learn more about both the risk factors for suicide among young females and effective strategies for suicide prevention. The trends in suicide rates and methods described in this report, if confirmed, suggest that prevention measures focused solely on restricting access to the most lethal means are likely to have limited success. Prevention measures should address the underlying reasons for suicide in populations that are vulnerable.

References
National Center for Health Statistics. Multiple cause-of-death public-use data files, 1990 through 2004. Hyattsville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, National Center for Health Statistics; 2007.
CDC. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS™). Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2007. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars/default.htm.
Anderson RN, Minino AM, Fingerhut LA, Warner M, Heinen MA. Deaths: injuries, 2001. Natl Vital Stat Rep 2004;52:1--5.
Agresti A. An introduction to categorical data analysis. 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley; 2007.
CDC. Methods of suicide among persons aged 10--19 years---United States, 1992--2001. MMWR 2004;53:471--4.
Ang RP, Chia BH, Fung DSS. Gender differences in life stressors associated with child and adolescent suicides in Singapore from 1995 to 2003. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2006;52:561--70.
Kloos AL, Collins R, Weller RA, Weller EB. Suicide in preadolescents: who is at risk? Curr Psychiatry Rep 2007;9:89--93.
Le D, Macnab AJ. Self strangulation by hanging from cloth towel dispensers in Canadian schools. Inj Prev 2001;7:231--3.
O'Carroll PW. A consideration of the validity and reliability of suicide mortality data. Suicide Life Threat Behav 1989;19:1--16.
Steenkamp M, Frazier L, Lipskiy N, et al. The National Violent Death Reporting System: an exciting new tool for public health surveillance. Inj Prev 2006;12(Suppl 2):ii3--5.


* Includes self-inflicted asphyxiation and ligature strangulation.

† Includes intentional drug overdose and carbon monoxide exposure.

National Suicide Prevention Week --- September 9--15, 2007
Suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death in the United States and the third leading cause among youths and young adults aged 10--24 years, accounting for 4,599 deaths in this age group in 2004 (1).

Approximately 142,000 visits are made to emergency departments by persons in this age group each year to receive medical care for self-inflicted injuries (1).

Known risk factors for suicide include
1) a previous suicide attempt,
2) history of depression or other mental illness,
3) alcohol or drug abuse,
4) family history of suicide or violence,
5) physical illness, and
6) feeling alone (2).

However, because U.S. mortality data lack information on many risk factors for suicide, reasons for subgroup vulnerabilities are not addressed. Using data from the National Violent Death Reporting System, CDC has begun to compile additional information about the circumstances of suicide to better understand why suicides occur and how they might be prevented.

During National Suicide Prevention Week, September 9--15, 2007, CDC encourages parents, educators, health-care providers, and health authorities to learn more about suicide, including the groups at greatest risk, warning signs for suicide, and potential prevention strategies.

Additional information is available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/suicide/default.htm.

An Article About Leslie

Making connections for Katrina victims
Vestal resident proves actions can have far-reaching effect

Valerie Zehl
Neighbors
Life beating you down these days? Feel a bit ragged around the edges, stretched too thin?
Meet Leslie Holly of Vestal.
"I can do the equivalent of two and a half hours of work a day, and it takes me all day to do it," says Holly, 41.
In Social Security-speak, she's fully, permanently disabled. Can't live alone. Spends afternoons recovering from even the most laid-back mornings.
Nonetheless, she managed to help hundreds -- maybe thousands -- of people whose lives were turned to chaos by Hurricane Katrina.
And she did it from right here, at a computer in the Vestal home she shares with her parents, Kathy and David H. Dibble.
Holly doesn't look disabled.
A common virus navigated to her right inner ear a few years ago, leaving her with vertigo so severe that, as she explains it, her brain has to work overtime just to keep her upright, thereby leaving other brain functions impaired.
When one part of the vestibular system is compromised, the brain's calculations are affected, she says.
Since her mom was struck with a medical emergency a few months ago, Holly has been taking on more of the housework.
"I still can't do the dishwasher," she says. "It's the uppy-downy thing."
Her memory is affected, too.
"She's my hard drive," Holly says, nodding toward her 74-year-old mother.
Talking on the phone can also trigger vertigo, but Holly's fingers can fly when they touch a computer keyboard -- even if it's for only minutes at a time.
Steve Haggerty, executive director of the Albany-based Capital District Habitat for Humanity, credits Holly with facilitating one project, when Habitat was unable to mobilize a "house in a box" idea.
"She hooked us up with an affiliate out of Florida," he says. "We ended up bringing (college students on spring break) down to Pearlington, Miss." That crew was able to erect simple structures for four families who were still living in tents six months after Katrina hit.
She's not impressed with large organizations, she says. "They're too inflexible to bend the rules to get the job done, so it's up the grassroots organizations," she says.
Initially her efforts centered on Pearlington, but soon they spread throughout Hancock County and beyond. "There were all these little grassroots organizations doing the work," she explains. "I basically was the go-between for all of them."
Lots of people were willing to help, but they needed money. So she turned her attention to researching for funding options.
She set up two online venues: KatrinaNetworking.blogspot.com and KatrinaCoalition@aol.com.
"I am using my networking and marketing skills to pass along vital information to organizations, volunteers and survivors of the 2005 hurricane season," the first site reads. "Grants, networking, advocating, assistance resources, articles and more. Updated regularly to better assist you."
She has had about 64,000 hits on the sites.
"An average of 130 a day, even now, which speaks to the quality of the information," she says.
She was able to offer tangible support, too, when she encountered specific need.
"I gave my dad a mission," she says. He went out to a tennis club and grabbed all the tired-out yellow balls he could find. He then put them in his drill press and poked holes in them so they could be put on the bottoms of desks and chairs in improvised schoolrooms within FEMA trailers.
A school project in Hancock County required pillow cases. She supplicated to Bates-Troy, and they came up with enough to fill the need.
Jeanne Brooks is a teacher at South Hancock Elementary School, which replaces two smaller schools that were completely wiped out.
"I never met Leslie, but she must be a very caring person," Brooks says. "She has to be incredibly kind. She put hours and hours and hours into everything she did."
Holly made wall hangings for the school. She even designed a quilt patterns she called Katrina, Brooks explains.
"She has had a far-reaching impact on this county," Brooks says, "and she has never been here.
As Holly looks toward her own needs for the future, she has been forced to expend less energy on behalf of the Katrina victims.
"Before I was updating seven pages a day; now it's about two to three times a month," she says.
Disabled, yes. Defeated? No.
The last line of her e-mail signature says it all: "Fortuna Pertinax Venia. Fortune Favors the Stubborn."

Hurricane Bush

Hurricane George: How the White House Drowned New Orleans
by Greg Palast Aug 24 2007 - 9:35am

"By midnight on Monday, the White House knew. Monday night I was at the state Emergency Operations Center and nobody was aware that the levees had breeched. Nobody."

"FEMA knew at 11 o'clock on Monday that the levees had breeched. At 2p.m. they flew over he 17th Street Canal and took video of the breech."

Question: "So the White House wouldn't tell you the levees had breeched?"

Dr. Van Heerden: "They didn't tell anybody."

Question: "And you're at the Emergency Center.'

Dr. Van Heerden: "I mean nobody knew. The Corps of Engineers knew. FEMA knew. None of us knew."

The charge is devastating: That, on August 29, 2005, the White House withheld from the state police the information that New Orleans was about to flood. From almost any other source, I would not have believed it. But this was not just any source. The whistle-blower is Dr. Ivor van Heerden, deputy director of the Louisiana State University Hurricane Center, the chief technician advising the state on saving lives during Katrina.

WHY? Why on earth would the White House not tell the state to get the remaining folks out of there?

The answer: cost. Political and financial cost. A hurricane is an act of God - but a catastrophic failure of the levees is a act of Bush. That is, under law dating back to 1935, a breech of the federal levee system makes the damage - and the deaths - a federal responsibility. That means, as van Heeden points out, that "these people must be compensated."

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/9523

Ocean Springs Closing FEMA Park

Ocean Springs FEMA park to close Aug. 15
Residents urged to find other homes
By LEIGH COLEMAN
SUN HERALD

OCEAN SPRINGS --

The more than 50 residents living in trailers behind the Ocean Springs Civic Center on U.S. 90 have until Aug. 15 to find another place to live.

Mayor Connie Moran announced Tuesday the city is planning to close the site.

The announcement was made during a meeting with FEMA representatives to discuss changes in the city's new trailer policy made earlier this year by the Board of Aldermen.

This decision comes after board members last week voted to postpone their decision to extend the Aug. 15 termination date for the closing of the trailer park.

FEMA representatives requested the board consider an extension until March 2008 but the board requested more information from FEMA and the residents living in the trailers.

"The representatives from FEMA never gave us the information we requested and we needed to make a decision about this site," said Moran.

"Of course, they can appeal the decision if they want to," she said.

According to FEMA representatives there are only 43 available apartments in Ocean Springs and they are all 125 percent above the fair-market value.

There are currently more than 90 Ocean Springs residents living in temporary trailers in Jackson, Harrison and Hancock counties.

"Ocean Springs has worked actively with FEMA and other agencies to ensure that all of our citizens have a place to call home," said Moran.

"As the deadline of Aug. 15 looms, it is important that anyone affected by it make appropriate plans," she said.

Moran says the city's biggest concern is the elderly, disabled, fixed-income, and single-parent households. City officials are encouraging people in these categories to contact FEMA to see if they qualify for the department's rental-assistance program.

New Radios for Emergency Services

Feds give $11M to Mississippi to fix post-9/11 radio problems
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

JACKSON --

The state of Mississippi will receive $10.9 million to fix communications problems between police and fire departments six years after the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

According to U.S. Sens. Thad Cochran and Trent Lott, both R-Miss., the Mississippi Department of Public Safety will spend the money in areas where first responders need compatible voice, data and video communications systems to be used during disaster response.

The money is part of $968 million awarded nationwide Wednesday.

"It is essential that our firefighters, paramedics, police, and officials from MEMA and FEMA have equipment that will provide for seamless and uninterrupted communication," Cochran said in a statement.

Earlier this month, Gov. Haley Barbour announced that the state and Motorola Inc. had signed a contract for the wireless company to provide a statewide emergency communications network to be used during catastrophes.

Motorola was selected last November by Mississippi's Wireless Communication Commission after a competitive bidding process.

Motorola officials said the company would ship thousands of the radios within 24 hours of a disaster and dispatch tower crews when needed to assist in an emergency.

Motorola said it will design and implement the system in three phases, beginning with the southern region. When completed, the network will include 135 radio tower sites statewide.

Cochran said the ability of emergency agencies to communicate among one another is crucial in disasters.

Lott said Mississippians who experienced Hurricane Katrina understand how important first responder communications can be before, during and after a disaster.

"Our state and local communities are already acting to upgrade and prepare emergency communications systems for the next disaster, and I'm confident this federal initiative will compliment and help expedite those efforts," Lott said.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Wednesday that the money should get the entire country up to a basic standard of effective emergency communication by 2009.

MS Health Care Last In US

WAPT.com
Study: Miss. Ranks Last For Public Health Care
POSTED: 9:37 am CDT June 14, 2007

UPDATED: 9:50 am CDT June 14, 2007

JACKSON, Miss. -- A new report that ranks all 50 states based on the performance of their health care systems puts Mississippi at No. 50.

The report was released Wednesday by the Commonwealth Fund. It's the first study to rank states on the performance of health care systems. It found huge disparities between care among the top states and those at the bottom.

The report said Mississippi ranks 48th in health care access, 44th in quality, 47th in equity and 51st in healthy lives.

The best-performing states were Hawaii, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.

The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation that finances health care research.

Operation Sea Angel

Angels From The Sea: The Soft Power of the United States

In late spring of 1991 a US Navy Amphibious Task Force (ATF) returning from the Persian Gulf war was diverted, on order of President George H.W. Bush, to the Bay of Bengal. A Bangladeshi citizen, rumor has it, on seeing the ATF approach from the sea, called them "Angels from the Sea." Thus began Operation Sea Angel, one of the largest military relief operations ever undertaken.

April 29 1991, Cyclone Marian, a storm with top sustained winds of 160 mph (Category 5), made landfall as a strong Category 4 storm (155 mph) along the coastline of Bangladesh. The resulting 20 foot high tidal wave killed over 138,000 people and left over 5 million people homeless. Marian was one of the deadliest tropical cyclones on record.

Within 24 hours of a request for support from the government of Bangladesh, Operation Sea Angel was launched, and advance teams from the III Marine Expeditionary Force arrive in country for initial liaison. Operation Sea Angel began on 10 May and involved over 7,000 US soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen. A fifteen-ship amphibious task force composed of Amphibious Group 3 and the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade was diverted to the Bay of Bengal to assist. Over the next month, 6,700 Navy and Marine Corps personnel working with U.S. Army, Air Force, and multinational forces, provided food, water, and medical care to nearly two million people. The relief efforts of U.S. troops are credited with having saved as many as 200,000 lives.

All of those lessons learned from Operation Sea Angel could have and should have been brought to bear on Katrina. Instead George W Bush fiddled while New Orleans sank and while people pleaded for their government to rescue them. The richest country in the world, under competent and less arrogant leadership, was able to come to the aid of one of the poorest countries in the world in a time of need. Yet, faced with a challenge within its own homeland, the United States government, under incompetent and arrogant leadership, failed to come to the aid of its own citizens. That is simply inexcusable.

http://www.taylormarsh.com/#

Medical Crisis

While written about NOLA specifically, I'd guess the numbers are similar, if not worse, in the rest of the affected region.

Please keep pushing for medical personnel to go down and assist. Even if it's a bunch of EMTs who want to do vitals on people - to make sure their BP is doing ok - it's needed.

All Things Considered,

February 28, 2007 · Volunteer groups recently held the Greater New Orleans Medical Recovery Week. Physicians, nurses and technicians saw 500 to 600 patients a day during the event. Many who received care waited in line overnight because they had no other choice for medical and dental care.

Trailers and tents were spread out in a New Orleans East park to create a temporary medical facility.

Before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Lucia Parker worked in a hospital and had medical insurance. But now that Parker's employer St. Charles General is closed, she has no job, no insurance and no care. That's why she took advantage of the Medical Recovery Week.

Dr. Teck Kim Khoo of Minnesota's Mayo Clinic came to New Orleans this week with more than 30 of his colleagues to volunteer for the service event. He said that it was a fulfilling experience to treat the people he saw in New Orleans.

During the weeklong event in New Orleans, more than 800 volunteers saw about 4,000 patients.

More than 400 doctors, dentists and nurses flew in from across the country to volunteer at the event, which saw about 600 patients on opening day. Event organizers estimate that more than 10,000 medical services will be provided by the end of the week.

Excerpt from a different interview of same topic:

To make matters worse, fewer than a third of the city's health care providers have returned. So the international relief groups Operation Blessing and Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corps, or RAM, came together to organize this year's fair. RAM's founder is Stan Brock.

BILL HORAN, Operation Blessing: The average number of deaths per month has increased almost 50 percent since Katrina, while at the same time the population has diminished by almost 50 percent. So that's why people are lined up here at 4:00 and 5:00 in the morning for free medical service.

http://dailynightly.msnbc.com/2007/03/sick_of_new_orl.html

Link with similar story, different numbers:
http://www.ob.org/programs/disaster_relief/news/2007/dr_2007_0201_MedicalWeek_part2.asp

Full Interview re: Medical Crisis:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-june07/katrina_03-20.html

MS Development Authority

3.27 Scam
Dear Colleagues and Organization Representatives,

Please forward this to all of your contacts! I have sent this to the entire list serves(I have) for STEPS and Rebuild Jackson County.

A member of the ECD/HOPE staff was alerted today of a potential scam taking place. A group is calling and emailing folks (especially senior citizens) claiming to be MDA. They have a logo,etc that appears to be official. They tell applicants that certain information is needed to complete the application for Phase I or Phase II grants and then they get the applicant’s personal information.

Please let people know that MDA/Reznick has a policy where they never ask for personal info over the phone or via email. If people are solicited, it is NOT an authorized contact. If more details emerge, we will keep you posted.

Thanks!

Christy M. Hahn 228-466-8267
Executive Director
Hancock County Long Term Recovery Committee
5380 Kiln Delisle Rd.
Kiln, MS 39556

1/15 How-To Manual For Grant Program!
Understanding Mississippi's Homeowner Assistance Grant Program has gotten alot easier thanks to a team of attorneys from a nationwide law firm, NixonPeabody LLP, and the Mississippi Center for Justice (MCJ), the Jackson- and Biloxi-based nonprofit, public interest law firm. Together they have produced a new manual and website, already in use, that gives detailed explanations of the homeowner grant program and its appeals process. The new manual will be used by MCJ staff attorneys and out-of-state volunteer lawyers at four free legal clinics on the Coast, January 19; two of the clinics (Gulfport and Biloxi) will provide help in Spanish and Vietnamese, respectively. When MCJ asked Nixon Peabody to help assemble the manual for Mississippi homeowners and lawyers, specialists at the full-service law firm responded pro bono, which means their work was free.
The new manual can also be used to help volunteer lawyers determine if a homeowner is eligiblefor a grant.
Nixon Peabody has also established a Mississippi Homeowners'Assistance Grant Program special resource site at http://micdbgappeals.nixonpeabody.com/default.aspx
Jeffrey W. Sacks, apartner in Nixon Peabody's Affordable Housing practice, says "Giving back to the community through pro bono service is a part of the fabric of NixonPeabody. When the devastation of Hurricane Katrina occurred, we wanted to determine how we could best put the knowledge and insight of our nationally recognized affordable housing practice to use for those most in need. Our commitment to assist the Mississippi Center for Justice and the volunteer lawyers working with its organization is just one of many steps NixonPeabody is taking to help with the rebuilding and housing revitalizationeffort along the Gulf Coast."
According to Karen Lash, MCJ's National Pro Bono Coordinator, "There's been widespread confusion about this grant program and the rules have changed many times. Thanks to Nixon Peabody, our lawyers now have an important reference tool - and volunteer lawyers can be quickly trained to help handle the swelling number of homeowners' concerns about the program, their award amount, and their appeal rights." In addition to the Nixon Peabody
manual, the new web site also has a "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)" page to help grantees understand the grant program. The FAQ section was written pro bono by lawyers at Citigroup and The Lawyer's Committee for CivilRights Under Law. Print copies of the FAQ are available from MCJ and will also be distributed at future clinics. For more information about the MCJclinics, how the manual is being used to help Mississippi Gulf Coast residents or if you are a lawyer interested in volunteering with MCJ and want more information, please call 228-435-1075.
For more information on other Gulf Coast housing and rebuilding efforts being led by Nixon Peabody, contact Andrea Goodman at agoodman@nixonpeabody.com or 617-345-1381.
Mississippi Center for JusticeP. O. Box 1023 Jackson, MS 39215-1023 Phone: (601) 352-2269

11/23 Phase II Beginning
http://www.gulfcoastnews.com/GCNnewsKatrinaHomeownersPhaseIIplan.htm
Details of Phase Two of Homeowner Assistance ProgramFrom: Office of the Governor Filed 11/20/06 GCN
Homeowners who did not qualify under the original multibillion-dollar grant program have another opportunity to apply for assistance to repair, rebuild or relocate under a second phase that has opened for public comment.
Phase Two of the Homeowner Assistance Program will provide funding up to a maximum of $50,000 for low to moderate income homeowners whose primary residence suffered flood surge damage from Hurricane Katrina. Such homeowners may qualify regardless of whether they were uninsured or under-insured and regardless of whether their homes were inside or outside the federally-delineated flood plain.
The original program covered about 15,000 families and the second phase opens new opportunities for assisting more people, Governor Haley Barbour said.
“We’ve been working with the federal government for months to develop this second phase in order to help as many as 10,000 more families,” Governor Barbour said.
Phase Two includes a special needs feature under which eligible applicants who are age 65 or over, or who are disabled, or who have household income at or below 60 percent of the Average Median Income can get up to an additional $25,000, or a total of $75,000.
Also, an additional grant of up to $30,000 is available to help eligible applicants defray the cost of elevating their homes, if necessary.
Generally, a qualifying homeowner must have a household income at or below 120 percent of the Average Median Income (AMI), or about $63,000 a year for a family of four.
As with the original program, anyone who receives a grant under Phase Two and is rebuilding will have to elevate their home out of the flood plain, build consistent to the International Building Code/International Residential Code, and carry flood insurance.
In addition, Phase Two grant recipients must agree to a covenant on their property that establishes building code, homeowner insurance, and elevation requirements for them or any future owner of the land; and agree to remain at that site for three years, or relocate elsewhere in George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson or Pearl River counties.
Like the initial phase, this second phase of the program will be funded from the $4 billion allocated through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The starting point for each individual grant calculation will be the cost to repair or rebuild the structure based on a damage assessment approved by the Mississippi Development Authority.
In addition to the homeowner grants through the first and second phases, Governor Barbour said the federal government has also allowed the state to allocate $100 million of the grant funds for restoration of public housing in the three coastal counties. The state is also working closely with HUD to fund more restoration of rental housing and other modifications to the original grants program.
Families that have already applied for the original phase of the program or already registered for follow-on programs do not have to re-register to be considered for Phase Two; however, homeowners who are uncertain are encouraged to go ahead and re-register. New applicants should call 1-866-369-6302 to schedule an application appointment.
This proposed modification – Number 4 Phase II – is open for public comment. Copies of the entire plan are available by written or telephone request from the Mississippi Development Authority call center (1-866-369-6302), or on the Internet at http://www.mississippi.org/. The modification will be available in Vietnamese and Spanish translations at the same website.
Written comments regarding this proposed modification may be mailed to the Mississippi Development Authority, Post Office Box 849, Jackson, MS 39205 or sent via facsimile to (601) 359-9280. Comments may also be submitted online to hoacomments@mississippi.org. Comments must be received no later than December 8, 2006.

Change of Leadership http://www.gulfcoastnews.com/GCNnewsMDAleadershipchange.htm

Governor Haley Barbour announced today that Leland Speed, executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority since the beginning of the Barbour Administration, is returning to the private sector and will be replaced by Gray Swoope, MDA's chief operating officer.
The change will become effective at the end of the year. Governor Barbour characterized the change as a seamless transition in the leadership ranks of the state agency tasked with creating new and higher paying jobs through economic development and business enhancement.
"Leland Speed is one of this state's most outstanding business leaders and came into government from the private sector so he could be of service to the people. He has done a fabulous job as executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority and I am grateful for his service. State government needs more people like him," Governor Barbour said.
The Governor also praised the leadership that Swoope has demonstrated over the past three years in his position as MDA's Chief Operating Officer."Gray Swoope has been the man behind the details of all of the important initiatives undertaken by MDA since the beginning of my Administration," Governor Barbour said. "He is thoroughly immersed in all aspects of Mississippi's economic development program and initiatives, and I am delighted to say that with his elevation to the top spot we won't miss a beat."

11/20 Homeless Shelter Grants
The State HOME Program makes funds available to countygovernments and certified Community Housing Development Organizations(CHDOs), incorporated municipalities, not designated by HUD as local participating jurisdictions or Consortium.
Emergency Shelter Grant Programs (ESG) funds are used to provide assistance to homeless individuals and families. They can be used for shelter improvements, maintenance and operations of shelters, homeless assistance with supportive housing, and ultimately, permanent housing.
Alert your local communities of this program!!!
For more information contact:
Community Services DivisionGrants Management BureauTelephone: 601.359.3179
community@mississippi.org
Website: http://www.mississippi.org/content.aspx?url=/page/2769&

11/20 Community Development Block Grants
http://www.mississippi.org/content.aspx?url=/page/cdbg&
(Hyperlinks probably won't work)
The Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG) helps the local units of government realize their potential by providing funds necessary to ensure decent housing, basic community services, environmental quality and economic opportunities for their residents. The State CDBG Program makes funds available to the local units of government except for the entitlement cities that show a genuine need for specific projects and can meet the program's state and federal eligibility requirements. In accordance with the Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, project activities must meet at least one of the following national objectives:
Benefit low- and moderate-income persons;
Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight;
Meet urgent needs because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community and other financial resources are not available to meet such needs.
A local unit of government may apply for CDBG funds in the Public Facilities, Economic Development, Mississippi Micro-Enterprises Development Demonstration and Community Asset Development and Sustainability Planning Demonstration categories.
The Public Facilities category provides funding for public improvements such as water, wastewater, drainage, streets and certain public buildings. This category includes a Regular Competition for funds as well as a Small Government and Emergency Set Asides, and Community Self-Help Program. The Self-Help Category provides funding for public improvements such as water, wastewater, downtown improvements and recreational improvements. Some Public Facilities projects may be funded under the stringent Urgent Needs/Emergencies national objective. An Urgent Needs/Emergencies project must prove a particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community and meet other criteria such as the date of occurrence of the emergency condition.
The Economic Development category provides funding to the local units of government for eligible infrastructure improvements in the support of business start-ups and expansions. Job creation is the key to CDBG-assisted economic development. Economic Development Public Improvements subcategory provides grants to local governments on behalf of businesses for the provision of needs such as water, sewer and access roads. Economic Development Loans may be used for capital improvements, equipment or working capital at the discretion of the Community Services Division.
The Mississippi Micro-Enterprises Development Demonstration category provides funding in support of Micro-Enterprise business endeavors. Grants are awarded to eligible the local units of government that are then loaned to specific for-profit businesses, or a local units of government may contract with an eligible non-profit organization that is directly involved with Micro-Enterprise development.
The Community Asset Development and Sustainability Planning Demonstration is to assist L/M communities having a need for community planning to improve economic viability or quality of life.
For more information, please select the categories listed below:
Public Facilities (Regular, Small and Urgent Needs/Emergencies)
Self-Help
Economic Development
Micro-Enterprises Development Demonstration
Community Asset Development and Sustainability Planning Demonstration
The CDBG Final Statements provide the category allocations, specific information, special conditions, and threshold requirements.
Community Services Division
Telephone: 601.359.3179
Fax: 601.359.9311
community@mississippi.org

MS Grant Statistics
11/18 Checks Given* The state has sent out 5,701 checks to Mississippi Gulf Coast homeowners who suffered damage from Hurricane Katrina, program supervisors said Thursday

11/7
Barbour orders grants increased - On average, some will receive $15,000 more
By GEOFF PENDER and KAREN NELSON
SUN HERALD
PASCAGOULA - A majority of those who have received or will receive Hurricane Katrina homeowner grant checks will be getting more money than originally estimated, per Gov. Haley Barbour's orders.
About 85 percent of those who had been approved for grants and told an amount before Oct. 23 will receive more money, an average of $15,000 more. These homeowners don't have to wade through any more paperwork or meetings for this increase, officials said. The recalculations are being made automatically and will not further delay the process, they said. But $150,000 is still the maximum, and officials stressed that not everyone will receive an increase and that $15,000 is an average.
Apparently, kinks in the months-delayed grant program are being worked out after an angry Barbour, who is ultimately in charge of how it is run, ordered changes weeks ago. The program as of Thursday morning had doled out 3,162 checks, compared to the less than 200 that had been paid out just a few weeks ago.
Barbour had received much praise for using his Washington clout last year to help convince Congress and HUD to approve up to $5 billion for a Katrina homeowner bailout. No such help has ever been given after other natural disasters. But as the program dragged on months beyond when Barbour and others had estimated people would be receiving checks, that praise turned to criticism from homeowners desperately wanting to rebuild and leave their FEMA trailers. Others argued - and nearly 2,000 formally appealed - that the grant amounts for which they were approved were too low.
Barbour himself criticized the slowness, although he said federal red tape and problems with insurance and mortgage companies not providing information was causing much of the delay. Barbour ordered changes, such as allowing people to fill out affidavits to sidestep logjams when insurance companies or others won't provide info. He also told administrators to err on the side of the homeowners when calculating the grant amounts.
A top Barbour advisor and an official with the company hired to run the Katrina grant program toured the Coast on Wednesday and Thursday, meeting with government, nonprofit and community leaders, and the media.
"For this to work, all these people have to play nice: SBA, FEMA, HUD, MDA, the mortgage industry, the insurance industry, the title insurance industry, the governor's office, local chancery clerks and outside contractors," said Paul Raffensperger of the Maryland-based Reznick Group, hired by the Mississippi Development Authority to run the program.
As the homeowner grant program began to stumble and miss the optimistic deadlines that state officials had set for getting checks out to people, county supervisors said they were the ones who most often heard about it.
And in Jackson County, by far the county with the most homeowner grant applicants, supervisors' phones rang off the hook. People couldn't get information through the MDA hotline and didn't have anywhere else to turn.
Supervisors John McKay and Manly Barton at a meeting Thursday explained to Jim Perry, with the governor's staff, that it was frustrating because they didn't have answers either, but tried to act as liaisons for the people and at first had trouble getting through to MDA and the governor's office themselves.
Perry and Raffensperger explained one major change is the MDA centers that have reopened in each county are now real service centers with answers for the public and workers who can be advocates to help homeowners receive the most from the program.
Both McKay and Barton said the most bitter feedback they received were in cases where neighbors with similar homes and very similar damage received very different damage assessments from the inspectors for the grants.
Though Raffensperger blamed human error and a glitch in the formula used to calculate damage, he also said that some of it just couldn't be explained. But he pointed to the fact that the governor took care of that problem, allowing the grant program to go with the highest damage estimate a homeowner receives, be it SBA or grant inspectors.
McKay said it is obvious that the state is making improvements. The number of calls he's getting has dropped off, "but there's still some heartburn out there over what makes one house 11 percent damaged and another next door 90 percent.
"All in all it is turning out pretty good. The federal government gave us the money. The governor led the charge," he said.
State Democratic leaders have been making much political hay against Barbour over delays in grants and other problems.
Perry said he doesn't know whether the problems would hurt Barbour - who stands for re-election next year - politically on the Coast. But he said he doubts the governor cares.
"The governor and all the people working seven days a week on this are not motivated by politics in this. Their motivation is to help as many people as possible.
"I would be surprised if (Barbour suffers politically) by a program that is the first of its kind, that the governor proposed and successfully got funding for and has implemented, that means thousands of homeowners get assistance they normally wouldn't have gotten, and thousands more will be soon. I would be surprised, but even if it does, it was worth it," Perry said.
"We are not working toward the election right now. We are trying to help people recover."

Homeowner grants
Q: What's been taking so long? Why haven't I gotten a check?
A"We didn't anticipate initial, fierce opposition from the mortgage industry," said Jim Perry, Barbour's chief of policy. "We didn't anticipate that would drag things out by five months to begin with. We didn't anticipate that it would take several months to get reliable, usable data from SBA and we didn't anticipate that many of the 200 insurance companies we had to deal with would be unwilling to provide information. There's still no excuse, and nobody's been happy with the pace. But you have to consider we are still only six months out from when HUD approved the money.
Homeowner grants
Some answers to frequently asked questions about the Katrina homeowner grant program, which is federally funded but run by the Mississippi Development Authority and, ultimately, Gov. Haley Barbour:
Q: Have state leaders been dragging their feet on sending grant checks in order to collect interest on the billions in federal money?
A: No. The state is not collecting interest. The money is allocated on a "draw-down" basis. As checks are issued, HUD sends the money to the state.
Q: Have any homeowners been dragging their feet?
A: Apparently. Of the nearly 10,000 who have been sent "closing packets," only 6,000 have completed and returned them.
Q: I had an SBA loan, but I have received my full grant payment. Was this a mistake? Will I have to give the money to SBA later?
A"Go ahead and cash it," said Paul Raffensperger of the Reznick Group, the company hired to run the grants. He said SBA makes its own calculations about "duplication of services" and how much of the grant should be paid to it. If you receive a check, Raffensperger said, it's yours, although you will still have to live by whatever loan repayment agreement you have with SBA.
Q: I sold my home before I received a grant. Will I still get one?
A: Only if you can get the buyer to sign an agreement to meet stipulations that include rebuilding to international code and federal flood elevation rules and carrying federal flood insurance. Officials said there is no exception for this. Raffensperger said some of the new homebuyers are signing the agreements, but others have refused. He said some are "bartering," or trying to get money from the person they bought from before they'll sign.
8/5 - MS Homeowner Grant Red Tape
http://www.gulfcoastnews.com/GCNnewsKatrinaHomeGrantDelays.htm
An exerpt
The process will take time. The MS Development Agency says it will soon start sending out as many as 500 notices a day and that will take at least 34 days. It is the closing meetings that will take time. Homeowners have to appear in person at the closings to sign documents. If the MDA can handle a hundred closings a day, and each takes 15 minutes, which is an optimistic speed, it will take at least eight months to process all the claims. It is likely that many homeowners will not see a check any sooner than well into next yea

Small Business Tax Write-offs

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- If you own a small business and have already filed your taxes, then Uncle Sam is probably the last person you want to think about right now. But there's no better time to make some moves that could significantly pay off in 2007.

For instance, buying a Ford Escape hybrid instead of a Honda Accord could save you $3,000 next year. That's just one of the many tax credits out there, which could reduce or even eliminate your tax bill next year.

Alternative Motor Vehicles: By now, a lot of small business owners are aware of the hybrid vehicle tax credit, but many might be surprised by how many types of vehicles currently qualify. For the complete list from the IRS, click here.

For instance, business owners may not know that many SUVs (more than 6,000 pounds) qualify for the deduction, which is known as a 179. That means you can expense up to $25,000 of the cost of the vehicle.

So if you are thinking of new wheels, just keep in mind that the tax benefits from buying a hybrid car or SUV apply to those purchased and put to use before Dec. 31.

Basing Your Office in a Renewal Community Zone: If you are looking to open an office or move from your current location, check if it makes sense to move into a federally mandated renewal zone or empowerment zone.

"It's pretty amazing what qualifies," said Brian Liu, co-founder and CEO of LegalZoom, which provides online legal assistance for small business owners.

"You would be surprised by what's out there and there are some significant tax savings," he said.

Small business owners in these areas can qualify for reduced taxation on capital gains and tax credits for hiring local residents - as much as $1,500 per employee.

There are also new construction credits, tax abatement credits and accelerated depreciation on durable goods. These incentives are designed to encourage businesses to open or expand in distressed communities.

Check out the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Web site for more information.

Retirement and Pension Funds: If you haven't already, now is the time to start a retirement account.

Federal law allows small business owners to put up to 25 percent of their annual income into a retirement account such as a 401(k), SEP or Keogh.

And socking away up to one-quarter of your income will not only lower your tax bill, but it's also fiscally responsible.

Liu advises setting up a retirement account as soon as possible, although, technically, you have until Dec. 31.

Childcare Facilities: For those small business owners juggling work and family, consider adding a childcare facility to your office space, even if you work from home.

You can claim a credit of up to 35 percent of your expenses for childcare. That means if you have a home office and a nanny, you can get a credit of up to 35 percent of your nanny's salary, up to $3,000 per child.

Disabled Access: If you are planning on expanding or renovating your office this year, complying with the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act could save you lots of dough. For example, you can get a tax credit of up to $5,000 in addition to a tax deduction of up to $15,000 for making your bathroom or entryway handicapped-accessible.

"When you are renovating an office, it pays to meet with standards," Liu said.

Bradford Hall, a tax specialist and president of Hall & Company based in Irvine Calif., says now is the best time to get your accounting in order instead of waiting until the end of the year.

"Then you won't get behind the eight ball," he said.

More Tips
Reducing Your Tax Bill
Startup Tax Deductions
Home-Office Tax Tips
Startup Tax Deductions

Article Index

FEMA
Assessments From Outside Sources
3/10 General FEMA News
Class Action Suit in NOLA Against FEMA
Aspen Institute's Assessment
CDC Assessments 1
CDC Assessments 2
Media Assessment
Hancock County Official's Testimony
Hurricane Risk Whistle Blower
Articles
More FEMA Grants to MS
FEMA Trailers Article
FEMA Using Grant $ to Repay YOUR SBA Loan
FEMA v. Disabled
The Coming Trend From FEMA
New MS FEMA Director

Articles Regarding Working In Disaster Areas
3/9 Keeping Our Eye On The Ball
2/20 Recycle Building Supplies 3
2/10 Retro Study on Burden of Local Charities
2/10 Trees Becoming Widowmakers
Fungal Contamination Article
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Article
Guidelines For Using PPE
Cleaning After A Flood
Safety Guidelines For Volunteers
Recycle Building Supplies 1
Recycle Building Supplies 2
Building Code Article

Help (index of links and posts re: help)
Contractor Grifter Article
2/17 Community Gardens
2/2 Preparing For A Disaster Before It Hits
1/21 Reducing Debt
1/21 Reducing Food Bills
12/22 Gift Card Scam
11/30 Stay Safe in FEMA Trailers
11/19 Tax Credit - 2006 Only
11/10 Snail Mail Scam
11/2 - Insurance Trial Precedent
10/15 Steps to Save Heat
Free Legal Help - 10/13
10/10 Modular Housing Tax Reduced
9/20 - Katrina Housing Corporation
9/14 - Tax Relief Information
8/2 - Tax Assistance Articles

Emotional and Physical Price of The Storms
6/15 MS Health Care Rating
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/06/ms-health-care-last-in-us.html
3/27 Medical Crisis
3/22/07 TB On Rise
3/22/07 Videos, Pictures
3/16/07 Carnival of Hurricane Relief - for 1 month
3/1/07 General Emotional Trauma Articles
2/9/07 Help So Far Away For Too Many
2/5/07 New Child Depression Article
1/26/07 Effects of Displacement on Children
1/19/07 Skin Infection Update (see also: 1/22 Skin Infection Article )
1/12/07 Syphilis is on Rise
11/23/06 Elderly Still Suffering
10/16/06 Emotional Assistance
7/28/06 Depression Rising Children
Emergency Services Workers
Drug and Violence Issues

Local Interest
Hancock County
Auto Break-Ins On Rise
http://hancockcountyrelief.blogspot.com/2007/07/auto-break-ins-on-rise.html
Hancock County 911 In Need
http://katrinapolicefireambulance.blogspot.com/2007/07/hancock-county-911.html
4/19 From Kathleen Johnson - Who Are The Victims of Katrina?
3/19/07 Update From a Volunteer
2/9/07 Half a Mil in Drugs Seized
2/8/07 3 Schools Have Green Spaces Landscaped
2/5/07 Septic Woes
2/2/07 Materials Held Hostage
2/1/07 Meth Lab Busted
2/1/07 FEMA Grants for HC
1/22/07 Skin Infection Article
1/21/07 Gang Violence Increasing
12/24/06 Hancock County Jail Fire
12/26 Unemployment Down in Hancock County
12/26 'Still Busted Up
12.24 Hancock County Rebuilding Going "Well"
12/23 Quilt Auction Helps H.C. Libraries
12/9 Family Injured in FEMA fire
12/5 Eatery Robbed
12/3 Claremont Harbor and Lakeshore
12/3 H.C. Future Lookin Brighter
11/23 Menonite Disaster Relief
10/5 H.C. Sheriff Raise Disputed
9/20 Mayor Favre Suggests Merging Some County/City Departments
9/6 Americorps Staying In Hancock County
9/2 Weed in Hancock County
Diamondhead Water Woes
Bay St Louis
BSL Needs New Chief
http://katrinapolicefireambulance.blogspot.com/2007/07/bsl-fd-woes.html
3/12/07 The Bay Needs a New Jail
3/7 BWSD makes School News
3/1 Old Town Infrastructure Plan
2/12 BSL Artist on NPR
2/9 Volunteer Artists Beautifying Empty Space
2/9 Political Turmoil Abounds
1/14 Old Town, BSL Casino Plans
1/14 BSL Building Chief Resigns
1/12 BSL Water Meters
12/25/06 BSL Fire Dpt Shake up
9/6 Beach Blvd Rebuilding Issues
Mayor Favre
Pearlington
2/10/07 MS Community Fund Grants Housing Money
2/8 Open Letter to Send on Behalf of Volunteer Fire Department
2/3 Article on Aid Decrease - focus on P-ton
1/12 Pearlington Funding For Community Center
8/13/06 Pearlington Volunteer Reunion
School Merging
Waveland
2/25/07 Saratoga Springs, NY, Mardi Gras
2/16 BBC Article
1/20 Police Enter Volunteer Org's Office
1/4 Waveland Audit Requested
Waveland Mayor Thanks Hoosiers
Waveland Annexes Land
Habitat in Waveland
School Merging

MS Articles
7/18 Petition for Presidential Candidates
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/07/petition-through-oxfam.html
7/5 Allstate Settles with MS
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/07/allstate-settles-with-ms.html
3/25 Church World Services
3/25/07 Wind Pool Article
3/16/07 Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Biloxi Information
3/7 Schools Still Struggling
3/1 MS Commercial Rebuilding Gone Due To Insurance
2/9 MDOT Needs Workers
2/3 Homestead Tax Article
1/27 Going without Heat
1/23 State of the State Address
1/21 Deuce McAllister Working Toward New MS Burn Unit
12/22/06 State of the Gulf Article
9/25 Relief Money Problems Also Continue
9/1 Waste Water Issues
9/1 Report On Rebuilding Artificial Reefs
10/2 - Housing Update
10/4 - New Spider In Town
10/6 Economic Stats for MS
11/8 Local Construction Company Success Story
11/30 Items From Gulf Residents
11/29 Water Supply Proposal For Gulf Coast

Emergency Services/First Responder Information
NOLA Dr. Not Indicted
http://katrinapolicefireambulance.blogspot.com/2007/07/nola-physician-not-indicted.html
7/16 New Radios For ES
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/07/new-radios-for-emergency-services.html
2/17 NOPD Communication Assistance
2/15 Female Professional Fire Fighters To Help Rebuild
12/24 Hancock County Jail Fire
12/28 Cyanide Treatment In The Field.
12/26 NOPD Needs Personnel
NOFD - City Council Support Updated
12/26 'Still Busted Up
12/25 BSL Fire Dpt Shake up
11/8 Harrison County's New ES Coordinator
11/7 MS Fugitive Sweep a Success
10/23 Avoiding Infectious Diseases
10/20 MS EMS Fraud
10/18 Jefferson Parish EOC
10/5 Increasing Difficulties Insuring MS Law Enforcement
10/5 Hancock County MS Sheriff Wants Raise
10/4 NOLA Area - Fire Annexation Issues
FEMA Pledge to EMS - Added 9/29
Ladder Trucks Needed For New Construction
FD Sources To Call For Attention to Needs
MS FD Guardian Angel
NIOSH News

Miscellaneous
3/19 A Quilt to Make
3/18 For NOLA Lovers - Hubigs Pies Sold Online
3/12 Newt Gingrich On Katrina
3/12 State Farm Settles Out of Court Goes with - 1/12 State Farm Insurance Investigated
3/7 A Survivor Speaks Out
2/17 Environmental Worries Continue
2/17 Gulf Coast Civic Works Project
2/17 Starting Community Gardens
1/27 Cancer Med Article
1/16 Our Own Going to MO To Help
1/16 Alternative Housing
1/13 Aussies Building Steel Framed Homes
1/10 Katrina Cottage Program in MS
1/6 DeWalt Generator Recall
1/5 Animal Crisis Articles
12/3 Foreign Journalists Aghast
12/10 - New Award Winning Play
12/9 Answering The Ignorant - No, The Gulf Isn't Rebuilt Yet
Looking For Purple Heart Recipients
Termite Myth Debunked
8/2 Arsenic or No Arsenic In The Soil?
9/5 Kathleen Koch of CNN Speaks Out
10/13 Coast Line Loss and Recovery